How I Used IHG Points to Save $400+ at a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel
Learn how I used IHG points, rewards stacking, and cashback to save on a Disney World trip. Although I love staying at Walt Disney World resorts, not every trip requires staying on property. For this trip, I stayed at a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel near Disney Springs and used points, miles, and cashback to save over $400.
I wanted a hotel that was:
- Close to the action
- A smart use of points, miles, and cashback through rewards stacking
I booked a four-night stay at the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista, and then stacked points, perks, and cashback to maximize the value.
If you’re thinking of doing something similar, here’s exactly how I did it.
What is Rewards Stacking?
One of my favorite ways to make trips more affordable is something I call rewards stacking.
Rewards stacking means combining multiple types of savings so you get more value than using just one strategy alone.
Instead of choosing between points or cashback or credit card rewards, you layer them together, one on top of the other.
For this Disney trip, I stacked:
- IHG points to cover hotel costs
- IHG 4th Night Free benefit to stretch my points further
- Rakuten cashback for booking through a referral link
- Credit card points earned on the mandatory resort fees
Now with the fundamentals out of the way, let’s dig into the strategy.
Why I Picked This Disney Good Neighbor Hotel Near Disney Springs
This wasn’t a random choice — it was a strategic one.
Here’s what sold me:
1. Near Disney Springs
Being close to Disney Springs meant easy access to restaurants and shopping, without paying Disney resort prices.
2. Free shuttle to the theme parks
Transportation is one of those “hidden costs” people forget to budget for. Having a complimentary shuttle made park days more cost effective.
3. Highly rated on TripAdvisor
Before booking any stay, I always check real traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.
I walk you through exactly how to research hotels using TripAdvisor here.
Read the article or listen to the podcast episode for all the details.
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Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista consistently ranked well for cleanliness, location, and value.
Bottom line: Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Lake Buena Vista was the perfect stay for a short Disney trip.
How I Used IHG Points for a 4-Night Stay
Instead of paying the full cash rate of $572.12 for a four night stay, I redeemed 44,000 IHG points.
That put my redemption at roughly 1.3 cents per point, an excellent value for IHG points (most land closer to 0.5–0.8¢ per point).
I generally aim to redeem points for at least 1 cent per point, so this was a strong use of my rewards.
Even after accounting for the daily resort fee ($30 per day), the value stayed strong.
4th Night Free Benefit
Next, since I have a IHG One Rewards Credit Card and booked my stay entirely with points, I was eligible for an exclusive 4th Night Free benefit.
Don’t Forget the Resort Fee
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: $30 per day resort fee (this is typical for Orlando hotels).
While IHG doesn’t waive resort fees on award stays, I softened the impact by paying with my Wells Fargo Autograph Credit Card, earning 3x points on travel expenses (resort fees are coded as “hotel” expenses).
Alternatively, I could have used my IHG One Rewards Credit Card to earn 5x points.
The Extra Win: Cashback With Rakuten
Here’s where it gets even better.
Before booking, I checked Rakuten and clicked through their 3% cashback IHG link to earn cashback on the reservation.
That meant:
- IHG points redemption for the room
- Points earned on the resort fee
- I earned $3 in cashback simply for clicking the right link before booking
It’s one of those “why wouldn’t you?” moves that takes 30 seconds and stacks nicely with everything else.
If you’re not using Rakuten for hotel bookings, you’re leaving money on the table.
Sign up for Rakuten and start earning cash back today with my $50 referral bonus!
Why This Strategy Works So Well for Disney Trips
Disney vacations can add up, so every optimized decision matters.
Again, here’s how I stacked travel rewards and reduced my out-of-pocket costs to just $144 for a four-night stay near Disney World.
- I picked a Good Neighbor hotel, like the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando – Lake Buena Vista by IHG with free transportation to Disney Springs, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
- I redeemed IHG points for the stay (redeemed 3 nights and got 1 night free)
- Earned cashback through Rakuten
- Used a credit card where I could earn 3x points on resort fees and other miscellaneous expenses at the hotel
Overall, I saved over $400+ and used some of those savings to enjoy opening day at the EPCOT Festival of the Arts!
Have you ever stayed at a Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotel? Which ones would you recommend? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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