The Happyfingers Family are on Holiday

[aussietravellers]

Im wondering if anyone can help me with a small issue im having at the moment

im sure there is a better way i just dont know what it is

at the moment
everytime i make a payment to WDW or for the ship or for anything actually
i get stung with international transfer fees
they aint cheap either
i paid 100 bucks to the bank just for WDW alone
by the time im finished paying for everything NAB will have picked my pockets for about $500 (thats before we even leave)

theres got to be a better way

anyone know it ?

As long as you continue to pay with your Aussie credit card you will get the fees.

I don't know of a better way, but I do wonder about the travel cards that are like a visa! I wonder if they can be used? Somebody may know if they can be used online like a visa or amex to pay as they are in the currency you are paying with so may not incur fees. Of course you may not be able to use those so other than that.

Maybe they accept sending an international money order or western union transfer. There has to be another way they accept payment for those who do not have a credit card. You will still be charged a fee to get an international money order but not as much as $500 I would not think.

 

[kylieh]

As long as you continue to pay with your Aussie credit card you will get the fees.

I don't know of a better way, but I do wonder about the travel cards that are like a visa! I wonder if they can be used? Somebody may know if they can be used online like a visa or amex to pay as they are in the currency you are paying with so may not incur fees. Of course you may not be able to use those so other than that.

Maybe they accept sending an international money order or western union transfer. There has to be another way they accept payment for those who do not have a credit card. You will still be charged a fee to get an international money order but not as much as $500 I would not think.

You could pay with the ANZ or AMEX travel cards, but normally there are fees at the time of conversion + the exchange rate has it built in there.

Same with the Wizard (I think) Mastercard. Wizard say no international transaction fees but the effective exchange rate is a lot lower.

Most cards will be around 2.5 - 3%, average 2.9%. There was an article by Choice a while back, I'll see if I can find it and post a link. I would budget on 3%. Not just for USA but for any international transactions.

 

[shushh]

We've got travel cards as well as the wizard mastercard.

The travel cards can be used as a credit card. We did it in Europe. So you essentially pay the 1% fee which I feel is better than the 3% of normal credit cards.

The wizard mastercard like Kylieh mentioned has no international transaction fee. I've been watching and comparing my purchases closely and the exchange rate you get are actually competitive, in fact better than some other credit cards.

 

[HappyFingers]

just having a look at the wizard one now

your right no international transfer fees



the rate is 98 at the moment as well

hmmmmm

may have to send nab a email to let them know im leaving

not overseas atm fees either ?
so if i always pay the credit card off before the 55 days
how do they make money ?

 

[HappyFingers]

whats everyone paying to fly to lax ?

of course it changes during different months

cheapest i can find at the moment is united airlines of around $1250 for june 2011

sep stuff not online yet

do you purchase tickets from lax to orlando once you get there or do it before you leave ?

 

[PrincessInOz]

If you're looking at United, have you checked MLB to MCO flights instead of LAX?

My United ticket for Oct 2010 MEL-SYD-SFO-MCO and return MCO-SFO (flying American Airline) and United for SFO-SYD-MEL costs $1350.

If you decide to do MEL-LAX (or SFO), I recommend you purchase your internal flight from here. I usually go in direct to the airline website; but other Aussies have used Expedia.

 

[HappyFingers]

whats this whole DVC buisness ?

from what i can gather its a pyramid club that i cant afford to join

but you can rent points ? off rich people who are too busy to use them ?

is it cheaper to rent points
ie: does it work out cheaper than just making a booking through the website ?

i went to the dvc website
it seems to be incredibly expensive
something like 18k to join then about $900 per year

obviously it really only suits Americans due to the whole distance thing

i thought oh yeh maybe ill join the dvc club
i nearly faited

 

[shushh]

whats everyone paying to fly to lax ?

of course it changes during different months

cheapest i can find at the moment is united airlines of around $1250 for june 2011

sep stuff not online yet

do you purchase tickets from lax to orlando once you get there or do it before you leave ?

We paid $1600 for our Dec trip. We're flying Delta SYD-LAX-MCO, then MCO-LGA, and LAX-SYD all on the 1 international ticket. I was too paranoid about flight connections as we're travelling with 6 little children, and I didn't want to get stuck trying to get 11 people on the plane!

