Spending Money?

[cammie1229]

We're heading out this week.

Just wondering what most people do for spending money. Do you use cash? Credit cards? Travellers cheques? What's the best traveller's cheques to get?

We're on the dining plan so we mostly need money for drinks at the pool bar and dinner, some beer and wine for the room, mugs at the resort and souvenirs. Still trying to figure out how much to take for 8 days!

What's the best way to pay for souvenirs? Charge them to our room? Pay them off nightly? Or charge to visa? Will we get dinged with high exchange rates on credit cards?

 

[dolphinmom]

We are on the ddp as well. We will be taking some cash and some credit cards. I am not sure whether I will take traveller's cheques or not. My DD13's best friend is coming with us and I think she is bringing traveller's cheques for her spending money.

Have a great trip!

dolphinmom

 

[MainStreetMouse]

We're heading out this week.

Just wondering what most people do for spending money. Do you use cash? Credit cards? Travellers cheques? What's the best traveller's cheques to get?

We're on the dining plan so we mostly need money for drinks at the pool bar and dinner, some beer and wine for the room, mugs at the resort and souvenirs. Still trying to figure out how much to take for 8 days!

What's the best way to pay for souvenirs? Charge them to our room? Pay them off nightly? Or charge to visa? Will we get dinged with high exchange rates on credit cards?

We use cash and travellers cheques. Both available from our bank

You could put charges on your room key and then pay the balance off with cash or travellers cheques.

When you register for your room you can give them your CC for room key charges. I believe they will give you between $500 - $1000 worth of charging on your card. You can then pay this balance off however you like. Keep in mind that charges to your CC will be processed with about a 2 1/2% extra for exchange rate so paying off the balance before it goes to your CC may be cheaper.

As far as how much you will need ... really depends on your spending habits. If you buy a lot of souveiners it can add up pretty quick. Beer and wine at Disney resorts is not cheap either. A couple Corona's from the poolside bar will be over $10US but they are nice and cold.

Gary

 

[SnowWhite]

We leave in 27 days, I just got my spending money. We are taking $750.00 in cash. We also have the credit card available if needed. I had a problem with my card number being stolen and used in Japan last year so I am sticking to more traditional payments and plan to use my key to the world when shopping at disney but pay cash for gas instead of using credit card this time. I trust disney but some of the gas stations on the way down are the perfect place for credit card fraud artists. DW and I will split up the cash and not keep all of it on us as well. I will keep most of it in the safe and take out alittle each day.

Rob (Snowwhite's DH)

 

[MainStreetMouse]

We leave in 27 days, I just got my spending money. We are taking $750.00 in cash. We also have the credit card available if needed. I had a problem with my card number being stolen and used in Japan last year so I am sticking to more traditional payments and plan to use my key to the world when shopping at disney but pay cash for gas instead of using credit card this time. I trust disney but some of the gas stations on the way down are the perfect place for credit card fraud artists. DW and I will split up the cash and not keep all of it on us as well. I will keep most of it in the safe and take out alittle each day.

Rob (Snowwhite's DH)

Sounds like you have a good plan in place.
Have a great vacation Rob! Take lots of photos.

Gary

 

[mollyseven]

Just make sure if you plan on using a credit card for hotel payment or any other large payments...take 2 credit cards with you.
In Jan. we took alot of cash with us and would just keep it in our safe. One night I went to mgm with my kids and tried to use my mastercard for a 12.00 ariel musicbox and it was declined. They cancelled my card because of suspicion of fraud.....There never was actually any fraud it turned out but I had NO credit card and in 4 days we were checking out and gonna pay our cbr room with that card!!!
What I learned. Always take 2 credit cards away in case.!!!!

 

[PrincessNED]

Just make sure if you plan on using a credit card for hotel payment or any other large payments...take 2 credit cards with you.
In Jan. we took alot of cash with us and would just keep it in our safe. One night I went to mgm with my kids and tried to use my mastercard for a 12.00 ariel musicbox and it was declined. They cancelled my card because of suspicion of fraud.....There never was actually any fraud it turned out but I had NO credit card and in 4 days we were checking out and gonna pay our cbr room with that card!!!
What I learned. Always take 2 credit cards away in case.!!!!

With the increased amount of credit card fraud these days most card companies have monitoring systems that will temporarily "block" a card until they can verify authenticity. I recommend to my clients to always call the visa/mc number on the back of their cards before departure and have a note stating where/when they are travelling put on their file. Similarly you can ask the merchant who is getting the decline message to call the number on the back of the card as well and you can talk to a rep and get the security block lifted. ( after the 30 ?'s to verify it is you)