How To Visit Disney World for Cheap by Using Points and Miles [2025]

Key Takeaways

• American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines provide robust service to Orlando, and their frequent flyer programs allow you to book award flights with miles.
• Credit card programs such as American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou Rewards allow you to earn points from everyday spending and transfer them to an airline program.
• Other expenses, such as hotels, car rentals, and even theme park tickets, can be paid for with points with the right strategy.

If there is a single thing that kids and (most) adults can agree on, it’s that a trip to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, is fun! Consistently one of the top destinations for families year after year, it’s no surprise that once you experience some of that Disney magic, you end up going back for more.

After running the numbers, many families realize that magic can get expensive quickly and that they need to save up for a while before the trip can become a reality. That is before they learn that many of these costs can be reduced or erased completely thanks to points and miles. And that’s where we come in to help.

Once you learn how to unlock the potential of points, miles, and cash-back, you may be planning your trip to Disney sooner than you thought. Let’s see how!

Flights to Orlando

Unless you’re within driving distance of Orlando, you’ll probably need to book a flight. Flying to Orlando International Airport (MCO) has become increasingly convenient, with essentially every U.S.-based airline offering daily flights to the City Beautiful and an increasing number of foreign airlines offering nonstop flights as well. Heck, even Emirates offers a nonstop flight from Dubai!

With almost 50 airlines to choose from, booking a flight to MCO should provide you and your family with plenty of options for points, price, comfort, and schedule.

Of course, Disney and the surrounding theme parks, like Universal Orlando (including Epic Universe!) and Peppa Pig Theme Park, get busy during holidays and school vacations, and prices jump accordingly — so be conscious of your timing.

That being said, with a little bit of planning and extra knowledge about points and miles, you can save yourself serious cash. Let’s take a look.

Award Flights

Award flights, for the unfamiliar, are flights paid for with airline miles or credit card points instead of cash. Ignoring the fact that it’s often free to generate these miles and points, booking an award flight can often be a much better value than paying cash, especially when you’re flying in business or first class.

For a long time, most airlines relied on a fixed-price award chart based on some sort of combination of distance and region, meaning you could expect to pay the same amount of miles for the same trip throughout the year. However, more and more airlines are shifting to a dynamically priced system that mirrors the cost of a cash ticket, in theory.

While that may sound like award tickets cost the same as cash tickets (which is true in some cases), paying with points still offers a lot of value.

Let’s review some award flight examples to Orlando from popular airlines.

Hot Tip:

If you’re feeling lost with all of this points and miles talk, read the “Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Points and Miles [Express Version].”

Alaska Airlines

Unless you live on the West Coast, Alaska Airlines may not be the first airline that comes to mind when traveling to Florida. However, since the airline is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has access to seats on American Airlines, there are options for travelers across the country.

We are big fans of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles around here as they can provide great value for quick domestic flights and even longer international flights.

Flying to Orlando nonstop for just 7,500 miles is a great deal, and so is 15,000 if you want to fly in first class.

American Airlines

American Airlines has a massive footprint and serves almost every major airport in the U.S. — and many medium and small ones, too. If you have AAdvantage miles to burn, you should be able to find plenty of options near you.

In the example above, a flight from the West Coast can be had for as few as 7,500 miles plus $11.20 in taxes and fees. American has shifted to a more dynamic price model, so prices can jump with demand, but this is a great deal for a transcontinental flight.

With American Airlines AAdvantage miles being some of the easiest to earn, you could earn enough for a free flight just from online shopping! If you need to build up your point balance, here are our suggested ways to earn lots of American Airlines AAdvantage miles.

Delta Air Lines

Delta has been known to have ridiculously high redemption rates when booking flights with miles. However, the airline often runs specials, and there are plenty of cheap options.

If you have flexible dates, you can use a tool such as seats.aero to search for cheap flights with your Delta SkyMiles. After a quick search, we were able to find several flights up and down the East Coast for fewer than 10,000 miles each way.

With prices like these, boosting your balance is probably a good idea. Here are the best ways to earn lots of Delta SkyMiles.

Frontier Airlines

Frontier Airlines is a low-cost carrier that offers few frills but pretty impressive prices. After revamping its loyalty program recently, this company offers a lot to like about flying with it.

