Credit Card/Discount gameplan

[jdiddy]

Hi! I am new to the boards. I am making plans on how we will pay for our upcoming trip to Disney/Fort Wilderness and have come up with what seems to be the most advantageous way of doing it. I am hoping someone here may be able to provide insight as to what , if anything, I am missing or should consider.

• Get new Disney Credit card. Provides the following:
  • 300 dollar statement credit (used towards other disney expenses)
  • 10% off dining and some merchandise
• use new Disney card to purchase 5% discounted Disney gift cards in the amount totaling our resort reservations and park tickets.
  • this will qualify us for the 300 dollar statement credit mentioned above
  • save 5%
  • Maybe buy an extra gift card for park expenses?
• use 300 dollar statement credit towards dining/extras like fastpass if we get it

Am I missing a better way to do this (as far as saving money goes)? Thanks in advance for any constructive input that you have!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Do realize it’s only 10% off select dining, not things like QS. Where are you buying DGC for 5% off?


That said- If you want to get serious about gc savings check out the gc thread. If you want to get serious about the best deal on a cc check out the I love cc thread. Start with the first post on each before popping to the end with q’s.

 

[lanejudy]

Just be aware that by using Disney gift cards to pay for so much (hotel, tickets) -- IF there is an unexpected reason to cancel, you will have all those funds tied up with Disney. Even if within the timeframe for a refund, that will go back to the original method of purchase (gift cards) not a cash refund.

 

[jdiddy]

Do realize it’s only 10% off select dining, not things like QS. Where are you buying DGC for 5% off?


That said- If you want to get serious about gc savings check out the gc thread. If you want to get serious about the best deal on a cc check out the I love cc thread. Start with the first post on each before popping to the end with q’s.

Thanks for the reply! I did check out both of those threads. They are a little overwhelming (especially the CC thread, because of how much non-disney related stuff is in there) Costco/Sams/BJs run sales on Disney cards.

 

[jdiddy]

Just be aware that by using Disney gift cards to pay for so much (hotel, tickets) -- IF there is an unexpected reason to cancel, you will have all those funds tied up with Disney. Even if within the timeframe for a refund, that will go back to the original method of purchase (gift cards) not a cash refund.

Thanks for the heads up on this.. Plan has been to wait to buy the gift cards until right before the deadline for payment/cancellation. After the cancellation date, I am under the assumption that one would be in the same boat no matter what they paid with. Am I wrong about that?

 

[Mle8308]

Look into other credit card options that have better travel rewards. There are some that give 3%- 5% back for travel and a lower percentage for all other purchases. That is already more than Disney. If you go with Disney and use your card to pay for the trip, they will give you free 6 month financing, so you don't have to pay it all at once to avoid interest charges. But it has to be on the card, not gift cards. I, too am curious where you are going to buy Disney gift cards at a 5% discount with the Disney VISA. You could always get the free Disney VISA and use it for the dining discounts (where offered, as stated before, it's not all restaurants and no QS). Do not apply for the "Platinum" version of the card because of the fee. Unless you charge up quite a bit on a credit card it's not worth it. And it only gives you 1% more "cash back" when using it for Disney. For all other purchases (for the most part), you get the same percentage back as the free version. I have the free version I use for special rates Disney offers, but I have other cards (look into Chase Sapphire level cards) where I get more cash back for travel purchases.

 

[DanceDisney23]

Thanks for the heads up on this.. Plan has been to wait to buy the gift cards until right before the deadline for payment/cancellation. After the cancellation date, I am under the assumption that one would be in the same boat no matter what they paid with. Am I wrong about that?

With that strategy, will there be a sale on Disney gift cards when you hit the deadline date? Will there be a limit as to how many gift cards you can buy, and which denominations?

 

[Mle8308]

Thanks for the heads up on this.. Plan has been to wait to buy the gift cards until right before the deadline for payment/cancellation. After the cancellation date, I am under the assumption that one would be in the same boat no matter what they paid with. Am I wrong about that?

