Hotel Trip Report: Walt Disney World Swan

Quick Take

Our four-night stay at the Walt Disney World Swan was everything we hoped it would be—and more. We booked the hotel using points through the Chase Travel portal, and surprisingly, it cost fewer points than booking directly through Marriott, even after factoring in a 70% Chase-to-Marriott transfer bonus.

If you're looking for one of the best values at Disney World, it's hard to beat staying in the EPCOT resort area without paying deluxe Disney resort prices. The location, convenience, and savings made this one of our favorite points redemptions.

Booking

• Hotel: Walt Disney World Swan

• Length of stay: 4 nights

• Booked through: Chase Travel Portal

• Points Used: Chase Ultimate Rewards points

• Why we booked this way: It required fewer points than transferring to Marriott, even during a 70% transfer bonus.

  
  

I always compare booking options before transferring points, and this was a perfect example of why. Although Chase was offering a generous transfer bonus to Marriott, booking directly through the Chase Travel portal still provided better value.

Four nights ended up being the perfect amount of time for our family. We had enough time to enjoy the parks without feeling rushed or completely exhausted by the end of the trip.

First Impressions

The Swan's location is what makes this hotel such a standout.

Being able to stay in the EPCOT resort area for a fraction of what many Disney-owned deluxe resorts cost feels like one of Disney's best-kept secrets. We loved being able to walk to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, and the BoardWalk area quickly became one of our favorite places to spend the evenings.

Having so many restaurants, entertainment options, and two parks within walking distance made the entire vacation feel easier and more relaxing.

Getting Around Disney

One of the biggest advantages of staying at the Swan is that you don't need a rental car.

We walked to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, used Lyft and Uber to get to Animal Kingdom, and took a Minnie Van back from Magic Kingdom after a long day in the parks.

The Minnie Van was easily one of the best splurges of the trip. After spending all day walking, getting dropped off close to the hotel instead of navigating transportation made the extra cost completely worth it.

Even better, we used the monthly ride-share credits from our credit cards to offset several Lyft and Uber rides, making transportation even more affordable.

Why Points Made This Trip Possible

Because our hotel stay was covered with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, we had more room in our budget to spend on experiences that made our Disney vacation even better.

Instead of stressing over hotel costs, we felt comfortable splurging on things like:

• Lightning Lanes to maximize our park time

• A Minnie Van after Magic Kingdom

• Buying kids merch and snacks throughout the trip

  
  

This is exactly why we love collecting points - they allow us to spend money where it creates the most memorable experiences.

How We Saved on Disney Tickets

The savings didn't stop with the hotel.

We purchased our Disney tickets through Undercover Tourist, which codes as travel for Capital One purchases. That meant we could use the Capital One Travel Purchase Eraser to wipe the ticket charges from our statement using miles.

Even better, there was a Capital One Shopping promotion offering 50,000 Capital One miles after spending more than $1,000 with Undercover Tourist.

That bonus alone was worth about $500 in travel statement credits, which immediately erased a large portion of our ticket purchase. We then used additional Capital One miles to erase the remaining balance.

Between the hotel booked with Chase points and the tickets erased with Capital One miles, we dramatically reduced the cost of what would have otherwise been a very expensive Disney vacation.

Final Verdict

Would I stay at the Swan again? Without question.

For families looking to maximize both convenience and value, the Swan/Dolphin/Swan Reserve is one of the best points hotels at Walt Disney World. The unbeatable location, incredible walkability, and flexibility of booking through the Chase Travel portal made this an easy win for our family.

This trip was a perfect reminder that using points strategically doesn't just save money—it makes room in the budget for the experiences you'll remember most.

Our Travel Pointers: Exactly How We Booked This

If I were booking this resort again today, I'd get the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card first while it's offering the current 100,000-point welcome bonus (this limited time bonus is ending soon). After spending $5,000 in the first three months, you'd earn the 100,000-point bonus plus the points from your $5,000 in spending. Those Chase Ultimate Rewards points can then be transferred to Marriott Bonvoy to book your stay.

Why would I do it this way? Because Chase frequently offers transfer bonuses to Marriott. While there isn't one available right now, they tend to pop up several times a year. A common bonus is at least 50% more Marriott points when you transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards. That means your 100,000 Chase points could become 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned in the points and miles world is to earn your points before you need them. When you already have a stash of flexible points, you can take advantage of transfer bonuses and book award stays when prices are at their best instead of scrambling to earn points at the last minute.

If I already had the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, I would get the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card instead. This card currently has a welcome bonus on 125k points + 1 Free Night Award (up to 50k points) after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months.

Pro Tip: Instead of adding your partner as an authorized user, consider having each of you open your own card. Once you've been approved, refer your partner to the same card (as long as you can both meet the minimum spending requirement, or stagger the applications by a month or two if needed). This strategy allows you to earn two welcome bonuses instead of one, helping you build your points balance much faster for future trips. 

If you're thinking about getting the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card, I'd really appreciate it if you'd use my referral link. If you're approved, you'll receive the same welcome offer, and I'll earn referral points at no additional cost to you. Those referral points help us book more family trips, which means I get to keep testing hotels, sharing reviews, and finding the best ways to maximize points for you.