Freaking out about the USD/CAD exchange!

[Mumketeer]

By making wise choices that are right for our family, we are able to go to Orlando a lot more often than we originally thought possible. YOLO or GAOAP (go as often as possible)?

Oh I totally I agree, I always go with the GAOAP frame of mind.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I guess, maybe that is not so cheap. It is only two adults, but that is from my front door travel insurance, flight, tickets, food and back limos included start to finish. We try every trip to make it cheaper last trip for us was $2800 CDN. I think travelling with young kids even though the hotel is free for them probably ends up costing more because it is so hard to say no to all the things they want to see and do. Never, took mine when they were small as I did not want to have to spend a lot on a vacation where I would have to say no to so many things. Can I bring this vacation in under budget and still enjoy it fully I think so. But we'll see....

For two adults $3k isnt bad actually. With kids at disney, yes its so hard. I had a heck of a time with my DS many moons ago. There was soooo much he wanted me to buy him (stores as soon as you walk into the park! clever!) so saying no to him constantly was a challenge as he'd throw tantrums. Lol. It was terrible. I learned after my first trip, SET AN ALLOWANCE for him.
Anyway, disney is getting more and more expensive. Even thou I say i'll take a break for a while, I never do. I keep coming back.

 

[Mumketeer]

For two adults $3k isnt bad actually. With kids at disney, yes its so hard. I had a heck of a time with my DS many moons ago. There was soooo much he wanted me to buy him (stores as soon as you walk into the park! clever!) so saying no to him constantly was a challenge as he'd throw tantrums. Lol. It was terrible. I learned after my first trip, SET AN ALLOWANCE for him.
Anyway, disney is getting more and more expensive. Even thou I say i'll take a break for a while, I never do. I keep coming back.

Yeah, we keep it pretty cheap. This is the last DW for us for us until they build all the new stuff. Wow, cannot believe we are going soon, now at that stage of last minute things. Booked all my fastpasses and now it seems like eeeeeek! Can't wait but OMG am I ready do I have everything? Which is funny because I have been packed for a month or so now.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Yeah, we keep it pretty cheap. This is the last DW for us for us until they build all the new stuff. Wow, cannot believe we are going soon, now at that stage of last minute things. Booked all my fastpasses and now it seems like eeeeeek! Can't wait but OMG am I ready do I have everything? Which is funny because I have been packed for a month or so now.

When is your trip?? which resort are you staying at? Im so jealous. You'll have a great time. Im planning to go this Oct....then again after Star Wars land opens. Whenever that is. Im not really keeping up with the news on that. And dont stress about not having everything. im sure you do since you started packing a month ago.

 

[Mumketeer]

When is your trip?? which resort are you staying at? Im so jealous. You'll have a great time. Im planning to go this Oct....then again after Star Wars land opens. Whenever that is. Im not really keeping up with the news on that. And dont stress about not having everything. im sure you do since you started packing a month ago.

Actually, I really packed when I was putting my summer clothes away for the winter. But then I checked and made sure everything was still okay on me after all the winter comfort food......you know how it is. And more importantly I have to make sure DD is packed, because she is sure to change her mind over and over again. We are really great travel partners tho and we make sure to even out the weight of our carryons as that is all we travel with. Going to be a little harder this time as the carryon allowance is only 5kilos!!! So going to throw in a tide pod and a bounce sheet and do a late nite laundry.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We used to do WDW very cheaply, by staying in an offsite rental. $1100 for a 5 bdrm house 15 minutes away is much better than $200+ a night for 8 nights. But even then, 4 tickets for 5 days was over $300 a piece ($1200+) and then there were the $50+/day lunches for 4 and groceries for dinner/breakfast. And we had to get there, which, rental or not, was still a minimum of $1200 for gas and hotels. If not, then flying was a huge expense. I can't see how under $3000 is possible, unless your airfare or travel is cheap.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Actually, I really packed when I was putting my summer clothes away for the winter. But then I checked and made sure everything was still okay on me after all the winter comfort food......you know how it is. And more importantly I have to make sure DD is packed, because she is sure to change her mind over and over again. We are really great travel partners tho and we make sure to even out the weight of our carryons as that is all we travel with. Going to be a little harder this time as the carryon allowance is only 5kilos!!! So going to throw in a tide pod and a bounce sheet and do a late nite laundry.

I use to do the same thing when i travelled to disney with my DS. We'd both only bring our carry on luggage....mid trip i would do laundry while swimming at the pool. Bringing your own laundry pods is a great idea. I usually just bought the ones from the machines. Anyway, i do enjoy doing laundry at the resort. I know that sounds silly....but its so much better when im able to not check my luggage.

