Souvenirs Shipped Home to Canada

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Has anyone tried shipping their souvenirs home to Canada from the US when visiting WDW rather than trying to cram everything into their luggage to bring home with them? If so, what was the most efficient way to do this?

 

[pxlbarrel]

I've not tried shipping souvenirs home but once I was at a big comic book convention in San Diego and way too many toys to bring home with me (even after cramming them into HUGE suitcases we had just bought from Walmart). We shipped a box of toys back by good old U.S. Post. If you go to www.usps.com, you'll get an idea on how much it'll cost to ship stuff to yourself. Ours was San Diego to Toronto and cost about $21. Our stuff was light but bulky. We even got it insured although I'm told that's practically useless since we live in Canada.

Do NOT use a courier. You'll get home and find out you're paying brokerage charges on your own packages. If the post office gets your U.S. post sent package, they may charge you GST/PST and $7. If UPS or FedEx sends your package, you'll get your box of goodies after paying GST/PST and a brokerage charge that could be in the $50-60 range.

Personally, I'd rather carry them with me....even if it meant getting another suitcase or carry on. If I'm under my customs exemption, I'm not going to be paying extra for them. And I'd be really upset if my goodies got lost.

 

[MikeJ]

If you are having goods shipped separately and are under your personal exemption, you will not have to pay any PST/GST on the goods and I believe that Canada Post will waive the handling fee as well - if there is no duty or tax payable. When you reenter Canada, let the customs agent know that you have goods which you have shipped home. You will get a form (E24?) at the border crossing which indicates you have goods to follow. Present it at the post office when you get the notification your package has arrived and the taxes will be waived as they are deemed to be part of your personal exemption for the trip.

We haven't done this in years but that's how it worked for us previously.

- Mike

 

[LauraAnn630]

We used to spend a lot of summers going to the Georgian Bay in Canada!
What great memories!


I sent home a box from the All Stars Music. They took care of everything at the desk. That was nice!

 

[Scratch42]

I had to do this a few years back.

I went to the local UPS office, packaged it and had it sent to my work so that someone would be there to accept.

Just declare it on the Customs form so that you don't get zinged. Can't remember how much I spent but was worth it not having to carry the stuff.

j

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

Ok, I may be a little weird but I don't get it. Why do you have to do all the stuff at the border, with the form and all? To save on duty or just taxes? I have had things shipped to me from the states, but never paid anything then what the vendor charged. Is that because the vendor takes care of all that , and it's included in the shipping they charged me.??? Sorry if I am a little slow to figure it out Thanks

Lee

 

[pxlbarrel]

I guess we're kinda cheap. Even after sending 1 box back, we had enough to fill a few boxes...but rather than sending them back with us, we went to Walmart and bought large suitcases and we were able to bring stuff home with us that way (we did not exceed our luggage allowance or weight).

We figured we'd rather spend the money on something that we could use later than on postage or shipping. ie, $21 on postage that we'll never see again or $30 on suitcases we can use on our next trip.

 

[heathrow42]

Not from Canada - but I have done the shipping stuff from Disney home waay to many times, and this may help.

There are two shipping centers on property - one at the Contemporary over at the business center - and the other at the Coronado - again at the business center. We use the Contemporary - when you come in go to the right - through the doors into the business center - if no one is at the desk, go to the right, down the hall past the escalators and there is a little office (just past the bathrooms) there should be someone there. If you really have a lot of stuff, pull up to the valet and let them know you need to take alot of stuff to the business center and ask to double park - they should direct you to pull up about 30 feet. They can ship usps and fedex. If you are on property you can have it charged to your room too.

I haven't tried this next method, but I've heard it from more than a few folks in the shops.. when you are in one ask about it. Buy your stuff all over property - keep all your receipts. Take all your items and your receipts to a shop, and they will ship everything home for you at Disney's rates.. so instead of paying to ship things home at the register for each transaction, you can have Disney do it all at once. I've never tried it though.. Usually one benefit to shipping the item right from the shop, atleast for those of us in the states, is that Disney waves the taxes. Which can sometimes be more than the shipping!

Good luck..
--heather

 

[Absimilliard]

I got a snowglobe shipped from Disneyland to Montreal, paid the fees, etc. Declared it at customs and guess what? DHL (who delivered the snowglobe) still wanted me to pay taxes! I'm still dealing with them on that, even if its just 10$.

Non Disney, but I ordered a model tank from the UK and luckily, UPS only charged GST... which was still brutal! As well, the guy who delivers it will want payment, ON THE SPOT, in exchange for the package.

 

[talicskai]

Whenever I order from Ebay in the States I ask them to mark it as a gift under $20 to avoid customs and duty taxes. I have purchased and made a claim on insurance thru the US Postal Service. I was having jewellry repaired in St. Thomas USVI and the package never arrived. It took about a year but I did receive my cheque in US Funds. I would highly recommend insurance it the item is valueable.

Teresa