Alternative if the dollar isn't better by fall???

[sherilaine]

I remember visiting the U.S. years ago and basically mentally calculating everything I bought or paid for as being 50% more in Canadian dollars, the reality was it was more like 55% but who wants to do that much mental math? In fact when the dollar recovered as it did earlier this decade, it was more of a shock to me than this current situation - we have such short term memories but this is not something that should be considered shocking or new - sadly.

 

[mshanson3121]

I remember visiting the U.S. years ago and basically mentally calculating everything I bought or paid for as being 50% more in Canadian dollars, the reality was it was more like 55% but who wants to do that much mental math? In fact when the dollar recovered as it did earlier this decade, it was more of a shock to me than this current situation - we have such short term memories but this is not something that should be considered shocking or new - sadly.

I agree. We got spoiled VERY quickly. The way I look at it is - if your vacation budget is $5000 Canadian, then make your Disney vacation fit into that. So at the current exchange rate that would mean spending about $3400 US. So maybe that means staying in a value resort instead of moderate, or even staying in an off site hotel. Maybe it means renting a house and cooking your own meals. Maybe it means 5 nights instead of 8, or driving instead of flying. It's pointless to look at the exchange rate and lament about how much lower it is etc... Figure out your budget in Canadian dollars and then work with that.

 

[seashell724]

I had wanted to fly out of the US b/c it was a direct flight and would have been almost half the cost. Now it looks like that won't be happening. Might as well just fly from home and pay the crazy amount in Canadian at least.
I know that having the dollar on par is rare but having it THIS low is super shocking.
I need to find a way to pay for my car rental and a condo in Canadian too but don't know how that will happen.

 

[seashell724]

I agree. We got spoiled VERY quickly. The way I look at it is - if your vacation budget is $5000 Canadian, then make your Disney vacation fit into that. So at the current exchange rate that would mean spending about $3400 US. So maybe that means staying in a value resort instead of moderate, or even staying in an off site hotel. Maybe it means renting a house and cooking your own meals. Maybe it means 5 nights instead of 8, or driving instead of flying. It's pointless to look at the exchange rate and lament about how much lower it is etc... Figure out your budget in Canadian dollars and then work with that.

Yup, This is pretty much what I am doing. It is kinda hard to do when I have been slowly exchanging money or buying gift certificates over a period of time but oh well!

 

[quandrea]

I had wanted to fly out of the US b/c it was a direct flight and would have been almost half the cost. Now it looks like that won't be happening. Might as well just fly from home and pay the crazy amount in Canadian at least.
I know that having the dollar on par is rare but having it THIS low is super shocking.
I need to find a way to pay for my car rental and a condo in Canadian too but don't know how that will happen.

We got rid of the car rental for our trip next week. $728 Canadian pocketed. We are there for two weeks.

 

[thetallone101]

Last trip we only had a car rental for a few days - to go outlet shopping and drive to Miami to catch a cruise ship...but with staying onsite we didn't need a rental car to get around...$$$ saved

 

[pigletto]

I agree. We got spoiled VERY quickly. The way I look at it is - if your vacation budget is $5000 Canadian, then make your Disney vacation fit into that. So at the current exchange rate that would mean spending about $3400 US. So maybe that means staying in a value resort instead of moderate, or even staying in an off site hotel. Maybe it means renting a house and cooking your own meals. Maybe it means 5 nights instead of 8, or driving instead of flying. It's pointless to look at the exchange rate and lament about how much lower it is etc... Figure out your budget in Canadian dollars and then work with that.

I think the issue for my family specifically is that our vacation budget was already stretched with Disney price increases over the years. Our income has not increased at the same rate. Then my daughter went away to school which shifted our priorities. So we had already moved offsite and started cost saving measures. I simply can't make it worth it at a 60 cent dollar. I can take my $5000 and go many other spectacular places. That isn't a bad thing, and I needed to be pushed out of my Disney comfort zone. After 12 trips I was coming back from every one saying that the next trip would be somewhere else. It's just time. And when our CAD recovers to a reasonable rate that I can stomach, we will go back to Avatarland, and Star Wars land and new attractions. It's not a bad thing for us. It's just hard to change it up.

 

[MrsMa]

We are from the west coast, and after this coming Spring break trip to WDW, which is our first, I think we will stay in west coast for a while. I just put in a deposit yesterday for a Princess LA round trip cruise for next Mar 2017 Spring Break. Princess is using a 1.35 exchange rate, and for 2 adults and 2 kids, we are looking at a 7-night cruise for around $2350 USD or $3126 CDN.

Still not sure if we are going through with yet, but with the CDN dollar doing such a dive, it seems like a bargain. We might tack on a few days at legoland San Diego.

 

[Raimiette]

I agree. We got spoiled VERY quickly. The way I look at it is - if your vacation budget is $5000 Canadian, then make your Disney vacation fit into that. So at the current exchange rate that would mean spending about $3400 US. So maybe that means staying in a value resort instead of moderate, or even staying in an off site hotel. Maybe it means renting a house and cooking your own meals. Maybe it means 5 nights instead of 8, or driving instead of flying. It's pointless to look at the exchange rate and lament about how much lower it is etc... Figure out your budget in Canadian dollars and then work with that.

