Disney Visa, Discover Card & Target Red Card = Almost Free Trip

Disnee4Me

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I posted something similar about this before, but its amazing how if you have the time (true it was 6 years since our last trip), you can go to the WORLD for practically free. My $4875 trip cost me $175 OOP. I just got a Target Red Card this past summer and just before we left, I purchased $500 in gift cards (cost $475) and on top of that got $25 in Target gift cards. So every couple of days I went down to Registration and threw some of the $500 gift cards at my bill. The charges were for appetizers, drinks (free dining plan) and smaller purchases. Bigger charges went on the Visa card to get the 10% discount. But technically, by paying down the charges with the gift cards, I was getting a 5% discount for smaller purchases as well. I think when we finished our trip and handed over all the gift cards, I actually had a $13 credit balance. That of course, doesn't include the bigger purchases, but everything charged on the Magic Bands were paid off when we left. Yes my bill will be coming in soon with the bigger charges, but all in all, I feel we got a great deal. I am working on a trip report and will post some of the 1800 pictures I took!!
 

DisneyPrincess5

Well-Known Member
Wow, you're savvy! Love a great savings story! But it's not bust about saving, it's about really thinking and planning and making certain choices or moves that benefit you financially. Good for you. Looking forward to a TR.
 

Disnee4Me

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Maybe I'm missing something here but the math doesn't add up. How does your trip cost you $175 when you bought at least $475 in gift cards?
Disney dollars built up through the last 5 years, gift cards ($900 from my boss for 3 Christmases), and cashed out well over $1000 Discover dollars and bought gift cards with those. The ones I bought just before I left was for use in spending at the parks while we were there. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into this trip due to surgery (DH's brain aneurysm in 2013 and DS#1's complications for what was supposed to a simple tonsillectomy in 2014, that ended up with a second surgery!! Paying down those medical bills on a monthly basis earned me a lot of $$$.
 

drp4video

Well-Known Member
Free trip: except for food but that was paid for with change I threw into a coffee can for about a year. (There was no free dining at the time)

Disney Visa rewards dollars paid for hotel and park tickets. Airline miles paid for the flights :)
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom