How to do money

[tialmo]

Hey everyone! We are leaving in just under three weeks for our first Disney trip and was wondering what everyone does as far as money? Do you bring all cash? Do you use a credit card with rewards then pay it off when you get home? Do you use a bank card? Traveler's checks? So many options to choose from and I want to do the easiest thing. We will be bringing about $1,500 or so for souvenirs and just for spending while there. Thanks everyone! (This board has been a life saver for planning and just general info)

 

[Sandi]

Are you staying at a WDW resort? If so, you can charge everything to your room account. We find this the easiest way to handle expenses. I hate walking around with a lot of cash. I usually have a $20, but otherwise everything is charged to our room using our room key to do so. I also carry a credit card just in case.

I bring money to leave for housekeeping tips, ME and bell services tips, and that's about all. I'll typically bring about $150 in cash and go home with much of it. We have our housekeeping envelopes all set now for our 8/14 trip, so that is in addition to the $150.

$1500 in cash is a lot of cash to have. Make sure you put your cash in the room safe (if you decide to bring that much).

 

[Jaime4004]

We typically bring just a little cash, maybe $200-$300 and use a credit card with rewards for most of it...

 

[CleoPahd]

What we aren't paying for with rewards points or gift cards we charge to the room and then pay off with our credit card (to get more points). We usually bring less than $200...mostly for tipping, airport snacks, etc. Just about everyplace takes credit cards now so we personally would rather not carry around all that cash if we don't need it.

 

[dbprimeaux]

Same here...we usually don't care much cash. We usually charge to our room, and set a daily limit (to control the $$). I check our room charges about every 2 days.

 

[TXMemaw]

We do pretty much the same as everyone else here, using a rewards card and charging everything to our room.

Congratulations on your wedding and have a great trip.

 

[skiingfast]

Having a credit card connected to your KTTTW card is very simple. I always carry a little cash for tips.

This lets me carry a very small amout of items in total. My wallet is bulky enough that I don't want it in my pocket all day.

Since you are planning to bring $1500, if you don't want to use a credit card go to your bank for a Visa gift card before you leave.

 

[rbdiaz]

Charging to room is much more convenient.

Now I do like using cash (small amounts) to allow the kids to have an "allowance" for the day or week. Helps teach them self control and reduces probability that they continue to ask for $$ for food, souvenirs, etc.

 

[skiingfast]

Since no one metioned this I just want to note that Travelers Cheques are like a gian pain in the butt so I wouldn't consider those.

 

[rmom50]

credit card - no cash. i didn't even know they still sold traveler's checks. ​

 

[DanceGirl914]

For us charging to a credit card doesn't make sense, the credit card company charges a higher exchange rate then going to a bank to exchange our money. So I was thinking about putting some of our already exchanged US cash on our KTTW card for the convenience of not having to carry all that cash with us. Just carry a couple buck for places that don't take the KTTW card.
Any thoughts to this?

 

[JnfrLynne ºoº]

 

[Dismom55]

I put as much as I can into travelers checks, splitting them between hubby and myself. I do have a credit card, but us it only for the car rental. For tips such as mousekeeping and table service I make envelopes before I leave the house, putting the amount of cash I think I will need into the envelopes, putting them in the room safe upon arrival and only taking out what I need for the day. I also have a budget of spendable money per day and that is all the travelers checks I take with for that day, usually taking the change with us from the day before.

Since we drive to WDW, I estimate the gas cost for the to and return trip, putting the estimated travelers checks into envelopes marked as such. I also have extra travelers checks in a marked "extra" envelope.

Basically, I figure out what is needed for each day and each activity, make an envelope.

I like using travelers checks as I am a "CASH" type of person, I do not have nor use charge cards and pay for the trip after the fun, I save and save, once I have enough saved, then I make my vacation plans. Except for the car rental, I have the money to pay off the charge, but I do use a charge card only for that.

I also do NOT attatch that charge to my KTTW card, strickly cash or travelers checks. I usually have travelers checks left over and I put them back for the next trip.

