Walt Disney World thinking about cutting ties with Visa?

[PortMickey]

When I got home from our last visit, I received a survey about our trip and this was one of the questions: (we used the official Disney Chase Visa):

If, prior to arriving on your recent trip, you had learned that the Walt Disney World® Resort no longer accepted the Visa credit or debit card you used, which of the following best describes what you would have done?

• I still would have come to the Walt Disney World Resort and still would have stayed at Disney's Pop Century Resort
• I still would have come to the Walt Disney World Resort, but I would have stayed somewhere that accepted this card
• I would not have come to the Walt Disney World Resort at all

 

[rteetz]

When I got home from our last visit, I received a survey about our trip and this was one of the questions: (we used the official Disney Chase Visa):

If, prior to arriving on your recent trip, you had learned that the Walt Disney World® Resort no longer accepted the Visa credit or debit card you used, which of the following best describes what you would have done?

• I still would have come to the Walt Disney World Resort and still would have stayed at Disney's Pop Century Resort
• I still would have come to the Walt Disney World Resort, but I would have stayed somewhere that accepted this card
• I would not have come to the Walt Disney World Resort at all

It seems they have been doing this with a lot of credit cards not just visa. I believe I saw people post this about discover and one other brand. I wouldn't worry as visa and Disney seem to have the best relationship.

 

[minnie mum]

I doubt it would happen. Ask yourself how many hotels in the US don't accept one of the world's biggest credit cards. Now, its possible that Disney and Chase bank might end their relationship one day. Disney has had relationships with other banks in the past, I think.

 

[PghPixie]

I got asked the same question and I used my MasterCard debit card. I guess they're just looking into credit card payments, in general? I thought it was an odd question, at the time, given that MasterCard and debit cards are accepted and used rather frequently (it's the only thing I use to pay for anything!) I can't see them not accepting it.

 

[Eoghann]

They'll be paying fees on all those credit card transactions so I imagine they like to gauge whether they could get away without it from time to time, or perhaps engage in some negotiations with the card companies.

 

[Accident]

I wouldn't put it past amex or someone to offer some "make disney think hard" deal. I have been at places that only took amex before (however where escapes me now)

 

[KYMickey]

I wouldn't put it past amex or someone to offer some "make disney think hard" deal. I have been at places that only took amex before (however where escapes me now)

Costco is one that comes to mind rapidly being a place takes AMEX cards. Although that being said I've heard rumors that they are going to be changing in the future also.

 

[ThurlFan]

Costco is one that comes to mind rapidly being a place takes AMEX cards. Although that being said I've heard rumors that they are going to be changing in the future also.

Costco is changing over to Visa only for instore purchases in March of '16.

 

[manning]

Costco is one that comes to mind rapidly being a place takes AMEX cards. Although that being said I've heard rumors that they are going to be changing in the future also.

Confirmed. April 2016. Last day to use is March 31

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Costco is changing over to Visa only for instore purchases in March of '16.

I was just about to mention that though I believe the date is 4/1/16.

I've only ever had Visa except for one time where my local gas station has a rewards program that was linked to my checking account so it wasn't an actual credit card and that was a MasterCard.

My husband on the other hand has Visa, Chase, MasterCard and Amex (which we use for larger joint purchases as it is a Delta Skymiles Amex).

I believe Costco couldn't come to an agreement with Amex when it came to renewal so if WDW changes their partnerships with card companies that is likely to be a large reason for it;maybe the fees they might tack on, procedures they have, types of cards or protection the cards give both Disney and the consumer could also be part of it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

How soon we forget...

Amex was the "official card of Walt Disney world" through 2001...with visa taking over in 2002.

These surveys are just that - surveys. Unlike ticket price increases. Those are set in stone...it's just a matter of time.

But I think we might be overlooking the obvious angle here: Apple Pay.

Remember that some of the largest individual stockholders of the Walt Disney company are as follows:

A. Mrs Jobs
B. G. Lucas
C. Family of R. Disney
D. M. Eisner

Only worry about the first one...as Disney still is in bed up to its next with a certain computer company.

Could they see an angle where they could circumvent the terminal fees with the big dog (visa/mastercard are the same outfit in the end...) using "emerging technology"? Would that result in millions of savings in embedded costs annually (tens of millions)? Could a certain RFID system stand to benefit from such a thing? Could part of the design already be geared toward it?

All valid questions...

 

[newdeal]

Amex is the only card that works in Canada with Apple Pay because they are able to quickly negotiate since they issue cards directly to consumers instead of issuing through a bank. Apple likes this business model and even though Amex has higher fees and so people in Canada don't like to accept it, if they change their fees it makes sense to switch for a merchant as huge as Disney

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

How soon we forget...

