Disney Visa Question

[Lil1062]

I have been thinking about getting the Disney VISA to help "save" for my April 06 on board credits. I do the airline one now and have enough for tics (unless US Air goes belly up)
Can someone tell me how the Disney Visa actually works and do the credits really add up to something meaningful. I only put the things on this type card that get immediately paid off (well at least I try )
thanks
Lil

 

[two-foxes]

You may want to get on the Bank One Visa Disney web site for specifics, but here's how we benefit from it.....

You get $1 Disney Dollar for every $100 you spend, plus some purchases count for more "dollars"....double points, etc

You get 6 months no interest on any Disney vacation purchases.

When you want to redeem your Disney Dollars, you are given it in the form of a gift card type thing, that is run like a typical credit card when making purchases at WDW, Disney Stores, DLR, etc....

The credits add up to something meaningful, but can be used only at Disney. We got a $300 gift card from the points which was certainly meaningful on our last WDW/DCL trip!

If you are looking for benefit that can be used outside Disney, you may want to go with a different card....as far as I know, any benefits from this card are directly related to Disney....but check their website to be sure!

 

[mmouse37]

My friend Jill is right....just don't confuse your Disney Reward Dollars with regular Disney Dollars...they are two different things completely.

Disney Reward Dollars are the points that you earn using your Bank One Visa Card.

Regular Disney Dollars are physical bills that you can buy at the Disney Stores and use as cash at Disney places.

Once you earn some Disney Reward Dollars they can be transferred to your "Rewards Card" and used towards onboard account. We earned over 200 points which equal $200.00 credit on our shipboard account.

You can also use your earned points at WDW, The Disney Stores and Disneyland.

MJ

 

[mommyz]

I think the Disney Visa Bankone card is good. We are going in March 2005 and have about $150 so far.

The other info on the other posts are correct.

One other thing to note that they offer in addition to the reward dollars and zero percent interest for 6 months for Disney vacations/cruises is usually every month they have some sort of promo. On their website now you get $50 shipboard credit when you book a cruise and sail by 12/31/04.

Hope it helps!

MommyZ

 

[disneygatorfan]

see if you can negotiate the interest rate down though... I haven't gotten it since ther reward dollars aren't incentive enough for me not to use my lower interest rate cards..

 

[ImMarcik]

I got my Disney Visa last week. I am thinking about getting the pin that is one of the promo's.

 

[logan1_2000]

This all depends on what your definition of meaningful is. You cna look back at your existing credit card bills to determine your average monthly charge flow through the account, and take 1% of that. And look for incentives, like the 25 Rewards Dollars for getting the card and using it that induced me to get DW her own card, separate from mine. So I consider $25 toward the onboard bill to be meaningful. I was a charter Day 1 card member on the disney visa, and to date I have earned 835 Rewards Dollars that I have applied toward my April 2005 7 night eastern. Add that to DW's 25, and a couple more months worth of rewards dollars to be earned, and it will all add up to a chunk of the cruise expense, plus the $100 rebate from Dreams Unlimited.

And its a fun card to pull out of your wallet and use, people discuss it with you! Most fun since I got my first gold card at age 23 back when a gold card meant something during the Reagan administration era....

 

[PoohJen]

Keep in mind though that there are other cards with higher rebate incentives. when you get the cash (check) back from them, you can put that in your cruise fund (plus you won't be restricted to "Disney Points", i.e., apply that cash to whatever portion of your cruise you need -like airfare, or gas, or...).

the Disney Visa was worthwhile for me deferring - interest free - the deposit on my 2006 cruise. Other than that, I rely on my higher-rebate-yielding cards.

 

[Lil1062]

Everyone
Thanks for all the help. Based on the consensus I'm going to apply for the card, my main purpose is to use points for the on board credits - I figure every bit helps - and with the holidays around the corner and my vow to pay all cash - a good way to get a few extra credits!!!
Thanks

Lil

 

[brack]

No matter what card you get the best win-win policy is to pay off the balance each month. That way you stay ahead.

I have used my Disney VISA a lot and have earned significant 'points' but feel that I probably will go back to my AmEx card for most purchases.

 

[momof3luvs2run]

We got the Disney Visa a few months ago when we decided to do this trip. We are taking advantage of the 6 months 0%. We love these types of offers because we are the type to take advantage of it and spread our payments out, yet make sure the entire balance is paid off by the time the promo rate is over with. We were able to get a $50 reward card since booking our vacation package on the Disney card. So I have that to take on the trip next week. Like most cards, they have an online website where you can conveniently pay your bills and view your account, etc. I like paying online every two weeks when payroll comes around.

I also had enough rewards on another card to get $75 of Budget Rental certificates. Those came in the mail today. Those will come in hand with the day car rentals we have set up throughout this trip. I like reward cards as long as I'm not paying any interest on them.

 

[cozit]

A word of caution. We got a Disney Visa when they came out. Yes, the reward $$ added up. We paid it off every month, until the second xmas we had it. After a few months we paid it off, but continued to use it. There *was* at least one day where the balance was zero.

Imagine our surprise when we got a Finance charge on the next bill... and the one after that. And were told that they could do that after we didn't pay it off once.

Guess which card hasn't been used for a while, and is just waiting until after this trip, when I plan to use up the remaining rewards dollars...

 

[bbowers]

One more cool thing about the Disney VISA, in case any DVC members missed this from the DVC board - you can use your Disney Reward Dollars to pay for your DVC annual dues!

 

[logan1_2000]

Other posters have good points here that may not point toward my beloved Disney VISA. Depending upon your annual spending amounts on the card, there might be other cards with higher rebate percentages. And the method of rebate or applicability of rebate percentages may provide greater flexibility for each person's needs.

I just find it convenient if my targeted vacation is Disney-related, and that is what I want to save for or use other credits that do not require withdrawals out of my wallet or bank account for those credits to be in a "Disney" account, in this case, the rewards dollars. The occasional 25 or 50 dollar credits and 6 months to spread out paying for a Disney vacation are leading features. True, if elsewhere I can earn 2% for example, and use those credits elsewhere, it will free up other dollars for use at Disney at a higher rate. I'm just not that disciplined--money elsewhere gets spent elsewhere--these dollars stay for Disney purposes.