Planning a trip to Disney from Canada is similar to a trip planned from the US: Plan early, book your Advanced Dining Reservations as soon as possible and tell your agent if you are celebrating anything so that you don’t miss out on some extra fun.
Here are a few hints, from a fellow Canadian traveller, that you might like consider before you “head South” from the snowy North!
- Consider all travel options long before you book. One of the biggest questions when planning a trip to Disney from Canada is “do we fly or do we drive?” Considering that most drives will take a day (or two or three!) make sure you add those travel days and extra expenses into your budget when comparing if it is cheaper to fly. Looking at flights (both actual and historical) a few months in advance of your departure will give you more choices. Flying is, of course, more convenient but it may be at a cost that is just too great to be practical. Which leads me to my next hint:
- Adjust the length of your stay to optimize your vacation dollar. It may save you money to extend your stay by a few days to get a cheaper flight. Adding additional park days to your trip cost only a few extra dollars so be flexible on your arrival and departure dates to maximize your savings.
- Consider Canadian holidays on the calendar. Timing for statutory holidays in Canada is sometimes different than in the US and the US often observes their holidays a bit differently as well. (Whereas not all citizens will be off work) For instance, Canadian Thanksgiving is a lovely time to travel to WDW because the weather in Orlando is still hot (for the most part) and Disney often offers discounts during the fall that will save you money. Travelling to WDW in the fall is also great because you can often take advantage of the Autumn decorations and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party but avoid the crowds that occur during American Thanksgiving.
- Check out specific deals for Canadian residents. Disney often offers special discounts and travel deals for Canadian residents. To find out if they are offering a deal for your next vacation check out their website. They sometimes offer a discount on your resort or, my personal favourite, Free Dining! This is a great way to add value to your vacation while saving a bit of cash too! I have noticed that the portion sizes in the US tend to be quite a bit bigger than here in Canada. When I travel with my family we often save even more money on food by splitting a breakfast or lunch platter between two of us.
One last hint for saving money as a Canadian Traveler, the US dollar is hovering around par to our Loonie. Keep your eye on the exchange rate and buy some cash when it crosses over the threshold. If you do this with enough time before your trip you will have saved quite a bit in exchange rate alone!
Cheers,
Kati
We’re welcoming Kati as a new writer to WDW Hints! Kati is a self-certified Disney nut who loves planning Disney vacations! She often gets recruited by friends, family and colleagues to make their Disney vacations extra special. In truth, she likes living vicariously through them as they enjoy their Disney vacation. She and her husband have two small children and she works as an Elementary teacher for her day job.
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