Information
for Canadian Travelers
This Article Was Contributed by lovethemouse
Once you have decided to go to Walt Disney World, what do you do
now? The information on this page is designed specifically for Canadians.
Please browse the rest of this site for
general information.
How to Get There
By car it is a long drive from anywhere in Canada. By the time you
pay for gas, hotels along the way it may not cost that much more
to fly and may be less stressful and allow you to maximize your
time at Disney.
Flying- there are many different airlines, check out several as
prices can vary significantly. Charters are usually the least expensive
or if you are close enough to the border, drive to a US airport
and fly from there as flights are generally cheaper in the States
due to competition. A travel agent can suggest a good airline to
look into. Fly non-stop if you can. Direct flights will not backtrack
but will have stops and thus be longer.
Money
- Exchange your money at home to get the best exchange rates.
To find the current exchange rates try www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi.
- It costs more money to exchange your money back into Canadian
than it cost you originally to buy the US dollars so try to only
convert what you need. If you have left over money you could consider
keeping it in a US bank account at your bank for your next trip
to the States.
- If you run out of cash, using bank machines in the US will usually
result in a $2 surcharge from your bank plus whatever charges
from the machine that you are using (they call them ATM's-Automate
teller machines).
- Credit cards are the easiest way to deal with money issues,
as they will exchange the money at whatever the current exchange
rate is. But please remember that you will have to pay the bill
when you get home and it is very easy to lose track of how much
you have spent.
- Travelers cheques are probably the safest option and will be
accepted anywhere at Walt Disney World with proper identification.
- The last alternative and especially fun for children are Disney
Dollars (Mickey Money). These are equivalent to US currency and
can be used anywhere at Disney like cash but have Disney characters
on them. They can be purchased at WDW or at US Disney Stores but
are not available at Canadian Disney Stores.
- If you decide to use cash, please remember that US currency
is all the same colour. Stay organized, as it can be easy to give
a $10 instead of a $1 (yes $1 bills, not coins).
- The basic state sales tax rate in Florida is 6%. However, depending
on the industry and the county where a business is located the
tax rates on sales can vary from 2.5% to 13.5% (effect of the
sales tax brackets, local option taxes and county surtaxes). It's
always a good idea to ask what the rate is before making purchases
to avoid any surprises.
Customs
You will need a passport or birth certificate and photo ID (for
adults).
It may seem logical but DO NOT fool around going through customs.
You will be very excited but try to be serious and be polite. Never
wear your sunglasses when going through customs.
You are allowed to bring back a specific amount of souvenirs each
trip. At the time of printing this was $200 after 48 hours and $750
after 7 consecutive days out of the country, both in Canadian funds.
Be prepared to declare all of your purchases and have receipts available.
There are regulations on the exemptions for tobacco, alcohol and
certain food items like turkeys. If you exceed these limits, duties
(a percentage of the price dependent on what it is) and taxes (PST,
HST and/or GST) may also be charged.
For more details go to www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca.
Medical Insurance
We tend to take our medical care in Canada for granted. Please be
sure to purchase out of country medical insurance, bring it and
your Health Card with you. A simple doctor's visit in the states
can cost you hundreds of dollars and a hospital stay will cost you
thousands. Medical insurance can usually be bought through your
travel agent, CAA or by looking up an agency in the phone book.
There are two types of coverage: single trip which is specific to
the dates you plan to travel and full year which will cover unlimited
trips of not more than the specified length (i.e. 7, 14, 30, 60
days).
Consumption of Alcohol in Florida
The legal age to purchase and consume alcohol in the USA is 21.
Be prepared to present ID. American beer in general has less alcohol
(2-4%) than Canadian beer (5-7%) while wine and coolers are similar.
They call rye (i.e. Canadian Club) whiskey.
No alcohol is served in the Magic Kingdom.
Metric and Imperial Measurements
The US uses Imperial measurements. 100 kph= approximately 60 mph
(these are the little numbers on our speedometers while in the US
they are reversed)
There are 2.2 pounds (lbs.) to the kilogram.
A quick estimate of temperatures can be made by taking the temperature
in degrees Celsius, doubling it and adding 30. Thus 20 degrees Celsius
would be approximately 70 degrees Fahrenheit (and the reverse to
convert it back to Celsius). For average temperatures and rainfall
go to www.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca.
Rental Cars
If you fly and decide to rent a car be aware that you must be 25
years of age and hold a valid unrestricted driver's license for
the province you live in. Insurance is mandatory but this can more
than double your cost to rent a car and can run $30 a day. Many
insurance policies for your own car at home will cover you on rental
cars so BE SURE to check with your insurance company before you
go and bring proof of insurance with you to Florida. Some plans
have "optional rental car insurance" options which may
be $40 a year-much cheaper than $30 a day!
Rates for rental cars will vary greatly- be sure to shop around
and don't hesitate to call back or go back on line after your reservation
has been made to see if there are any better deals and look for
codes. For more information on whether to rent a car or not, click
here.
American Holidays
The parks tend to be busier around the US holidays such as:
- New Year's Day
- March breaks (vary from mid February to the end of March)
- Easter
- Memorial Day (the Monday after Victoria Day)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day (same day as Canadian Thanksgiving)
- Christmas Day
Most American students go back to school the week before Labor
Day so the parks are less crowded but it is still very hot. Some
American schools get out for summer as early as May.
Tipping/Gratuities
 In my opinion
this seems to be done more in the states than in Canada. 15-20%
for meals, 10% for buffets. Some WDW restaurants will add the tip
to your bill so be sure to check. Especially if your party is large.
Mousekeeping
(i.e. housekeeping) at the hotel $1-2 per person per day seems to
be the going rate. Most people leave the money in an envelope or
with a note and leave it daily rather than at the end of the trip
in case there are different staff during your stay.
$1 per bag
for a bellman.
If you use
a taxi during your stay taxi drivers should be tipped 15% of the
total fare or 25¢ a minute, whichever is higher.
If you stay
off site and have "free shuttles" to the parks it is nice
to give the driver about $1 per person per trip.
How to Get Into the Parks (4 options):
- 1 Day/1 Park Pass
- Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus Passes
- Ultimate Park Hoppers
- Annual Passes
For more ticket media information, click here.
Sometimes there are deals for Canadians, especially if you are
traveling in January to April. Recently there have been buy one
7-day Park Hopper Plus ticket and get one for half price or Canadian
money at par. These passes can seem like a great deal, however they
will EXPIRE. Regular passes bought at WDW, or at the Disney Store,
do not expire and can be used on your next trip even several years
from now. Whether it is a good deal or not will depend on how many
days you plan to spend and if your trip falls within the times the
tickets will be valid. A four-day ticket at regular price may be
cheaper if you only plan to use the 4 days.
How to Save Money
Look for
codes that will offer discounts. These can be found on our discussion
boards or on sites like www.mousesavers.com.
You can find deals on airfares, hotel, rental cars and more.
Go Off Season
Be cautious
of deals that offer free tickets- You may have to sit through a
four-hour presentation on condominiums and may not be worth half
to a full day of your vacation.
Other Tips
- Wear your colours! Flags, Roots Canada T-shirts, hockey/baseball
teams etc.
- They do sell a pin that is shaped like Mickey's head but has
the Canadian flag on it.
- Talk to the Cast Members (Disney Employees) from the Canadian
pavilion at Epcot.
If you have any other questions surf the rest of this
site and be sure to come and ask us at the Discussion
Forum!
Be sure to visit the Canadian
Disneyworld website for additional information. Also, the Orlando/Kissimmee
Area website has a specific area designed for Canadian travelers.
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