Canadian dollar exchange rate blues

[ExcitedForWDW]

Our trip is next month and this exchange rate is frustrating. Generally, it gets better during the Christmas season but it has only got worse with no end in sight. We planned our converting our money the weekend before we leave but now I have no idea what to do.

It’s kinda like the stock market and impossible to time. Cross your fingers and hope is better then otherwise nothing you can do.

 

[bankr63]

Yes, it is very quickly approaching the lowest point it has hit in the last 10 years (back around December 2015). I am hoping for a bit of rebound before I have to pay my maintenance fees, but I should probably bite the bullet and just pay them before it gets any worse!

 

[bababear_50]

I pre-paid this years dues (2025) a few months ago thanks to Scene points/Disney Gift Cards. I guess it's time to start saving for 2026.
I picked up $200.00 USD at the bank this afternoon and it cost me
$292.44 CAD

 

[ExcitedForWDW]

I pre-paid this years dues (2025) a few months ago thanks to Scene points/Disney Gift Cards. I guess it's time to start saving for 2026.
I picked up $200.00 USD at the bank this afternoon and it cost me
$292.44 CAD

Ouch. I feel your pain. Just bought 4 park tickets for 2100 usd and it was well over 3k cad.

 

[Frank4202]

What just happen?

 

[deedubb]

What just happen?

I think it's fake news.

 

[aballerina]

What just happen?

View attachment 922620

Yeah, I saw this and got all excited. But it appears to be a mistake as a bunch of other websites I checked all say our dollar is worth a lousy 69 cents

 

[scrappinginontario]

We always hop across the border when visiting family in Windsor each Christmas but thinking we’re going to skip this year. Between our tanking dollar and the fact that we’d need to pay for the bridge each direction (we only pay 1 direction in Buffalo) it’s just not worth it. It’s normally a fun day of after Christmas sales and shopping with my daughter but sadly I can’t justify it this year.

 

[Frank4202]

We always hop across the border when visiting family in Windsor each Christmas but thinking we’re going to skip this year. Between our tanking dollar and the fact that we’d need to pay for the bridge each direction (we only pay 1 direction in Buffalo) it’s just not worth it. It’s normally a fun day of after Christmas sales and shopping with my daughter but sadly I can’t justify it this year.

I live in Windsor lol.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

This at least makes me feel a bit better that we don't have a trip planned this year. lol

 

[CanucksRock]

Some of the ways I am saving money with this bad USD (beyond the fact that I have some USD in the bank that I got at higher exchange)

We are doing April trip including cruise on Utopia of the Seas. I just happened to look on Expedia a couple weeks ago and managed to get it for $2200 CDN (group rate) when it’s $3800 CDN on RCCL.. then RCCL had 20% off RCCL Gift Cards for C&A members - so grabbed some of those. We only have 4 park days - so I’m having my mom use one of the CDN 4 day - 1 park per day passes I bought back in 2017 before they started adding expiry dates. (I have an AP) .. I’m like good time to use on of those passes - i should have bought 10 day park hoppers - because I never go for just 4 days..plus I have had AP since 2019 (it’s going to be hard with her not having park hoppers!)

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

@CanucksRock How do you get in on group rates for cruises? I haven't cruised in years because they priced me out and couldn't justify the higher price tag vs all inclusive resorts.

 

[chimo2u]

It's all relative people. I remember the rate when we first travelled to WDW in the early 2000's. I think I was converting things at $1.54 range.

It still hurts, but if I travelled then with that exchange rate I will still do it now. Thank goodness I locked in the exchange rate on my cruise for 2026 (paid in Canadian $)

I locked in my Jan 2026 cruise price a year ago too in Canadian $$ .... I am headed to WDW in 4 weeks, and still need some more USD for tips/ spending money. Sad to say my tips will not be hitting the expected 20% range that seems to be the norm lately for WDW dining tips. We have the ddp thankfully so only need to tip 6 dinners, my tips will be more in line with what I tip at home (15-18%). It definitely is hurting this time to change our Cdn money to USD! I haven't purchased any excursions for my cruise next year yet. It is a southern itinerary , 10 days and port heavy. That will hurt, as they charge everything in Canadian $$ once you've paid a cruise in CDN money , so my excursions will cost a arm and a leg I am sure!

