How I Used the Disney Inspire Visa to Save About $783 at Disney World

While it may be known as “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” let’s face it: the out-of-pocket cost for book a family vacation Walt Disney World is not a fairy tale.

So when Chase launched the Disney® Inspire Visa® Card (see rates and fees), in February, my ears perked up.

As a Disney fan (and Florida resident), I try to schedule a visit to see Mickey and friends at least twice a year. With an annual fee of just $149, I put this new card to the test and saved $783.20 on my family weekend getaway to Disney.

This is how the new one works Benefits of the Disney Inspire Visa Card He helped me save hundreds.

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Disney Inspired Visa Card: Get a $300 Disney gift card upon approval and a $300 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months.

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I saved $400 on Disney theme park tickets

Whether you’re planning a week-long family vacation or a quick two-day or overnight trip, the Disney experience can certainly add up.

I wanted to take my family of three (me, my partner, and our 15-month-old son) to Epcot to attend the park’s International Flower and Garden Festival. Since my son is under 3 years old, he can enter the theme parks for free. Because of this generous welcome card offerI also surprised my parents by paying for their tickets.

One-day tickets to the park start at $119, but Disney operates using dynamic pricing, so for four adults, one-day tickets to Epcot for March 9 cost about $810, including taxes and fees.

with my new Disney Inspired Visa CardI was able to cut the costs of this large expense by almost half, saving $400.

I used the $300 Disney gift card from the approval bonus and received the card’s $100 annual statement credit (available after spending $200 or more on tickets to Disney theme parks in the US each cardholder’s anniversary year).

And since the statement credit is an annual benefit for the cardholder, I can save $100 on future theme park tickets in future years.

Save money on my stay at a Disney World resort

He Disney Inspired Visa Card also comes with the following cardholder benefit: Earn $200 in Disney Rewards after you spend $2,000 per anniversary year on US Disney hotel stays and Disney Cruise Line reservations.

Disney Rewards Dollars act like cash and can be redeemed at a rate of 1 Disney Rewards Dollar per $1. You can choose to redeem Disney rewards dollars on resort stays, theme park tickets, and as a statement credit on eligible purchases, among other options.

Since I was only staying one night and traveling on a budget, I decided to book a room at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside since it’s close to Disney Springs and Epcot, two places we were planning to visit.

Another cool perk: This resort allows guests to access the amenities of its sister property, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Who doesn’t want to be within walking distance of Disney’s famous Mickey-shaped donuts?

A one-night stay at this hotel costs $358.19. Although I didn’t earn $200 in Disney Rewards dollars (since I didn’t spend $2,000 on this resort stay), this card earns 3% at most US Disney locations, so I racked up about $10 in Disney Rewards dollars.

Related: An Emphasis on Nostalgia and Functionality: Why I’d Rather Stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort

Earn and redeem Disney Rewards dollars

with me Disney Inspired Visa CardI will earn Disney Rewards dollars at the following rates:

• 10% on disneyplus.com, hulu.com and plus.espn.com
• 3% at most US Disney locations and gas stations.
• 2% in supermarkets and restaurants
• 1% on all other card purchases

Earning 3% on all my Disney purchases, including food, park tickets, merchandise, and pretty much all of my vacation spending, is a pretty good deal.

Although I was only taking my family on a two-day trip, the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival features more than 20 outdoor kitchens serving a variety of small plates. So, trying a ton of cuisines from around the world is always a highlight when visiting Epcot, especially during festival season.

During our trip, I spent about $275 on food and $102 on merchandise. Since the card earns 3% back at most Disney locations, those purchases generated about $11 in Disney rewards dollars. Between shopping, dining, gas, and those random Target runs on the weekends, I’ve collected almost $61 in Disney Rewards dollars since opening the card.

So when my bill is due, I’ll redeem my Disney Rewards dollars to cover my vacation expenses.

Related: How to save money at Disney World so you don’t go broke

I will use my $300 welcome offer summary for my vacation bill

As I mentioned, I started using my card as soon as it arrived in my mailbox, as I wanted to rack up Disney Rewards dollars and was eager to meet the $1,000 spending requirement to receive a $300 statement credit. Luckily, everything went as planned and that’s what I did.

Not including the other purchases I made with my Disney Inspirational VisaHere’s the breakdown of how I saved on my Disney vacation.

Total: $1,555.20 ($772 out of pocket plus $782.20 in savings)

After using the credits, approval bonus, and my Disney Rewards dollars, my bill will be around $1,072. However, since I met the $1,000 spending requirement of the welcome offer, I will receive a $300 statement credit.

So, with the Inspire Visa, I was able to transfer some of my everyday spending to this card, get the welcome bonus, and take a weekend trip to Disney with four adults and a toddler, all for about $772.

Remember, just four adult one-day tickets would have cost me over $800. Plus, if you add in the additional travel expenses, you would have paid around $1,555 for a weekend trip to Disney if it weren’t for this card.

Additional Tips and Savings for Cardholders

like a Disney Inspired Visa Card Holder, you will enjoy a 10% discount on selected products and select restaurants at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Those small savings can certainly add up over the course of a longer vacation.

An underrated perk of being a Disney cardholder is having access to exclusive character photo opportunities at select parks.

At Epcot, we waited about 25 minutes at the private cardholder location and met Minnie and Pluto. This private one-on-one experience wasn’t rushed and felt super personal. For my son, it was definitely the highlight of his trip.

Plus, I immediately received all 13 digital photos on the My Disney Experience mobile app.

Individual downloads typically range from $17 to $20 per photo, and a one-day photo pass costs $75 to $85. With this card, I paid $0 for 13 photos of my son meeting Minnie and Pluto.

Related: How to Rent Disney Vacation Club Points and Save Hundreds of Dollars on Your Vacation

How you can use Inspire Visa credits on Disney vacation packages

Realistically, most non-Florida residents don’t take a short trip to Walt Disney World, but that doesn’t mean this card can’t help you save big on your vacation.

Booking a Disney resort package and meeting certain spending requirements to unlock additional rewards could work in your favor.

According to the Disney Inspired Visa CardUnder the terms of the offer, qualifying purchases include resort hotel fees, associated taxes and fees, room charges (also known as folio charges), and resort vacation packages (including theme park tickets purchased as part of a vacation).

So, even if you plan to stay at a Value resort, you could easily hit the $2,000 spending threshold if you purchase a package.

For example, a standard room at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort typically costs $202 per night in May. If a family, which includes two adults, one child over 10 and one child under 3, books a four-night stay and a four-day park ticket, the package subtotal is approximately $3,055.

With this credit card alone, I estimate families can save almost $1,000 on the example package. Here’s how I’m breaking down the calculations if tickets to this Value resort and park are $3,055:

The estimated final cost after rewards is $2,175, not including the redeemable Disney Rewards dollars you would earn from these purchases.

In a nutshell

For many families, Disney World is a place to “experience the magic,” but rising costs can quickly dampen that feeling of happiness forever.

with the new Disney Inspirational VisaI saved over $700 on my vacation using a combination of the up to $600 welcome offer, statement credits, and discounts.

With an annual fee of $149, this card could be worth a spot in your wallet, especially if you plan to visit Disney properties at least once a year.

For more information on the card’s benefits and advantages, see our Disney Inspire Visa review.