Disney with credit issues

dragon_mama_76

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Messages
6
Hi!
I am dying to take my kids on a Disney vacation (WDW and Disney cruise combined) but I have a huge problem. I had to file for bankruptcy in the past so I have horrible credit - meaning I cannot get a credit card. However, I have been saving for some time for a nice vacation. Is there any way we can take a Disney vacation without having to have a credit card? I do have a prepaid card but I can only have a credit limit up to $2,000. I am Canadian and don't have the means to get a US bank account (which was suggested to me). Is there any alternative ways to pay for this vacation? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!::MickeyMo
 
Open a royal bank account and get the RBC Visa Debit card, works online for many things, including making payments on the WDW sites. We use it to make our cruise payment (we do so biweekly, order our tickets. The money comes directly out of your bank account like your debit card. there is no credit checks etc. We use this as it has a better exchange rate than our credit card.

Have you applied for the Capital One guaranteed card? It will help you build your credit back up
 
I'm not sure and someone can correct me but maybe a Disney vacation account. My understanding is that you can load money into it from a variety of sources including Disney gift cards and then pay for your trip that way. You may want to look into that as well as I believe there are other perks to this account... good luck!
 

I'm not sure and someone can correct me but maybe a Disney vacation account. My understanding is that you can load money into it from a variety of sources including Disney gift cards and then pay for your trip that way. You may want to look into that as well as I believe there are other perks to this account... good luck!

We cannot get a disney vacation account in Canada

Buy Disney Gift Cards and use them to pay.

The disney gift cards they sell in Canada can only be used in Canadian disney stores, they do not cross borders.
 
We cannot get a disney vacation account in Canada



The disney gift cards they sell in Canada can only be used in Canadian disney stores, they do not cross borders.

Can you book a package with your prepaid card and pay the deposit up front (I believe the deposit is 200 or one nights room rate depending on if you book a package or a room only) and then pay for the rest of the vacation over a few months. That would help eliminate the need for paying more then 2000 immediately... if your close to the US border you can cross and get disney gift cards... beyond that I think the best bet may be for a bank account with a debit card.
 
I am not sure if they would take one from a Canadian bank
 
My suggestion, since you can't get the Disney vacation account, is to buy gift cards. There is no limit to the number you can use to pay for your trip. Your travel agent, or the Disney CM on the phone, or I think even online, will patiently sit through as you list all the numbers. Do the same with gift cards for spending, and it will help you not go over your budget.
 
I am not sure if they would take one from a Canadian bank

The prepaid card or the debit card? In general a bank account with a debit card is a good idea (I would think, I'm not a financial advisor...). Maybe just call and tell them the current forms of payment you have available to you and ask if they take them. If they don't then maybe you can have them recommend options. I wouldn't even get into why you have a prepaid card and/or debit card and no credit card... That's none of their business and they shouldn't need to have that information to provide you with valuable information for how you can pay for your vacation. In the end if you have the money to pay for it I would think Disney would want to help find a way to make that happen. Good luck!
 
The prepaid card or the debit card? In general a bank account with a debit card is a good idea (I would think, I'm not a financial advisor...). Maybe just call and tell them the current forms of payment you have available to you and ask if they take them. If they don't then maybe you can have them recommend options. I wouldn't even get into why you have a prepaid card and/or debit card and no credit card... That's none of their business and they shouldn't need to have that information to provide you with valuable information for how you can pay for your vacation. In the end if you have the money to pay for it I would think Disney would want to help find a way to make that happen. Good luck!

Just so you know I am not the Op just a fellow Canadian wanting to help the OP out.

Canadian and US debit cards do not work in all stores and or companies across borders. Disney will not accept Canadian debit cards fornlUments or cheques from foreign banks.
 
Just so you know I am not the Op just a fellow Canadian wanting to help the OP out.

Canadian and US debit cards do not work in all stores and or companies across borders. Disney will not accept Canadian debit cards fornlUments or cheques from foreign banks.

Ah, OK so essentially you have to pay with a credit card then? That would make it very difficult for the OP (and sorry for the confusion I wasn't paying attention to who posted, clearly).
 
Maybe...spread out the expenses and pay in cash? Does your debit card work to secure a hotel reservation? Mine did for Europe. I just paid with a different card or cash when I got there. So...maybe buy plane tickets one pay day, park tickets another, and pay the hotel in cash. There must be a a way to do it- I meet Canadian backpackers in the US all the time and there's no way they all have credit cards or us debit.

