Cash or Traveler's Checks?

[Mickeyistheman]

Leaving in just 17 days and I can't wait!!!! Tomorrow is my DSis's 15th birthday and I already got her Disney' Dollars for the trip. But as for myself. I am torn between bringing Cash or Traveler's Checks?

I also want to know if anyone has heard about a Credit/Debit Traveler's Check Card?

Any information on this would be most helpful.

 

[WindowsJB]

The first time I went, I took Traveler's Checks. While they were accepted nearly everywhere I went, I never took them again on any of my other trips. To me they did not prove to be necessary. I usually take a small stock of cash along, but primarily use my debit card for almost everything.

Sorry, I don't have any info on the traveler's check debit cards.

Jared

 

[kpm76]

Well, I think traveler's checks are safer but DH and don't do either. We don't typically carry much cash and we use our debit card for everything. It works because it's just the two of us but if you're traveling with a group and having to split the bill with meals etc. that option might not be the best. In that case I'd suggest a small amount of cash and traveler's checks..HTH...have a great trip

 

[beccasmom]

See the attached link from Amex
http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,22395,00.asp?aexp_nav=travcheques

We use our credit cards or debit cards...whichever makes more sense - Discover is now accepted, which is great for me. I've never been a fan of travelers' checks myself.

 

[milmore104]

I did the TC thing once and will NEVER do it again. To much hassle for me! We now just charge everything to our room and pay it off at the end of the trip w/ our debit card. A lot easier than using our DC every time we buy something. We take a small amount of cash w/ us and keep it in the safe in our room. We each carry $50 on us a day. Just enough to buy little things here and there and we charge everything else.
I did just see a commercial for the TC DC it was from American Express! Hope this helps.

 

[zurgswife]

Small amount of cash and cc....I use my room charge for most things so I can keep track of the expenditures..

 

[jjarman]

Our last two trips to WDW we took travelers checks plus a small amount of cash. We never had a problem using them any where in the parks. I prefer to budget what I am going to spend each day so I make an envelope for each day of our trip, one for gas if we are driving and one for “extras”. At the end of the day whatever cash and traveler’s checks are left over go in the “extras” envelope. We then use that throughout the trip for extra souvenirs or other things we want to do.

 

[hercamore]

I take a combo of disney dollars, credit card, cash (airport food, tips misc). and a couple hundred dollars in travelers checks for backup. Travelers checks are free at our crediut union. I just put the unused ones back in my acct.

Be careful of those loaded debit cards. Should a clerk make an error and overcharge you somehwere, takes several days for authorizer to reload the card. At least that was my dd's experience. Could be bad situation if it's a hefty amount of money.

herc.

 

[jlcbshaw]

I took cash our first trip (94) and even though we didn't have any problems, I took travelers cheques on all of the rest.

Why? in one word, Security. To me, the amount of money that I spend on our vacation to WDW is a large investment and usually requires months of saving. So if something where to happen (like lost/stolen wallet, or who knows what) I could have the money replaced and we would still be able to take our vacation.

Again we have yet to have any problems, but spending a few dollars to purchase the cheques is a great peace of mind. I have never had a problem with the cheques being accepted anywhere, except at a McDonalds on our trip down. In this case, I just went to the Wal-Mart next door and bought a soda and used the change to purchase our lunch.

One tip is not to purchase all large cheques. Sometimes the gas stations didn't want to take them or I had to wait for my change. Of course with the price of gas it'll take a large cheque to cover the bill.

As far as the Cheque card, I checked into that and there is a fee to purchase (same as the paper cheque) but what you have to be careful of here is the fees that some merchants charge to use a "debit" card and also if you decide to make a withdraw at an ATM, then you have to pay the bank fees, plus a fee for the cheque company. Of course, as the years have gone by, I have had to carry fewer cheques because now I pay for my hotel and purchase my tickets online with my debit card and usually purchase souvies with the debit card also. After researching, I will stick to the travelers cheques for security and carry a small amount of cash as well as my debit card.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Thank you so much everyone for your thoughts on this! You have all been a great help.

Just for safety's sake I will take traveler's cheques because you never know what can happen and I do budget for every day so it would be simpler.

I will also bring some cash along with my debit just in case.

Can't wait to get to CSR!!!!!

"All you need is faith and trust......... "