Daily housekeeping is one of the perks of staying in a hotel but there are lots of reasons people may choose to decline it: privacy, security, or maybe you just like taking care of things yourself.
Now Disney is giving you another reason to opt-out of housekeeping: a Disney gift card. This new program is called “Service Your Way”.
But how do you get a gift card for declining housekeeping services at Disney World?
…
We Canadians tend to get the short end of the stick more often than not. All over social media, there are giveaways and contests and they look amazing. Wouldn’t it be great to win a week at Disney.. .nope. Cause you live in Canada and the small print says it’s only for US citizens.
So when it came time to budget for our next Disney trip, we thought it would be great to check in on some of those discounted Disney gift cards everyone keeps telling us about. It’s a long shot, but research isn’t going to hurt anyone. Right?
For the vast majority of Canadians, we get which ever Credit Card our bank tells us is the best deal for our spending habits. This usually means low interest rates, low to no annual fee and few terms and conditions. While this is great for online shopping and traveling to visit Grandma for the holidays, it isn’t great when leaving the country.
Credit Card companies
If you purchase a Disney Gift Card here in Canada, it will be in Canadian funds, just like your credit card. And when you make a purchase with your Canadian-funds Disney Gift Card at Disney World, you will be charged the exchange rate based on yesterdays closing numbers. Just like your credit card. The only difference is, no Foreign Currency fee.
By using a Disney Gift Card purchased in Canada, you aren’t buying the card at a discount, as you would in the States, but you are saving yourself the Foreign Currency Fee. Which, based on a $6,000 vacation, that’s between $150-175 savings. Better in my pocket than in theirs.
The first thing you will hear about is Sam’s club. Similar to Costco, Sam’s club is a membership based warehouse retailer that sells bulk gift cards for less than face value – a $50 gift card sells for $44.99. That’s amazing.
But you need to pay for the annual membership first, which is $49 USD ($59.49 CAD). Everything you purchase will be in USD funds and your credit card may or may not charge Foreign Currency Fees.
Once you have created an account and signed up for their membership, simply purchase the cards and the codes will be emailed to you. Easy Peezy.
Grocery stores are a great way to purchase a few cards while doing what you normally do. Add a $50 card to each purchase or every other purchase and you are slowly making your Disney dreams come true.
Why grocery stores above any other store? Because most credit cards give up to 3% cash back / rewards for shopping at grocery stores – and they don’t actually care what you purchase there. Clothes, gift cards or a tub of ice cream, it’s all the same on your Visa statement.
As one of the few major Chain retailers left in Canada, both Best Buy and Walmart sell Disney gift cards at the store level.
Both companies offer their own corporate cards and both have their own cash-rewards programs for purchases made in store. It does not look like there are exceptions to their rewards program but check with them just in case.
The easiest way to purchase a Disney gift card is to go to the source; a Disney Store. They will be more than happy to sell you what you need. You won’t earn anything from it, in terms of reward points or Airmiles, but you won’t have to worry about being out of stock either.
Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall both carry a wide range of Gift Cards. While you can’t claim your 20x Optimum points for purchasing a gift card, you can still reap a few rewards with your cash back Visa.
And just in case you were wondering, no, you can not claim Air miles on gift card purchases either. We checked. You also can’t buy a Disney gift card with your Sobey’s gift card. They are sneaky little buggers.
Just like the drug stores, you can purchase as many Disney cards as you like at your local Canadian Tire, you just won’t be receiving any Canadian Tire money from it. Once again, you can not use Canadian Tire money to purchase a gift card either.
While we no longer have Target in Canada, that doesn’t mean we can’t cross the border to buy some gift cards. You can only buy gift cards at the discounted rate if you have a Target Red-card – their in-house credit card. And you need an American Address to apply for the card.
Now that you have upwards of 100 gift cards in your possession, you need to actually use them to pay for your vacation. Very rarely will a retailer carry gift cards larger than $50.
Merging Disney Gift Cards is fairly easy and straight forward. Regardless of denomination, simply create an account on the official Disney Gift Card Website, upload your Primary Gift card – this is where you want all the money to be loaded on to – and add 4 more cards to your cart. Transfer the balance, delete the empty cards and repeat. Each card can hold a maximum of $1000 USD.
