Will Disney Parks ever go cashless and just take debit and credit cards?

john james gillespie

New Member
Original Poster
I have heard that some retail stores are going cashless. Some stores want to just accept debit and credit card transactions and not be bothered with cash anymore. I have heard that some diseases like the corona virus can linger on cash. Also, some companies don't want to be bothered with cash. It is more efficient for companies (in general) to just deal with debit and credit card transactions (electronic cash) and not to be bothered with paper money. Will the Disney Corporation ever go completely cashless for their guests/patrons?
 

Pepper's Ghost

Well-Known Member
All businesses will not go cashless. With that said a company like Disney definitely could sway that way eventually. 99.99% of people going to the parks are using cards for at least part of the trip like airlines. It's not a stretch that they take the plunge. That said, there goes my joke of pulling out cash and asking if they "still accept this green stuff". :rolleyes:
 

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
The first 4 decades of my life we carried cash in all sorts of places, our pockets, wallets, purses, etc. and no one batted an eyelash. March of 2020 comes around and all of the sudden we look at cash like it has cooties. Meanwhile, the thing that has 10x the amount of bacteria on it than a toilet seat - our phones - we touch every minute.

The Bible in the book of Revelation does say we will be cashless one day, not trying to derail the thread, just telling you about what there is in the way of future predictions. But I don't want to be alive for how they describe that time in our lives, so all I can say is this.........................use your Abes, Georges, Andrews and Benjamins as much as you can (yeah even as a Canadian I know who is on the bills).
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Not going to happen. Its true that a huge segment of guests have turned to using alternate ways of making purchases but there are still many guests who prefer cash. For some it will always be a more convenient way for them, some see it as a safer way to do business and others who have abused cards in their past have done away with them. Companies will not turn away a cash paying customer... they dont lose anything on the transactions with cash as they do on cards.
 

donsullivan

Premium Member
I don't foresee a day when Mickey declines to accept my cash.
They aren't likely to decline cash payments, at least not immediately. However, we are seeing more and more merchants pushing away from cash toward the various available contactless payment methods like RFID in the card and services like ApplePay and GooglePay. Those methods have benefits for both merchant and consumer and are where the whole industry is moving for payments.

I've been a fan of using ApplePay, all over WDW for over 5 years now and would never turn back. The increased security of that payment method combined with the convenience of paying with my watch is hard to beat.
 

NelleBelle

Well-Known Member
There are always your foreign travelers that like using cash. When we go to Europe, we always get euros before we leave stateside because it's easier for us to overspend when we are whipping out the credit cards. Plus, when we're getting coffee, meals, taxis, small purchases, we like to pay cash. I'm sure that's the case with people who travel from overseas, too.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Not going to happen. Its true that a huge segment of guests have turned to using alternate ways of making purchases but there are still many guests who prefer cash. For some it will always be a more convenient way for them, some see it as a safer way to do business and others who have abused cards in their past have done away with them. Companies will not turn away a cash paying customer... they dont lose anything on the transactions with cash as they do on cards.
While there is no transaction fee with cash, there are costs associated with cash control that can be significant. These extra costs and concerns are why some businesses have opted to not accept cash.
 

Chef Mickey

Well-Known Member
Not going to happen. Its true that a huge segment of guests have turned to using alternate ways of making purchases but there are still many guests who prefer cash. For some it will always be a more convenient way for them, some see it as a safer way to do business and others who have abused cards in their past have done away with them. Companies will not turn away a cash paying customer... they dont lose anything on the transactions with cash as they do on cards.
They do. Handling cash has significant costs, liabilities, fraud, and analytics implications. It is also slower than molasses to pay with cash.
 

Chef Mickey

Well-Known Member
The first 4 decades of my life we carried cash in all sorts of places, our pockets, wallets, purses, etc. and no one batted an eyelash. March of 2020 comes around and all of the sudden we look at cash like it has cooties. Meanwhile, the thing that has 10x the amount of bacteria on it than a toilet seat - our phones - we touch every minute.

The Bible in the book of Revelation does say we will be cashless one day, not trying to derail the thread, just telling you about what there is in the way of future predictions. But I don't want to be alive for how they describe that time in our lives, so all I can say is this.........................use your Abes, Georges, Andrews and Benjamins as much as you can (yeah even as a Canadian I know who is on the bills).
Let me know when you can sanitize cash like you can a phone and when your phone is passed around like cash.

Also, the Bible makes many predictions, most of which are wrong.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
While there is no transaction fee with cash, there are costs associated with cash control that can be significant. These extra costs and concerns are why some businesses have opted to not accept cash.

this is a big issue for overseas visitors. When I use a card abroad I get charged a free and the exchange rate is often worse. If I take cash I can shop for the best rate and pay only one exchange fee or it's built into the rate I get.

