Exchange rate at all time low

[disneyholic family]

Hi everyone! I’m American and have never traveled outside of the US (I know, I know!) and I’m trying to buy a 14 day Disney ticket at Attraction Tickets. I’d be using a US credit card. So do I buy these tickets in GBP or Euros? It says the Euro is 1:1 with USD but GBP says 1 pound sterling is $1.15 USD - I just don’t understand (foreign transaction fees aside) what this would mean for me when using my credit card - will it convert the transaction into USD?

I promise someday I’ll travel the world and this will sound like as stupid of a question to me as it does to all of you hahah. But for now, we just do Disney World. Always Disney World. LOL!!

the credit card company will translate the charge into dollars and will most likely also charge you a foreign currency fee.
buy the ticket in pounds - the price is cheaper than in euros when translating to US dollars.

 

[disneyholic family]

I've been re-evaluating some aspects of my trip in 4 weeks time.
After reading a DFB article I cancelled a couple of high end dining bookings because, like them, I really can't see that $80-90 plus tax and tips (so about £100) for a 3 course meal - and drinks would be on top of that - makes sense. I could afford it, but the experience just doesn't rate the cost for me.
A couple more evenings in the F& Festival instead.

absolutely.
when we were there in july, we ate at disney table service restaurants far fewer times than we did in the past.
The experience just didn't justify the sky high prices.

 

[DCLMP]

the credit card company will translate the charge into dollars and will most likely also charge you a foreign currency fee.
buy the ticket in pounds - the price is cheaper than in euros when translating to US dollars.

There’s lots of travel credit cards out there without international transaction fees.

 

[disneyholic family]

There’s lots of travel credit cards out there without international transaction fees.

there definitely are. But there are also a great many that charge. She needs to be aware of that additional cost.

 

[MichelinMan]

absolutely.
when we were there in july, we ate at disney table service restaurants far fewer times than we did in the past.
The experience just didn't justify the sky high prices.

We ate off-site a fair bit. Went to Olive Garden for the first time, and had a fantastic meal - so much food, and terrific service.

 

[disneyholic family]

We ate off-site a fair bit. Went to Olive Garden for the first time, and had a fantastic meal - so much food, and terrific service.

we also ate offsite more than we ever have before.
And we're also DVC, so we had a room with a full kitchen and ate full meals in the room far more than we have in the past.

We like eating on property, but the prices just were so high, we couldn't justify more than a few over the month that we were there.

Over the course of a month on property (including 14 days in the parks) we ate at the following:
- Tusker House for lunch (character meal)
- 50s Prime Time for lunch
- Cinderella's Royal Table for lunch

You know, i think that's it. Just 3 places? I think so. Just 3 places.
Crazy, i hadn't realized it was only 3.

Our last time at WDW was in 2017 when we had a table service meal every single day.

As for off-property sit down meals, I think it was over 10 times. And again, these were sit down meals, not fast food.
The cost was a fraction of the meals at WDW.

 

[DCLMP]

there definitely are. But there are also a great many that charge. She needs to be aware of that additional cost.

Disney Chase is one that charges transaction fees. That's probably one most people on this forum use.

 

[jf256]

we also ate offsite more than we ever have before.
And we're also DVC, so we had a room with a full kitchen and ate full meals in the room far more than we have in the past.

We like eating on property, but the prices just were so high, we couldn't justify more than a few over the month that we were there.

Over the course of a month on property (including 14 days in the parks) we ate at the following:
- Tusker House for lunch (character meal)
- 50s Prime Time for lunch
- Cinderella's Royal Table for lunch

You know, i think that's it. Just 3 places? I think so. Just 3 places.
Crazy, i hadn't realized it was only 3.

Our last time at WDW was in 2017 when we had a table service meal every single day.

As for off-property sit down meals, I think it was over 10 times. And again, these were sit down meals, not fast food.
The cost was a fraction of the meals at WDW.

Im really struggling to find recommendations for good offsite restaurants that are a sensible distance with uber. I dont drive and honestly i think my OH would get way to stressed about it.

So any recommendations will be great. I love wings like an insane amount... not going to lie its borderline obsessive. Also chains we dont get over here will be great to know.

 

[disneyholic family]

Im really struggling to find recommendations for good offsite restaurants that are a sensible distance with uber. I dont drive and honestly i think my OH would get way to stressed about it.

So any recommendations will be great. I love wings like an insane amount... not going to lie its borderline obsessive. Also chains we dont get over here will be great to know.

we had a car and drove quite far away.
But perhaps you could order takeaway? would that be cheaper?
I haven't done that, but i hear people do.
Using doordash and things like that..
also, how about the counter service places at disney springs? are the prices there any good?
people rave about the polite pig, but i've never eaten there and don't know what the prices are..

our go to offsite restaurant didn't survive the lockdown so i can't recommend them..
olive garden is good if you like pasta
i think there's one right outside hotel plaza...
but really i think i might try counter service at disney springs...
you can look up the menus online to see how the prices are

 

[Kbrb]

We just got back..........

