Disney® Premier Visa® Card Review

The information related to the Disney®  Premier Visa® Card has been collected by Money Crashers and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

The Disney® Premier Visa® Card is a rewards credit card with a $49 annual fee and a somewhat unusual cash-like rewards program that favors lovers of all things Disney. The card earns unlimited 2% back in popular spending categories such as gas stations, dining out, and grocery stores. It also earns unlimited 2% back on virtually all Disney-branded purchases. All other purchases earn unlimited 1% back.

These rewards differ from traditional cash back in key ways. They’re known as “Disney reward dollars,” and they can can be redeemed for a wide range of Disney-branded purchases and statement credits against airfare, always at a redemption rate of $0.01 per point. Disney reward dollars have no intrinsic cash value and can’t be redeemed for bank account deposits or general statement credits.

In addition to its rewards program, the Disney Premier Visa Card also offers a slew of potentially valuable discounts and access perks for Disney fans. These include 10% discounts on Disney-branded merchandise and dining and special financing on Disney vacation packages and resort real estate, including timeshares. If you belong to a Disney-loving family, or you’re just looking for a way to finance a potentially expensive Disney vacation, you definitely need to take a closer look at this card.

What Sets the Disney Premier Visa Card Apart?

The Disney Premier Visa Card has a few notable features worth calling out before we get into the weeds:

• Impressive Sign-up Bonus. This card has a generous and fairly easy to attain sign-up bonus: $300 statement credit after you spend at least $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s significantly better than directly competitive co-branded travel credit cards.
• 2% Disney Rewards Dollars on Eligible Purchases. This card has surprisingly broad 2% rewards categories covering restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, and of course most Disney U.S. locations. 
• Tons of Disney Perks. The real story here for Disney fans is the amazing array of Disney perks, including 10% to 15% discounts on eligible on-location Disney purchases, 10% off ShopDisney.com purchases, and special 6-month 0% APR financing on eligible Disney Vacations purchases.

Is the Disney Premier Visa Card Legit?

Yes, the Disney Premier Visa Card is legitimate. 

Despite the name, it’s not “only” a Disney credit card — Disney is an entertainment conglomerate, not a bank. It’s backed by JPMorgan Chase, one of the world’s biggest banks and arguably one of the top five most trusted names in the U.S. financial sector.

The Disney Premier Visa Card is popular as well, not that that’s a foolproof sign of legitimacy. It’s well-reviewed by thousands of satisfied customers. It has steadily added features over the years without increasing its $49 annual fee. In short, it’s a pretty impressive credit card, at least for the niche it’s built to serve.

Key Features of the Disney Premier Visa Card

The Disney Premier Visa Card has a lot of fun perks for Disney fans. Here’s the lowdown.

Sign-up Bonus

After you open your credit card account and spend at least $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 3 months, you’ll receive a $300 statement credit. This offer isn’t available if you already have this card or you’ve received a new cardmember bonus for the Disney Premier Visa in the past 24 months.

Earning Disney Rewards

This card has a 3-tiered rewards system. It earns:

• Unlimited 5% back in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com.
• Unlimited 2% back in Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and most Disney U.S. locations (including retail stores and resorts).
• Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases.
• Rewards take the form of Disney reward dollars, a special loyalty currency with a fixed value of $0.01 per point.

Redeeming Disney Rewards Dollars

Disney Rewards Dollars earned with this card can be redeemed for a slew of Disney-branded purchases, including DVDs, apparel, toys, movie tickets, theme park tickets, on-resort restaurant dining, resort lodging, and more. There are no blackout dates for ticket and lodging redemptions, so it’s not necessary to plan travel around finite redemption windows.

Disney Rewards Dollars can also be redeemed for statement credits against airfare to any destination, even if the trip does not involve a visit to a Disney property.

Disney Rewards Dollars cannot be redeemed for anything else, including general statement credits or general merchandise.

Disney and Star Wars Merchandise Discounts

Among the slew of valuable perks Disney diehards get with this card is a 10% discount on Disney- and Star Wars-branded merchandise purchases worth $50 or more.

Qualifying purchases can be made at select retail outlets on the grounds of major Disney resorts in North America, including Walt Disney World Resort (Florida), Disneyland Resort (California), Disney’s Beach Resort destinations (various locations), and the Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (Hawaii).

ShopDisney.com Discounts

Use your Disney Premier Visa at ShopDisney.com to get a 10% discount on eligible purchases.

Disney Dining Discounts

This card confers 10% discounts on dining purchases at most restaurants on the grounds of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Exclusive Access to Disney and Star Wars Events at Disney Resorts and Stores

Cardholders are entitled to visit cardholder-only locations reserved for meet-and-greets with popular Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse and Anna from “Frozen.” These locations are located on the grounds of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Cardholders are also entitled to admission to exclusive events at Disney store locations.

VIP Theatrical Performance Admission

Cardholders get VIP treatment at popular Disney Broadway performances, including “Aladdin” and “The Lion King.” VIP vouchers entitled playgoers to complimentary drinks, keepsake photographs, and preferred seating.

Choice of Card Faces

The Disney Premier Visa Card has many faces: 10, to be exact. You can choose from such colorful card designs as Yoda, Darth Vader, “Sorcerer Mickey,” “Pixie Dust,” and more.

