Pre-paid Visa

[Juligan]

I'm trying to think of the easiest, most secure way of carrying money on our trip. I don't have a prob with traveler's checks except that everyone wants to see two forms of ID with them (stupid if you ask me). Has anyone used the pre-paid visa cards? If so, did you have any problem? If they are stollen can you get them replaced? Can you tell me where to get them?

TIA!

Julie
(18 days and counting)

 

[Tinkim]

I haven't used them at WDW so can't answer that but my DH gets them for promotions at work. They load them up and we can use them in the store or to take out cash at the ATM. I don't believe you would have a problem using them at WDW though hopefully someone can confirm. Anyway my friend was looking to get one for Christmas and I checked her bank's web site and they have them at her bank. Maybe check your bank to see if they sell them there. They should also be able to tell you where you can use them.

 

[Meggie Pooh]

I just got one at the bank today to take with me to WDW on Wednesday! It was really easy to get, and I was told that it is taken anyplace that accepts visa debit cards!

 

[Teacher03]

Try Visa Buxx. It is what I give my kids for when they travel, and they have never had a problem using them anywhere. Type in visa buxx in a search engine, and the website will come up. They are geared towards teens, but anyone can get one, and you can continue to use them by adding funds.

 

[Maverick Mike]

We took our daughter's friend with us (she is 8) last summer, and her parents gave her a pre-paid Visa! It worked great! She could use it anywhere they took Visa, which is EVERYWHERE! The only problem was that it ran out a little too quickly! hehe Her parents then went to the their bank here in St. Louis and added money to it, and the problem was solved!!

MM

 

[curiouser]

I've had them three times and I have had problems at some places. Others took it just fine. I mostly had problems when I had an amount over the balance and wanted to pay the rest by an alternate means. It seems most places computers can't read the balance on the card in order to deduct that amount from your total (they need to call the issuing card co. to do so and then they get all cranky).

So other than that little issue, they seem to work fine. If I recall, some of them don't let you use them at an ATM, so keep that in mind when buying.

 

[BCKatie02]

We've used them before and they were great. We got them through AAA and they were insured so if they are lost or stolen they are replaced within 24 hours.

 

[HayGan]

I just got one through American Express. They were running a promotion that if you purchased a Travelers card worth $700 or more you recieved a free card worth $25! The first card cost $14.95 so I made a out with an extra $10 from Amex

My first card came within a week of ordering and the second card came within 3 days of me sending in the redemption card for the extra $25! You can get them at www.americanexpress.com

 

[LoveWDW]

I hope I am not being rude by asking a question a bit off topic? To use traveler's checks they want two kinds of ID? What would these be? drivers license and a credit card? But one reason to use T C is so that I don't have to use my credit card. If they copy the number for it onto the T C then it defeats the purpose?

 

[tjevans]

We used the AAA Visa "Travel Money" card at WDW for our trip in early November. We thought they were great because we had our money budgeted and wouldn't come back with credit card bills. When we got home, we didn't know how much money we had left, so we checked our balance to find it was $-18. Not a big deal, but we had to pay that to Visa.

That kind of defeats the purpose if you can go over the amount you placed on the pre-paid card. I don't know if we were a one-time glitch, or if there is a flaw in their system.

 

[Juligan]

it was $-18. Not a big deal, but we had to pay that to Visa.

Did they charge you a fee for going over?

 

[Juligan]

I hope I am not being rude by asking a question a bit off topic? To use traveler's checks they want two kinds of ID? What would these be? drivers license and a credit card? But one reason to use T C is so that I don't have to use my credit card. If they copy the number for it onto the T C then it defeats the purpose?

Not everybody does, but some places treat it like a check. I know, it's stupid, but that's what they do. Other places you just sign and you're good to go.

 

[lookingforward]

These sound great. My son is traveling to England , Ireland and Scotland, do you think it would be okay internationally? If he loses it can he get it replaced?

 

[tjevans]

Did they charge you a fee for going over?

They didn't charge a fee. We had money left on another card (we had one for souvenirs, one for gas, etc.) and we transferred funds between the cards to pay the negative balance.