You can almost feel the beach breeze. You'll also get five points per $1 spent on . Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. Start planning. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Most cardmembers no longer have free guest privileges. Explore the range of experiences possible at destinations worldwide. Thus an Annual pass or DVC membership wont get you in. Your email address will not be published. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. All rights reserved. At low season, rates at the Dolphin will be ~$140 per night, so youll only be getting a value of less than 0.5 cents per point. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. Points will be debited from your Membership Rewards account, and credit for corresponding dollar amount will be issued to the American Express Card account used. Remember, Gold Card Members staying 2+ nights receive: Awaken to every element of luxury at this brilliantly reimagined resort in Phoenix. With the celebration of DVC's 25 th Anniversary, Disney added a second DVC Member Lounge! Plus Ups are excluded. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Food and Wine Festival Fans Facebook Page, 2023 Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival Details, Disney World Restaurants, Menus, and DINING REVIEWS, Disneyland Restaurants, Menus, and DINING REVIEWS, Making Advance Dining Reservations at Disney Restaurants, Info for Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and other Special Diets in Disney. Take some time to explore our favorites, then enjoy finding a few of your own. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. There's a NEW Magic Kingdom park map with a big change! Back-to-back stays booked by a single Card Member, Card Members staying in the same room or Card Members traveling in the same party within a 24-hour period at the same property are considered one stay and are ineligible for additional THC benefits ("Prohibited Action"). For more information visitwww.americanexpress.com/travelterms. Airspace lounges. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Drinks here take on the Pacific Northwest theme of the resort, including a Northwest Iced Tea (think Long Island Iced Tea) and some native beers. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Lufthansa lounges. With the Amex Platinum Card or Amex Business Platinum Card, you have access to the following types of lounges: American Express Centurion lounges. Check out the big expansion planned for Disneys Polynesian Village Resort! And because this is the Grand Floridian, you wont find pub grub here. It may not display this or other websites correctly. We're taking you through ALL the food in Disney's Hollywood Studios! World of Walt is in no way part of, endorsed or authorized by, or affiliated with the Walt Disney Company or its affiliates. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Hows that for some Disney magic? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Both lounges limit six people per card and you must purchase tickets directly from Universal Studios. These Are the Best. AMEX Membership Rewards points transfer to Starwood points at a 3:1 ratio. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Additional points will be credited to the Membership Rewards account 10-12 weeks after final payment is made. The most likely bonus categories for theme park tickets are entertainment or travel. There is a huge plus to the California Grill Lounge. Eligible travel purchases include all travel purchases made with your Membership Rewards program-enrolled American Express Card on amextravel.com, including air, prepaid hotels, prepaid car rentals, vacation packages (flight + hotel packages) or cruise reservations, minus returns and other credits. You get the sameamazing fireworks view. These spending requirements reset each calendar year. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. Dec 5, 2018 #1 Enrollment required. :), 2023 MillionMileSecrets.com. TPGs March 2023 monthly valuations, Cruise giant Carnival goes Texas-size big with new sailings from Galveston. From Disney World in Florida to Universal Studios Hollywood, from Dollywood to Knott's Berry Farm in California and beyond, there are typically more than 500 million annual visits to theme parks worldwide in a normal year. How do I find and add Amex Offers to my Card? The lounge is one of the most impressive on property, due to it's floor to ceiling windows looking into the underwater world of the Living Seas aquarium. If you think your theme park tickets will code as travel -- and that's likely when buying from a travel agent, or if they are bundled with lodging or charged to a hotel room -- here are the best cards to use for those expenses. The lounge features seasonal specialty cocktails, martini and margarita flights, and a full complement of wine and beer. Strategically using one of the best credit cards for theme park tickets will mean that you can earn bonus cash back or some extra miles and points to put toward the next family vacation. Please share it! Here are the BEST Read this before hitting the parks with your MagicBand+! Use code CHEFS for a 20% Discount! With this option, youll sometimes be able to get great value from your points, so youll definitely want to look into whether this makes sense for your stay. Not All Disney Adults Are the Same: Gen Z vs Millennials, The Secret to Getting Disneys New 50th Anniversary Backpack for LESS $$, Disney Just Released 3 NEW Pairs of Minnie Ears Online! An expanding network of airport lounges, the American Express Global Lounge Collection is dedicated