Disney Visa Card--are the perks worth it?

2

2Rebecca

New Member
I'm planning a trip to WDW in the fall and am debating on whether I should get a Disney Visa Card (or the Disney Premier Card). It has been 20 yrs since I've been to Disney, so I'm not sure what a "Disney Character Experience" really is or if it is worth taking time away from other things to do. Does anyone have one of the Disney Visa Cards? Are the card member & star wars perks worth attending? What about the 10% dining discount? Do you have to use the VISA card to receive them, or do you get the same discount if you use the redemption card they give you when you cash out points?

It appears I can get better cash back offers with other chase cards where the cash back can be used for anything and not just Disney related. I'll be making a few large purchases in the upcoming weeks, so if I'm going to get a new card, I need to apply for it now, so I can get points whether it be on a Disney Visa or a different card. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Disney card.

BTW, I always pay my balance off each month, so I'm not worried about interest rates. I also have a non-DVC timeshare, so the 0% for 6-month financing isn't something I would take advantage of because we will be staying offsite.
 
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Laketravis

Laketravis

Well-Known Member
I really think some of the arm-chair financial experts on this forum who believe car leasing and carrying a mortgage are the keys to financial independence should pay a visit to Bogleheads.org

In regards to the Chase Disney Visa card, there are much better rewards programs available.
 
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Laketravis

Laketravis

Well-Known Member
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B

Bandini

Well-Known Member
Laketravis said:
I really think some of the arm-chair financial experts on this forum who believe car leasing and carrying a mortgage are the keys to financial independence should pay a visit to Bogleheads.org

In regards to the Chase Disney Visa card, there are much better rewards programs available.
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I did get a chase Disney Visa once, about 5 years ago when the offer was to waive the annual fee and you got a $300 Disney Gift card after you charged $500 in the first 3 months. But Once I got the gift card, I cancelled the card went back to my B of A reward card. The only thing I can say about these credit card offers is: make sure you read the fine print. I would also search for the ones that give the most cash back.
 
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21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Laketravis said:
I really think some of the arm-chair financial experts on this forum who believe car leasing and carrying a mortgage are the keys to financial independence should pay a visit to Bogleheads.org

In regards to the Chase Disney Visa card, there are much better rewards programs available.
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Reading comprehension and an understanding of good debt vs bad debt.
2 things that are so lacking in this country..
I think at least one of these is actually taught in elementary school though..
I guess we're lucky there :)
 
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B

Bandini

Well-Known Member
21stamps said:
Reading comprehension and an understanding of good debt vs bad debt.
2 things that are so lacking in this country..
I think at least one of these is actually taught in elementary school though..
I guess we're lucky there :)
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Personally, no debt trumps all. I don't think there is such a thing as "good" debt, since it can all turn "bad" in the blink of an eye.
 
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21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Bandini said:
Personally, no debt trumps all. I don't think there is such a thing as "good" debt, since it can all turn "bad" in the blink of an eye.
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And that would be the aforementioned Dave Ramsey's entire platform.
Awesome if people can do..and invest properly..save properly..pay for schooling properly..etc etc.

I'm of the mindset of if you can put enough down to avoid PMI..and have a very low interest rate..then there is no reason to take money from other more important places to double or triple a mortgage. Then again, the majority of Americans don't even have life insurance, proper savings, or proper retirement funds.. hence the endless GoFundMe accounts. I say tackle those first, while putting just a little extra to your mortgage payments, you can still pay it off a few years early that way. But no, not 10-20 years early. The amount of people of retirement age living on less than $2000 per month is staggering. Those people would have been better off investing their money before paying off their home.

But again, I don't have books and seminars, so what do I know...lol
 
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RustySpork

RustySpork

Oscar Mayer Memer
21stamps said:
Reading comprehension and an understanding of good debt vs bad debt.
2 things that are so lacking in this country..
I think at least one of these is actually taught in elementary school though..
I guess we're lucky there :)
Click to expand...

I'm laughing so hard right now that I can't even.
 
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21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
dmw said:
Ramsey is pretty consistent in what he says: emergency fund, debt snowball, life insurance, retirement, kids college (I forget the exact order he recommends) all comes before paying off a mortgage early. Ramsey has backed off a bit on the no mortgage stance he used to have. Now, he prefers no mortgage, but if that is not possible, he is recommending a 15 year max. He still does not recommend a new mortgage if you have not yet paid off debts and are setting aside the appropriate amounts for retirement and kids college.
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Ha, whatdoyaknow...
Well, obviously he's wrong..
Must be an armchair finance guy. ;)
 
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Laketravis

Laketravis

Well-Known Member
I've noticed over the years that mainstream financial gurus like Ramsey and Orman are admired by those stuck in debt with little savings and scoffed at by those who have actually achieved financial independence and are members of the two comma club.

