Do I need cash in the parks or do I get a resort card?

[LucyK]

I rarely take money into the parks, we use our room card for everything. I'm not as controlled with my money as I should be while in Disney so it wouldn't matter if I had to use a CC or my room card, I'd still spent a lot.

 

[luv]

I had no idea there was a credit limit. They didn't tell me that when I started at the resort last year.

They never tell people. For some reason, they prefer to delay and irritate their customers by simply turning the card down when you hit the limit.

It's been many years and I'm still carrying a grudge!

 

[RedDad]

Yeah, we use the room charge account on all of our trips and they've never informed us of the charge limit at the resort. Thankfully, we do our research and knew about it ahead of time. We've used it at both value and deluxe resorts, and typically will go to the front desk mid-trip and pay off a chunk using gift cards. I was there for a good 20 minutes this past trip while the poor CM ran 10 different gift cards with various amounts on them.

Also, I can say that the new touch-to-pay system worked flawlessly for us during our trip in early June - and we used it...extensively! I'd just stop by the desk from time to time to check our balance and make sure we weren't close to the limit. We always keep some cash on us in the parks, but rarely used it.

 

[graphite1326]

Here is how the credit limit was expained to me. Disney wants you to be aware of how much you are spending. They don't want you to be upset when you get your bill and you racked up a huge sum. You have $500.00 credit limit and when you max that you can get another $500 limit no problem.

However, the last time we went they never mentioned the credit limit. My theory on this is, they always ask if you have been here before when you check in. Maybe they don't mention it because they think you already know about the credit limit and don't wnat to hold you up going through all the details like they did when you were a first timer. Just a theory.

 

[The Mighty Tim]

When I stayed at AS Sports last year, I asked about the credit limit. They pretty much confirmed what everyone else is saying in this thread (if you max at $500, they'll let you know and give you another $500).

 

[MouseDreaming]

Yeah, we use the room charge account on all of our trips and they've never informed us of the charge limit at the resort. Thankfully, we do our research and knew about it ahead of time. We've used it at both value and deluxe resorts, and typically will go to the front desk mid-trip and pay off a chunk using gift cards. I was there for a good 20 minutes this past trip while the poor CM ran 10 different gift cards with various amounts on them.

Also, I can say that the new touch-to-pay system worked flawlessly for us during our trip in early June - and we used it...extensively! I'd just stop by the desk from time to time to check our balance and make sure we weren't close to the limit. We always keep some cash on us in the parks, but rarely used it.

Lucky. Once we changed resorts, it didn't work for us after 3 sets of cards had been printed. I found this out when trying to buy a shirt for my DD at World of Disney. I didn't have anything else with me. So, we left without the shirt. Eventually, I was told that I just had to tell people to run it "the old way". When it worked, it was great, but after, I wouldn't leave the room without some emergency cash.

 

[Alison1975]

Wa

It's not new, been there for years, at least since 2003, if not before.

It's only a stop gap, you just need to call to tell them to push it through and then you have another $1500 to go. (or $500 for value, $1000 for mods)

It's so someone doesn't get your Key to the World card and max it out.

Was there in 1999 and yep there was a limit

 

[JIMINYCR]

We use the room charge option and bring cash as well. It's soooo easy to go over budget so we try not to load too much on the room card because its easy to lose track of purchases when you are having fun. We have found setting a dollar limit per day helps and if something really tempts either one of us to go over that limit, we dont buy until we can discuss the purchase and determine if it's worth it. Two level heads are better than one. I can't tell you how many foolish purchases we've been saved from by agreeing to do it this way.

 

[Goofnut1980]

I use my room key but have them bill it nightly. So its fresh each day!

 

[RedBaron]

We use a combo of 3 options when we are there. We have our Disney Rewards Card dollars that they send us on a gift card which we use first, we bring cash that we have saved up from garage sales and money from our change jar which we use for small purchases such as snacks, drinks and small souvenirs, and finally we use the room card for bigger charges that are easier to keep track of like sit down dinners and larger souvenirs.

 

[golden_mudbug]

Having real money in your hand can help you plan your finances better. It is just to easy to go and swipe that card, and not think about the bill you rack up.

 

[Hot Lava]

Even if you decide to use your resort card and/or cc card, you should have some amount of cash on you. As many people mentioned, they were caught without any when they ended up really needing it. Better safe than sorry!