Convince me the Disney Visa is worth it...

[mandis77]

In your opinion - is the Disney Visa card worth it? Seriously considering getting one for our fall trip and putting everything on the card (3 rooms, 5 day tix for 8 people, etc) for the gift card & points. Also plan to have the card paid off before we leave for WDW.

My question is - are the points back really that good? How quick is the turnaround? How exactly do you use them? Is it feasible to use the points to pay for the all the room charges while on the trip? Or is it better to save up the points and use them for, say, a DCL trip in 2017?

Lots of questions - thanks in advance!

 

[Marionnette]

In your opinion - is the Disney Visa card worth it? Seriously considering getting one for our fall trip and putting everything on the card (3 rooms, 5 day tix for 8 people, etc) for the gift card & points. Also plan to have the card paid off before we leave for WDW.

My question is - are the points back really that good? How quick is the turnaround? How exactly do you use them? Is it feasible to use the points to pay for the all the room charges while on the trip? Or is it better to save up the points and use them for, say, a DCL trip in 2017?

Lots of questions - thanks in advance!

No, the points back are not that good. There are much better rewards credit cards out there.

The rewards dollars credit to your account when your statement is generated each month. As long as your account is in good standing, you can use them. You must first order a rewards card, which looks and acts like a gift card. You need to have a total of $20 or more in rewards dollars in your account to load your first rewards card. The card itself can take a few weeks to arrive. Once you have your card, you can transfer future rewards dollars (minimum transfer must be $10) to it and the rewards dollars are immediately available on the card.

As stated above, the rewards card is used like a re-loadable gift card.

You can use the points in whatever way that you want. They expire 5 years after they have been earned.

 

[btk2333]

Not worth it- there are many better credit cards

 

[SGMCO]

It used to be worth it!! when I applied almost 9 years ago, I got 500 points. DV used to notify card holders about Free Dining earlier than Public and you could book, but last year they didn't offer it, not anymore, and I'm really disappointed with them. It is only 1% back for the Regular card but I have other cards that offer higher percents, so I've been using these instead.

 

[MrPTato]

Some of the perks are okay. My wife uses hers for everything. She has the premier and that gets 2% back on gas, groceries, restaurants, and Disney locations. She will tell you she has the card because of the castle on the front. Besides the 2%, there are also perks like 10% merch at the world when you spend over $50, 10% discounts on some dining and free photo ops. 6m vacation financing is also available. The points done't expire anymore when they move to the redemption card as those don't have an expiration. Card works for us, may not for you. Check your spending and do the math.

 

[amylevan]

Honestly, there are better rewards cards out there. You get $1 in rewards for every $100 you spend. You also get free 6 months financing on Disney vacation packages.

I got mine years ago when they used to have things like the 5X bonus points. I still have and use mine because it forces me to save for Disney. DH is not a Disney fan, so it helps me to convince him to go back when I say "but I have $350 in Disney points!" Yes, I could do better, but with other cards that could redeemed in other ways it would never go towards Disney and I'd lose a bargaining chip.

 

[Pooh2]

We have the No Annual Fee card, so only 1% back. When we signed up, we got a $200 bonus. There is an offer out there now for $100 so not as enticing. We usually end up with about $600 per year and use it towards meals/snacks in the park so it feels like "free food" and eases the pain of Disney dining prices. Since there is no fee, we will always keep it around. With other cards, it would not end up going to Disney. And the card is just plain cute!

 

[kool_kat]

Not worth it. I would recommend the Citi Double Cash for just normal everyday spending. They give you 2% cash back on everything - 1% when you charge and 1% when you pay it off. It's the best card with no hassle and no annual fee.

If you are looking at a card to specifically put Disney on, I would recommend the Citi Thank you Premier Card. It rewards you with 3x points on travel which includes airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, travel agencies, gas stations, commuter transportation, taxi/limousines, passenger railways, cruise lines, bridge and road tolls, parking lots/garages, campgrounds and trailer parks, time shares, bus lines, motor home/RV Rental and boat rentals. Also, it rewards 50,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. You can take this and use the points to get $500 in Target gift cards which you can then buy $500 of Disney Gift cards for your trip - way better than the Disney card sign up bonus. Plus, if you pay your entire trip with the card and earn 3x, you can buy more Disney gift cards. I believe the Disney tickets would count as entertainment for this card and would earn 2x. There is a $95.00 annual fee but is waived for the first year.

 

[havaneselover]

Not worth it. Many better options including Amex blue cards, Citi double cash, Capital One Quicksilver, Chase Freedom, etc.

 

[ldo]

only worth it for free 6 month financing. If you book a WDW vacation package or Disney cruise or buy DVC points you get 6 mths free financing for each payment.

 

[DLgal]

The premier card is worth it. 2% back on most spending categories that we use every month (groceries -includesTarget and Wal Mart, gas, restaurants, and Disney locations). The annual fee is only $69. That ends up being about 5% of what we earn in rewards money annually so definitely works for us.

 

[Ava]

The rewards percentage, especially on the no-fee card, is not good. As others have said there are much better rewards cards out there. However, I keep the no-fee Disney card mostly for the in-park perks and have used it to book my trip when discounts are offered to Disney Visa holders before the general public. (You only have to pay the deposit with the Disney Visa to book the discount, and can pay the balance via another method.)

If you want a way to "force" yourself to save for a Disney trip the card might be a good option for you, but if you are looking for a good return in rewards dollars there are much better options out there. My go-to card is the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday - 3% back on groceries up to $6,000/year, 2% back on gas & select department stores, & 1% on all other purchases. I will probably upgrade to the one with an annual fee once I cash out my rewards dollars. The fee version ($75 fee) gets 6% back on up to $6,000/year in groceries, 3% back on gas/department stores, & 1% on all other purchases.

 

[hsmamato2]

nope- I won't try to convince you either...it's s low rewards card. You can use many other credit cards for rewards,and apply that to your vacation. If you're looking for a trave; expense card,some pp's are right, get one that awards multiple points per dollar spent on travel specifically (know your categories) and then have fun!

 

[SandyinMonterey]

My husband and I have the premiere card. We upgraded to that one only when there was a special offer. I believe it was $200. That was also a while ago. We have it for one main reason: we're DVC members and we use the rewards towards are annual dues. It helps.

 

[sheetz]

It's about the worst rewards credit card out there.

 

[Pesky]

No, there are better cards out there. With that said, I have one and use it because otherwise, I funnel the rewards to other things we are saving for and not Disney. Just an easy savings mechanism for me.

 

[georgina]

My DH got the no fee one last year for the $200 GC you could get after spending a certain amount. Plan to cancel it soon.

 

[MrPTato]

My husband and I have the premiere card. We upgraded to that one only when there was a special offer. I believe it was $200. That was also a while ago. We have it for one main reason: we're DVC members and we use the rewards towards are annual dues. It helps.

Did you know you can have "Disney Vacation Club" embossed on the front of the card? Just found this out a couple months ago.

 

[starry_solo]

It's good for a free photo at the EPCOT meet & greet

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I have one just for the few discounts you can get and for any in park perks (photo at Epcot) but I hardly use it. I have a Amex blue that rewards are way better. 6% on groceries ($360 rewards back max)