I’ve put collectively a blueprint for 4 to go to Walt Disney World for subsequent to nothing by utilizing bank card rewards factors. This journey contains airfare, 5 nights at a resort with transportation to Disney, and 4 days within the parks. Higher but, this could take much less time to place collectively than the typical Disney-bound household would take to save lots of for his or her journey.
How to Get To Disney World for Almost Free
Below you’ll find a blueprint for a family of four to go to Walt Disney World for almost free, including airfare, 5 nights at a hotel on Disney property and 4 days in the parks. This trip has a street value of $4,000-$5,000 and should take less time to put together than the average Disney-bound family needs to save for their vacation.
Walt Disney World has been steadily raising the cost of their vacations over the last, well, forever, but now more than ever it can cost a small fortune to visit the Mouse. With the free Fastpass service now swapped out for the $20 per day Genie+, upcharge experiences like $200+ lightsaber building, and not-to-miss dining adventures like Oga’s Cantina on the very real Star Wars planet of Batuu, there’s a lot to spend money on.
I know that a Disney vacation for nearly free sounds too good to be true to anyone new to travel hacking, but those that have been following Brad’s Deals for a while know that good deals do exist, especially using points and miles. Our editors have personally taken advantage of these offers to score luxurious vacations for as much as 95% off. When used correctly, bank card rewards are an effective way to journey inexpensively. When you’ve by no means performed something like this earlier than, it requires a little bit of a leap of religion. However you’ll quickly understand that good vacationers don’t merely use Travelocity and Hotels.com to get barely higher fares, they use free factors and miles to pay little or nothing in any respect.
Earlier than we get began, I need to deal with 5 frequent questions and considerations that folks new to journey hacking typically have.
1. This Will Take Some Planning and Work
Let’s get one factor straight proper off the bat: My plan will NOT get you to Walt Disney World subsequent week. It would take as much as a 12 months of cautious budgeting and bank card administration to perform, however in the long run it is going to get you a 4-day 5-night Disney World trip for roughly $100. Assuming a $4,000 worth, you would need to put away about $308 per thirty days for 12 months to pay for a similar journey out of pocket in the identical time-frame, and lots of households would discover {that a} daunting prospect. When you get used to this and construct up a nest egg of factors and miles, the subsequent journey received’t take practically as a lot planning or lead time. Be mindful, to totally maximize any time spent at Disney World, superior planning (assume 3 months or extra) is vital!
2. You and a associate might be making use of for a number of bank cards.
Utilizing this plan, you and a associate every might be making use of for a number of bank cards, every of which has minimal spending necessities which should be met to money in on the reward. Are you able to get to these minimal spends rapidly? Sure, however we’re not advocating that since for many households which means going into debt. This isn’t about going into debt.
When you comply with my plan to the letter, you received’t be doing that. You’ll be shifting your frequent on a regular basis family bills on these new bank cards – bills you’re already paying for, like groceries, fuel, pizza Fridays, your morning Starbucks run, your cable and cellphone payments, possibly even your month-to-month utilities – and paying off the whole steadiness each month. And when you’ve met the minimal spend that unlocks the reward that will get you to Disney World nearly without cost, you need to use the continuing advantages of the playing cards to save lots of in your subsequent trip or make your journeys just a little extra snug (extra on that in a bit).
3. Sure, new functions can have an effect on your credit score rating, however extra credit score makes it even stronger
Onerous and tender inquiries into your credit score rating do have an effect on your rating, however it’s momentary. Credit score inquiries are solely 10% of what make up your FICO rating, for instance.
4. Sure, that is all completely authorized
The plan undoubtedly takes benefit of a number of beneficiant bank card sign-up presents, and you could be beating the bank card firms at their very own recreation, however there’s nothing unlawful or immoral about adhering to the phrases and situations they themselves wrote.
5. Your mileage could range
Think about this plan a blueprint. It would work finest for a financially disciplined household of 4 with 2 youngsters underneath the age of 10, good credit score and little present bank card debt, however in the end we can’t assure your bank card software might be accepted at any stage.
Likewise, airfares and bank card presents change day by day, and I can solely report on what presents can be found proper now. My airfare estimate, for instance, is predicated on what it might price a household of 4 to fly from Chicago to Orlando on Southwest someday in mid-September. However even if you happen to can’t get precisely the identical deal that I’ve outlined, it is best to get fairly far utilizing comparable techniques.
On that word, you may simply swap out Disney World and Orlando for Hawaii, London or any vacation spot you want. That is actually simply as an illustration of learn how to use bank card rewards for journey hacking as a basic idea.