Amex was the "official card of Walt Disney world" through 2001...with visa taking over in 2002.

These surveys are just that - surveys. Unlike ticket price increases. Those are set in stone...it's just a matter of time.

But I think we might be overlooking the obvious angle here: Apple Pay.

Remember that some of the largest individual stockholders of the Walt Disney company are as follows:

A. Mrs Jobs
B. G. Lucas
C. Family of R. Disney
D. M. Eisner

Only worry about the first one...as Disney still is in bed up to its next with a certain computer company.

Could they see an angle where they could circumvent the terminal fees with the big dog (visa/mastercard are the same outfit in the end...) using "emerging technology"? Would that result in millions of savings in embedded costs annually (tens of millions)? Could a certain RFID system stand to benefit from such a thing? Could part of the design already be geared toward it?

All valid questions...

Wouldn't Apple Pay/ Android Pay kind of negate part of the appeal of Magic Bands? And even Mobile Payments still need to go through Visa/MC. Plus everything that is charged to the room still needs to be cleared somehow. Most of that will be cleared through Visa/MC/Amex. I did notice that when we were there in October, none of the registers had been upgraded to chip readers. If they don't upgrade, WDW is laving itself open to potential fraud losses. The only business I have seen that circumvents card processing fees is Target since the red card clears as an ACH draft, but that carries it own sets of risks, since the payment could be returned for insufficient funds.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Wouldn't Apple Pay/ Android Pay kind of negate part of the appeal of Magic Bands? And even Mobile Payments still need to go through Visa/MC. Plus everything that is charged to the room still needs to be cleared somehow. Most of that will be cleared through Visa/MC/Amex. I did notice that when we were there in October, none of the registers had been upgraded to chip readers. If they don't upgrade, WDW is laving itself open to potential fraud losses. The only business I have seen that circumvents card processing fees is Target since the red card clears as an ACH draft, but that carries it own sets of risks, since the payment could be returned for insufficient funds.

I was just postulating potential angles...I think that the operation is probably just collecting data in this case.

The chip readers were
Defeated before they ever debuted if I recall. You never beat the hackers...

And there is a ton of loss each day that Disney deals with...though I'd be interested to see the impact bands had on that...

Key to the world...was kind a a thief's paradise back in the day

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

I was just postulating potential angles...I think that the operation is probably just collecting data in this case.

The chip readers were
Defeated before they ever debuted if I recall. You never beat the hackers...

And there is a ton of loss each day that Disney deals with...though I'd be interested to see the impact bands had on that...

Key to the world...was kind a a thief's paradise back in the day

Card present fraud has decreased in Europe since EMV chips were required. By not upgrading Disney will become liable for any card present fraud that occurs, if the issuing bank has chip cards. Until now, the financial institutions have absorbed the loss.

Visa is so big, that I can't imagine that Disney would cut ties with them completely.

 

[Accident]

Visa is so big, that I can't imagine that Disney would cut ties with them completely.

But that's exactly what the survey is saying.. If your visa credit or debit card wasn't accepted what would you do.. I have to think someone is offering them a "use us exclusively" and you'll pay a number with lots of zeros less on processing fees. I know how popular amex is outside of the US and I can't see an option with another credit card to be exclusive. The other side of this is disney is might just be playing hard ball with visa to get their costs to accept the cards lower my going public with a survey that hints that visa may not be accepted in the future.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

It would be an utterly braindead stupid decision if they stopped accepting Visa or MasterCard altogether - they're easily 2/3 or more of the CC transactions I do in a day.

Disney's not in the "exclusivity" business, they're in the "taking as much money as possible from as many people as possible" business.

 

[Eoghann]

Card present fraud has decreased in Europe since EMV chips were required. By not upgrading Disney will become liable for any card present fraud that occurs, if the issuing bank has chip cards. Until now, the financial institutions have absorbed the loss.

Europe uses Chip and PIN, what's being introduced here in the US is chip and sign... which isn't nearly as secure.

 

[Tarheel girl 1975]

Europe uses Chip and PIN, what's being introduced here in the US is chip and sign... which isn't nearly as secure.

I wish we were using chip and pin instead of chip and sig, but it's still more secure than the old cards.

 

[ljandbucket]

Wonder if this is directed toward the Disney branded Visa with Chase and not all of Visa in general. They could be looking to get out of the "rewards" business although I don't know who actually funds those rewards - Chase, Disney or both.