Case in point: Ramsey's business model of using affiliated advisers who pay him a fee and sell you commissioned high-load mutual funds depends on maintaining the fiction of 12% returns. He then suggests an 8% SWR during retirement using an AA of 100% equities, a strategy that ignores sequence of returns risk and has been proven to fail 50% of the time over 25 years.
 
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B

Bandini

Well-Known Member
Laketravis said:
I've noticed over the years that mainstream financial gurus like Ramsey and Orman are admired by those stuck in debt with little savings and scoffed at by those who have actually achieved financial independence and are members of the two comma club.

Case in point: Ramsey's business model of using affiliated advisers who pay him a fee and sell you commissioned high-load mutual funds depends on maintaining the fiction of 12% returns. He then suggests an 8% SWR during retirement using an AA of 100% equities, a strategy that ignores sequence of returns risk and has been proven to fail 50% of the time over 25 years.
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Ramsey and Orman are entertainers first and foremost, but they do provide some common sense advice. I wouldn't follow either one's guidelines, but that's true for most financial planners. They are in it to maximize their profits which may or may not benefit their clients. I just think being an educated investor is best.
 
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JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
dmw said:
Ramsey is pretty consistent in what he says: emergency fund, debt snowball, life insurance, retirement, kids college (I forget the exact order he recommends) all comes before paying off a mortgage early. Ramsey has backed off a bit on the no mortgage stance he used to have. Now, he prefers no mortgage, but if that is not possible, he is recommending a 15 year max. He still does not recommend a new mortgage if you have not yet paid off debts and are setting aside the appropriate amounts for retirement and kids college.
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I'm taking Financial Peace University (FPU) right now. Actually, re-taking it which you get to do for free if you took it before. Yeah, the stance is now pay off all debts except the mortgage. Don't try to put extra into the mortgage if you can't take care of the "four walls" -- home (minimum monthly payment and utilities), car, food, and clothes. Debt snowball all other debts except mortgage (credit cards, college loans, financed vehicle, etc). Once those are done, feel free to debt snowball the mortgage although extra on mutual funds or Roth couldn't hurt. Either buy or refinance mortgage at 15 year fixed, if possible. With rates where they are right now, I might be able to refinance from 30 year to 15 year and keep approx the same payment.
 
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JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Bandini said:
I did get a chase Disney Visa once, about 5 years ago when the offer was to waive the annual fee and you got a $300 Disney Gift card after you charged $500 in the first 3 months. But Once I got the gift card, I cancelled the card went back to my B of A reward card. The only thing I can say about these credit card offers is: make sure you read the fine print. I would also search for the ones that give the most cash back.
Click to expand...

I saw two different offers for upgrading to Disney Premier from Disney Rewards: 1) Get $50 statement credit with any next purchase before 3/31. It can be a pack of gum. Or 2) spend $500 and get a $200 statement credit. They want you to choose #2. I chose #1. $50 off with barely purchasing anything. Or spend $500 on stuff you ordinarily wouldn't buy to get a $200 credit. In other words, put an extra $300 on your card you still need to pay off. (I might do this if I had purchase need for a $500 item which I could get for $300 with the $200 credit. I didn't have that need.)
 
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B

Bandini

Well-Known Member
JohnD said:
I saw two different offers for upgrading to Disney Premier from Disney Rewards: 1) Get $50 statement credit with any next purchase before 3/31. It can be a pack of gum. Or 2) spend $500 and get a $200 statement credit. They want you to choose #2. I chose #1. $50 off with barely purchasing anything. Or spend $500 on stuff you ordinarily wouldn't buy to get a $200 credit. In other words, put an extra $300 on your card you still need to pay off. (I might do this if I had purchase need for a $500 item which I could get for $300 with the $200 credit. I didn't have that need.)
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I pay for everything using my rewards card ( anti- Dave Ramsey, I know), but I pay it off every month. When I got the Chase visa, I used it for everything( gas, groceries, pet food) until I hit the $500, then I went back to using my Bof A reward card.
 
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