Anyone else dying inside from the exchange rate?!

[LemonNeko]

We just got back and the exchange did effect what we did. We only did a short Disney stay and then a cruise. Only one table service meal at Disney and it was a character breakfast. We definitely didn't buy as much either.

 

[alc571]

We ended up cancelling our cruise for May 2016 because we couldn't justify the price - not when we could do a whole week with free dining for the same amount. We had originally planned on a 3 night cruise, followed by 3 nights at WDW. Adding the two together, plus the exchange rate, was nuts. So we cut out the cruise, and are now doing a week at CSR for the same amount as the cruise. Yes it costs more than it should, but we just downgrade, as opposed to not go at all. We also downgraded our September 2016 trip from POR to ASSp. The dollar won't keep us from going... but it will change where we stay and how long. The big thing that's killing it is the dollar + the increase in AP cost... yuck!

 

[ssmurphy28]

We are hoping to go back sometime early next year (February or April). At the current exchange rate, we could justify it and probably stay in a Value (maybe a Moderate). We would probably cut back our costs by eating less food in the parks. We typically order from Garden Grocer, so our order would just be bigger. Last trip we did a sit down meal 7 of the 9 days we were there, but just cutting those out and doing counter service/GG would save us a couple hundred bucks.

If it doesn't work now we will just keep saving and be in good shape for another time!

 

[Disneyhearts]

We leave next weekend for 2 weeks. I about fainted at the exchange counter today. $791 CAN got me $600 US. We had to cancel our fantasmic dinner pkg and as we are driving down we are going to have to really pray for cheap gas prices. Thank goodness we are on the DDP so we only have to worry about food costs for our drive down and the 3 days we are at universal studios. I've never had to worry about spending at Disney before but when you lose almost a third of your dollar in the exchangr it really does sting.

 

[Canadian Girl]

We bought into DVC just before the dollar started to tank. Because of the previous years points being added in, I am doing a couple of extra trips but the dollar value is making it tough to justify things like the Christmas party at MK. My 13 and 11 year olds are Disney adults so nearly $100.00 Canadian each to see the parade and drink hot chocolate. I was surprised last time we did this, at how huge the crowds were as I had thought the number of tickets sold was limited. They may have been but the parades etc were just as packed as a regular night. I am really torn. It seems strange to spend all the money we will be shelling out, based on the current exchange and not go, but three hundred dollars CAD for several hours seems like a lot of money.

 

[ronandannette]

Yes and it sucks. The bills are rolling in from our trip last week.....seeing the exchange......shiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttt.

We booked another cruise while onboard but I have serious doubts that we will keep it. The deposit was $527. With exchange I saw on our credit card that it was $707CDN. And that was just the deposit!!

This blows

It's not DCL, I know, but if you change your plans and book RCCL, they have one of the best deals going. You can buy OBC at an exchange rate of 10% (yes, 10%) which can be used for on-board expenses or withdrawn as cash from the Casino cage for spending ashore. Every little bit helps and I felt like I'd won the lottery doing this on our Alaska cruise this summer.

 

[bcwife76]

It's not DCL, I know, but if you change your plans and book RCCL, they have one of the best deals going. You can buy OBC at an exchange rate of 10% (yes, 10%) which can be used for on-board expenses or withdrawn as cash from the Casino cage for spending ashore. Every little bit helps and I felt like I'd won the lottery doing this on our Alaska cruise this summer.

Interesting, thanks for the tip! I will certainly look into this.

 

[ronandannette]

Interesting, thanks for the tip! I will certainly look into this.

LOL - I learned this helpful lesson the hard way after having to cancel our much-anticipated trip to Europe this summer (due to the exchange rate) and ending up on a "consolation" cruise to Alaska instead. If you end up having to cancel DCL, I did a review of our RCCL trip on the Royal Caribbean board.

