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Have you been searching for the best deals to visit the happiest place on earth? Look no further: we’ve scoured the internet for you, and the best Disneyland discount we’ve found is opening credit cards and using the welcome bonus points to pay for Disney trips. After researching this for years, we’ve taken multiple Disneyland, Disney World and Disneyland Paris trips mostly paid for with credit card points and miles!

Here’s how we’ve used points and miles to book hotel, airfare and Disneyland tickets for our family of five:

DISNEY ADMISSION: THE EASIEST WAY TO BUY DISNEYLAND TICKETS WITH CREDIT CARD POINTS

One way to buy Disneyland tickets using points is through Citi ThankYou Points and the Citi Premier credit card:

Using Citi Thank-You Points: We’ve purchased Disneyland tickets using Citi ThankYou points that we earned opening the Citi Premier card . You can earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening). You’ll end up with with approximately $840 to spend on Disney tickets; if another family member opens a card, you’ll have $1680. My spouse and each opened one of these cards, one at a time, and put all our regular spending on the open card (groceries, gas etc.), paying it off every month.

To use the welcome bonus towards tickets, simply cash them out as a statement credit.

Read about five other ways to buy Disney tickets with credit card points:

How to buy Disney World or Disneyland Tickets with Credit Card Points

DISNEY HOTEL: TWO WAYS WE’VE BOOKED HOTELS AT DISNEYLAND USING POINTS

If you don’t have a friend to stay with, or an Airbnb you’re staying in, you’ll need to book a hotel using credit card points. We have done this multiple ways, which I’ll outline for you below.

TIP: Start collecting hotel credit card points first, so you can book your lodging before it fills up.

Booking a Hotel Using Marriott points

For one Disney trip, we used Marriott points to book five nights at a Springhill Suites within one mile of Disneyland. We earned the points opening Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit cards during a sign-up bonus (one for me & one for my spouse, one at a time) and put all our regular spending like groceries and gas on the open card, paying it off every month.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Open a Marriott Bonvoy Boundless credit card and earn 100,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Booking a Hotel Using Hilton Points

Another year, we used Hilton points to book the a Home2 Suites within one mile of Disneyland. We earned the points opening Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Cards (earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership, terms apply) We opened one for me & one for my spouse, one at a time–and putting all our regular spending like groceries and gas on the open card, paying it off every month.

For a list of hotels bookable with points and miles that we recommend near Disneyland, refer to this blog post:

Where to Stay Near Disneyland Using Points

HOW WE BOOK AIRFARE USING MILES

If you don’t live close enough to drive to Disneyland, you’ll need to book airfare. Many points & miles travelers prefer Southwest Airlines for Disney trips: this Disney Points Podcast episode includes which credit cards to open to earn SW Airlines miles, and explains how to earn one or two BOGO SW companion passes per household!

TIP: Collect airline credit card points second, after hotel credit card points, so you can book flights before they fill up.

We use Alaska miles to fly our family of five roundtrip to Disneyland from Oregon, To collect the points, my spouse and I each opened an Alaska Airlines Signature Visas cards during a sign-up bonus, one at a time, and put all our regular spending on the open card (groceries, gas etc.), paying it off every month.

Learn more about an Alaska Airlines VISA here.

Here’s info on which airport to fly into, and a list of 24 different cards you can open to earn points to book flights to Disneyland.

TIMELINE

Depending on how fast you spend money, YMMV as to how long it will take to open all these cards and collect all the points needed, but we estimate 12-18 months if you’re earning points and miles for hotel, airfare and tickets (you need ~1-3 months to open each new card, hit the minimum spend and collect your points & miles. Don’t forget to strategically charge large expenses to cards to help you immediately hit the minimum spend (we’ve put braces for our kids on credit cards, and house projects on credit cards). Start early! And remember, be a responsible credit card user: pay off your cards, don’t go into debt, keep track of annual fees.

Before you Begin

If you are new to credit card points and miles, STOP! Read this blog post so you understand the importance of an overall credit card strategy, involving banks that will limit the number of cards you can open in a certain time period.

TAKEAWAYS

Don’t let finances hold you back from your dream Disney trip–there’s lot of ways to get creative and earn points and miles for Disney.

Learn more about how we travel for almost free on Instagram @almostfreetraveling and join the conversation on facebook.com/almostfreetraveling

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