So who else travels with cash, at WDW?

[athumann]

I always travel with cash and Disney gift cards, it's the only way I can truly stay on budget. Only used the room charging on one trip and it was just too easy to lose track of my spending.

 

[barbaraann]

My vacation is just two days away. I arrive on Monday. I have almost everything packed. It's just those last things that must go in the backpack, like the phone, and the iPad, and the chargers that make everything work.

This will be my first time through the Orlando Airport by myself. Hopefully, I won't get lost trying to find Magical Express. The directions seem pretty easy, in the Disney booklet they sent me. However, I do get teased a lot about how badly I follow a map.

I need to double check my checklist, so I don't forget a key item. I have to squeeze a few hats in my suitcase, so I don't get a headache from the sun.

When I went to the bank to get my cash, the teller asked me where I was going for vacation.

I'm going to Disney World. Soon!

I have never lost cash in my life. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

 

[btk2333]

My vacation is just two days away. I arrive on Monday. I have almost everything packed. It's just those last things that must go in the backpack, like the phone, and the iPad, and the chargers that make everything work. This will be my first time through the Orlando Airport by myself. Hopefully, I won't get lost trying to find Magical Express. The directions seem pretty easy, in the Disney booklet they sent me. However, I do get teased a lot about how badly I follow a map. I need to double check my checklist, so I don't forget a key item. I have to squeeze a few hats in my suitcase, so I don't get a headache from the sun. When I went to the bank to get my cash, the teller asked me where I was going for vacation. I'm going to Disney World. Soon! I have never lost cash in my life. I hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Have a great trip!!

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I can't possibly be the only one who uses cash on a Disney vacation.

I understand that some people register the magic bands with their credit card information, so they don't have to carry cash, and/or their credit cards. I do the opposite. I carry about $50 cash each day, and my credit card. I don't spend much on my Disney vacations. I am not into a lot of souvenirs, and gave up long ago collecting pins, and other cute Disney collectibles.

I don't do many ADR's and if I do, I might sometime use the credit card there. Otherwise, my cash is definitely enough to cover my food. Special purchases, emergencies, and or a unique item that I might find can always be bought with my credit card.

I travel alone, and my cash allotment has almost always been enough.

So who besides me uses cash, rather than putting everything on a credit card that they linked to their magic band?

Everything you said is just like myself. I could have written the same thing!
And I also travel alone.

 

[Texas Mickey]

Every Disney trip we put $150.00 cash a day for food and whatever in individual envelopes. The DW and I have an envelope for us and the kids get one to. All the envelopes go in the room safe until the morning for that days envelope. Anything left over from the previous day is extra for the current day. We have been doing this at WDW since the 80s. We always have enough for food and buying whatever gifts we want for the trip. We don't go over budget and never worry about having enough to spend. We've never lost cash, had it stolen or any bad experiences.
Putting the cash in the envelopes is kind of a tradition now. We've been doing it along time on many Disney trips. We set aside the cash all year long in anticipation of the next trip

 

[pmcneff]

very little cash mostly credit card which i link to my band

 

[barbaraann]

I do the envelope thing as well. Sometimes, on certain days, I don't spend much, and I don't open all the envelopes. I have many times gone home with cash, and/or unopened envelopes. I attribute that to the fact that I don't buy many souvenirs.

When I traveled with my grandson, he too got a certain amount of money each day. That works out so much better than cash all at once.

When my grandson bowled, I used to reward him with a dollar for each strike. A smaller amount for spares. I never gave him the cash outright. I would keep track, and during the bowling season, he could earn a whole lot of money. Then I would give him the money on his Disney vacations with me.

 

[ZoZo]

We get a refillable Visa card and use that. Protects our regular debit and cc cards from fraud. We never load much on the card, so would not be out much if it was compromised. We just log in and load more when needed. And if it is compromised, we still have our regular cards as backup till we get the balance restored on the CC. We also get the protection of using a CC if something is lost or stolen. There is no recourse if your cash is stolen.

This is what I do now, too. Used to do travelers checks in the "old days." Now I use a prepaid Visa debit card, with my own regular credit card as a back-up. And also have some cash, too. But mostly prepaid Visa debit.

I don't do Disney gift cards just in case there's an emergency that might cause me to cancel the trip at the last minute. My father was very ill earlier this year, right before my February trip, and I was so glad not to have all of my money tied up in Disney gift cards, just in case of a last-minute cancellation. That would have been about $1,500 I could only spend at Disney - what a pain that would have been! So now I use Visa prepaid cards - you can use them anywhere.

I also don't do a credit card tied to the room/magic band. I share a room with a friend when traveling to WDW, and our finances are separate. In February, we were assured at check-in at AoA that they could keep our charges separate because we each had our own bands -- but it didn't work out that way. All of our charges were being put toward my friend's credit card - I had to go to the front desk a couple of times to get the charges separated out. Each time, I was assured that the problem was fixed. NOT! I finally gave up and stopped charging to our room. It was especially problematic because at AoA, when you hit $500 in charges, they automatically charge to the card they have on file. If I hadn't discovered the problem, all of my charges would have gone on my friend's card!

So for me, I use a combo of Visa prepaid debit, some cash, plus a credit card as a back-up.

 

[loonertic]

I do something similar.

I stole this idea form the boards back in 2002.


I use a Paypal credit/debit card, load it periodically with $ leading up to the trip so I don't feel it over time.

Then when we arrive it is my primary funds. It acts as both a visa (that uses only the funds I loaded) and I can use it as a debit at an atm if I "need" cash. Been doing this for many trip and I have come to love it. Helps me set spending barriers and also gives me cash and credit options.... Love the creativity!!!

