Planning your trip around the Cdn dollar

[olivia's mommy]

DH and I really wanted to take another trip this year. We did free dining last year and loved it. But with the 4/3 deal this year, I thought it would be worth it, especially if we stayed in a deluxe. We both really want to try the Poly. The monoral access would be great with our two year old. And we really appreciate having a private balcony so when DD is in bed, we can relax and enjoy ourselves outside without having to be so quiet! So the price on the Disney website, with park hopper tickets, DDP and a room at the Poly was $3000. Then we were going to try to find cheap flights out of Syracuse. So the trip is booked!!!! But the problem is that $3000 is just about $4000 Canadian!!!!!!!!!: We only really wanted to spend a total of $4000 on this trip.

So how does everyone factor in the exchange? Do you go somewhere less expensive to make up the difference?

I doubt we will ever be able to get back to the Poly without some sort of deal so is this our chance? I checked into the Wilderness and it is about $500 less so I might be able to convince DH to go there. And a Mod is $1000 less so I think he is gunning for that one! But after staying deluxe last year (AKL, LOVED it!) I was hoping for another deluxe.

Any advice???

 

[highland3]

If you are concerned about the money, I would personally drop down to a moderate... like POR or CBR.

Your flights should already be pretty good, as you are flying out of my favourite airport (gotta love SYR).

I can't see the dollar rebounding any time soon, at least not significantly.

 

[cslittle999]

We do two things. First, we set a budget in CDN dollars and then plan a trip that stays within that budget. Second, we buy US money whenever the dollar is high and keep it in a US dollar bank account. This lets us plan some part of the trip in US dollars and not really worry about the exchange rate.

 

[CanadianPaco]

That is good advice! The exchange is what it is. Last year, we opened a US account and each pay I slide $25 into it. When our dollar was great, I put in $25 Cdn but now put into the value of $25 US which yesterday was about $33 Cdn. It is what it is...

 

[tjbaggott]

We booked our Land and Sea vacation for next fall, back when our dollar was still on par with the US dollar. Right after it was booked, and the deposit made, our dollar took a nose dive! So the trip is now costing me a few thousand more than I had planned. We too were going to drive the 3 hours to SYR and fly out of there, but hubby has figured we will save a few thousand if we drive down instead. So thats what we are doing. When it comes to a Hotel in DW, we've never spent much time at the resort other than sleeping for the night, so it didn't matter to us which resort. As part of the land and sea vacation though, we are staying in the same moderate resort we did a few years ago (Carribean Beach Club), and we thought it was Perfect!

 

[nat1234]

We're booked at the WL for the beginning of December this year. Right now I'm just hoping they extend the 4/3 deal until then which would mean that I won't have to drop down to a mod. My DD and I really wanted to try WL because it looks so beautiful. I know the dollar is not going to change, so I'm just hoping for a good deal.

 

[dis_guy]

What we do to smooth out the exchange rate "hit" is to book a year in advance and pay a few hundred each month. Sometimes we make off like bandits and sometimes we're the one's being robbed! So it all averages out over time.

 

[Debbs]

I always check on the disney site how much it is going to be and then I call Marlin Travel at Bayshore. I checked the 4/3 deal online (for POP) to start off with and it was going to cost me 1286.00 US. I called Marlin and gave them the same dates and they gave me the same price but in Cdn dollars. It was actually a few dollars cheaper. Why I'm not sure.. But I double and triple checked that it was in Cdn funds and she said yes. BONUS!!

 

[Kazzy1548]

I always check on the disney site how much it is going to be and then I call Marlin Travel at Bayshore. I checked the 4/3 deal online (for POP) to start off with and it was going to cost me 1286.00 US. I called Marlin and gave them the same dates and they gave me the same price but in Cdn dollars. It was actually a few dollars cheaper. Why I'm not sure.. But I double and triple checked that it was in Cdn funds and she said yes. BONUS!!
__________________
Are you sure about this, if so...... It sounds to good to be true. I usually would convert the price I received on the disney web site it usually is at least 800 to 1000$ canadian more then the us price .

Nathalie

 

[sugar1967]

We were in the same boat. We booked AK back when the dollar was just below par and paid our deposit at $1.07 but the within a week the dollar dropped over .10. Needless to say we were faced with eith suckin it up or switching. We decided to suck it up and bite the bullet. We wanted queen size beds and insuite fridge and really wanted the Savannah view. As this was our daughters request for her birthday we thought that we will probably never do this again with our kids (at least not all of them) so it is what it is. If you book through CAA it does save you some.

 

[Mishnogramjo]

I always check on the disney site how much it is going to be and then I call Marlin Travel at Bayshore. I checked the 4/3 deal online (for POP) to start off with and it was going to cost me 1286.00 US. I called Marlin and gave them the same dates and they gave me the same price but in Cdn dollars. It was actually a few dollars cheaper. Why I'm not sure.. But I double and triple checked that it was in Cdn funds and she said yes. BONUS!!
__________________
Are you sure about this, if so...... It sounds to good to be true. I usually would convert the price I received on the disney web site it usually is at least 800 to 1000$ canadian more then the us price .

Nathalie

We just had the same thing happen for our trip in April. The best rate that I could find at the Disney Site was actually more in USD than the price the TravelPlus quoted us in CDN funds.

 

[Debbs]

Yep I'm sure. I never ever book thru Disney. I go on their site, check out the price and then always call a travel agency in Ottawa. I spoke with Karen at the travel agency. July 4- 11 at Pop Century with basic passes was 1256.00 to book into a preferred room was 1326.00.

 

[Kazzy1548]

It is good to know Debbs thank you for the info ..... Maybe we will try Karen next year...

 

[drag n' fly]

With the dollar closing at 76.98 today the US won't be seeing us anytime soon

 

[calgarygary]

With the dollar closing at 76.98 today the US won't be seeing us anytime soon

Everything is relative. That 76.98 looks horrible compared to what the exchange rate was this time last year but looks fantastic compared to what we were paying back in 2002.

 

[I Run Long]

Yeah it sure hurts right now. We're planning a trip in Sept 2010 - here's hoping it goes up. Even a little bit would be nice.

 

[TreesyB]

Cdn dollar just went up a cent today. Buy now (if you need it in the next little while) before they announce the unemployment numbers at the end of this week.

 

[chimo2u]

I have to pay our balance off by July 18. I need to purchase about another 4,000.00 US. Do you think I should plunge and convert money now, or wait it out a tad longer in hopes it raises closer to .85 again?
I am hating the downward plunge of the $
Anyone got any advice?

 

[photomama]

well, I got $100 US from the bank today for $130.00 Canadian

 

[bistrogirl]

I always check on the disney site how much it is going to be and then I call Marlin Travel at Bayshore. I checked the 4/3 deal online (for POP) to start off with and it was going to cost me 1286.00 US. I called Marlin and gave them the same dates and they gave me the same price but in Cdn dollars. It was actually a few dollars cheaper. Why I'm not sure.. But I double and triple checked that it was in Cdn funds and she said yes. BONUS!!

Great advice!!! I will definitely check into that... if true for us, then I will cancel my reservations, pay the $100 cancellation fee with Disney and rebook with a TA. We'll just keep our ARs as is and we'll save like $900 CAN. Sounds to good to be true, but definitely worth a try. I will give an update on this thread.