 

[bcwife76]

Ok great, I'll hunt down your TR. I'm hoping not to have to cancel with DCL, but time will tell. I know that we will need to make a decision sooner rather than later, since I wouldn't want to miss out on a deal with RCCL if we did cancel DCL!

 

[bcwife76]

LOL - I learned this helpful lesson the hard way after having to cancel our much-anticipated trip to Europe this summer (due to the exchange rate) and ending up on a "consolation" cruise to Alaska instead. If you end up having to cancel DCL, I did a review of our RCCL trip on the Royal Caribbean board.

So I read your TR (including the TR with a TR by ************* lol) - definitely 2 different experiences you both had. Yours was not quite as glowing, but I definitely appreciated both sides.

However, I priced out the same cruise for August this year and factoring in one way airfare it is within about $300 of the DCL cruise. Although I do realize that with the one way Seward-Vancouver cruise you are getting to see more of Alaska than with DCL.

 

[ronandannette]

So I read your TR (including the TR with a TR by ************* lol) - definitely 2 different experiences you both had. Yours was not quite as glowing, but I definitely appreciated both sides.

However, I priced out the same cruise for August this year and factoring in one way airfare it is within about $300 of the DCL cruise. Although I do realize that with the one way Seward-Vancouver cruise you are getting to see more of Alaska than with DCL.

Having been there, I wouldn't say a Vancouver (or Seattle) return would be any "less good" (if that makes any sense ). You'll hit Juneau, Ketchikan & Skagway - those were all the major ports, and whatever you see in Tracy Arm, I'm sure you'll enjoy. I know lots of people say you have to do a one-way to get the most of it, but then again those are the same people that want to take a week-long land tour through inland Alaska too. Not for me, thanks. TBH, Alaska was pretty much like Banff with whales - although I know it's the trip of a lifetime for some. For us the appeal was just that it was affordable and relatively easy to get to in the time frame we had. (We did get a very good deal on 1-way air from Calgary to Anchorage and flew home from Victoria on points after spending the weekend on the island.)

 

[SaraJR]

hopefully it goes up this week with the changes that are happening

 

[Misha72683]

It's definitely a factor. The exchange rate is why we chose not to upgrade to DXDP and why we will limit our number of OoP meals. We'll try to be cautious with souveneirs as well. We'll be taking cash out on Thursday, so we'll see what the rate is.

 

[scrappinginontario]

No longer can I consider a Disney trip (or anything to do with shopping or vacationing in the US) without first figuring out the exchange. So sad! I loved the days when it wasn't necessary to think this way.

 

[TommyJK]

No longer can I consider a Disney trip (or anything to do with shopping or vacationing in the US) without first figuring out the exchange. So sad! I loved the days when it wasn't necessary to think this way.

For my next trip I setup my budget in a spreadsheet where I have a formula against all USD expense items calculated against a cell where I plug in the exchange rate. Then I just change the one cell anytime the exchange rate moves and it auto-recalcs........ I'm OCD that way

 

[dis_guy]

For my next trip I setup my budget in a spreadsheet where I have a formula against all USD expense items calculated against a cell where I plug in the exchange rate. Then I just change the one cell anytime the exchange rate moves and it auto-recalcs........ I'm OCD that way

That's a really good idea. I'm going to use it. Thanks!

 

[Donald - my hero]

For my next trip I setup my budget in a spreadsheet where I have a formula against all USD expense items calculated against a cell where I plug in the exchange rate. Then I just change the one cell anytime the exchange rate moves and it auto-recalcs........ I'm OCD that way

ok, i can do you one better than this ... my hubby has a link in his table that automatically updates the exchange for him!!!

 

[LemonNeko]

ok, i can do you one better than this ... my hubby has a link in his table that automatically updates the exchange for him!!!

I need to to this.

 

[TommyJK]

ok, i can do you one better than this ... my hubby has a link in his table that automatically updates the exchange for him!!!

Nice!

 

[TommyJK]

Bleh. We've lost 2 cents on the dollar in the the last week alone.

Small rebound of a few cents over the last month is essentially gone