How long before you can use rewards on Disney Visa?

[kimberlyp02]

I was wondering if I get my card tomorrow, book my vacation, plane tickets, etc and get my 1% in rewards, will I be able to use them in May at Disney?

I use my discover card ALL the time for the rewards and it used to be that you could only redeem them once a year, but now they do it as soon as you accumulate $20 in rewards, you can use it. How does the DV work?

Thanks SO much!

 

[kitkatsmom]

From what I read on the paperwork.
You can request them when you've earned them but it will take 3-6 weeks for them to mail them to you.

I thought about doing it myself but if I earn them now by the time they post and I request them... I'd never have enough time before I leave to get them.

stinks

 

[EEyorelover22]

When you first request your rewards, it does take awhile because they mail your card to you. Then once you have that and call and request that they be put on your card, it's immediate since they are just recharging your card. I think the first time you have to have a minimum of $20, but I'm not 100% on that.

 

[got2lovedisney]

If I remember correctly, you have to have at least 20 points accumulated to request the card. I actually got mine in less than 2 weeks. Once you have the card, you can add points to the card online or my phone, I think.

 

[kimberlyp02]

So if I book my trip today(XXCrossing my fingers that I actually get the card when they told me I wouldXX), then I should be able to request my card too? That way it would get here in a few weeks? Or do I have to wait a few days? Thanks so much guys! Even if it's just $20, it'd help if I could spend it there, you know? We don't have a Disney Store, the closest one is about 120 miles.

 

[mad4themouse]

You might be cutting it close, based upon when your billing cycle is. According to the website and brochure:

Disney Dream Reward Dollars earned during any month will not be available to you for use until they are posted to your Program Rewards Balance. Disney Dream Reward Dollars will not be posted to your Program Rewards Balance earlier than the monthly billing cycle that follows the billing cycle in which they are accrued. In certain cases, the accrual of Disney Dream Reward Dollars may be subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions precedent by Cardmember and/or imposed by Bank One and/or Disney Rewards , LLC, and therefore may take several billing cycles to post the Disney Dream Reward Dollars to your Program Rewards Balance.

For instance, we ordered a dirt bike for my DS's birthday and paid for it using our Disney VISA last week. The charge already appears on my pending balance (online). The Disney Dream Reward Dollars have not been credited to my account yet. My billing cycle ends this week. I will have earned those Disney Dream Reward Dollars in February but they will not be available to me until sometime in April.

To order the Reward Card, you need to have at least $20 Disney Dream Reward Dollars in you account. From the way I understand your post, you don't even have your Disney Visa yet. Anything that you charge on it once you get it, will not be credited to your account until April or possibly even May. You would then have to order the actual Rewards Card, which will take another 7-10 days to arrive. That's a little close for my own comfort level.

 

[kimberlyp02]

Ok...Thanks SO much for all that info. I guess it won't hurt to try. I mean, I'm not expecting it now, so if it happens, it does, if not, not big deal Thanks!

 

[ms_flo]

mad4themouse,
You have so much information! I've been reading a lot during the past few days & I keep seeing your picture. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. I really appreciate it. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

kimberlyp02,
I think mad4themouse is right--it's going to depend on when your billing cycle ends. I had reward dollars on my first billing statement, so I assume you will too. You need to charge $2000 as soon as possible (probably easy to do when planning a WDW vacation ) so you'll have your $20 reward minimum to request your reward card. (You may need to ask them to go ahead & charge the whole amount--not just the deposits.)

As soon as you get your first bill, call to request your card. Better yet, don't wait for the bill to arrive. Check your account online to see when your billing cycle closes out--or call & ask them about your billing cycle after you charge some things. As soon as it closes, request your reward card. (For that matter, I guess you could call & ask them to go ahead & end your billing cycle once you've made your purchases--never hurts to ask.) I've seen people posting that they received their card in just under a week. I've also seen that you can pay for rush shipping (3 days-I think). One person even said they were told they could pick up their reward card at their Disney resort!! If that is true, you should be able to make this work so long as your billing cycle closes a few days before you check in!!

Hope your VISA came today. Best wishes on the reward dollars.

OH-I've also seen posts about a 7 nights for the price of 4 deal for new Disney VISA card members. Worth checking into. I'm bummed that I don't qualify since I've had my card for several months--7 nights would have been glorious, but I'm thrilled with the 4 nights that we originally planned. Only 7 more weeks!!!!

 

[kimberlyp02]

Thanks SO much for the info...it came today and I'm SO excited. My mil is going with us, so the total I charge tonight was a little over $2000, I got them to charge the full amount, so after plane tickets too, I should be good to get some rewards...I'll check and see if I can pick it up at the resort...that would be awesome!

