We’ve covered lots of travel destinations here on Travel Freely, from Mexico to Paris, Hawaii and more. But this time, we’re looking into one of the most sought out family vacations in the world—a Disney vacation. But is it possible to do this with points? In this article, we’ll examine the possibility of using your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to get free tickets to Disney and how Undercover Tourist makes this possible!
Disclaimer: Undercover Tourist is one of the few affiliate partners we have because they are such a good deal to free travelers who want to save on Disney and/or skiing. If you click through to Undercover Tourist and purchase something on their site, Travel Freely may earn a commission.
Dubbed as the “Happiest Place on Earth”, Disney Resorts, such as The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, undoubtedly make up a huge percentage of the top destinations for family holidays in the United States and across the world. And we’re talking about everyone in the family – not just kids, but even mom and dad, and grandma and grandpa.
But like every travel destination, a Disney vacation comes at a price and a hefty one at that. The price tag that comes with every Disney ticket isn’t cheap. Park tickets alone hundreds of dollars per day. Add to this your flight and accommodation expenses and it won’t be long before the final bill adds up to thousands of dollars. Although there are ways that you can cut some of your expenses here or there, all in all, expect that this is going to be one of your most expensive vacations yet.
Feeling intimidated? Feeling discouraged?
Well, don’t be. Let’s break down the good news. There is a way into Disney with lesser expenses using Capital One Miles.
Here’s how you can get those Disney tickets for free.
Capital One Venture Card
We’ve tagged Capital One Venture as one of the best beginner cards. The earning structure is at 2x miles/point for every dollar spent on all purchases while the redemption rate is at 1:1, where each mile or point is equal to 1 cent. Compared to other rewards cards, these earning and redemption structures are very straightforward.
Best "easy to use" starter card (or complement to the Chase Sapphire Preferred) for those who don't want to think when it comes to earning and redeeming miles.
So, if a single-day Disney ticket costs around $130 for an adult and around $120 for a kid (ages 3-9, free for ages 3 and below), a family of 3 will cost around $380 for one day. That translates into 38,000 points total for your Venture Card.
Capital One offers more flexibility with its Capital One Venture Card through its reimbursement feature. With this feature, you can easily use your points to pay for any travel purchase you make on your card in the last 90 days. So, if your Disney tickets are coded as “travel,” you can easily use your Venture miles to pay for these tickets. But this is where it gets tricky.
Unfortunately, Disney tickets are not coded as “travel” expenses, they are coded as “entertainment” expenses. This means you can’t use your Venture points to erase the cost of your Disney tickets. But of course, there’s always another way! Enter: The Undercover Tourist.
Check here for a complete guide on Capital one Miles.
Undercover Tourist
Undercover Tourist is the most popular authorized seller of Disney Resorts tickets. And what’s better is that they offer Disney tickets at discounted prices and you’re guaranteed to get the best discounts for your family vacation. But the sweetest part is this…
When you make a purchase on Undercover Tourist using a Visa or Mastercard (Capital One Venture is a Visa), your purchases are coded as “travel” expenses. Not only do you get discounts on ticket prices, but you also get to erase these purchases with your Venture miles.
Bonus Tip: You may want to use Southwest miles to book your flights or Chase points for hotels, buy you also have the option to use Undercover Tourist to book hotel rooms if you’re planning a longer vacation. Undercover Tourist also gives discounts to Disney Resort rooms too.
Check out these Undercover Tourist offers for your Disney Trip.
Walt Disney World
- 4-Day Disney Theme Park Base Ticket – with 2 Extra Days
- 3-Day Disney Theme Park Base Ticket
- 4-Day Disney Theme Park Ticket with Park Hopper Option – with Extra Day
Disneyland
Other California Resorts
Other Florida Resorts
Breakdown
Combining your Capital One Venture Card and Undercover Tourist, here’s a sample breakdown to get you started…
Step 1: Open a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Best "easy to use" starter card (or complement to the Chase Sapphire Preferred) for those who don't want to think when it comes to earning and redeeming miles.
Step 2: Purchase your tickets from UndercoverTourist.com.
Don’t purchase your tickets from Disney as these will not be coded as “travel” expenses. Purchase your park tickets at Undercover Tourist – they offer the best rates, discounts, and also offer deals on Disney hotels.
Step 3: Reimburse yourself for your Undercover Tourist expense.
Finally, log in to your Capital One Venture Rewards account and simply track down the purchase you made on Undercover Tourist. Make sure you do this within 90 days of your purchase date.
Bonus Tips:
- Double your points! Get your spouse to apply for their own Venture Rewards card too! Easily, you can get over $1000 for free. So, if you’re planning a 3-day Disney vacation, the sign-up bonus you earn from your Venture cards can easily cover your ticket costs.
- Check for accommodation offers from Undercover Tourist too.
- For other flights and hotel accommodations expenses, check out our Capital One Sweet Spots guide here.
- Don’t forget to do your research! Compare deals, search around, check for the best dates (note that there are regular and peak rates for Disney tickets), and plan your points strategy as best as you can!
All Cards that earn Capital One Miles:
Best "easy to use" starter card (or complement to the Chase Sapphire Preferred) for those who don't want to think when it comes to earning and redeeming miles.
Another good business card for those who like Capital One. Similar to the Spark Cash, but instead of cash, it allows you to earn and redeem miles as statement credits for travel purchases.
Disney Success Story
A Travel Freely Family making the most of their points!
From John B (Denver, CO):
We knew a trip to Disneyland was on our Family Bucket List. Thanks to Travel Freely we easily mapped out the cards and bonuses that would get us there. We used bonuses through Chase Ultimate Rewards which transferred to Southwest Airlines points for miles. And the Marriott Bonvoy card covered two nights at the hotel.
In all, we saved about $1,250 getting there and staying there. Basically we did Disneyland for over 50% off!
Next up—DisneyWORLD!!!
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