I am going to Disney 15 instances a yr — this is why the Disney Visa is in my pockets

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I am going to Disney 15 instances a yr — this is why the Disney Visa is in my pockets


My household usually takes a number of Disney holidays yearly. From Walt Disney World and Disneyland to cruises on Disney Cruise Line and even Disney’s resort in Hawaii, Aulani, we like it all.

It is no secret that Disney locations are costly, however I’ve amassed an arsenal of tips to assist us trim hundreds off our trip spending yearly.

A few of my methods contain a considerable funding at one level — like changing into a Disney Trip Membership member and buying annual passes to the theme parks — to nab the financial savings, given how steadily we go to. And, in fact, these approaches aren’t proper for the occasional Disney vacationer.

BROOKE MCDONALD/THE POINTS GUY

However there’s one low- or no-cost software savvy Disney vacationers ought to have of their pockets that may prevent not simply chilly, laborious money however even hours of treasured trip time: a Disney Visa.

Associated: How to save cash by renting Disney Trip Membership factors

Get a Disney Visa for the perks, not the rewards

Earlier than we break down the cardboard sorts, perks and rewards for the Disney Visa choices, let’s get one factor straight: It is unlikely that you will come out forward by making a Disney Visa your main bank card. There are many different playing cards with extra compelling rewards for on a regular basis spending.

As a Chicago-based frequent flyer on United Airways, I put most of my spending on the United Membership Infinite Card, which helps me maximize my earnings towards elite standing with United and will get me United Membership entry for my total household once we fly collectively.

However for normal Disney vacationers, even in case you do not use the cardboard for many of your on a regular basis spending, there is a good probability it is sensible so as to add a Disney Visa to your pockets. This is what you may get in case you have it — and the way to decide on which Disney Visa is greatest for you.

Disney Visa bank cards: Signal-up bonuses and reward-earning potential

Disney Visa Card

The essential Disney Visa Card has no annual payment and at the moment earns a $150 assertion credit score after you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months.

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Disney Visa Card purchases earn 1% in Disney Rewards {Dollars}, that are equal to $1 every and can be utilized a bit like a Disney present card. Disney Rewards {Dollars} may be redeemed at U.S. Disney parks and resorts, on Disney Cruise Line, at shopdisney.com, and on motion pictures at AMC Theatres.

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Disney Premier Visa Card

The Disney Premier Visa Card has a $49 annual payment and at the moment earns a $300 assertion credit score after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first three months.

Disney Premier Visa Card purchases earn 5% in Disney Rewards {Dollars} at disneyplus.com, hulu.com and espnplus.com; 2% again on purchases at gasoline stations, grocery shops, eating places and most Disney areas; and 1% again on all different purchases.

Along with all of the methods to make use of the rewards in case you have the Disney Visa, Disney Premier Visa cardholders may redeem Disney Rewards {Dollars} for a assertion credit score for air journey bought with the Disney Premier Visa.

Lastly, Disney Bundle Trio subscribers can earn as much as a $13.99 assertion credit score for as much as three months on qualifying subscription purchases, and add-ons totaling $12.99 or extra at disneyplus.com, hulu.com or plus.espn.com.

THE POINTS GUY

Associated: Are the Disney Visa bank cards price it?

Methods to redeem Disney Rewards {Dollars}

To redeem Disney Rewards {Dollars}, you may want a Disney Rewards Redemption Card. As soon as you’ve got signed in to your Disney account on-line and linked it to your Chase Disney Visa card account, you may go online to handle your Disney Rewards {Dollars} on-line. You may request a Disney Rewards Redemption Card as soon as you’ve got earned $20 in Disney Rewards {Dollars} and proceed to load Disney Rewards {Dollars} onto your card every time you accrue not less than $10, monitor your Rewards {Dollars} steadiness and, for Premier cardholders, redeem Disney Rewards {Dollars} on air journey.

This is a video explaining easy methods to redeem Disney Rewards {Dollars} and one other one explaining easy methods to request your airline assertion credit score.

Perks and reductions for Disney Visa cardholders

In case you’re a daily Disney traveler like I’m, even when the continuing rewards do not make this card price your whereas, the perks in all probability do. Disney Visa perks include each bank card sorts; some are nice even in case you do not spend a lot on the cardboard.

0% annual share price (APR) for six months on Disney holidays

Cardholders get a 0% annual share price for six months on choose Disney Resort packages; all Adventures by Disney packages; trip packages at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa; and all Disney Cruise Line packages.