We ate breakfast in the room using stuff from amazon fresh, lunch was more of the same maybe a snack here and there. Dinner was QS.

We used all 550 dining credit and 250 voucher on food. I estimate just on the simple food we ate the bill was well over 1k for a family of 3 for 2 weeks

We did do a few days at the rosen inn to make a day at universal easier, i nearly died when i saw they wanted $20 for a buffet breakfast....£60 per day for my family! Spoke to a few other brits while out there and they where all doing the same eating in room to try and save.

No chance of us going back till the exchange rate changes or free dine is back.

 

[Plague]

No chance of us going back till the exchange rate changes or free dine is back.

On top of that from what I'm seeing Disney is certainly testing their idea of pricing up till the pips squeak. Many food increases (though with inflation and supply chain issues there might be a little justification - if they weren't already high) and now Genie+ is on surge pricing.
I'm glad I bought G+ in advance and won't have to buy each day (or not) at maybe $20 a shot (potentially $280).

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

There’s lots of travel credit cards out there without international transaction fees.

Learned hard way a few years ago, even "No foreign transaction fees" US issued Credit Cards use either Mastercard or Visa exchange rates which usually tack on a few pennies to posted currency exchange rate.
Some info here to compare: https://www.mastercard.com/global/en/personal/get-support/convert-currency.html

And help please? US visitor to UK soon. Purchase Attraction Tix 14-day before I go to UK or purchase from USA address? And am I asked for UK ID at any point when entering WDW parks? Thank you.

 

[Plague]

And help please? US visitor to UK soon. Purchase Attraction Tix 14-day before I go to UK or purchase from USA address? And am I asked for UK ID at any point when entering WDW parks? Thank you.

Sorry, but I'm confused by this. There isn't a WDW in the UK, so what is it you are actually trying/hoping to do?

 

[DCLMP]

Sorry, but I'm confused by this. There isn't a WDW in the UK, so what is it you are actually trying/hoping to do?

I posted re-read and that got confused too. At first I thought they were trying to purchase a london pass and then they threw in WDW.

 

[Ruttangel]

And help please? US visitor to UK soon. Purchase Attraction Tix 14-day before I go to UK or purchase from USA address? And am I asked for UK ID at any point when entering WDW parks? Thank you.

I assume you are buying our 14 day tickets for future use at WDW. I don’t know what hoops you need to use to buy, maybe a VPN and fake UK address? Im not sure on that

However, once you have them just add them to My Disney experience and link to magic band in the same app. Nothing was asked for at the parks.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

I assume you are buying our 14 day tickets for future use at WDW. I don’t know what hoops you need to use to buy, maybe a VPN and fake UK address? Im not sure on that

However, once you have them just add them to My Disney experience and link to magic band in the same app. Nothing was asked for at the parks.

Thank you! Yes... US citizen planning late 2023 trip to WDW. Staying long term with friends in UK thru early 2023... so I considered whether I'd be able to purchase that 14-day tix as an option while in UK but use after I return to USA.

 

[Plague]

Thank you! Yes... US citizen planning late 2023 trip to WDW. Staying long term with friends in UK thru early 2023... so I considered whether I'd be able to purchase that 14-day tix as an option while in UK but use after I return to USA.

Once you have the ticket, no problem.
Possible hitches to buy them - worst case scenario:
AT system baulks at your USA address, even though you are connected from UK.
If you then use friends UK address your card company might baulk at the mismatch.
Ultimately you might have to get your friends to buy it and repay them.
Basically try it and see.

 

[Plague]

Exchange rate better again now (but not actually good of course) following scrapping of most tax cuts by new top person.
I wonder what will happen when the (planned) Halloween announcement on savings/cuts is made ... ?
It matters to me as I'm in Orlando 26 Oct - 10 Nov, so everything I charge to my room will go on my credit card after that statement.

 

[itf]

Exchange rate better again now (but not actually good of course) following scrapping of most tax cuts by new top person.
I wonder what will happen when the (planned) Halloween announcement on savings/cuts is made ... ?
It matters to me as I'm in Orlando 26 Oct - 10 Nov, so everything I charge to my room will go on my credit card after that statement.

It’s charged at the prevailing rate at the time you made the purchase not when the statement is issued, or that’s how it’s always been on cards I’ve used.

 

[Plague]

It’s charged at the prevailing rate at the time you made the purchase not when the statement is issued, or that’s how it’s always been on cards I’ve used.

Unless it's changed since 2018, Disney accumulates all charges on the Magic Band, etc, and you settle the balance with your card at the end of the stay. So that's when it would get charged. (I'd expect Universal to be the same.)
I imagine one could make interim payments, but that would be a nuisance.

But if it's different now and Disney 'cashes up' every day, then it'll be similar to using a card directly.