 

[ms_flo]

I just saw this in another thread on this board. The name of the thread is "How long does it take to get your Disney Dream Rewards??" It was posted by 4greatboys.

"We went last Oct 2--a day after they started using the cards. I just went to guest services at DTD got a card, they have phone right there for you to call to have your reward dollars transfered over and then we went to lunch at CP and used our rewards only 1 hour after transefering them. It was all very easy. If you bill cycles close to your trip I would wait to get one there so the reward dollars you earned the previous month will be on there as well."

(Hope it's okay to copy like that. There's probably an easy way to link to it, but I'm such a newbie to this stuff.)

Also, I did a search on the boards for Disney Reward Dollars (I think that's what I typed in) & I got a ton of info that way.

Everyone here is SO great! I can't believe how much I've learned in just a few days. Thank You!!

DIS people are wonderful, magical people

 

[kimberlyp02]

I know! I think I would've been crazy by now had it not been for everyone here...lol

Thanks! That's good to know!

 

[pumpkinboy]

I don't expect you will have been thru enough billing cycles by the time your May trip rolls around.

Also pls note all: You can get the rewards card with your rewards loaded onto it at the courtesy booth in Downtown Disney. They give you a debit-type card at the booth, then they have you call the 800 number on the card and get a nice BankOne staffer to download your rewards points onto the card you got. And you're good to go. Much easier than having them ship it to you; you just get the card where you're gonna be using it anyway.

 

[kitkatsmom]

Okay let me get this straight.
If I wait till I get to disney.,.
I can request my disney dollars right there instantly?


I don't have to wait for the card to be mailed to me?
Is this also for some who will be using those reward dollars for the first time and doesn't have an existing reward card?

thanks

 

[kimberlyp02]

YIPEE!! I called today and they told me that my billing cycle ends on March 9th!! That's GREAT!! Only 5 days from now, so my $3000 that my mil and we are spending will be on there and I'll have plenty of time to get the card. Also, every month I charge everything on my Discover and pay it off to get the rewards, but for the next couple months I am going to use the Disney Visa, pay it off and then my last billing cycle before I go on the 13th of May will be May 9th and I should be able to get them to add it to my card before I go since I'll already have it! Thanks!

 

[laurabelle]

Originally posted by kitkatsmom
Okay let me get this straight.
If I wait till I get to disney.,.
I can request my disney dollars right there instantly?


I don't have to wait for the card to be mailed to me?
Is this also for some who will be using those reward dollars for the first time and doesn't have an existing reward card?

thanks

It sure sounds like it.
pumpkin boy, where exactly in DTD is the Disney Visa courtesy booth located?

 

[pumpkinboy]

Originally posted by laurabelle
It sure sounds like it.
pumpkin boy, where exactly in DTD is the Disney Visa courtesy booth located?

I think it was Guest Relations? I remember visiting the DVC booth and Ghirardelli right after I did it, also the little carousel thingy. I had called BankOne (the number on the card) and they directed me there; I walked there with the cellphone to my ear . Easy to find really. I think that was the only reason we went to DTD at all; that and to visit the big Disney Store and play in the fountains of course.

IMO, getting your rewards card and rewards at DTD is the fastest and easiest way to do it. No way I was gonna wait 2-3 weeks while they shipped it to me. Most of us will visit DTD when down there anyway, why not just do it there?

Okay let me get this straight.
If I wait till I get to disney, I can request my disney dollars right there instantly?
I don't have to wait for the card to be mailed to me?
Is this also for some who will be using those reward dollars for the first time and doesn't have an existing reward card?

Yes, my friend, that is exactly the case. Call the most helpful staffers at BankOne and they can fill you in on it.

Just a side note, I talked at length with some of the BankOne folks (as I am also a banker, and follow the bank sector, esp BankOne for my employer). Apparently, the folks who work on the Disney Visa card program get are especially selected and get a ton of extra training, and so are even better at helping us than the regular (and IMO above average) BankOne credit card customer service folks. I do most of my account management stuff on-line so I can do most of the simple stuff; I only call them for the tricky stuff, which they have handled with speed and aplomb. And it looks like the program is getting better with the demise of the old Disney Club, as most of the benefits you got with that seem to be transferring over.

 

[laurabelle]

Great excuse for stopping by Ghirardelli! I'm gonna wait until I get there. I seem to be racking up more points as my trip gets closer anyway.
Thanks pumpkinboy!

 

[kitkatsmom]

I am going to wait till I get there too.
I just paid my trip off with my disney visa so that should give me quite a few more disney dollars..