Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[Ayla]

Cashback over devalued points baby!

We haven't paid for a SW flight in probably a decade, doing nothing more than using our credit card as normal.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

We haven't paid for a SW flight in probably a decade, doing nothing more than using our credit card as normal.

How many children do you have?

 

[flynnibus]

We haven't paid for a SW flight in probably a decade, doing nothing more than using our credit card as normal.

I pay for lots of things with my 2% cashback free money and not just airline tickets And I don't have to spend on the airline to get it either.

 

[Lilofan]

My totally N-of-1 anecdote for popularity of different travel locations this summer. My daughter just returned from Europe. Her economy RT flight on United (from DC area to Heathrow) was $1600.

In contrast, my trip to Disney in a couple of weeks?

$118, round trip. Also on United.

United from time to time has cheap fares. MCO to EWR ( Newark ) round trip is around that price also, non stop .

 

[Gran Fiesta]

I've gone for a long time (mainly when I lived down there in the early 2000s, but before and and after as well) and this week so far is literally the emptiest I've ever seen the parks (and not just for a holiday). Animal kingdom and Hollywood studios haven't even been half day parks.

Good for you

And attendance problems is good for all of us…

…except for employees. Bad for them and I never root for that

We are going the last week of August and I really hope that the wait times stay really low like this. Would be amazing compared to our crowded trip last year.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We are going the last week of August and I really hope that the wait times stay really low like this. Would be amazing compared to our crowded trip last year.

That’s one of the slowest times of the year now anyway

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I pay for lots of things with my 2% cashback free money and not just airline tickets And I don't have to spend on the airline to get it either.

You guys are all rookies.

 

[Splash4eva]

You guys are all rookies.

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This wins the forums today!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

This wins the forums today!

"But Cap, how do you keep track and manage all those cards?"

 

[Joel]

You guys are all rookies.

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Adult Pokemon

 

[flynnibus]

You guys are all rookies.

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Stopped using discover ages ago because there was no point... plus their bonus category system was too limited (capped)
AMEX has too many fees, but has nice perks
BOA was inferior to citi's simple rewards.. so stopped using it
sapphire I collect with, but just because it's my regular visa
prime I just let do it's prime thing, plus no Foreign Transaction Fees either I think.. again, don't prioritize it. But simple free FTF card w/o fees and of course amazon CB.
citi has the brainless 2% cashback unlimited so that's my goto.. but it's MC... so I still need the visa for some vendors who are limited (like Costco, etc).

I'm after free money... not 'jump through hoops to spend a certain way'... I have enough CCs in my drawer that I never touch anyway. Simplification was the key. Citi 2% CB, prime and target store cards, and visa sapphire for when visa is needed.

Never have to decide "should I use points or cash?"... just every now and then I go "oh look, free $5000 for me... wheeeee"

 

[Gran Fiesta]

That’s one of the slowest times of the year now anyway

Yeah that is one of the reasons we booked it, that combined with the 25% discount they are offering. Hopefully the discount doesn't drive a lot of people to book. However, since they offered the July and August discount a month or two before they offered the Holiday discount, it leads me to believe that there will still be light crowds hopefully. I already know it will be hot, but we can handle the heat if there is low crowds like there has been.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Stopped using discover ages ago because there was no point... plus their bonus category system was too limited (capped)

It's pretty easy to spend exactly the bonus amount. This quarter it's Wholesale Clubs.

So I go to BJ's and buy $1,600 of Disney Gift Cards for $1,520 and get $75 cash back for an effective return of 9.7%.

AMEX has too many fees, but has nice perks

Blue Business Plus has zero fee. It's unlimited 2x Membership Rewards on everything, which beats Citi DoubleCash.

Blue Cash Preferred is a $95 annual fee, which is well worth it for me to get the 6% cash back on groceries.

Gold/Green/Platinum, I run through the signup bonuses and then cancel the card after a year.

BOA was inferior to citi's simple rewards.. so stopped using it

BOA customized cash is 3% on online shopping, which is exclusively how I use it.

Never have to decide "should I use points or cash?"... just every now and then I go "oh look, free $5000 for me... wheeeee"

My spreadsheet took work to build, but it's super easy to run once it's set up.

Groceries - 6% Blue Cash Preferred
Gas - 5% Citi Custom Cash
Restaurants - 4x Amex Gold (until I cancel it, then 4% Altitude Go)
Travel - 4% Altitude Connect (until I cancel it, then 3% Wells Fargo Autograph)
Utilities - 5% US Bank Cash+
Amazon - 5% Prime
Online Shopping - 3% BoA Customized Cash
Everything Else - Amex Blue Business Plus
Everything Else (Amex Not Accepted) - Alliant Cashback (2.5%)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah that is one of the reasons we booked it, that combined with the 25% discount they are offering. Hopefully the discount doesn't drive a lot of people to book. However, since they offered the July and August discount a month or two before they offered the Holiday discount, it leads me to believe that there will still be light crowds hopefully. I already know it will be hot, but we can handle the heat if there is low crowds like there has been.

I wouldn’t worry…it was a ghost town on memorial and the 4th of July…won’t be a rush on the place now

 

[lentesta]

Not for nothing, but I think Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is taking up a surprising amount of discretionary income this year. The demographics are a decent match for WDW. And live entertaiment costs are high enough that they're an either/or with vacations for a lot of folks.

 

[hopemax]

You guys are all rookies.

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There is no Disney Card here. What do you use for rewards to pay for your Food & Wine food booths?

(We do 95% on our Sapphire, but I buy enough pins and ornaments on ShopDisney that I use the Disney for the discount and then the Dream dollars go to Epcot food booths).

 

[dreday3]

Not for nothing, but I think Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is taking up a surprising amount of discretionary income this year. The demographics are a decent match for WDW. And live entertaiment costs are high enough that they're an either/or with vacations for a lot of folks.

When she was here in Chicago they were interviewing people on the news and they said they came with $4000 in spending money for the concert!

I used to pay $5 to see 3 bands at a VFW hall.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Not for nothing, but I think Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is taking up a surprising amount of discretionary income this year. The demographics are a decent match for WDW. And live entertaiment costs are high enough that they're an either/or with vacations for a lot of folks.

I have friends who are really into K-Pop and go to concerts for various groups. You wouldn't believe how much money they spend on tickets, merch and sometimes the passes to meet the members.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not for nothing, but I think Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is taking up a surprising amount of discretionary income this year. The demographics are a decent match for WDW. And live entertaiment costs are high enough that they're an either/or with vacations for a lot of folks.

…woah…

You got a receiver in the end zone to catch that one?

The original tour was 27 dates - there’s more now - but 27 dates would have fit about 2 million people…and it’s far from a given all Swifties are wdw bound before/after

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

When she was here in Chicago they were interviewing people on the news and they said they came with $4000 in spending money for the concert!

I used to pay $5 to see 3 bands at a VFW hall.

I’d pay $4000 for weird Al…gladly