With one-way award tickets starting at 10,000 miles plus $5.60 each way to and from anywhere in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, this airline can save you serious cash on your next trip to Disney World.

Don’t worry if you aren’t a frequent flyer of Frontier Airlines — you can still earn lots of Frontier miles quite easily.

JetBlue Airways

JetBlue is one of the most popular airlines in the U.S., thanks to its fair pricing and great service. With free Wi-Fi, unlimited snacks, and live TV, JetBlue is a great choice for families heading down to Florida on vacation.

When it comes to booking an award flight on JetBlue, it’s a little different than the competition. JetBlue uses a dynamic pricing model, so the price you pay in miles is directly tied to the current cash price of a ticket. That means when the airline runs sales, you can score cheap flights with both miles and cash. And to sweeten the deal, there are plenty of ways to earn TrueBlue points!

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has long been a favorite of families who enjoy its good prices, free snacks, generous change policy, and the Companion Pass. Although it’s done away with free bags, Southwest can still be a solid option for anyone heading to Orlando.

Like JetBlue, Southwest uses a dynamic pricing model that’s based on the price of a cash ticket. Since Southwest tickets are often relatively cheap, using points is still often a good idea.

The example shown above is a nonstop option from Nashville (BNA) to Orlando in May for less than 9,000 points — a great deal.

To help you earn enough Rapid Rewards for the whole family, we can show you how to earn a stack of Southwest points without even flying!

Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines can sometimes get a bad reputation because of its cheap flights and limited onboard offerings. But you get what you pay for. If you are looking for a cheap, no-frills flight to Orlando, Spirit is probably going to pop up on your radar — and you should take a look.

Whether you pay with points or points and cash, there are plenty of ways to get you and the family on a plane for cheap. And, of course, if you need some extra points, here are ways to earn lots of Spirit Airlines Free Spirit points.

United Airlines

United is one of the “Big 3” airlines in the U.S. and, therefore, has a pretty significant coverage map when it comes to domestic flights. Routes to Orlando are no exception, with multiple flights every day that can fit most families’ schedules.

Passengers can expect a nonstop flight in economy to start around 7,000 miles plus $5.60, which is not bad for a flight of 2 hours or more. For anyone looking to boost their MileagePlus balance, here are the best ways to earn lots of United MileagePlus miles.

Bottom Line:

No matter where you are in the U.S., there’s an airline with a rewards program that can get you and your family to Orlando for a reasonable number of miles. And if you need more of them, we can show you how to do that! 

Transferable Points Programs and Their Travel Portals

If you don’t like to stay tied down to 1 airline and its miles, keeping a balance of flexible points may be a better option for you.

Some of our favorite credit cards earn points that stay with the issuer (Chase, American Express, etc.) until you are either ready to spend or transfer them. By earning flexible points, you can choose the airline with the best price and use your points as cash via a travel portal.

Below are some examples of transferable currencies and how to use travel portals (which are great for booking flights, hotels, and packages) from some of the most popular banks in the U.S.

Transferable Currencies

We can’t talk about booking flights with points and miles without addressing transferable currencies.

The big attraction to points like American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy is the fact that they are flexible. That means you can use them in many ways, including cashing them in for statement credits, online shopping (not a good use), booking via their own travel portal, or transferring them to a hotel or airline partner.

By transferring to a partner airline, you can get outsized value on your point redemption — often 2x or more if you do a little research.

AmexTravel.com

AmexTravel.com is an online travel agency that’s available to everyone, including those who aren’t cardmembers.

Travelers can search for and book flights, hotels, cruises, and more online or over the phone. While the prices are usually the same or similar to what you’d find on other sites or directly with the airline, there’s often a small fee ($6.99 for domestic flights and $10.99 for international flights) for the assistance of a customer service agent.

If you’re a cardmember and have Membership Rewards points to use, you can redeem them at a rate of 1 cent each. That means if you find a flight for $300, you can redeem 30,000 points to cover the cost.

While this may not be the absolute best value for redemptions (transferring to one of Amex’s transfer partners is usually more beneficial), it’s an easy and straightforward way to redeem your points.

Hot Tip:

If you need to boost your point balance, read about the best ways to earn lots of American Express Membership Rewards points.