 

[Djm_in_buffalo]

I locked in my Jan 2026 cruise price a year ago too in Canadian $$ .... I am headed to WDW in 4 weeks, and still need some more USD for tips/ spending money. Sad to say my tips will not be hitting the expected 20% range that seems to be the norm lately for WDW dining tips. We have the ddp thankfully so only need to tip 6 dinners, my tips will be more in line with what I tip at home (15-18%). It definitely is hurting this time to change our Cdn money to USD! I haven't purchased any excursions for my cruise next year yet. It is a southern itinerary , 10 days and port heavy. That will hurt, as they charge everything in Canadian $$ once you've paid a cruise in CDN money , so my excursions will cost an arm and a leg I am sure!

Tipping is discretionary. I get that. A 15-18% tip for decent or better service is nothing to sneeze at. But in the context of talking about an expensive WDW trip, and what I can only imagine is a ‘not cheap’ 10 day Caribbean cruise, the first and only line item that you mention skimping on is the gratuity for your servers?!

If, say, $1,300 is spent on meals; the difference between a 15% tip across the board ($1,495) and a 20% tip across the board ($1,560) is quite negligible in the context of cost of multiple trips, but may well make an impact on the servers.

EDIT: In addition, it does not appear that gratuity is included in DDP: https://plandisney.disney.go.com/qu...lan-says-gratuities-not-included-mean-555713/

 

[optstud]

@CanucksRock How do you get in on group rates for cruises? I haven't cruised in years because they priced me out and couldn't justify the higher price tag vs all inclusive resorts.

You have to ask the travel agency. Individual agencies may have a block of rooms for their clients only for a particular sailing. You can set up your own group booking if you have enough rooms.

 

[chimo2u]

Tipping is discretionary. I get that. A 15-18% tip for decent or better service is nothing to sneeze at. But in the context of talking about an expensive WDW trip, and what I can only imagine is a ‘not cheap’ 10 day Caribbean cruise, the first and only line item that you mention skimping on is the gratuity for your servers?!

If, say, $1,300 is spent on meals; the difference between a 15% tip across the board ($1,495) and a 20% tip across the board ($1,560) is quite negligible in the context of cost of multiple trips, but may well make an impact on the servers.

EDIT: In addition, it does not appear that gratuity is included in DDP: https://plandisney.disney.go.com/qu...lan-says-gratuities-not-included-mean-555713/

I suppose so. notice I did not mention I will not tip. I stated that I will not be tipping 20% and above.... there's the difference

 

[CanucksRock]

@CanucksRock How do you get in on group rates for cruises? I haven't cruised in years because they priced me out and couldn't justify the higher price tag vs all inclusive resorts.

In this case I just happened to look on Expedia for the cruise I had planned to book. I was still able to choose the room I wanted. I snapped it up right away. Travel Agents often have access to group rates too if you ask them.

 

[WDWkristin]

I feel the conversion pain for sure.

 

[pigletto]

In this case I just happened to look on Expedia for the cruise I had planned to book. I was still able to choose the room I wanted. I snapped it up right away. Travel Agents often have access to group rates too if you ask them.

We ended up with free tickets with waterparks for this trip, which is a huge savings for the 6 of us. Plus my adult kids and their partners really want to go again with us and we love vacationing together. That being said, we wouldn’t be going if it weren’t for those two things.

We rented a 3 bedroom condo at Bonnet Creek again and we are splitting it.

We plan to eat some easy meals in the condo and order in a few times. We will go to some onsite restaurants, but we will choose carefully. The experience or food have to justify the price tag somewhat. We had a great time snacking around the world showcase for Food and Wine last year so we will do that again.

Basically I’m shaving off money everywhere I can to make it affordable and still enjoyable.

 

[chimo2u]

Hard to believe that in 3 weeks we will be headed to Orlando! I bit the bullet and bought our final $1,500 yesterday which hurt and cost me $2,172.60....trading on knightsbridge for 1.4484
I don't see it getting any better, so it's done now and I can stop playing the roller coaster for now. We fly for the first time from Victoria to Calgary, then onward to Orlando. Hopefully West Jet will behave and there will not be any delays! It's been a couple years so I am a bit unsure how it all works nowadays with no more genie+ etc.... I will hope for good luck and not overly awful line ups!