96 - Banking at Walt Disney World

About this episode

This episode discusses the evolution of banking at Walt Disney World, focusing on historical payment methods and the relationship with Sun Bank.

This month Brian leads a discussion about banking at Walt Disney World and everything guests had to do to pay for their transactions at the parks and resorts before debit card terminals and Magic Bands became ubiquitous. Cash was king, but Traveler’s Checks and personal checks were also common before Walt Disney World began allowing credit cards. We’ll reveal how they worked, their benefits, and their frustrations. We also dive into the history of Disney’s relationship with its original banking partner, Sun Bank. Find about their full-service branches located in each of the parks and near Disney Springs, including the beautiful late-1880s-styled bank on Main Street which is now the Chamber of Commerce, and why we think the bank vault is still there. If you’re a cast member who can confirm or deny our hunch, send us an email!Todd also takes us into the many advancements in banking technologies that make paying for things in the park easier and more worry-free today.

People in this episode

Hosts: Brian, Todd

Topics covered

• banking
• Walt Disney World history
• payment methods
• cash transactions
• Disney Springs
• Sun Bank

Keywords

• banking
• Walt Disney World
• cash
• Traveler’s Checks
• credit cards
• Sun Bank
• payment technology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Walt Disney World, Sun Bank

Places: Disney Springs, Main Street

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