Capital One Miles

Capital One has really stepped up its game in the past few years when it comes to travel cards and services. With some of the easiest-to-use and most rewarding credit cards, Capital One offers a lot to like about booking your trip to Disney.

Like the competition, Capital One has its own travel portal where cardholders can use their miles to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. The rate is a standard 1 cent per mile, so a $300 hotel room costs 30,000 Capital One miles. You can also use your miles to cover travel purchases (from any provider) at a rate of 1 cent per mile.

However, you usually get more value by transferring your miles to one of Capital One’s airline or hotel partners. If you’re interested in a Capital One card, we’ve put together a great list of the best Capital One credit cards for travel, cash-back, and more.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase is arguably the most popular card issuer at the moment. Its points are easy to earn, there are plenty of Chase transfer partners, and the Chase Travel portal is a great way to use your points.

Besides the fact that you can book everything including flights, hotels, cars, cruises, and vacation packages through the portal, you can do so at a great rate if you have the right Chase card. Depending on which card you have, your redemption rate may vary — but never less than 1 cent per point. If you happen to have a Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, you can redeem your points at a rate of 1.5 cents per point. That means the $300 hotel in the example above will only cost you 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points instead of 30,000.

Chase offers great redemption opportunities for travelers who want to get great value from their points without having to transfer them to airline and hotel partners.

Citi ThankYou Rewards

The Citi ThankYou Rewards program is often overlooked as a way to earn and redeem points for great travel. With rewarding travel credit cards, like the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card, that have great spending bonuses, it’s easy to build up a solid stash of points for a Disney vacation.

Once you have ThankYou Points to spend, you can log into the Citi Travel with Booking.com portal and start searching for your flight as you would through any other online travel agency. All Citi cards have a redemption rate of 1 cent per point, so a $300 charge would cost you 30,000 points.

If you’re ready to start building your balance, don’t miss the best ways to earn lots of Citi ThankYou Points!

Other OTAs

Online travel agencies (OTAs) are websites that group most airline and hotel companies together and display them to the consumer right next to each other to make it easy to compare prices — just like the credit card travel portals listed above.

Some of the most popular sites include Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Priceline, and Orbitz. They can offer great deals for travelers, but they aren’t perfect. If you need to make any changes to your plans or have any issues, these third parties are notorious for being difficult to deal with.

Although these OTAs may have their own rewards programs, using your credit card points via one of the bank travel portals listed above will almost always represent a better value.

Cash Flights

Although we love to pay with points and miles whenever possible, sometimes it just makes sense to pay cash. That usually happens when either the redemption rates for those points are really high, or the cash price for a given ticket is really low.

You may notice when searching for flights to Orlando that if you’re flexible with your dates, you can find some really cheap flights.

Thanks to the plethora of airlines serving MCO, including some great low-cost carriers, booking your flight might be the cheapest part of your Disney vacation. In the screenshot above, we found a one-way ticket from Atlanta (ATL) to Orlando for only $27!

Google Flights

When searching for flights, one of the best and easiest tools to use is Google Flights.

Google Flights allows users to search for flights using several filters, including multiple airports, fare class, and preferred airlines. It then displays the best fares on a calendar to make choosing a flight extra easy. With just a few clicks, you can get a good idea of what prices are like and whether they are likely to increase or decrease before your flight date.

For a full breakdown of this awesome service, read about how to use Google Flights to find cheap flights.

Hot Tip:

Before your trip, be sure to check out our best tips to make your trip to Disney as stress-free as possible.

Hotels in Orlando

Once you’ve booked your airfare, one of the next steps in your vacation planning is deciding where to stay. This is where things can get overwhelming.

When you start searching for hotels, motels, resorts, and rental homes in the Orlando area, you’ll find literally thousands of options. To help keep things somewhat organized, we’ll focus on hotels that you can book with points and that are close to the parks.

If you’re looking for rental homes or just a general overview of the available lodging in the Orange County area, we put together a guide to the best places to stay in Orlando, Florida, for your Disney vacation (and a separate guide to the best cheap hotels in Orlando!).

The good news is that there are so many great hotels that you can book with points — everything from a basic Holiday Inn to The Ritz-Carlton. If you’ve got the points, we can show you how to save.

Let’s take a look at some popular choices.

