Talk to me about the Disney Premier Visa

[HouseMother]

We don't use credit cards as a general rule, except to put a tank of gas or bill of groceries on and pay off immediately or to reserve hotel rooms. However, I did book our WDW trip last May with my credit card. I got an application in the mail for a Disney Premier Visa, and I am considering applying for it to help with future trips and to take advantage of the $200 gift card when you spend $500. We have a large purchase coming up so I could route it through the Disney card instead of paying outright for it to get the gift card and points. There is also no annual fee for the first year.

So my question is, would it be worth it? Are the discounts and reward points easy to accumulate, or easy enough to justify using the card when I don't typically use credit cards? Any insight would be helpful. Thanks!

 

[kkmcan]

I think to make the card really worth it you need to put a substantial amount of purchases on it. Little purchases here and there will add up over time but it will take you a lot longer to accumulate a large amount of dollars.

We've had our Disney Visa for years and we used to get about $300 per year in Disney Reward dollars. That was for putting everything we can on it every month and paying it off. We put all expenses, and several bills on it ( cell phone, internet, electric, garbage, water and cable).

Then last year in April we upgraded to the Premier and now we are averaging $500 a year in reward dollars. Not too shabby! Thats a lot of money just for using the card. We put those dollars towars our tickets, fun extras like character meals or this past October we stayed at the Grand Californian for the first time and used our saved up rewards for it.

I think the amount of reward dollars is a catalyst in whether we end up going or not. It certainly helps when trying to convince dh to take another trip.

 

[HouseMother]

Thanks for the info! I think that I could make it worth my while. I hate carrying a balance so I usually pay off my credit card as soon as the charge clears. I'm getting an iPad as a late Christmas gift, so I could get DH to just buy it with the card and pay for it right away, and that would qualify me for the gift card. I heard there are discounts on rooms that are only available to Premier cardholders, is that true? Are they worth having the card even with the annual fee? We will probably go every other year or so, so I would hope the rewards would pay for the cost of having the card.

 

[phewms]

We use credit cards (primarily Southwest Airlines Visa and AMEX Blue) strictly for the rewards and pay them off monthly.

DH applied for the Disney VISA last year when the promotion was "get a $150 gift card upon 1st purchase and $50 gift card when adding an authorized user." Seemed like a great deal to get $200 in gift cards for using the card to purchase a pack of gum. Which is what we did.

Later in the year, another promotion arrived. This time it wasn't addressed specifically to DH but to the family. So I applied for the card. Same terms, only the gift card amount was $200 for the 1st purchase. I am now fighting Disney Visa for the $50 gift card, which they acknowledge they owe me, but that's another thread in itself.

Both cards will be canceled before the year is up to avoid annual fees.

In your case, I suggest opening the card just for the "free" gift certificate. Make your large purchase and pay it off. Keep the card for about a year and then cancel.

 

[bellebud]

I have the regular disney visa (no annual fee), and I put everything I can on it and pay it off monthly. I love my rewards card! I shop for disney stuff on-line, and use it during our vacations. If you're going to pay it off every month, there's no reason to not do it.

 

[patsal]

We have had and used the regular rewards visa for years and this year switched to the premier card. I use the card for absolutely everything we buy each month and pay as many bils as I can with it as well. We usually get about $2000 back every year or so, that was why I went with the pemier card and figure I will nearly double it. I never carry a balance and so far found it to be very worth it. I have until June to decide if I will renew the Premier or switch back to the regular card. So far it is looking like we will stay with the Premier card.

 

[HouseMother]

We have had and used the regular rewards visa for years and this year switched to the premier card. I use the card for absolutely everything we buy each month and pay as many bils as I can with it as well. We usually get about $2000 back every year or so, that was why I went with the pemier card and figure I will nearly double it. I never carry a balance and so far found it to be very worth it. I have until June to decide if I will renew the Premier or switch back to the regular card. So far it is looking like we will stay with the Premier card.

So you get the rewards back as Disney gift cards, which are good anywhere at WDW? Restaurants and gift shops and snack stands and everywhere? I'm a bit of a newbie so I'm not very familiar with the gift cards. But wow, $2000 in a year! That would definitely make it worthwhile.

 

[PrincessDadx2]

So you get the rewards back as Disney gift cards, which are good anywhere at WDW? Restaurants and gift shops and snack stands and everywhere? I'm a bit of a newbie so I'm not very familiar with the gift cards. But wow, $2000 in a year! That would definitely make it worthwhile.

Don't get too excited You need to spend $200,000 on the basic card to get $2,000 or $100,000 on the premier card Unless you have a lot of business or travel expenses it is hard to get to that level of spending

 

[HouseMother]

Ha! Yeah, I don't see that happening! I think I will try it for a year since the offer waives the annual fee for the first year. We'll see how it goes. Every little bit helps!