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The welcome offer has increased on the Disney Premier Visa card: you can now earn a $400 statement credit after $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Frankly, I don’t generally think this card is worth it, but this is a nice bonus on relatively low spend, so it may appeal to some. Just know that the card generally only earns Disney Dollars and the “perks” can mostly be replicated with a debit card.
The Offer & Key Card Details
Card Offer and Details |
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$400 Cash Back ⓘ Non-Affiliate $400 statement credit after $1000 in purchases within first 3 months$49 Annual Fee Information about this card has been collected independently by Frequent Miler. The issuer did not provide the details, nor is it responsible for their accuracy. FM Mini Review: This card only earns 2% at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants and 1% back in the form of "Disney Dream Dollars" and the meet & greet is also available on the Disney debit card. However, the current signup bonus makes it worth a look. Earning rate: 5X DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com ✦ 2X grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and most Disney locations ✦ 1X everywhere else Base: 1% Dine: 2% Gas: 2% Grocery: 2% Brand: 2% Other: 5% Card Info: Visa Signature or Platinum issued by Chase. This card imposes foreign transaction fees. Noteworthy perks: ✦ Redeem rewards dollars toward a statement credit for air travel (book any airline / any destination and redeem rewards dollars at a minimum of $50 in rewards dollars) ✦ Character meet & greet at a private cardmember area ✦ 10% off select merchandise purchases of $50 or more at Disney Store and DisneyStore.com ✦ |
Quick Thoughts
The bonus here is decent at $400 with only $1,000 in purchases. That might be especially easy for some to hit in the near-term given holiday shopping needs. And the good news is that the bonus is in the form of a statement credit, not monopoly money that can only be used with Disney.
Keep in mind a few things:
- You’ll be on the hook for the $49 annual fee the first year, so this is really a “net” $351 bonus
- The rewards earned from spend on this card are not very competitive. You’ll earn 5% back on Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN purchases, which can’t total very much money per year by virtue of the prices of those services, and then the rewards are earned in the form of “Disney Dollars”. The only other bonus categories are at 2% — just get yourself a card that offers 2% cash back everywhere and you don’t have to chase category bonuses and you’ll earn cash that you can use anywhere, not just at Disney.
- Perks like the character meet ‘n greets and discount on merchandise purchases can be replicated with a Disney debit card (which I believe you can still request with almost any Chase checking account). There’s no need to get the credit card for those things.
- This takes up a 5/24 slot, where you could probably get a Chase card offering a better value if you can meet higher spending thresholds.
All that said, this offer could be a good fit for someone with low spend capability and/or someone who highly values cash back bonuses.
If it wasn’t for the 5/24 slot that’s a really solid return on the spend – you’d be looking at $410 or $420 back after the $1K spend, then subtract the annual fee for still over $350 return. Way better as a percentage than something like the US Bank Triple Cash which was $750 for $6K spend.
Maybe interesting for those who have a smaller credit profile or very low income (college student etc.) and can’t get a lot of card approvals yet?
Thanks Nick for the writeup. I have the Chase checking account and I previously picked a Star Wars card design “just for fun”. I just got my new debit card (old one hitting expiration date) yesterday, and the mailer confirms the Disney Visa Debit Card perks (lots of overlap with Disney credit card, as you mention):
10% off select souvenirs and merchandise at select locations at Disney parks & resorts
10% off regular price digital photo on Disney Cruise line
10% off select dining locations most days at Disney World & Disney Land resorts
15% off regular price of select guided tours at Disney World/Disney Land
10% off regular price of select recreation experiences at Disney World
10% off Castaway Cay Getaway package on Disney Cruise Line
10% off snorkel & bike rentals at Disney Lookout Cay Lighthouse Point
20% off regular priced massage or facial on Disney Cruise Line
10% off select purchases at disneystore.com using promo code “DRVCMEMBER” – need to pay with Disney Debit card
VIP package with each order of premium tickets to Aladdin or Lion King on Broadway