Disney Hotels and Resorts

If you’re looking to make your trip to Disney extra special, there’s nothing quite like staying at an official Disney Resort Hotel property. Disney has mastered the art of hospitality and entertainment, and those skills translate perfectly from the park experience to the guest room.

With special character meals, themed rooms, and direct access to the parks, your stay will likely be something you remember for a long time. The only problem is that most of the hotels are quite expensive compared to off-property options.

There are some budget hotels, like Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, which start at around $100 per night, but some of the more popular options, like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, start at over $500 per night. If you have flexible points from Amex, Chase, etc., you can try to book these hotels via those travel portals.

The really good news is that there are actually 3 hotels on-site that you can book using your Marriott Bonvoy points!

Walt Disney World Swan and Walt Disney World Dolphin (Marriott Bonvoy)

The Swan and Dolphin hotels are 2 of the most popular destinations because they’re both within walking distance to the parks — and you can pay for them with points!

While they may not be the most iconic when it comes to themes and Disney magic, you can’t beat the convenience and the price.

The Swan is actually branded as a Westin and the Dolphin as a Sheraton, and you can book a room starting at around 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Those with the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card can redeem their annual free night to stay at Disney without draining their points balance.

Walt Disney World Swan Reserve (Marriott Bonvoy)

The Swan Reserve is a newer addition to the Disney hotel scene and a much-welcome third option for those who prefer to pay with points.

The Swan Reserve is a luxury property and part of the Autograph Collection in the Marriott family of brands. Just like its sister properties, you can book rooms with Marriott Bonvoy points, but the Swan Reserve is a bit more expensive, starting at around 60,000 points per night.

Disney Springs Resort-Area Hotels

Disney Springs is an outdoor dining, shopping, and entertainment venue inside the massive Walt Disney World Resort area in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Part of this complex is a group of hotels that, while independent from Disney, issue official Disney perks for their guests. Guests at these hotels receive free shuttles to the parks, early Disney theme park entry, and more.

The best part is that many of these hotels are run by major chains, which means they are bookable with points!

Some great Disney Springs hotels that you can book with points are:

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista (Hilton Honors)

The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is an 814-room resort connected by a pedestrian bridge to Disney Springs.

With multiple heated pools, a kids pool, and plenty of on-property dining, combined with the proximity to Disney Springs, there is plenty to keep you busy if you are not at the parks. The hotel offers shuttle service to all 4 Disney parks and plenty of extra Disney goodies.

Rooms can be booked for as few as 52,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and the $35 resort fee is waived on award stays.

Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs Resort Area (IHG One Rewards)

The Holiday Inn Orlando Disney Springs Resort Area is the only IHG property inside of Walt Disney World.

This 323-room property is simple, but it offers a pool, Jacuzzi, on-site restaurant, and shuttles to the Disney parks. Parents also love that kids under 11 eat free at any time of the day at any open food outlet!

Rooms can be booked for as few as 20,000 IHG One Rewards points per night, but the $35 resort fee is not waived on award stays.

Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista (Wyndham Rewards)

The Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista recently renovated its 394 rooms and sits right across the street from Disney Springs.

With a playground, arcade, great pools for kids and families, a pool deck for adults, plenty of recreational activities, and multiple places to get food and beverages, this resort has a lot going for it. Add in the perks of being an official Disney hotel and this resort can be really attractive.

Rooms can be booked for 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night, but the $27 resort fee is not waived on award stays. 

Bonnet Creek-Area Hotels

Just minutes from Disney Springs is Bonnet Creek, 70 acres of land surrounded on 3 sides by Walt Disney World property. This area is much less hectic than the Disney Springs scene and is home to some great resorts, which conveniently also get the badge of being an official Walt Disney World hotel.

That means that guests get all of the perks of the Disney Springs hotels but in a calmer, more secluded area.

Again, these hotels are also bookable with points, so there are great redemption opportunities.

Some great Bonnet Creek hotels that you can book with points are:

Signia by Hilton Orlando (Hilton Honors)

The Signia by Hilton Orlando (formerly the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek) is a massive resort connected to a convention center and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando.

The Signia offers a great pool and lazy river, a waterslide, cabanas, a golf course, multiple dining options, and more. If you’re not going to the parks (via the free shuttle), there is plenty to do without leaving the property.

Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members have plenty of perks as well, including food and beverage credits.

Rooms can be booked for as few as 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and the $45 resort fee is waived on award stays.

JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa (Marriott Bonvoy)

The JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek is one of the newest hotels in the area, opening its doors in July 2020.

This upscale and modern property has 516 rooms, 2 pools (including an adults-only pool), cabanas, a splash pad for kids, and multiple restaurants. There are multiple kids rooms and activities, including a rooftop miniature golf course with views of the fireworks at EPCOT. This Official Disney Hotel has all the perks, including its own coach bus to bring guests to the parks.

Marriott Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite members also get free hot breakfast in the restaurant.

Rooms can be booked for as few as 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, but the $35 resort fee is not waived on award stays. 

Waldorf Astoria Orlando (Hilton Honors)

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando is connected to the Signia by Hilton we mentioned above by the large convention center, but besides that, they are very different resorts.

This upscale, sophisticated property exudes luxury as soon as you walk in. With its 2 pools, a Jacuzzi, private cabanas, a spa, and a golf course, you can relax here all day. If you want a little more fun, you can just walk over to the Signia to take a couple of laps in the lazy river.

The Bull and Bear, a highly rated restaurant in Orlando (and the nation), is one of the property’s multiple restaurants. Guests can also hop on the shuttle shared with the Signia to and from the parks throughout the day.

Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members have plenty of perks as well, including food and beverage credits.

Rooms can be booked for as few as 90,000 Hilton Honors points per night, and the $45 resort fee is waived on award stays.

Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek (Wyndham Rewards)

The Wyndham Grand is a massive resort and vacation club right at the entrance of Bonnet Creek.

This gorgeous Mediterranean-style property has 5 pools, 2 lazy rivers, 2 splash pads for kids, miniature golf, a spa, and multiple restaurants. When you’re ready to visit the parks, the house shuttle can drop you off and pick you up at the end of the day.

Rooms can be booked for 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night, but the $28 resort fee is not waived on award stays. 

Orlando-Area Points Hotels

Although not inside Disney Springs or Bonnet Creek, the Conrad Orlando at Evermore is just 3 miles from Walt Disney World Resort and a destination in itself.

The Conrad Orlando is a 433-room resort nestled on the far end of 1,100 acres at Evermore Orlando Resort. This complex has everything you would need for a family vacation, whether it’s the luxury room at the Conrad or the massive waterslide at Evermore. This is a great option that’s close to the parks.

Guests at the Conrad Orlando receive Hilton Honors perks, waived resort fees on award stays, and a dedicated motor coach to the parks starting at 90,000 points per night.

If you don’t need to be that close to the theme parks and Disney Springs, you can save points (as well as parking and resort fees) by staying at a hotel just a few minutes away.

Once you start exploring the area, you’ll find hundreds of additional hotels and resorts that can be booked with points.

Here’s a quick list broken down by brand:

Best Western

• Best Western Plus Universal Inn
• Best Western Orlando Gateway Hotel

Choice

• Comfort Suites Downtown
• Comfort Suites Near Universal Orlando Resort

Hilton

• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel at the Entrance to Universal Orlando
• Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Downtown
• Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacations

Hyatt

• Hyatt House across from Universal Orlando Resort
• Hyatt Place Orlando/Lake Buena Vista
• Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando
• Hyatt Regency Orlando

IHG

• Crowne Plaza Orlando-Downtown
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Nearest Universal Orlando
• Staybridge Suites Orlando at SeaWorld

Marriott

• Aloft Orlando International Drive
• Residence Inn Orlando Downtown
• The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
• JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

Wyndham

• Days Inn by Wyndham Orlando Downtown
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Orlando Universal

Hot Tip:

Our ultimate Disney vacation packing list is full of tips and tricks to help you save time and money on your next trip to the Mouse!

Theme Park Tickets

Congratulations! You’ve finally made it through all of the logistics and researched, booked, and paid for your flight and hotel with points! If you’re staying for a week as a family of 4, you could have easily saved thousands of dollars by booking those with points and miles instead of cash.

Now we get to the expensive part, where, unfortunately, using points may be difficult: paying for your theme park tickets!

