disney visa card

[wrwrwrwreee1971]

If you are looking to help your trip budget, use your disney visa card. No fee is attached and you get 1 disney dollar for every 100 dollars you put on your card. I do all my major purchases with my card. Those of you who have cashed in your reward dollars, how did you do it? How early do I need to cash in my points before my trip? Can I cash them in at WDW?

 

[Kaa]

I cashed mine in online. I did it about three weeks before our last trip and the card got to me very quickly. From what I understand, you can also do this at Downtown Disney, but I don't know where. Maybe Guest Services. You might have to have the card already to use the service there.

 

[4mickeyfans]

Anyone know about this? I'd be willing to sign up and transfer by (gulp!) balance but it's at a really good interest rate right now...and we're about to pay it all off...still, if the Disney visa gave us points for it, might be worth the switch!

 

[HaleyB]

I have been trying to figure out if I can get points with a balance transfer. I may have to break down and call.

To redeem points the first time you need at least $20 worth and they send you what amounts to a gift card. Please note these cards do expire, I have heard 1 year from the time you request it (like it would ever last that long). Once you have this card you can transfer awards onto it online, instantly. So get the card early and then transfer points onto it. Note that points do not show up until the end of a billing cycle so you will not be able to redeem points for purchases made right away.

I would also like to point out that the interest rate is rather high on this card, so if you do not pay off the balance you are paying more than the 1% reward in additional interest. My rate for this card is a full 3% higher than my cheapest cc. So if I carry a balance I lose 2% on the deal. One option is to only use this card for the special offer (No interest on a WDW package for 6 months), another is to pay it off prior to the end of your billing cycle each month. Beware that you do not benefit from the no interest deal if you have any other unpaid chargers on the account.

 

[MyDisneySig]

Originally posted by 4mickeyfans
Anyone know about this? I'd be willing to sign up and transfer by (gulp!) balance but it's at a really good interest rate right now...and we're about to pay it all off...still, if the Disney visa gave us points for it, might be worth the switch!

Here's what I found in the online guide:

"You will not accrue Disney Dream Reward Dollars on finance charges assessed on your account balances, balance transfers, cash advances, convenience checks, unauthorized charges, or fees on products which protect or insure the balances of your account, or fees of any kind."


Hope this helps!

 

[4mickeyfans]

That's exactly what I needed to know...that and DH shouting in the background..."NO WAY...NO MORE CREDIT CARDS!" We finally got down to only one (besides debit cards) and he wants to pay that one off and cancel a.s.a.p., too!

I do say, though, that if Disney had made their card "cuter", I would have had one in a heartbeat! Anything Mickey and I'm a sucker...I keep my last resort ID in my wallet by my other cards just because it looks cute...and I read somwhere on these boards to keep a picture of WDW in your wallet - it will remind you not to spend unnecessarily and save for the next trip...hasn't worked so far but I still like looking at the card!

 

[4greatboys]

The card is a good idea if you pay off your balance monthly. That way you earn your reward dollars and not pay financing cards. I got my card on our Oct visit. They had them at guest services in DTD and a phone to use to call and have your reward dollars transferred to the card right then and there. It took 10 or 15 minutes and then we went to eat at CP right after that and used our reward dollars for our meal. It worked out great and there were no hassels.

 

[marcyinPA]

I'm just curious, if you can only get your rewards in $20 increments? We have accumulated $30 to date, and will have at least $27 more by our trip in May. Can we get our rewards card with all of our rewards that we've earned?

Thanks!

 

[Magix]

Originally posted by marcyinPA
I'm just curious, if you can only get your rewards in $20 increments? We have accumulated $30 to date, and will have at least $27 more by our trip in May. Can we get our rewards card with all of our rewards that we've earned?

Thanks!

As long as you transfer at least 20 your first time, or at least 10 each time after that, you can transfer any amount beyond that you wish. Doesn't have to be in particular increments.