Yeah, that's the way to do it. You do run into problems with lower budgets though. My budget is $3000CAD for 2 adults at a week long Universal vacation (including airfare/food etc.) in September. Currently I'm on track to do it but it's going to be super close (within single dollars lol) and it means no souvenirs/Sea World/Blue Man Group all of which I would like to do and would have money for if the USD wasn't so high.

- first world problems, I know

 

[mshanson3121]

Yehat's the way to do it. You do run into problems with lower budgets though. My budget is $3000CAD for 2 adults at a week long Universal vacation (including airfare/food etc.) in September. Currently I'm on track to do it but it's going to be super close (within single dollars lol) and it means no souvenirs/Sea World/Blue Man Group all of which I would like to do and would have money for if the USD wasn't so high.

- first world problems, I know

Do u have your tickets already? I was on Undercover Tourist the other day and they had a good deal on US tickets

 

[sherilaine]

first world problems, I know

I think about this - I think about the very fact this forum exists is for us to talk and discuss about fun and vacations and all kinds of wants that we are able to indulge - it is so great that so many of us are able to afford any kind of Disney vacation - and sometimes we get our heads buried so deep into the details that we forget how many people on this planet don't even know what Disney is, never mind have been there. Not trying to bring down the board or anything, I just think it's great that we are all so lucky and sometimes adding some perspective to how lucky we are can at least alleviate some of the issues we find troubling.

 

[greenclan67]

I think the issue for my family specifically is that our vacation budget was already stretched with Disney price increases over the years. Our income has not increased at the same rate. Then my daughter went away to school which shifted our priorities. So we had already moved offsite and started cost saving measures. I simply can't make it worth it at a 60 cent dollar. I can take my $5000 and go many other spectacular places. That isn't a bad thing, and I needed to be pushed out of my Disney comfort zone. After 12 trips I was coming back from every one saying that the next trip would be somewhere else. It's just time. And when our CAD recovers to a reasonable rate that I can stomach, we will go back to Avatarland, and Star Wars land and new attractions. It's not a bad thing for us. It's just hard to change it up.

I totally agree with you on all points. If I didn't know better I would have thought I wrote it mysel . It def is a comfort knowing where to get the deals, flights, where your going. And I would say the same thing every trip. As much as I love Florida it is totally coming down to what I can afford to take a sunny vacation. If I was just going and paying for me it would be different but paying for 4 is different.

 

[mort1331]

Check out VRBO as well, and consider Cape Breton as well. That place is soooo beautiful

thanks havent heard of vrbo. Family is from NS so if I tell them I am going to the Cape they will disown me. Thats is almost like Nephewland. It is very nice, really like the fall there on the Cabot. Plus it has a great single malt distillery there.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Do u have your tickets already? I was on Undercover Tourist the other day and they had a good deal on US tickets

I noticed 2 + 2 days free on the one park per day tickets. Which is fine for us. BTDT with Hogwarts Express - don't need to pay the premium to be able to do that again! Considering grabbing some now for our next trip.

For us, we do travel within Canada in the summer, however when it's -30 here, the only place I want to plan a trip to is somewhere down south. Been doing the math to see how we can make the next trip happen with the budget we have, which includes possibly driving.

 

[mshanson3121]

thanks havent heard of vrbo. Family is from NS so if I tell them I am going to the Cape they will disown me. Thats is almost like Nephewland. It is very nice, really like the fall there on the Cabot. Plus it has a great single malt distillery there.

Haha... okay yeah, I get that. PEI is really nice, we've gone there a few times, I find it's a very relaxed pace. There's some nice places in New Brunswick, too. We LOVE St. Andrews, some nice things to do - beaches, whale watching, sailing, shopping, a nice aquarium, Minister's Island, visiting the blockhouse. If you go around the Fundy Trail there's Fundy National Park (BEAUTIFUL), Cape Enrage is a great place - a really nice pebble beach, lighthouses, rappelling, kayaking, Hopewell Rocks, horseback riding in Hopewell area etc... New River Beach is a really nice swimming beach and there's quite a renowned sand castle contest each summer which is really something to see. If you're into history at all, there's Kings Landing up near Fredericton, which you can easily spend a day at. We love it there - get a season pass every year in fact.

 

[Raimiette]

Do u have your tickets already? I was on Undercover Tourist the other day and they had a good deal on US tickets

Yep, actually tickets are the only thing I have currently purchased. I did buy them from UT, I bought the 3-Park Unlimited passes. It was a reasonable deal but I learned I could have saved about $30CAD more if I had bought them from Air Canada Vacations.

 

[quandrea]

To buy your passes from Air Canada vacations, is the only requirement that you be booked on a flight with them?

 

[Raimiette]

To buy your passes from Air Canada vacations, is the only requirement that you be booked on a flight with them?

I have purchased passes from ACV before (not specifically for Universal) and I didn't have to buy anything else. I don't think there are any additional purchase requirements.

Having said that, I'm not seeing the Universal passes on ACV anymore. I think they must be sold out for now. I would keep checking back though.

 

[JRennie]

I'm just buying American money in small increments. It hurts less that way

 

[xlxo]

I'm just buying American money in small increments. It hurts less that way

Perhaps... then you are paying foreign exchange fees.