 

[pigletto]

I booked with Skyauction last year and have twice gotten two bedroom units very very close to property for under $500 for the week. I used airmiles for all of our tickets, I had credit card points for the car rental, and the big one.. we had free flights with Jetblue (but I wouldn’t recommend what we had to go through to get them ). So we paid for food, lodging and parking and came in way under $3000. Without the free affair we would need to drive, which we plan to do next time we go.

 

[mjhtvchick]

It really depends on what you include in your budget - When I have read other "cheap travel" posts in the past and questioned how they did it on that budget, I have been told, "oh, we don't include food in our budget" or "we have annual passes [or DVC] so don't include that in our budget".

Budgets vary greatly depending on number of people, their ages, where you are travelling from, how you are travelling, where you are staying, how long you are staying, where you will be eating, whether or not you will be shopping beyond just the typical souvenirs, keepsakes, etc.

It is so difficult to compare "like to like"!

For us, we try to keep our vacation budgets to around $200 CAD per person per day. This includes EVERYTHING!! This year, we are going a little over budget because of the exchange as well as the choice that we made to stay onsite at Universal for 6 nights. We could have shortened our vacation or changed our hotel plans but we really didn't want to. We did choose to save some $ during the off-site portion of our stay by booking a townhouse rather than a villa.

Long story short, it is really all about choices!

 

[bankr63]

It really depends on what you include in your budget - When I have read other "cheap travel" posts in the past and questioned how they did it on that budget, I have been told, "oh, we don't include food in our budget" or "we have annual passes [or DVC] so don't include that in our budget".

Budgets vary greatly depending on number of people, their ages, where you are travelling from, how you are travelling, where you are staying, how long you are staying, where you will be eating, whether or not you will be shopping beyond just the typical souvenirs, keepsakes, etc.

It is so difficult to compare "like to like"!

For us, we try to keep our vacation budgets to around $200 CAD per person per day. This includes EVERYTHING!! This year, we are going a little over budget because of the exchange as well as the choice that we made to stay onsite at Universal for 6 nights. We could have shortened our vacation or changed our hotel plans but we really didn't want to. We did choose to save some $ during the off-site portion of our stay by booking a townhouse rather than a villa.

Long story short, it is really all about choices!

Which is really the point I was making as well. With wise choices on what you want to do, where you stay, and how you get there, it doesn't HAVE to be expensive. By keeping budget in mind (but we don't take a budget vacation by any stretch, we still stay at one of the best resorts in the area) we are able to go much more often than if we took an onsite, all the bells and whistles, vacation. I generally spend more for a week in Mexico than I do for a week in Orlando.

This year we cut out Universal (most years we do both) but did more days at Disney. The extra days aren't much more $$ added to the ticket, but shorter tickets to both parks can be really expensive. Next trip will probably be primarily Universal, and maybe a couple of Disney days as most of the family still has some days left on some old NE tickets (I am out of park days, so we bought new tickets for this year).

 

[pigletto]

Which is really the point I was making as well. With wise choices on what you want to do, where you stay, and how you get there, it doesn't HAVE to be expensive. By keeping budget in mind (but we don't take a budget vacation by any stretch, we still stay at one of the best resorts in the area) we are able to go much more often than if we took an onsite, all the bells and whistles, vacation. I generally spend more for a week in Mexico than I do for a week in Orlando.

This year we cut out Universal (most years we do both) but did more days at Disney. The extra days aren't much more $$ added to the ticket, but shorter tickets to both parks can be really expensive. Next trip will probably be primarily Universal, and maybe a couple of Disney days as most of the family still has some days left on some old NE tickets (I am out of park days, so we bought new tickets for this year).

We also switched to this method a few years back. We concentrate on one family of parks and stay near/in that resort. It saves quite a bit to do it this way for us.

 

[mjhtvchick]

Which is really the point I was making as well. With wise choices on what you want to do, where you stay, and how you get there, it doesn't HAVE to be expensive. By keeping budget in mind (but we don't take a budget vacation by any stretch, we still stay at one of the best resorts in the area) we are able to go much more often than if we took an onsite, all the bells and whistles, vacation. I generally spend more for a week in Mexico than I do for a week in Orlando.

This year we cut out Universal (most years we do both) but did more days at Disney. The extra days aren't much more $$ added to the ticket, but shorter tickets to both parks can be really expensive. Next trip will probably be primarily Universal, and maybe a couple of Disney days as most of the family still has some days left on some old NE tickets (I am out of park days, so we bought new tickets for this year).

