Cash. Do I need it?

Thorphin

Thorphin

Member
I feel like this must be somewhere on the boards, but I can't find anything.

When touring the parks, can I get away with just carrying my key to the world and no cash? I'd rather rely on the dining plan and charging to the room key if possible, but I assume that I'm not going to be able to actually do that.

Any specific examples of things in the parks that are Cash-Only?

Thanks!
 
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RickyMouseMom

RickyMouseMom

New Member
I always bring cash in addition to (2) credit cards designated just for the trip. I have a crappy story from this last trip in Feb....

We always use our discover card from NY to FL for gas and some purchases in WDW. Everytime we make the trip, it is flagged for possible fraud because it is used out of state and we end up having to have to get it re-activated through customer service with an explanation why it is being used out of state. We have even called ahead of time to give them the heads up, but it never helps. We always get shut off at some point by the time we get to FL. This has been going on for years now. So this past time some discover person had turned it into the investigation department for fraud and they couldnt turn it back on without issuing us new cards. We tried to explain this happens everytime to us, we even called ahead of time, just turn it back on. They kept saying they could get us new cards within 10 days, that they cant re-activate it because they opened an investigation. BUT THAT DOESNT HELP US WHILE WE ARE AWAY AND NEED IT! So that card was out of the picture...:mad:

So we decided to use our Visa (which we primarily use for food only). Our first night there we were at Le Cellier. Our bill was around $70. We gave the card to the waitress and she brings us back the receipt, except it was for $250! (someone else's bill, no thank you!). So she had charged our card the wrong amount. She said she would fix it, brought back the corrected receipt (not the in-between corrections showing the credit back onto the card. I didnt think about getting it. I just wanted to get out of the restaurant with my antsy 5 & 3 years olds). So a few days later I went to go buy ice cream and my cc was denied! So embarrassed :(, but then ed! Wait, I know I had plenty of credit, the card was paid off before we left! So we called visa and Le cellier had made a mess of credits and charges and the card was all locked up with transactions trying to post from a few days earlier. Since it was a bank credit card (not a debit), I had to speak with the bank, who was closed until monday (this was a saturday night). We were leaving then.

So long story short, I was glad I brought plenty of cash. By the time we got home we had new discover cards and the visa was working again with plenty of credit available as expected. :rolleyes:
 
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jemlover

jemlover

Member
I don't carry any cash into the parks. We use cash for housekeeping tips only. We haven't found any carts in the parks that did not take our KTTW cards. We put a credit card on file at the hotel and I also carried my debit card but never used it on our last trip. We put our credit cards and any cash we brought with us in the room safe.
 
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Rob562

Rob562

Well-Known Member
I like to go into the parks with as little as possible. So while I'm on vacation I switch from my usual back-pocket wallet to a front-pocket wallet with a money clip.
It's perfect for holding my license, room key (with charging privldeges), Annual Pass, and $20-$40 in the money clip. I bring more cash with me on the trip, but on a daily basis I only bring a little. I almost never use it, though. Just for things like a beer in World Showcase or drinks at the Adventurers Club (RIP...) when I didn't want to open up a tab.

-Rob
 
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Thorphin

Thorphin

Member
Original Poster
RickyMouseMom: What a horrible story! Sorry to hear your vacation was so messed up! Luckily the only time Capital One has turned off my card was when I accidentally mistyped the security card on a charge to a company in Germany.

But anyway.... definitely a good reason to carry some back up cash on hand.

At least it sounds like more of the carts are taking cards. Now that's progress!
 
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F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
In my experience, you will not need cash. Even on the dining plan, tell the server you'll be putting the tip on your room charge and they will set it up for that. Most of the snack kiosks are set up to accept dining plan transactions, so even if you aren't charging to the dining plan they can charge your room. That said, when I get free dining, I bring cash to tip the servers since they would rather have the cash, but other than that I have never paid cash for anything inside the parks or at the resorts.
 
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MissM

MissM

Well-Known Member
It's best to have a little bit of cash on you for emergencies, but generally speaking, plastic works everywhere including popcorn/ice cream/pretzel snack carts.

Now, I will say that we've been on a very stormy day before and the lightning knocked out the wireless on the carts and they were only able to take cash until the system came back up but that kind of thing is a fluke. It's good to have a small amount of cash on you "just in case" but you shouldn't ever really have to use it.
 
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hrcollectibles

hrcollectibles

Active Member
fascion216 said:
last year i was D-U-M-B DUMB and only brought $125 cash for my 9 day trip. i like to drink .. and all of the places at EPCOT only accept cash. i burnt through mine really fast so this year ive vowed to take at least $300 cash.
Click to expand...

My kind of girl...lol .. I usually take cash with me. It helps me budget my money. That and I collect change...
 
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epcotWSC

epcotWSC

Well-Known Member
fascion216 said:
last year i was D-U-M-B DUMB and only brought $125 cash for my 9 day trip. i like to drink .. and all of the places at EPCOT only accept cash. i burnt through mine really fast so this year ive vowed to take at least $300 cash.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about this? I recall using my Amex at most of the pavilions last year.
 
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marsrunner

marsrunner

New Member
When we visited WDW in January we used the KTTW for everything. All of the snack carts took the KTTW.
In contrast, at Disneyland in February, NONE of the snack carts took the KTTM cards. Huge pain. I prefer to just take my room key and tickets and that's it.
 
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