Disney Visa - Premier/Rewards??

[DeniseR]

I am applying for a Disney Visa and am confused over the differences (other than the $49 annual fee) of the two cards? I tried to read all the fine print but still can't see why I would want to pay a $49 fee if I don't have to? Can someone enlighten me? Are the rewards different or something?

 

[mrslur]

I am applying for a Disney Visa and am confused over the differences (other than the $49 annual fee) of the two cards? I tried to read all the fine print but still can't see why I would want to pay a $49 fee if I don't have to? Can someone enlighten me? Are the rewards different or something?

Do you travel a lot overseas or buy gifts for family or friends who live overseas from places like Amazon UK? We save more than the difference in price not having to pay the foreign transaction fees.

 

[DeniseR]

Do you travel a lot overseas or buy gifts for family or friends who live overseas from places like Amazon UK? We save more than the difference in price not having to pay the foreign transaction fees.

No, we don't do either of those things. Does one card not have foreign transaction fees?

 

[mrslur]

The Premier card has no foreign transaction fees.

 

[ronnie2hotty]

Also, the Premier card will get you 2% on purchases made at gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.

It can be a major toss up whether the annual fee will negate any advantage of the extra 1% in rewards dollars.

It really comes down to crunching some numbers to see which is best for you and how you use the card.

For example, my wife and I have almost all of our bills paid automatically with the Visa and put almost all of our other charges (food, gas, etc.) on the card, then we pay it off at the end of the month. For our Disney trips, we buy gift cards from Giant Eagle and use the Visa to pay for the transaction. We get the gas rewards from purchasing the gift cards and, because Giant Eagle is a grocery store, get the 2% rewards from the purchase. The amount we earn usually covers the cost of the annual fee. It is a little more of step to do all of this, but it is definitely worth it to get the extra reward dollars as well as 30 gallons of free gas.

 

[DeniseR]

Also, the Premier card will get you 2% on purchases made at gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.

It can be a major toss up whether the annual fee will negate any advantage of the extra 1% in rewards dollars.

It really comes down to crunching some numbers to see which is best for you and how you use the card.

For example, my wife and I have almost all of our bills paid automatically with the Visa and put almost all of our other charges (food, gas, etc.) on the card, then we pay it off at the end of the month. For our Disney trips, we buy gift cards from Giant Eagle and use the Visa to pay for the transaction. We get the gas rewards from purchasing the gift cards and, because Giant Eagle is a grocery store, get the 2% rewards from the purchase. The amount we earn usually covers the cost of the annual fee. It is a little more of step to do all of this, but it is definitely worth it to get the extra reward dollars as well as 30 gallons of free gas.

Oh, okay, I didn't see there was a difference in the percentage of rewards dollars earned. Hard to read all that fine print! Thanks for the explanation! Very helpful!

 

[msmama]

Also, the Premier card will get you 2% on purchases made at gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores.

It can be a major toss up whether the annual fee will negate any advantage of the extra 1% in rewards dollars.

It really comes down to crunching some numbers to see which is best for you and how you use the card.

For example, my wife and I have almost all of our bills paid automatically with the Visa and put almost all of our other charges (food, gas, etc.) on the card, then we pay it off at the end of the month. For our Disney trips, we buy gift cards from Giant Eagle and use the Visa to pay for the transaction. We get the gas rewards from purchasing the gift cards and, because Giant Eagle is a grocery store, get the 2% rewards from the purchase. The amount we earn usually covers the cost of the annual fee. It is a little more of step to do all of this, but it is definitely worth it to get the extra reward dollars as well as 30 gallons of free gas.

It's also 2% at Disney (and Disney stores). So when I pay off my Disney trip, I essentially pay off the fee in rewards.

 

[ronnie2hotty]

It's also 2% at Disney (and Disney stores). So when I pay off my Disney trip, I essentially pay off the fee in rewards.

Ahhh, yeah.. I forgot about the extra rewards there also.

 

[DeniseR]

It's also 2% at Disney (and Disney stores). So when I pay off my Disney trip, I essentially pay off the fee in rewards.

So, if I currently have a trip booked (not paid for) and I get the Disney Visa with the annual fee and pay my trip with it, then you are saying I will get the 2% in rewards amount? And what kinds of things do you get with the rewards dollars? Do you get gift cards with them and use them at the parks?

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, if you use the Disney Visa to make any payments on your trip you will earn reward points for the amount(s) you charge. You also get 0% no-interest for 6 months to pay off vacation packages (the financing option is not available for room-only or ticket-only purchases or onsite purchases - but you do earn rewards on those).

You earn 1% rewards on all purchases, and another 1% (so total 2% rewards) on gas, grocery store, restaurant and Disney purchases. Those rewards points are equivalent to dollars. When ready to use them (must have minimum $20 rewards available), you'll transfer the rewards to a Reward Redemption Card which can be used for pretty much anything Disney -- parks, resorts, tickets, souvenirs, Disney Store (online or brick-and-mortar), DCL, etc. Yes, you can purchase Disney gift cards from the Disney Store with your rewards.

