Hi Kitty,

I ended up getting $1500 in travellers cheques and will take cash also. Will use the Wizard Card as soon as I get there and will check online and see how it goes. If it is the real deal will just keep topping it up with $1000 as I need it. That way if there is a problem with fraud then there will not be much in it. With online banking it makes it easier to access cash/move it around.
My sister has a cash passport card in $us and put money on this but somehow it doesn't add up . I don't know what rate they were giving her but but even though it is cheaper than an ATM card it still charges a lot for fees.
So if this Wizard Card is the real deal it is the answer to every travellers problem of how to take money....time will tell.

As for the Sunset Resort, it is a bit out of the way but they have a free shuttle into Patong from 9-9pm. So at worst, you should only have to pay to get back from town if you stay out late at night.

I had a look at Ixplore and we got rooms for around $50 a night. For 2 rooms for 3 adults, 2 kids it cost $734 for 8 nights. I would have liked to stay at the Thara Patong, as its pool is a great setup for kids but I had to cut back a bit on accommodation..... Another budget alternative is the Swiss Palm, apartments with cooking facilities, lounge room for about 2000bt per night (10% discount for kids) which would of fitted us all in. But my sister wanted a nicer pool.
The upside of staying at this end of town is that there are heaps of restaurants and it is cheaper because it is not in the middle if the tourist district.

Yes counting down, doing last minute things.....haven't started panicing yet!!!