Payment warning....Disney can't take our Canadian debit cards....

[roscoepc1]

The bank machines/ ATMs all do, but I had several bad experiences trying to pay for purchases at cash registers with my Royal Bank debit card.

They told me it was A) b/c our cards don't have expiry dates (their machines ask them for that, and it's NOT optional), and B) our cards don't have Visa/MC logos. I'm not sure how that actually affects it, but those were the reasons I was given.


They also ask for photo ID with almost any kind of electronic purchase (ie, credit card, debit card etc)...so make sure you're carrying that too....

I was absolutely flabbergasted that a place like Disney, that supposedly caters to tourists, would "lock us out" in that manner....

 

[disneynuts777]

I am not sure that I would want to use a Canadian Debit card for my transactions. The fees and foriegn exchange rate conversion would make me want to cry.
Which is why I have a Royal Bank U.S visa card. Never a problem. This way when I get home I only have to make one foriegn exchange transaction to pay the card off from my Cdn. chequing acct.

 

[Hodder]

This isn't a Disney rule. When I went shopping while in NY I tried to use my debit card but wasn't able to. The reason they gave was the same as the one listed above regarding having no expirary date.

 

[tribus121]

Some times it depends on the bank that the debit card is issued all though i did not try at WDW i have used my TD bank card at stores in the US ( May be because TD here owns TD Banknorth in the US )

 

[MikeyNS]

I'm actually surprised that people are surprised that our debit cards don't work at some places outside of Canada. We were WAAAYY ahead of the curve, compared to the US, with our debit cards. I mean the US makes a big deal about finally getting Visa debit cards, which are separate cards Visa branded that take money out of their chequing (checking if you speak American.. haha) accounts.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

Not so much ahead of the curve if you can only use it in your own country...technically speaking....most US debit cards can be used worldwide, I think that's a little more ahead of the curve, just because you are the first one to have something, doesn't mean it's always the best version, I would LOVE it if I could use my debit card over the river, I have to use the debit machines to get US cash and they always charge me a HORRIBLE fee..using my debit card at point of sale terminals would be more convenient...
And I am sorry to the OP, not meaning this as a flame, but, NEVER assume when you are traveling in another country that you can use your debit card, or even your own currency for any transaction...yes Disney caters to international tourists, but you would never see a British tourist attempting to use pounds at the til or even their own bank card...they come prepared to shop in the US..

 

[Salinger]

Actually, Mikey is right, the Canadian system is way ahead of the curve and one of the best and most integrated debit systems in the world.

The reason the US doesn't have a similar system, and has to rely on "Visa Debit" or "Mastercard Debit" is because their banking system is so fragmented, it was impossible for them to agree on a standard the way all Canadian banks have signed on to Interac. Using the credit card system to actually make a debit purchase was the only way to have some sort of uniformity, but that comes with a whole range of problems itself, and even those are at times not accepted by certain retailers, even within the US.

Having said that, using debit cards is a bad idea period. Whether you're at home or certainly in a foreign country. With the amount of fraud going on today, even using your card at a trusted retailer is not always safe. Once someone gets access to your card, your cash is gone and unlike Visa or MC, getting your money back is not guaranteed or automatic.

Not so much ahead of the curve if you can only use it in your own country...technically speaking....most US debit cards can be used worldwide, I think that's a little more ahead of the curve, just because you are the first one to have something, doesn't mean it's always the best version, I would LOVE it if I could use my debit card over the river, I have to use the debit machines to get US cash and they always charge me a HORRIBLE fee..using my debit card at point of sale terminals would be more convenient...
And I am sorry to the OP, not meaning this as a flame, but, NEVER assume when you are traveling in another country that you can use your debit card, or even your own currency for any transaction...yes Disney caters to international tourists, but you would never see a British tourist attempting to use pounds at the til or even their own bank card...they come prepared to shop in the US..

