Planning a Disney vacation doesn’t have to break the bank! By using points, miles, and a few insider strategies, you can save hundreds (or even thousands) on flights, hotels, park tickets, and more. Here’s how we saved on our recent Disney trip—and how you can too!

1. Flights: Use Credit Card Points & the Southwest Companion Pass

Getting to Anaheim or Orlando can be one of the biggest expenses of your trip, but flights can be nearly free with the right strategy.

Best way to save: Use airline miles to book flights. The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best ways to cut costs, allowing one person to fly free (just pay taxes) with you on every flight for up to two years. Even if you don’t have the full Companion Pass, opening just one card like the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card with an elevated bonus can get you flights for nearly nothing. Check out my free guide HERE.

Other ways to save: You can use nearly any airline miles to book flights. Check out my credit card best offers page.

How we saved: We used Southwest points plus $5.60 in taxes each way for our flights from Phoenix to Orlando. My friend and I took advantage of the Companion Pass by adding each other as companions for different legs of the trip. Since you can change your companion up to four times per year, this is a great way to maximize savings with friends and family!

If you would like to apply for these cards, please head to my credit card best offer page.

2. Hotels: Use Points for On-Site & Nearby Stays

Disney resort hotels are pricey, but you can use points to stay at amazing locations on and off the property.

One of the easiest options is using Hyatt points to book the Hyatt House or Hyatt Place in Anaheim. Both are just a short walk to the Disneyland parks, making them a great choice for families. The best credit card to earn Hyatt points is a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or any other card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, since you can transfer those points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. From time to time, the Hyatt Credit Card also offers welcome bonuses that include free Category 1–4 night awards, which can be used at select Hyatt hotels near Disneyland.

Both Hyatt properties mentioned above are Category 4 hotels and typically cost 12,000–18,000 points per night, depending on peak and off-peak pricing.

The Hyatt House is especially convenient for Disneyland trips. It’s just a short walk to the parks, offers family-friendly rooms (including options with bunk beds), and even has a Starbucks located right in the building, a big win for early park mornings.

The Hyatt Place is also walkable and sleeps 5-6, but the distance is closer to a 20-minute walk, making it a better fit if you don’t mind a bit more time getting to the parks.

A second option is using free night awards from Marriott. In the past, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card has offered 5 free 50k hotel certificates as a welcome bonus. You can redeem these hotel certificates at any Marriott property costing 50,000 points or less. You can also top the certificate with up to 15,000 points of your own (so you can book a property of 65,000 points).

The SpringHill Suites is a great option for larger families, as many rooms sleep up to six. The Residence Inn is located directly across the street from Disneyland, making it one of the most convenient off-property hotel options—you truly can’t beat the location.

For Disney World, The Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin Resorts are all Marriott properties located right on Disney World property, giving you on-site perks while using Marriott points to book your stay. Those 50,000-point free night awards can be an excellent fit for Disney World stays.

Related: Full Review of the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando

Extra savings tip at Disney World: Consider using points to book an airport hotel for your arrival night, especially if you land late. This can save you hundreds compared to booking a Disney hotel for that night.

How we saved: We used a Hyatt Category 1-4 certificate to stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport for free. Since our flight landed at 10 PM, it was incredibly convenient to walk straight to the hotel. In the morning, we dropped our luggage off with the bellman at our Disney Hotel. More on how we saved on our Disney Resort below.

If you would like to apply for these cards, please head to my credit card best offer page.

3. Disney Park Tickets: Use Miles to Cover the Cost

Disney tickets are another big expense, but some credit cards allow you to use miles to cover the cost of a travel expense.

Best credit card for Disney tickets: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are the best cards for earning miles to cover ticket costs. You can use miles to “erase” purchases coded as travel, including Disney tickets from certain vendors like Undercover Tourist or Getaway Today. Be sure to buy tickets from a vendor that classifies the purchase as Travel. Unfortunately, purchases made directly through the Disney website won’t qualify as travel.

How it works: 75,000 Venture miles = $750 in travel credits, which can be applied to your ticket purchase. You’ll do this after the purchase is made through your online account. You have up to 3 months to erase a travel transaction.

How we saved: My friend Aimee @packedwithpoints helped me save by purchasing a military Disney ticket, which cost just $369 for a 4-day park hopper—a huge discount compared to regular pricing!

4. Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Rentals: Huge Savings on Resorts

One of the biggest savings tips I recently learned is renting Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points to stay at luxury Disney resorts for a fraction of the price.

What is DVC Rental? Disney Vacation Club members can rent out their unused points, allowing you to stay at deluxe resorts for up to 50% less than booking directly through Disney.

How to book: I recommend renting through Chelsea and Kim @pixiepointgals—they made the process seamless and also shared some of the best Disney insider tips.

What can you book? Almost all of the Disney resorts are bookable with DVC points. You can also book several other popular DVC properties like Aulani in Oahu, Hawaii.

How we saved: We stayed 2 nights at the Grand Floridian for just $854 (splitting the cost between two people). If we had booked through Disney, it would have cost $1,800 for the same stay!

Exclusive Discount: If you book 3 or more nights through Pixie Point Gals, use promo code MELISSA to save $50 on your reservation request.

Check out Chelsea and Kim’s reservation request here and learn more about how renting through DVC here. To save an extra $50, make sure you add the promo code on the reservation request.

Final Thoughts: Save Thousands with Points & Miles!

By strategically using points, miles, and smart booking methods, you can make your Disney trip way moreaffordable while still enjoying an incredible experience. Whether it’s scoring free flights, booking hotels with points, or using travel credits for tickets, these tips can help you save big on your next Disney adventure!

What are your favorite ways to save at Disney? Let me know in the comments!

Continue Reading…

10 Best Ways to Use Venture Mile for Families

Best Marriott properties in Hawaii for Redeeming 50k Certificates