Travelers Cheques or AMEX gift card??

[kabbie]

What's easier to use at Disney restaurants and shops...American Express Traveler's Cheques or American Express Gift Cards??? I already have $200 in Travelers Cheques and have $200 more in cash that I wanted to convert to cheques/gift cards. What have you guys had the best luck with? Do snack vendors and CS restaurants take either one?

Thanks!

 

[pskelly]

We used gift cards and they worked great at all the eateries and gift shops, most vendors can only accept cash so I would suggest having at least some cash on you for those, but the cards are sooooooo much better then traveler checks, imo.

 

[disneyfan719]

I just had a really bad experience with the AMEX Gift Cards in Disney. I had a few $25 gift cards that I had gotten for my birthday. The problem was, if I tried to use them on a purchase that was over $25 and then pay the balance with cash, it wasn't going thru because there wasn't enough "credit" on the card. If you are going to go the gift card route, make sure you have more on the gift card than what your total purchase turns out to be.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

We have always used Travelers Cheques and never had a problem anywhere in Disney. Everyone takes them, even the kiosks. I was just thinking, if you use a gift card, what happens if your card or cards somehow get demagnetised? That might be a problem. We have had that happen to us. I've never used one of the gift cards, but if that were to happen, is there a number on it anywhere that they can just key in and you can still use the card so your money is not lost. We have also had family members have their park tickets demagnetise. We never could figure out how that happened. It happened to them twice in the same vacation.

 

[buzzgirls&dad]

We have always used travelers checks at WDW and have never had a problem with anyone taking them even the snack stands. Based on how many we cash a day we have some idea of what we are spending as well. Best of all we don't have a huge CC bill when we get home.

 

[BankBunny]

I would go with travelers checks. I work in a bank and the travelers checks have the smallest fee to purchase them. Also, I use travelers checks becuase I can leave most of them locked in my in room safe and only take what I think I'll need for that day with. That way should anything happen to them in the parks that's less that i have to deal with getting back from AMEX.

 

[jckdisneybound]

I just had a really bad experience with the AMEX Gift Cards in Disney. I had a few $25 gift cards that I had gotten for my birthday. The problem was, if I tried to use them on a purchase that was over $25 and then pay the balance with cash, it wasn't going thru because there wasn't enough "credit" on the card. If you are going to go the gift card route, make sure you have more on the gift card than what your total purchase turns out to be.

Yup you must be careful and track your remaining balance. If you use .99 of a $25 card, and make a $25 purchase the merchant needs to type in 24.01 the remaining balance in order for you to use your card.

 

[seashoreCM]

I just had a really bad experience with the AMEX Gift Cards in Disney. I had a few $25 gift cards that I had gotten for my birthday. The problem was, if I tried to use them on a purchase that was over $25 and then pay the balance with cash, it wasn't going thru because there wasn't enough "credit" on the card. If you are going to go the gift card route, make sure you have more on the gift card than what your total purchase turns out to be.

If the clerk doesn't know how to make the transaction go through, the manager should.

I never figured out the allure of gift cards to the consumer (is it the picture on the back?) According to Paul Harvey News half of all gift certificates, unused days on hopper passes, etc. are never used. By definition this means a big profit for whomever sold the gift card, etc. If lost or stolen they are gone, gone

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[tms295]

I don't believe gift cards can be re-issued if lost or stolen... there is no name asscociated with the *owner* of the card. Balance is lost.

A traveler's cheque card is printed with the name of the *owner* on it and it can be re-issued the same as a credit card. So if the card is lost or stolen AMEX can send you a new one with your remaining balance on it.

As for cards being de-magintized. It can happen if you get the card to close to those **pads** that deactivate the magnetic security tags in store. Never sit your wallet or purse on or next to it. Also, Card that the magnetic strips are against each other can de-magnetize... or so i am told.

 

[BankBunny]

If the clerk doesn't know how to make the transaction go through, the manager should.

I never figured out the allure of gift cards to the consumer (is it the picture on the back?) According to Paul Harvey News half of all gift certificates, unused days on hopper passes, etc. are never used. By definition this means a big profit for whomever sold the gift card, etc. If lost or stolen they are gone, gone

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

This is not tue of AMEX gift cards. They have the same protection as AMEX travelers checks. If they are lost or stolen you can get them replaced by AMEX. You just need to make sure that you keep ther serial numbers seperate from the card itself so that you have that information when you contact them.