Registering your cards on the website is also a great idea because if you lose one with a balance, you can go online to your account and transfer it to another card! Do this for any cards that remain in your possession and will tour with you into the parks or left in your hotel room.
The short answer is yes. And no.
There are a handful of great Credit Cards available that don’t force you to pay Foreign Currency fees, which is the main reason one would want to buy an American Discounted Disney Gift Card in the first place.
If you can’t get a hold of a fee-free credit card, all of your savings will be eaten up by this fee.
Let’s look at Sam’s Club, for example. Since it is the only Gift Card that would require you to purchase across the border. After paying for your membership, which comes to roughly $59.49 per year, you need to pay that off in savings, before you are in the black. At 3.5% savings, and 2.5% fees, it takes a minimum of $6,000 spending before you net save your first $50. You are then still looking at 1% savings on every dollar spent after that. While it is better than nothing, you are not hitting any multipliers on your credit card from your local grocery store.
As mentioned above, you are looking at between $150-175 savings on a standard $6000 purchase, which is better than nothing, but don’t spend too much time looking for deals. You’re best bet is to earn Air miles for “free” tickets, or PC Optimum points for free groceries (and put the cash towards your Disney purchase). Simply buy gift cards whenever you see them, knowing you are saving these fees and prepurchasing expenses.
Be sure to sign up for our newsletter. We will be updating this list as new offers become available and finding new ways for Canadians to pay for their Disney vacations.
Please share your thoughts in the comments or reach out on social media...We would love to hear from you.
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The green eyed monster makes her appearance every time I hear about someone visiting Disney for the 4th time this year! It drives me even crazier when I come to learn they leave near me, which means I know exactly how much it costs to visit. Or at least, I think I know.
There are a few tricks to getting to Disney on the cheap. And it doesn’t involve leaving the family behind and going solo for the week. Though that is an option too. This is how families can do Disney on a dime.
Not having a specific date in mind is the best way to find a cheap flight. If you want to see a special event, like Christmas decorations or Epcot Food and Wine, limit your range to those dates but be flexible within that range.
While driving sounds like the cheaper option, and it gives you the freedom to come and go as you please, there are a lot of factors to consider; wear and tear of the car, hotels, food while traveling, gas… and your time. You have limited time off from work, don’t spend it all in the car.
If you need to fly, use the Magical Express instead of renting a car. You can always call an uber or get something delivered. Chances are, it won’t add up to $500 in 7 days.
This could potentially mean taking the kids out of school for a week, but look at the cost savings and speak to their teacher about missing that much school. Maybe there is a way to make Disney educational? My dad went to Disney for the first time when he was 15 and his guardians made him do homework in the evening after touring. Harda$$? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
On a side note, if you want a little education for the little ones, as well as distracting them during travel or at dinner, check out our Mouse Travel Matters shop and find some incredible Country Study booklets that we created for exploring the Epcot World Showcase pavilions with the kids. You will be surprised how much information they retain when they are having fun.
In order to get the most bang for your buck, you need to think way ahead. Disney lets you reserve a room up to 1.5 years in advance. Secure a spot, put down a deposit, and keep an eye on the discounts that creep up during the year.
Non-discounted Room rates are also cheaper the further out you book, which means the rooms will only get more expensive as time goes by. Another great point; you are locked into any price that you reserve at. If you book tickets just before the annual increase, no problem. You get to keep the lower price, as long as the tickets don’t expire before you arrive.
Traveling to Disney World from Canada – for Canadian resident discounts and more tips for our friends in the North
Using a Disney certified Travel Agent means having someone on your side, to make all the hard decisions, research and reservations. They are especially handy at knowing all of the hidden discounts and combinations to reach max cost-savings.
What’s better, is a reputable travel agent receives a commission from the sale of the vacation. This means you aren’t paying them, Disney is.
Joining Disney Facebook groups and following fan pages all over social media is a great way to learn about discounts and offers.
Getting emails straight from Disney is getting the information straight from the horses mouth. They will be able to tell you if something is being renovated, overcrowded or preparing to open.
There are so many reasons to stay onsite, despite the added upfront costs. While we won’t go into every single perk, you can find those here, the top perks include access to the Magical Express, advanced selection on Fastpasses and free transportation to the parks.
