Cash Gift Cards Visa

[californiamomof4grls]

How do you bring money into the park? I'm always afraid that we will loose our ATM card while we are away from home. What ways of bringing money into the park, do you find works best for your family?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We being cash. However, most anything can be purchased with a credit card or gift card within the parks. We never use the ATM at Disney. We only bring enough cash for incidentals and then use our credit card for everything else.

We give our DD a Disney gift card to spend. That works well for her so she doesn't have to fiddle with her cash.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

We did our entire WDW trip on Disney gift cards and Visa gift cards (for Universal and so if we over budgeted our money wouldn't be committed to Disney). We brought some cash for tips (bell hop, etc) and carts that don't take them (rolling ones with the light up stuff at night).

 

[princesszelda]

We only bring $100 in cash. The rest is usually Disny gift cards and we have our Disney Visa for just incase purposes.

 

[disneychrista]

You can lose cash just as easy as you can your ATM. I have a limited amount of cash and generally use either a credit card or a rewards card/gift card.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

We did our entire WDW trip on Disney gift cards and Visa gift cards (for Universal and so if we over budgeted our money wouldn't be committed to Disney). We brought some cash for tips (bell hop, etc) and carts that don't take them (rolling ones with the light up stuff at night).

Gift cards is a good idea.

Shannon Did the Visa Gift Cards cost to use? I've only experienced the kind that charge you for every transaction. How did you decide how much would go to Disney and how much to Visa? How many did you get?

 

[Mackysmycat]

Cash for snacks and smaller purchases - credit card for bigger purchases and meals at restaurants.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Gift cards is a good idea.

Shannon Did the Visa Gift Cards cost to use? I've only experienced the kind that charge you for every transaction. How did you decide how much would go to Disney and how much to Visa? How many did you get?

It's a one time fee when you buy them. I planned out avg prices for meals, any sit down meals, and added minimum souveniers. We had the dining plan one if our two weeks so I just had to pay tips the first week. We did $1000 on Disney and $800 on Visa and came home with nearly $400 left on the Visa.

Each gift card had a max of $500, so we got 2 Disney and had 2visa. So DH and I each had one of each for most of the trip. On the Disney ones the balance showed on the receipt each time we used it. You have to keep track for the Visa.

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Oh well that would work nicely! I think that's a great idea!

 

[awdsmama]

It's a one time fee when you buy them. I planned out avg prices for meals, any sit down meals, and added minimum souveniers. We had the dining plan one if our two weeks so I just had to pay tips the first week. We did $1000 on Disney and $800 on Visa and came home with nearly $400 left on the Visa.

Each gift card had a max of $500, so we got 2 Disney and had 2visa. So DH and I each had one of each for most of the trip. On the Disney ones the balance showed on the receipt each time we used it. You have to keep track for the Visa.

Was there any place at DLR you tried to use the Disney Gift Card but were unable to?

I really want to get a few but am worried specifically about using them for restaurants/eating....do they hold or authorize extra above and beyond the bill amount for tip etc?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Was there any place at DLR you tried to use the Disney Gift Card but were unable to?

I really want to get a few but am worried specifically about using them for restaurants/eating....do they hold or authorize extra above and beyond the bill amount for tip etc?

Any place ran by Disney that took a credit card. They don't hold extra for tip. It's essentially like paying cash. Of course we were in WDW and had auto gratuity because we are 6+ people so im not sure if they'd run once for food and another for tip, or run it after you add tip to the bill.

 

[taaren]

This is actually one of the reasons I love staying on-site the last few years ... most of the time when I go into the park my purse stays in the safe in the room and we go in with only our AP's and the room key.

If you're staying at GCH, DLH, or PPH your room key can charge pretty much anything in the park (other than a few of the street vendor carts that are cash only) so that's how we get all our corn dogs, etc.

Didn't think I'd use the privilege as much as we do, but so far our bill hasn't been unexpectedly high upon check out since we're still spending the same amount as when we paid with CC previously, and its nice to see it itemized at the end. Plus it feels very secure since any charges that anybody put on my room I can review at any time I want on the television and tell the front desk if its not correct.

Just a thought in case you were contemplating one of the Disney owned hotels.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Since APs don't have pics anymore you'll need an ID too.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Any place ran by Disney that took a credit card. They don't hold extra for tip. It's essentially like paying cash. Of course we were in WDW and had auto gratuity because we are 6+ people so im not sure if they'd run once for food and another for tip, or run it after you add tip to the bill.

Whoa, six people is the number where they automatically add the tip in? Is this DLR as well as WDW? 15%? 18%? 20%?

AJ

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Whoa, six people is the number where they automatically add the tip in? Is this DLR as well as WDW? 15%? 18%? 20%?

AJ

18% and the menus I've pulled up for DLR says 8 or more.

 

[DizMe]

I prefer to bring a certain amount of cash and then use ATM. I find it so much easier than dealing with credit cards, gift cards, etc. I once used those prepaid Visas and it was a royal pain. They couldn't do any transaction that exceeded the amount on the card (you couldn't pay the amount over the card limit with cash) and they wouldn't give me change so I had to keep the purchase under the amount left on the card and wound up with little amounts left on them and transactions that had to be done without the card. Gift cards are easier but you still have to keep track of how much is left on them.