Disney Rewards Card

[sclark503]

Okay, so I broke down and got the Disney Visa just for the rewards! I've ordered the rewards card, but my question is - Do I just present the card to guest services and they apply it to my shipboard account? I am not sure how it works.

 

[hjensen]

Thats exactly what we did. Once we boarded we went to guest sevices with the rewards card and they applied it to our onboard credit!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Okay, first off, you want to check when the rewards card expires to when you are going on your cruise. Once you load the rewards card with your disney rewards you have to use them before the card expires or you lose them. So I don't load my card until I'm ready to leave.

As far as handing the rewards card to the guest services desk on your cruise, it seems logical to me.

 

[MickeyBeast]

We have been using the Disney Visa since Day 1. The last time we cruised when it was time to settle our account we just gave them the reward card first and they posted the credit to our account...remainder we just paid with our Disney Visa.

We are cruising this August. We use the Visa for everything but pay in full each month. We have not touched the rewards for the past 3 years so we figure that we pretty much have all our shipboard expenses paid for this go around.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Thats exactly what we did. Once we boarded we went to guest sevices with the rewards card and they applied it to our onboard credit!

That's what we did as well, as I knew our what we would spend on the ship was more than the reward points we had.

Right now I am saving up points for the Eastbound repositioning next year. I already have tips covered! Starting on the drinks now.

 

[jrabbit]

To summarize:

1) Use the Disney Visa, Pay it off each month.

2) Leave the reward points on your account until you are ready to use them. They can "sit" there for 10 years (I think). Remember Disney rewards are only good at Disney Resorts, DCL (part of WDW) and the Disney Store (I think).

3) Several (2-3) months before you leave, order a Rewards card - they are only good through December of the year following the year you ordered it (ie if you order the card in July 2007, it's good only through December 2008).

4) Activate your card

5) Move only the points to the rewards card that you think that you will use

6) When making a purchase give the cashier your rewards card or in case of the cruise, take your Rewards Card to Guest Services after boarding to make it be the "primary" "credit card" for your shipboard account. Remember that DCL shore excursions are charged to your room on the first day of the cruise.

7) Use your VISA to earn more points

8) Transfer points to rewards card so you can use it again.

9) Repeat as needed

 

[jrabbit]

I forgot to mention that if you have more points available than what you can spend onboard you can apply points from your rewards card to help pay for your cruise fare on the DCL web site if DCL has your ressie (in other words - you're not going through a travel agent).

 

[eva]

I forgot to mention that if you have more points available than what you can spend onboard you can apply points from your rewards card to help pay for your cruise fare on the DCL web site if DCL has your ressie (in other words - you're not going through a travel agent).

That's a good one!

 

[smores]

is there a minimum points you have to have to use them?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

is there a minimum points you have to have to use them?

You have to have a minimum of 20 points to transfer to the rewards card.

 

[ibouncetoo]

To summarize:

1) Use the Disney Visa, Pay it off each month.

This is the really important part. Because the reward you earn is only one cent on the dollar, getting hit with even one month's interest can totally defeat the purpose of using the card for the rewards.

 

[griswalds]

How long does it take to get your reward card once you've requested it?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

How long does it take to get your reward card once you've requested it?

It only takes a few days. You have to order it with a minimum of 20 points, but you can always add to it before it expires.

 

[logan1_2000]

one of the reasons I booked excursions through DCL instead of independently was so that my Disney Visa Rewards could go towards paying those excursions. Just applied over $500 to excursions, Palo, DW's spa, and tips in May, and on a previous Magic cruise through DU, I was able to pay over a thousand dollars in cruise fare from Disney Rewards through DU's reservation web-site (so that was a TA experience where I could use the rewards).

but I alternate with my RCI Visa--am taking DS as a free companion on a 3 night father/son cruise to the Bahamas next month on the Sovereign and then DW and I will be using a free 7 night caribbean cruise for 2 next March on the Mariner--as you can see, among the things DCL has taught me is that Port Canaveral is convenient and a great port from which to cruise.

 

[eva]

Oh, and remember that you can only collect 750 points a year on each Disney Visa account. So guess what? We had to open a second one! We have collected over $800 so far. Wonder where it will be in September? We use it for everything. And as stated before the trick is to make sure to pay it off each month. We do bills every Saturday morning (before shopping!) and you can pay the Disney Visa off on line free of charge. So we pay it off every Saturday morning.

 

[NCRedding]

When we were at OKW in January, the front desk would not allow me to put the disney reward card as my primary charge card; they made me come back later, after we had actually charged things to the room, and applied the card to my outstanding balance.

So, does DCL allow you to use it as your primary charge card, or do you have to go back after you've charged something??

 

[wwwosie]

I totall agree that if you don't pay your card off every month, with the interest rates they charge, it's not a good deal at all.
We have had a blast using our Disney Rewards Card, I bought myself a Swarovski bracelet (mickey!) in Disneyland and paid for all our food during our last Disneyland visit.
Right now, all my bills are going to that card, once my cruise is over, I'll probably start using my AMEX card because the rewards in that card let you buy tickets trhough Ticketmaster!
Have fun!