A bit of a contradiction here but bare with me. Staying off site has a few perks as well. There is the upfront savings, larger accommodations and most hotels near Disney will offer some sort of transportation to the parks – though their timings are a little limited so take that into consideration as well.
Check out all of our pros and cons for off-site here before making a reservation.
Did you know that you can turn 1 QS credit into 3 snack credits? That is a lot of cupcakes and pretzels. Many guests have been known to use their snack credits for breakfast options, and keep that QS credit for another time.
Also, buffet dining is a great way to fill your appetite, without paying extra. If you aren’t required to dine at specific times, try a later snack/breakfast and late buffet lunch. This is a great way to keep up the calories needed to survive (the parks) and have dinner at your hotel after you are done touring. No need to skip a meal just to save money – just organize your meals better.
Lunches also cost less than dinner, even though they serve the exact same food – and sometimes in the exact same portions. Be sure you are checked in and seated at your restaurant of choice during their lunch times.
Ok so if skipping a meal or eating at a buffet isn’t your cup of tea, then just stick to the Quick Service restaurants. They are significantly cheaper than table service restaurants and take half the time to order and eat.
Did you know you can do Mobile Ordering now? Make your choices from the attraction queue and having everything waiting for you when you are ready. Because why not.
There are many variations to the Disney Dining Plan; Quick Service, Regular and Deluxe. On top of that, Disney also offers a free dining plan each year for onsite guests– generally in the off-season between September and early December (also when flights are cheaper and crowds are low).
If you planned on getting all the bells and whistles anyway, getting the free Dining Plan is literally free food so of
Generally speaking, the mid-range plans are of decent value, but you need to understand the value of your credits and choose your dining options accordingly. Also, most of the best value dining plan restaurants tend to be at different Disney resort properties so to maximize the value of your dining plan, you do need to travel around.
Paying for the Dining Plan may seem like a great way of budgeting your meals, paying in advance and overall Grade A organization, but that is A LOT of food from one person. We have seen too many guests coming home with an entire suitcase of Disney snacks because they just had too many credits left over at the end of their trip.
Look at your planned restaurants, make a sample menu selection and find out how much you plan on spending during your trip.
Even if your hotel room doesn’t have kitchen, you can still have a mini fridge brought to your room. Have anything and everything delivered and bring your own food into the parks. Make your own breakfast, pack a lunch and come home to a late night snack. Every little bit counts.
Bring snacks will cut the costs of in-park purchases and help quell those hunger pangs.
There are also a great handful of cheap snacks within Disney; Rice Krispie squares, Ice cream sandwich, Pretzels, and popcorn. But don’t forget to get the refillable bucket – those refills are a steal after the initial investment.
I love the refillable popcorn buckets. They are a onetime investment and mean you are able to get refills for just $1.75. That’s insane. We get at least two refills per day, everyday, between the 4 of us, while in the parks. They are a great snack to have regardless of the weather, and they store really well.
A refillable resort mug doesn’t translate into a whole lot of savings within the parks, but they do make for free refills while at the resort; fill it up before heading for bus. It’s better than no refills.
Since your resort mug doesn’t get you much in the parks, other than a refillable water bottle, bring your own
Either way, the parks offer free and unlimited ice water at any restaurant.
New card members get a $250 statement credit when they spend $500 in the first 3 months (Premier Visa) or $100 statement credit after the first purchase (Visa). There is also a statement credit reward of 2% and 1 % respectively on all
Disney Visa Card holders also have in park discounts on merchandise, Memory Maker and dining locations.
Sadly, these offers are only available for U.S citizens
For us Canadians, the odds are that your credit card charges you a 2.5% fee whenever you make a purchase in a foreign currency. Fortunately, there are credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees so sign up for one before you leave.
Check out some other tips on traveling to Disney World from Canada.
If you are an American, or live near the border, you have the luxury of visit your local Target store and purchase discounted Disney Gift Cards.
I don’t even understand how the math works but it is in our
Be sure to hang on to all cards, even once they have been used. In the case of a refund, they will be issued to the Gift Card, not your credit card.
