Disney Visa...worth it?

[annafab]

I'm considering getting a Disney Visa card because
a) I've been going to Disney parks frequently enough (at least once a year) in the past couple years that I think it might be worth it to try racking up some points
b) My new job requires me to make semi-frequent large work-related purchases
c) I'm trying to plan another 8-day trip to WDW in the spring and it would be awesome if I could get any discounts on anything

I'm not entirely clear how the rewards system works. (I probably need to read the fine print on the Disney Visa site more thoroughly.) I'm just wondering if it would be worth it for me to open up another credit card. (I only have one other one that I don't use that often...but I just get a little anxious when it comes to credit cards...)

So, bottom line, are the rewards worth getting a Disney Visa card?

[Wizzard419]

With a lot of credit card reward programs the restrictions can be rather large. If you want some real value with your rewards get a Visa with a cash back option so then you can spend the money on whatever you want rather than just a fixed menu.

[Len90]

annafab, we have the Disney visa. For each $100 you spend, you get 1 Disney Dream Reward Dollar. A DDRD is equal to $1 at any Disney store or any place in WDW. The only issue with them is that in order to redeem you have to get a a Rewards Redemption card and can only transfer once you have 10 DDRDs.
I would recommend searching around the internet for offers that can give you money upon signing up. You should be able to find something that can either get you some disney dollars or a statement credit after first use.

Other than that there are just the few perks it offers in WDW. You can get 10% off your purchase at WoD when you spend over $75. Secondly you can get 1 free photo at the Visa Meet and Greet in EPCOT each day.

[boilerbabe]

I have the Disney Visa and I love it!!! B-dude has the Disney Visa debit. Len summed it up correctly, you get $1 for every $100 you spend and there are nice little perks, like you get discounts on tours, private meet and greet in Epcot with a free picutre etc...

You can now also redeem your points at WDW! Just stop at any guest relations window, they will give you your Disney reward card, you call the # on the back and they will load your card for you, that simple! Plus, everytime I go to make a purchase people always comment "I love Mickey Mouse", the card designs are fun! B-dude and I have made several large purchases for our home this year and it's racked up the Disney Dollars quickly. So, I would say it's worth it!

[elizabethswann]

I have the Disney Visa but I only get reward dollars for every purchase that don't involve my pin number. Then again I think it's because of the bank account I have since it's a college checking account. My card is a Dalmatian and I LOVE it. I have about twenty something reward dollars to redeem but I'm not going to redeem until I have at least over a good hundred or so.

[Amy]

I don't use my Disney Visa very often but I like having some Disney character(s) in my wallet. And for the few times that I can't use my regular credit card, retailers almost always take Visa. The discounts on the tours are nice too

[horizons1]

I would recommend searching around the internet for offers that can give you money upon signing up. You should be able to find something that can either get you some disney dollars or a statement credit after first use.

There is an ad in the current wdw passholder newsletter for a $100 statement credit for new enrollments.

[annafab]

Do you get extra reward dollars for using the Disney Visa card at parks? I thought I heard that rumor somewhere...

Also, the Disney Visa site says something about "Special vacation financing". What does that mean?

[Amy]

Do you get extra reward dollars for using the Disney Visa card at parks? I thought I heard that rumor somewhere...

Also, the Disney Visa site says something about "Special vacation financing". What does that mean?

The special vacation financing refers to this, taken from the Disney Visa rewards page

As an ongoing card perk, pay zero interest for 6 months anytime you use your card to book select Disney vacation packages, Disney cruises, and Adventures By Disney vacations through the Walt Disney Travel Company, your travel agent, or online at Disney sites.

I don't think you get any extra reward dollars for using the card at the parks, but I don't know for sure.

[Wizzard419]

So if you only get a 1% return on spending with the card and the reward is more or less disney dollars. If the extra theme park/cruise rewards are something you would get a ton of use out of then I would say it would be a decent idea. Otherwise I would stick with a different card that gives you 1% cash back since that would not lock you into one company.

[SorcererDonald16]

This is the only card I have, and frankly I wish I had never gotten it. About a year ago, they jacked the rates up by an insane amount, and you had to accept the new terms if you wanted to keep your card active. I foolishly did because I didn't want to change companies or cards, and now my then-smallish balance has grown big time. Never missed a payment, never late on a payment. The way it was explained to us was that they hiked the rates for most people, and the percentage depended on how much you spent. If you charged a lot, your rates didn't increase or only increased a bit. If you charged very little (like me), they hiked the rates a crazy amount.

So while the picture on the card is neat, and the (very) limited benefits are nice, Chase's interest rate nonsense makes me say you'd be better off with another company.

[Wizzard419]

Oh that's another great point, does the DV have an annual fee? The cards I have from Bank of America (visa) all have 1% back and no annual fees.

If you reallt want a disney card there are plenty of sites out there that explain how to customize your card with an iron.

[Amy]

This is the only card I have, and frankly I wish I had never gotten it. About a year ago, they jacked the rates up by an insane amount, and you had to accept the new terms if you wanted to keep your card active. I foolishly did because I didn't want to change companies or cards, and now my then-smallish balance has grown big time. Never missed a payment, never late on a payment. The way it was explained to us was that they hiked the rates for most people, and the percentage depended on how much you spent. If you charged a lot, your rates didn't increase or only increased a bit. If you charged very little (like me), they hiked the rates a crazy amount.

So while the picture on the card is neat, and the (very) limited benefits are nice, Chase's interest rate nonsense makes me say you'd be better off with another company.

It's not just Chase that did the rate increases, I think that was pretty much across the board. And yes, you had to accept the rate changes or your card was cancelled.

Oh that's another great point, does the DV have an annual fee? The cards I have from Bank of America (visa) all have 1% back and no annual fees.
If you really want a disney card there are plenty of sites out there that explain how to customize your card with an iron.

No annual fee for the Disney Visa. Or at least not the one I have.

[boilerbabe]

We pay our card off every month, so the rates don't bother us. There are no annual fees and the vacation financing is awesome! If you book a Disney vacation package, you have 6 months to pay off your vacation at 0% interest! We use this every time and it's a big help!!!

We'll have alot of Disney Dollars for this vacation and we always use it for our meals. It's like our own dining plan!

[Len90]

We pay our card off every month, so the rates don't bother us. There are no annual fees and the vacation financing is awesome! If you book a Disney vacation package, you have 6 months to pay off your vacation at 0% interest! We use this every time and it's a big help!!!

We'll have alot of Disney Dollars for this vacation and we always use it for our meals. It's like our own dining plan!

We are the same way with that. We pay it off every month. I do think the interest rates are across the board and went into effect with the whole big credit card bill that was passed recently. It also prevented me from getting my own card. You now need to be 21 to be the primary and sole applicant on a credit card.

As for the Chase end of things. We have had a lot of run-ins with Chase. They also tend to not be the easiest people to talk to on the phone. Their customer service is very far from the Disney standards we are all accustomed to.