Disney Premier Visa card- anyone upgrading?

[kristenrice]

I (we) have 2 Disney Visas. The first one we've had since 2003 (Charter Cardmember) and both DH and I are on it. It has a $13,000 limit, which is way more than we'd ever need. I have a second Disney Visa that is only in my name. I opened it in 2010 to get the $100 GC they were offering. It has a $3000 limit on it which is much more reasonable. We prefer to use our AMEX as our primary card but we keep the Visa for places that don't accept AMEX. DH wants us to drop a few of our credit cards. We pay them all off every month so interest rate is not a factor.

Changing directions...

We also owe about $3000 on our DVC loan and we are taking a vacation to WDW in June.

Here's what I am thinking and I am wondering if it would be a good idea.

I think I should upgrade Visa #1 and pay off the DVC loan with it.
QUESTION: Would that still qualify for 6 months at 0% even though it is not the down payment?

If the answer to the above question is "yes", then that leads to question #2.
QUESTION: Would the charge to DVC fall under the 5% bonus?

If the answers to the above questions are "yes", then I think I should do the upgrade and hold on to Visa #1 until the 6 months is up. Then I can cancel it and just keep the other one with the smaller limit as our secondary card. It would work out to our advantage 2 ways...first, we'd get $150 in rewards....second, we'd save a lot in interest on our DVC loan. Overall, we'd recoup the $49 fee and then some. Plus, it would lower the amount of unsecured credit that we have. Since our AMEX has a $30,000 limit, we have more credit than we would ever need, so it would be prudent for us to lower it.

Which leads to my final question...is there a minimum amount of time you have to keep your account open? Since we are taking the trip in June, I would cash out the rewards on the card and use them before the 6 months is up so there's no worry about losing the rewards.

I'm guessing that it is all moot anyways since the DVC loan payoff probably does not qualify for the 6 months at 0%.

 

[yankebabie]

Just a thought. I pay my card off every month but am in the middle of my billing month. When I upgraded to the premier card i had a balance of $1900 on my card, wondering if the "inexplicable points" are the 19 pts on purchases that I was due up until the upgrade.

 

[RachelTori]

I'm guessing that it is all moot anyways since the DVC loan payoff probably does not qualify for the 6 months at 0%.

That, unfortunately, is correct. The only time you can get 6 months, 0% (other than an intro rate) is if you book a "qualifying" Disney vacation package or Disney cruise.

 

[gkrykewy]

Interesting note above re: DVC. Points purchases should be eligible for the 5%.

Just a thought. I pay my card off every month but am in the middle of my billing month. When I upgraded to the premier card i had a balance of $1900 on my card, wondering if the "inexplicable points" are the 19 pts on purchases that I was due up until the upgrade.

Looking at my balance, I think this is exactly it. Thanks!

 

[kristenrice]

That, unfortunately, is correct. The only time you can get 6 months, 0% (other than an intro rate) is if you book a "qualifying" Disney vacation package or Disney cruise.

Per the Rewards site...

Developer financing is separate from the credit card offer and is not guaranteed. Disney's Visa Credit Card Offer: Get special financing on the purchase of a minimum real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. The special financing is available per credit card transaction and applies to amounts of $101 up to a maximum of $10,000. Other restrictions apply. For complete details see your Cardmember Agreement.

...and...

Get 0% APR Vacation Financing for 6 months on select Disney Resort packages, all Adventures by Disney packages, all Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai'i vacation packages, all Disney Cruise Line® packages (collectively, Disney Vacation Packages), and all purchases of a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. The rate applies to purchases of $101 up to a maximum of $10,000 per transaction. Disney Vacation Packages must be booked by you or your travel agent through the Walt Disney Travel Company or Disney Cruise Line® and charged to your Disney's Visa Credit Card prior to commencement of your vacation. Other restrictions and exclusions apply. For complete details see your Cardmember Agreement.

As you can see, it is open to some interpretation. The balance due *is* a result of the purchase, but I actually *made* the purchase 10 months ago. I have made additional principle payments on the card and those were NOT subject to the 0% interest, but I assume that is because they are not payment-in-full. Like I said, I'm assuming that the payoff amount is not included, but it is a little vague.

 

[TLSnell1981]

It's interesting that everyone else is seeing inexplicable rewards dollars in their account. Mine show as transfer dollars. Wonder why this would be. I thought that maybe the bonus period had been backdated to the previous statement, but the CSR told me that my bonus rates were effective yesterday.

If, that was the case, I'd upgrade my account ASAP!! Ugh..I'd to have the bonus $$$ on the cruise, that was paid off this period.

 

[TaraPA]

Hmmm...I still show nothing that I upgraded on line - I DO see the 2% info that others are seeing. Strangely I have a "transfer" of $781.88 in points....???? My current rewards balance was $766.64 - so maybe I'm gaining the extra $20 something in points for whatever reason?

Here's what my Rewards Details now says:

Use your Disney's Premier Visa® Card for the everyday things you already do—like buying groceries, fueling up with gas, dining out and for purchases at Disney locations—and see how quickly Disney Dream Reward Dollars can add up. You earn 2% in Disney Dream Reward Dollars on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney locations. For all your other card purchases, you earn 1% in Disney Dream Reward Dollars.

So I guess the upgrade went through, just waiting for the cards in the mail.

