How are Canadians saving on meals at wdw with the low dollar

[momof2gr8kids]

OMG you might all like this ... hubby just got home and i had this window open, he giggled and said "start a diet the day you leave!"

We eat a lot healthier than we did our first two trips with free dining. I honestly don't think I could eat as much food and feel good. I plan to pack some healthier snacks that will fuel us in the parks, and have kids carry their own water. Since we will be there at a busy time, I'd rather spend $$ on snacks or CS we can share in the park while we wait for a parade or ride, rather than waiting for an adr. That's what the kids like anyways - it's all about the mickey bars, funnel cakes and starbucks for my dd!

We will have a vehicle so it won't be too difficult to grab a roasted chicken and premade salad from somewhere, or veggies and dip, fruit, etc. to have in room or poolside, and eat offsite a couple of times. Probably all but one breakfast will be in the room.

 

[bababear_50]

Well times have been a bit tight this year so I decided to use my airmiles points for Starbuck gift cards. I officially have $380.00 CAD = $285.00 USD---- It's a good thing I like smoothies for breakfast and that each Disney park has a Starbucks, so I shouldn't starve.
6 days and counting down.
Hugs Mel

 

[pigletto]

We eat a lot healthier than we did our first two trips with free dining. I honestly don't think I could eat as much food and feel good. I plan to pack some healthier snacks that will fuel us in the parks, and have kids carry their own water. Since we will be there at a busy time, I'd rather spend $$ on snacks or CS we can share in the park while we wait for a parade or ride, rather than waiting for an adr. That's what the kids like anyways - it's all about the mickey bars, funnel cakes and starbucks for my dd!

We will have a vehicle so it won't be too difficult to grab a roasted chicken and premade salad from somewhere, or veggies and dip, fruit, etc. to have in room or poolside, and eat offsite a couple of times. Probably all but one breakfast will be in the room.

This is us exactly. The entire family is eating healthier and there is no way that any of us could polish off food on the DDP like we used to. We will still splurge but a splurge isn't the same QS dessert over and over and over.. it's a special trip to Karamell-Kuche in Epcot for that treat we've been dreaming of or the fruit smoothie from that place across from Space Mountain. It has to make the cut. We're more fit, WAY more active, and happier so I don't see the way we eat now going out the window and doubt we will ever see the DDP as a good fit for us ever again. Add in staying offsite and having way more options for dining, I too don't see many ADR's in our future. It's a huge money saver for us, but staying in a place with a kitchen has become a must.

Well times have been a bit tight this year so I decided to use my airmiles points for Starbuck gift cards. I officially have $380.00 CAD = $285.00 USD---- It's a good thing I like smoothies for breakfast and that each Disney park has a Starbucks, so I shouldn't starve.
6 days and counting down.
Hugs Mel

So close for you!!! I hope you have a wonderful time! There's something a little more special about a starbucks when it's in a Disney cup! Dd and I love them.

 

[Yahweh]

I think I'll likely stop ordering wine with my meals this trip (9-18 dollars a glass ends up being very expensive). Buy a bottle to take up to my room and enjoy a glass on the balcony is a nice compromise. Share or skip desserts. I usually regret ordering dessert anyways at Disney. It's hard because a big part of being at Disney for us is exploring the restaurants.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Well times have been a bit tight this year so I decided to use my airmiles points for Starbuck gift cards. I officially have $380.00 CAD = $285.00 USD---- It's a good thing I like smoothies for breakfast and that each Disney park has a Starbucks, so I shouldn't starve.
6 days and counting down.
Hugs Mel

Is that using the AM Cash? Mine are still under the dream rewards and thinking of changing that after I use all mine for Disney Tickets. Seems like all the good gift card rewards are under the Cash rewards now. I do have Aeroplan points...will have to check if I can get Starbucks GC through there! Or maybe with my PC points. Thanks for the idea!

 

[seashell724]

Is that using the AM Cash? Mine are still under the dream rewards and thinking of changing that after I use all mine for Disney Tickets. Seems like all the good gift card rewards are under the Cash rewards now. I do have Aeroplan points...will have to check if I can get Starbucks GC through there! Or maybe with my PC points. Thanks for the idea!

I'd like to know as well. I have looked for the Starbuck G/C but can't find it on AM.

 

[Aladora]

I'd like to know as well. I have looked for the Starbuck G/C but can't find it on AM.

You get the Starbucks cards by using cash rewards, $10 card for 95 AM. The one catch is that you can't change dream miles to cash miles after you have earned them.

 

[bababear_50]

Is that using the AM Cash? Mine are still under the dream rewards and thinking of changing that after I use all mine for Disney Tickets. Seems like all the good gift card rewards are under the Cash rewards now. I do have Aeroplan points...will have to check if I can get Starbucks GC through there! Or maybe with my PC points. Thanks for the idea!