Special Financing on Disney Vacation Packages and Real Estate Purchases

The Disney Premier Visa Card has a rolling introductory financing promotion that waives interest on purchases of ownership interests (including timeshares) in Disney resort real estate and of select Disney vacation packages for 6 months from the date of purchase. Once the 6-month mark passes, these purchases accrue interest at the regular purchase APR, which is subject to variation with prevailing interest rates.

Important Fees

This card has a $49 annual fee and a 3% foreign transaction fee. Cash advances cost the greater of $10 or 3% of the advanced amount, while balance transfers cost the greater of $5 or 3% of the transferred amount. Late payments cost up to $35, and returned payments cost up to $29.

Credit Required

The Disney Premier Visa Card requires good to excellent credit. Applicants with uneven credit histories may not qualify for this card.

Advantages of the Disney Premier Visa Card

The Disney Premier Visa Card’s top advantages include tremendous Disney perks, a good rewards program with flexible redemption options, and an impressive sign-up bonus.

• Tons of Disney Perks. For Disney fans, the most important thing this card has going for it is its wide, wide selection of Disney-related perks. These include exclusive meet-and-greet and event access at Disney properties, VIP theatrical performance packages, special financing options at Disney vacation packages, the ability to redeem rewards on virtually any Disney-branded purchase, the ability to redeem on Disney vacation purchases, 10% discounts on larger purchases at Disney resort properties, and 10% discounts on dining and recreation at Disney resorts. If you’re a Disney fanatic, or have one in your family, this card can go a long way toward reducing the cost of your (or your loved one’s) hobby.
• Solid Point Earnings in Popular Spending Categories. The Disney Premier Visa Card earns unlimited 2% back in several popular spending categories: grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants. That’s an unusually broad 2% tier, and is likely to play favorably to the spending habits of millions of American consumers.
• Points Can Be Redeemed for Airfare. This card’s points can be redeemed for statement credits against general airfare purchases, even if they don’t take you to or from a Disney destination. If your travel patterns don’t exclusively involve Disney resort properties, this is a nice perk that greatly adds to the card’s flexibility – and, if you’re not the biggest Disney-lover in your family, this perk gives you a reason to keep this card around anyway.
• Very Good Sign-up Bonus. This card’s sign-up bonus is worth $300 on $1,000 in eligible spending during the first 3 months. That’s a very good bonus that can go a long way toward offsetting spending on Disney merchandise, vacation, or experience purchases – preferably those already planned by the cardholder – or anything else you deem worthy of your hard-earned dollars.
• No Blackout Dates on Vacation Redemptions. The Disney Premier Visa Card imposes no blackout dates on vacation redemptions, so you don’t have to worry about working your travel dates around a potentially arbitrary schedule. This is a hugely convenient perk that’s really handy when viewed against the perennially high demand for resort lodging, theme park admission, cruises, and other Disney-branded vacation experiences.

Disadvantages of the Disney Premier Visa Card

The Disney Premier Visa Card does have some important limitations, including an annual fee, limitations on cash redemptions, and more.

• Has an Annual Fee. The Disney Premier Visa Card charges a $49 annual fee. While that’s not excessive as annual fees go, it definitely cuts into the card’s earning power. For frugal cardholders who don’t spend enough to offset the recurring charge, it could well be a deal-breaker.
• Can’t Redeem for Actual Cash. The Disney Premier Visa Card has an inflexible rewards program that doesn’t permit cash redemptions. That’s a major disadvantage relative to general-purpose cash back credit cards such as Chase Freedom and BankAmericard Cash Rewards, whose cash redemptions can be used however cardholders wish.
• Special Financing Promotion Is Restrictive. The Disney Premier Visa Card’s financing promotion is somewhat unusual in the rewards credit card universe. Rather than waive interest on all purchases or balance transfers for a set length of time following account opening, it simply offers 0% interest for 6 months following the purchase of select Disney vacation packages or real estate interests. In other words, it’s a rolling, always-present financing promotion designed to entice cardholders to buy expensive Disney-branded experiences and housing on or near Disney resorts. If those sorts of purchases don’t fit within your budget, this promotion should not be enough to convince you otherwise. And, if you seek a credit card that legitimately reduces your interest expenses on all purchases or balance transfers, you need to look for another card entirely.
• Has a Foreign Transaction Fee. This card’s 3% foreign transaction fee is a big drawback for cardholders who regularly travel abroad, whether in search of Disney experiences or not. By contrast, most true travel rewards credit cards waive foreign transaction fees, allowing users to maximize their earnings abroad.

Final Word

For many American consumers, traveling to a Disney resort is the vacation of a lifetime – not because there’s anything inherently magical about the experience (though many would argue that point), but because of the eye-popping costs involved. To pull off a Disney vacation, your budget needs to include airfare or road travel, food, lodging, and theme park admission, not to mention the special experiences or Disney-branded merchandise likely to entice you once you’re on the resort grounds or cruise ship.

While the Disney® Premier Visa® Card has a truly impressive lineup of perks designed to pique Disney enthusiasts’ interest, its most attractive enticements require cardholders to shell out substantial sums upfront. If you’re protective of your personal budget, you’re better off resisting the temptation entirely, no matter how difficult that may seem.