The Premier card also allows you to use the rewards to pay for airfare; that is not an option with the regular no-fee card.

We put most purchases and some bills on our Disney Visa. The annual fee is covered in a month or two, the rest is our vacation savings. It works well for our needs. There are other cards that may work better for other families depending on spending habits and such.

 

[DeniseR]

Yes, if you use the Disney Visa to make any payments on your trip you will earn reward points for the amount(s) you charge. You also get 0% no-interest for 6 months to pay off vacation packages (the financing option is not available for room-only or ticket-only purchases or onsite purchases - but you do earn rewards on those).

You earn 1% rewards on all purchases, and another 1% (so total 2% rewards) on gas, grocery store, restaurant and Disney purchases. Those rewards points are equivalent to dollars. When ready to use them (must have minimum $20 rewards available), you'll transfer the rewards to a Reward Redemption Card which can be used for pretty much anything Disney -- parks, resorts, tickets, souvenirs, Disney Store (online or brick-and-mortar), DCL, etc. Yes, you can purchase Disney gift cards from the Disney Store with your rewards.

The Premier card also allows you to use the rewards to pay for airfare; that is not an option with the regular no-fee card.

We put most purchases and some bills on our Disney Visa. The annual fee is covered in a month or two, the rest is our vacation savings. It works well for our needs. There are other cards that may work better for other families depending on spending habits and such.

Very helpful! Thanks so much!

 

[Ismo]

You definitely get more rewards with the premiere card. We take advantage of it and we had no problem earning more in rewards than the annual fee. For us it is definitely worth the fee just for the rewards alone!

 

[jerseygal]

I believe that here are 2% rewards on Disney Dining Package purchased, Disney Park tickets, Disney Vacation Club Dues...ADDS UP!

 

[Peridot83]

Be forewarned, I am a bit of a credit card and miles/point geek. I wouldn't do either. The debit card gets you all the same in park perks and discounts as the credit cards but doesn't require a hard credit pull. This is important because there are many more cards with very valuable signup bonuses or everyday rewards, and recent hard pulls reduce your chances of approval. I would never pay an annual fee for a card whose top reward earnings is only 2%. Instead this the portfolio of cards I would use.

1. A 2% card for every day spend, where you earn 2% on EVERY purchase. Citi Double Cash earns 2% and has no annual fee. The Barclay Arrival earns 2% on all purchases and comes with a signup bonus of $400 that can be used on any travel expense.There is a 89$ annual fee but it is waived the first year, and frequently a call in can get is waived after that or worst case scenario you downgrade to the no annual fee card that earns 1%. You can preserve your points that way but I would put it in the sock drawer after that.

2. A card or two that has the highest bonus categories for the categories you spend the most on. Common bonus categories are groceries, gas, drugstores, restaurants and travel. There are also rotating category cards that provide a 5% return on a different category each month like restaurants, gas, grocery, online shopping, home improvement. Frequently you can find a store in that category which sells Disney gift cards.Good cards include:

Rotating categories: Discover IT and Chase Freedom. Both have no annual fee and 5% earnings in the aforementioned categories. Signup bonuses range from $50-200.
Grocery and gas cards: Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred. Everyday earns 3% on Grocery, and 2% on gas and no annual fee. Preferred is 6% on groceries, and 3% on gas and department stores. Annual fee is $75 but if you spend more than $300 a month on groceries the rewards will make up for the annual fee.
Restaurants and Travel: For travel I would pick the card of your favorite airline or hotel chain, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred that 2 points in both categories and a 45,000 point signup bonus that can then be transferred to a variety of airlines and hotels. Most have annual fees but also have signup bonuses worth $500-over a $1000.

 

[North of Mouse]

I am applying for a Disney Visa and am confused over the differences (other than the $49 annual fee) of the two cards? I tried to read all the fine print but still can't see why I would want to pay a $49 fee if I don't have to? Can someone enlighten me? Are the rewards different or something?

I would 'never' pay a fee to use a credit card. I have the regular Disney Visa and get rewards on that, plus an American Express (no fee) that I use for some things. I get the extra percent for gas and groceries also, on the AmEx, but don't expect them to recognize 'all' places that sell groceries or gas. We have 4 large grocery chains in this area (not talking about big box or discount warehouses) and for some reason only one is considered a grocery store (all are exactly alike in what they sell and recognizable names). The same goes for gas stations.

DH & I 'each' had sign up bonus of $200 on our (regular) Disney Visa a few years ago (they used to do that) and I had a $200 on my AmEx.

 

[DeniseR]

Be forewarned, I am a bit of a credit card and miles/point geek. I wouldn't do either. The debit card gets you all the same in park perks and discounts as the credit cards but doesn't require a hard credit pull. This is important because there are many more cards with very valuable signup bonuses or everyday rewards, and recent hard pulls reduce your chances of approval. I would never pay an annual fee for a card whose top reward earnings is only 2%. Instead this the portfolio of cards I would use.

