Thanks for bringing another great question to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Alexandra!
Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I used cash during our
Walt Disney World Resort vacation. There may be a limited number of small vendor carts that only accept cash, but I’m hard-pressed to think of one I’ve recently encountered. That said, I do always make sure to carry some cash and my debit or credit card just in case I can’t make a purchase with my
MagicBand or Apple Pay via my Apple Watch or iPhone. (The only place I’ve encountered an issue with Apple Pay has been at the Joffrey’s kiosks, but they do have MagicBand readers.) Technology does get glitchy sometimes, though, so I like to make sure I’m prepared with a backup form of payment for my purchases. Keep up with your
Disney Dining Plan credits via the
My Disney Experience mobile app and you shouldn’t have any issues there.
Please be aware that a relatively new credit card authorization has been put into place at official
Walt Disney World Resort hotels. According to the
Frequently Asked Questions on the Walt Disney World Resort website, “on the day of arrival, Resort hotels will place an authorization hold on your card for any balance due on the reservation—plus $100 for estimated incidental expenses. If your spending exceeds the original $100 hold, additional incremental holds will automatically be obtained. The authorization holds on the card will not exceed the current balance due plus $100.” If you’re using a debit card in lieu of a credit card to secure your Walt Disney World Resort hotel reservation, the holds may take several days to be removed from your bank account. You can always visit your hotel’s concierge desk each day to “settle up” for any of the purchases you made that day by paying them in full through another credit card or by using a
Disney Gift Card. You can also read the full
Payment Card Policy online for more information.
I hope these tips will help you have a stress-free visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth, Alexandra. Let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you.
Amy