Although Disney has its own credit cards, you need to spend a lot of money on them in order to earn enough Disney Dollars for a family vacation. An alternative would be to use a credit card where you can use your points to cover a travel transaction (in this case, a theme park ticket), or buy them through a travel portal.

Let’s take a look.

Pay With Points

If you’re dead set on paying for everything on your next Disney vacation with points and miles, we have a way for you to do so — even the park ticket.

One of our favorite credit cards comes with a welcome bonus offer that would be enough for several days’ worth of Disney World theme park tickets! 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Apply Now(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first cardholder year – that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

75,000 miles + $250 travel credit

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,600

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

The Capital One Venture card is a great travel card because the miles are easy to use and never expire.

That means with the welcome bonus offer alone, you could pay for a family of 4 to visit the parks and then offset the charges when they hit at a rate of 1 cent per mile. Pretty cool, huh?

Hot Tip:

Tickets purchased directly from Disney can sometimes post as Entertainment, but when you buy tickets via Undercover Tourist, it will code as Travel — which can be offset with the Capital One Venture card. 

Bilt World Elite Mastercard^® Credit Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Bilt World Elite Mastercard^® Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Apply Now(at Bilt's secure site)

Bilt World Elite Mastercard^® Credit Card

Welcome Offer

No offer available

No offer available

Annual Fee

$0

APR

See Rate & Fees

Why We Like This Card

Never before has there been a credit card built specifically with renters in mind. Enter the Bilt World Elite Mastercard^® Credit Card, designed specifically to help renters earn rewards on their rent payments with no transaction fees.

Of course, aside from rewards on rent, there are many other solid features that the card offers that add extra value to cardholders. In this guide, we provide a complete breakdown of everything the Bilt Card has to offer to help you decide whether the card makes sense for you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points per $1 at restaurants
• 2x points per $1 on travel booked directly with airlines, hotels, and car rental agencies
• 1x point per $1 on rent payments, without a transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year

Cons

• Does not offer a welcome bonus
• Must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• $0 Annual Fee
• Earn 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year
• Earns 3x points on dining
• Earn 2x points on travel
• Earn 1x points on other purchases
• Earn double points on the first of each month (excluding rent, up to 1,000 bonus points)
• Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points
• Earn up to 5x Bilt points on Lyft rides when you link your Bilt account and pay with your Bilt card
• Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent payments, statement credits, toward a down payment on a home, etc.
• Select “Learn More” to learn more about the product features, terms, and conditions

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Rate & Fees
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Bilt has been making big moves lately. The launch of the Bilt Rewards Travel Portal has opened up the possibility of paying for theme park tickets with points.

You can now redeem Bilt Rewards Points for Disney World tickets at 1.25 cents each!

Disney^® Premier Visa^® Card and Disney^® Visa^® Card

SPECIAL OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Disney^® Premier Visa^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

2% back Disney Rewards Dollars at Disney, gas stations, grocery stories, and restaurants means more rewards dollars for Disney fans.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Disney^® Premier Visa^® Card

2% back Disney Rewards Dollars at Disney, gas stations, grocery stories, and restaurants means more rewards dollars for Disney fans.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $400 Statement Credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

$400

Annual Fee

$49

APR

18.24% - 27.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Mickey and his friends are like part of the family. Your kids can recite the words to everything from Aladdin to Toy Story. And there’s no question where you’re going on Spring Break (Space Mountain, anyone?).

As a premier Disney fan, you always have the Disney^® Premier Visa^® Card on hand. It earns you cash back and discounts at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Save 10% on select purchases at shopDisney.com when you use your card
• Earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or ESPNPlus.com
• Earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and most Disney U.S. locations

Cons

• Does not earn transferrable rewards
• Has a foreign transaction fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $400 Statement Credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com. Earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney U.S. locations. Earn 1% on all your other card purchases. There are no limits to the number of Rewards Dollars you can earn.
• Redeem Rewards Dollars for a statement credit toward airline purchases.
• 0% promo APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from the date of purchase, after that a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24%
• 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations and 10% off select dining locations most days at the Disneyland^® Resort and Walt Disney World^® Resort.
• Save 10% on select purchases at DisneyStore.com
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars.