Disney for the Holidays? Magnificent

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I do something similar.

I stole this idea form the boards back in 2002.


I use a Paypal credit/debit card, load it periodically with $ leading up to the trip so I don't feel it over time.

Then when we arrive it is my primary funds. It acts as both a visa (that uses only the funds I loaded) and I can use it as a debit at an atm if I "need" cash. Been doing this for many trip and I have come to love it. Helps me set spending barriers and also gives me cash and credit options.... Love the creativity!!!

Disney for the Holidays? Magnificent

Great idea!

 

[Minnesota!]

We carry cash....keep it in the safe and just take out what we will need for the day...typically about $70. We pay for sit down dining with our credit card and pay it off when we get home, but for snacks, QS meals, souvenirs, etc...we pay cash.

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

With all of the Cards out there that offer great rewards, why pay cash? Just pay off the balance (I usually do that weekly), that way you pay no interest, but you gain many rewards. I stay at least 6-7 free nights at Category 7-8Marriotts every year. Carry some cash for small expenditures like water, snacks, etc... And NEVER use a DEBIT Card...they are not very secure compared to a good credit card. Besides, many palces hold a dollar amount from your debit every time it's used, so the balance available may not always be what you think.

 

[wizneather78]

Cash only Disney traveling family here!! We do the dining plan, yet we typically budget for extra food here & there, tips for food, tips for Mousekeeping, and souvenirs. I also budget our travel day & departure day food expenses and gas expenses. I hit the nail on the head for our trip last month and had a few dollars left over!! We only charged $26 on our Magic Bands because of a monsoon that hit while we were in Pirates of the Caribbean and didn't have our ponchos with us and my DH wen to find ponchos and didn't have the cash on him! Left them in the room...DOH!!! Other than that charge, every purchase was though out and tracked. At the end of each day, I'd take out all receipts and track what money went where. I like keeping up with things and not having a surprise when we check out of a huge bill I need to pay or deduct from my checking account when we get home. Just what works for our family!! We'll definitely do this again on our future trips!

 

[La Belle]

Cash only Disney traveling family here!! We do the dining plan, yet we typically budget for extra food here & there, tips for food, tips for Mousekeeping, and souvenirs. I also budget our travel day & departure day food expenses and gas expenses. I hit the nail on the head for our trip last month and had a few dollars left over!! We only charged $26 on our Magic Bands because of a monsoon that hit while we were in Pirates of the Caribbean and didn't have our ponchos with us and my DH wen to find ponchos and didn't have the cash on him! Left them in the room...DOH!!! Other than that charge, every purchase was though out and tracked. At the end of each day, I'd take out all receipts and track what money went where. I like keeping up with things and not having a surprise when we check out of a huge bill I need to pay or deduct from my checking account when we get home. Just what works for our family!! We'll definitely do this again on our future trips!

This description was my family last year almost exactly. We only charged to our card when we were at Blizzard Beach. The magic bands were brilliant for the water park! I had budgeted the correct amount of cash and went home with only a few dollars. It was such an amazing feeling to arrive home and to not have any outstanding debt from the trip.

We r going back in 2015 and hope to do the same again! Can't wait to be back!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

With all of the Cards out there that offer great rewards, why pay cash? Just pay off the balance (I usually do that weekly), that way you pay no interest, but you gain many rewards. I stay at least 6-7 free nights at Category 7-8Marriotts every year. Carry some cash for small expenditures like water, snacks, etc... And NEVER use a DEBIT Card...they are not very secure compared to a good credit card. Besides, many palces hold a dollar amount from your debit every time it's used, so the balance available may not always be what you think.

My divorce destroyed my credit and the credit cards I have now don't have huge credit limits. We don't do the DDP so we pay for everything OOP. I plan on taking around 3000-3500 for 10 days. I don't feel comfortable carrying that much cash so I need to either get a prepaid American Express card or Disney gift cards. I will attach a card to my room to charge to the MB but pay the room down every night or every other night with cash, Disney GC or AmEx prepaid card.

 

[msmith1026]

We do the gift card thing. I've been stashing Disney gift cards all year. We charge everything to the room, then each night I go by guest services and pay down what we charged that day.

This is us too. We use a combo of gift cards and cash. My husband and I go down each night and pay off the balance. We usually end up coming home with cash left over.

 

[mog]

I go with a set amount of gift cards that will cover the entire trip. Saving 10% with the gift cards is the reason I take gift cards. We'll go down to pay down every couple of days. No biggie.

How do you save 10% with gift cards? Is there somewhere to buy them at a discount?
thanks!

 

[btk2333]

With all of the Cards out there that offer great rewards, why pay cash? Just pay off the balance (I usually do that weekly), that way you pay no interest, but you gain many rewards. I stay at least 6-7 free nights at Category 7-8Marriotts every year. Carry some cash for small expenditures like water, snacks, etc... And NEVER use a DEBIT Card...they are not very secure compared to a good credit card. Besides, many palces hold a dollar amount from your debit every time it's used, so the balance available may not always be what you think.

Ditto on this- we NEVER use debit cards- I rarely have more than ten dollars on me, we pay off our cards monthly and never carry a balance. We use our travel rewards for hotels or flights- we rarely pay for a flight to wdw anymore. We have a travel rewards card for my business too. Same rules apply but accumulate even more points.

 

[sillypetey]

We have a little cash for the kids to use to buy a small souvenir or two- so they learn that money is a limited resource. For everything else we use Starwood Card.

 

[Elevationist]

I was just there Sept 20-28. I brought $90 cash in my wallet. I left with $68 of it. So the entire week, I only spent $22 in cash. Everything pretty much got charged to my room.