A Guide to Planning Your Disney World Using Reward Points

Turning Our Disney World Trip Dreams into Reality

I have wanted to take our family to Disney World for a while now, however, my husband was hesitant to spend a lot of money to go to Disney (it isn’t his dream vacation). This triggered my new travel hacking goal… travel to Disney World for 4 adults and 2 kids, for as cheap as possible. I began planning my points trip in January 2023, aiming to travel in April 2024. This timeline allowed me a year to accumulate enough points. I knew travel hacking Disney World would be difficult, but doable. 

At first, just the 4 (2 kids and 2 adults) of us were going to Disney World and I wanted to stay at one of Marriott’s on-property hotels, Swan, Swan Reserve, or Dolphin hotels. I applied for the American Expresses Bonvoy Brilliant card, which has a signup bonus of 95,000 points. I had my Person 2 apply for an American Express Bevy Card, which has a sign-up bonus of 85,000 points. While the American Expresses Bonvoy Brilliant card has a higher annual fee. For beginner travel hackers, annual fees seem daunting, but many of them have annual credits that offset these annual fees such as dining credits, free nights, etc. Check out our post on "Are High-Fee Travel Reward Credit Cards Worth the Price?"

As plans evolved, my parents decided they wanted to come to Disney World as well. Since I was already accumulating Marriot points, I started to look at offsite Marriott hotels that would accommodate the 6 of us in one space. My dad and husband both advocated for having a full kitchen available to save money on food while we were there. I found there are so many Marriott Vacation Clubs, which are set up like apartments, with full kitchens and separate bedrooms. We decided on Marriott Imperial Palms Villas, which has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a full kitchen. There is even a washer/ dryer in the unit which helps tremendously. The 8-night stay cost 134,000 points and 2 free night certificates (85,000 from the Bonvoy Brilliant card and 50,000 from the Bonvoy card).

Airfare- How We Got Free Airfare for Disney World

Last year, when we traveled to Switzerland, we paid cash for our airfare. I kept checking ticket prices, and they went down about 2 months before our trip. So, I canceled our tickets and repurchased them, which left me with approx. $300 travel credit for each of us. I used these travel credits for our airfare.

Decide where you would like to stay at Disney. While on-property Disney hotels are not eligible for travel rewards, consider Marriott's Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin hotels, which can be booked with Marriott reward points. The Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin hotels have many of the benefits of on-property hotels. If you are open to staying off property there are tons of hotels available, and credit card options with those hotels. Choose one that works for you.

Accumulate Points Strategically

Focus on accumulating points strategically by using your card for everyday expenses and capitalizing on bonus categories. Keep an eye out for special promotions, sign-up bonuses, and leverage a second person (Person 2) to gain additional bonuses. See our post here for more about Person 2.

Plan Travel Dates Wisely For Best Points Redemptions

Flexibility with your travel dates can go a long way in maximizing your points. Check for off-peak seasons or mid-week travel, as this can often result in lower point requirements for flights and accommodations. Be sure to plan well in advance to secure availability.

Free or Budget Airfare

Explore credit cards associated with airlines flying from your home to Orlando. Chances are they have a credit card that offers reward points. Alternatively, consider general travel reward cards like Chase Ink, Capital One Venture, Amex Gold, etc.

Optimize Disney Park Tickets

Explore options for using points to purchase Disney Park tickets. Some credit cards allow you to redeem points for statement credits (Capital One Venture), which can be applied towards park tickets if they code as travel (purchasing directly from Disney does not code as travel, however, Undercover Tourist does code as travel). American Express Gold cards allow you to pay with points when checking out via PayPal. While Disney does not allow checkout via PayPal, Undercover Tourist does.

I am using my American Express Gold card, and my Person 2’s Amex Gold card reward points to pay with points through Paypal checkout using Undercover Tourist. Using just our sign-up bonuses, we had enough points to pay for 2 adults 7 park days with hopper tickets. This saved us so much money on our trip. I only had to pay for 2 out of our 4 Disney Park Tickets. Using Amex travel reward points for PayPal payments is not the best use of redemptions.  But if using points for Disney World Park tickets is important the option is there. For us, it was important to be able to limit the cash we were spending on this trip. 

Monitor Your Points Balance

Keep a close eye on your points balance and any upcoming promotions. Some credit cards offer limited-time offers or bonus categories that can help you accumulate points faster. Stay informed to make the most of these opportunities.

Enjoy the Magic Responsibly

As you embark on your Disney adventure, remember to use your credit card responsibly. Avoid accumulating debt and pay off your balances on time to fully enjoy the benefits of your reward points without any financial strain. Travel hacking is not an excuse to go into debt.

Capture the Memories

Lastly, don't forget to capture the magical moments. Use your reward points to enhance your Disney experience by investing in PhotoPass packages or other memory-making opportunities that will last a lifetime.

With a strategic approach and the right travel credit card, you can turn your Disney dreams into a reality without breaking the bank. Plan ahead, accumulate points wisely, and get ready for a magical adventure filled with pixie dust and unforgettable memories!