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Travel
Travel
Travel Diaries: How I Did A 5-Day, $4,000 Disney Trip for Just $1,600
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TRAVEL DIARIES: HOW I DID A 5-DAY, $4,000 DISNEY TRIP FOR JUST $1,600

Find out how a Nerd used credit card points and travel perks to make her Disney
trip more affordable.
By Sally French 

Sally French
Lead Writer/Spokesperson | Travel, credit cards
Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She
previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its
sibling site, Wirecutter.
Outside of work, she loves fitness, and she competes in both powerlifting and
weightlifting (she can deadlift more than triple bodyweight). Naturally, her
travels always involve a fitness component, including a week of cycling up the
coastline of Vietnam and a camping trip to the Arctic Circle, where she biked
over the sea ice. Other adventures have included hiking 25 miles in one day
through Italy's Cinque Terre and climbing the 1,260 steps to Tiger Cave Temple
in Krabi, Thailand.
She lives in San Francisco.
Learn More
 
Updated Aug 17, 2023 6:27 p.m. PDT
Edited by Kevin Berry  

Kevin Berry
Lead Assigning Editor | NerdWallet, the Portland Diamond Project, NBC Sports.
Kevin Berry works as the content lead for multimedia production at NerdWallet
including YouTube, podcasts and social media videos across all financial topics.
Previously, he was the Lead Editor for the Travel Rewards team. Prior to
NerdWallet, Kevin managed the content and social media teams at NBC Sports in
Portland for eight years. His prior experience also includes time as a financial
analyst (Comcast) and business system analyst (Nike).
Learn More



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SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED
This page includes information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
Card, currently unavailable on NerdWallet. The information about the Hilton
Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not
been provided or reviewed by the card issuer.
MORE LIKE THISTravelTravel Rewards Credit Cards

You may think you need a Fairy Godmother to afford a trip to Walt Disney World.
However, with the help of points and miles, I spent less than $1,600 cash for
two people (including cross-country airfare) on a summer 2021 trip with my
boyfriend, who shares my penchant for both Disney and frugality.

Had we paid for everything in cash, our trip would have cost over $4,000.
Instead, we did five days at Disney World for just 40% of that in cash thanks in
major part to redeeming our points and miles. We valued the points we redeemed
at $700, bringing the total we “spent” to around $2,300. Here’s how:


THE HOTEL

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista. Photo courtesy of HIlton

Disney-owned resorts have acclaimed customer service, enchanting theming and
close proximity to theme parks. But Disney hotels are expensive, and they won’t
take points. The next best move is staying at a Disney Springs Resort area
hotel, many of which accept points.

I chose the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista, which is adjacent to Disney’s
shopping center, meaning tons of dining and entertainment within walking
distance.

I paid with Hilton Honors points and flexed my Diamond elite status, earned
automatically for holding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card. Terms
apply.

Five nights cost 140,760 points, which I paid with points I earned through the
card’s welcome offer and minimum spend requirement. NerdWallet values 140,760
Hilton points at $703.80, but get this: The room’s cash price, including taxes
and fees, would have cost over $1,700.

So how did I fork over only $700 worth of points for a $1,700 room?

 * Paying with points allowed me to skip resort fees: Resort fees inflate your
   actual bill, which hotels say covers expenses like internet and telephone
   access (do people still use the hotel phone?). This hotel’s $35 nightly
   resort fee also covered the theme park shuttle, two daily coffees and water
   bottles (a nice perk but definitely not worth $35). With Hilton, paying on
   points lets you skip resort fees.

 * My fifth night was free: If you have elite status and book a five-night stay,
   Hilton only charges you for four.

 * Point values vary: While NerdWallet values a Hilton point at 0.5 cent, it
   doesn’t always mean you’ll get that exact value. Point and cash rates might
   not align because of factors that you can't always predict, including sudden
   interest in that hotel leading to a spike in cash rates. Luckily for me, the
   value I got here was favorable because of the high cash price I would have
   had to pay, if I had not used points.

Cost: $0 cash plus $703.80 worth of Hilton Honors points




AIRFARE

Our Southwest flights would have each cost $158.98 each way, but my boyfriend’s
was nearly free with my Southwest Companion Pass, which is essentially a
buy-one-get-one airfare deal (you only pay taxes and fees on the second ticket),
and was earned mostly through a welcome offer on my Southwest® Rapid Rewards®
Performance Business Credit Card.

I paid my airfare with two sets of separate $98.98 Southwest travel funds from
flights canceled in 2020. Southwest has always had one of the best cancellation
policies. For this accounting, I’ll count my flights as $197.96 roundtrip, since
that was cash I paid out of pocket, albeit pre-pandemic.

I charged the remaining $60 per leg to my Hilton Honors American Express Aspire
Card since it offers a $250 airline incidental statement credit, which was
triggered by the remaining $60 balance as well as my boyfriend’s $5.60 in taxes
and fees. Bonus: I still have $130 left on my airline fee credit for a future
trip. Terms apply.