As for the wizard and atm withdrawal, be careful that they don't charge a cash advance fee/interest as it is a credit card. You can get around it by "pre-loading" your wizard masatercard ie using it almost like a debit card. We've always used our travel cards to get cash.

 

[battymum]

We paid $1600 for our Dec trip. We're flying Delta SYD-LAX-MCO, then MCO-LGA, and LAX-SYD all on the 1 international ticket. I was too paranoid about flight connections as we're travelling with 6 little children, and I didn't want to get stuck trying to get 11 people on the plane!

As for the wizard and atm withdrawal, be careful that they don't charge a cash advance fee/interest as it is a credit card. You can get around it by "pre-loading" your wizard masatercard ie using it almost like a debit card. We've always used our travel cards to get cash.

Shushh
I notice you are flying MCO -LGA (LaGuardia, NewYork right?) then LAX SYD - do you have another flight New York to LA or have you left one out?

 

[shushh]

Shushh
I notice you are flying MCO -LGA (LaGuardia, NewYork right?) then LAX SYD - do you have another flight New York to LA or have you left one out?

battymum we're catching the train from New York to DC and then we bought a cheap internal flight from DC to Orlando ourselves as Delta doesn't do that route. We'll be leaving all our summer great at the WDW hotel so hopefully the domestic luggage allowance will be enough! From Orlando, we're heading towards Port Canaveral where we'll cruise back to LA. That's the reason for the gap!

 

[HappyFingers]

Ok im gonna give a ring tonight at about 12.30am (to have the free dining included)
i got nowhere with the email

so i will either stay up or hop on the computer when i wake up to go to the little boys room

had i of known i could do all this automatically just by booking with dream vacations or whomever they are for the same price

i would of

 

[aussietravellers]

Ok im gonna give a ring tonight at about 12.30am (to have the free dining included)
i got nowhere with the email

so i will either stay up or hop on the computer when i wake up to go to the little boys room

had i of known i could do all this automatically just by booking with dream vacations or whomever they are for the same price

i would of

You don't have to wait until 12.30am (unless you really want to of course ). Their phone lines open at 7.30am Orlando time. So if you are in QLD, then that's 9.30pm or if you are in NSW, VIC then 10.30pm the office will open.

WDW is very slow to respond to emails, it can take them 7 to 10 days to respond so if you haven't emailed them long ago, you could still hear back, but it would be easier to just call.

 

[kylieh]

You don't have to wait until 12.30am (unless you really want to of course ). Their phone lines open at 7.30am Orlando time. So if you are in QLD, then that's 9.30pm or if you are in NSW, VIC then 10.30pm the office will open.

Or set your alarm for nice and early if you want. 6am Sydney time is 3pm Orlando. Call centres are normally busiest between 10am and 11.30am and 1.30pm and 3.30pm at the local time (I'm in the call centre business )

Don't forget to have your info like your reservation number and date handy. If you take the early morning option you might want to get all your notes together before bed so it's easier when you're half asleep. Take that one from experience.

For times check out http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=867

 

[HappyFingers]

ok thanks

i didnt know that

will do
they responded to my email saying that i had to ring

 

[shushh]

Don't forget you can call the US for free with google mail (only until the end of the year!) I think it was Kalice who posted it, the post had all the details on how to do it.

 

[HappyFingers]

i phoned up last night and got a recorded message saying that due to an upgrade of their systems

they can not at this time, change any reservations, alter any reservations or even book any reservations
or something like that at least

so have to wait until the upgrades are finished

 

[shushh]

Upgrade is finished! I just called them.

 

[HappyFingers]

done

upgraded to deluxe dining plan as well for an extra $600

thanks for everyones help

 

[Travel Mum]

done

upgraded to deluxe dining plan as well for an extra $600

thanks for everyones help

Yay for you !!!

 

[aussietravellers]

done

upgraded to deluxe dining plan as well for an extra $600

thanks for everyones help

That's great! Now you just need to start collecting all the places you want to eat so when 180 days comes up, you can go online and make all of your dining reservations.

With deluxe dining, you really should have one to two TS restaurants booked a day otherwise you will be wasteing lots of dining credits You can eat at many of the signatures too, Yachtsmans is close to your resort it's over at the Yacht Club resort) and it is fantastic! One of the best meals we had at WDW.