Disney VISA...Is it worth it.

[patiruss]

We just received another offer to apply for the Disney VISA card. We are wondering if it is worth it. Can someone explain how the "Reward Dollars" work and if they ever add up to a substanial amount. We are considering using it to renew our AP's, get a DDE cards and put expenses pertaining to our next trip to WDW on it. We usually use a debit card, but are trying to decide if the recieving the "Reward Dollars" would make a difference. Your opinions will be appreciated.

 

[tinkgrl]

Hi,

You get a $1 for each purchase you make. You can redeem for 25 or more points. They can used towards anything disney. So the more you charge, the more you can use them for. My mom had almost $70 & used it for a nice dinner in Epcot in June. Put it towards cash ressies, tickets, t-shirts etc. Hope this helps.

Ms. Sparrow

 

[bobbiwoz]

The Disney Visa is not our main credit card. We prefer to use a card that give air tickets. However, for our limited use, mainly on-line purchases, we've just received a $90 card which we'll redeem for our AP's. It's taken us since the cards have come out to accumulate that amount, but it's something!

Bobbi

PS. Oh yes, I recently booked the Sea Aqua tour, (snorkeling at the Living Seas) and the discount was 20% vs. 15% DVC if we used the Disney card to book. So there have been things like that as well that are good deals.

 

[RayJay]

We just received another offer to apply for the Disney VISA card. We are wondering if it is worth it. Can someone explain how the "Reward Dollars" work and if they ever add up to a substanial amount. We are considering using it to renew our AP's, get a DDE cards and put expenses pertaining to our next trip to WDW on it. We usually use a debit card, but are trying to decide if the recieving the "Reward Dollars" would make a difference. Your opinions will be appreciated.

Sorry but I don't do "credit cards" so my answer is no it's not worth it. Pay hundred of dollars in interest to earn 1% back, no thanks.

We use "debit cards" or cash only, or we don't buy it.

RayJay

 

[patiruss]

RayJay .....We also use debit cards. Our plan would be to NOT pay interest. We would charge..then pay off the balance right away. You are right that it doesn't make sense any other way for us.

Thankss to everyone for your info..it is helpful. We'll probably think about it some more before making a decision.

 

[utahkennedys]

I finally signed up when there was a $50 Free Rewards offer. So, I am up to $70 and only put on things like car repairs, larger medical bills, etc. that I pay right off. I always put my day-to-day on the debit. I figure if I get something it is worth it! Always had Discover but they ripped me off when I never rec'd my Land's End gift certificate in the mail for my rewards and they wouldn't replace it, so I decided this is better!

 

[RayJay]

RayJay .....We also use debit cards. Our plan would be to NOT pay interest. We would charge..then pay off the balance right away. You are right that it doesn't make sense any other way for us.

Thankss to everyone for your info..it is helpful. We'll probably think about it some more before making a decision.

Patiruss,

I am jealous, I could never do it, hence it got me in alot of trouble, so I went thru alot of pain to get where I'm at now without having CC's. It's the best feeling in the world for me. I envy those who can pay them off, that's the way to go.

Then the rewards would be worth it, heck you could rake up alot of dollars from what I've read in the past about this topic.

Have a great week
RayJay

 

[byoung]

I have Disney Visa card plus other credit cards. I get the rewards but I have never paid any interest. Pay off on the first invoice. I also do not pay annual fee. Will drop card first.

 

[iankh]

I use my Disney Visa for my business trips. Nice arrangement as I get reimbursed and send off a payment.

For my upcoming trip I've got $282 mad money to play with as a result.

 

[chimera]

We love it! We use it and pay off the balance each month. You get 1% of every dollar you spend. Of course, our best deal was putting the DVC on the card, then moving it over to our equity line! Lots of reward dollars that way.

The reward dollars get put on a reward card that you can use in the parks. You have to be careful not to move your reward dollars too early. The cards do expire, so it's best not to move the reward dollars from your account to the card until you're about ready to go on your trip. We've never had a problem with it, but you can find dozens of posts on these boards from people who've lost all their reward dollars to an expired card.

 

[tamu91]

There are numerous incentative ccards out there that you can take advantage so why not give it a try, especially if you are deligent about paying off your bills at month end.
I don't know if Disney is running the $50 bonus offer but why say NO to basically FREE money just for signing up making a minimum purchase.
You do get 1% of every purchase back in Disney reward dollar and that's 1% more than what you are getting now using debit card.
Disney Visa is not the best reward card out there but we've had it since day 1 and have earned several hundred dollars that we've used during our visits to WDW.
On our last trip alone, we used $140 paying for meals at MK and Epcot with Disney reward dollars

 

[JohnNJ]

I don't get the question. Is it worth it? The card is free and they give you money for using it.