I didn't have a credit card for years. The only thing that I can think of that I absolutely could not get around was the car rental requirement.
 
Based on posts above (which I have not confirmed), it sounds like the following options won't work:
  • Disney vacation account
  • Disney gift cards
  • Debit card from a Canadian bank
  • Check drawn on a Canadian bank account

Some other ideas:
  • Purchase a pre-paid Visa gift card; around here I can buy them at the grocery store
  • Can you purchase a Disney gift cards online that are good in the States? (maybe not because you would need a payment method)
  • And I would look into the debit card thing; that doesn't sound quite right. If it's a debit card with the Visa or Mastercard symbol, it should be accepted. Many students who study abroad for a semester use debit cards in foreign countries with no problems.
  • Do you have a TD Bank in your area of Canada? I'm in the US and used my card in Canada as recently as last month with no problem. There are several TD Bank locations up and down the east coast of the US, from Canada down into New England and south all the way to Florida.

I'd also recommend posting on the Canadian Trip Planning Forum, as posters there may have experience with similar situation.

Enjoy your vacation!
 
I've used a debit card with a VISA symbol abroad. I also know the pre-paid VISA gift cards work around the world. I've given them to our student workers who are headed on study abroad trips.
 
Not sure about the WDW portion but what about using Costco Travel Canada for the DCL portion? Seems like they would take your bank payments via checks or debits.

Strange that other places do not take Canadian debit cards. Do they not have the Visa logo on them?
 
Hi!
I am dying to take my kids on a Disney vacation (WDW and Disney cruise combined) but I have a huge problem. I had to file for bankruptcy in the past so I have horrible credit - meaning I cannot get a credit card. However, I have been saving for some time for a nice vacation. Is there any way we can take a Disney vacation without having to have a credit card? I do have a prepaid card but I can only have a credit limit up to $2,000. I am Canadian and don't have the means to get a US bank account (which was suggested to me). Is there any alternative ways to pay for this vacation? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!::MickeyMo
What are the things that you are unable to pay?

A pre-paid Visa, Mastercard or American Express should be accepted anywhere that accepts those cards regardless if it is Canadian issued.

If you are working with a travel agent, some accept cash and then make the payment for you.
 
Hi!
I am dying to take my kids on a Disney vacation (WDW and Disney cruise combined) but I have a huge problem. I had to file for bankruptcy in the past so I have horrible credit - meaning I cannot get a credit card. However, I have been saving for some time for a nice vacation. Is there any way we can take a Disney vacation without having to have a credit card? I do have a prepaid card but I can only have a credit limit up to $2,000. I am Canadian and don't have the means to get a US bank account (which was suggested to me). Is there any alternative ways to pay for this vacation? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!::MickeyMo
I have never used a credit card for a Disney vacation. All you need is a debit card, as they don't put a hold on your card, unlike most hotels. You'll only be charged for expenses you actually incur- no holds. And you won't need a credit card for a rental car, as no rental car will be necessary. Disney provides complimentary transportation to and from the airport, and around WDW resort, for its resort guests.

If they won't take a Canadian debit card, then you can pay off your trip using Disney gift cards (make sure these aren't just Disney Store gift cards). If you go this route, I recommend getting a package that combines the resort, tickets & dining, & paying it all off in advance, then bringing extra gift cards and cash for any unanticipated purchases. Always bring more than you think you'll need, just in case.
 
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Why not open an account with TD bank? That is a universal bank that works in the US and in Canada. The Visa card works the same in the US. You can also open and United States bank account online. Anything can be done online anymore. It doesn't even require you to step foot in a bank. You can do this online at Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. You can then transfer money into that account. Please be advised though that you will have to pay a currency exchange if you are depositing foreign funds or check. But again, TD bank can give you checks that are for US currency, and a US debit card. If you have an account with TD or if your checks say US Currency, then you can deposit them into the United States bank like Wells without a currency exchange. I worked for a bank in Florida and had MANY Canadian snow birds as customers. TD bank is really good for things like this.

Hope this helps!
 
When i used a B&M travel agent for my trip I was able to pay with my debit card right at the travel agency. Another option may be to pre pay the card you do have with enough "room" on the credit card to pay for the trip. I did this in my early credit card days to increase my "limit" temporarily to pay for larger expense.
 












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