How much cash??

[Ima Disnewby]

I know there are machines at the park but I assume it's more expensive to get cash from them than to buy it from a bank in Canada in advance? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Anyways, just wondering...how much is a safe/good amount of cash to bring? Dh and I can spit it up between ourselves.

Any advice is appreciated

 

[alc571]

We take $1500 for two adults and a child. We spent all of it last trip except about $20. This did include three MNSSHP tickets, and upgrading to park hoppers - and far too much Lego from DTD! lol

I like to take more than I need. But we always seem to spend what we take

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

If you already have your tickets and dining plan we found bringing 4-about $50 per day would suffice

 

[abdmom]

I know there are machines at the park but I assume it's more expensive to get cash from them than to buy it from a bank in Canada in advance? Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Anyways, just wondering...how much is a safe/good amount of cash to bring? Dh and I can spit it up between ourselves.

Any advice is appreciated

No, it's not more expensive to get it from the ATMs in Florida. I mainly use my credit cards though. I just got back 2 weeks ago. There were 3 of us. I had about $200 USD cash. I came home with about $60.

 

[sherilaine]

I think that is a very hard question for someone to answer - I think you need to be honest with yourself about what you think you are going to spend or what you think you can afford to spend and then work it back to how many days etc.

We are not used to carrying a lot of cash with us daily, but when you travel, tipping means it's good to have lots of small bills, and of course many things in the parks are cash purchases for snacks etc so that all does add up.

Getting money from an ATM there would likely mean a blanket $2.50 fee just like using any other bank here in Canada but would use the same exchange rate for selling you U.S. currency that your bank would if you went in. For the comfort of not having too much money on us at anyone time that fee is not too high.

Also, remember if you are ever going back - you can always save whatever you do not spend - we have about $200 U.S. from our last trip.

 

[minnie mum]

Using American ATMs will mean a service charge each time as well as dealing with a fluctuating exchange rate. We keep a US $ account at our bank and have gotten into the habit of depositing money into it when the exchange rate is particularly good. For trips to the states, we usually will bring about $1000/week for the 2 of this. This will cover gas, meals, tips, purchases and any hotels where we are not staying on points. We still have our credit cards in case of emergencies or unforseen expenses (like having the car break down ).

I know a lot of folks worry about carrying large amounts of cash. But we split it between the 2 of us and carry it in our money belts. At the hotel it goes into the room safe. We only carry enough cash in our wallets for our estimated needs for the current day. Any extra cash left over on our return is put back into the US account.

 

[C&B Young]

We only bring enough cash for tipping and small purchases. If we're not charging to our KTTW card we'll buy a Disney gift card using our credit card when we're down there and use that for purchases, and reload it as required.

 

[Eddygirl]

We did not take a lot of cash with us.......maybe $500 for the 8 days we were there, plus we drove to DLR from BC so we were traveling for 4 days before and after.

We used the cash mainly for small purchases and tipping. The rest we used a CIBC US dollar CC. We preloaded it with some and paid the rest when we got home. It worked well.

I have heard about buying Disney GC with a Canadian CC and reloading with the CC. That is a great idea!!!! I am glad to hear from someone that has actually done it!

 

[Sue M]

It would depend if you will have the dining plan or not as well as other things.
If I'm not on the DDP I bring $ for food, usually what I would pay for the DDP and will load a Disney Gift Card with about $100 to start with for dining. Then another gift card for suvies. As we go along I'll re load cards when needed, and keep the rest of my $ in the safe.

You will also need tipping $ ( if you plan to tip). $1 per person per day for housekeeper is customary, and for DME driver $1 per bag he handles, plus a couple dollars tip if you have no bags. We always have carry on bags arriving. And if you are flying back to Canada, you have to bring all your luggage on the DME bus.
Then there's restaurant tips.
Bell service if you use them to help with your luggage, again $1 per bag.

For food & suvies I like having gift cards so I don't have to carry cash at the parks.

 

[dsneygirl]

About $100 for tips and incidentals. I never carry large amounts of cash. Everything goes on the room charge. In a pinch I'll just use the ATM.

 

[bankr63]

We bring about $100 US with us, really whatever I have left from the last trip, but I always take out my money at a US ATM because it's easier than doing it at the teller here.

Note that TD is now one of the largest banks in the US with several branches and ATMS in the Orlando area. There is no extra charge for TD Canada customers to use the US ATMs. The Chase and SunBank ATMs at/near the parks charge $2 or $3 fee - still cheaper to me than making a trip to the local bank and wasting 20 minutes in line.

Exchange rate and fees at the Canadian counter, US ATM, or MasterCard/Visa purchase are identical.

 

[katt789]

I will usually bring about $200 to start the week off, and then use the atms or my visa to pay for things. I don't believe there's any more charge than an "other abm use" charge that you'd get if you used a different bank machine up here.

Most trips I won't even bother exchanging money before we go, I'll just use visa until I hit up an atm!

 

[Joe Dirt 1972]

I take about 2000 in travellers cheques. We do clothes shopping for our 3 kids. I hate putting things on CC when travelling. Best part is customer service can cash my travelers cheques