The Disney Visa NIGHTMARE

[DanG]

Is this Rumors, News, or the new Emote board?

 

[Cris]

get a hobby already!!!

 

[All Aboard]

How much value is added to this discussion by folks offering summary advice to the poster such as "getting a life" or "getting a hobby?" I'd say, if you have nothing of real substance to add, why even bother joining this discussion. Or, would that be my calling into question the use of your OWN time?

 

[Grumbo]

Just spent good part of an hour going through this thread
As was earlier said I will be very interested to see whether or not mikeymars gets the card. (Yes mikey I know that wasn't the purpose of the complaint)
I have to admit though having read threads on other forums within the Disboards about how excited folks were to get this card astounded me. When they found out the card said something about Day one and were going to get a pin!!! It was like the second coming!!
Its a #)($)_@#$ credit card with the silhouette of a rodent on it. BIG DEAL!!!
Good luck mikey.
Cheers,
Grumbo

 

[crusader]

When they found out the card said something about Day one and were going to get a pin!!! It was like the second coming!!Its a #)($)_@#$ credit card with the silhouette of a rodent on it. BIG DEAL!!!

Hilarious! Not to mention the fact that you just willingly gave over all of your personal information for some trinket.

When I recieved the application in the mail I had to toss it. To be forced to use a credit card instead of the DC in order to earn some reward at disney is vile.

You cannot ignore the fact that the company has just replaced something anyone could purchase with something you need your credit history to secure. Anyone who signs on is allowing themselves to be profiled, segregated and indirectly fomenting discrimination on the part of this company.

How much value is added to this discussion by folks offering summary advice to the poster such as "getting a life" or "getting a hobby?" I'd say, if you have nothing of real substance to add, why even bother joining this discussion.

Well said. This is an open forum with a vast array of viewpoints equally deserving of respect.

 

[Minniemomof4]

Thanks for the help. You are right, it says platinum visa right on the back of my card! Sorry for my stupidity!!!

 

[freediverdude]

Well, I've been thinking a lot about this issue, and I think I know what's wrong with all of this. The problem with the whole program is that it has been marketed incorrectly. The Disney Platinum Visa card by Bank One really is a fairly high-end, exclusive-type credit card, geared toward people with fairly high incomes and a credit report in the top few percent. If Disney and Bank One knew that the credit card was going to be like that, it was incorrect to have a mass marketing campaign, with commercials like, "Come join the magic with Disney Visa!" showing a regular family meeting Mickey in Fantasyland on television, and giving out applications to every customer in the stores. This card -the way it is- should have been targeted towards the people who would have been good candidates for approval, in a much more discreet and upscale marketing program, such as a commercial showing a limo driving up to the Grand Floridian, showing a fairly well off couple going to Disney in style and gaining Disney dollars with the card, and have applications available in the deluxe resorts and more expensive gift shops. The card program would have started out much slower, yes, but would have had a much higher approval rate, and would have been clearer to most people whether they should apply or not. In this way they could have continued in the tradition of the Amex program, just with a different company, and decided whether or not they wanted to keep the Disney Club as a separate issue, and not have the confusion as to whether the visa was a replacement for that. I'm not saying all this because I'm a snob and have the card or something, because I myself was declined. But after getting over the initial insult of it, I got to thinking about it, and I don't think most people should have been encouraged to apply for this card, because at least in Bank One's eyes, it wasn't really meant for the average family or person who has good credit. It's meant as a large credit limit, exclusive card, for someone with pretty much perfect credit and a high income. And I think a mistake was made with marketing it towards everyone. And since it looks like Disney probably did the marketing, this may be Disney's fault, or at least there was a miscommunication between Disney and Bank One on what exactly the card was supposed to be. It will be interesting to see how they handle this, as I'm sure they probably do have some angry people on their hands.

 

[rtkane]

Originally posted by freediverdude
This card -the way it is- should have been targeted towards the people who would have been good candidates for approval, in a much more discreet and upscale marketing program, such as a commercial showing a limo driving up to the Grand Floridian, showing a fairly well off couple going to Disney in style and gaining Disney dollars with the card, and have applications available in the deluxe resorts and more expensive gift shops.

Just a humorous observation: Why would someone taking a limo to GF care about the rewards dollars? We bought into DVC with our Disney Card and only got 210 reward dollars for a $21,000 purchase... hardly worth the effort. We only got the card because we planned on using the 6 month window of 0% interest to pay off DVC while earning interest on the $21k in the bank. We paid it off early, though, after realizing that having that $21k on a credit card would adversely affect our credit rating. Since we're moving soon, I didn't want that showing up when we went to close on the mortgage.

 

[rtkane]

Originally posted by Minniemomof4
Thanks for the help. You are right, it says platinum visa right on the back of my card! Sorry for my stupidity!!!

