Best Disney World Hotels to Book With Points

Many chains have hotels near Disney World, but only Marriott has properties within walking distance of the parks.
Carissa Rawson
Dec 2, 2021

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Whether you have fond memories from prior visits or are looking to create some new ones, Disney World is a popular choice for travelers seeking some magic.

What’s not magical, however, is the cost — with park tickets costing hundreds of dollars and overpriced theme park food around every corner, you may be feeling the squeeze when it comes to saving for your dream Disney vacation.

Staying at Disney World hotels on points can reduce your costs, and members of Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and IHG Rewards hotel loyalty programs all have a number of properties to choose from. Here's an overview, with an emphasis on the hotels that are nearest to the parks.

Marriott hotels near Disney World

Anyone looking for Marriott hotels near Disney World is likely wondering which Marriott hotel is closest to Disney World. Let's cut to the chase: Marriott’s Swan and Dolphin hotels hold the distinction of being the nearest hotels to Disney World bookable with points, as they’re actually located on Disney property. Both hotels are within walking distance to Epcot, which makes them an enticing option for Marriott enthusiasts.

The Swan and Dolphin are both Category 6 Marriott hotels and cost between 40,000 and 60,000 points per night.

Nerdy tip: Marriott offers your fifth night free on award stays, which means you’ll only have to pay for four nights. A five-night stay at Swan or Dolphin during off-peak times will cost you 160,000 points.

Less-expensive options include the Residence Inn Orlando Lake Buena Vista and the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando Lake Buena Vista, both of which are Disney World Good Neighbor hotels — meaning they meet Disney standards for quality and service.

The Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn are both Category 3 hotels, with rates starting between 15,000 and 20,000 points per night. A five-night stay at either hotel during off-peak times will cost 60,000 points.

How to quickly earn Marriott points for Disney stays

Earning points with Marriott is easy. You can apply for a Marriott credit card that pays welcome bonus points. The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, for example, comes with a welcome bonus: Earn 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to $200 in Statement Credits for eligible purchases at U.S. Restaurants within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. That’s enough to cover your five-night stay.

If you have AmEx points, you can transfer them at a 1:1 ratio to Marriott, though you’ll want to be sure this represents a good redemption value for your points. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Which Marriott Bonvoy credit card should I choose?

Hilton hotels near Disney World

Photo courtesy of Hilton

Hilton has plenty of options in the area, but which Hilton hotel is closest to Disney World? If you’d like to be in the heart of the action, the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is an Official Walt Disney World Hotel, which means you get access to additional benefits for FastPass and Extra Magic Hours.

The Homewood Suites by Hilton Orlando at Flamingo Crossings Town Center, a Disney Hilton hotel near Animal Kingdom, is more affordable.

A recent search during summer 2021 turned up rooms at Homewood Suites starting at 27,000 points per night. Like Marriott, Hilton offers a fifth night free on award stays, so you’ll only pay for four nights when staying five. A five-night stay will cost 108,000 points.

At the Signia Hilton Bonnet Creek, rooms often start around 60,000 points per night, which means a five-night stay will be 240,000 points.

How to quickly earn Hilton points for Disney stays

You can boost your Hilton points balance with a credit card welcome bonus. The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card offers a chance to earn welcome bonus points: Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months. Terms Apply.

If you have AmEx Membership Rewards, you can transfer those points to Hilton Honors at a 2:1 ratio, though you can sometimes find transfer bonuses that’ll increase your ratio. Terms apply.

» Learn more: Hilton Honors: The complete guide

IHG hotels near Disney World

IHG has over 30 hotels in the Orlando area, which gives you many choices for redeeming IHG Rewards points. At the Holiday Inn Club Vacations At Orange Lake Resort, you can get a 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom villa for about 40,000 points per night, depending when you stay. A five-night stay will cost 200,000 points.

If you don’t have that many IHG Rewards points, consider the Crowne Plaza Orlando – Lake Buena Vista. A standard king room starts around 17,000 points per night — 85,000 points for a five-night stay.

How to earn IHG points quickly for Disney stays

The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card also offers a sign-up bonus to new members: Earn 125,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Even better, cardholders are entitled to their fourth night free on award stays, which means your total for that villa would be just 160,000 points for five nights.

You can transfer in your Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to IHG at a 1:1 ratio.

» Learn more: IHG Rewards: The complete guide

Hyatt hotels near Disney World

The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Photo courtesy of Hyatt

Which Hyatt hotel is closest to Disney World?

There are two Hyatt hotels near Disney World where World of Hyatt members can redeem points. The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a huge resort with a lagoon and a lazy river.

Hyatt Place Orlando/Lake Buena Vista offers free breakfast and more spacious rooms. Both are Category 3 hotels in the World of Hyatt program, which means either will run you 12,000 points per night. A five-night stay will cost you 60,000 points.

How to earn Hyatt points quickly for Disney stays

You can earn Hyatt points by using the World of Hyatt Credit Card. Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.

You can also transfer in Chase Ultimate Rewards® to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.

» Learn more: World of Hyatt: The complete guide

If you want to book Disney World hotels on points

No matter which loyalty program you use, you’ll find good options for redeeming your points for hotels near Disney World.

Take advantage of these reward stays to save money during your big trip.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2022, including those best for:

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