How to Use Hyatt Points for Disney World | Free Nights & Tips
Guide to Using Hyatt Points for Disney World
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Heading to Disney World but don’t want to pay a small fortune for accommodations? For Disney enthusiasts and Hyatt loyalty members, there are clever ways to use Hyatt points to stay nearby, save money, and still have a magical experience. This guide covers everything you need to know to maximize your Hyatt points for a free Disney World vacation, making your trip to the Magic Kingdom even more enchanting.
How the World of Hyatt Program Works
Hyatt doesn’t directly operate hotels within the Walt Disney World Resort property, but several Hyatt hotels nearby offer excellent access to the parks. These nearby properties provide high-quality accommodations, free shuttles to Disney theme parks, and exclusive Hyatt member perks. The World of Hyatt program offers flexible redemption options so that you can use points, cash, or a combination of both.
With Hyatt rewards programs, you can use points for standard rooms or suites, for additional points. Utilizing Hyatt’s various booking options lets you combine points and cash, which can even open up opportunities for an upgraded suite.
There are several hotels close to Disney Springs and the Disney parks, varying from luxury hotels such as the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress to more budget-friendly hotels such as the Hyatt Place Orlando. Check out our post on Hyatt Hotels Close to Disney World.
World of Hyatt Membership Tiers:
World of Hyatt offers three membership tiers, each offering a unique set of privileges:
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Discoverist: The entry-level tier, offers members benefits such as complimentary premium internet, late checkout, and a dedicated customer service line.
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Explorist: Members at this tier enjoy all the benefits of Discoverist, plus additional perks like room upgrades and bonus points
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Globalist: The highest tier. Globalists receive all the benefits of Discoverist and Explorist, along with added privileges such as suite upgrades and Club Lounge Access on eligible stays or free breakfast at Hyatt hotels without a Club Lounge
To earn the different tier memberships:
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Hyatt Discoverist: 10 nights or 25,000 base points
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Explorist: 30 nights or 50,000 base points
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Globalist: 60 nights or 100,000 base points
How to Earn World of Hyatt Points
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Earn Points on Stays at Hyatt Hotels
As a World of Hyatt member, you earn points on every stay at Hyatt properties. Each qualifying purchase—room charges, dining, spa treatments, and more—adds to your points balance, helping you reach your next reward night faster.
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Sign-Up Bonus: The World of Hyatt personal card currently offers up to 65,000 points as a welcome bonus.
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Ongoing Points on Purchases: Cardholders earn World of Hyatt bonus points on restaurants, airline tickets purchased directly from the airline, local transit, fitness club, and gym memberships. You earn 1 Bonus Point per $1 spent on all other purchases. In addition, you earn 4 bonus points on Hyatt purchases.
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Free Night Awards: Each year after your cardmember anniversary, you’ll receive a free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort. Spend $15,000 in a calendar year to earn a second free night at the same category level.
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Automatic Discoverist Status and Elite Night Credits: Cardholders get Discoverist status and five qualifying nights annually, along with two additional elite night credits for every $5,000 spent. This helps you reach elite status tiers more quickly.
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The World of Hyatt credit cards make it easy to earn award nights faster when paired with your everyday spending and World of Hyatt membership. Free night certificates justify the $95 annual fee.
Maximize Points with Hyatt Credit Cards
Chase offers two Hyatt-branded credit cards: the Chase World of Hyatt Credit Card for individuals and the World of Hyatt Business Credit Card for business owners. Here’s how these cards can help you rack up points:
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Chase Ultimate Rewards points:
You can easily convert Chase points into World of Hyatt points, making it one of the best ways to enhance your Hyatt points balance. Chase allows 1:1 point transfers to Hyatt, so every Ultimate Reward point equals one Hyatt point. You can easily transfer points in the Chase travel portal. Chase offers several travel reward credit cards such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
💡 Want help choosing the right cards or booking with Hyatt points? The Disney Points Shortcut Kit gives you step-by-step guidance based on real trip strategies.
Use Hyatt Free Night Certificates
Hyatt offers free night certificates through its World of Hyatt card and for reaching loyalty milestones. Free night certificates can be used at category 1-4 Hyatt hotels, of which most Disney area hotels fall within that category. You can make reservations using free night awards right through your World of Hyatt account.
Want to see the top Hyatt redemptions in one place? Check out our full Hyatt Hotels Near Disney World guide for hotel rankings, points charts, and booking advice.
Tips for Maximizing Your Hyatt Redemptions
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When booking a Hyatt property on points or a free night award, make sure to reserve ahead of time. Unlike Hilton and Marriott, Hyatt limits the amount of rooms available to reserve on points.
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There are no resort fees for award stays. This is a great perk of the World of Hyatt Loyalty program, as resort fees can add up on free stays.
With a little planning and smart use of Hyatt points, you can make your Disney World vacation both magical and affordable. By choosing nearby Hyatt hotels, you can enjoy high-quality accommodations, convenient access to the parks, and even shuttle services—all while saving significantly on lodging costs.
Hyatt’s flexible points program, loyalty tiers, and credit card perks make it easy to earn and redeem points for Disney-area stays. Once you have your Disney vacation hotel strategy worked out, figure out how to save on Disney World Tickets making your Disney trips even more affordable.
Leverage your World of Hyatt membership, earn points through stays, and consider the World of Hyatt credit card or Chase Ultimate Rewards to supercharge your points balance. You’ll not only maximize your points but also earn valuable perks like elite status, free night certificates, and waived resort fees on award stays.
Want to maximize your everyday spending even more? We use cashback apps like TopCashback and Rakuten to turn regular purchases into extra money that we then use for Disney gift cards or travel expenses. Learn how to use cashback apps to fund your Disney World vacation and stack these savings with your Hyatt points strategy.
By combining these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a memorable Disney trip with the added benefits of Hyatt’s outstanding hospitality—at a fraction of the typical cost. Nothing beats a free or budget Disney World Vacation.
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I’m a CPA, mom of two, and the creator of Points to Magic. I help people use points to save thousands of dollars on Disney vacations.
