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Compare financing options for a Disney vacation

How to manage the cost of a trip to Main Street, USA.

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Anna Serio

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Jaclyn Hurst
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A Disney vacation can easily set you back thousands of dollars. But if you’re set on visiting the Magic Kingdom or a resort, there are ways to save on the cost — or otherwise make it a little more affordable in the short term.

How can I finance a Disney vacation?

There are several ways you can finance your Disney vacation both from Disney and private companies.

Credit cards

  • Best for: Short-term financing for a one-time Disney vacation.

A credit card can be a great choice to pay for a Disney vacation, especially if you’ll pay off your balance within a few months. Many card providers classify Disney tickets and vacation packages as travel — in which case you could earn attractive bonus rewards.

You could save a lot on interest with a 0% intro APR card. Most cards of this type offer intro periods up to 9 months or more. If you pay off your balance before your intro APR expires, you could enjoy an interest-free Disney trip.

Be careful with intro APRs

With an intro APR, you might be tempted to make a big purchase now and pay it off much later. But this is usually a mistake. Once your intro APR expires, your balance could accumulate interest at a double-digit ongoing APR.

Have a blast during your Disney vacation, but make sure it doesn’t stress you out later. Consider making a plan to consistently pay off your Disney debt each month. When the sun sets on your intro APR, you can reminisce about your amazing trip instead of worrying about interest payments.

Disney Vacation Club

  • Best for: Financing an annual Disney vacation for years to come.

If you’re no stranger to Disney vacations — or see several on the horizon — it might be worth investing in a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) membership. Becoming a member can potentially save you up to 50% on some package deals, but it might not be worth the investment if you only plan on going once or twice. Members typically will see savings 6 to 12 years after signing up.

The DVC is a timeshare on a Disney Vacation Club Resort. As a member, you can can buy or earn points, which you can use to book a room at any Disney resort. You also get access to membership perks like exclusive events and shorter lines at some Disney parks.

How much does the Disney Vacation Club cost?

There are several costs to consider when signing up for a DVC membership:

  • Purchase price. It costs $188 (USD) per point, though you’ll have to fork over at least $18,800 (USD) for 100 points when you sign up — or finance this cost.
  • Closing costs. Closing your membership starts at $454 (USD), depending on your home resort and how many vacation points you own.
  • Annual dues. Members pay an annual fee that breaks down to at least $62 (USD) per month.
Financing the purchasing price

If you’re short the $18,800, Disney offers loans to its customers. Typically, you’ll have to make a down payment and then pay it off plus interest and fees over several years. On a 10-year loan for the minimum 100 points, you can expect to pay at least $265 (USD) per month.

Several third-party companies also offer financing specifically for the DVC, though you might get a better deal with a standard personal loan.

Another popular way to take advantage of the DVC program is to rent points from a DVC owner. If you don’t already know someone directly, you can pay for a service to connect you with an owner. Or you can find an owner on an online forum — potentially less expensive, but more of a risk since there’s less security.

Personal loan

  • Best for: Long-term financing for the occasional Disney vacation.

If you need more than 6 months to pay off your vacation, a personal loan could help you cover the cost. Personal loan rates typically start lower than what you’d pay on a credit card, and terms typically run from 3 to 5 years.

Compare financing options

Name Product Welcome Offer Rewards Purchase Interest Rate Annual Fee Min. Credit Score Description
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card
35,000 points
Up to 2 points per $1 spent
19.99%
$139
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 750
Earn up to 35,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that’s up to $350 towards travel). Apply by July 4, 2022.
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
Finder Award
Scotiabank Gold American Express Card
45,000 points
Up to 5 points per $1 spent
19.99%
$120
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 700
Earn up to 45,000 bonus Scene+ points in your first year (that's up to $450 towards travel). Apply by July 4, 2022.
American Express Cobalt Card
American Express Cobalt Card
30,000 points
Up to 5x points per $1 spent
20.99%
$155.88
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 700
Earn up to 30,000 Membership Rewards points in your first year. Earn 2,500 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you spend $500 in net purchases on your card (up to 30,000 points).
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
BMO Ascend World Elite Mastercard
60,000 points
Up to 5x points per $1 spent
20.99%
$0 annual fee for the first year ($150 thereafter)
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 760
Get up to 60,000 points and get the $150 annual fee waived in the first year.
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege
BMO eclipse Visa Infinite Privilege
90,000 points
5 points per $1 spent
20.99%
$499
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 760
Get up to 90,000 welcome points in your first year.
Signature RBC Rewards Visa
Signature RBC Rewards Visa
N/A
1 point per $1 spent
19.99%
$39
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 650
Earn 1 RBC Rewards point for every $1 you spend on qualifying purchases, plus earn bonus points through purchases at select retailers.
American Express Aeroplan Card
American Express Aeroplan Card
50,000 points
Up to 2x points
30% annual interest rate applies to balances not paid in full each month
$120
Apply now
More Info
Min. recommended credit score: 700
Earn up to 50,000 welcome bonus Aeroplan points. New Cardmembers can earn up to $1,100 in value within the first year.
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Compare up to 4 providers

