7 savings accounts to build your dream Disney vacation March 2023
Bring your dream to life with a savings plan and a high-yield account earning interest as high as 4.21% APY.
To start saving toward your upcoming trip to Disney’s magical kingdom, you’ll first need to build a travel plan to see how much it’ll cost for food, stay and transportation. Once you’ve settled on a total, open a savings account offering a high interest rate that can help you reach your goal quicker. Here are seven accounts that can help you save for your dream vacation.
With Discover Online Savings, you won’t need to worry about putting a special amount down to open the account and start your Disney savings journey. It’ll grow your money at a competitive 3.6% APY, which is 10x the national average for savings accounts. It also doesn’t charge a fee going above the withdrawal limit. The account is convenient if you already use Discover’s products like its credit cards or Cashback Debit Checking account. It even lets you auto-redeem your rewards from the Cashback Debit Checking, helping you set and forget savings.
Like most savings accounts, this high-yield savings account has no monthly fee. It also earns a strong 3.7% APY and comes with an optional ATM card you can request during the application process. The only caveat is that you can only transfer funds into it via bank transfers, no other funding options available.There’s also a $100 minimum deposit requirement.
While UFB usually keeps its interest rates tiered, it’s currently at a market-leading 5.02% APY across all tiers, helping you save up for your Disney trip quicker. The tiers could change at any time, but UFB keeps its rates notoriously high. You can also access your funds through one of its 91,000 ATMs as it’s one of the few savings accounts that comes with an optional ATM card.
Synchrony is an ideal choice for savings because of its high 3.75% APY and flexible funding, including mobile check deposits and wire transfers. While this is a digital account, you can make cash deposits through ATMs and it comes with an ATM card. You also get plenty of customer support via phone, email or live chat.
This account works wonders toward automating and scraping up more savings than you would’ve without its tools. Set up your savings account in multiple buckets to separate out your goals. And if you have an Ally checking account, set up savings round ups so that your spare change makes its way to your savings account every time you make a purchase. Put together, these tools could help you achieve your Disney dreams faster.
Capital One earns a competitive 3.3% APY. Open an account online and set up automated transfers for a save-first mentality toward your Disneyland goal. The account doesn’t require you to make a minimum deposit, though to take advantage of the APY, you should fund your account.
This online savings account is your golden ticket to quick cash if you find your checking account low while you’re at Disney. It lets you make same-day transfers up to $100,000 to or from other bank accounts, and the money arrives the same day of your transfer. Plus your interest accrues as soon as you make a transfer and not once it hits your account. You also get plenty of support through its 24/7 call center if you run into problems and need help. You won’t pay anything to get started or any monthly fee to keep this account.
Pros
Solid 3.5% APY
No monthly fees or minimum deposit
Same-day transfers up to $100,000
Starts accruing interest on the day you initiate an ACH transfer
Compare other savings accounts for your Disney vacation
Narrow down top savings accounts by APY, opening deposit and minimum balance to earn interest to find the best one for your budget and financial goals. Select Compare for up to four products to see their benefits side by side.
What makes a good savings account to save for a trip to Disney?
Savings accounts offering automated tools and rates that are 10x higher than the national average of 0.33% APY can help you save for your Disney vacation much faster than a traditional savings account that only offers rates as low as 0.01% APY.
How much should I save for my Disney vacation?
The amount you should save depends on the size of your group as this influences prices for tickets, stay, food and transportation.
Sample room and ticket packages
We ran the numbers to buy 7-day Disney World park tickets as well as 7-day, 6-night room and park packages to give you an idea of how much money to save.
These prices include taxes, but not dining. Currently, dining plan tickets are unavailable.
Number of people (age 10+)
Theme park ticket only
Room + park ticket package*
Daily cost / person for package
2
$1,535.84
$8,852.18
$632.30
3
$2,303.76
$9,934.75
$473.08
4
$3,071.68
$11,017.36
$393.48
5
$3,839.60
$12,099.95
$345.71
6
$4,607.52
$14,740.62
$350.97
7
$5,375.44
$15,547.63
$317.30
8
$6,143.36
$16,354.52
$292.05
* Price varies based on the resort, dates and room type chosen. We used Disney Riviera Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort for estimated pricing.
How to save for your trip
Going to Disney might be a magical experience, but you won’t get there without a plan. Try these tips to save up for your dream vacation.
Price your trip. Research prices for tickets, transportation, hotels and dining for your trip. Don’t forget spending money for souvenirs or other items you might want to buy. Add the totals together for a final estimated cost.
Pick a budgeting method. Decide how you’ll save for the trip by reviewing your budget, and whether you plan to squirrel away 20% of your income to savings, use money from a side gig or put any extra you have left over after your normal expenses.
Tuck away money for your trip. Deposit money in your Disney savings account regularly, sticking to your savings plan as closely as possible.
Check your progress. Track how much you’ve saved toward your trip every few months, and make adjustments to your plan or when you’ll be able to go based on your progress.
This savings plan starts small and ramps up savings the closer you get to your Disney adventure. Start saving little by little over the next year and a half.
Months
Monthly savings for park ticket only
Monthly savings for room + park ticket
1
$100
$500
2
$100
$500
3
$100
$500
4
$150
$500
5
$150
$650
6
$150
$650
7
$150
$650
6
$150
$650
9
$150
$650
10
$200
$700
11
$200
$700
12
$200
$700
13
$200
$700
14
$200
$700
15
$200
$700
16
$300
$700
17
$300
$800
18
$300
$800
Total
$3,100
$11,050
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.
Sarah George is a personal finance writer at Finder who’s spent the last four years wielding her digital pen on all things banking and insurance. Her know-how has been featured in such publications as CBS, CNET and Reviews.com, and she was a panelist in Finder’s 2020 money-saving webinar. Sarah earned an English education degree and is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance.
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