Rewards Center

Disney Rewards

SPECIAL OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Disney^® Visa^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A straight 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed for Disney tickets, merchandise, and other offerings makes this a Mickey fan's go-to card.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Disney^® Visa^® Card

A straight 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed for Disney tickets, merchandise, and other offerings makes this a Mickey fan's go-to card.

Welcome Offer

Earn a $200 Statement Credit after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

18.24% - 27.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

For you and your family, vacation time is Disney time. In fact, Disney is #1 for you and your brood all year-round. You have the Mickey ears to prove it!

Lucky for you, the Disney^® Visa^® Card makes it simple to earn Disney Rewards Dollars that you can spend at Walt Disney World^®, Disneyland^®, shopDisney.com, and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Save 10% on select purchases at shopDisney.com when you use your Disney Visa Card
• Receive 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations at the Disneyland^® and Walt Disney World^® Resorts when you use your Disney Visa Card
• Earn 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on all your card purchases with no limits to the amount you can earn

Cons

• Does not earn transferrable points to other travel partners
• Has a foreign transaction fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn a $200 Statement Credit after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Earn 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on all card purchases. There are no limits to the number of Rewards Dollars you can earn.
• 0% promo APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages from the date of purchase, after that a variable APR of 18.24% to 27.24%
• 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations and 10% off select dining locations most days at the Disneyland^® Resort and Walt Disney World^® Resort.
• Save 10% on select purchases at DisneyStore.com
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars.

Rewards Center

Disney Rewards

Disney offers 2 credit cards, and the Disney Premier card is the fastest way to earn Disney Dollars.

You can earn 2% back in Disney Dollars when you use your Disney Premier card at Disney U.S. locations, restaurants, grocery stores, and gas stations — and then 1% on everything else — all for a relatively small annual fee.

By comparison, cardholders of the Disney card earn just 1% back on their purchases in exchange for a $0 annual fee. So even when you aren’t in Orlando, you can be earning toward your next trip.

Hot Tip:

Disney Dollars can be redeemed at Disney parks for tickets, shopping, dining, and hotel stays.

In addition, cardholders get exclusive Disney perks like special Disney and Star Wars character meet-and-greets and discounts on guided park tours, Disney dining, and Disney shopping.

Earn Bonus Points

If you don’t have a Bilt Card and are determined to get more than 1 cent in value from your miles and points, you may end up deciding that paying for your theme park tickets is better for you. Spending a couple of days at Disney as a family can get expensive quickly, so you might as well earn bonus points while you’re at it, right?

Is there a perfect card for Disney expenses? Maybe not, but we’ve found some pretty good options, including a long-time favorite.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

20.24% - 28.74% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel^SM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel^SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 20.24% - 28.74% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

The Chase Sapphire Reserve card is a popular travel card for many reasons. Just looking at the table above makes that pretty obvious. But when thinking about Disney and theme parks specifically, you can start to see outsized value.

If you use your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to book Disney World theme park tickets via Undercover Tourist, the charges code as Travel as opposed to Entertainment if you book directly with Disney. That means you trigger the annual $300 credit and then earn 3x points on any additional charges!

That’s a nice little discount, and you earn valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points to redeem for future travel.

Buy Discounted Gift Cards

Disney does not discount its theme park tickets, so if you want to save money on admission, you need to get creative. We are here to help you!

Although you can’t directly buy a ticket with a discount, you can buy a Disney gift card with a discount. Target regularly sells Disney gift cards, and if you have the Target Circle™ Card, you can get 5% off on most purchases.

If you buy a couple of gift cards each time you go to Target, before you know it you’ll have enough to get your family into Walt Disney World — and will have saved cash!

Bottom Line:

There is no perfect option when it comes to redeeming or earning points for Disney World theme park tickets, but with a little planning, you can save serious cash.

Ground Transportation

Getting around Orlando is relatively easy, but it takes planning. Just to have an idea, Walt Disney World alone is over 40 square miles — that’s almost the size of San Francisco!

Where you’re staying is likely to determine your ground transportation. Should you rent a car? Call an Uber? Depend on hotel shuttles? Here’s a quick overview of your options and what you can expect to spend.

Hotel Shuttles

If you’re flying into Orlando and have no interest in renting a car, it’s totally feasible to get around without much hassle.