Cost: $197.96




OTHER TRANSPORTATION

Getting to/from the airport: To get from my home in downtown San Francisco to
the airport, I’d typically take public transit. But since COVID-19, train hours
have been slashed, forcing me to ride Uber to and from the airport. And since
there’s no train from the Orlando airport to Disney, we took Lyft to and from
our hotel. This totaled $117.46 for all four rides.

Getting around: Once on Disney property, it’s easy to get around. Disney has
almost any form of transit imaginable, including buses, boats and a monorail.
Transit on the property takes you between theme parks and resorts. Besides being
a convenient way to freely get around, it generally serves as free entertainment
(for sightseeing and people watching).

Photo by Sally French

And even though our hotel’s $35 daily resort fee would be annoying (we avoided
it by paying on points), the ability to shuttle to the theme parks is far
cheaper than the cost of theme park parking ($25) plus hotel parking ($22). That
would be $47 in daily parking alone, not to mention other costs associated with
owning or renting a car.

Cost: $117.46


FOOD AND DRINKS

Here are my best dining finds and money-saving tips:


GO TO EPCOT DURING A FESTIVAL

Since we visited during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, we
ordered from temporary outdoor kitchens serving creative foods including a
citrus-braised pork belly and a sugarcane shrimp skewer. This was a prime way to
sample multiple unique dishes on a budget.

My favorite dish was the frushi ($6). Photo by Sally French

We tried seven items ($43.75), which are served tapas-style and are still large
enough to get a solid taste.

Even if you're not heading to Epcot during a festival, the theme park does seem
to have the best food of them all. Whether it's school bread from the Norway
pavilion or macaron ice cream sandwiches from L’Artisan des Glaces in the France
pavilion, the theme park's food is a notch above other theme park staples of
burgers and fries. At least if you're going to spend money on food, spend money
on the good stuff.


LOOK FOR FOOD SIMILAR TO HIGH-END RESTAURANTS, SERVED ELSEWHERE

We found the best deal at Animal Kingdom’s Nomad Lounge bar. Though it’s located
adjacent to the pricey Tiffins Restaurant, we were surprised by Nomad’s
reasonable prices. We each got a mocktail (about half the price of boozy
cocktails) and split the real MVP here — a plate of ribs — for just $8. Main
dishes at Tiffins, like short ribs or chicken, can easily run over $40 per item.
Maybe I’m jaded by San Francisco’s cost of living, but this seemed like a deal
($29 for the meal).


DON’T SKIP FREE HOTEL BREAKFAST

Don’t overlook whether a hotel offers free breakfast when deciding where to
book. In my case, since we stayed at a Hilton and my Hilton Honors American
Express Aspire Card comes with automatic elite status, I was entitled to a $30
daily food and beverage credit.

We used it on the admittedly average breakfast buffet once. On future days, we
used the credit to load up on fruit, yogurt and packaged sandwiches from the
grab-and-go market. That also enabled more opportunities to maximize rides since
we weren’t waiting in line for food at the theme parks.


PACK PREPACKAGED SNACKS

Bring snacks from home. Load up on jerky, nuts and protein bars that fit easily
in your suitcase and fill you up so you avoid buying an overpriced popcorn
bucket you didn’t want anyway.


SHARING IS CARING — AND BUDGET-FRIENDLY

A key money-saving factor was splitting food with my travel companion. We always
consumed our own entrees, but as far as those tasty yet less-than-nourishing
snacks — like donuts and churros — we cut costs by sharing.

It’s easy to get intoxicated by the smell of waffle cones and buy an individual
serving of Dole Whip nachos for everyone in your family. Yet both my wallet and
waistline are happy that I didn’t try eating an entire one myself.

Plus, your Dole Whip will probably melt before you can finish it anyway.

The Kakamora Float version of the Dole Whip ($7.45) comes with a cake pop and is
large enough to share. Photo by Sally French


USE CREDIT CARD DEALS

For example, Grubhub had a $5 coupon at Disney Springs’ Earl of Sandwich, which
I stacked with my $10 monthly dining credit on my American Express® Gold Card
for free lunch. Terms apply.


GET FREE AIRPORT FOOD

My Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card gets us into several airport
lounges through Priority Pass, including a couple at Orlando International
Airport. There, we loaded up on chicken tortilla soup, veggies and hummus. They
tasted just OK, but I won’t complain about free food.

Cost: $316.34


OTHER SPENDING

On the airplane: I purchased Southwest’s inflight Wi-Fi, which costs $8 per
device. My Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card came in
clutch because it offers free Wi-Fi, doled out as 365 $8 credits per year
(rather than one per day per account), so my boyfriend got free Wi-Fi, too.
That’s $32 in value for both legs between us.

The flight there was longer than I remembered (I haven’t done a cross country
flight in a year!), so we opted to purchase upgraded boarding for the flight
home. While I’m 4’10” and don’t actually mind the middle, the decision to
upgrade was easy because my Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business
Credit Card offers four complimentary seat upgrades per year (otherwise $30 per
person).

Theme park tickets: We purchased four-day tickets online from a travel agent,
which was slightly cheaper than buying directly from Disney ($477.29 per
person).