Hi
Yes I have all my airmiles under AM cash rewards,, I haven't seen anything lately that is worth my while collecting under Dream AM. I did use up alot of points buying 10 coworkers a 10.00 Starbucks GC at Christmas.
I collect Petro Points and combine them with CAA points to buy Park tickets, I figure I have to buy gas somewhere and every little bit helps. I know many people use Shell to collect AM.
I use my West Jet Mastercard to earn flight dollars and get the $99.00 companion flight and I can use it at No Frills for grocery shopping. I just realized I can also collect PC points so I just started doing that although I am not sure what I can get with PC points yet.
Best wishes
Hugs Mel

 

[seashell724]

Hi
Yes I have all my airmiles under AM cash rewards,, I haven't seen anything lately that is worth my while collecting under Dream AM. I did use up alot of points buying 10 coworkers a 10.00 Starbucks GC at Christmas.
I collect Petro Points and combine them with CAA points to buy Park tickets, I figure I have to buy gas somewhere and every little bit helps. I know many people use Shell to collect AM.
I use my West Jet Mastercard to earn flight dollars and get the $99.00 companion flight and I can use it at No Frills for grocery shopping. I just realized I can also collect PC points so I just started doing that although I am not sure what I can get with PC points yet.
Best wishes
Hugs Mel

I only have dream airmiles. I didn't know you couldn't switch them back and forth. I thought you could pick and choose as you go. Is there a lot better choices under the Cash Rewards? Can't you pick and choose to have some cash and some dream rewards when earning or no?

 

[Donald - my hero]

I only have dream airmiles. I didn't know you couldn't switch them back and forth. I thought you could pick and choose as you go. Is there a lot better choices under the Cash Rewards? Can't you pick and choose to have some cash and some dream rewards when earning or no?

You can set up your account to do one of 3 things :all cash, all dream or a split between the two. If you chose to split it you can determine how you want that to happen .. 50% -50% 10% -90% It's up to you. Once your cash balance get to 95 you can start redeeming that way. Regardless of which method you select it will only affect what happens moving forward, the miles in your dream account will stay there. Hope that makes it clear as mud?

 

[seashell724]

You can set up your account to do one of 3 things :all cash, all dream or a split between the two. If you chose to split it you can determine how you want that to happen .. 50% -50% 10% -90% It's up to you. Once your cash balance get to 95 you can start redeeming that way. Regardless of which method you select it will only affect what happens moving forward, the miles in your dream account will stay there. Hope that makes it clear as mud?

Yes! Now I just have to figure out if I actually want to do that or not. I'm not sure how it would be most beneficial to our trip. I already have AM purchased tickets. Are there lots of G/Cs available that we can use at disney?

 

[GabBeFit]

I am going in May and was wondering this too. So i planned it all out. Thought about which snacks I would be buying, and which restaurants wed be going to... when added up it was much more beneficial to just pay out of pocket as you go. You could try thinking ahead to what you would be eating?

 

[mikeymouse1223]

Well times have been a bit tight this year so I decided to use my airmiles points for Starbuck gift cards. I officially have $380.00 CAD = $285.00 USD---- It's a good thing I like smoothies for breakfast and that each Disney park has a Starbucks, so I shouldn't starve.
6 days and counting down.
Hugs Mel

The last few times I was in the U.S. I brought preloaded Canadian Dollar Starbucks cards from Canada, and they took them at par! The last time I used one in the U.S. was in Buffalo in December 2015. The exchange rate was even worse than it is now, and they took it as if it was in USD! You might actually have $380.00 USD in Starbucks cards.

 

[squirrel]

The last few times I was in the U.S. I brought preloaded Canadian Dollar Starbucks cards from Canada, and they took them at par! The last time I used one in the U.S. was in Buffalo in December 2015. The exchange rate was even worse than it is now, and they took it as if it was in USD! You might actually have $380.00 USD in Starbucks cards.

Didn't work for me last year in Hawaii. I had a $10 GC for Starbucks that I won and I ended up having to pay more to get two drinks as they charged me in US but it was a Canadian card so paid some exchange rate (not sure what).

 

[TML2012]

I like Cash Rewards too. To me they are more flexible. I just used some to get some Starbucks GCs. Another way I used them for my trip is to use the Cash Rewards to purchase the gas I would normal buy during the week and then put aside the money I "saved" into my vacation account.

 

[seashell724]

What kind of G/C's do they have for cash rewards? Is it only g/c's?

 

[TML2012]

What kind of G/C's do they have for cash rewards? Is it only g/c's?

There are a number of options. Some rewards are in-store redemption ( ex. Shell, Metro, Sobeys). I typically use these type of rewards because you don't have to submit a special request... If you have enough points you just redeem them for money off your purchase. There are evouchers too (ex.toyrus, Cineplex, the gap, the bay, pizza pizza, Starbucks). They are essential electronic gift cards.

 

[TML2012]

I just checked the Airmiles website... They have removed the Starbucks evoucher option!

 

[courtneylynn]

We went last May and stayed on resort with the Dining Plan but we brought energy bars/crackers etc. with us and everyday for breakfast we each bought a piece of fruit (definitely buy a piece of fruit, its only ~$1,50.. definitely not woth wasting a snack credit) on our way to the bus stop and ate that while waiting for our bus. This held us over until mid-morning when one of us would use a snack credit and we would split the snack. Then we would do lunch between 1 and 2 and supper sometime between 6-7 and then if by chance we were still hungry (which wasnt often) we would split the other persons snack credit either after lunch but before dinner or as a late night snack. Splitting each others snack credits kept us full throughout the day and allowed us to spread out our snacking

 

[dancin Disney style]

The last few times I was in the U.S. I brought preloaded Canadian Dollar Starbucks cards from Canada, and they took them at par! The last time I used one in the U.S. was in Buffalo in December 2015. The exchange rate was even worse than it is now, and they took it as if it was in USD! You might actually have $380.00 USD in Starbucks cards.

Not any more...they convert the currency now. I used a bunch of Canadian GC last month in the US.