Travelers checks?

[doombuggy]

We are taking a 2 week trip to China and Japan, and will be visiting both Shanghai and Tokyo Disneyland. Anyone who has been to tdr, do they accept Amex travelers checks in yen?

 

[rkold]

Don't do Traveler's Checks in Japan. They're really really hard to cash. I couldn't cash mine anywhere in 2016. I just use my ATM card to get out yen once I get to Japan or use my credit card.

 

[Kyjin]

Travelers checks are very difficult to cash here. I've cashed them at the airport, but that was back in 2010. Much easier to just use your ATM card to take out yen once you get to Tokyo. (You can use any 7-11 or JP Post ATM very easily.) Foreign credit cards will also work in the park, but not at small kiosks.

 

[doombuggy]

Thanks. We are going to China first, so I will be carrying cash in 3 different currencies, so I was thinking of the travelers checks to use once I got to TDR to make change. I have a capital one card that does charge an exchange fee. I will check with Wells Fargo to see about using the atm in a foreign country. I will probably order the money I tAke from them anyway.

 

[rkold]

Thanks. We are going to China first, so I will be carrying cash in 3 different currencies, so I was thinking of the travelers checks to use once I got to TDR to make change. I have a capital one card that does charge an exchange fee. I will check with Wells Fargo to see about using the atm in a foreign country. I will probably order the money I tAke from them anyway.

The exchange rate from US banks tends to be much worse than the exchange rate in Japan, even at one of the Japanese airports. The only way you will get a better rate from a US bank beforehand is if the exchange rate drops a lot between your trip and receiving the money.

I would call Capitol One, they're usually one of the only cards that doesn't charge a fee. In general the exchange fee is less than the fee US banks charge for exchanging money here unless there is a huge drop in the currency between when you receive the money and your trip. You can also do a search to find credit card review sites to see which cards don't charge a fee.