Going on vacation for a week ... how much CASH to bring?

[LuckyTaxi]

Spending 7 days in orlando, going to see mickey for 5 days. wsn't my idea, more of the fiance's wishes.
Anyways, i'll bring one credit card to buy the souvenirs and stuff, but how much cash should i bring?

 

[chin311]

wow, orlando can get pricey, are you visiting parks and such EVERYDAY your there? if so, youll be a poor poor sucker...like 55$ a piece to get in for a day. if you need cash for that, bring lots

 

[DivideBYZero]

£6000

 

[LuckyTaxi]

bought the tickets already .... $525 for two ppl for 5 days ... grrrr
the cash would be for food (unless it's some fancy restaurant and i'll charge it) and the shuttle from
the airport to the hotel. i was thinking of bringing $400.

 

[chin311]

just food? hmmmm

5 days in theme parks.... lunch in theme park + random snacks per person =$10+

i say 400$

 

[JarJarBinks77]

First rule of traveling to a busy place, dont take cash, get 700 dollars worth of travalers checks from AMX, smart choice.

 

[Jzero]

If you are staying on Disney grounds, just hook your credit card up to your room account and then you can use your room key to charge things to your room. I went last week and didn't even carry my wallet, just left it locked in the room safe.

But as a rule to help you reason, My GF and I were there for 7 days/6 nights. We brought our own breakfast foods and pretty much only bought dinner. We ate at the higher-class restaurants. We spent about $600 between the two of us on food and souvenirs.

Besides, you are in the US. ATMs are common. If you run out of cash, just go get more.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

im eatting at the lower end! well if we do go into some fancy place i would charge it

did you take mears transportation by any chance?

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: lilcam
im eatting at the lower end! well if we do go into some fancy place i would charge it

did you take mears transportation by any chance?

The sick thing is this:
It cost only about $10 more for both of us to eat at Cinderella's Royal Table than it did to eat at Cafe Tangierne (counter service at EPCOT). Now bear in mind that at Tangierne we both got an entree.
At the castle, we split: Salad, Appetizer, Entree, Dessert. In other words, if we skipped out on either the app or the dessert, it would have been about the same as eating at Tangierne.

If you booked your trip through AAA, it probably came with some little card. That card scores you 10% at lots of places, including Fulton's Crab House, House Of Blues and Planet Hollywood. We also got a coupon from AAA that was good for $25 at PH.

We did take Mears. They were fast and on-time. Worked out well.

One other thing - You can probably get on the new Mission:Space ride at EPCOT around 4:30PM daily. I highly recommend getting on it if you can. The ride doesn't "officially" open until 8/15 but, they are doing test runs. It's a cool ride.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

If you booked your trip through AAA, it probably came with some little card. That card scores you 10% at lots of places, including Fulton's Crab House, House Of Blues and Planet Hollywood. We also got a coupon from AAA that was good for $25 at PH.

I have a AAA card, can I present this at some of the places and get a discount?

We did take Mears. They were fast and on-time. Worked out well.

I'm curious about mears, i called and they placed me on hold for ever!

1 - Did you make reservations with mears?
2 - Let's say I buy the tickets once I get there, how soon after that were you able to get on their shuttle van and head to the airport?
3 - on the trip back, how is the arrangement made? you call them and they pick u you 2 hours before your flight leaves?

Which hotel did you stay at? I ended up booking at the courtyard marriot cuz it's close to downtown disney.

I'll check out that ride you mentioned. Also, I bet the ATM mentions suck like $2 per transaction or something

 

[EXman]

in Orlando almost everywhere takes travelers checks even Mcdonalds. don't bring too much cash.

Oh and go to "Sleuths" it is a mystery dinner theater fun as crap ok food and a nice change from the kiddie stuff there.

 

[MattCo]

Check ATM distribution in Orlando via your bank's website. There is no need to take an excess of cash anywhere in America when there are ATMs everywhere.

-MC

 

[wyvrn]

Traveler's checks, plastic, and use ATM's.

 

[Jzero]

[I have a AAA card, can I present this at some of the places and get a discount?

Potentially, but I dunno for sure. They gave me some little cardboard card. In fact, I forgot I had it and when I got home and unpacked I looked at all the stuff it was good for and was like "Crap!" I ate at Planet Hollywood, Fulton's and bought stuff at House Of Blues....probably would have saved liek $15... oh well

It can't hurt to ask about AAA discounts, especially at restaurants, hotels, car rentals, Mears, etc.

We did take Mears. They were fast and on-time. Worked out well.

I'm curious about mears, i called and they placed me on hold for ever!

1 - Did you make reservations with mears?[/quote]
I don't think so. I had vouchers from AAA and when I arrived in Orlando I had to go to the Mears desk and trade in the vouchers for tickets. I'm guessing that' the same as buying tickets, and I didn't have reservations.

2 - Let's say I buy the tickets once I get there, how soon after that were you able to get on their shuttle van and head to the airport?

I think the wait is usually 20 min. or less. We waited about 15.

3 - on the trip back, how is the arrangement made? you call them and they pick u you 2 hours before your flight leaves?

You need to call them 24 hours in advance. You give them the flight time and they'll give you a pickup time about 2.5 hours ahead of your flight. The bus came right on time to pick us up (4:05 was the time for a 6:30 flight).

Which hotel did you stay at? I ended up booking at the courtyard marriot cuz it's close to downtown disney.

I was at the All Star Music. The other resorts were a little too rich for my blood. Being close to downtown is cool b/c chances are if you're going to go out and drink/party, you have a shorter ride home. OTOH, it's farther to get to the other parks. The All Stars are close to Epcot and Blizzard Beach and Animal Kingdom, but like 1/2 from Downtown.

I'll check out that ride you mentioned. Also, I bet the ATM mentions suck like $2 per transaction or something

Yeah the ATM fee was $2. WHich is half the $4 it is at the mall here, so I thought it wasn't too bad.

 

[dman]

In FL, you can use the supermarket 'Publix' ATM's to get cash. They don't charge a transaction fee. (Your bank my charge to use 'outside' atm's but not Publix). There are a quite few of them in the Kiss./Orlando area (not in the themepark though!). If you head out to eat (192 hwy) you'll find one, sooner or later. Probaly not worth a dedicated trip to save $1/2 atm fee, but, if you are out anyway---just a tip.

I really don't need much cash when I go away, everyplace I go takes credit cards, I usually keep $20-40 in my wallet just to be comfortable.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

$525 for 2 people for a 5 day stay is pretty frickin' good. Cash wise - at least $100

 

[alkemyst]

hmmm you really have to think about your spending habits. I am assuming you are thinking of how much cash to leave yourself as opposed to actually stuffing your wallet.

I'd figure for 2 adults at least $100 per day. A coke or water will be about $5, Concession service I think is about $7-8 for a burger, $25 each for a sit down meal at a low scale place and $50+ each for a sit down at the premium places. Add up what you think you will eat or drink and there you go. It's about 90degrees+ now so it will be hot, figure quite a few drinks.

There are ATM's and all that.

 

[GasX]

ATM...

Chances of Disney not putting a cash machine every 25 ft in one of their resorts: zero