Travellers Cheques at DLP

[tinkertaylor05]

So the dream is nearly a reality and with 3 weeks to go I can now actually start to believe we're going to Disney time for some serious planning!

Is there somewhere to exchange travellers cheques at dlp? does anybody do this?

I'm tempted to just take cash but worry about losing it etc we're staying a Hotel New York has anybody used the room safe and have they been ok?

Thanks for any help and apologies in advance for the masses of questions I'm going to start asking .... getting way too excited now x

 

[Ms Poppins]

We used travellers cheques years ago when it was the franc, but they were a bit of a nightmare to be honest. We got charged commission every time we cashed them and had to have our passports with us.

Last year we just took euros in cash. It was only for 4 days. We stayed in HNY and used the safe for our cash and passports etc and it was fine.

There are cash machines in the village and the park in case you need to withdraw money from your account when you're there.

Alternatively, I think there is a card you can load with euros that the post office do - and it works like a debit card. I know a lot of people on here use them, and I don't think the commission is very much.

Hopefully someone will be along to advise you better on that.

 

[alyssa810]

I used travellers checks in 2004; I found them easiest to use at DLP rather than in other places we visited in France. I just bought whatever I was buying, and got my change back in euros.

 

[Johnny_boy]

I got a Nationwide Cash Card and just put sterling in the account then withdrew in Euro. They're stopping you doing that in June sometime unless you have a current account with them. I cant do that because they insist on your salary being paid in to get a c/a and my employer (a bank) insists I have mine paid into an account with them.

There is no charge for withdrawing money with Nationwide abroad and you get inter-bank rates on any money you do withdraw which is always more than you'll get elsewhere.

Travellers Cheques are great for the US due to their less countrywide banking structure but they're more hassle than they're worth outside the US to be honest.

Although you can withdraw money from most current accounts abroad, you will be charged a commission and a fee be most banks. Mine charges between £4 and £6 each time you withdraw money and charges about 85p for a Maestro transaction - hence why I used the Nationwide.

There were ATMs at the post office next to the train station and in the arcades in Disney.

 

[tinkertaylor05]

Ms Poppins - thanks for the info I am reluctant to use travellers cheques so the post office card sounds ok, also its good to know from someone who's used the safes at HNY, I'm always suspicious of hotels.

Johnny-Boy - thanks for the advice about Nationwide I will look into that for sure, we're going 9th June so I'll have to check out the cut off dates. I'm really happy with my bank so that's what stops me from using some of the accounts which offer the free withdrawals I'm not willing to pay my salary in anywhere else.

 

[gavcooper]

The Abbey and Post Office have credit cards which do not charge a fee for foreign currency transactions.

 

[northwest1965]

Have you looked at a Caxton Card? We have one loaded with $ for our NYC trip later this year. They have excellent reviews and there are no charges. Easy to load and set up
http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/cards_description.asp €1.17 todays rate.

We havent got a €uro card as we already had a few euros in cash, so we'll be using the safe.

 

[gavcooper]

Google 'mse spending abroad' and click the first link for more info.

 

[northwest1965]

The Abbey and Post Office have credit cards which do not charge a fee for foreign currency transactions.

Are you sure the Abbey Zero doesnt charge for withdrawing cash?

Forgot to say about the Caxton, whatever rate you load at is what you get when you come to spend (if that makes sense)

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

 

[tinkertaylor05]

Have you looked at a Caxton Card? We have one loaded with $ for our NYC trip later this year. They have excellent reviews and there are no charges. Easy to load and set up
http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/cards_description.asp €1.17 todays rate.

We havent got a €uro card as we already had a few euros in cash, so we'll be using the safe.

This looks good, thanks for the info will read to see how long it takes as we've only got 3 weeks now.

gavcooper - thanks for the info I don't want to get into credit cards but these do look good for travel.

 

[IsobelJackmummy]

Google 'mse spending abroad' and click the first link for more info.

Thanks for that. The FairFx pre-pay card looks a good option. I always worry about having alot of cash on me while on holiday, but then like to know I can only spend what I can afford, and not get carried away with a credit/debit card! Especially somewhere like DLRP where you can get very carried away....

 

[northwest1965]

Thanks for that. The FairFx pre-pay card looks a good option. I always worry about having alot of cash on me while on holiday, but then like to know I can only spend what I can afford, and not get carried away with a credit/debit card! Especially somewhere like DLRP where you can get very carried away....

FairFx charge for withdrawals

 

[IsobelJackmummy]

FairFx charge for withdrawals

would that be the case for using it to pay for things though, rather than using it to take out cash?

 

[northwest1965]

Transaction fees - free in UK & overseas

Cash Withdrawals €1.50

So I'm guessing that if you had a meal, its better to just hand over the Fairfx card rather than withdraw cash.

Also they charge for the card, make sure you choose a site that lets you get it for free.

 

[Fiona35]

I just tend to take cash with me and use the hotel safe, that way I can budget each day for set amount and if I don't use my allowance daily I can buy something really nice at the end of my visit!!

 

[divacat80]

I used travelers cheques last year at DLP, once at a Fantasyland store and once at a Main Street store. I have to say that they were travelers cheques in Euros, not US dollars. I don't know if they accept travelers cheques in USD in the stores because of the exchange rate changing so often (specially lately). I tried to change some travelers to cash at the bank window office to the left of guest services at City Hall several times but it was always closed (there are more offices outside the park entrance below the hotel before the turnstiles)

If you have them in euros i guess there will be no problem, you can also change them to cash at the hotel (don't know about extra charges that might apply though) if you consider this is too much hassle

I was suprised that they accepted TC so easily, i should have used them more often. Sometimes the CMs are not used to the TC thing but they call a manager and problem solved.

If you're from the U.S. maybe you should consider buying Euro travellers cheques, mine were "american express" so they should be available at U.S. banks.

sorry for my English, i hope everything i said makes any sense

 

[DLPdaft]

Hi divacat80,
Elaine, Jackie, Elaine and Reid welcome you to the DLP DIS board

We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1477038,
DIS posting guidelines can be found here
http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm

 

[divacat80]

Hi divacat80,
Elaine, Jackie, Elaine and Reid welcome you to the DLP DIS board

We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1477038,
DIS posting guidelines can be found here
http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm

oh thank you! i'll make sure i read those