Disney Guide: Plan Your Trip and Pay Less
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A Disney trip is the stuff of dreams, but it also drives up the family budget faster than almost any other destination. Between tickets, hotel, flights, and food in the parks, every line item adds up. The good news: it’s also one of the trips where points and the right credit cards make the biggest difference.
This page brings together everything we’ve published on Disney. You’ll find our guides for choosing your park, planning your stay, paying with points, getting to Florida, and finding the right hotel. You arrive prepared, and you keep more money for the rides.
Choosing Your Disney Park
Disney isn’t a single destination. Walt Disney World in Florida, Disneyland in California, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong each offer a different experience, at different prices and distances. The first step is figuring out which park fits your budget and your family.
To compare, read our tour of the different Disney parks around the world, our Walt Disney World versus Universal Studios face-off, and our Disneyland Paris versus Walt Disney World comparison. Families drawn to Asia should check our tips and tricks for Disney Tokyo.
Planning Your Trip to Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World remains the most popular destination among Canadian families. The key to a successful stay comes down to preparation: choosing the right timing, booking early, and knowing what to expect on the budget side. The best windows to avoid crowds are the September back-to-school period and late winter, outside school breaks.
Prepare your stay with our tips for visiting Walt Disney World, our guide to the best time to go without the crowds, and our detailed breakdown of how much a trip to Walt Disney World costs.
Paying Less With Your Points
This is where the biggest savings happen. With the right strategy, you pay for your hotel nights with points, book your flights with points, and cover on-site spending with a no-foreign-transaction-fee card. A seven-night stay near the parks can mean hundreds of dollars in hotel costs covered by your points.
Start with our ultimate guide to saving with points at Disney World. Then check whether Disney gift cards are worth it, and get inspired by our testimonial of a family trip to Disney with points.
To build your wallet, here are the cards we recommend for a Disney trip: hotels, flights, US dollar spending, and insurance.
| Credit card | Annual fee | Welcome offer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $120 | |||
| $191.88 | |||
| $150 | |||
| $0 |
Getting to Florida
Canadian families have two main options: flying or driving down. The direct Montreal-Orlando flight takes about three hours and often costs around 25,000 points in award redemptions. Driving takes roughly two days but lets you spread out costs and bring all your gear.
Plan your route with our guide on which route to take from Quebec to Walt Disney World, our review of the Air Canada Premium Rouge Montreal-Orlando flight, and our Orlando travel guide for the rest of your stay.
Where to Stay Near the Parks
Accommodation is the second-heaviest expense after tickets. Staying on Disney property has its perks, but Marriott and Hilton hotels around the parks, bookable with points, often come out much cheaper for a family. Several offer suites with kitchenettes, ideal for cutting down your food bill.
See our tips for saving on your hotel at Walt Disney World, our review of the Walt Disney World Swan Reserve on Disney property itself, and our review of the Orlando World Center Marriott.
Enjoying Orlando Beyond the Parks
Orlando isn’t just about the rides. Between two park days, you can take a breather, shop, and eat without needing an admission ticket. It’s also a way to bring down the overall trip cost by alternating paid days with free ones.
Discover what to do at Disney Springs, how to enjoy Walt Disney World without entering the theme parks, and our ideas for spending a weekend in Orlando without breaking the bank.
Universal Studios
Right next to Disney, Universal Orlando draws families with older kids and thrill-ride fans. Many travellers combine both parks in the same trip. Universal also earns you points, and the arrival of the Epic Universe park is reshuffling the cards in Orlando.
Check out our ultimate guide to saving with reward points at Universal Studios, our tour of Universal Studios theme parks around the world, and our ideas for what to do at CityWalk.
Disneyland Paris
For families who also dream of Europe, Disneyland Paris combines two parks with a stay on the old continent. The price comparison with Florida can hold a few surprises, especially once you factor in award flights.
Read our guide on getting to Disneyland Paris with points from Canada and our Disneyland Paris versus Walt Disney World comparison.
Beyond Disney: Other Theme Parks
Disney and Universal aren’t the only parks worth the trip. Closer to home, La Ronde offers a day of thrills in Montreal, and several major North American parks are worth the detour. The same rule applies everywhere: pay with the right card and look for discounted tickets.
To broaden your horizons, check our guide to the best theme parks in North America, our day trip to La Ronde in Montreal, and our tips for getting discounted theme park tickets with Undercover Tourist.
Our Plan for a Successful Disney Trip
A successful Disney trip comes down to four moves: pick the park that fits your family, book outside peak crowds, pay as much as possible with points, and carry the right card for your US dollar spending. Line up these four pieces ahead of time, and the rest of the trip is pure magic.
Disney: Frequently Asked Questions
Which Disney park should I choose from Canada?
Walt Disney World in Florida remains the most popular choice for Canadian families, thanks to its four parks and direct flights from several cities. Disneyland Paris appeals to those who want to pair Disney with a trip to Europe, while Disneyland in California suits a shorter stay.
How much does a trip to Walt Disney World cost?
For a family of four, a one-week stay often exceeds $6,000 once you add tickets, hotel, flights, and food. That’s exactly why paying for part of the trip with points makes a real difference to the final bill.
Which credit card should I use for a Disney trip?
No single card covers everything. The winning combination pairs the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card for hotel nights, a flexible points card like the American Express Cobalt Card for flights, and a no-foreign-transaction-fee card like the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card for your US dollar spending.
What is the best time to go to Disney without the crowds?
The quietest periods are the September back-to-school stretch and late winter, outside school breaks and the holiday season. You’ll enjoy shorter lines and lower hotel rates during these windows.
Is it better to stay on Disney property or off-site?
Staying on Disney property offers perks like early park access, but Marriott and Hilton hotels around the parks, bookable with points, often work out cheaper for a family. Suites with kitchenettes also help cut down your food bill.
Can you pay for Disney tickets with points?
Park tickets rarely accept direct points payments, but you can bring down the bill other ways: hotel nights paid with points, award flights, and Disney gift cards bought in a bonus category on your credit card.
Disney or Universal Studios in Orlando?
Disney suits families with younger kids best, while Universal appeals more to teens and thrill-ride fans. Many travellers combine both in the same Orlando trip.
Do I need a no-foreign-transaction-fee card for Disney?
Yes, it’s strongly recommended. Most Canadian cards add a 2.5% foreign transaction fee on US dollar purchases. On a Disney trip, where nearly everything is billed in US currency, a card without that fee delivers immediate savings.