What if there aren't any sales on Disney GC's right before you go? And correct on the cancellation. Thing is, if you paid for your trip with gift cards and had to cancel and Disney issues you a refund, it is back to the gift cards. Then you have large amounts of money sitting on them, basically useless until your next trip or you find something Disney related to spend them on.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks for the heads up on this.. Plan has been to wait to buy the gift cards until right before the deadline for payment/cancellation. After the cancellation date, I am under the assumption that one would be in the same boat no matter what they paid with. Am I wrong about that?

Yikes... waiting until right before the deadline to buy your gift cards is not a strategy, it's hope and a prayer that sales will be run, gc will be available, and there will be no limits.

If you cannot afford to have the money tied up in DGCs, DGCs are not an appropriate path for you. Life happens, trips get cancelled. Sitting on a $$$$ in DGCs is fine for some folks, but others are better off sitting on that in cash in case of a life change. Since you won't buy them until right before the deadline that screams you don't actually want to be stuck with DGCs in case your trip doesn't happen.

Skip the gift cards. If you just want the $300 cc bonus and don't really wanna look deeper into cc's grab the card and be happy with your bonus.

 

[lanejudy]

Thanks for the heads up on this.. Plan has been to wait to buy the gift cards until right before the deadline for payment/cancellation. After the cancellation date, I am under the assumption that one would be in the same boat no matter what they paid with. Am I wrong about that?

Cancellation for a package is 30 days prior to arrival for a full refund. Within the 30 days (actually 29 to 2 days) it's a $200 penalty with the rest refundable back to method of payment; cancelling within 2 days of arrival is no refund. Any refunds are always made to the original method of payment.

It is possible to move the date and avoid the penalty, paying whatever extra for new dates. Depending on the reason for cancelling that might be acceptable. But if you cancel due to an emergency and could really use that refund back...it's stuck on Disney gift cards. Someone who pays with a credit or debit card will receive refund back in that manner, even with the $200 penalty.

The Disney Visa allows you to finance each payment towards a package with 0% interest. It's not exactly savings, but might allow you to budget savings for the payments. After covid when so many people were stuck with huge gift card balances but could have really used the funds for something else, it's worth being aware.

 

[bighuskermav]

I think you’re misunderstanding a few things….

#1 - the $300 statement credit requires you to have the “premier” card, which has a $49 annual fee, so your credit is only $250, plus you’d have to cancel it next year unless you wanna keep throwing away money.

#2 - I’m not aware of a regular 5% discount for buying gift cards with a Disney Visa card. According to chase, you’d only get 5% off on their streaming services (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+). The other categories are a measly 2% or 1%. They do sometimes have special offers for 5% on gas/grocery stores/restaurants, but I think these are individually targeted and not guaranteed...I got these on our free card the last 2 quarters.

#3 - the WDW discounts are only at some restaurants (full list here - https://disneyrewards.com/vacation-perks/walt-disney-world-perks/)

For merchandise - I believe the 10% discount is now applied at *all* merchandise shops on property (at least that was our experience in January). You do need to make a point of telling them because it’s not automatic.

Personally, I don’t think you should waste money on the premier card annual fee. Instead, get the free Disney Visa card. It has a $150 statement credit and all the same perks. There’s also some exclusive character meet and greets like Darth Vader at Hollywood Studios.

If you want an immediate win for buying gift cards - look at getting a Discover Card as well. They have rotating 5% categories and they double your cash back to 10% in the first year. Right now - it’s WalMart, so you could save 10% by purchasing DGC at WalMart.

Target is another good card to have in your back pocket because you can always get the 5% off.

 

[bnf0522]

Hi! I am new to the boards. I am making plans on how we will pay for our upcoming trip to Disney/Fort Wilderness and have come up with what seems to be the most advantageous way of doing it. I am hoping someone here may be able to provide insight as to what , if anything, I am missing or should consider.