Again, this is another initial investment reaps big rewards type of savings. If you and your family plan on visiting often, or you have a large family, the costs can start to add up. Not sure? Don’t worry. You can always upgrade your tickets after you’ve checked in.
By purchasing an Annual Pass, for at least one member of the group, you are now eligible for dining and merchandise discounts, and a few freebies – depending on the Annual Pass level purchased.
Renting Disney Vacation points, or purchasing a membership, can help save big when looking for a larger family suite or deluxe experience.
There are many, many ways to purchase Disney tickets. But not all of them are authorized by Disney. Plain and simple, this means that you may be purchasing counterfeit tickets, expired or otherwise invalid park tickets. These are also rarely covered by your travel insurance.
Undercover Tourist seems to be the best authorized discount seller on the market – while their prices are the same as other authorized sellers, they appear to have a better customer service experience and therefore are our top pick. For now.
You will be given an e-ticket after purchase, and this is what you use to link your tickets to your My Disney Experience app. Hang on to the email just in case there is an issue, though there rarely is.
While Undercover Tourist is great at providing discounts on regular tickets, Disney does offer discounts for certain groups of people.
For example, there are Canadian residence discounts, Florida residence discounts, and Military discounts. This is when a Travel Agent will be able to let you know if and when you are eligible and booking so far in advance gives you plenty of time to find and purchase these tickets during their purchase window. Being flexible with the dates is also a great way to be able to use said discounted tickets – as they are not always valid throughout the year.
The more you purchase, the cheaper each day becomes.
The way that the Disney World ticket system works, is that the more days you add to your Magic Your Way tickets the cheaper the day-to-day rates are on the overall ticket price. So for those visiting the parks that wish they had more time and want to tack on an extra days worth of park tickets at the end, it is possible to get it at the cheaper rate. All you need to do is stop by the ticket windows at your theme park, the Guest Relations building or your lobby concierge to add on the additional dates.
You are able to add more days to your existing ticket as long as there are days left on the ticket. If it is within 14 days of a theme park ticket’s first use and the ticket has remaining admissions, you are able to upgrade the ticket
Here’s the deal, Disney knows it’s cheaper to use two park tickets on the same day than to purchase the Park Hopper option, so if you have entered one park on a One-Park-per-day ticket, you will be denied entrance to another park. They will then school you on the benefits of a Park Hopper and hope you prefer to make the upgrade vs turning around.
That being said, Park Hopper tickets are notoriously expensive. It is great for maximizing your time at Walt Disney World – since you can hop around to another park when you are done touring the first, transportation between parks is brutal and extremely time consuming; transferring at a hotel or the transportation and ticket center.
Fastpass selections, Dining reservations and operating hours of the parks themselves can make the purchase of a Park Hopper pass alluring but if you are trying to stay on a budget, it is best to skip this option and plan accordingly.
Instead of renting a car, you can use the free shuttle
Plan your activities and excursions ahead of time. Booking FastPasses for the attractions you want to hit is an essential step for your Disney planning. They are free, and avoiding lineups is a sure-fire way to convince even reluctant travelers that the cost of the whole trip was worth it. Who wants to pay $5000 to wait in line for 300 minutes? Not I. And certainly not the kids.
40 Things to do Near Walt Disney World Without Visiting a Theme Park
There are tours available through Disney that come with a personal guide, extra fastpasses and more, to “expedite the fun”.
To keep impulse buys to a minimum, put a number on your spending money before you make your trip. Have gift cards assigned to each child and don’t let them spend more.
There are many ways to make a few dollars online. Ebates, Swagbucks, Airmiles and PC points are a great way to earn money from home or while going about your regular business. There is a learning curve and can take some time to see real results but consistency and dedication have helped many guests score discounted or “free” tickets and flights to Disney.
Use this
Disney doesn’t charge room rates, entrance tickets or Table Service meals for children under the age of 3. This means if you are really strapped for cash, going with a toddler can save you hundreds vs visiting a few years later.
Furthermore, airlines allow children under the age of 2 to fly for practically free (typically 25% of the seat price) when they sit on your lap. This doesn’t sound like the most comfortable way to travel, but having done this a few times on shorter flights, it is worth the cost savings. And if there is a free seat near you, you are allowed to place your child on the seat, as long as you aren’t upgrading.
