Cash? Debit? Visa? Travelers cheques?

[bankr63]

Thought I would update as well. I'm pleased we went with as much cash only as we could. Our credit card was compromised (charges originate in Canada and were made today). Our bank was great and the charges are being reversed but the card had to be cancelled and we won't have access to it for a few weeks. We go home the day after tomorrow and have all the cash we need and we do carry another low balance card so we can use that to put on file with with the airport hotel our last night. But what a giant pain.
I don't even want to think what a nightmare this would have been had it happened at the start of the trip and we charged 3 hotel stays, and our rental car hold went on that card.
As it stands I am not sure whats going to happen when the hold for the rental car falls off.. they can't put it back on a cancelled card and I didn't think to ask. I'm just thankful I said all along I didn't want charging privileges so there are no holds from the 3 hotels, and I paid the balance on check in at all 3. Rental car was prepaid too. It could have been way messier if A) I had waited until the end of our stay at Portifino to pay and B) if I didn't check the card every night before bed.

Generally if your card is compromised while travelling, the CC company should express you a new card immediately wherever you are. I used to work for a large Canadian issuer and we did this all the time; the new card was generally in the customer's hand within 24 hours, and we did not charge for service.

 

[BLAZEY]

Generally if your card is compromised while travelling, the CC company should express you a new card immediately wherever you are. I used to work for a large Canadian issuer and we did this all the time; the new card was generally in the customer's hand within 24 hours, and we did not charge for service.

I agree my gramps had his wallet stolen in Paris in 1994 and he had a new card in his hand in about 48 hours. That was great considering it was over 20 years ago.

 

[pigletto]

I think maybe because it was after 10pm when we noticed the charges we didn't really have our wits about us to request a card right away. As it was we had a small back up and cash on hand so we didn't really have any real urgency.

 

[Sue M]

I was planning to rely entirely on credit card, but I'm thinking I will need some cash to tip baggage handlers and room service. Is there anything else I won't be able to charge?

You'll also need tips for dining, and housekeeping.

 

[Sue M]

We don't use DDP, so I calculate how much I think we'll spend on dining and put that on a gift card when we arrive. I do that for budgeting, and because it's safer then cash. And, I like to know my balance easily. It's on every receipt. Using MB you have to go to resort desk to check balance.

I have a US checking acct and Visa. Before we leave I'll transfer money from checking to the Visa. I'll use Visa to buy my gift cards, and I bring some cash. We are in Florida around 3.5 weeks, so I'll bring $500 cash.
I also get a Gift card at Disney for Suvies. Rest of cash stays in safe. I may carry around $20 in purse just in case.
Some carts in the parks don't take cards or MBs. And last January we wanted to eat at Cooks of Dublin and their system was down. So was nice to have cash.

 

[CdnCarrie]

We put anything and everything on our BMO Air Miles card. Probably earn enough air miles for passes for your next trip by doing so!

 

[EastYorkDisneyFan]

You'll also need tips for dining, and housekeeping.

you don't have to tip housekeeping as they are not considered to be a tipped population however many poel ill tip them on daily bases it's up to you relly.

 

[mullysisters]

I take $500 in US dollars and charge everything to my MB which is linked to my MCard. I get an itemized bill at the end, don't worry about carrying/losing money. I take my MC too in case the MB fails at the parks. Totally bummed about the exchange rate this year!

 

[Exmo]

We used our Amex platinum airmiles card for everything while there....got some nice points towards our next trip this December 2015.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Cash. Always. Ive had too many issues with credit cards and debit cards. Too much of a hassle. So much easier with cold hard cash.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Just thought I would follow up with what we ended up doing. I made an itinerary of what we'd be doing each day, a budget for the day based on the restaurants or activities to pay for that day, and put each days money in a separate envelope. We will use the credit card for car rental hold, and any hotel holds we have to pay, and for anything unexpected that may come up.
I'm fine with using the hotel safe for the envelopes, and will take one out each day. Anything leftover gets rolled into the next day, and surplus will come home or be used for last day souvenirs.

The extra fees on the credit card drive me nuts and this will keep the budget on track.

This is what we do, too (great minds think alike ).

 

[youngb1978]

I only have a visa debit from TD so hopefully that works for any credit card things...we do not have credit cards.

 

[xlxo]

Generally if your card is compromised while travelling, the CC company should express you a new card immediately wherever you are. I used to work for a large Canadian issuer and we did this all the time; the new card was generally in the customer's hand within 24 hours, and we did not charge for service.

Thoughts...

• I don't have the patience to wait 24hrs for a replacement card
• I carry two cards with me... if one is compromized, my backup card is ready to go
• my two cards are two different brands... if my Amex is refused... Visa comes to the rescue.... eg Costco

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I'll update with what we did when we went to DLR.

I put as much as I could onto a prepaid MC. Then I used that card to purchase gift cards for all meals (1), for the BBB and Anna and Elsa's Boutique (1) and for our souvies (4 - 1 each). Anything left on the prepaid was used for emergencies (food or baggage fees). We only brought about $100 cash - for tipping Mousekeeping, Bell Services, and our shuttle drivers, as well as for food at the airports.

 

[SaraJR]

im using cash

 

[SaraMc]

Living close to the border, when we are in the US before the trip we usually get a couple of gift cards and use those with a mix of cash and a cc just incase. We usually charge everything back to the room and pay off the balance at the end of the stay.

 

[alc571]

Always cash for us. Easiest to budget when we are there, and no fees associated with it. We always budget about $200/day for 3 of us, with no dining plan.

 

[bankr63]

Always cash for us. Easiest to budget when we are there, and no fees associated with it. We always budget about $200/day for 3 of us, with no dining plan.

Just to be clear, and because many don't realize it, there are certainly fees associated with cash unless you have a source of US income. Banks charge 2.5-3% above the exchange rate when you buy or sell US dollars over the counter (unless you are a large retail customer; they get preferred rates). Exchange houses make their living off this as well, although they might beat the banks on fees at times. That percentage is pretty much the same fee that most Visa and MasterCard charge for conversion, so there really is no difference between cash and credit in that way.

I agree that cash is always better for budgeting however. You can't overspend once the wallet is empty.

 

[ixmnrs]

Cash for smaller items or outside Disney things, everything else is accumulated on my hotel bill and settled with my Amex card which has no extra foreign exchange fees (2.5%) . I found travellers cheques to be a hassle to cash in all the time and stopped using those a decade ago. I Usually exchange for USD frequently, usually monthly preauthorized amounts into my tangerine CDN account which then I transfer to my tangerine USD account all online, so hopefully the ups and downs average out; Continental Foreign exchange (in the mall) for extra conversions just before trip starts.

 

[pampam]

I'm still old school, so cash for me. I take what I will need for a few days, plus the rest in traveler's cheques. When I need more money, I cash a TC at the front desk. In shops or restaurants, it's always cash. I do take a CC in an RFID sleeve, for emergency but never have to use it.

As an off note, one vacation I lost my TCs an hour after checking in. It was exactly like the commercial. I had new ones in hand the next morning. All I lost was a nights sleep. If I had known how easy it would have been to replace them I'm sure I would have slept well.