How One Family Took a $11,500 Disney Trip for Less Than Half the Cost UsingCredit Card Points

This blog is a community submission from our Facebook member, Emily Buss

We’ve all seen the photos—families grinning in front of Cinderella’s Castle, kids on Dumbo, and those magical moments shared over a Mickey-shaped ice cream bar. For many, a trip to Walt Disney World is a dream, but the price tag? Not so magical.

That was the case for my friend at the beginning of 2024. As a family of five, she knew Disney World would be expensive—so expensive that she assumed it would be years before they could afford it. She had even gotten a quote from a travel agent: $11,000 for a five-night trip.

That number felt impossible, so she tucked the dream away for “someday.”

Then, over casual conversation, I mentioned how my family was heading to Disney soon—and we were using points to cover a big portion of the trip. My friend knew I was into the “points game,” but like many people, she didn’t understand how to leverage credit card points to significantly reduce the cost of travel.

A little intrigued, she did some research on her own, and soon enough, she came back with a message I love to hear:

“Help me! We want to go later this year!”
From “Maybe One Day” to “We’re Going to Disney!”

At the start of 2024, my friend and her husband had only two credit cards—a Citi Double Cash and a Target debit card. Not exactly a recipe for maximizing travel rewards. But with a plan, discipline, and smart card choices, she turned a full-price Disney trip into an affordable reality in just six months.

Here’s what their trip looked like:

✔️ 5 nights at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside
✔️ 4-day park tickets
✔️ Deluxe Disney Dining Plan
✔️ Memory Maker for unlimited photos
✔️ A rental car to visit Cocoa Beach
✔️ Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for their daughter
✔️ Cinderella’s Royal Table character meal
✔️ Roundup Rodeo BBQ character dining for their boys

With all the extras, they were truly making this a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

The Credit Card Strategy That Saved Them Over $7,000

To pull this off, they used what’s called “2-player mode” (when both partners apply for different cards to maximize bonuses). Since they also had a small business, they were able to leverage business credit cards to accelerate their points collection.

Here’s what they applied for:

P1 (Player 1 – Spouse #1)
o Southwest Rapid Rewards® Card
o Capital One® Venture® Credit Card
o Citi Double Cash® Card
o Citi® AAdvantage® Executive World Elite^TM Mastercard®
o Citi Strata^SM Premier Card

P2 (Player 2 – Spouse #2)
o Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
o Capital One® Venture® Credit Card

By strategically timing their applications and meeting the required spending with their everyday expenses, they were able to unlock massive sign-up bonuses that covered flights, hotels, dining, and even part of their beach day expenses.

Total Savings Breakdown:
If they had paid cash for everything, their trip would have cost:
$11,519

By strategically using points, they paid:
$4,389.02 out of pocket!

That’s a savings of over $7,100—without changing their normal spending habits.

And that number doesn’t even include the cash value of their character dining experiences! Just Cinderella’s Royal Table alone would have been over $500.

How They Kept Everything Organized

With multiple cards, tracking expenses and making sure they hit the spending requirements without going overboard was key. They relied on:

✅ The Travel Freely app – to keep track of credit card applications, bonus deadlines,
and annual fees.
✅ A simple spreadsheet – to monitor spending and ensure they were earning points
without unnecessary debt.

From a “Once-in-a-Lifetime Trip” to a Future of Travel

What’s next for this family? They’re already planning their next Disney trip! But this time, they’re thinking even bigger—a Disney Cruise!

The biggest lesson they learned? Using credit card points isn’t about spending more—it’s about earning rewards for the spending you’re already doing. With the right cards, strategy, and a little patience, traveling affordably isn’t just possible—it’s a game-changer.

Ready to make your dream trip happen? Start today by looking at what credit cards you already have and how you can maximize your rewards. That “someday” trip might be closer than you think!

How Helping a Friend Led Me to a Career I Love

This experience was more than just helping a friend—it completely changed the course of my own journey.

After guiding my friend through the process, I realized how much I loved helping others navigate the complexities of travel planning, especially when it came to Disney vacations. I had already mastered the art of maximizing points for my own trips, but seeing someone else turn their “someday” trip into reality was beyond rewarding.

That moment inspired me to take the leap and become a travel planner specializing in Disney. Now, I help families plan stress-free, magical vacations—whether they’re using points or not. Best of all? My services are completely free.

So if you’re dreaming of Disney but feeling overwhelmed by the cost, let’s chat! Your magical trip might be closer than you think.

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