 

[Penelope2000]

I think it depends on your needs, and they do change over time. Last time when we did the Dining Plan, we did not spend much other cash at all. On our first visit, we did purchase quite a few souvenirs.

On this time, we will be paying OOP (out of pocket) for all food. And our children are now teenagers. Our handling of expenses will be different.
For my teens, I purchased them each a Disney Gift Card, because I wanted them to have some independence, did not want to give them room charging privileges, yet wanted them to budget.

We have done travelers checks in the past, but they are somewhat of a pain. This year we are considering either purchasing a AAA Visa money card or charging to the room (Dh and myself) then paying it off at the end with my Disney Visa. I do want to keep track of what we are spending, and the room charging will help more with that because of being able to request a printout (there is no printout of the AAA Visa card.) Yet, I like the AAA Visa Cash card, because it is not attached to any account at my bank, and that it is just like cash, because it is limited by the amount that I put on it. When charging to the room, "It's only $25 to buy that" adds up really quickly. I get a discount on purchases over $50 with my Disney Visa (not at restaurants, but at stores) so I will pay for any purchases of that amount on my Visa, not charged to the hotel. Some of the small stands only take cash. You also want cash for tips.

I am not being much help, because I am vacillating so much myself. It really depends on your needs and what you are comfortable with.

If I was to do our first trip over, I would charge everything to the room, just so I could keep track of what I spent and where I was when I spent it. Those itemized charges give you a tangible record of where you were that day, and this is especially helpful if you don't take any notes, which I suggest you take 10 minutes a day to do - otherwise the printout will jog your memory, Example: "Oh, we ate at 50's Prime Time - that was the lunch we were running late to, and the CM "Mom" really teased us!" That kind of thing. Now I'm leaning towards charging to the room!

Best of luck!

 

[-DisneyFreak-]

i usually just bring cash. and put in my wallet in my backpack i think this year though i might put my money on my room card less aggravation

 

[NaLisa]

For my teens, I purchased them each a Disney Gift Card, because I wanted them to have some independence, did not want to give them room charging privileges, yet wanted them to budget.

I'm thinking of doing this for my 7 and 5 yo DDs with allowance and gift money they save for our trip. They will use those to buy souvenirs and any special drinks (already told them we'd be drinking water when we dine, so they'll pay for their own soft drinks or specialty drinks, if they'd like).

Are the gift cards replaceable if lost, and if so, how difficult is it to get a replacement card? Should I buy, say, six $25 cards instead of one $150 card for each of them, in case they lose one? I'd hold on to all but one of their cards, so if they lose a gift card they won't lose all their money. I'm also thinking it will give them a better idea (i.e a visual) of how much they've spent and how much they have left.

TIA

 

[Penelope2000]

I like the idea of giving them a "visual" at a younger age. I want my 16 year old son, though, to really keep track of what he is spending.

I asked at the Disney Store, and they said to make sure and take a photocopy of the backs of the cards, as well as of the receipt. Keep this away from the cards. If the cards become lost, they can be replaced at any guest services desk (with the photocopies in hand.) That is a big relief.

This reminded me to take photocopies of the front/back of my credit card as well - I'll keep it in the safe in the room. Just in case.

 

[RMAMom]

We use the envelope system I take the amount of money I have and divide it by the number of days we'll be there and place that amount in an envelope for each day. I put a rubber band around all of the envelopes and put them in my purse for travel. When we get to the resort I put them in the safe and each morning before we leave the room I grab that days envelope out of the safe. This keeps us from over spending. I also do this for the kids spending money and give them their envelope for the day, when it's gone, it's gone!

 

[sydneysmom]

You might want to reconsider bringing that much in cash. I'd bring enough for what you need, tips, etc but maybe consider getting a VISA gift card and load the rest to that. It works the same as a regular visa only it has the pre-loaded amount.
If you wind up not using all the money, you can use it for gas, groceries, anything at home. Personally, I wouldn't carry that much in cash just in case something happens.

 

[disneydiva1313]

I prefer cash. I do not like to see credit card bills. I've always used the safe in my room to keep cash, and anything else of value. I will have my credit card just in case...but usually do not use it.