When does Chase's contract with Disney expire?

[stichy]

DH works in the banking world. He heard talk that Disney was shopping around for a new bank to issue their credit cards. DH's bank has no interest because Disney demands too much in their contract that it isn't cost effective. Talk was that Chase wasn't interested in renewing the existing contract. So there is a strong possibility that a new bank will be issuing the Disney Visa in the future. Does anyone know when Disney's contract with Chase is up?

 

[bettymae1121]

I don't know but if they do change banks I hope they don't also take the Chase ATM's out of the parks. I love being able to withdrawl cash for no fee while on vacation!

 

[tar heel]

If they change banks, Chase ATMs would most definitely be gone as you can be pretty darn sure that will be part of the agreement.

 

[RooRach0906]

I hope that isnt true! Chase is really getting on my nerves I had a Chase Sheetz Mastercard and they got rid of their contract with Sheetz and the new CC is the Chase Freedom card and to be honest the benefits are not as good as the Sheetz one mostly because we only used it for gas and got 3% back all the time as long as it was used at Sheetz and now the Freedom card is 1% and the occasional 5% at the right time of the year for gas so DH and I decided to use the Disney card if I am gonna get 1% I would rather it be something I really want and is worth the time it takes to accumalate.
Anyway just to make it short its making me mad because then you have to use the points up before their contract ends and we are saving are disney pts for hopefully park tickets this May. I dont want to lose what we already saved!

 

[JB2K]

Intersting this is getting mentioned -- Disney's relationship with Chase dates back to the mid/late 90's when they were known in many places as First USA and Bank One.

Prior to Chase, their "official" bank was Bank of America (back when BofA was known as a "west coast only" bank) -- they even had a full-service branch on Main Street U.S.A. inside Disneyland (plus, the Disney/BofA relationship dated back to the 1930's when BofA financed Walt Disney's first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). Due to interstate banking laws at the time, the BofA arrangement did not carry-over to WDW (as there were no bank branches in Florida until 1999).

In addition, BofA also financed the construction of Disneyland.

Actually, I am suprised Disney is shopping-around for a new official financial services provider, as there are only a handful of large, "national" banks with a presence in both California and Florida (as best I can recall, Chase, BofA, and Wachovia/Wells Fargo are the only ones).

Like one of the PPs, I like the convenience of having Chase ATMs around Disney (I have an account I use exclusively for vacationing, there).

 

[mrsklamc]

How long has it been since Disney was with Amex?

 

[Kathi OD]

How long has it been since Disney was with Amex?

I'm thinking mid-late 90s. We were there in the spring of '96 and Amex was the "official" card then.

 

[mlittig]

I just got my new Chase Disney Visa card What would happen to everyone who has reward points with Chase ~ would they still be good or would we lose them

 

[Green Tea]

When LL Bean left BofA for Barclays they sent a points certificate for $10 or more if that is what you had left.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

I also remember (perhaps incorrectly) a connection with Sun bank back in the 80s, which became Suntrust. Then Amex after Sun bank IIRC.

Totally dating myself, my memory connects Sun bank with seeing a Delorean in a parking lot at a WDW resort before my first marriage, and I remember having an Amex "white glove" fanny pack that came with a WDW package after I had kids.

 

[JB2K]

I also remember (perhaps incorrectly) a connection with Sun bank back in the 80s, which became Suntrust. Then Amex after Sun bank IIRC.

You are right -- when I made one of many day trips to WDW as a youngster in the 70's (I used to live near Kennedy Space Center), I recall seeing a Sun Bank ATM on the property (back in the late 70's, an ATM was something of a novelty). This relationship was probably because of my earlier post saying that interstate banking was not the norm until the 90's.

And, yes, today's SunTrust is the successor bank of Sun Bank.

 

[JB2K]

I just got my new Chase Disney Visa card What would happen to everyone who has reward points with Chase ~ would they still be good or would we lose them

It depends on how Disney would exit their current arrangement with Chase (if it were to happen) -- it could go one of two ways:

• Chase could sell their Disney portfolio (known in bank parlance as "receivables") to the new successor company
  
• Chase could convert all the Disney accounts they hold to one of their regular credit/banking products

Either scenario is likely, but given that things are still quite shaky with the nation's banks and new credit accounts remains a difficult concept for many, I wouldn't worry about it, for now...

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

Actually, I am suprised Disney is shopping-around for a new official financial services provider, as there are only a handful of large, "national" banks with a presence in both California and Florida (as best I can recall, Chase, BofA, and Wachovia/Wells Fargo are the only ones).

It seems to me, and this is just my observation, that being in partnership with Disney must not be all moonlight and roses. I was rattling off to my family the other night all the attractions that "used to be" sponsored by one company or another. They must expect an awful lot in return for being associated with the Disney brand.

Wish we could get rid of the Nestle-Disney connection, maybe better coffee could be had on property.

 

[MouseloverJD]

Wish we could get rid of the Nestle-Disney connection, maybe better coffee could be had on property.

But then the Hot Chocolate wouldn't be as good.

 

[mountdew1]

It seems to me, and this is just my observation, that being in partnership with Disney must not be all moonlight and roses. I was rattling off to my family the other night all the attractions that "used to be" sponsored by one company or another. They must expect an awful lot in return for being associated with the Disney brand.

Disney looks for the sponsor to pick up a large chunk of the cost associated with a new attraction, in return for limited signage/videos in most cases. There aren't many companies left that have the type of cash flow to fork over for the development of a new attraction. And those that do, tend to be in a competitive relationship with an existing sponsor. I.E. the rumors of Fuji moving into WDW, can't happen until Kodak leaves. Or Ford moving into WDW, not gonna happen until GM leaves. Having Coke knocks out Pepsi etc.

Look at the companies that have enough cash to drop on a Superbowl ad. How many of them are really family friendly enough to fit the WDW image? Budweiser? GoDaddy? FedEx bailed on their Space Mountain deal.

Yes, Disney doesn't seem to be returning a good value on their investments. Doing half baked refurbs (Spaceship Earth descent or JIYI v2?) to simply looking for massive amounts of cash, many companies don't see it as a good deal, especially when their investors are looking for tangible returns, not goodwill/brand recognition.

 

[Handbag Lady]

It would be SO COOL for me if they went with Partners FCU.

They have branches in both FL and CA.

Is that even possible to dream?