This provide is especially compelling when reserving a Disney cruise or Adventures by Disney trip, which may be fairly costly.

Whereas Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort and Aulani will all usually run promotions all year long, nearly all of Disney Cruise Line and Adventures by Disney package deal costs are usually most cost-effective on the time of launch, so in case you nonetheless want a while to save lots of on your trip, your Disney Visa should purchase you an additional six months to pay with out added charges after snagging the bottom reserving price.

SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Associated: Information to Disney Cruise Line ships and itineraries

Save 10% on choose merchandise and eating at Disney theme parks and resorts

Cardholders can save 10% on choose merchandise and at choose eating areas at Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, motels and at Disney Springs at Walt Disney World and at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District.

In case you are inclined to go massive on souvenirs and meals on Disney property throughout your holidays, these financial savings can positively add up. Simply pay attention to the positive print — your merchandise buy must be not less than $50 to nab the low cost, and there are fairly a couple of widespread objects and areas excluded, together with Savi’s Workshop – Handbuilt Lightsabers, Droid Depot, and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

The ten% eating low cost is obtainable at choose eating areas, with notable exclusions, together with alcohol and choose new meals and beverage choices. The low cost can also be not legitimate on sure widespread dates and holidays.

The Rose & Crown Pub. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Increased reductions are provided at a handful of areas at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Associated: These are the very best eating places at Disney World

Save 15% on choose guided excursions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland

Cardholders can save 15% on choose guided excursions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. These embody “Celebrating Disney100 on the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour,” “Walt’s Primary Road Story Tour,” and “Vacation Time on the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour” at Disneyland; and “Disney’s Keys to the Kingdom Tour,” “Wild Africa Trek,” “Behind the Seeds” and plenty of extra at Walt Disney World.

Save 10% on choose recreation experiences at Walt Disney World

Cardholders get 10% off the non-discounted value of recreation experiences like carriage rides at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, and horseback driving at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Onboard Disney Cruise Line reductions

A number of reductions are provided to Disney Visa cardholders on board Disney Cruise Line sailings whenever you pay together with your Disney Visa:

  • 10% off non-discounted digital images packages.
  • 10% off Castaway Cay Getaway Packages — save on snorkeling, bicycle, float and interior tube leases.
  • 10% off choose merchandise purchases of $50 or extra. (Professional tip: In case you’re shopping for souvenirs from a number of retailers on board, you may pay for every part at a single location in case you need assistance hitting the $50 minimal.)
  • 20% off non-discounted massages and facials within the onboard spa on port days solely.

Associated: How to save cash on a Disney Cruise

Disney’s non-public island. SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY

Save 10% at shopdisney.com

Disney Visa cardmembers may save 10% on choose merchandise purchases at shopdisney.com, however notice that there are quite a few exclusions, and the provide can’t be mixed with any promo codes apart from free delivery. To use the low cost, use promo code DRVCMEMBER and pay together with your Disney Visa.

Cardmember photograph alternatives at Walt Disney World and Disneyland

For a lot of Disney parkgoers, character meet-and-greets and photograph ops are a excessive precedence — which may translate to lengthy wait instances.

However a Disney Visa will fast-track you to some unique character experiences at Walt Disney World and Disneyland — with little to no wait. Plus, a Disney PhotoPass photographer shall be available to take images, and you will get complimentary digital downloads of your images. Be sure to have your Disney Visa with you to point out upon entry.

BROOKE MCDONALD

This is the place to search out the Disney Visa Photograph Spots within the theme parks. You’ll want to double-check their instances on the date of your go to — they’re usually open for a shorter window every day than different character experiences.

Disney World’s Epcot — World Celebration space, close to the Creativeness pavilion

At this “Disney Character Expertise,” you may usually meet two widespread Disney characters towards an Epcot backdrop. We have seen Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto right here. Word that there is no assure which characters you may meet, and since they do change occasionally, it is price checking again on one other date or time throughout your journey to see extra characters.

Disney World’s Hollywood Studios — Star Wars Launch Bay

At this “Star Wars Character Expertise” in Star Wars Launch Bay, Disney Visa cardholders can meet Darth Vader. That is additionally the spot the place all friends can meet Darth Vader, BB-8 and Chewbacca by way of conventional standby queues, with Vader’s queue often posting wait instances of 30-45 minutes. Darth Vader is my household’s favourite character and we attempt to meet him each journey, so despite the fact that we reap the benefits of a lot of different Disney Visa perks, the cumulative time financial savings on this expertise alone would make the cardboard price it to us.