to offering Platinum Card Members more lounge options than any other card on the market*. Signing up for credit cards through partner links earns us a commission. Hilton, Marriott, and Starwood all have 5th Night Free programs where youll get your 5th night free when you book 4nights using points. The bar has a bright, tropical feel with some comfy seating options, and the eats here are pretty darned delicious. You must log in or register to reply here. So Ive asked them to share their tips on booking trips toWalt Disney World and Disneyland using AMEX Membership Rewards points. Ever since his parents took him to the Magic Kingdom on a family vacation as a youngster, he has had an interest in the magic that Disney creates for families. The card also provides 2% cash back in the eligible category you spend the second most in that month, making it a pretty solid option for when you take a big theme park trip. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. Before you decide which credit card to use for your theme park tickets, be sure and check for any Amex Offers that might save you money. 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd. Click here to see the latest new menu items coming to California Grill! Feeding Frenzy at Jock Lindsays Hangar Bar. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Bonuses you may receive with your Card on other purchase categories or in connection with promotions or offers from American Express may not be combined with this offer, such as 5X bonuses for Platinum and Business Platinum Card Members. If you think youve seen everything there is to see of Spaceship Earth, youre wrong! , aka Mommy Points, ran the Mommy Points site for families who want to travel more for less using miles and points for seven years. Epcot. You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to 3 hotel chains: Because you can convert Starwood points to Marriott points at a 1:3 ratio, Marriott is an indirect transfer option as well at an effective rate of 1,000 Membership Rewards points for ~1,000 Marriott points. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. Although things can change, here are some TPG data points on how theme park ticket purchases have coded in the past: Related: These are the best restaurants at Disney World. This matters because if you paid with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and your $500 ticket purchase coded as travel, you'd earn 1,500 Ultimate Rewards points -- and you could even use the card's annual $300 travel credit towards the charge. The person who used to staff the lounge was also an AmEx employee, not a Disney CM. Warm wood, cozy seating, and soft lighting arent the only highlights of the Territory LoungeAnd while a lot of the top bars and lounges on our list get there based on elaborate theming or unique drinks, Territory Lounge is a standout when it comes to lounge eats. Amex now charges $50 for adult guests and $30 for children aged 2-17 to access its Centurion lounges. Disney World tickets bought online from Disney: Entertainment. Second, you can transfer your points to an AMEX hotel partner, and then use hotel points to book your stay. We are excited to see whats in store when this resort and hopefully this lounge is back up and running. The rates for the Dolphin start at 10,000 Starwood points per night, while the Swan starts slightly higher at 12,000 Starwood points per night. Universal Studios American Express Lounge. The Snakebite Sliders answer the Whyd it have to be snakes? question, and washed down with something from the secret drinks menu, youll never want to leave! Disclosure Policy Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. Benefits must be used during the stay booked. The menu has some real standouts, but you cant go wrong with the Tiffins Bread Service. Mission: Space was first sponsored by Compaq, but when HP acquired Compaq in 2002, HP took over the sponsorship. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 5:00am - 12:00am . After journeying through Africa and Asia and parts unknown, settle into this travel-themed lounge for a Green Shimmering Margarita and a Togarashi-spiced Tuna Nomad Bowl. We really want to try the maple crme brulee. For many families, the dream is tostay at a Disney resort. He writes travel and product reviews, deep dives into loyalty programs, news about the airline industry and more. You are using an out of date browser. I thought they had one below the DVC Lounge.. (Above Imageworks) But Maybe I'm Wrong. These Are the BEST. Plus, it will often be better to book a hotel through the AMEX Travel Portal than to transfer points to that hotels chain. BREAKING: Universal Is Building a NEW Theme Park Experience in Texas! Starwood operates 2resorts on Walt Disney World property, the Walt Disney World Swan and the Walt Disney World Dolphin. If Italian wine is your jam, EPCOTs Italy Pavilion has a real hidden gem for you. Learn more. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link. Our travel experts and partners have the destination expertise and the inside access to book everything from a day of sightseeing to your entire trip, including flights, lodging, and even dining reservations. Mobile Order used to be one of our favorite Disney tips, but now it's really How different will the crowds be in Disney World next year? Other fun features include a huge map where guests have pinned pictures of themselves on their hometowns and the opportunity to make a digital postcard to send home. 1 on Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2023 in the 'Personal Finance' category. Most of them are private and not open to the public, but if you want a taste of the VIP life, check out the Chase Lounge in World Showcases American Adventure, which used to be the private American Express lounge. Youll first enter a holding room, which is decorated with construction photos and concept art from the attraction. When youre evaluating your options for hotel bookings, youll always want to compare against paying with points. The only people that have access to this lounge are Siemens employees and guests and Make A Wish families. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. If you are pretty sure your theme park tickets will code as entertainment, here are the most rewarding cards to use for that category. 1. To stay at a Disney resort with AMEX Membership rewards points, youll have to book it through the AMEX Travel Portal. Heres what you should know about the change in guest policies at Centurion Lounges effective today. :wave: The lounge at the American Adventure was for AmEx employees and their guests. Accommodations may include balconies or offer views of the fireworks each night. Instead the statement credit may be applied to your Pay in Full balance. I had a chance to speak with the woman who held the post when AmEx's sponsorship ended. Like this post? These havent been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. Additional Amex perks include 10% off merchandise purchases of $75+, 10% off some quick-service dining and a bonus photo with eligible photo packages. Like the Siemens Lounge, only HP employees and guests and Make A Wish participants are allowed access to this lounge. The Hotel Collection (THC) benefits are available for new bookings of two consecutive nights or more made through American Express Travel with participating properties and are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Gold Card, Platinum Card and Centurion Members (Delta SkyMiles Gold and Platinum Card Members are not eligible). The Ultimate Guide to Eating in Disneys Hollywood Studios, The 1 Drink You Should Get From Each EPCOT Pavilion. When you're not at the theme parks, take advantage of the hotel's daily scheduled activities. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a Next button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. A light and fresh Caprese salad really hits the spot on a hot day. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. If youre planning a trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, getting the most out of these transfer partners can be the key to saving Big Money! Three Bridges Bar and Grill at Disneys Coronado Springs Resort is the home of Sangria University where an actual sangria sommelier will educate you on sangria. Learn More About Cruise Offerings and Plan Your Trip Today. No parts of this site are to be reproduced without permission. Tropical landscaping and classic architecture create a stunning landmark at this lively locale. Content provided by Loungebuddy (opens in a new window) Terms & Conditions For more information please visit americanexpress.com/travelterms. While there are ways to get value of over 1 cent per point (and well cover some), youre generally only going to get between 0.5 and 0.8 cents per point using your AMEX points this way. And dont forget, you can also get 1 cent per point when you bookflights through the AMEX Travel Portal and pay with points. American Express Green Card: Best for earning Amex rewards; . Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Unfortunately, that is admittedly rare. MADE IN ENGLAND. *Value of Rewards based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer. You can enjoy a full meal here in the small, 96-seat dining room. 3. Marriott has a Cash + Points option as well, and youll want to consider this option to get more out of your points or as a way of bringing down the cash cost of your trip. DISCLOSURE: I may be an affiliate for products that I recommend. Do you have a favorite use of AMEX Membership Rewards points for Disney? They arent required, but this is the hottest spot in the Galaxy, so we definitely recommend that you try to line one up. Siemens has a private lounge situated on the second floor right above the Project Tomorrow exhibit space. Find out HERE. Citi ThankYou points are transferrable to airline partners and are currently valued by TPG at 1.7 cents each, giving you a return of 3.4 to 5.1 cents in rewards in categories where you earn 2 - 3 points per dollar spent. We are all about the food here at DFB, and nothing goes better with food than a yummy cocktail and some awesome atmosphere. It's only open from 12-5 P.M. Related: Amex adds live capacity indicators for Centurion Lounges. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. If you have an Amex EveryDay Card product, additional points awarded under this offer will not be included in the extra points benefit. Not all partners offer Platinum Destinations Vacations. Jungle Cruise fans will remember Trader Sam from his days as the head salesman in the jungle, but you gotta love his side hustle. