Several hotel credit cards give you a free night at one of their establishments every year when you pay the annual fee. The cool thing is this free night benefit often provides more value than the cost of keeping the credit card, doesn’t require you to spend a certain amount of money or have any points in your account. It’s simply a free night, including tax.
Maximizing Your Free Night
If you’re trying to make the most of a free night, look for the best value. Some articles list the most expensive hotel rooms in the world where you can redeem a free night. Instead, I decided to focus on a place that’s visited by many people every year – Walt Disney World (WDW). By using a free night to extend your vacation by one more day, you could add a lot of value to your trip and make it more enjoyable for you and your family.
If you have the World of Hyatt Card from Chase ($95 annual fee), you get a free night at any category 1-4 hotel or resort after your cardmember anniversary. With your free night, you can stay at some pretty great Hyatt hotels around WDW.
Here are two Hyatt Hotels in the WDW area where you can use your free night:
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
This 815-room Category 4 Hyatt is just off Disney property, near Disney Springs. It’s a resort in its own right, with a lagoon-style pool and a full-service spa on-site. You are also right next to Grand Cypress Golf, part of the Evermore resort next door.
Valet parking here will cost you $52 daily, and self-parking costs $37. According to the hotel website, there’s also a daily $50 resort fee which includes:
- Four Round-Trip transportations to Disney, Daily
- Round-Trip Transportation to Universal Studios/Island of Adventure
- Scheduled Daily Transportation to Disney Springs
- Pickleball Courts & access to Pickleball paddles and balls
- Bike Rentals
- Rock Climbing Wall
- Sailboats, paddle boards, kayaks and paddle boat rentals
- Daily recreational activities
- 5 Miniature Golf Course alongside 7 Hole Pitch n Putt.
- Ping pong table with access to paddles and balls
- 1 Mile & 3 Mile Mapped Outdoor Jogging Courses
- Basketball Court, ball included
- 2 bottles of water, daily
- Glass of Champagne upon arrival for guests 21 and over from 12pm-12am.
- Nightly Movie at the pool (weather pending)
Note that Hyatt’s website says that resort fees are waived for all guests on “free award nights.”
If the Grand Cypress isn’t your style, just down the road is the:
Hyatt Place Orlando/Lake Buena Vista
This 169-room, Category 2 hotel opened in 2016 after a complete refurbishment.
Standard rooms at this hotel range from 370 to 424 square feet, with one king or two queen beds. This looks like a very comfortable room to spread out in during a WDW vacation.
Parking at this hotel used to be free but now they charge $17.63/night + tax. This hotel doesn’t charge a resort fee. Hyatt Place properties provide free breakfast to guests, which is a big deal when traveling as a family.
Which Hyatt Hotel Is Right for You?
Choosing between these two Hyatt hotels near Walt Disney World depends on what you value most in a stay.
The Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress is a true resort, offering swimming pools, a spa, restaurants, and access to nearby golf courses. However, these amenities come with a hefty resort fee. That said, in the latest round of Hyatt’s award chart reclassifications, the Grand Cypress once again avoided being moved to Category 5. This means it remains eligible for the free night certificate from the World of Hyatt Credit Card—a big win for cardholders.
On the other hand, the Hyatt Place Orlando/Lake Buena Vista provides larger rooms and complimentary breakfast, making it a practical choice for families or those who plan to spend most of their time at the parks. While it lacks the resort-like atmosphere of the Grand Cypress, it offers great value without extra fees.
Back when we vacationed at Disney World (before moving just nine miles away), all we needed was a comfortable place to rest between park visits. In that case, the Hyatt Place would have been a solid choice for us—but as always, Your Mileage May Vary.
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2 comments
Just stayed at Grand Cyprus for 3 days using free certs for GotG previews. Nice hotel with updated rooms. Took Uber to parks and was around $10 -$15 each way. I’d stay there again on free nights. If paying cash….Swan/Dolphin win.
Useful information. Thanks.