1 - 8 of 8
Name Product Interest Rate Loan Amount Loan Term Requirements Link
Loans Canada Personal Loan
Loans Canada Personal Loan
Secured from 2.00%, Unsecured from 8.00% to 46.96%
$300 - $50,000
3 - 60 months
Requirements: min. credit score 300
Go to site
More Info
A broker with the largest lender network in Canada. Fill out one application and get matched for free with lenders.
Spring Financial Personal Loan
Spring Financial Personal Loan
17.99% - 46.96%
$500 - $15,000
9 - 48 months
Requirements: min. income $1,800/month, 3+ months employed, min. credit score 500
Go to site
More Info
If you're not eligible for an unsecured loan, you may be offered a credit builder loan to help improve your credit score.
SkyCap Financial Personal Loan
SkyCap Financial Personal Loan
12.99% - 39.99%
$500 - $10,000
9 - 36 months
Requirements: min. income $1,200/month, stable employment, min. credit score 550
Go to site
More Info
Apply in less than 5 minutes for an unsecured loan and if approved, receive financing in as little as 24 hours.
LoanConnect Personal Loan
LoanConnect Personal Loan
Secured from 1.90%, Unsecured 5.75%-46.96%
$500 - $50,000
3 - 120 months
Requirements: min. credit score 300
Go to site
More Info
Fill out one application with this broker and get pre-approved by different lenders in 5 minutes.
FlexMoney Personal Loan
FlexMoney Personal Loan
18.90% - 46.93%
$500 - $15,000
6 - 60 months
Requirements: min. income $2,000/month, 3+ months employed, min. credit score 500
Go to site
More Info
Apply in less than 10 minutes for an unsecured loan and if approved, receive financing in as little as 24 hours. Pay off your loan any time without penalty.
Mogo Personal Loan
OFFER
Mogo Personal Loan
9.90% - 46.96%
$200 - $35,000
6 - 60 months
Requirements: min. income $13,000/year, min. credit score 500
Go to site
More Info
Get a free quote without affecting your credit score and get an unsecured loan the same day. 100-day money-back guarantee: If you're not happy with your loan, pay back the principal and get the 100 days of paid interest and fees back.
Fairstone Unsecured Personal Loan
Fairstone Unsecured Personal Loan
26.99% - 39.99%
$500 - $25,000
6 - 60 months
Requirements: min. income $1,000/month, min. credit score 525
Go to site
More Info
Get a free quote without impacting your credit score. Receive funds for an unsecured loan within as little as 24 hours. No prepayment fees.
Fairstone Secured Personal Loan
SECURED
Fairstone Secured Personal Loan
19.99% - 23.99%
$5,000 - $50,000
36 - 120 months
Requirements: must be a homeowner, min. credit score 560
Go to site
More Info
Use your home equity to get a secured loan with flexible repayment options. Get a free quote without impacting your credit score.
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Compare up to 4 providers

How much does a Disney vacation cost?

How much it costs depends on the type of vacation package you sign up for, how many people are going and the length of the stay.

Here’s an example of what you might expect for two popular six-night, seven-day vacation packages at select All-Star Disney Resorts with tickets to visit all four theme parks (all prices quoted in USD):

PackagePrice per person, per dayTotal cost for a family of 4
Room and ticket$102$2,856
Room, ticket and quick-service dining$141$3,943

Other factors that can affect your price include the type of room, time of year and which resort you choose.

You should also consider the cost of getting to Disney. For example, round-trip flights from Los Angeles to Orlando may cost anywhere from $200 to $400 per person during the summer months. Flights from New York are a little cheaper, topping out at around $350, but you may still want to consider an airline rewards credit card program to help reduce the overall expense.

Alternative ways to pay for a Disney vacation

Financing can make an already-expensive trip even more costly. Planning ahead or taking advantage of discounts can help you comfortably afford the price tag.

Disney vacation savings account

Setting up a dedicated savings account can make it easy to budget for your Disney vacation. There are lots of great savings options for a Disney trip, but make sure the one you choose has features that allow you to easily and consistently put aside money in weekly, bi-weekly or monthly contributions, as well as an interest rate that will grow your Disney savings or a signup bonus that can jumpstart your savings.

Magical Extras Savings Card and vouchers

The Magical Extras Savings Card and vouchers are available to visitors who book through the Walt Disney Travel Company. The card can get you discounts at Disney bars, restaurants and retail stores. And the vouchers give families of four access to free activities like miniature golf.

Your card is valid for the duration of your trip, while vouchers are often only available at certain times of the day.

4 tips to save on a Disney vacation

Ready to plan your trip to the Magic Kingdom? Keep these tips in mind to save even more.

  1. Go during the off-season. Flights, rooms and everything else are typically less expensive during the off-season. While pulling your kids out of school for a week in October might not be feasible, traveling during the less-popular mid-winter break might help you save on the overall cost.
  2. Use a travel agent. It’s a travel agent’s job to know about deals. Hiring one might more than pay for itself in savings, especially if you’re too busy to do the research yourself.
  3. Be flexible about accommodations. Staying off-site or at the value resort hotel can reduce the cost of your vacation, especially if you cook your own meals.
  4. Go when your child is under three. Thinking of putting off your Disney vacation until your youngest is older? You might want to reconsider. Children under three can visit any of the parks for free.

Bottom line

Disney vacations are expensive — even with a discount. But there are ways to make the cost more manageable, including taking out a rewards credit card, making a savings plan well in advance or taking out a personal loan when plans are more short-term.

Check out our guide to personal loans to find out more about how they work or compare other credit card options that might suit your needs.

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