 

[smitch425]

Hmmm...I still show nothing that I upgraded on line - I DO see the 2% info that others are seeing. Strangely I have a "transfer" of $781.88 in points....???? My current rewards balance was $766.64 - so maybe I'm gaining the extra $20 something in points for whatever reason?

Here's what my Rewards Details now says:

Use your Disney's Premier Visa® Card for the everyday things you already do—like buying groceries, fueling up with gas, dining out and for purchases at Disney locations—and see how quickly Disney Dream Reward Dollars can add up. You earn 2% in Disney Dream Reward Dollars on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney locations. For all your other card purchases, you earn 1% in Disney Dream Reward Dollars.

So I guess the upgrade went through, just waiting for the cards in the mail.

If you have that verbage, then your upgrade is complete. The extra rewards are likely the prorated amount from your current month. I think the word "transfer" is being used because the points "transferred" over to your new card.

 

[RachelTori]

Per the Rewards site...

Developer financing is separate from the credit card offer and is not guaranteed. Disney's Visa Credit Card Offer: Get special financing on the purchase of a minimum real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. The special financing is available per credit card transaction and applies to amounts of $101 up to a maximum of $10,000. Other restrictions apply. For complete details see your Cardmember Agreement.

...and...

Get 0% APR Vacation Financing for 6 months on select Disney Resort packages, all Adventures by Disney packages, all Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai'i vacation packages, all Disney Cruise Line® packages (collectively, Disney Vacation Packages), and all purchases of a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. The rate applies to purchases of $101 up to a maximum of $10,000 per transaction. Disney Vacation Packages must be booked by you or your travel agent through the Walt Disney Travel Company or Disney Cruise Line® and charged to your Disney's Visa Credit Card prior to commencement of your vacation. Other restrictions and exclusions apply. For complete details see your Cardmember Agreement.

As you can see, it is open to some interpretation. The balance due *is* a result of the purchase, but I actually *made* the purchase 10 months ago. I have made additional principle payments on the card and those were NOT subject to the 0% interest, but I assume that is because they are not payment-in-full. Like I said, I'm assuming that the payoff amount is not included, but it is a little vague.

Yes, open to interpretation - why don't you call Chase and ask them.

Sorry, I was just trying to help. I still stand by what I posted.

 

[jessrose18]

I believe I saw a thread that talked about a store selling "discount" Disney gift cards.......like 5% discount. It may have been Walmart/Target....

Please let me know if it's true.......wouldn't it be great to buy the gift card with a 5% discount and them get 5% back through Disney VISA???

You have to use your target card to get 5 percent of Disney gift cards, then ou wouldnt get no interest for 6 months either.

 

[Marshay]

When does the 5% for 3 months program end? If you sign up prior to end of April, do you get 3 months after that? i.e. May/June and July?

Or is the 3 months only for Feb/Mar/Apr?

Thanks!

 

[smitch425]

When does the 5% for 3 months program end? If you sign up prior to end of April, do you get 3 months after that? i.e. May/June and July?

Or is the 3 months only for Feb/Mar/Apr?

Thanks!

The 3 months of 5% in rewards starts when you do the upgrade, so if you don't upgrade until April, it would be 3 months from your activation date.

 

[Marshay]

The 3 months of 5% in rewards starts when you do the upgrade, so if you don't upgrade until April, it would be 3 months from your activation date.

Oooh, thanks! I think that just swayed me to upgrade. I also checked and my Walmart and Target are listed as grocery stores, so getting some Disney gift cards there for our trip would also help!

Thanks!

 

[pastorcarson]

I checked our Disney Visa bills from this last year and the charges aren't assigned categories for groceries, department stores, etc. WalMart, Target, etc. are all just categorized as sales purchases like everything else. Where are you looking to check how they are categorized? I'm sure I'm missing something here...

 

[Simba001]

My initial reaction when I received the promo in today's mail was "No thank you". I don't like the idea of paying the $49 fee.

But then I pulled out the calculator. . .

We need to pay the balance of our ABD Backstage Magic Trip and book the extra nights of stay at DLR resort.

If I upgrade to the Premium Card and charge all nights of the hotel on the card at the time I book and pay the balance of the trip with the Premium Card, subtract 49 points to account for the annual fee, with the 5% promotion we should end up with over 154 of additional reward points! I don't typically use my Disney Visa for gas, grocery, or restaurant purchases , but may opt to within the 90 day period to take advantage of the 5%.

I may decide after a year to go back to the no fee VISA.

 

[a1tinkfans]

passed on it.

 

[starwood]

Can we keep the card designs we have now? DH just got Buzz and Woody and doesn't want to give it up and DS has the castle and loves it.

 

[gkrykewy]

Can we keep the card designs we have now? DH just got Buzz and Woody and doesn't want to give it up and DS has the castle and loves it.

Yes, you can keep your current design. Although I would note that there's a new castle design with fireworks on the back -- that's what I went with.

 

[tydad]

Oh yes we upgrade too. I already have $2100 worth of reward dollars earned over the last 1.5 years.I have a small fleet of vehicles and everyone use the card for fuel. We put well over 6 figures on the card last year so the extra 1% will really add up quickly

 

[disneychrista]

Where are you looking to check how they are categorized? I'm sure I'm missing something here...

If you go to your online account, click on statments and scroll to the very bottom and click on your 2011 annual statement. This is where you will see what your purchases are categorized as.

Funny the deli we go to is classified as gas/convenience store, not restaurants.