• Get new Disney Credit card. Provides the following:
  • 300 dollar statement credit (used towards other disney expenses)
  • 10% off dining and some merchandise
• use new Disney card to purchase 5% discounted Disney gift cards in the amount totaling our resort reservations and park tickets.
  • this will qualify us for the 300 dollar statement credit mentioned above
  • save 5%
  • Maybe buy an extra gift card for park expenses?
• use 300 dollar statement credit towards dining/extras like fastpass if we get it

Am I missing a better way to do this (as far as saving money goes)? Thanks in advance for any constructive input that you have!

If you already have a Sam's Club or BJ's Wholesale Club membership, they sell discounted Disney GC's all the time (normally 3-4% savings, unless they're running a sale).

I've really only seen 5%+ savings when they run sales/specials.

Good Luck with the savings! I know all of us on here try to maximize as much savings as we can, but I can sometimes get hung up on trying to make sure I'm saving as much as I possibly can. Just a reminder (to you as much as me) that any savings (through discounted GC's, credit card rewards, etc.) is better than nothing

 

[OlliePop27]

Agree with others. The no annual fee Disney Visa is worth having if you are someone who regularly travels to Disney Parks. I never use the card, except when I go to the parks. Even then, we only use the card if we happen to go to a dining location that has 10% off within our regular plans. We also use it to buy merch at a location that has the discount, only if we were already planning to buy merch. It is also helpful to have the card because Disney often releases room only discounts for Disney Visa cardholders that are slightly better than the discounts available to the regular public.

We basically never use the Disney Visa, except in these very narrow circumstances. Other credit cards have much better rewards. There are trips to Disney Parks we don't even use the card because we don't eat sit down meals in the parks very much (and counter service is largely excluded), we don't buy much merch, and we don't stay onsite very often (we mostly go to Disneyland where offsite is so convenient).

 

[gottalovepluto]

… the $300 statement credit requires you to have the “premier” card, which has a $49 annual fee, so your credit is only $250… Personally, I don’t think you should waste money on the premier card annual fee. Instead, get the free Disney Visa card. It has a $150 statement credit and all the same perks.

I tried to be quiet but I can’t because you advised OP to throw away $100

The proper way to handle this is pay $49, bank the $300 bonus, after holding the card for one year downgrade to the no-AF Disney within 30 days of the AF posting. Chase will refund the AF in full if you downgrade within 30 days of the AF posting to the account. The credit history of the account stays intact so it will not show as a new cc on your credit history nor will you incur a hard pull with Chase for a product change.

 

[bighuskermav]

I tried to be quiet but I can’t because you advised OP to throw away $100

The proper way to handle this is pay $49, bank the $300 bonus, after holding the card for one year downgrade to the no-AF Disney within 30 days of the AF posting. Chase will refund the AF in full if you downgrade within 30 days of the AF posting to the account. The credit history of the account stays intact so it will not show as a new cc on your credit history nor will you incur a hard pull with Chase for a product change.

Do whatever. Personally, I don’t feel like the Disney card is ever worth the fee. Everyone has an opinion, but there are a lot better SUBs available if you’re gonna pay an AF.

 

[gottalovepluto]

-

 

[bnf0522]

The Disney Visa (either the free or $49 annual fee version) is nice to have for when Disney World rolls out a discount on rooms for Disney Visa cardholders, which we got on our last trip.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The Disney Visa (either the free or $49 annual fee version) is nice to have for when Disney World rolls out a discount on rooms for Disney Visa cardholders, which we got on our last trip.

There are actually 3 options for it. If you have a Chase checking account you can get a Disney Visa Debit Card for no charge that includes many of the same discounts as the Disney CC’s!

 

[bnf0522]

There are actually 3 options for it. If you have a Chase checking account you can get a Disney Visa Debit Card for no charge that includes many of the same discounts as the Disney CC’s!

I didn’t know that was an option! Thanks for the info

 

[gottalovepluto]

I didn’t know that was an option! Thanks for the info

For sure! Here's a little more info straight from Disney and Chase link