Traveller's Cheques

[Kelsey'sMom]

Did anyone have any problems cashing traveller's cheques in Walt Disney World? Don't want to take alot of cash with us and don't really want to use the VISA. Would it be better to cash them at Guest Relations at the resort or are they good anywhere?

 

[minnie mum]

Honestly, I travel out of the country a couple of times a year, and haven't used Travellers Cheques in the last 8 years. What I do is take a few hundred dollars worth of the local currency (in this case $US). I keep a day's worth in my wallet and the rest in my moneybelt (which goes into my resort room safe as soon as I get there). When I think I'm running low, I use my bank card for a single ATM withdrawal that I think will last the rest of the trip. Minimizes bank charges that way and you get the current exchange rate. I keep my bank and credit card in the room safe too. Most purchases at WDW I place on my KTTW card, so I don't need that much cash anyway.

If you still decide to use TCs, then make sure they are in $US, otherwise you'll take a beating on the exchange rate. Actually, you probably will anyway if you cash them back into Canadian dollars when you return. Guest relations at your resort is probably your best bet. Cash enough for a day or two at a time. I really wouldnt use them in place of cash (for instance buying just a little something in a shop).

 

[Gigi22]

DH and I always carry travellers' cheques. When we go to the U.S., we purchase the cheques in U.S. $ in Canada. We shop for the best rate, which is CAA for us. We try to bring as much as we think we will use, and an emergency supply. We also carry U.S. currency. We do not exchange our unspent travellers' cheques back into Canadian currency--we either cash all the cheques in the U.S., or just cash some. Unspent travellers' cheques (like U.S. currency) can be held until the next time you need it.

Our system may not work for everyone, but we visit the U.S. at least once a year, and it is just not worth it to us to pay bank fees for changing money back and forth, especially with interest rates so low and fees so high. We used to have a U.S. bank account with Desjardins Credit Union, but they piled on so many bank fees, we closed the account.

We never have any trouble cashing our travellers' cheques at WDW. We usually cash them at our hotel (either onsite or offsite). There is usually a limit on how much you can cash per day--often around $200.

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

I used traveller's cheques during my vacation in 2010 and cashed them at the front desk at the resort - ASMo. I don't remember there being a limit - I cashed between $200 - $500 at a time - I would then put most of the money on my KTTW card and take some in cash.

I will probably do the same thing this time as the exchange rate is decent (my last trip we were 94-96 cents on the US dollar), and I get free traveller's cheques with my travel Visa.

One of the reasons I love travellers cheques is I know how much I have - with the exchange rate going up and down all the time, plus credit card charges for exchange rates, I never know until I get home how much everything "actually" cost me


Woohoo - just saw my ticker - 2-2-2!!!

 

[ottawamom]

We use US$ travellers cheques all the time when we travel in the US. Hotels always cash them and most stores will as well. One or two of the stores we used them in called it in to verify them and that was OK with me. It just confirmed to the store that the cheque was valid and the would get their money. Like the previous poster said I just keep any leftover cheques for the next trip. I don't cash them in when I get home.

Check your bank you may be able to get American Express travellers cheques in US$ there without a fee. The exchange rate was better than the exchange rate on cash and not too far off what I get at a high volume cash exchanger.

 

[colin25]

I always use travelers checks. I only bring a bit of cash for incidentals on the day I arrive. I'd rather have them, than having a bunch of cash on me, or having to find an atm(and pay the extra fees), or have to rely on a credit card.

 

[Celidh]

Thanks to the op for posting this question. I am planning on a combination of tc and us $. I don't have to worry about the exchange rate because I opened a US currency account so my $ is already in US dollars I just have to withdraw it.

I didn't know how easy it would be to use traveller's cheques but wasn't comfortable carrying around a bunch of cash and really don't want to have to use my debit or visa card unless I have to.

Now I just have to figure out how much in cash and how much in tc to get. I have the money I will need for myself and also have to get my kid their money. They will each have around $100.00 for their spending cash.

 

[Kelsey'sMom]

Thanks for all the great replys. We are trying to stay on a budget on this trip and travellers cheques just make sense to us. Glad to hear that we won't have a problem using them, we will cash them at guest relations. The teller at the back made sure my debit card is flagged to use in the US and wanted us to call the 1-800 VISA number before we go so we don't have problems using it if we need to.

 

[Celidh]

Thanks for all the great replys. We are trying to stay on a budget on this trip and travellers cheques just make sense to us. Glad to hear that we won't have a problem using them, we will cash them at guest relations. The teller at the back made sure my debit card is flagged to use in the US and wanted us to call the 1-800 VISA number before we go so we don't have problems using it if we need to.

We called Visa as well. I also called the 800 # for my bank in case I use my debit card down there. I don't intend to but you never know. I figure better safe than sorry. I would not want to have either of my cards frozen while on vacation.