The Plan
Lodge: Decide A Factors Lodge to Use on a Disney Springs-Space Lodge (Saving $2,000)
There are various advantages to staying on Disney property. Disney resorts include particular advantages that make your Disney keep worthwhile. When you’re set on staying on property, The Walt Disney World Swan, Dolphin, or Swan Reserve are my first decide. These inns are positioned subsequent to Epcot and have all kinds of advantages. While you keep on the Swan and Dolphin, you’ll get pleasure from advantages together with:
- Entry to Further Magic Hours on the parks, which now’s half-hour at every park every morning, and choose nighttime hours just for friends of Deluxe inns (just like the Swan and Dolphin).
- Complimentary shuttle service to and from Disney Parks and Resorts
- Strolling distance to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Swan, Dolphin, and Swan Reserve are Marriott properties, that are a part of the Marriott Bonvoy rewards program, so you need to use their Bonvoy factors to ebook room. Marriott is about to change to demand-based pricing, however in off-season, I’ve seen rooms at these inns go for 40,000 factors an evening. With Marriott Bonvoy’s fifth-night free, that’s 320,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors wanted. With present enroll presents for the Marriott Bonvoy Sensible Card from American Specific at 95,000 factors for spending $6,000 within the first six months, that’s not fairly sufficient to get 5 free nights.
Whereas staying on property is the perfect approach to get probably the most “Disney” out of your expertise, they are not all the time probably the most economical. As a substitute, I’d look to the Disney Springs space inns. A few of these inns are related to the Hilton Honors program, and way more simply bookable with factors. In addition they run on demand pricing, and I truly stayed on the DoubleTree Orlando Disney Springs for 32,000 factors an evening, plus a fifth night time free. Rooms at this newly renovated resort sometimes vary from 41,000 60,000 factors for night time. There’s additionally the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, Hilton Bonnet Creek, and Waldorf-Astoria Orlando, which price extra in factors however provide extra facilities. All characteristic early park entry, however at time of writing, none provide the additional magic hours at night time that deluxe Disney resort friends obtain.
The Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Specific contains a 175,000 level enroll bonus whenever you spend $6,000 throughout the first six months after account opening. After assembly the minimal spend required, you’d have sufficient factors for a five-night keep on the DoubleTree, which presents two-room suites that may simply match a household of 4. Plus, you get free Diamond standing with Hilton, which supplies you a day by day meals and beverage credit score to save lots of on some in-hotel meal prices.
Flight: Save $1,600
There are a number of methods to have a look at saving on flights, and you probably have a most popular airline we propose trying into thier rewards applications to see which specials tehy are at the moment working. Curretly, an incredible possibility is the United Explored Card.. They’re providing 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 within the first three months that your account is open. Higher but, their annual payment is decrease than different journey playing cards. You will pay $0 in your first 12 months after which $95 after that. You may ebook spherical journey ecomony flights for about 25,000 factors. So if each mother and father signed up for a card, you’d be capable of get airfair for a household of 4 for near free.
Disney World Tickets: Save as much as $1400
Disney admission isn’t low-cost. They now function on a dynamic pricing mannequin which implies costs fluctuate up or down relying on the recognition of the season. Moreover, Disney has added choices like Genie+ and Lighting Lane add ons that can assist improve your journey, however will even price you extra. For a household of 4 on a price range, it might be finest to forgo the costly park hopper possibility and as an alternative decide one park per day. This will even provide the alternative to get pleasure from one park in its entirity with out feeling like you must leap from place to position.
The Citi Premier Card presents as 70,000 level enroll bonus after spending $4,000 in 3 months, which is value $700 in the direction of Disney tickets when booked by means of the Connexions Journey company that Citi companions with. With every mum or dad getting this card, that’s $1,400 in the direction of park admission proper there. For the remainder of the steadiness, you may think about a cash back card for every grownup that will cowl the remainder of your Mickey tickets.
What’s NOT included:
Rental automobile
We didn’t embrace a rental automobile in our plan as a result of our plan doesn’t embrace leaving Disney property at any time besides to go to and from the airport. Even if you happen to say on the Disney Springs resort, you’ll recieve complementary shuttle to and from the parks with each resort we have talked about. The plan of 5-nights and 4-days is relying on the concept that you’d be spending someday in every of the 4 Disney Parks. However if you wish to spend a day away from Disney, take a look at our assortment of coupons and presents for Enterprise and Avis. Uber and Lyft are in fact obtainable (and you probably have the Amex Platinumcard, you may use their month-to-month Uber profit to cowl among the price!)
Spending cash
Sadly, our plan doesn’t embrace learn how to save on Mickey pretzels, customized ears, or Dole Whip. Disney does permit friends to convey their very own meals into the parks, so don’t assume you’re on the hook to must eat each meal cooked by Mickey. Nonetheless, numerous enjoyable experiences within the parks now contain an additional price (lightsabers at Galaxy’s Edge, droid design on the Droid Depot, character eating), so possibly our information will enable you to save on numerous the up entrance prices so the “on-the-ground” price range is bolstered a bit.
