Cut Disney Costs in Half with the Incredi-Pass Strategy [2025]
**Update: Since publishing this $1,800 Disney trip breakdown, we’ve optimized our strategy even further. Our Incredi-Pass approach now brings our average trip cost down to $1,400 per trip across 5 Disney vacations this year. See our complete savings breakdown and updated strategy here.
Did you know that the average Disney family vacation costs over $5,000? What if I told you there’s a way to cut that cost in half while enjoying more Disney magic?
If you’re an out-of-state Disney fan considering the Disney Annual Pass, you might be wondering is the Disney Incredi Pass worth it? As an avid points enthusiast, I’m sharing how we’re turning the Disney Incredi Pass into a great deal by strategically using credit card points, Disney gift cards, and well-timed trips. With some planning, we’re unlocking magical savings while experiencing the best of Disney World.
As an avid points enthusiast, we’re sharing how we’re turning the Disney Incredi Pass into a great deal by strategically using credit card points, Disney gift cards, and well-timed trips. For detailed planning strategies and our four-trip approach, see our comprehensive Planning Walt Disney World with the Incredi-Pass guide.
Incredi-Pass Savings at a Glance
Our Results: $10,246 saved across 5 Disney trips
✅ Cost per trip: $1,400 (down from $3,453)
✅ Cost per park day: $65 per person
✅ Break-even point: 2 trips
✅ Total trips planned: 5 in 12 months
Who it’s for: Families planning 4+ Disney trips per year
Who should skip it: One-time visitors or those visiting 1-2 times only
PROVEN METHODS
Free & Low-Cost Disney Trips ARE Possible
🎯 The Goal: FREE Disney vacations using points and cashback strategies
✈️ Our Experience: We’ve used these exact methods for our own Disney trips
🏰 Your Potential: Dramatically reduce or eliminate Disney vacation costs
These strategies work – we use them ourselves and teach you how to maximize points for the biggest impact.
See How We Do It →What Is the Disney World Incredi-Pass and Who Can Buy It?
Walt Disney World Resort offers four Disney World annual pass types: the Disney Incredi-Pass, Disney Sorcerer Pass, Disney Pirate Pass, and Disney Pixie Dust Pass. However, The Disney Incredi-Pass is Walt Disney World’s only annual pass available to out-of-state residents (or non-Disney Vacation Club members). Priced at $1,449 (plus tax), it might seem steep upfront, but with thoughtful planning, the benefits far outweigh the cost.
Incredi-Pass Benefits for Frequent Disney Visitors
Key Benefits of the Incredi-Pass:
- Free Parking: Save $30 per day at Walt Disney World Theme parks.
- Dining Discounts: 10% off at select locations, including character dining.
- Merchandise Discounts: 20% off at select Disney shops and Disney Springs.
- Park Hopper Included: Visit multiple parks in a day.
- Photopass Add-On: Unlimited Disney photopass downloads for $99/year.
- Sports Option Add-On: Includes access to Disney Water Parks and golf courses (Note Disney currently has only one water park open at a time).
- Special Events Discounts: Discounts on enchanting extras and special events
- No Blockout Dates: Access the parks any day they’re open.
Disney World passholders do need park reservations for admittance with any Disney season pass except for select dates which are deemed Good-To-Go Days. An advance park reservation can easily be made on the My Disney Experience App.
For more details on Disney park tickets and alternatives, see our 2025: How to Use Points for Disney World Tickets.
Breaking Down the Incredi-Pass Value for a Family
Planning multiple trips to Disney World can be a dream come true—but it’s also an investment. We’ve planned four trips over two years to maximize the value of the Incredi-Pass. Here’s how the numbers break down for our family of 4 (we are only 3 but we will use a family of 4 for this example). Let’s break down how this works for us:
- Cost of individual tickets: $17,266 (Park Hopper Plus tickets for 5 trips (assuming 4 people), including taxes and parking).
- Cost of the Incredi-Pass: $7,020 (including tax with the Sports Option all 4 passes).
