I love credit cards so much! v7.0 - 2025 (see first page for add'l details)

[Best Aunt]

Question about the Disney Visa, for anyone willing to answer. I want to get one mostly for the meet & greet type benefits, but my husband isn't super excited about adding a credit card to the roster (we only have an Apple card and CSR so I think he's being a little overdramatic lol). Does that card ever have promotions to get more rewards than what they publish when you sign up?

I don't think the Disney Visa card is worth it if your main interest is the meet & greet type benefits.

At Disney World, there is a Meet & Greet in Epcot, but
a) It's only from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm so might not fit into your schedule
b) You must show your card to be in the line so don't leave it at home
c) You never know which characters will be there (although you can ask here, shortly before your trip, about people's recent experience)
d) My pictures from this location have never been good. I don't know if it's the light, or if the photographers are standing too far back, or there are too many characters in one photo so they're too spread out, or what the issue is.

There also is a Meet & Greet in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but
a) It's only from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm so again it might not fit into your schedule
b) Again, you must show your card to be in the line so don't leave it at home
c) It's the same Star Wars character which anybody can meet that day, it's just a shorter line.

Our experience with Darth Vader was fantastic -- but you didn't need a Disney Visa Card to meet him that day.

The website which has the perks and benefits is here:
https://disneyrewards.com/

If you have an Annual Pass or are a DVC Member: they usually have better restaurant and shopping perks than the Disney Visa card.

 

[eticketplease]

I don't think the Disney Visa card is worth it if your main interest is the meet & greet type benefits.

At Disney World, there is a Meet & Greet in Epcot, but
a) It's only from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm so might not fit into your schedule
b) You must show your card to be in the line so don't leave it at home
c) You never know which characters will be there (although you can ask here, shortly before your trip, about people's recent experience)
d) My pictures from this location have never been good. I don't know if it's the light, or if the photographers are standing too far back, or there are too many characters in one photo so they're too spread out, or what the issue is.

There also is a Meet & Greet in Disney's Hollywood Studios, but
a) It's only from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm so again it might not fit into your schedule
b) Again, you must show your card to be in the line so don't leave it at home
c) It's the same Star Wars character which anybody can meet that day, it's just a shorter line.

Our experience with Darth Vader was fantastic -- but you didn't need a Disney Visa Card to meet him that day.

The website which has the perks and benefits is here:
https://disneyrewards.com/

If you have an Annual Pass or are a DVC Member: they usually have better restaurant and shopping perks than the Disney Visa card.

Just to add you can leave your card at home if it is stored in your Apple Wallet (not sure about Google wallet)

I just bring it up and show the cast member and taken back to where the shoot the special pictures.

 

[EACarlson]

I've been toying with the idea of getting the basic Disney card to get discounts in the park. I've read the premier card just isn't the best way to go but maybe we aren't doing it right anyways. We are headed down to WDW next month. We currently have a Bank of America card that gets 1% cashback on all purchases we've had for years. My wife has a Home Depot card we use for appliance purchases at 0% over 18-24 months. The BOA card we typically pay off or carry a balance for a month or 2. We've been to Disney 10 times out of the past 12 years. Other than that we go to the lake once or twice a year and maybe a beach trip every other year. Should we just stay with the BOA card or venture out? Thanks!

No matter what you should be looking for another card that gives either 1.5% with added benefits or 2%. A Citi Double Cash gives 2% back on everything. The Chase Freedom Unlimited gives 1.5% but it's awarded in UR, which if you decide to go further into the game can be combined with a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve and then transferred. I know BOA has some cards that are much better than 1% if you have other products with them, but I don't have any near me so have never looked that closely into them.

 

[havaneselover]

Trying to maximize my Q1 Freedom categories this week--bought trip insurance for Norway yesterday, And hoping to wrap up my tax return (still waiting on a K1 from work but I have the draft).

 

[Best Aunt]

Just to add you can leave your card at home if it is stored in your Apple Wallet (not sure about Google wallet)

I just bring it up and show the cast member and taken back to where the shoot the special pictures.

