Anyone book thru Disney Visa?

[darlenesmommy]

Can you only stay at the Disneyland hotels or can you stay at a the good neighbor hotel. We are waiting to stay at a hotel that has living room, kitchen and bedroom. That way the kids can go to bed and we can watch tv and talk. The park closes at 8 pm most the time we are there in May which is our kids bed time anyways. I also would prefer to cook our lunch and dinner most of the days and the hotel provides breakfast that we plan to stay at.

 

[DisneyJewel]

To get the Disney Visa "perks" (ie, 6 mos interest free, and package perks like lanyards, pins and backpack) you have to book a package through Walt Disney Travel Co. You can also book through Costco (the site that is co-branded w/ WDTC). I'm not sure if other places co-brand w/ WDTC. You CAN book good neighbor hotels, but you do have to the package through WDTC to get the perks. If you book through a co-branded site (like Costco) you won't get the backpack but you will get the 6 mos. interest free (and whatever other perks Costco provides).

You get the 10 percent discount (at certain restaurants) and other perks available for using your Disney Visa regardless of where you stay, so even if you find if cheaper not to use a package, bring along your card. Although all the offers are subject to change w/out notice, which did happen to use last year wrt stroller rental. Still, the package has worked for us the past 2 years. We don't carry a balance on the card (except for the 6 mos interest free) so we've managed to rack up a lot of Disney rewards dollars w/ out paying any interest or finance charges. Good luck!

Can you only stay at the Disneyland hotels or can you stay at a the good neighbor hotel. We are waiting to stay at a hotel that has living room, kitchen and bedroom. That way the kids can go to bed and we can watch tv and talk. The park closes at 8 pm most the time we are there in May which is our kids bed time anyways. I also would prefer to cook our lunch and dinner most of the days and the hotel provides breakfast that we plan to stay at.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Sounds like you need to look into getting a Villa at the Grand Californian. With a 4 month old you need something close you you can quickly escape back to the room for naps and meals!

 

[MulanFan]

We're doing the Tropicana, as one of the Good Neighbour Hotels. We booked thru the magic for less (thanks Carla!). It's very close (closer than some of the resort hotels).

 

[darlenesmommy]

Sounds like you need to look into getting a Villa at the Grand Californian. With a 4 month old you need something close you you can quickly escape back to the room for naps and meals!

I would but its out of our price budget for this trip. We are planning on staying at Anaheim Residence Inn Maingate because it gives us what we want and is 1/4 mile (I think) from the gates of Disney.

 

[darlenesmommy]

If we book thru Costco or anyother travel place would we still be able to do the meet and great in the hollywood pictures back lot?

To get the Disney Visa "perks" (ie, 6 mos interest free, and package perks like lanyards, pins and backpack) you have to book a package through Walt Disney Travel Co. You can also book through Costco (the site that is co-branded w/ WDTC). I'm not sure if other places co-brand w/ WDTC. You CAN book good neighbor hotels, but you do have to the package through WDTC to get the perks. If you book through a co-branded site (like Costco) you won't get the backpack but you will get the 6 mos. interest free (and whatever other perks Costco provides).

You get the 10 percent discount (at certain restaurants) and other perks available for using your Disney Visa regardless of where you stay, so even if you find if cheaper not to use a package, bring along your card. Although all the offers are subject to change w/out notice, which did happen to use last year wrt stroller rental. Still, the package has worked for us the past 2 years. We don't carry a balance on the card (except for the 6 mos interest free) so we've managed to rack up a lot of Disney rewards dollars w/ out paying any interest or finance charges. Good luck!

 

[blackjackdelta]

I would but its out of our price budget for this trip. We are planning on staying at Anaheim Residence Inn Maingate because it gives us what we want and is 1/4 mile (I think) from the gates of Disney.

Just less than 1/2 mile, we have stayed there numerous times.

