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8 best Disney savings accounts for August 2021
The right Disney vacation account can help you bring your dream trip to life.
The best Disney savings account offers online tools and perks to help you save — whether that’s in the form of paid interest or discounts. Disney used to offer a Disney Vacation Account, but it shut this program down in 2017.
We researched over 110 savings accounts to find the eight best accounts to help you save for your Disney vacation. We split our list into two parts: one for credit unions offering Disney perks and the other for alternative savings accounts with built-in goal tracking tools.
For our list of credit unions, our primary focus was on finding those that had the best Disney discounts. We ignored secondary factors like membership requirements and branch locations. All of our picks require you to open a basic savings account to establish membership, so we noted the account details, pros and cons of each account. For our list of alternative savings accounts for Disney vacations, we focused on those with high APYs, low monthly fees, and goal tracking tools to help you manage your progress as you save.
What’s changed in 2021?
Simple is being discontinued this year, so we replaced it with SmartyPig Savings, which acts as a virtual piggy bank for your money. We removed Providence Federal Credit Union and Tower Federal Credit Union from our list as they no longer offer Disney perks.
5 Disney savings account alternatives
These popular savings accounts come with automatic savings tools and goal tracking features to help you visualize and accomplish your Disney savings goals.
Digit
Up to 0.1%
APY
APY
$5
Fees
Fees
None
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
Digit is a micro-savings app that learns your spending habits and transfers leftover money into savings for you. It has built-in tools to help you set up savings goals for different aspects of your trip including travel, lodging, theme park tickets, food and more.
- Free 30-day trial. Digit has a $5 monthly fee, but you can try it for free for 30 days.
- No minimum opening deposit. Get started with Digit with as little as $0.
- Savings bonus. You'll earn a 0.5% annualized savings bonus when you use Digit to save for three consecutive months.
- Interest compounded quarterly. Most banks help you grow your money faster with interest that's compounded daily. But Digit compounds interest once every three months.
- Monthly fee. Expect to pay $5 a month to use Digit.
- Limited customer service. Digit doesn't have phone or live chat support, so the only way to reach someone is through email.
| Interest compounding |
Annually
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $1 |
| Monthly transaction limit | |
| Fee per transaction over limit |
Ally Bank Online Savings Account
0.5%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
None
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
Ally Bank recently released three tools to make saving for your Disney vacation even easier. You can set up automatic transfers, organize your money into different savings buckets or let Ally analyze your spending and move extra money into savings each week.
- Interest compounded daily. Your money grows even faster with a 0.5% APY that's compounded daily.
- No hidden fees. Ally doesn't charge any monthly maintenance fees and clearly outlines which fees it does charge in its Straight Talk product guide.
- No minimum deposit requirements. You can open this account with as much or as little money as you'd like.
- Online only. Ally operates entirely online, so it doesn't accept cash deposits and you're limited to phone and email support.
- No ATM card. You'll have to transfer money to another account if you need to withdraw cash.
- 30 days to fund account. If you don't fund your account within 30 days of opening, Ally will close it.
| Interest compounding |
Daily
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $0 |
| Monthly transaction limit | 6 |
| Fee per transaction over limit | $10 |
Capital One 360 Performance Savings
0.4%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
None
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
The Capital One 360 Performance Savings account comes with a sleek mobile app that helps you track savings goals, so you know exactly how far away you are from that Disney trip. Plus, you can check your credit score and categorize transactions.
- High APY. Earn a solid 0.4% APY on your total account balance.
- No monthly fees. Capital One doesn't charge you anything to open or maintain this account.
- Digital savings tools. Set up automatic payments and have part of every paycheck set aside for your Disney trip.
- No ATM access. The Capital One 360 Performance Savings account doesn't come with an ATM card, so you'll have to transfer money to another account if you need cash.
- Monthly withdrawal limit. As with all savings accounts, you can't make more than 6 outgoing transactions a month. But check with Capital One to see if this policy is currently suspended.
| Interest compounding |
Monthly
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $0 |
| Monthly transaction limit | 6 |
| Fee per transaction over limit | $0 |
Alliant High-Rate Savings
0.55%
APY
APY
$1
Fees
Fees
$5
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
As an Alliant member, you'll get access to a money management tool that lets you create and track your Disney vacation savings goals, keep an eye on your spending patterns and manage transactions straight from your phone. Plus, this online savings account offers a competitive APY that's higher than the national average.
- Competitive APY. You'll earn 0.55% APY when you keep at least $100 in this account.
- Comes with an ATM card. If you don't have an existing Alliant checking account, you'll get an ATM card that lets you quickly access your money at ATMs nationwide.
- No initial deposit requirements. Alliant pays the $5 opening deposit for you, so you can get a jump start on your savings.
- Open to members only. If you don't qualify for a regular membership, you can still join when you make a $5 donation to Foster Care to Success.
- Withdrawal limits. If you have a Chexsystems record, you can't withdraw more than $200 a day. If you don't have one, your limit is $500.
- Miscellaneous fees. Alliant charges fees for paper statements, overdrafts, stop-payments and more.
| Interest compounding |
Daily
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $100 |
| Monthly transaction limit | 6 |
| Fee per transaction over limit |
SmartyPig Savings
Up to 0.7%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
None
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
SmartyPig Savings by Sallie Mae is a virtual piggy bank for your short and long-term goals. Set up automatic deposits each time you get paid and watch your Disney vacation piggy bank fill up in no time.
- No fees. SmartyPig Savings ditches common fees charged by larger banks, so you can keep more of your money for what truly matters — eating breakfast with Mickey.
