Disney® Visa® Card Review

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

The Disney® Visa® Card is a rewards credit card with no annual fee and a modest and somewhat unusual cash-back rewards program that favors enthusiastic Disney fans. It’s decidedly not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth getting if your idea of a good time is a Disney-branded adventure.

Full disclosure: That’s not me. But in this review, I’ll look at the Disney Visa Card through the eyes of a true Disney fan (and I know a few).

Here’s what I see.

What Is the Disney Visa Card?

The Disney Rewards Visa is a no-annual-fee rewards credit card built for loyal Disney fans.

It earns unlimited 1% back on all purchases. Rewards accrue as Disney Rewards Dollars, a special loyalty currency with a fixed redemption value of $0.01 per point. Rewards can be redeemed for a wide range of Disney-branded purchases, including merchandise, theme park admission, resort lodging, and more. However, they’re not as good as cash, as they can’t be redeemed for statement credits, bank account deposits, or credits against airfare.

The Disney Visa Card also offers a slew of discounts and VIP perks for Disney loyalists. These include discounts on merchandise, theme park tours, and dining, as well as special financing on Disney vacation packages and interests in resort real estate, such as timeshares.

This card is definitely not for everyone. But if you or someone in your family is a Disney fan who wears their loyalty on their sleeve (and in their wallet), it’s definitely worth a closer look.

What Sets the Disney Visa Card Apart?

You don’t have to look hard to spot the Disney Visa Card’s quirks. In a sense, this card’s very existence sets it apart. But there are three specific notables worth mentioning before we go any further:

• 0% APR Financing on Disney Vacation Packages. This card offers 0% APR financing for 6 months on eligible Disney vacation package purchases. Said purchases aren’t cheap, obviously, so this can go a long way if you’d prefer not to drain your savings to cover them.
• Tons of Discounts on Disney Merch and Experiences. You can save up to 15% on eligible Disney purchases with this card, on top of the 1% rewards rate on all eligible purchases. Don’t forget to bring your Disney Visa on your next Disney vacation.
• Inflexible Reward Currency. This is a negative distinction, it should be said. Disney Rewards Dollars can be redeemed for just about anything Disney-related, but not cash. Which is a major drawback in comparison to more flexible rewards credit cards (which is most of them).

Key Features of the Disney Visa Card

Still with us? Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision about whether to apply for the Disney Visa Card.

Sign-up Bonus

You’ll receive a $150 statement credit when you open your credit card account and make at least $500 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months.

Earning Disney Rewards

All purchases made with this card earn an unlimited 1% back. Rewards take the form of Disney Rewards Dollars — a special type of loyalty currency with a fixed redemption value of $0.01 per point.

Redeeming Disney Rewards

Your Disney Rewards Dollars can be redeemed for a wide range of Disney-branded purchases, including clothing, DVDs, toys, movie tickets, Disney theme park tickets, Disney resort lodging, Disney restaurant dining, and more. They can’t be redeemed for cash, non-Disney merchandise, travel, or anything else.

Disney and Star Wars Merchandise Discounts

Separately from the Disney Rewards Dollars system, this card offers a 10% discount on retail merchandise purchases worth $50 or more at select retailers on the grounds of Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disney’s Beach Resort destinations, and the Aulani Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii.

Disney Dining Discounts

Cardholders also get 10% discounts on dining purchases at select restaurants on the grounds of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort.

Disney Tour Discounts

Cardholders get 15% off the full, non-discounted price of select tour experiences at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. These vary by location but can be quite pricey regardless.

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

Cardholders have exclusive access to cardholder-only locations reserved for meet-and-greets and photo opportunities with popular Disney characters. These locations can be found on the grounds of Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Choice of Card Faces

You can choose from one of 10 available card designs. Options include “Sorcerer Mickey,” Star Wars droids, Yoda, Darth Vader, “Pixie Dust,” and more.

Special Financing on Disney Vacation Packages and Real Estate Purchases

The Disney Visa Card comes with a somewhat unorthodox financing promotion that waives interest on purchases of select Disney vacation packages and ownership interests in Disney resort real estate for 6 months from the date of purchase. Following the 6-month mark, such purchases accrue interest at the regular purchase rate, which varies according to prevailing interest rates.

Important Fees

This card has no annual fee, but there is a 3% foreign transaction fee. 

Credit Required

This card requires good to excellent credit. If you have any notable blemishes in your credit history, your application may be in jeopardy.

Advantages of the Disney Visa Card

The Disney Visa Card is a great choice for serious Disney fans. here’s why.

• No Annual Fee. The Disney Visa Card has no annual fee. That’s great news for frugal cardholders who can’t afford to pay a recurring levy just to keep this card in their wallets, and who don’t earn rewards quickly enough to offset a potential annual fee in any case.
• Tons of Disney Perks. Aside from the lack of an annual fee, the single biggest reason to keep this card in your wallet is probably to take advantage of the extensive lineup of Disney-related perks. These include the ability to redeem rewards on virtually any Disney-branded purchase, the ability to redeem on Disney vacation purchases, access to exclusive photo locations at Disney properties, 10% discounts on larger purchases at Disney resort properties, 10% discounts on dining at Disney resorts, 15% discounts on eligible Disney resort tours, and special financing options at Disney vacation packages. If you or a close family member love Disney and want a credit card that reduces the cost of indulging your hobby, the Disney Rewards Visa Card is for you.
• Good Sign-up Bonus. This card’s sign-up bonus is worth $150 toward Disney purchases. That’s nothing to sneeze at, especially for a no-annual-fee credit card. The only real drawback is that it’s only useful for Disney purchases, given the limitations of Disney’s loyalty currency.

Disadvantages of the Disney Visa Card

The Disney Visa Card isn’t just an oddball credit card. It’s actively not good for many would-be users. Here’s why.

• Can’t Redeem for Actual Cash. The biggest drawback of the Disney Visa Card is probably the inflexibility of its rewards program. You can’t redeem rewards earned with this card for straight cash or statement credits – a key disadvantage relative to general-purpose cash back credit cards such as Discover it and Chase Freedom Unlimited. You also can’t redeem rewards earned with this card for travel discounts. That’s a disadvantage relative to the more generous Disney Premier Visa Card, which allows airfare redemptions.
• Mediocre Rewards Rate. Though there’s no limit to how much you can earn, this card only earns 1% back on purchases. That’s a sub-par rewards rate that many cash back credit cards exceed by a substantial margin – for example, the Citi Double Cash Card earns 2% back on all purchases, while the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns a flat 1.5% back on all purchases. If your priority is finding a card that maximizes your rewards-earning power, regardless of what your rewards can be redeemed for, you need to look for a broader-based rewards credit card.
• Special Financing Promotion Is Severely Limited. The Disney Visa Card has an unusual APR promotion that offers 0% interest for 6 months following the purchase of select Disney vacation packages or real estate interests, including condos and timeshares. Basically, this is a rolling financing promotion that encourages cardholders to buy expensive Disney-branded experiences and real estate on or near Disney resorts. All other purchases and balance transfers carry the regular interest rate of 16.24%, and there’s no across-the-board introductory 0% APR promotion.
• Has a Foreign Transaction Fee. This card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, which is bad news for cardholders who regularly travel abroad. Many travel rewards cards waive foreign transaction fees, allowing users to maximize their earning rate no matter where they are.

How the Disney Visa Card Stacks Up

Before you apply for the Disney Visa Card, take a moment to compare it against its more generous cousin: the Disney Premier Visa Card.

Final Word

Visiting a Disney resort is not cheap. If you’re planning a Disney vacation, you need to budget for airfare or road travel, lodging, food, and theme park and attraction admission – all before you spend a dime on Disney-branded merchandise or the myriad special experiences likely to call your name.

It’s inarguable that the Disney® Visa® Card has an excellent lineup of valuable perks for Disney enthusiasts, including discounts on merchandise purchases and special financing for spendy vacation packages. Just remember that most of these perks require you to spend money. From a purely financial perspective, you’d be better off avoiding them completely – though that’s easier said than done when the magic of Disney beckons.