 

[bjakmom]

I called a few weeks ago and ordered a reward points card with only $20.00 of my points on it (the minimum). Remember that once the points come out of your account and onto the card they have an expiration date (mine was 12/04). I didn't want to put all my points on until I was leaving for the trip 'just in case' something happened and we couldn't go. Just talked to Bank One the other day and confirmed that the points I've earned in Dec. (Christmas shopping! ) can be transferred to my points card as soon as the posting month is ended (Jan 4th for me)- just in time for my trip. I thought I had to pay the bill off before I could use those points, but she assured me that they were available at the end of the posting cycle, not when paid for - that's another dinner for us! As long as you have a reward card before you go, you just have to call the # on the back and the points will be transferred that day. I've been paying all my phone bills, gas, food, everything on the card and we will have enough for several meals- worked out great for us (I don't ever carry a balance on it- rates are high!)

 

[arminnie]

You can also transfer the points online. I often log on around my statement date and see if the points are there and transfer them to the card before I even get my statement in the mail.

 

[Julia M]

I like the idea of ordering the card early with a small balance and then transfering the rest after your last statement date before your trip.

I already have over 300 dollars, and hope to be at 500 before our trip in August.

I will admit there might be better rewards deals out there, but this works great for us. I had no idea I would be able to accumulate this many....it's amazing what you can charge!

In July, my daughter will be going to Nationals in baton, which means hotel charges, rent a car and meals, which will add probably 10 more dollars alone!

I'm so glad to know this!

Julia

 

[DisneyMom5]

off-topic - Arminnie -LOVE your new picture!
You are just a woman of mystery!

 

[arminnie]

Originally posted by DisneyMom5
off-topic - Arminnie -LOVE your new picture!
You are just a woman of mystery!

Thanks - I was the volunteer coordinator for a Bush fundraising event and got to have my picture taken with him. He was SO nice. I grew up in Hazel Park, MI until I was 9 years old.

 

[allforpooh]

I also agree there are probably better reward cards out there, but for us this one has worked out great.

I don't look at it like a credit card..
I use this card just like my debit card, I pay everything with it gas, grocery's, car and house insurance etc. I even put my dd's college tuition on it. The points really add up when you put everything on it.

Whenever I use the card I stick the receipt in my wallet, and when I get home or do bills I write it out of the check book like a check. I use microsoft money so I do this by setting up another cash account. Once the bill comes I move the money back (in microsoft money) to the checking account and pay the bill. That way I keep the money in the bank collecting interest until the bill comes and get points on the card at the same time. Since I have the money set aside I never have interest on the credit card.

Hope this helps!
Denise

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We use our credit cards for EVERYTHING! HOWEVER, we always, always pay them off each month so we never carry over a balance. We had a very nice $350 Disney Visa reward card with which we paid for a good chunk of our week at the Contemporary in December! The credit rewards can be a great deal IF you use the cards efficiently!

 

[Julia M]

Snow White,

you must be doing a great job with your charges! I thought I was doing good to be at $300 by now.

I'm just not sure what else I could be charging

Oh well, I'm sure doing better than I thought I would be!

Julia

 

[AKASnowWhite]

In addition to the usual gas, groceries, clothing, etc., we have EVERYTHING that is possible charged directly to our card each month - phone bill, cable, oil delivery, gym membership, insurances, newspaper subscription - you name it...if only we could pay our mortgage that way ! We also paid for DS's braces with the card.

I can't stress enough though, that our financial *habits* are NOT for everyone. It is soooo important to pay that card off each month to avoid interest charges. Allforpooh has a GREAT way of keeping track!

 

[Mickeycrazie]

Does anyone know if you can use your reward dollars to partly pay for your trips, say like a Disney Cruise or Disney World vacation?

Thanks!

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Originally posted by Mickeycrazie
Does anyone know if you can use your reward dollars to partly pay for your trips, say like a Disney Cruise or Disney World vacation?

We used ours at the Contemporary hotel. The CM used our rewards card to deduct our $350 earned from our remaining hotel balance (had only paid the deposit....) then used the Disney Visa card for the rest.....