Take cash or gift cards for spending money??

[mi*vida*loca]

We are buying giftcards at the Disney Store. I don't do the Target red card thing. I just go to the Disney store and every month I add $250 on a gift card. It helps me save up without thinking about it. When we go I'll have 2 $1000 gift cards. We are staying for 10 days with no DDP. These GC's will stay in the safe and only be brought out to pay down the room.

I'm also bringing $500 in cash.

We will have a credit card as back up. And our debit cards in case we need access to more cash.

 

[LovingPooh]

I take both. Gift cards and cash.

 

[CdnCarrie]

We don't do either. Everything is charged back to our room key which has our credit card attached to it. I prefer it this way as I don't want to carry cash. Plus we earn rewards on our credit card with purchases.

 

[btk2333]

Old foggie here. Cash and Travelers Checks, with credit card for hotel and rental car. I was in Phoenix for Spring Training and had someone in line behind when I used a travelers check comment that he didn't know they still existed. Shop owner said they are better than cash. Counterfeit cash, he's out money, American Express, if you follow some basic rules, backs TCs no matter what. And of course merchants have to pay a fee on debit,credit and gift cards

Where does one even go to get travelers' checks? I don't really know how they work or what they are? Why wouldn't you just use a credit card?

 

[A W Reezy]

I've used a Southwest Rapid Rewards credit card for years. I try my best to pay it off every month to avoid interest charges. I actually just signed up for a Disney Rewards Visa within the last week... So hopefully I'll be able to get some benefits from it by using it on our next Disney vacation.

 

[Judique]

Where does one even go to get travelers' checks? I don't really know how they work or what they are? Why wouldn't you just use a credit card?

American Express sells travelers checks. You used to get points for them, but not any more, when you used your AMEX to buy them.

Many banks used to issue them, as they were a safe way to carry money and could be replaced. They were numbered and you had to pay extra for them.

Back to original question - I carry gift cards that I have gotten for free (Chase) or discounted. I don't just exchange $50 for a $50 gift card. Otherwise I use a mixture of credit cards and cash. I never charge to my room as I am one of those whose credit card was compromised on more than one occasion at Disney.

 

[tvguy]

Where does one even go to get travelers' checks? I don't really know how they work or what they are? Why wouldn't you just use a credit card?

The bank has them. If you have above the minimum balance at my bank they are free. They work just like cash. I was in Phoenix for Spring Training and noticed a lot of concession stands at the stadiums now......mostly the carts in the concourses, not the permanent concession stands, were cash only. So a credit card would be useless there, but they would take a travelers check, as long as it wasn't for too large amount. I had $20 traveler's checks, so I was good to go. So that is why they have an advantage over credit or debit cards. But, I do admit, Phoenix is also overrun by snowbirds in the winter, and those folks, who are older than even me, tend to prefer cash or travelers checks over credit cards anyway. More than once watched some snowbird peel off $150 cash to pay for gas for their motorhome there. And if you believe any of those Picker shows or auto shows like Fast and Loud, there are people out there shopping for exclusive items with $30 or $40,000 cash in their pocket.

 

[Ngwira]

We are buying giftcards at the Disney Store. I don't do the Target red card thing. I just go to the Disney store and every month I add $250 on a gift card. It helps me save up without thinking about it. When we go I'll have 2 $1000 gift cards. We are staying for 10 days with no DDP. These GC's will stay in the safe and only be brought out to pay down the room.

I'm also bringing $500 in cash.

We will have a credit card as back up. And our debit cards in case we need access to more cash.

Also taking gift cards that I bought at a discount (raise and target). No dining plan so we have $2200.00 in gift cards. Will also bring cash for tips and a Disney visa for back up. To be safe I will charge everything back to room but every few days will go down to pay it off with the gift cards.