Jack

 

[DisneyJewel]

The big benefit of booking a qualifying package (which has to be through WDTC or a co-branded place) is the 6 months interest free on the cost of the package. The other stuff -- backback, lanyards, pins -- are minor.

The other card "perks" come just from having your card with you. You can find a list of the restaurants w/ 10% off on the website (chase.com/disney or disneyrewards.com) and other stuff (meet and greet, tour discounts, shopping discounts, restaurant discounts). For those, you just have to tell them (ie, tell your waiter when you order) and pay using your card.

And no, I don't work for Disney Visa, lol, just trying to use it to our maximum advantage on our upcomiong trip, so I've been looking at all the discounts etc. And we booked a qualifying trip w/ it last year and this year. Have fun!

If we book thru Costco or anyother travel place would we still be able to do the meet and great in the hollywood pictures back lot?

 

[Lissame]

The photo meet and greet is every day--you just have to show your Disney Visa and they give you access and a coupon for any photo from your photopass. Totally awesome perk, we used it every day!

There are restaurant discounts listed on their website, but we found that many of the restaurants gave us a discount even if it wasn't listed. We got a nice surprise at the Big Thunder BBQ with 10% off of our bill. I know there were a couple of others but I can't think of them off the top of my head. More than the 5 that were listed though.

 

[darlenesmommy]

The 6 mos no interest is why we were thinking about booking thru the Visa.

The big benefit of booking a qualifying package (which has to be through WDTC or a co-branded place) is the 6 months interest free on the cost of the package. The other stuff -- backback, lanyards, pins -- are minor.

The other card "perks" come just from having your card with you. You can find a list of the restaurants w/ 10% off on the website (chase.com/disney or disneyrewards.com) and other stuff (meet and greet, tour discounts, shopping discounts, restaurant discounts). For those, you just have to tell them (ie, tell your waiter when you order) and pay using your card.

And no, I don't work for Disney Visa, lol, just trying to use it to our maximum advantage on our upcomiong trip, so I've been looking at all the discounts etc. And we booked a qualifying trip w/ it last year and this year. Have fun!

 

[darlenesmommy]

Is it differant ones each day? I was thinking becaue we are going thur the off season this may be the best way to see them because I was not sure how many are out and about duing the off season. We are also eating at ariel's grotto and goofys kitchen.

The photo meet and greet is every day--you just have to show your Disney Visa and they give you access and a coupon for any photo from your photopass. Totally awesome perk, we used it every day!

There are restaurant discounts listed on their website, but we found that many of the restaurants gave us a discount even if it wasn't listed. We got a nice surprise at the Big Thunder BBQ with 10% off of our bill. I know there were a couple of others but I can't think of them off the top of my head. More than the 5 that were listed though.

 

[michelleh1]

Is it differant ones each day? I was thinking becaue we are going thur the off season this may be the best way to see them because I was not sure how many are out and about duing the off season. We are also eating at ariel's grotto and goofys kitchen.

the characters at the meet-n-greet are not different each day. However, you will get a voucher for a free 5x7 each day you go. the characters were Pluto or Chip and Dale when we were there earlier this year. we only made it twice and got Pluto both times, but it was nice to get the prints to bring home.

 

[Lissame]

They are the same characters at the meet and greet each day. Pluto for the first half hour, Chip and Dale for the second half hour, and Pluto again for the third half hour. But the very important thing to remember is that you get a coupon and you can use it for a print of ANY photo from your photopass.

We are total photopass junkies in our family. Any time we see a PP photographer we get our photo taken. So, for example, we went to the Disney Visa meet and greet in the am, got the coupon, then later that day got our photo taken with Mickey at the World of Color gazebo on the boardwalk--used the coupon to get a print of that photo.

The coupon is actually good for a few months, you don't even need to get your print that specific day. But it helps to do it just so you don't lose it, but if you're in a rush that day you don't have to worry, just get the print the next day (we did this one time).

You do have to get your photo from the DCA photopass place ("Welcome to California") and not in DL.