No need to apologize... the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked

 

[KNWVIKING]

" We bought into DVC with our Disney Card and only got 210 reward dollars for a $21,000 purchase... hardly worth the effort. "

What effort ? DVC asks "How will you be paying ?" you say "Here's my CC". BA BING, you just got $210.00 to spend at Disney. Is there an earier way to get $210.00 spending money ?

 

[rtkane]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
What effort ? DVC asks "How will you be paying ?" you say "Here's my CC". BA BING, you just got $210.00 to spend at Disney. Is there an earier way to get $210.00 spending money ?

Maybe I should have been more clear... it was hardly worth the effort to apply for the card and wait til we got it to close on our DVC purchase for a card that gives you $1 for each $100 that you spend. As I said, we specifically got it to purchase our DVC interest--$210 wasn't much of a reward (although I will agree that it's better than nothing). The "effort" was complicated by the fact that we're building a house and will close on our mortgage based on credit score alone (no asset/income verification) and checking credit scores to ensure that nothing would change drastically by getting this card was a pain. Didn't feel the need to elaborate in the original post.

Oh.. and by the way... the $210 sounded more like "CHA CHING".

 

[mikeymars]

>>I'm sure they probably do have some angry people on their hands.<<

As Disney management is learning the hard way, this is an understatement!

 

[KNWVIKING]

You're right. I must still have that Swan/Dolphine balcony thread on my mind.

 

[Chadm]

Originally posted by mikeymars
O.K., not to cram a normally positive board with ranting horror stories, but I CAN'T restrain myself this time. I HAVE to share my negative recent experience with this so-called "relationship management" program. Here goes:

Saturday, Feb. 22: apply for new Disney/Bank One VISA through on-line application at Disney Club site (I'm a DVC member, but the Disney Club had an application link up first).

Tuesday, March 18: receive declination letter from by Bank One, which is dated 3/4. Nowhere does the letter acknowledge I was applying for the Disney Platinum Visa Card. Notably, the first line says “Thank you for your interest in our (extra blank space) Visa Platinum credit card program.”

It would appear that extra blank space is “residue” of a computer program designed to insert some vernacular (ergo, the marketing partners’ name) in front of the word “Visa.” However, Bank One declined to insert that name and “missed” the blank space, sending out a standard, plain vanilla declination letter (albeit a poorly proofread one which is obviously designed to name a sponsor/marketing affiliate).

Isn't clear if that obvious omission is intentional. Even if it isn’t, it leaves the Bank One fulfillment of the VISA initiative looking a wee bit rushed and sloppy (doesn’t Disney review how marketing partners communicate to its clients?) If it was intentional, the result is to imply Disney doesn’t want its good name sullied by being associated with declinations, which if the case is transparent, cowardly and insulting.

Wednesday, March 26: send certified mail return reciept letter complaining about this omission to Tosh Komime, head of Customer Relationship Management at Disney. Copy Mr. Andrew Mooney, President, DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS WORLDWIDE, Mr. Steve Wadsworth, President, WALT DISNEY INTERNET GROUP, and BANK ONE Card Services.

Tuesday, April 8: over a MONTH after being declined by Bank One, I receive a fancy direct mail promotion piece from them and Disney inviting me to APPLY for the card. Of course, this package immediately raised the issue of “why are these firms mocking me, by sending an invitation to apply when they’ve ALREADY turned me down?!?!”

It only took a few seconds to answer that annoying question. Presumably, some unit at Disney provided Bank One with a file of existing Disney clientele (likely the obvious suspects such as members of the Disney Club, the Vacation Club, etc.) to use for this promotion. However, apparently no one at Bank One – which loves to present itself as one of the most sophisticated credit card marketers in the country, one that presumably “wrote the book” on database management – bothered to perform the basic, “direct mail 101” function of scrubbing the file to remove the names of Disney customers who had already applied, particularly those who had been turned down.

Given the presumed agenda of this initiative is to deepen relationships with highly profitable customers (ERGO, DVC-ers LIKE ME), I was most confused about why this was allowed to happen. Does Disney Management care about how letters that go out with their signatures are managed? Or even more to the point, did anyone at either of the marketing partners ever bother to consider how a Disney customer would feel in the resulting scenario?

Offended and unimpressed might be places to start.

Thursday, April 10: send certified mail return reciept letter complaining about the above in polite but gory detail to Dinah Keefe, Vice President Disney Relationship Management. Copy Disney President Iger, as well as Retail President Mooney, On-Line Preesdient Wadsworth, CRM-"guru" Komime and Carter Warren, head of Card Services marketing at Bank One.

Wednesday, April 16: receive an eight sentence long, anonymously authored and poorly written letter (dated April 11) from "The Disney Rewards Program," which appears to be an attempt to respond to the concerns I expressed in my letter to Komime three weeks earlier.

The one-sentence response it provides to my concern -- which took Disney over two weeks to draft -- is as follows: “Due to the financial nature of a credit decline letter, it is not necessary to include the Disney name.”