BROOKE MCDONALD

Along with saving your self a few of that treasured trip time, you may additionally find yourself with higher (and free!) footage than in case you meet Vader in his standby queue. Within the standby queue, Disney PhotoPass images are taken by way of an automatic digital camera, whereas within the Visa expertise, you may have a stay photographer.

Disney California Journey Park — Hollywood Land (close to Tremendous Retailer that includes Avengers Campus)

At this “Disney Character Expertise,” you may meet widespread characters that previously have included Minnie Mouse, Daisy and Sew. As at Epcot, there is no assure who you may meet, however typically it is an unique character you will not get an opportunity to fulfill wherever else at Disneyland.

Disneyland Park — Star Wars Launch Bay

The inside of Star Wars Launch Bay is at the moment closed at Disneyland, however Disney Visa cardholders can nonetheless get their style of a galaxy far, far-off on the Star Wars Photograph Alternative, which is an out of doors meet-and-greet with Darth Vader.

Cardholder reductions at Disney resorts past the theme parks

Disney Visa cardholders additionally get particular reductions at Disney’s three different resorts nationwide — Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa; Disney’s Vero Seaside Resort; and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort.

  • Save 10% off choose merchandise totaling $50 or extra in any respect three resorts
  • Save 10% off choose eating areas at Disney’s Vero Seaside Resort
  • Save 10% off every of the next at Aulani: Rainbow Reef snorkeling, a create-your-own kapa-inspired T-shirt, and ukulele buy after finishing a ukulele class

Associated: Evaluate of Disney’s Aulani resort

How the Disney Visa can prevent cash on Disney Holidays

For a household like mine that takes frequent Disney holidays, the entire perks we have lined up to now are sufficient to make the no-fee Disney Visa worthwhile.

However there’s one potential perk that may make a Disney Visa price it even for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Just lately, Disney has been providing substantial reductions to Disney Visa cardholders on Disney holidays at a wide range of locations.

At the moment, Disney Visa cardholders can save as much as 30% on stays of 5 consecutive nights or extra at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa on most dates on this fall.

At Walt Disney World, Disney Visa cardholders can save as much as 35% on stays at choose motels this summer season.

As Disney Trip Membership members, we not often ebook motels with money, as an alternative utilizing our factors to remain at Disney resorts. Nonetheless, we not too long ago took benefit of a large 30% low cost provided to Disney Visa cardholders for an upcoming Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser voyage. The groundbreaking expertise is, sadly, being shuttered completely on the finish of September, however when the provide was launched, we had been in a position to cancel an present voyage and rebook with the Disney Visa low cost, slashing the worth by about $2,300.

This low cost alone would have been properly price getting a Disney Visa for years on finish.

BROOKE MCDONALD/THE POINTS GUY

It is price noting that paying for an costly trip package deal together with your Disney Visa can imply dropping out on extra compelling rewards and advantages provided by different bank cards, together with built-in journey insurance coverage. For Galactic Starcruiser, we had been in a position to pay our 20% deposit with a Disney Visa and the steadiness with our United Membership Infinite Card, however for many Disney Visa lodge provides, in case you do not pay with a sound Disney Visa Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card, you may be charged the non-discounted room value on your keep.

Backside line

The majority of my household’s spending would not go on the Disney Visa, and there are many card perks we do not use as a result of we’re additionally Disney Trip Membership and annual passholders, which unlock reductions and advantages of their very own.

However even with all that, we nonetheless maintain the Disney Visa in our pockets as a result of it provides distinctive perks equivalent to character entry and periodic resort or different reductions that may save a ton of cash when provided on the proper time on your wants. The 0% APR for six months can be a helpful, money-saving perk on these bigger Disney trip prices.

In case you take semiregular Disney holidays, haven’t got entry to any of those member or passholder reductions, and do not thoughts including one other card to your pockets, the perks and financial savings that include a Disney Visa could make it price your whereas, particularly in case you’re in a position to reap the benefits of one of many heftier reductions periodically provided on lodge stays.

And in case you are already a Disney Trip Membership member or annual passholder and go to the theme parks as steadily as we do, even the seemingly small perks like unique character meet-and-greets add up sufficient to make the cardboard price it.

To be taught extra concerning the playing cards, learn our evaluations of the Disney Premier Visa and Disney Visa.


Software hyperlink: Disney Premier Visa to unlock Disney perks and earn a $300 assertion credit score after $1,000 in spending within the first three months for a $49 annual payment

Software hyperlink: Disney Visa to unlock Disney perks and earn a $150 assertion credit score after $500 in spending within the first three months for no annual payment


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