Mind-Blowing Hidden Disney Hack Saves Guests Hundreds

in Walt Disney World

Mickey Mouse in front of Cinderella Castle during the 50th Anniversary

Credit: Disney

If you are from Canada, or any foreign country, traveling into Disney World or Disneyland, we have a great tip that can save you hundreds, depending on the price of your vacation. 

Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom
Credit: Disney

It is no surprise that Disney vacations are becoming much more costly. At Disney World, we have seen price increases across the board. Most recently, Disney Genie+ has been added to the docket of possible options and upgrades that Guests can purchase. Now, FastPasses being free are a thing of the past, whereas Lightning Lane is the new paid upgrade. This means that Guests looking to skip lines will have to pay $15.00 per person to ride certain attractions, while others have their own individual price at Disney World. Depending on what rides you want to skip the line on, and how big your party is, these new offerings, while convenient, can drive up the daily cost for you.

walt disney world railroad
Credit: Disney

We have also seen price increases on food, as well as prices for tickets. Park Hopper Plus 4-day tickets used to range from $546.65 — $708.57 and are now $559.53 — $708.57. It appears that on average, multi-day tickets increased by around $20 or so. Plus, there are now new experiences such at the Galactic Starcruiser available for Guests, which will cost nearly $6000 for a two-night stay, elevating the Disney experience and putting a new “normal” on such a costly price tag. Since so many Disney fans want to do it all, finding areas in which you can save some money is key.

When you are not from the United States, traveling to Disney can end up costing even more as flights are more expensive when they are international, and conversion fees from your bank can really add up and eat away at your travel fund. We recently saw Disney fans take to Reddit to try and figure out, as a Canadian, how to save money and avoid these pesky bank fees.

Cast Member Mask
Credit: Disney

Terrible_Tutor brought the question up stating:

What’s the preferred way to pay for things in Florida. I have a TD Travel Rewards Infinite Visa, but it looks like it’s a 2.5% fee added for every transaction.

How do you guys buy things down there, straight-ass Debit, certainly nobody is bringing thousands in raw cash?

If I’m paying for everything on my Magic Band, that then goes back as charges to VISA against the room, right?

Have 54 days to figure this out before we go… would like to be on top of it now that it occurred to me.

Looking for Currency Conversion Tips for Canadians from WaltDisneyWorld

As a Canadian, I can say that I have tried everything until I found what seems to be the only loophole in the system. I too wondered for years how I could save money on a vacation to Walt Disney World Resort before I moved to Orlando, without getting charged unnecessarily by my bank. And unless you have a US credit card, this will unfortunately be you as well.

The issue began when I noticed that my bill for paying for my stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort ended up costing me over $100 more than the converted fee. When I called my bank, I discovered that this was because of their fee that they added on due to me paying by card in the US. As the post notes, carrying thousands in cash is not likely, and even if someone were to do this, they would still be charged a conversion fee when taking the money out.

magic kingdom emporium
Credit: Disney World

So, to avoid this, international travelers should purchase Disney gift cards from their home country.

When purchasing a Disney gift card, you are able to use that in Disney World and Disneyland — even if you bought it in a different currency at home! The card just takes whatever the daily conversion rate is in US dollars from your currency, and there is no fee. This means you have no fee to purchase the card, and no fee while you spend the money.

It is important to note that if you have a $500 gift card, for example, that you purchased in Canada (or any country) it will not be worth that in US dollars, it will be worth whatever the equivalent is in the US conversion. As an example, at the moment $500.00 CAD is around $392.00 USD, but of course, that number fluctuates daily. It is just good to keep in mind how much you should bring with you to ensure you have around what you think you would need in US dollars.

Disney world 50th anniversary crowds magic kingdom
Credit: ITM Kelly C.

You can also pay for your hotel in Disney gift cards, so I often would purchase them at home, and pre-pay for the hotel before I arrived with the gift cards, so it is taken care of — or I would just bring them with me.

Another option is to purchase pre-paid credit cards which will act in the same way, and be able to be used off of Disney property. You do need to pay a small fee when you purchase the card to activate it, however, it can save you a lot more in the long run.

Carrying thousands of gift cards can also be daunting, so be sure to keep your wallet organized and safe. Of course, you should still bring a credit and debit card with you as you may very well need it, but having the gift cards will save you a lot of money when it comes to day to day transactions, and can also help you budget and pay off the majority of your trip before you even arrive!

Have you ever tried this money-saving hack at Disney World? Let us know in the comments below. 

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!

in Walt Disney World

View Comments (8)