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. How do I Earn Membership Rewards Points? Thats a lot of points, but youd be getting a value of over 1.2 cents per point! Room upgrade is subject to availability and is provided at check-in; certain room categories are not eligible for upgrade. Want more travel news and credit card advice from TPG? So it may be the best option of all, though I can't yet confirm.The information for the Citi Prestige card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. Ranking among the list of must-try locations in Disney Springs, the tapas-style menu and creative cocktails draw you in like an expert air traffic controller bringing in planes. American Express Lounge: We used this several times. Through our unique partnerships with Avis/Budget, Christie, Coca-Cola, Edgewell Personal Care, Haagen Dazs, Macy's and Niagara guests can enjoy exclusive offers and benefits. Additionally,Starwood offers a Cash & Points option. Youll notice that we take ALL of the opportunities to talk about La Cava del Tequila in the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT, but we promise, its with good reason. What is in these lounges? The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. is a senior reporter at TPG. Savor fresh seafood at Todd English's bluezoo, authentic Japanese fare at Kimonos, or Italian at Il Mulino New York Trattoria. . Any credits applicable are applied at check-out in USD or the local currency equivalent. You are using an out of date browser. A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Disney World Hotel! We do love us some Trader Sams Tiki Mugs come see this beauty! Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is the world's most popular theme park -- and it's also one of the most complex when it comes to maximizing dollars spent with the best credit card. But, Disney World has been reopened since the summer of 2020 and even Disneyland is starting to reopen to those who purchase $75 tickets -- albeit still without rides. Get access to the American Express Lounge In Universal Studios when you buy any Universal Orlando Multi-Park Ticket or Annual Pass with any American Express Card. The most important trick to using AMEX Membership Rewards points to book flights is knowing which transfer partners can book flights on which airlines. Hilton has a variety of hotels on or near Walt Disney World property. Children under two, however, can enter for free when accompanying an adult. Independent Walt Disney World Vacation Information. Well show you the best ways to visit Disney with American Express Membership Rewards points! When you return to the lounge, check out the conference room, which has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Test Track entrance, the external acceleration test area, and Spaceship Earth as well as the Imagination Pavilion and The Land. American AdventureBackstage Magic TourCast MembersEPCOTEPCOT Flower And Garden FestivalEPCOT International Food And Wine FestivalFastpassFuture WorldImagination!MagicBandMission: SpaceMission:SpaceNightclubs & LoungesSpaceship EarthTest TrackThe American AdventureThe LandThe SeasToursWorld Showcase. There is currently no corporate sponsor for the Seas, leaving the lounge to be used only for Disney special events and as a venue for Disney Weddings. The cash total for that stay would start at ~$1,455 for 5 nights. Walk along the colorful road and youll be treated to floor to ceiling windows with panoramic views of Future World. The detail in the decor is astounding at Jock Lindseys Hangar Bar. Of course, this hasn't been a normal year. The ultimate guide to American Express Centurion Lounges, solo travelers may be thrilled by a reduction in lounge guests, Amex adds live capacity indicators for Centurion Lounges, Authorized users on the Business Platinum. *Value of Rewards based on TPG valuations and not provided by the issuer.The information for the Amex Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. Disney World can be expensive. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. Marriott and Starwoods 5th night free programs are available to anyone booking with hotel points. Okay, we may be a little too excited, but what an incredibly unique experience, and one of the big reasons Three Bridges makes our favorites list. The one piece of Disney World advice you want to take when you get here is this look up. These are the best restaurants at Disney World, Citi Prestige Card, it earns 5x at travel agencies, The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express, use points for your tickets and save your cash, isn't the most rewarding card for most things Disney, How much does a trip to Disney World cost, Use points to save money at Universal Orlando, Southern California's 10 best theme parks, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 3% back if entertainment is the top spending category that month, 3x points (including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, tours, and ridesharing services), 1 cent each (more with BOA Premium Rewards), 1 - 2 cents each (2 cents each if you also have a, 2x on the first $50,000 spent on purchases each calendar year; then 1x, 2% (2x) - 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. The Lapu Lapu, served in a whole pineapple, is a treat right off the beach in Hawaii, with dark rum and tropical fruit. It automatically awards 3% back in the category you spend the most in that month -- and two options are for entertainment and travel. That's what TPG's CEO Brian Kelly did when he purchased a pricey Disney VIP tour using his Chase Freedom Unlimited and wanted to be sure he earned a good number of points no matter how it coded. We love to be immersed in the atmosphere and plied with clever cocktails, and youll find both at Ogas. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Lets take a look at these hidden treasures. American Express and the Property reserve the right to modify or revoke the THC benefits at any time without notice if we or they determine, in our or their sole discretion, that you have engaged in a Prohibited Action, or have engaged in abuse, misuse, or gaming in connection with your THC benefits.