Disney and surrounding areas do offer strollers and scooters for rent, but they aren’t the most comfortable pieces of equipment. The costs do start to add up when you consider you need to rent them for so long.
You already have the equipment, you’ve already made the investment, why not use it.
Check out the wealth of information we have compiled regarding strollers and Disney.
There is so much to make from home that we are in the process of creating an article surrounding the idea of DIY Disney. In the mean time, there are plenty of DIY options to cut down on costs; Autograph books, Mouse Ears, and Disney t-shirts.
I recently saw a tutorial on how a family turned their sons artwork into a custom shirt with only their inkjet printer and transfer paper. You bet we will be trying this out and reporting on it’s success (or failure) in the near future.
Outside of making it yourself, there are plenty of Disney souvenirs on Amazon, Etsy and Disney outlets just outside of Orlando. Considering what you want to buy, and where you can get it for less. There is no point in going broke just to say you bought that item at the Magic Kingdom when it cost half the price next door.
This is my least favourite money-saving tip. At $199, it would be negligent of me not to mention it, but the photos that come out of having Photopass photographers using my camera haven’t always turned out. We tried just having them take the pictures and comparing them to see if we really wanted to buy it (after the fact) and it awful.
They do seem to do an incredible job with cellphone pictures, mostly because the phone does all the work.
Please share your thoughts in the comments or reach out on social media...We would love to hear from you.
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Canadians are not immune to the allure of Disney World. We are, however, not on Disney’s radar, in terms of target audience. Since Disney has their eyes on their fellow Americans, finding tips and travel discounts that apply to Canucks can be a little difficult.
Just because there aren’t as many ways to save from Canada, that doesn’t mean it is impossible.
Disney Gift Cards
Disney Gift Cards save on the bank fees for foreign transactions.
Wait? What Bank fees?
Oh they didn’t tell you?! Your bank charges you a foreign transactions fee each time you use it outside of Canada. Not all cards, but a good portion of them do. And they are not always transparent with the fees. Sometimes they are lumped into the exchange rate and you have no idea you are paying up to 2.5% extra.
A gift card, purchased in Canada, in Canadian funds, does not trigger such bank fee, because it’s not foreign. Then, when you call Disney to pay off your vacation or use it in the parks as a means of purchasing meals or souvenir, there is no foreign fee. Just your standard exchange rate, at yesterdays closing rate.
Where to purchase Disney Gift Cards in Canada
So if you are holding on to a few hundred dollars worth of gift cards, watch the stock market carefully and call Disney as soon as you see the dollar near it’s projected peak.
Airmiles, Aeroplan, ebates, Swagbucks and a handful of other online points systems exist to help the every day user save a few dollars here and there in exchange for a lot of hard work.
While the savings can be significant, one reader reporting getting free Disney 7-day Park Hopper tickets for her family of 4, it took her nearly a year of saving and couponing to achieve this. That’s just over $1800 USD in savings, which is incredible. Our only concern is the time spent and the amount of personal information that was given to these websites in order to achieve such savings.
Personally, we stick to reward Credit Cards and PC Points/Air Miles/ Aeroplan miles. I don’t have to do surveys, scan products in stores, run around town chasing discounts or buy a ton of pickles just to get 100x the rewards. (I can’t make this stuff up if I tried).
While many of our personal choices don’t turn into ‘free’ Disney tickets, they do translate into gift cards at my local grocery store. Take the cash I just saved by using a “free” gift card and put that in my Disney savings jar.
There. PC Points just helped me get that much closer to Disney. Thanks Loblaws.
It’s no secret that travel agents have access to some pretty amazing discounts. But they aren’t a secret; Disney does not give them a special deal, they just know EVERYTHING about Disney because that is their job. They may also be able to provide on board credit or booking discount for reserving with them, but this comes from their bottom line, not Disney’s end.
Regardless how you get the discount, Travel Agents can be a wealth of information and even help you pick better dates based on crowd predictions.
Disney doesn’t offer a whole lot of discounts to Canadians, so when they do, it’s best to get in on it. Authorized Disney resalers aren’t able to compete with these offers either, as they are exclusive to Disney.