This is also true with roaming charges for cell phones but there I have the option of buying a local sim card to cut down on data charges

I know here in London you can now use your Credit card to pay for tube travel and most locals do this now but tourists still use a payment card or paper ticket to pay because they dont want to pay a free every time they travel
 

dave&di

Well-Known Member
There are always your foreign travelers that like using cash. When we go to Europe, we always get euros before we leave stateside because it's easier for us to overspend when we are whipping out the credit cards. Plus, when we're getting coffee, meals, taxis, small purchases, we like to pay cash. I'm sure that's the case with people who travel from overseas, too.
I’m from England, I always used cash, years ago we used travellers cheques! (Do they still exist!?!) I would not want to use a debit/credit card.
 

dave&di

Well-Known Member
this is a big issue for overseas visitors. When I use a card abroad I get charged a free and the exchange rate is often worse. If I take cash I can shop for the best rate and pay only one exchange fee or it's built into the rate I get.

This is also true with roaming charges for cell phones but there I have the option of buying a local sim card to cut down on data charges

I know here in London you can now use your Credit card to pay for tube travel and most locals do this now but tourists still use a payment card or paper ticket to pay because they dont want to pay a free every time they travel
I’m from London too. I’ve always used cash. Never taken a cell phone before (last trip 2013). Having a phone seems to be necessary for Rise of the Resistance, I’m not too keen on that aspect.
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
They do. Handling cash has significant costs, liabilities, fraud, and analytics implications. It is also slower than molasses to pay with cash.
Maybe... but theres quite a huge amount of card fraud risk on the consumers side ( several Disney restaurants have had cards hacked in the past... on our last trip Yak & Yeti was one of them ) I dont find it takes longer as long as the CM knows how to count. On one transaction I had to tell a CM how to give back correct change. But if Disney does cancel all cash transactions there will be many guests who still will refuse using cards. There is a large % of people who've gotten far far in debt using cards, have had to cut them up, climbed back out of debt and are no longer using them. Will Disney risk losing those consumers?
 
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Tori

Well-Known Member
I have heard that some retail stores are going cashless. Some stores want to just accept debit and credit card transactions and not be bothered with cash anymore. I have heard that some diseases like the corona virus can linger on cash. Also, some companies don't want to be bothered with cash. It is more efficient for companies (in general) to just deal with debit and credit card transactions (electronic cash) and not to be bothered with paper money. Will the Disney Corporation ever go completely cashless for their guests/patrons?

Cash as always been dirty even before the virus.

I don't think Disney will go cashless.
 

Chef Mickey

Well-Known Member
Maybe... but theres quite a huge amount of card fraud risk on the consumers side ( several Disney restaurants have had cards hacked in the past... on our last trip Yak & Yeti was one of them ) I dont find it takes longer as long as the CM knows how to count. On one transaction I had to tell a CM how to give back correct change. But if Disney does cancel all cash transactions there will be many guests who still will refuse using cards. There is a large % of people who've gotten far far in debt using cards, have had to cut them up, climbed back out of debt and are no longer using them. Will Disney risk losing those consumers?
Large % as in what number? You’re speculating. Cash payments are likely even lower at Disney than in general payments. Disney knows the exact number.

And there is something called a debit card.
 

NelleBelle

Well-Known Member
I’m from London too. I’ve always used cash. Never taken a cell phone before (last trip 2013). Having a phone seems to be necessary for Rise of the Resistance, I’m not too keen on that aspect.
When we took a cruise out of Barcelona in 2016 (and numerous other cruises in the Caribbean), we took our cell phones. We signed up for this plan that included int'l calls and all we have to do is go online to our carrier and enter the dates and where we will be and then pay $5/day for unlimited text/data/calls. It was extremely handy when in Barcelona and we were looking up directions/calling for reservations/calling home to check on our kids. We called for Taxis when we were all over the place and not in our hotel. It was a godsend. It was worth it rather than pay the ridiculous roaming fees we would've paid if he hadn't had this plan. If we ever go to Asia, we'll likely get a different SIM card if our phone plan doesn't cover the places we want to visit. Hope you have a great trip and end up finding something that works for you with your phone!
 

dave&di

Well-Known Member
When we took a cruise out of Barcelona in 2016 (and numerous other cruises in the Caribbean), we took our cell phones. We signed up for this plan that included int'l calls and all we have to do is go online to our carrier and enter the dates and where we will be and then pay $5/day for unlimited text/data/calls. It was extremely handy when in Barcelona and we were looking up directions/calling for reservations/calling home to check on our kids. We called for Taxis when we were all over the place and not in our hotel. It was a godsend. It was worth it rather than pay the ridiculous roaming fees we would've paid if he hadn't had this plan. If we ever go to Asia, we'll likely get a different SIM card if our phone plan doesn't cover the places we want to visit. Hope you have a great trip and end up finding something that works for you with your phone!
Thanks for the info, that’s handy to know, sounds like a plan! 😁
 

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