How To Use Credit Card Points For A Disney Vacation
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A magical family vacation to Walt Disney World Resorts is a dream for many, but the costs can add up quickly. Fortunately, savvy travelers can use credit card reward points to make a Disney vacation more affordable. Here's a comprehensive guide on how to maximize your Disney World experience by leveraging travel rewards.
Goal 1: Getting to Orlando Using Travel Miles
The first step in planning your Disney trip with points is determining which airlines operate flights from your hometown to Orlando International Airport (MCO). With over 30 airlines flying into Orlando—including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways—you likely have multiple options for your flight.
Once you've identified the airlines that serve your route, explore co-branded airline credit cards or general travel rewards credit cards that partner with those airlines. Many co-branded airline credit cards offer bonus miles on specific spending categories, so check which ones align with your everyday spending.
Many travel rewards programs allow you to book flights directly through their portals, while others offer better value when transferring points to airline partners. Southwest Airlines is a very popular choice when flying into Orlando, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards card offers some great perks. If your interested in Southwest Airlines also consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred, as Southwest Airlines is a travel partner with Chase.
Research how many miles are needed for your flight to Orlando and accumulate enough points before moving on to the next goal: park tickets or hotels.
Goal 2: Using Points for Disney World Park Tickets
Using Chase Ultimate Rewards for Disney World Park Tickets
Chase Ultimate Rewards does not have an ideal method for purchasing Disney theme park tickets. Sometimes, the Chase Travel portal offers Disney theme park tickets, but they are often unavailable or more expensive than buying directly through Disney or third-party site like Undercover Tourist.
One exception: If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can apply the $300 annual travel credit toward Disney tickets if the purchase codes as a travel expense. However, tickets bought directly from Disney typically code as entertainment. To ensure tickets qualify as travel, purchase them from an authorized third-party vendor like Undercover Tourist.
Using American Express Membership Rewards for Disney World Park Tickets
American Express Membership Rewards can be used to buy Disney World Park tickets through several methods:
Link your American Express to PayPal and use American Express Membership Reward points at checkout when purchasing through a third-party vendor like Undercover Tourist.
Redeem American Express Membership Rewards Points as a statement credit after purchasing Disney tickets.
While neither method offers the best redemption rate compared to transferring points to airline or hotel partners, they are options if reducing out-of-pocket costs is your priority. If you are going to use American Express Rewards for your Disney Parks tickets, consider the American Express Gold card or the Platinum American Express card.
Bonus Tip: Use Rakuten when shopping online to earn additional Membership Rewards points, helping you accumulate more points for future Disney trips. To learn more on using Rakuten to earn Amex Membership Rewards check out How To Use Rakuten to Earn American Express Points.
Using Capital One Venture Miles for Disney World Park Tickets
Capital One Venture Miles can be a great way to cover Disney World park tickets. When you use a Capital One Venture for travel purchases, you can redeem Capital One Venture Miles as a statement credit as long as the purchase codes as TRAVEL. To ensure your Disney tickets code as travel, consider purchasing through Undercover Tourist. A Capital One Venture Rewards credit card is a good option to use points for Disney Parks.
Goal 3: Save on Hotels With Points at Disney World
While the allure of staying in a Disney-Branded hotel is large... so is the cost. Popular brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have properties conveniently located near Disney World. While they aren’t officially Disney resorts, some—such as the Marriott Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin Resorts—offer Disney-like perks, including early park entry. As part of the Marriott family, these hotels can be booked with Marriott Bonvoy points, helping you stretch your travel rewards.
Keep in mind that some properties, including the Swan and Dolphin, charge resort fees, so even if you use points, your stay may not be entirely free. If you’re looking to maximize savings, consider off-property hotels that provide additional value. For example, on a recent trip, we stayed at the Marriott Imperial Palms Villas, a resort offering spacious three-bedroom suites just 10-15 minutes from Disney. The extra space made for a more relaxing vacation, and the location was incredibly convenient. Check out our review of the Marriott Imperial Palms Villas.
Full kitchen at the Marriott Imperial Palms Villas
Many off-property hotels also provide free breakfast, which can help lower your overall food costs and simplify your mornings before heading to the parks. Hotels near Disney Springs often offer extra amenities for a fraction of the cost of Disney-affiliated hotels, making them a smart choice for budget-conscious travelers.