Tickets may be purchased from August 29, 2018, through March 15, 2019, for usage through September 27, 2019. Blockout dates of December 24, 2018, through January 1, 2019, apply. Keep these dates in mind, since they have been releasing Canadian Residency discounts with these stipulations for the last few years and we haven’t heard of any rumors threatening to end the trend.
As you can see from the chart below, the discounts are significant.
| Number of Days | Non-Discounted Ticket Price (USD) | Canadian Resident Special Offer Price (USD) | Canadian Resident Ticket with Park Hopper Option | Canadian Resident Ticket with Park Hopper Plus Option |
| 4-Day Ticket | $401.76 | $336.54 USD | $406.83USD | $430.26USD |
| 5-Day Ticket | $419.58 | $350.39USD | $420.68USD | $444.11USD |
| 6-Day Ticket | $432.40 | $359.97USD | $430.26USD | $453.69USD |
So now that we have looked at a few of the ways you can save a few dollars, let’s look at the unique specifics of planning a trip to Disney World from Canada.
It is going to be expensive!
Not only is our dollar not the greatest these days, but flying out of Canada isn’t the cheapest way to travel either. If you live near an American airport, we strongly advice you take that route into consideration when making your travel plans.
We’ve had friends drive as far as 5 hours from home in order to reach a cheaper airport. We aren’t talking about $150 savings here; this was over $1000 savings and they are a family of 5. That is their food budget for the week. It’s incredible.
With the low dollar also means replacing anything forgotten is going to eat up your vacation budget fairly quickly. Make sure you pack enough of everything and don’t forget anything at home.
Also a point to note; there are brands that are not available in
How to Pack the Perfect Disney Park Bag Ever!
While our provincial health insurance is incredibly comprehensive, using your healthy insurance outside of the country is a little limiting.
OHIP, for example, (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) pays up to $400 CAN per day in U.S. hospital costs, depending on the level of care. The plan also reimburses outpatient visits at $50 CAN per day. And it reimburses physicians costs at the rate they would be paid in Ontario. If a U.S. physician charges more than an Ontario doctor for the same procedure, the Ontario patient pays the difference. All of this is just to say that you need Travel Insurance, even when making a day trip across the border for gift cards or a Target shopping spree.
Travel insurance also covers unexpected things like canceled or delayed flights, lost luggage and time off work due to injuries. If your boss suddenly decides you aren’t getting the week off you asked for months ago, Disney probably won’t refund you but your Travel Insurance will; you just need to show proof that your time off request was approved before purchasing the vacation eh voila! Refund!
Check to see if your Travel Credit Card comes with insurance, though it may not always be as comprehensive as third party insurance, or insurance straight through Disney themselves.
Unlike in Canada, where we exchange American currency freely at the register, they are not as accommodating south of the border. Sure, their tills probably have a way of registering the different currencies and factoring in the exchange rate, but they won’t. Plain and simple.
When heading to America, be sure to have enough cash on your person or be prepared to visit an ATM to replenish because your Canadian bills are no good there.
Same goes for coins. Pressed pennies and other coin operated machines will not accepted our currency either. Hit up the bank and buy yourself a fist full of American pennies. Or buy some from the first Timmies you see in America – I’m sure they won’t mind selling you a roll of pennies. One less thing to do at the bank later.
I regret to inform you that Magic Bands will not be mailed to your door. Walt Disney World will mail them to any US address but not a Canadian address. You can still order Magic Bands from Amazon or Shop Disney for offsite guests or you want something fancy. Otherwise, you will have to wait until you check in to your hotel and pick them up there.
This makes pre-check in a little funny. Traditionally, Disney allows guests to precheck into their hotels via the App without even stepping foot on the resort and head straight for the parks – this is great when self-driving and you know your room won’t be ready for a few hours anyway.
Sadly, if you haven’t received Magic Bands, we get to wait in line, process more information and have our bands given to us then. If this is not your first time visiting, feel free to use your old Magic Bands, pre-check-in and go about your business. Come back later and get your new Bands for another trip.