1. A 2% card for every day spend, where you earn 2% on EVERY purchase. Citi Double Cash earns 2% and has no annual fee. The Barclay Arrival earns 2% on all purchases and comes with a signup bonus of $400 that can be used on any travel expense.There is a 89$ annual fee but it is waived the first year, and frequently a call in can get is waived after that or worst case scenario you downgrade to the no annual fee card that earns 1%. You can preserve your points that way but I would put it in the sock drawer after that.

2. A card or two that has the highest bonus categories for the categories you spend the most on. Common bonus categories are groceries, gas, drugstores, restaurants and travel. There are also rotating category cards that provide a 5% return on a different category each month like restaurants, gas, grocery, online shopping, home improvement. Frequently you can find a store in that category which sells Disney gift cards.Good cards include:

Rotating categories: Discover IT and Chase Freedom. Both have no annual fee and 5% earnings in the aforementioned categories. Signup bonuses range from $50-200.
Grocery and gas cards: Blue Cash Everyday and Blue Cash Preferred. Everyday earns 3% on Grocery, and 2% on gas and no annual fee. Preferred is 6% on groceries, and 3% on gas and department stores. Annual fee is $75 but if you spend more than $300 a month on groceries the rewards will make up for the annual fee.
Restaurants and Travel: For travel I would pick the card of your favorite airline or hotel chain, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred that 2 points in both categories and a 45,000 point signup bonus that can then be transferred to a variety of airlines and hotels. Most have annual fees but also have signup bonuses worth $500-over a $1000.

All very good points! Thanks so much for sharing all this!

I would 'never' pay a fee to use a credit card. I have the regular Disney Visa and get rewards on that, plus an American Express (no fee) that I use for some things. I get the extra percent for gas and groceries also, on the AmEx, but don't expect them to recognize 'all' places that sell groceries or gas. We have 4 large grocery chains in this area (not talking about big box or discount warehouses) and for some reason only one is considered a grocery store (all are exactly alike in what they sell and recognizable names). The same goes for gas stations.

DH & I 'each' had sign up bonus of $200 on our (regular) Disney Visa a few years ago (they used to do that) and I had a $200 on my AmEx.

Good points also and something to think about!

 

[disneychrista]

If you spend more than $4,900 per year in Gas, Grocery, Restaurants & Disney, you will more than pay for $49. If you do not spend more than this then just get the regular card.

It doesn't make sense for me, as a single person, to get the Premiere. As I do not spend more than that in those categories.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

There are lots of cards with better rewards for everyday spending; I use the Amex Blue Cash Preferred because I get 6% at grocery stores and 3% on gas, plus I've taken advantage of offers like $30 off $100 at Target up to 5x ($150 cash back! -- that got me 30% off Disney Gift Cards!) and $20 off $100 at Best Western (where we usually stay on Disneyland trips). No annual fee and you can usually find a nice sign up bonus.

Get in on a 50,000 point sign up bonus offer on the Southwest Visa, even if you don't need it for airfare. I only used mine to spend the minimum to get the bonus, and I cashed out for $500 in Best Western gift cards and $50 in Target gift cards -- all used for a Disneyland trip! That's $450 in free money ($100 annual fee). I will cancel before my year is up because the 6,000 anniversary bonus points each year only buys $50 in gift cards.

You can get the $200 bonus for the no annual fee Disney Visa card with a referral, and you can apply for a new card for each adult and get $200 each. With the no annual fee card and a better cashback card, you don't have to worry about how much to spend before you start earning cashback above the annual fee.

 

[MillauFr]

Just get one of the 2% cash back cards with no annual fee.

 

[Eighty8Keys]

I would 'never' pay a fee to use a credit card.

I used to say that too. But I changed my mind back in 2008 when I realized that paying a $75 annual fee for the Bank of American Alaska Airlines Visa got me 20K in miles, which I used for a round trip ticket to Disneyland. Plus, it came with a $50 (the first year, then it went up to $99) companion fare code each year that we were able to use towards first class airfare for four trips to WDW. In 2013 they downgraded the companion fare to only coach tickets so I'll be canceling this card before I pay the next annual fee. Last July I signed up for my second credit card with an annual fee, this time it was for the Amex Blue Cash Preferred with a $75 annual fee. I've saved $250 just in the special offers that I get on that card that I didn't get on my no annual fee Costco Amex. Two months ago I added my 3rd annual fee credit card with an Amex JetBlue card with a signup bonus of 20K mile and a $45 annual fee waived the first year. Since Amex and JetBlue are ending their relationship next year, I'm hoping that I'll be able to sign up for the new JetBlue card and get a second sign-up bonus, which will more than pay for flights for our next WDW vacation.