People are always looking for ways to save for Disney! Now that we have done both Disney World and Disney Land with points and miles, I can share with you some ways to save and use those points!
How We Saved On Flights To Disney
Flights might be the most straight-forward way of saving on a Disney vacation. We prefer to fly Southwest since we have a companion pass and my husband flies with us almost free on every flight. We just have to pay his taxes and fess of $5.60 each way. We typically use points earned on our cards that earn Southwest Rapid Rewards points to cover flights for my daughter and I. We can also transfer points to Southwest from our favorite starter card. There are a variety of ways to earn a few extra Rapid Rewards points as well. You can use their dining program, shopping portal, refer others to credit cards, fill out surveys, etc.
Another Southwest savings tip includes checking flight prices (even after purchasing tickets) to see if the cost has gone down. If so, you can get a price adjustment by simply clicking “change” in your Southwest Airlines app. You will either get points back into your account, a flight credit, or a refund (depending on the fare you previously booked).
One final tip would be to check nearby airports as flight options. People often thing Orlando (for Disney World) and LAX (for Disneyland) are the only options. Both Florida and California have other nearby airports that you can fly into to get to your Disney destination!
How We Saved On Hotels At Disney
You have two options when heading to the Disney Parks. You can either stay on-site at a Disney Property or off-site. Let me break down both!
At Disney World, staying on site can have some extra perks. Some of the perks include: early entry to the parks, extended hours, Disney transportation, access to all properties, restaurants, etc. Staying on-site is just all-around more convenient! The downside is that it can be challenging to use points when staying on-site at Disney World. The best options I have found to cover the cost of staying on site include:
- Cashing out points from our favorite bank and using discounted Disney gift cards
- Using Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at the 3 Marriott Disney properties on-site. These properties get many of the same benefits as actual Disney properties, but you do have to pay daily resort fees.
- Using our favorite bank’s travel portal to book a stay at one of the 3 Marriott properties.
Staying off-site at Disney World may not be as convenient, but there are some places that provide shuttles and are fairly close to the parks. You can even use World of Hyatt points to book some great resorts and hotels close to Disney World. Some of the best include: Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Hyatt Regency Orlando, and Hyatt Place Orlando. There are also several other hotel groups with hotels and resorts close by, as well as Airbnb’s.
For Disney Land, staying on-site is not as important. There are only 2 hotels on-site and the Disney area in California is a lot smaller than Disney World. There are several hotels within walking-distance and many provide free breakfast options and transportation to the parks. We like Hyatt House and Hyatt Place for value, but these do get booked up on points early!
How We Saved On Tickets Using Points
There are a few ways to save money on Disney park tickets. You can purchase discounted tickets on sites that code as “travel”, such as Under Cover Tourist. Ticket prices are a little bit cheaper on these sites, and since the purchase codes as “travel,”, you can use Capital One Miles to help cover or offset the cost of your ticket purchase.
Another option is to find discounted Disney gift cards. You have to keep your eye out, but you can find these at wholesale clubs, Best Buy, etc. I try to look for places that have gift cards discounted about 10%. This can make them worth purchasing. You can pay off your tickets and resort fees through Disney this say and save some money.
How We Saved On Food At Disney
You can save money at Disney in a lot of different ways! A lot of people use Instacart and have deliveries made to their resorts. We have used this for snacks, drinks, water, and breakfast items. Some people even get food that can be taken into the park so they don’t have to purchase any food there.
Splitting portions is another way to save, as Disney portions are usually pretty generous! This is easily done at fast-serve restaurants more than sit-down restaurants. You can also take in refillable water bottles or ask for cups of water at some quick-serve stands so you don’t have to purchase bottles of water in the park.
Discounted Disney gift cards to use in the parks can be helpful. Landry gift cards are also a popular option. There are a few Landry restaurants at Disney Springs, as well as a couple at Animal Kingdom Park.
A final idea if staying on property is to have your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card on file at the resort. You can use your magic band when purchasing food in the parks or at the resorts to basically add to your Disney “tab”. When your trip is complete, everything charged to the tab will be paid at the resort. This will code as “travel” on your credit card, so you can use your Capital One Miles to cover all or part of this tab.
Disney does not have to be a one and done trip. But, even if you do decide to only go once, you don’t have to spend thousands to do it! There are so many ways to save, but grabbing a card or two to earn points and miles toward your trip will for sure help you save the most amount of money with the littlest amount of effort!
ADVERTISER AND AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE:
KC Savvy Travelers has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. KC Savvy Travelers and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. We appreciate it when you use our affiliate links as it supports our content at no cost to you! Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity.