Oh, I didn't even think about having a credit card stored in the Apple Wallet of an iphone!
(For showing at Disney World when you want to enter the line for the Disney Visa Meet & Greet.)

 

[Judique]

Did my Starbucks test run this morning. Will post when or if a credit shows. They did not have gift cards.

 

[sky13]

For those that previously helped me with Singapore questions, I have one more! Getting ready to book our hotel with points. Would you go with Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay, or Holiday Inn Express Orchard Road? The shopping aspect is neither here nor there for us. We're more interested in location to public transit, and ease of getting around to places like Garden by the Bay, the airport, Chinatown, Little India, the zoo, etc. They are both rated the same on Google, reviews look good on both, I think it just depends on location preference. Will we like being in Orchard Road area or Clarke Quay area better? Is one harder to get to MRT than the other? I can't determine the answer and I need input! lol. Thanks in advance.

Singaporean here. I'm much more familiar with Orchard than with Clarke Quay... this is just a function of where I tend to spend time, these days I'm still in Orchard about once a week or so whereas I can't remember the last time I was in Clarke Quay...

Anyway in terms of location to public transit... The one at Orchard is more or less right between Orchard and Somerset MRT stations. It's quite an easy walk. If it's raining you can go underground/indoors/under shelter all the way from Orchard MRT to the exit of Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya diagonally opposite from the Apple Store, cross the road (twice as is a diagonal), go under some form of shelter outside the Apple Store, then I guess turn into the Holiday Inn. So basically a good part of the walk would be sheltered. Can't comment about the one at Clarke Quay as am not familiar enough with Clarke Quay.

Both are pretty central locations, and Singapore honestly is so small it probably doesn't matter that much where you are in terms of getting to the attractions!

 

[Judique]

I've been toying with the idea of getting the basic Disney card to get discounts in the park. I've read the premier card just isn't the best way to go but maybe we aren't doing it right anyways. We are headed down to WDW next month. We currently have a Bank of America card that gets 1% cashback on all purchases we've had for years. My wife has a Home Depot card we use for appliance purchases at 0% over 18-24 months. The BOA card we typically pay off or carry a balance for a month or 2. We've been to Disney 10 times out of the past 12 years. Other than that we go to the lake once or twice a year and maybe a beach trip every other year. Should we just stay with the BOA card or venture out? Thanks!

Actually you should be able to get both the Disney cards.

I've had as many as 3 in my account.

Apply for the fee card first. If you get the offer on the Chase website right now, it is a $400 statement credit when you spend $1000. You could use the card to buy tickets if you need them or Disney gift cards. You will clear $351 in statement credit. Keep the card for one year and then you can either close it or change it into a no fee Disney card.

The next step would be to refer your wife to the card also, for a $100 referral fee, and follow the same pattern as with your card.

This is in essence some fairly quick Disney money.

Note: do not make you or your wife authorized users on each others cards. This takes up slots that can be used for other cards.

Depending on your monthly spend, there can be other card options that may be more lucrative. Start reading and checking out some ideas. Don't apply for store cards. Most provide minimal benefit.

When I have the fee Disney card, I also use it at Disney, but I tend to use a mix of different cards to get the best results. Do a lot of research. One caution, paying off the bill monthly is the way to go. There are no rewards that are better than the amount of interest on charges not paid in full monthly.

 

[ten6mom]

Step 1: Delete your Credit Karma account and never look at it again. They're a nightmare, predatory company. Use the free Experian app or the free MyFICO (Equifax) app.

Step 2: Hard inquiries are irrelevant, it's the accounts themselves that matter. Go to your list of all accounts, open and closed, and sort them by opening date. Count how many were opened in or after March 2023.

Step 3: Both Personal and Business cards are subject to the 5/24 rule.

Thanks. I have an Experian account but I'm not seeing where to see a list of ALL accounts or any way to sort anything. (I'm on the web page, not the app, if that matters).... can anyone help me find that?

