Chase Disney Dollars Use Strategies

[MartyParty]

Ok, I’ve had a search through the boards + Google and not found this topic fully discussed. Looking to see how folks best use their Chase Disney dollars to maximize the value. As an example, I tend to use mine at the parks for dining. But at the same time feeling some regret giving up the 2% cash back on dining if I’d simply used my Chase Disney Premier card.

Looking to see what others are doing.

Thanks….
PS This is my first DIS Board thread created since joining. : )

 

[Skywalker3]

The last few years, we've used them for food, especially food booths at the Epcot festivals. It's kinda like our splurge, we tend to try a lot more variety, etc, when we have our cards. Also, DH and I each have one, so we can split up.
We just got rid of the 2% card this year, reverted back to 1%, because we likely wont' be going as often next year or so.Last few years, paid DVC dues w the credit card, and the 2% covered the annual fee. So going forward, wont' be adding rewards dollars nearly as much.
Once in the past, we used it for tickets, and once used it for the dining plan, but we really love having them for food booths, and quick service, and snacks we'd maybe not otherwise try.

 

[sheilafri]

I don’t spend on anything other than visiting the parks so it’s always for my AP renewal or food.

 

[Bellex917]

We usually use it for our "splurge meals" in the parks... so I know we used it for Space220, and last time a character meal... We usually go down with enough points for a big splurge meal and then some smaller snacks/quick service meals. It all adds up!

 

[shystalips]

I would just use them to buy a disney gift card on shopdisney when RMN has a 10% cashback offer.

 

[MartyParty]

Disney gift card purchase with 10% cash back. That sounds like a better way to squeeze out some more dollars. Thanks for that shystalips.

 

[shystalips]

Disney gift card purchase with 10% cash back. That sounds like a better way to squeeze out some more dollars. Thanks for that shystalips.

Sure thing, every bit counts

 

[shosh1530]

So far we have always used the rewards for splurge dining experiences in the park: character breakfasts, dessert parties, special dinners. I do try to pay attention to which dining establishments give the Chase discount though and use my credit card for those instead.

For my next trip I'm planning to use the rewards we build up over the next 4 months to pay some extras on our first Disney cruise. Not sure yet what!

 

[eticketplease]

Some have reported that they will give you the dining discount since it was earned with the Disney Visa. We just use it for our DVC dues.

 

[bluezy]

I just use it to pay for part of my final package payment. We usually have $2K+ in rewards to use and I just prefer to throw them at one large expense. I purchase discounted gift cards between trips and also throw those straight at the final payment. I find it easer to do that than to worry about remembering to spend/use them all while we're there.

 

[dez1978]

I would just use them to buy a disney gift card on shopdisney when RMN has a 10% cashback offer.

Yep. This is what I do too

 

[DVCjj]

I never want to drag yet another credit card on a trip, aside from Disney gift cards, so I use it always to pay off annual dues.

 

[eticketplease]

Yep. This is what I do too

I tried this last year but it didn’t track

 

[comicguy]

I use to pay our room charges (food, snacks, souvis)

 

[LiDa]

Ok, I’ve had a search through the boards + Google and not found this topic fully discussed. Looking to see how folks best use their Chase Disney dollars to maximize the value. As an example, I tend to use mine at the parks for dining. But at the same time feeling some regret giving up the 2% cash back on dining if I’d simply used my Chase Disney Premier card.

Looking to see what others are doing.

Thanks….
PS This is my first DIS Board thread created since joining. : )

Since the reward level is so low compared to other cards, I don't use the card enough to build up a decent point base to splurge, so I usually just use my Disney visa when I get something decent, like 10% back at the Disney outlets or in park shops. But, I like the dining discount. To be fair, I don't make my decisions about where to dine based on where I get the discount -- I decide first & then ask, so it's sort of a nice surprise. [When I had friends join me at Disneyland, they were shocked that almost every time we stopped to eat & once in a gift shop I received a discount. "How do you keep doing that??"]

Right now, I'm saving up my reward points for a trip & haven't decided how to use them. [I miss Disney Dollars because when I was planning a trip, I would buy Disney Dollars every month so when I finally arrived it felt like I wasn't actually PAYING for a lot.]

If anyone from Chase is scanning the boards for recon, here's a tip: if you want us to use our card more often, you have to make the benefits competitive with other cards! The photo opps & other similar perks are a fun, low-cost way to add value for cardholders [I woudn't object to a few more!], but, off-property, we tend to use our cards that have better rewards.

 

[MartyParty]

Thanks for your comments LiDa. I like your suggestion of more out of park Chase Disney experiences.

We use our card for gas, groceries, and restaurants. That gives us the max 2% back. Make enough to cover the annual fee and then some. For other rewards purchases we use other cards. A recent favorite of mine is Apple Pay. Usually paying 2% rebate on most purchases with an occasional 3%.

 

[DLgal]

We redeem our Disney dollars for a night at the Grand. Californian every year, or we apply it towards our annual pass renewal. We usually net about $900 per year.

 

[TexasJedi]

Interesting thread! I hadn't considered the fact that using the reward dollars on dining makes less financial sense than using them on souvenirs/tickets/etc. due to the difference in points earned on the dining category.

 

[Tinknalli]

We often use ours to buy plane tickets. We don't always feel the need to go to Disney on vacation and like to do other things. Often, we skip Disney for several years. We went in 2020 and 2021, but currently have no trips on the books to return. If I don't have points with the airlines or credits to use to book flight I will use the Disney Rewards to pay for them.

 

[dez1978]

I tried this last year but it didn’t track

I was fortunate that mine did, but I figured even if they didn't, I wasn't out anything. Either way that was going to be spent on tickets. So if it worked I got an extra 10% on my "free" money, if not, I had cute GC to use