DVA- how and when do I get the bonus for $ spent?

[crazymomof4]

I'm trying to figure out how to time this.
I have a DVA
I know that for every $1000 spent (in my case it will be toward my WDW package) I get a bonus of $20 in Disney GC, right?
My balance due date on my package thru WDW is Aug 4th.
Our check-in is Sept 3rd.

How should I time the pay-off of my balance so that the bonuses can be used on this trip?

Is that even possible or is the best I should hope for is the $20/$1000 will appear in my DVA some time AFTER our trip and just let it stay in there for the next trip?

 

[Marionnette]

I'm trying to figure out how to time this.
I have a DVA
I know that for every $1000 spent (in my case it will be toward my WDW package) I get a bonus of $20 in Disney GC, right?
My balance due date on my package thru WDW is Aug 4th.
Our check-in is Sept 3rd.

How should I time the pay-off of my balance so that the bonuses can be used on this trip?

Is that even possible or is the best I should hope for is the $20/$1000 will appear in my DVA some time AFTER our trip and just let it stay in there for the next trip?

Your account must be open for 120 days in order for you to earn the bonus GCs. In theory, you could open the account, wait for 120 days, add the funds and spend them right away and you would qualify for the bonus.

So, the question isn't so much "when" to pay, it's more of a question as to whether your account will have been open for 120 days at the time that you do pay.

The bonus is not deposited into your DVA. You have to request it. A link will appear on your account when you qualify for the bonus GCs. When you do, the form will ask you to input your vacation start date. They try to send the GC in time for your trip but you need to allow 4-6 weeks for them to process and ship it.

 

[kmitchel]

I've added about $4,000 to my DVA account, but I have to add another $1000 to pay off my trip. I've already put my trip on my Disney CC, but I want to use the $4,000 from my DVA. If I request the bonus, does it only look a the current balance, or does it look at all of the funds that I've deposited over the months? In other words, do I have to request the bonus each time I deposit $1000 and before I apply the $1000 to a vacation, or can I wait until later to request a cumulative bonus for everything I've put into the account (even if the balance has already been applied to a vacation).

 

[Marionnette]

I've added about $4,000 to my DVA account, but I have to add another $1000 to pay off my trip. I've already put my trip on my Disney CC, but I want to use the $4,000 from my DVA. If I request the bonus, does it only look a the current balance, or does it look at all of the funds that I've deposited over the months? In other words, do I have to request the bonus each time I deposit $1000 and before I apply the $1000 to a vacation, or can I wait until later to request a cumulative bonus for everything I've put into the account (even if the balance has already been applied to a vacation).

You have to actually spend the money, not just deposit it, in order to qualify for the bonus. Once you've spend $4K, you will qualify for 4 x $20 and will be sent a GC for $80 when you request your bonus.

If you've already paid for the trip with your CC, how are you planning to use the DVA funds to pay that balance?

 

[crazymomof4]

Your account must be open for 120 days in order for you to earn the bonus GCs. In theory, you could open the account, wait for 120 days, add the funds and spend them right away and you would qualify for the bonus.

So, the question isn't so much "when" to pay, it's more of a question as to whether your account will have been open for 120 days at the time that you do pay.

The bonus is not deposited into your DVA. You have to request it. A link will appear on your account when you qualify for the bonus GCs. When you do, the form will ask you to input your vacation start date. They try to send the GC in time for your trip but you need to allow 4-6 weeks for them to process and ship it.

I've had the DVA since last Aug. I should have included that in my OP. So the 120 days is not an issue.
So if it takes 4-6wks to process and ship the bonus GC, it seems like I'll have to pay my balance off a bit early-- like maybe mid-July-- if I want to be able to take the bonus GC with us to use on the trip.

What is the approx. lapse from the time I make the payment toward my balance and the time the link will appear in my account (showing that I qualify for the bonuses and can request them)?

 

[kmitchel]

If you've already paid for the trip with your CC, how are you planning to use the DVA funds to pay that balance?

In the past, I've called customer service and they've credited my CC and used the DVA.

So I can add the remaining funds, pay off the cruise and then I can request the bonus?

 

[Marionnette]

In the past, I've called customer service and they've credited my CC and used the DVA.

So I can add the remaining funds, pay off the cruise and then I can request the bonus?

That's how it works. You will forfeit any Disney Rewards Dollars that you earned on your Disney Visa for the vacation payment because Chase will take those away when you have your CC refunded. If you have the premier Disney Visa, that's the pretty much the same dollar amount as the bonus but if it's a regular Disney Visa, you make out better with the DVA. And if you funded the DVA with discounted GCs, you're doing better regardless of the type of Disney Visa you have.

 

[kmitchel]

That's how it works. You will forfeit any Disney Rewards Dollars that you earned on your Disney Visa for the vacation payment because Chase will take those away when you have your CC refunded. If you have the premier Disney Visa, that's the pretty much the same dollar amount as the bonus but if it's a regular Disney Visa, you make out better with the DVA. And if you funded the DVA with discounted GCs, you're doing better regardless of the type of Disney Visa you have.

Thanks! I did fund the DVA with Target/Disney cards, I appreciate it!