Help with how to handle money on 1st trip to US please?

[DaniB]

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to deal with funds when we travel to WDW.

I am opening a RB US account to start transfering our money into. One, we won't touch our vacation money this way. Two, it's already been converted into US funds so we do not have to keep "converting" in our heads.

However, what about paying WDW in full by the due date? Spending money in the States (ie, hotel in buffalo before & after our flights, OOP meals, souveniors, etc, etc.)

Even though Royal Direct told me there would not be a service fee on top of the conversion fee when I purchased plane tickets on my Visa - there was.

I do not want to worry about calculating conversion and extra service fees... When I look at the RB US Visa however, it has a $95 yearly fee on it!

On the other hand, while we will carry some money, I do not want to carry a lot of cash.

What have you guys found works best? Please & thank you!!!

Dani

 

[House_of_Mouse Fan]

I have a US dollar bank account and a US dollar MasterCard. My MasterCard is with BMO and I think the annual fee is $35. I found it necessary to have both as I didn't want to carry large amounts of money with me. The other option you have is to get US dollar traveller's cheques. I know they're not very popular anymore, but I used them at Disney last year with no problems at all. You just need your passport ID to cash them, and I always cashed them at our resort to avoid the need to carry my passport around with me to the parks.

 

[LuvSnowWhite]

This is a good thread, any more tips?

 

[NikP]

I have a US dollar bank account and a US dollar MasterCard. My MasterCard is with BMO and I think the annual fee is $35. I found it necessary to have both as I didn't want to carry large amounts of money with me. The other option you have is to get US dollar traveller's cheques. I know they're not very popular anymore, but I used them at Disney last year with no problems at all. You just need your passport ID to cash them, and I always cashed them at our resort to avoid the need to carry my passport around with me to the parks.

This is what we do also. My US BMO Mastercard has airmiles too! I am saving them for Disney tickets.

 

[DaniB]

Well, after spending a couple hours online and comparing bank accounts & credit cards, I phoned Royal Bank back.

I ended up getting an US chequing account NO FEES

AND have an appointment for my husband & I to apply for US Gold Visa with NO FEES!

 

[minnie56]

I have 2 USD chequing accts. One here and one in Florida. They are both with RBC (RBC Centura in Florida) I also have an RBC USD Gold Visa. I just had my banker complete the info and it was here in about 10 days! Easy.

I transfer from my chequing into my USD account (the one here) whenever the rate is good. Sometimes I then transfer into my USD account in Florida. Then when I go, I can use that Debit (check card) while there not needing to take as much cash.

We were in RBC Centura in Orlando yesterday and the lady there had both my daughter and I apply for USD Visa's there. My DD is going to work at Disney in May and she thinks it's a great way for her to establish U.S credit so we agreed to it. No annual fee..so why not?

There are so many options now..I would never think of travellers cheques?

 

[DaniB]

I have 2 USD chequing accts. One here and one in Florida. They are both with RBC (RBC Centura in Florida) I also have an RBC USD Gold Visa. I just had my banker complete the info and it was here in about 10 days! Easy.

I transfer from my chequing into my USD account (the one here) whenever the rate is good. Sometimes I then transfer into my USD account in Florida. Then when I go, I can use that Debit (check card) while there not needing to take as much cash.

We were in RBC Centura in Orlando yesterday and the lady there had both my daughter and I apply for USD Visa's there. My DD is going to work at Disney in May and she thinks it's a great way for her to establish U.S credit so we agreed to it. No annual fee..so why not?

There are so many options now..I would never think of travellers cheques?

And there was no problem applying for US Visa's with a Canadian address? I can see your daughter being able to since she is going to be working in Disney and living in the STates, but what about you?

And if there was no problem... I wonder if that means once you have US credit established, can you then take out a Chase Disney Visa? Just thinking...

Dani

 

[minnie56]

The lady there suggested that my dd get the visa as mentioned. Originally, we said no thanks, not needed. On the way to the car we got to thinking hmmm...maybe it might be an idea. So she went back inside. She called me back in a few minutes later...I thought she needed something?? So she said I want to put it in both names...made no sense to me but she assured me that it will be allow my daughter to establish credit. She doesn't even have a Florida address yet, won't till May.

I am not sure how-why they can approve that without a firm address?

 

[DaniB]

Beats me. I'm curious if you get the US Visa then.

 

[minnie56]

I know...weird.
She called yesterday, both myself and my daughter have been approved and the cards will be in the mail.

No idea how that works?