If you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel, you can get a ride from the airport and then rely on the hotel’s free transportation to the parks. Many hotels in the area offer free shuttles to the parks, so you’d only need to worry about getting to and from the airport if you aren’t going to be exploring the Orlando area.

Rental Cars

If you prefer to have a little more freedom, especially when hauling kids around, renting a car could be better for you.

All of the major chains have a branch at Orlando International Airport, so you have plenty of options to redeem any points and free rental days that you have been saving up.

While renting a car may help with logistics (especially if you want to shop and dine outside the parks), be aware that many hotels close to the parks charge for parking and that parking at Disney World starts at $30 per day unless you’re staying at a Disney Resort hotel.

Ride-Sharing

For those who don’t want to deal with hotel shuttles or renting a car, taking out your phone and calling an Uber or Lyft is a convenient alternative.

These ride-sharing apps (and taxis) are readily available to pick you up from the airport, take you to the parks, take you out to dinner, and more. Of course, convenience comes with a cost, so be sure to factor that in.

For example, a one-way ride from the airport to the parks costs about $50.

Hot Tip:

The Platinum Card^® from American Express comes with up to $200 of Uber Cash each year!

Dining

No matter where in the world you are with your family, you still need to feed them! At home, this tends to be cheaper because you can buy groceries in bulk and cook meals from the comfort of your kitchen. Even if you do go out to eat, there’s a good chance you will still eat at home for 1 or 2 other meals that day. When you’re on vacation, that is not the case.

While it’s certainly possible to stay at a hotel or rental home that offers a kitchen so you can prepare your own meals, if you’re out and about the entire day, you’re likely to indulge in a few snacks or meals along the way — especially a refreshing Dole Whip!

Here are a few tips to help reduce the cost of your meals on your Disney vacation and even pay for some with points!

Hot Tip:

Park guests are allowed to bring their own food and nonalcoholic drinks to the park, which is a great way to save money on meals from the often overpriced park eateries.

Free Hotel Breakfast

Choose your hotel wisely! Many family-friendly Orlando hotels offer free breakfast for all guests. Those that don’t often provide dining credits for elite members — like the hotels we mentioned earlier.

A free breakfast for a family of 4 not only gives you a filling (and convenient) start to the day, but it can save you big bucks over the course of a week. If you paid for the hotel with points, even better!

Dining Credits From Credit Cards

Once you leave for the theme parks, you’re going to be on your own for food. If you’re a good planner, you can pack essentially as many snacks, drinks, and sandwiches as you can fit in your backpack — as long as they’re not in glass containers and are nonalcoholic. If you’re traveling with young kids, you’re probably going to do this anyway.

But sometimes a squished peanut butter and jelly sandwich just doesn’t hit the spot when you’re walking through the Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT and you’re surrounded by delicious-smelling tacos and margaritas.

Well, if you happen to have certain credit cards in your wallet, you can get your dining purchases reimbursed!

For example, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card offers up to $300 in statement credits per calendar year (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases at restaurants worldwide. After enrollment, simply charge a drink or meal to your card and you will be automatically reimbursed.

Disney Dining Plans

Disney dining plans are prepaid meals and drinks in the parks and hotels that cost between $60 and $95 per adult and $25 to $30 per child per day.

These plans can be great for convenience, but not necessarily for your budget. However, since these charges often get coded as travel on your credit card, you can use your annual credits from cards like the Citi Prestige^® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve card to cover them.

Hot Tip:

Park guests can get free water and ice from quick-service restaurants.

Final Thoughts

There’s no getting around it: A trip to Walt Disney World can be very expensive — especially for a family. But when you start to break down all of the potential expenses, you start to realize that there are plenty of opportunities to use your points and miles to either reduce or completely erase these costs.

With a little bit of planning, it is entirely feasible to pay for your flights and hotels in full with points. While it might be a little bit more difficult, you can wipe out the cost of theme park tickets and meals with the right combination of credit cards and planning.

At the end of the day, taking your family to Walt Disney World is a magical experience that you all will probably (hopefully) remember for a lifetime. If you can figure out a way to make this type of trip more affordable, you may find yourself experiencing it more often!

If you have any questions about any of the topics addressed here, let us know in the comments, or join our private Facebook Group, Level UP Travel, to chat with other like-minded travelers!