 

[reliev]

for those who have status with Southwest they are doing a status match with aa.
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-...medium=email&utm_term=0_-cf9f3871d0-585532323

 

[wanderlust7]

Thanks. I have an Experian account but I'm not seeing where to see a list of ALL accounts or any way to sort anything. (I'm on the web page, not the app, if that matters).... can anyone help me find that?

It's under Credit -> Credit Reports. It's alphabetical (Chase is JPMCB), doesn't look like you can sort. Don't forget to check closed accounts too.

You'll need to check Transunion and Equifax too (both are covered in Credit Karma). I think the Chase biz errors didn't always go on all 3.

 

[wanderlust7]

Did my Starbucks test run this morning. Will post when or if a credit shows. They did not have gift cards.

Did that location show up on Starbucks' store locator? If you click the "i" info button, does Redeem Rewards show up under Amenities (scroll to the bottom)?

Working theory, if you can't redeem rewards, then they don't sell GC either.

 

[ten6mom]

It's under Credit -> Credit Reports. It's alphabetical (Chase is JPMCB), doesn't look like you can sort. Don't forget to check closed accounts too.

You'll need to check Transunion and Equifax too (both are covered in Credit Karma). I think the Chase biz errors didn't always go on all 3.

Thank you. I went through all the ones listed on Experian.

I guess I have never set up Transunion and Equifax... I am having a hard time getting past the PAID versions of those. (I do not pay anything for Experian). Am I just missing it, or do those two not enable you to see your report for free through them?

 

[AmyAnne]

Hoping you get the credit. Right now it seems credits for Amex Plat are taking a month across the board. So don’t give up hope.

Thanks. I’m not so much bummed about the $4 Diet Coke as not having a confirmed way to use the quarterly credit. Amex and its credits are such a hassle. I should not consider them in the calculation of a card’s benefits but it’s still irksome that they are so hard to use.

 

[wanderlust7]

Thank you. I went through all the ones listed on Experian.

I guess I have never set up Transunion and Equifax... I am having a hard time getting past the PAID versions of those. (I do not pay anything for Experian). Am I just missing it, or do those two not enable you to see your report for free through them?

If you're trying to use Experian.com to see Transunion and Equifax, yes I think those are paid. I use Credit Karma to see TU and EQ.

 

[ten6mom]

If you're trying to use Experian.com to see Transunion and Equifax, yes I think those are paid. I use Credit Karma to see TU and EQ.

Thank you.

I had gone to Transunion's website and couldn't figure out a free version like I have with Experian, but it was about time to do my annual free credit report with all three anyway so I went ahead and did that. (I know it's probably best to space them out).

Happy to know that all three "agree" that I am currently 3/24!

Now I have to decide:

150K Amex Plat app or 100k CSP app?

 

[havaneselover]

Walmart only lets me order 8 bags of mulch at a time with free "shipping." I sort of feel like I'm working the system by putting in multiple orders at once but I really don't want to pick it up.

 

[Judique]

Did that location show up on Starbucks' store locator? If you click the "i" info button, does Redeem Rewards show up under Amenities (scroll to the bottom)?

Working theory, if you can't redeem rewards, then they don't sell GC either.

Yes, it shows on the Store locator. Redeem Rewards does not show up under amenities.

Interesting theory. I'll probably use this Hilton if it credits for my next credit. The 3rd quarter credit and 4th quarter I have hotel reservations. Meanwhile after 3rd quarter credits I'll be closing Surpass and trying for an Aspire.

edit: checked the first location I was going to try yesterday Saturday. It does not show up on the store locator so probably best I skipped it.

The hotel full name only shows up on the pending charges on Amex.

 

[lsutigers03]

Has anyone had a Chase offer post if you made the purchase before the expiration but it actually posted after the expiration?

 

[elgerber]

Has anyone had a Chase offer post if you made the purchase before the expiration but it actually posted after the expiration?

I have, yes.