 

[AJKMOM]

We used it to charge our DVC purchase, then used our home equity account to pay balance in full. When we know we are going to Disney, we start using it for everything, but have always paid off in full so we don't pay interest, except the forementioned DVC purchase. We have accumulated hundreds of dollars of Reward money to get souveniers and meals in the parks.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Yes, it's been great for our family...being that we visit WDW at least once a year...we do use the Visa card to pay for things like gas, groceries, large purchases etc and the reward dollars add up quickly. The reward program isn't as good as some other cards...but having it especially for Disney makes it work for us. We do pay it off monthly and NEVER pay interest on any of our credit cards. So it's free money...I'd be buying gas or groceries anyway so why not earn the dollars to spend?!

For our last trip we had $150 saved up on the card and we used it for all our in park counter service meals. We came home with money to spare on the card and have since added some more to it for our upcoming trip. It should cover all of our counter service and then some. It helps to just hand them the card....you don't mind paying so much for those fast food lunches LOL!

 

[Caskbill]

Our primary CC is the GM MasterCard because it pays 5%. However the reward is limited to a max of $500/year, so once you've charged $10,000 in the year, there's no more rewards applied until the next year. That's when we switch all our charges to the Disney Visa and get the 1%.

The secret is of course that you MUST pay off the entire balance each and every month. We do this without fail. If you wind up paying interest on a credit card just once, you've probably negated any rewards you've earned.

We charge absolutely everything to the card, including groceries, gas, satellite (TV), internet (annual), cell phone, house insurance, car insurance, merchandise, etc, but we don't charge anything which adds a handling fee (such as home property taxes where they will accept the cards but the card holder charges about 3% fee)

If we make a major purchase on the card (perhaps $2000-$3000) one month, then we will write a home equity loan check to still pay the credit card in full, and pay off the home equity loan (about 4.5% APR) over the next few months.

 

[CarolMN]

I treat our Disney Visa as though it were a debit card or a check. After each purchase, I enter it into the check book register and subtract it from the balance. When the bill comes, I immediately write a check and mail it in (don't trust online payments yet, LOL). We don't buy anything with it that we wouldn't write a check for anyway. I've noticed that I spend a lot less cash this way, too - an unexpected benefit for me.

So far after about a year, I have about $150 in rewards to spend on our next trip.

I agree with everyone who says that if you don't pay the bill completely every month, the rewards are just not worth it!

Best wishes -

 

[Tagrel]

I've had some of the other CC's and find I really like using the Disney Rewards like cash on whatever we want. We also feed EVERYTHING through the card. If they take a CC, we use the Disney card - gas, bills, groceries, anything! And we also ALWAYS pay it off monthly.

It actually nice having everything listed on one monthly bill! Oh, and we have been using the online payment options since it started. Works great, and you can make sure its paid ON TIME, and automatically on the day you choose. So much better than dealing with checks and mail (which I've been known to forget to send out!)

We have been saving the last year and have over $400 on the rewards card ready to use next month. I've decided to use it for paying our meals. With the DDE card's 20% off and then using the Rewards dollars - it just feels like double savings! I call it our own 'Free Dining' plan!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Disney VISA "worthiness"

2) Worthy
. . . periodic savings on mail order merchandise
. . . periodic savings on Disney vacations
. . . savings of 10% at World of Disney in Downtown Disney
. . . return of 1% of charged purchases for Disney credits
. . . six-months no interest for Disney vacations that are charged

3) Not Worthy
. . . high interest rate

4) Overall, it is a good deal
. . . if you pay cash or debit card, this is a good deal
. . . if you don't use an "air miles" card, this is a good deal
. . . if you like to carry a balance on purchases, this is a TERRIBLE deal


NOTE-1: Air-miles can be a better savings than cash-back. $70,000 charges is $700 in cash, but can be worth a $7500 first-class international plane ticket.

NOTE-2: For those who say they do debit cards so won't do the VISA, this is a poor perception and not based upon facts. This would be a good deal for them. They wouldn't be paying interest rates, and they get 1% back.

 

[fun2bmomof3]

To add to your list I seen on the disney vacation site that you buy additional dvc points or make a down paymenton dvc of at least $2500 using the disney visa with a 0% interest for six monthes.

 

[mom23boys]

I have the Disney Visa, and have about 100 rewards dollars to use. I pay it off every month. I got 50 Rewards for signing up. I just signed DH up for one, he usually uses his Corporate AMEX, but someplaces still do not take it. So maybe he can get some rewards dollars too.