That is over $10,00 in ticket and parking costs! Additional savings are to be had when you include 10% off dining as an annual pass holder.
This boils down to $65 per person per day for park tickets.
The Value of the Incredi Pass
Now let’s compare that to the cost of a Disney Incredi-Pass. For our family of 3, a season pass with the sports option costs $5,265.26. Each trip to Disney World for 6 days of in the park fun will cost us $2,631 (877 *3). So after 2 trips the Incredi Pass pays for itself, not even taking into account parking and dining savings. The value of a Walt Disney World Annual passes will vary based on the number of days you plan to spend at Disney in the coming year.
Additional Disney World Savings
We’re maximizing our savings by driving to Disney World for each trip and staying off-property using travel reward points. This means our only major expenses for these trips will be: Additionally, we make sure to plan our meals carefully and take advantage of any free activities at the parks. By using our travel reward points wisely, we can further maximize credit card rewards for travel and reduce our overall expenses. Overall, this strategy allows us to enjoy more trips to Disney World without compromising our budget.
- Park tickets (covered by the Incredi-Pass)
- On-site spending (like food, souvenirs, etc.) Additional annual pass discounts such as food and merchandise discounts further the value of the annual pass.
A season pass discount at a character dinner at 1900 Park Fare for the 3 of us, will save us $18. For more Disney dining experiences and reviews, check out our 1900 Park Fare Review and Ohana Character Breakfast Review for additional character dining options.
By cutting costs on lodging and travel, we’re making these magical experiences more affordable while still enjoying everything Disney has to offer.
Why the Incredi-Pass is Worth It
For families planning multiple Disney trips, the Incredi-Pass can be a game-changer. In our case, it saves us over $7,887 in ticket and parking fees across 5 trips, while giving us the flexibility to visit the parks as much as we want within a year.
How to Pay for an Annual Pass Using Points and Gift Cards
To soften the cost of the pass, we’re leveraging Disney gift cards purchased at supermarkets using our Amex Marriott Bonvoy Bevy and Amex Hilton Surpass credit cards. Here’s how it works: This strategy allows us to earn rewards points while also reducing the overall expenses associated with our trip. Additionally, by spending on supermarkets, we can maximize our earnings through our credit card partners for disney travel, which often provide enhanced rewards for travel-related purchases. With careful planning, this approach not only makes the trip more affordable but also enriches our travel experience with points that can be redeemed for future adventures.
- Supermarket Purchases: Both cards offer bonus points for purchases at U.S. supermarkets, including gift cards. Every week at the supermarket, I buy Disney gift cards to save up for the season passes.
- Points for Hotels: The points we earn buying the gift cards go straight into our Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors accounts, which we’ll use to book off-property hotels near Disney for free or at a significant discount.
- TopCashBack: You can buy Disney Gift cards to pay for your Incredi-pass at TopCashBack and earn 5.67% cash back ($85 cash back on the cost of an Incredi-Pass).
By stacking these rewards, we’re essentially paying for part of our Disney vacations with the perks we get from regular spending on groceries.
New to earning credit card points? Start with our complete guide to earning credit card points for Disney World vacations. You’ll learn how to accumulate points through welcome bonuses, partner strategies (Person 2 approach), and everyday spending optimization to fund your Incredi-Pass and Disney trips.
See our guides to earning Marriott Bonvoy points for Disney and maximizing Hilton Honors points for complete earning and redemption strategies.
Looking for specific hotel recommendations? Check out our best Marriott hotels near Disney on points, best Hilton hotels near Disney, and hotels with free breakfast on points guides.
Want to offset the cost of your Incredi-Pass?
Use TopCashback to buy Disney gift cards through partnered retailers and earn cashback on the purchase. Then use those gift cards to pay for your Incredi-Pass—and stack your way into even more Disney savings. Or, save up your TopCashback rewards and redeem them for a Disney gift card to cover part of your annual pass. Learn how in our Disney cashback stacking guide.
Looking for other Disney World ticket strategies? Check out our complete guide on how to get Disney World tickets free (or cheap) with points and cashback.