 

[snickerboo]

American debit doesn't work like ours. That's why you see ads for thing like the "Visa Cheque Card", that's essentially their debit.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

I can definitely agree that using a debit card can get you into trouble. I don't know enough about banking to comment on how integrated or not...but from a cross border consumer's point of view, and dealing with the issue of shopping while on vacation in another country, the US debit system is more flexible. I work in Travel and Tourism here in Niagara Falls, Ontario...the ease of using the "Visa Check Card" is wonderful for traveling, you can use it for your hotel, dining and shopping...we don't have that option while we travel out of Canada. That's all I'm saying...we are actually having to "borrow" a family member's AAA membership to purchase traveler's checks to take to Disney. We looked into other options and this is the best we can think of, we did it last Sept and it worked, I just wish for that little Visa symbol to make everything simpler...

 

[TammyLynn33]

Just a thought on PP wishing for the "little visa symbol to make everything easier" IMO all it would do would prob add more fees whether hidden or up front.. My banking fees are high enough..

 

[Tabetha]

If you bank with RBC, you can open an RBC Centura (their US Bank) account and transfer money back and forth between your US and CDN accounts, and use your RBC Centura Visa Check card to make payments.

Kind of a convenient work-around to the issue.

 

[4orm]

It also has to do with the logo on the back of your card that indicates which system it works with. ATMs are different than debit machines. Up here all our cards are on 'Interac'. I believe in the US it's 'Plus'. I know my debit card doesn't have Plus and therefore isn't accepted in the US, but my husband's debit from a different bank also has the Plus logo and can use it freely.

 

[roscoepc1]

I have Interac and Plus...neither worked at the cashier.

Anyway, the point wasn't to start a discussion on exchange rates and charges, just as an FYI to people who might (like us) want to resort to a debit card their last night there or something.

My husband had the cash, and it didn't occur to me until all our stuff was entered into the cash register that debit might not work.

My husband works in the U.S. and has never before run into this problem.

 

[TheZue]

Ya we ran into this years ago in Washington state. Like the other posters said, they don't have debit like we do, they only take credit cards. It's just Visa and Mastercard put out some cards that access their chequing accounts. We ussually use visa and pay it off, and take cash out at their ATMs. Their banks are their systems are terrible, I may not like fees but I like the fact I know my bank isn't goint to go belly up and our debit doesn't suck

 

[aristocat65]

Having said that, using debit cards is a bad idea period. Whether you're at home or certainly in a foreign country. With the amount of fraud going on today, even using your card at a trusted retailer is not always safe. Once someone gets access to your card, your cash is gone and unlike Visa or MC, getting your money back is not guaranteed or automatic.

I totally agree. I don't understand the popularity of debit at all. I use my credit card for everything at home and on vacation. It's more secure, we get points (which help fly us to Orlando) and it costs you nothing in fees if you pay it all each month as we do.

We used our debit card at an ATM overseas once though when DH thought we needed more cash for tips etc, but I wouldn't have expected it to work at a retailer.

 

[tribus121]

I just got a new TD bank card ( with one of the new chips on it )and it has a expiry date and we have been able to youse our debit card in stores in the state of maine for the last couple of years . On our last trip to WDW we used cash for the few things we bought . I did how ever have to use Paypal to pay for my airfare as AirTran woud not except my Canadian VISA card .

 

[minnie56]

It's weird..we have RBC as well..and find it works in the oddest places in Florida. IE: A Liquor store in New Smyrna Beach Go figure..

 

[Disneyof3]

I have a RBC Debit card and use it all over Florida except WDW. I don't know why but it just won't except it there. I even used it at the Wal-mart near DTD. This past March all over US/IOA too.

 

[minnie56]

I'll have to try it more! Most of the time I want either the Avion or Aerogold points from my vacation spending but sometimes it is indeed handy!

 

[abirdd]

We've got the new ScotiaCard with the chip as well - and I just heard from a friend she was able to use hers at WDW. I'm guessing it's due to the new expiry date feature.

I'm hoping we'll be back down there later this year, and will try it first hand