Once you find which hotel you would like to stay at, consider co-branded hotel cards such as the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, American Express Marriot Bonvoy Bevy, or American Express Hilton Honors Surpass to earn large amounts of sign up bonuses.
Find the perfect hotel for your Disney trip using our Disney World Hotel Database in the Pixie Dust Community.
How to Maximize Travel Reward Points
Many travel credit cards provide enticing sign-up bonuses that can rapidly increase your points balance. To fully take advantage of these offers, it's wise to plan your Disney trip a few months ahead. This approach gives you ample time to meet the spending requirements for the bonus without putting pressure on your finances. Be sure to charge every possible expense to your travel rewards card; avoid using other payment methods when the travel rewards card is an option. For instance, if a card offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months, make sure to put all your routine purchases—like groceries, utilities, and even Disney tickets—onto the card to swiftly hit that target.
Once you fulfill the sign-up spending requirement, consider applying for another card to earn additional welcome bonuses. It can also be beneficial to involve a partner or spouse in this strategy. You can take turns signing up for new cards and consolidate your household expenses onto the latest card. Earning sign-up bonuses can significantly speed up your points accumulation! Relying solely on your own spending to accumulate 60,000 points would take much longer compared to having your partner apply for a new card and utilizing that for all household purchases.
Keep an eye out for bonus categories too. If you're managing several travel cards, ensure you're maximizing the bonus categories like gas stations and grocery stores by charging those relevant expenses to the appropriate cards. Another clever way to exploit bonus categories is to purchase Disney gift cards from stores that fall under a bonus category. For example, if grocery stores earn bonus rewards on your card, buy Disney gift cards there to rack up extra travel points. Dive into how to effectively utilize travel reward points for your Disney World adventure!
Combine Points with Promotions
Stay alert for exclusive promotions and deals from both Disney and its travel affiliates. Occasionally, you can merge these offers with your points to achieve even larger savings. For instance, Disney frequently provides reduced-price park tickets or hotel bundles during quieter seasons.
Choose the Right Credit Card
Identifying the best credit cards can be subjective, as preferences vary widely among users. Each travel card comes with unique benefits, annual fees, and bonus point structures for various spending categories. Some cards may carry higher annual fees but provide additional perks, such as airport lounge access, statement credits for specific purchases, or complimentary night certificates. Not everyone may feel comfortable with a card that has a significant annual fee.
Many travel cards offer bonus rewards for different spending categories, which can differ based on individual household habits. For instance, as a family of four with two growing children, grocery stores represent an excellent bonus category for my card. If your goal is a Disney vacation package (hotel and tickets combined) purchased through Disney, a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card maybe the best option for you (note it will take a significant amount of Capital One Venture Miles to cover the cost of a Disney vacation package). Capital one Venture Miles are the most flexible, in that you can earn a credit for travel purchases.
Once you have selected a hotel or airline, it is always a good idea to have both a general rewards credit card that is partnered with that brand and the co-branded card for that brand.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is always a popular pick in the general reward credit card options. They have a good amount of travel partners including IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. However, lets say you pick a Hyatt Place for your trip, you can earn a Category 1-4 Hyatt Hotel free night award just by having the Hyatt credit card. In addition, if you use the card (which you will to earn the sign up bonus), you can work your way to an additional Category 1-4 Hyatt Hotel free night award. I am a fan of Hyatt Place hotels in general (even when not traveling to Disney World).
Another example where it is beneficial to have the co-branded hotel credit card is with Marriott Bonvoy. The American Express Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offer free award nights, just for hold the card. The American Express Bevy card, offers a free night award after a minimum spending on the card annually. Keep in mind you can use Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at the Disney Marriott Swan, Disney Marriott Swan Reserve and Disney Marriott Dolphin hotels. Combine the Marriott Bonvoy 5th night free along, free night certificates, and sign-up bonuses and you will quickly get a free stay for your Walt Disney World Resort vacation.
Planning a Disney World trip using credit card reward points requires strategic thinking, but the potential savings are massive. By selecting the optimal credit card, taking full advantage of welcome bonuses, and redeeming your points wisely, you can immerse yourself in the enchantment of Disney without stretching your budget. Whether you’re booking flights to Orlando, reserving nearby accommodations, or managing park costs, your credit card rewards can transform your magical vacation dreams into a delightful reality.