- Competitive APYs. Watch your account grow with a 0.7% APY on the first $10,000 in your account and 0.45% on balances of $10,000.01 or more.
- Goal tracking. SmartyPig lets you create multiple piggy banks for all your savings goals. You can then set your savings on autopilot with automatic deposits.
- APY tiers. Most savings accounts reward you with a higher interest rate as you save more money, but Sallie Mae's does the opposite. Your APY drops to 0.45% on balances of at least $10,000.01.
- Phone support only. There's no live chat or phone support, so you'll need to contact customer service by phone if you have any questions about your account.
| Interest compounding |
Daily
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $0 |
| Monthly transaction limit | |
| Fee per transaction over limit |
3 credit unions that offer Disney perks
These three credit unions offer the best Disney discounts:
Call Federal Savings account
0.35%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
$5
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
Call Federal Credit Union has a range of perks for its members, including discounted tickets to Disneyland and Disney World through one of its partners, Tickets at Work.
- Other membership benefits. Get access to money education programs and free meetings with a certified financial counselor.
- No fees. You won't pay any monthly fees to open or maintain this account.
- Low minimum deposit. You only need $5
- Minimum balance to earn interest. You'll need to keep at least $100 in this account to earn 0.35% APY.
- Excessive transaction fee. You'll pay a $10 fee each time you make more than six outgoing transactions a month. Although this policy could be temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus. Contact customer service for more information.
- Strict membership requirements. This credit union is only open to those who live, work or worship in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area.
| Interest compounding |
Quarterly
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $100 |
| Monthly transaction limit | 6 |
| Fee per transaction over limit | $10 |
Noble Credit Union Regular Savings account
Up to 0.2%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
$5
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
Noble Credit Union members can enjoy discount tickets and hotel packages to numerous theme parks through Get Away Today. Popular attractions include Disneyland, Walt Disney World, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld and more.
- No monthly fee. There is no monthly fee to open or maintain a Regular Savings account.
- Other membership perks. Noble Credit Union members get a free Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance policy worth $2,000 and access to free member seminars on topics like budgeting, understanding credit, money management and more.
- Lifetime membership. Once you join this credit union, you're a member for life and any of your immediate family members can join too.
- Low APYs. You'll earn 0% on balances up to $249, 0.10% on balances up to $4,999, 0.1% on balances up to $9,999, 0.15% on balances up to $24,999 and 0.2% on balances over $25,000.
- Strict membership requirements. Membership is primarily open to those who work for select businesses in Fresno and Madera County, California and their families.
| Interest compounding |
Monthly
|
|---|---|
| Minimum to earn interest | $250 |
| Monthly transaction limit | |
| Fee per transaction over limit |
Goldenwest Credit Union Primary Shares account
0.1%
APY
APY
None
Fees
Fees
$5
Min. opening deposit
Min. opening deposit
How to find the best Disney vacation savings account for your family
No matter how many people you’re planning on bringing with you, use the following criteria to find the best Disney vacation account to help you reach your savings goal:
- APY. Look for the highest annual percentage yield possible, as compound interest on a high APY will help you fund your trip sooner.
- Fees. Keep an eye out for monthly fees and other charges that may chip away at your balance.
- Bonus or rewards. Find out if you’re eligible for any signup bonuses or rewards programs that could give you a head start on saving.
- Features. Look for features like mobile banking, automatic savings programs and more to find an account that meets your needs and goals.
- Conditions. Check your eligibility for the account you’re considering so you can meet deposit requirements and minimum balances.
- Access. Consider how you would access your money when you need it.
How much should I save for a Disney vacation?
Disney vacations can be the trip of a lifetime, but costs can add up quickly. Here’s what you can expect to pay more or less for accommodations and tickets, depending on the size of your group:
Room and ticket package (6 night, 7 day stay, tickets valid at all four theme parks)
| Number of guests | Price per person (per day) | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $99 | $1,386 |
| 3 | $99 | $2,079 |
| 4 | $99 | $2,772 |
| 5 | $99 | $3,465 |
| 6 | $99 | $4,158 |
| 7 | $99 | $4,851 |
| 8 | $99 | $5,544 |
Room, ticket and dining package (6 night, 7 day stay, tickets valid at all four theme parks)
| Number of guests | Price per person (per day) | Total cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | $138 | $1,932 |
| 3 | $138 | $2,898 |
| 4 | $138 | $3,864 |
| 5 | $138 | $4,830 |
| 6 | $138 | $5,796 |
| 7 | $138 | $6,762 |
| 8 | $138 | $7,728 |
Keep in mind that these don’t include expenses such as:
- Tax
- Snacks
- Drinks
- Souvenirs
- Transportation
- Magical extras
- Tips
- Toys
- Pictures
What if I can’t quite save enough?
If you’ve set a goal and planned out your Disney vacation savings but it won’t quite cover the cost or you’re on a tight timeline to get there, consider one of many Disney vacation financing options, like a Disney rewards credit card or a low-interest personal loan. You can also watch for discounts or find ways to save on travel or dining.
Bottom line
With the right approach, you can make your Disney vacation dreams a reality. Calculate how much it’ll cost your family to visit, then work out a budget or savings plan to fund your trip with the help of a Disney savings account.
The right savings account can help you reach your goal sooner with the power of compound interest, so compare your options to find one that fits your needs.
Compare other savings account for your Disney vacation
Type your deposit amount into the table to see how much interest you could earn on your Disney vacation savings. Sort the table by features that are most important to you to find an account that suites your needs.
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