Do I need Money??

[risy]

Once I check-in and get my WDW resort card, will I need a credit card or large sums of cash while touring the parks & resorts?

Trying to pack light, leaving at home credit cards, checks, and extra cash.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think there is a limit on how much you can put on your room card ($500 comes to mind, somebody correct me if I'm wrong). I would never go on vacation without at least some cash and at least two credit cards. We always carry one card with us and leave the others in the safe in our room. You never know when you will have an emergency and need funds quickly! Also make sure you take your medical insurance card. As far as cash, we always take a couple of hundred since the carts where you buy water and snacks are for cheaper items and some I don't even think take credit cards. Again, we take a certain amount of cash each day and leave the rest in the safe. You also need tips for housekeeping etc. Go to allears.net and see the menus for the restuarants and you willl then know just how much your eats are going to cost. To get a popcorn and a bottle of water or coke will be around $6 to give you an idea on that. Have fun!

 

[Tiffany]

Once I check-in and get my WDW resort card, will I need a credit card or large sums of cash while touring the parks & resorts?

Trying to pack light, leaving at home credit cards, checks, and extra cash.

We bring our wallets with us but once we are in our rooms we only carry our APs and our room keys, which can be used like a credit card if you give a credit card when you check in, we also always carry our state issued ids with us. We bring a few hundred in cash with us for tips, tolls and buying small items. We will take anywhere from $20 to $50 in cash with us into the parks. Hope this helps.

 

[sunkissed212]

When i was there in September, the CM told us at check in that there was a $1000 limit on our room charge cards but that if we exceeded that, it would just roll over to a new $1000 limit with no fees. We didn't go over but it was nice to know that we wouldn't be charged anything if we would have.

We both (BF and I) carried a small amount of cash on us at all times just in case we ended up somewhere we could use room charges. Actually, this came in real handy when we were at DTD. We went to McDonalds and their computer system for charging was out of order so you could only pay with cash. What a mess that would have been. I always carry one credit card with me for emergencies too.

We did charge just about everything to our room, for convenience purposes but for those little things like a bottle of water or something like that, cash was just as easy.

 

[sue1013]

If you give a credit card for charging on your room key there is no need for large amounts of cash. The charging limit depends on the resort you are staying in $500 values, 1000 moderates, 1500 deluxe. As someone that has had their wallet stolen (not at WDW) I learned never to carry much cash. There are atm's everywhere.

 

[Chuck S]

I usually carry $20 for incidentals, and I also carry a major credit card in case the Disney room charging system goes down. Plus carry an ID in case of emergency.

 

[InstImpres]

I use to only carry $20 into the park each day and now carry a little more. It is my understanding they are adding more and more things to room charge but it was embarassing being on line at Fantasmic for hot dogs and popcorn and having to ask my DBIL if he was carrying cash.

Also some DTD and BW places (ie Jellyrolls) are not Disney owned so will not take room keys.

Happy travels
Sandy

 

[Micca]

Contrary to conventional wisdom, I usually carry large sums of cash to WDW. No problem though, it disappears in no time

 

[Gillian]

Are there any safety features for room key charging? Do you have to show ID? I'm just worried that I will lose mine and not notice right away. We usually stick to cash for budgeting purposes, but it would be nice to use the cards sometimes.

I know it's not quite the same, but over the weekend I lost a slot club card at a casino. You accumulate dollars on it that can be used to pay for just about everything. They replace lost cards but the number is the same. I was worried, but they check id everywhere so no one can steal your dollars.

 

[Trackerbee]

We just got back and like the previous posters, we brought 200.00 with us for tips and getting snacks at carts in the parks. We used the room key to charge anything else we wanted, but we always carry a credit card with us anyway. Just be forwarned that in Downtown Disney and Westside, not all the shops take your room key. We bought a few things at the House of Blues and they told us that they do not take room keys, even though it was posted on their sign that they did. We visit there everytime we go to Disney and this is the first time we have not been allowed to charge to our room. We got express check out at our resort. Early on the morning of your check-out they slip a bill under your door for all the things you have charged while you were there. We make sure we keep all receipts and check them against what is on the bill, and we have never had a problem. Also we stayed at OKW and contrary to what we have read, our studio did have an in-room safe, which is a very nice feature to put your valuables in. Have a great time.

 

[eeyore0062]

There are some kiosks within the parks that are unequiped to take the room charge or credit card, so it is always helpful to have some cash with you.,

Also, there are participating providers, mostly found at Downtown Disney or non Disney owned or operated resorts, such as the Swan/Dolphin or the Good Neighbor Hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd that are unequiped to accept your room key as payment because they aren't on the WDW System. We usually keep one CC with us and about $50 in cash or Travelers Checks, so we aren't caught short.

 

[risy]

Thanks!!! Good info as I had not considered the kiosk vendors or a system shut down.

I just don't want to bring more into the resorts or parks than we need (between dh & me).

Seems like we're always scrambling to put stuff in the safe or hide it in the car or here & there...as we head out the door.

12 more days . . .

 

[InstImpres]

FYI, if you prefer to pay by cash but don't want to carry it, you can "apply" cash at checkin to your bill and than charge against it on your room key.

 

[WDW LOVR]

The little stand next to the Pagoda in Japan where you get the shaved ice (and Kirin beer) takes cash only. That's an important tip if you have kids who want the snow cone.

 

[rach98n]

Do most of the rooms have an in-room safe? We will be at the AKL...anyone know if they have them? I'm assuming they do.

 

[hercamore]

All ressort rooms have safes.


herc.

 

[mickey0216]

A few posters noted that there were limits on charging to your room.

On our last visit at Thanksgiving, we hit the limit when attempting to puchase food at the food court at our resort. I paid cash for the food and went to the front desk when we were done eating. It took about 5 minutes including standing in line to have them "upcharge" the charges to AMEX.

Carry some cash with you, but leave most of it in your room safe.

 

[eeyore0062]

The little stand next to the Pagoda in Japan where you get the shaved ice (and Kirin beer) takes cash only. That's an important tip if you have kids who want the snow cone.

OH, those Snow Cones are SO good!!! I want one RIGHT NOW!!!!

 

[eeyore0062]

Yes, there are limits on your room cards. If you reach your limit, you may call your resort front desk, have them apply the amount onto your CC, or whatever you put down for the room charge, and start all over. That still doesn't help if the system is down, or they just don't accept the room charges.

That being said, if you are staying at a value, you get a $500 limit, moderates get a $1000 limit and deluxes get $1500. I have no idea how they determined these limits, and have never found anyone who could explain it.

 

[airjoe]

Those figures are not limits.

They do not charge your card every time you make a purchase.

At the values they charge your card when your balance is 500 or more, then start all over again.

At the moderates its 1000 and 1500 at the deluxes.