Speaking of checking procedures, according to Disney themselves, Canadians are required to present proof of residency via Government issued Photo ID (and remember, your Health Card is not a valid form of ID when presented to a non-Health Care Physician). This is also true for the first day you plan on using your Canadian Resident Tickets – they want to make sure you are eligible. There have been recent comments from readers suggesting that they have not been checked at the Hotel or the Park gates, and this is up to the CM. I wouldn’t risk it, and therefore we still suggest having your ID ready just in case they ask. We wouldn’t want to waste our entire EMH shleping back to the hotel just to get our wallets, would we (true story).
What is Roam Like Home? For $7 Rogers and $8 Bell per day in the U.S, you get full access to the data, talk
While Wifi is available in the parks, it has been known to be a little slow when there are more users on the network. You will probably also want to have access to your smartphone while in the airport, on the bus or any time you aren’t within a Wifi zone.
I don’t know what went wrong in the planning stages of Canada Pavilion but it is not a taste of home. We tore it apart in our detailed review of Epcot vs Reality series and are sad to report that Canada pavilion missed the mark when it comes to representing Canada. Sure they have toffy, Canadian Mouse gear and Goofy dressed as a lumberjack but it’s not 100% of what Canada is about. I want you to know this before heading to the Parks and being disappointed in person. This goes back to managing your
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Whether you are planning a Disneyland Paris vacation for the first time or the hundredth time, there will always be something that you missed; a discount here, a tip there. It’s endless. Throw in some exclusive offers like Disneyland Paris Military Discount, and your whole train has been derailed; start again from scratch. These Disneyland Paris Travel Tips are tailored to helping military personnel
Tickets are available for purchase, at the gate. The Ticketmaster only opens at 9 am, however, so if you qualify for Extra Magic Hours, you will have to wait on that first day until you are able to make the initial purchase, or buy the night before. A valid military ID is required.
Disneyland Paris, because it is physically not in America, do not make distinctions between military nationalities. Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland California, however, have rigid policies regarding American Military members or Foreign Nationals working for the American Military.
In terms of numbers, Military members receive 50% off of 2 or 3 day Adult & Child 2 Day Park Tickets. They are not applicable to single day passes. A member must be present at time of purchase and can only purchase up to 4 additional tickets – unless the immediate family is larger than 5 (having 4 kids or bringing a grandparent, for example), they may make an exception and grant the Disneyland Paris Military discount to all tickets, but this is based on the individual ticket agent’s discretion.
There is anecdotal evidence to support that Spouse Cards are also an acceptable form of ID, therefore allowing two sets of 4 additional tickets.
Estimated Prices*:
These tickets must be purchased in person with your military ID or Dependant card at the Disneyland Park or Walt Disney Studios Park ticket windows.
* Be sure to check current prices and Euro exchange rates. You’ll pay in Euros at the gate.
There is such a thing as Disneyland Hotel-Only rates. Each hotel has a different discount rate, and this differs based on crowd predictions as well, but it can range from 35-45% off. In order to make this type of reservation, you will need to call the reservation desk, they can be reached by phone at 0-84-48 008 898, and only book the room.
From there, mention your desire for a Disneyland Hotel-Only rate. Because Disneyland Paris hotels offer Extra Magic Hours with their tickets but you have now just purchased a hotel reservation only, they will give you a special card that allows you Extra Magic Access when combined with your Entrance Ticket.
Off-site resorts do not offer any sort of hotel Military rate, but depending on the time of year, their full price rate may or may not be better than the Disneyland Paris Hotel-Only Rate.
As far as we can tell, there are no blackout dates. Several agents have been called, several times, and always return with the same answer; blackout dates are issued on a monthly basis based on crowd predictions but they have yet to issue Military Discount Blackout dates. Even on Christmas Morning.
There comes a time in every planner’s itinerary when they must weigh the various options and decide which is the better deal. If you are booking off-site, as I mentioned, purchasing Disneyland Paris Military Discount Tickets is the obvious choice. But what about those planning to stay on site?
Those package deals look pretty amazing, and they are only valid as a package. Tickets also cannot be partially refunded at the gate when purchased as part of a package. In lamens terms, once you’ve purchased a package with a special offer, like buy two nights receive two nights, or free half board plus dining plan, you can not double dip and also get military discount added to your entrance tickets.
Again, there is rarely a room-only special so it is best to check all prices and combination options before making a final decision.
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