Stack Cashback + Points for Extra Disney Savings
Get cashback on Disney purchases and travel bookings with tested apps — and see how we combine them with points to save $600–$1,400 a year on tickets, dining, and extras.
Accommodations: Using Points for Hotels
Instead of staying on Disney property, we’re using points to book hotels nearby. While we’ll miss out on some on-site perks, we’ll save hundreds of dollars per trip and stay in comfort using travel reward points. Additionally, we’ll have the flexibility to explore different dining options off-site, which can enhance our overall experience. Plus, by utilizing our rewards strategically, we’re also learning how to use points for tickets, allowing us to maximize our savings even further. Ultimately, this approach grants us the opportunity to enjoy the trip without the financial strain typically associated with a stay at a resort hotel.
This strategy not only makes our Disney World trip more affordable but also allows us to create a more personalized itinerary. In the end, it’s not just about saving money; it’s about crafting a unique adventure that suits our tastes while still capturing the magic of Disney.
Getting There: Lowering Costing with Amex Membership Rewards
To keep travel costs low, we’ll be driving to Disney World rather than flying. We’re renting a car using rewards earned on the Pepper app (use our referral code 622 198) and traded for a Hopper.com gift card.
Another option is American Express Membership Rewards points, which further reduces out-of-pocket costs. Learn more about Step-by-Step: Redeem American Express Points for Disney World Experiences for comprehensive redemption strategies. You can earn extra American Express Membership Reward points through Rakuten, making your everyday spending go further in the points savings.
Breaking Down the Savings
Here’s how our Incredi-Pass and travel strategy adds up:
- Cost of the Incredi-Pass: $1,449 per person (plus tax)
- Trips Planned: 5 trips over 2 years (2025 and 2026)
- Savings on Park Tickets: If we visited Disney four times for 7 days each, we’d spend over $3,400 on tickets alone per person without the pass. That is not including parking savings and saving on food and merch included with the pass.
- Hotel Savings: By using Marriott and Hilton points, we’re saving hundreds (or even thousands) on accommodations.
- Travel Savings: Car rentals covered with Pepper rewards gift cards mean no extra transportation costs.
- Disney Gift Cards: Using credit card rewards to earn points on gift card purchases helps us indirectly offset other trip expenses, such as food and merchandise.
Additionally, utilizing travel rewards programs can enhance our options, allowing us to book Disney vacation with points for accommodations and dining experiences. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, our Disney adventure can be truly magical without breaking the bank.
With a little creativity and resourcefulness, our Disney adventure can be truly magical without breaking the bank. For real-world examples, see our Our Family Disney World Vacation Review for a detailed day-by-day recap of our Incredi-Pass trip, our How to Experience Disney World on a Budget: Our Trip for Under $450 Per Person case study, and our Planning Walt Disney World with the Incredi-Pass for comprehensive planning strategies.
Disney magic doesn’t have to come with a premium price tag—sometimes, all it takes is a little points magic! Are you ready to make the most of your Incredi-Pass? Let the planning begin!
Is the Disney Incredi-Pass worth it for out-of-state visitors?
The Disney Incredi-Pass can be worth it for out-of-state visitors if you plan to visit multiple times within a year, enjoy park hopping, and value the ability to make park reservations in advance. Consider factors like travel costs, accommodation, and the number of visits to determine if it aligns with your budget and plans.
What’s the difference between Incredi-Pass and other Disney annual passes?
The Incredi-Pass is the only Disney World annual pass available to out-of-state residents. It has no blockout dates, includes park hopper, and offers discounts on dining and merchandise.
What are the perks of being a Disney World Passholder?
Unlimited park access on most days.
Exclusive discounts on merchandise and dining.
Special Passholder events and previews.
Complimentary parking at the parks.
Access to special Passholder merchandise.
Early park entry for select attractions.
Special offers on hotel stays.
About Points to Magic
Our team at Points to Magic is led by Danielle, a CPA with 19 years of financial expertise. We specialize in helping families save thousands on Disney vacations using credit card points and cashback strategies. Every recommendation is personally tested through our own family trips.
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