We also switched to this method a few years back. We concentrate on one family of parks and stay near/in that resort. It saves quite a bit to do it this way for us.

Yes, we have also done this for the last few years - in our case, we have focused on Universal with some non-park Disney experiences to get our "Disney fix" - visiting Disney Springs, eating at a resort restaurant, etc. This year, during the off-site portion of our vacation we are planning to spend one day eating breakfast at The Polynesian, playing minigolf at Fantasia Gardens, and maybe taking a walk around the Boardwalk. We will probably also visit Disney Springs one evening. We won't be going to any major parks during that time...plan to hang around the pool, shop, maybe visit a waterpark, at the most.

With our DD starting high school next year, we expect that our vacations will be limited to the summer for the next few years and we will likely spend that time visiting other parts of Canada.

We will get back to Disney one of these days - probably after the crowds at Galaxy's Edge settle down!!

So great to chat with you all!

 

[Mumketeer]

We also switched to this method a few years back. We concentrate on one family of parks and stay near/in that resort. It saves quite a bit to do it this way for us.

I also dont go for the park hopper and devote myself to one park per day saves my feet and my money. I like how people save money any way that they can or want. When I say my budget for a trip it is the whole thing. Everything from when I lock my front door to the time I come back. Limos, Flights, Hotel, (and a rental car this time) Tickets, Insurance and CASH for food and everything else. So my budget is under $3000 CDN for 2 adults. This time I am a little worried that I might go over because of the Free rental car, that remains to be seen whether it is cost effective or not, but we will get groceries and go to some of the free or cheap things around. Really looking forward to our trip, I will update when I come back on whether the car was a good idea or a budget buster.

 

[Mumketeer]

I was very lucky when we booked we got an amazing deal, the last 2 seats package and it is in May when all the kids are in school. So lucky we can travel at that time. That does make it a lot cheaper, could not do it at another time of the year for what I am paying. It was a sell off and I made the booking by phone. That is one thing look stuff up on the internet but book by phone.

 

[Sue M]

CAD nudged up a tad today! Trying to watch the Budget with the CAD being what it is. We always eat breakfast in room. For our WDW trip still staying Deluxe, but not GF in Aug. looking forward to WL. Only 4 ADRs for 2 weeks. Usually we have 1 TS meal a day.
Dl trip coming up in 22 sleeps! But who’s counting staying off site. I’m trying to hold cost down, but it’s my (adult) daughters 1st time. And when Starwars Night was announced I had to buy us tix @$100 ea and there was the Fantasmic dinner package.......ugh. Trying to keep costs down, but it’s a special trip, being her first time. And who knows when she’ll be able to come awaybwith me again. The older they get, the harder it is to coordinate schedules.

 

[Mumketeer]

Staying offsite this time, stayed All Star Music last time.

 

[friedela]

We go to Disneyland and I think they run more expensive...less deals

Interesting, I wondered about that. Disneyland's most recent CDN resident deal was better, it was 25% off 3 day or more, DW's CDN deal was 20% off 4 days or more. Plus depending on where you are coming from flights can be cheaper ($350 from CGY to Anaheim vs. $700+ from CGY to Orlando). The only thing I have noticed is that without a doubt accommodation off site is more expensive than Florida. So maybe it all evens out.

 

[Mumketeer]

Interesting, I wondered about that. Disneyland's most recent CDN resident deal was better, it was 25% off 3 day or more, DW's CDN deal was 20% off 4 days or more. Plus depending on where you are coming from flights can be cheaper ($350 from CGY to Anaheim vs. $700+ from CGY to Orlando). The only thing I have noticed is that without a doubt accommodation off site is more expensive than Florida. So maybe it all evens out.

I guess it is cheaper closer to home. Anaheim is closer to Calgary than Orlando. We were really lucky we got a last minute package deal. Not a Disney World Hotel, but it is a new adventure.

 

[isabellea]

The cost of our trip over New Year will be 3000$USD for 4, staying at POFQ and getting the DDP (already have the tickets that I got with Airmile points). Looked at Disney Springs hotels but being over New Year, it's very expensive even offsite and I really don't want to drive to the parks for that trip even though we will have our car so onsite won! Right now, every time I use points (PC Optimum, Airmiles or redeem Checkout 51 or Ebates) I buy a Disney gift card for that amount. An easy way to save some Disney money imo. Our vacation budget is less than 5000$ CAD and that includes gas and restaurants on the road.

 

[Mumketeer]

That resort looks like a lot of fun!