Redeem Citi ThankYou Points for Disney World Tickets

DH Quick Take: Citi ThankYou Rewards are an effective points currency for obtaining Disney World tickets, but be prepared for the process prior to redeeming.

Disney World Tickets Using Citi ThankYou Points – Overview

The ability to redeem points currencies for Disney World tickets is ever-changing yet attainable.  I have previously booked our family’s Disney World tickets and resort stays with Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which was unfortunately phased out in recent years.  However, redeeming ThankYou Rewards points (TYP’s) for Disney World tickets is alive and well.  Even better, I recently booked tickets with TYP’s for maximum value by effectively leveraging the benefits of two key Citi credit cards, the Citi Premier and Rewards+.

Be Prepared

Having never redeemed Citi ThankYou points for Disney tickets, I had a healthy amount of cynicism.  Based on various reports, including Shawn’s unpleasant experience earlier this year, I was increasingly focused on the potential pitfalls of such a redemption approach.  I, therefore, over-prepared prior to moving forward with the redemption.  Knowing that Citi uses the same rewards booking entity, Connexions, that Chase previously used before moving on to Expedia, I was confident that the ticket pricing calculation would be similar.

Therefore, using the official Disney World website, I calculated the planned nine-day ticket price for my family’s tickets.  The sticker price for these tickets came to $1,445.34.  As a Citi Premier cardholder, I’m able to redeem TYP’s with 25% more value on thankyou.com or by making a ThankYou booking via Connexions.  With this benefit, I calculated the ticket price to be approximately 115,627 TYP’s.

Additionally, as a Citi Rewards+ cardholder, I am entitled to 10% points back per year, on the first 100,000 TYP’s redeemed.  I would easily maximize this benefit with this redemption.

Obtaining Disney World Tickets from Citi ThankYou

Next came the big redemption call.  It’s worth noting that Disney World tickets are not available in the Citi ThankYou Rewards online portal; you must call Citi directly to book these tickets.

Here’s how to purchase Disney World tickets using Citi ThankYou Points:

• Call the Citi ThankYou Servicing Center at (800) 842-6596 and request to be connected to the Cruise and Tours Department.  This department, staffed by Connexions, is the main entity that can book Disney World tickets.
• Specify to the representative that you desire to book Disney World tickets with TYP’s and provide the dates of your visit.

When I called, the CSR quoted the ticket price total; the price she stated matched my total to the penny.  Without any prompting, she confirmed that as a Citi Premier cardholder, I would receive 25% more value for my TYP’s.  She then quoted the exact ThankYou point total which I had previously calculated.

Ticket Timeframe

While the pricing went as I expected, I was less certain on how quickly the tickets would be available for attaching to My Disney Experience profile on the Disney World site.  As the 60 day FastPass+ window was approaching later in November, this timing was my primary concern.

After agreeing to the ticket pricing, I inquired about when the tickets would be issued.  The CSR confirmed tickets are issued immediately.  Indeed, I received an email with the Disney tickets confirmation number while on the call.  I attached this confirmation number to My Disney Experience profile, then assigned each ticket to the appropriate family member.  I completed this while on the phone with the CSR and recommend you do the same.  That way, if there are any hiccups, you have a friendly CSR to guide you along.

I subsequently received a Citi email confirming that my 10,000 points back Rewards+ benefit was applied; the 10,000 TYP’s would be deposited back into my TYP account after my next Rewards+ statement closes.  My entire phone call to book these tickets lasted just over 23 minutes.

Booking Disney World Tickets with Citi ThankYou Points Tips

• Calculate ticket pricing/approximate TYP’s and ensure you have enough TYP’s prior to calling.
• Confirm any TYP discounts (from Citi Premier, Rewards+ cards) during your call.
• Attach the tickets to My Disney Experience prior to ending the call.

Redeeming Citi ThankYou Points for Disney World Tickets – Bottom Line

I was pleasantly surprised with how smoothly my Citi ThankYou Disney World ticket redemption was completed.  My main priority was to obtain Disney tickets for free with my ThankYou points – mission accomplished!  Additionally, I obtained solid value for my TYP’s, effectively 1.38 cents per point when incorporating the Premier and Rewards+ benefits (on the first 100,000 points redeemed).  Luckily, I had an experienced, skilled CSR to guide along this redemption.  For those less fortunate, effectively implement the Hang Up, Call Again (HUCA) principle.  Good luck with your TYP redemption!