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Who wouldn’t love a free trip to Walt Disney World Resort? Isn’t that the ultimate dream vacation for a Disney fan? Well, it’s possible. And you don’t need a sweepstakes contest, lottery ticket, or have to do anything crazy or illegal. All you need is a little bit of planning and a secret weapon.
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One Card to Rule Them All
For those unaware, Chase offers a Disney Visa credit card (actually, they offer two). One includes a $49 fee, while the other is free (except for any interest or late fees you incur). Before we go any further, let’s make two things very clear. This is not an advertisement for Chase or Visa; this writer receives no compensation from either entity. This is merely a “hack,” for lack of a better term, to score a very inexpensive – if not altogether free – Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Aulani, or Disney Cruise Line vacation.
So, let’s continue…
Credit: Chase Visa
The Free Disney Visa Credit Card
A Disney Visa credit card is a must for any fan of the Walt Disney Company. Whether you take annual Disney vacations or only visit once every few years – the credit card can earn you free Disney park tickets (and more). If you apply for the Disney visa credit card and are approved, you gain access to one of the best ways to beat the high prices at Disney. How? By earning endless Disney reward dollars (that can pay for your vacation).
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As mentioned earlier, there are two types of Chase Visa credit cards (the free one and the one with an annual fee). Let’s start with the free basic card.
The standard Disney Visa Credit Card is great because it doesn’t require a fee (as long as you pay your bill on time and in full monthly). The way the Disney credit card works is simple. You use it on any purchase and receive 1% in Disney reward dollars. It may not sound like a lot, but 1% adds up quickly.
The Disney Visa credit card does – from time to time – have special offers that bump the earning rate up to 5% on a specific category, such as gas, groceries, or dining for a period of time. I can say from first-hand experience that utilizing the card’s benefits did help us save a few hundred dollars on a recent Walt Disney World Resort vacation.
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Using the Disney Visa credit card to cover a large amount of your bills (or even a portion) can add up fast over a year. For example, if you charge $1,000 on the card monthly, that would earn you $120 a year – which is enough to pay for a one-day park ticket at Walt Disney World Resort.
Credit: Aulani Resort
I know $1,000 may sound like a not. But think about it. The average person or family spends a couple hundred a month on utilities, a couple hundred on groceries, and a couple hundred on dining out or paying for gas. And that’s not counting promotions they will often offer, such as 5% back in Disney reward dollars on gas and groceries – turning that $10 you could earn a month (spending $ 1,000) into $50. And if you do that a few times a year and have your spouse or partner share the card with you, you can easily enjoy a couple of days at Disney after one year of basically buying the same necessities and spending the same amount of money you always do.
Other Benefits
In addition to those free Disney reward dollars, the credit card also provides 10% off of merchandise (if you spend $50) when you shop at a Disney retail location at Walt Disney World Resort (or Disneyland Resort). You also enjoy that same discount at shop.Disney.com.
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Another benefit of the Disney Visa credit card is exclusive character meet-and-greet spots when visiting theme parks. You can also receive discounts on Disney hotel stays up to 35% and finance your vacation with the card for 0% interest (for six months). Not a bad deal. Especially considering this card, unlike many other travel cards, is FREE.
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In addition, you can choose from multiple credit card designs featuring classic characters, castle images, and even special licensed properties such as Star Wars.
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The Premium Disney Visa Credit Card
And if you are interested in earning more Disney reward dollars at a much faster rate, they offer the Disney Premium Visa Card with a $49 annual fee. You would receive all the benefits of the free card, PLUS Discounts to Disney streaming services and a minimum 2% earning rate on gas, groceries, and restaurants (as opposed to the free credit card’s 1%). And you can use your Disney reward dollars to buy airplane tickets with the Disney Premium visa card. Again, it is a good deal that can be worthwhile even if it costs $49 a year.
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If you play your cards right, you could earn enough to fund an entire Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Or even a trip to Disney’s Aulani Resort, Disneyland Resort in California, or a Disney Cruise. The only catch is – it may take you a couple of years to earn the Disney rewards that a trip might cost. But heck, even if you only earn a couple of hundred Disney reward dollars, that will at least pay for your park admission, cover the cost of Disney Genie+, the cost of parking, or even the cost of your meals. And again…all it would require is to live your life the same as you do now. Just put your purchases on a Disney credit card.
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We have utilized this “hack” in preparing for previous Walt Disney World and Disneyland trips and will continue to in the future – so I can guarantee this does work. And don’t forget…a Disney vacation can be costly, and anything you can do to make it a little more affordable helps!
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