A review of that this morning by my council of the Federal Truth in Lending Act shows that to be a tangential statement of policy, NOT of law. Or stated differently, the Disney letter DID'NT answer my real question: why did Disney and Bank One decide that the so-called “financial nature” of a declination letter made it so “unnecessary” to include the Disney name?

Their response also ignored another issue I raised, that being the typo in the decline letter I received, which “gave away’ the fact it was obviously designed to include the name of a marketing affiliate.

All those omissions are noteworthy - and disappointing. They suggest neither Disney nor Bank One is choosing to be open with a long term, valuable Disney Customer about concerns he raised.

Thursday, April 17: while drafting a response to the latest Disney missive, I happen to check these boards and find scores of posts referring to a phone number (888-338-2586) one can choose to check the status of their Disney Bank One VISA application.

Out of curiosity, I call, and as requested punch in my social security number. Lo and behold, what comes back? The following: "“your application is UNDER REVIEW, you will be notified in writing in 7-10 days of our decision, this is the most CURRENT information regarding the status of your application.”

Practially falling out of my chair (after all, my application was already DECLINED by Bank One over a month earlier, confirmed IN WRITING, but now their "MOST CURRENT" info is saying it is "UNDER REVIEW"). I subsequently reached an “advisor” and asked her to clarify my status. She fusses with her keyboard for about 30 seconds and says she “can't access the system right now because they’re updating the status, call back tomorrow."

I can't wait to hear the story tomorrow WHEN I DO.

More to come - STAY POSTED!!!!! This is FAR from over.

Wow, after reading the original post, I couldn't bring myself to read the 9 million replies to this post, so sorry if this has been said already.

If being denied for a credit card in a way you didn't quite like prompted you to write this lengthy rant and several letters to Disney and Bank One executives, you may very well be the most hyper-sensitive person I have come across in a long time. I'd hate to see how you'd respond if something truly bad actually happened.

Get over it. It's a credit denial. It's really not a very good deal, anyway. You're not missing out on much.

 

[Mickmse2002]

I am still amazed by the number of people who bash this credit card. It is a credit card folks, nothing more, nothing less. By using this card, if you so choose, you get 1% back in the form of limited use coupons. If you like to use credit cards for the sake of convenience, and pay off your balance each month thus avoiding interest charges, then the 1% back is a good deal. I for one, am very pleased with the idea of receiving these coupons to actually use them at WDW. I use to have a Northwest Airlines Visa and accumulated lots of miles. The problem was never actually being able to use them in a reasonable manner.

 

[DisneyKidds]

It is a credit card folks, nothing more, nothing less.

Exactly.................and Disney is capable of doing much better than this - and should have.

 

[mikeymars]

>>you may very well be the most hyper-sensitive person I have come across in a long time. <<

Or someone who holds principals, who refuses to just let the companies he gives business get away with ingoring them.

The comment quoted above is a textbook example of ignorance of a critical fact: consumer satisfaction with the quality of service in this country continues to fall (and I have years of professional experience in research that proves that beyond any debate).

And why does it continue to fall? the answer is simple: too many people just bend over and accept it.

Well, not me , no matter how much the apologists for insulting treatment, bad implemenation and poor quality try to demonize me for going after parties that deliver it.

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

do you really expect us to believe that you would have taken issue with Bank One over a technicality in the letter if you had been accepted in the first place?

you may very well be the most hyper-sensitive person I have come across in a long time

Say, here's an idea: I agree with everything mikeymars has said about BankOne in general and the Disney Credit Card in particular... and I was _not_ turned down for that card.

If you aren't able to get past the fact that mikeymars was turned down when considering the very real issues this thread has raised, then you can direct all valid responses to me, instead... that way we can discuss the topic, rather than editorializing on someone else's life.

So how about it? Y'all got anything of value to add, or you want to go the snide personal comments direction? Choose the weapon and feel free to take the first shot.

-WFH

PS: Sorry for hijacking, mikeymars... but I just know these folks have a cornucopia of valuable, on-topic information to offer the group, if you weren't so obviously just squeaky-wheeling to get your app approved. It's not all about you, man...

 

[DisneyKidds]

So how about it? Y'all got anything of value to add, or you want to go the snide personal comments direction? Choose the weapon and feel free to take the first shot.

I know I'm on your list, but you get 'em Mr. Head! People can try and turn this into a sour grapes issue, and I'd probably bet that mikeymars wouldn't have raised the issue if he had been approved, but that doesn't change the fact that he raises some very good issues that get right to the heart of Disney's performance when it comes to customer relations. Too many people have weighed in that they feel the whole Visa thing was a bad move - people who were approved, denied, and chose not to apply. Disney has handled not only the administration of this card poorly, but made a poor decision to have it be the "new and exciting way for people to be a part of the Magic".

 

[crusader]

but I just know these folks have a cornucopia of valuable, on-topic information to offer the group,

Really.

I was _not_ turned down for that card.

Riddle me this mr. freeze? What kind of a car 4 candidate carries the disney credit card ?