Souvenirs: I bought one souvenir for myself: an Orange Bird salt and pepper
shaker ($10.64). It’s utilitarian!

We did get souvenirs for friends, which Hilton paid for. Remember that $30 daily
food and beverage credit? The hotel’s grab-and-go market sold Disney-themed
jelly beans. Most days we still had about $10 remaining of our credit, which
allowed us to purchase a few bags per day. The plant-sitter, our neighbor and my
niece all got gifts.

» Learn more: How to purchase theme park tickets with points

> 


CREDIT CARDS USED

 * American Express® Gold Card: $250 annual fee.

 * Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: $550 annual fee.

 * Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card: $199 annual fee.


HOW MUCH WE SPENT: A BREAKDOWN

In total, we spent just under $1,600 in cash plus points, based on NerdWallet
travel valuations, worth around $700. Here’s how that broke down by expense
category, in total for two people:



By using points, I not only kept cash costs around $800 per person but also
saved over 40% off the actual trip value. That’s due in large part to benefits
like Hilton’s fifth night free, not paying resort fees and the Southwest
Companion Pass, which shaved a huge chunk off my trip costs in one fell swoop.

Not to mention, these cards earn high spending rewards. I earned an additional
$73.64 in rewards from the spending I did on this trip.


FACTOR IN THE VALUE OF CREDIT CARD POINTS

We do want to also factor in the “cost” of using points and miles. Why? The
short answer: opportunity cost. We only spent $1,600 cash, but we felt it was
important to acknowledge that we actually spent closer to $2,300 given the value
of rewards points.

Every point spent here is a point that could be spent somewhere else. Sure,
Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen won’t recognize points as a real
currency, but travel companies do.

Two benefits we didn’t factor into the cost: There were two credit card benefits
I used that have solid value, but that I didn’t factor in: TSA PreCheck and
Priority Pass. PreCheck requires an $85 application fee, which my credit card
covered. But since it typically lasts five years, I didn’t feel it fair to
factor in here. Editor's note: The TSA PreCheck application fee has since been
lowered to $78.

I also didn’t factor in the value of Priority Pass, as it didn’t cost me
anything to begin with (beside my credit card application fee), and its value
fluctuates depending on the lounge.


THE BOTTOM LINE

I’ve long thought that it’s easier and more stress-free to use a cash-back
credit card and pool those cash-back rewards into my vacation fund. But I’ve
realized — and this trip is proof — that it pays off to use a travel credit
card.

If you play your cards right, you’ll fork over even fewer points than their
actual value. Had I paid for my trip entirely in cash, it would have cost over
$4,000. Instead, it “cost” me just over $2,300 in combined cash and points value
($1,600 was cold, hard cash and $700 was the approximate points value).

My mom still balks that I pay for annual fees on credit cards. But the savings
here already far exceeded the cards' annual fees, and there are plenty of other
valuable perks I get from those cards outside of this single trip.

Even without a royal-sized budget, you can still have your dream Disney
vacation, as long as you’re creative and flexible. Stretch your budget by not
just maximizing credit card points, but being open-minded about what you eat,
where you stay and how you get there.

After all, if the Fairy Godmother turned a pumpkin into a glass carriage, you
can turn $1,600 and some credit card points into a $4,000 vacation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR REWARDS

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are
our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:

 * Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred®
   Card

 * No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

 * Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

 * Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

 * Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

 * Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

About the author
Sally French
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Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020. She
previously wrote about travel and credit cards for The New York Times and its
sibling site, Wirecutter. She also has worked for MarketWatch and The Orange
County Register. She loves fitness, and her travels have included cycling up the
coastline of Vietnam and over the sea ice in the Arctic Circle. Sally studied
journalism at the University of Missouri. Twitter: @SAFmedia. Read more

Cards for Disney from our Partners
Apply now

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

5.0
NerdWallet Rating
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula
takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or
balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
Rewards rate

1x-10x
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals
when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® 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

Points

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro offer

60,000
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3
months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through
Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Points
Apply now

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

5.0
NerdWallet Rating
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula
takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or
balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
Rewards rate

1x-5x
Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel
purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other
travel purchases, plus more.

Points

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro offer

60,000
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3
months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through
Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

Points
Apply now

on Chase's website

Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

4.2
NerdWallet Rating
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula
takes into account the type of card being reviewed (such as cash back, travel or
balance transfer) and the card's rates, fees, rewards and other features.
Rewards rate

1x-3x
Earn 3X points on Southwest® purchases. Earn 2X points on local transit and
commuting, including rideshare. Earn 2X points on internet, cable, and phone
services, and select streaming. Earn 1X points on all other purchases.

Points

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Intro offer

50,000
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3
months from account opening.

Points
See more cards for disney
Dive even deeper in Travel


THE BEST DISNEY CREDIT CARD MIGHT SURPRISE YOU

by Sally French


Read more


DISNEY WORLD VS. DISNEYLAND: WHICH THEME PARK SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

by Carissa Rawson


Read more


IS GENIE+ WORTH IT?

by Jennifer Calonia


Read more

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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