Pros
- 0% intro APR on purchases
- $400 initial rewards bonus
- Bonus rewards categories
Cons
- Membership fees
- No intro APR on balance transfers
- Balance transfer fee
- Foreign fee
Disney Premier Credit Card
- Earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com. Earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and most Disney locations and 1% on all other card purchases.
Rewards Details
- Earn a $400 Statement Credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com. Earn 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on card purchases at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and most Disney locations and 1% on all other card purchases.
- Redeem Rewards Dollars toward most anything Disney at most Disney locations, including Theme Park tickets, Resort stays, shopping, dining and more. Redeem Disney Rewards Dollars for a statement credit towards airline travel.
- Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Resorts discounts: 10% off select merchandise purchases, at dining locations and aboard Disney Cruise Line ships. 15% off the non-discounted price of guided tours. Terms and conditions apply.
- 10% off select purchases at Disney Store and shopDisney.com.
- You can earn 100 Disney Rewards Dollars for each friend (up to 5) that gets approved for any Disney® Visa® Card.
- Earn back up to $14.99 per month as a statement credit for 3 consecutive months on qualifying subscription payments for The Disney Bundle.
- Get one-year complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders.
Additional Info
- 0% promotional APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages or purchase of a real estate interest, including a Member Add On, in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. Terms Apply.
- Cardmembers get access to exclusive Disney Visa Cardmember events at Disney Store.
- Benefits: Baggage Delay Insurance, Purchase Protection and Extended Warranty Protection.
- There are two versions of this card, a Signature or Platinum account with different costs and/or benefits. All details expressed here are for the Signature account.
- If approved for a Signature account, your credit access line will be at least $5000. If approved for a Platinum account, your credit limit will be at least $500.
- More Details & Reviews About Disney Premier Credit Card
Is the Disney Premier Credit Card Worth It?
The Disney Premier Credit Card is worth it only for hardcore Disney lovers who want to earn as much as possible toward future Disney stays and merchandise. It offers 1 - 5% in disney rewards dollars on purchases, plus a $400 statement credit after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. The card does charge a $49 annual fee, though.
Your other option is the Disney Rewards Credit Card, which has a $0 annual fee. But the Disney Premier Credit Card is better overall, as it could save the average person around $1,235 over the course of two years, according to my calculations. The Disney Rewards Credit Card would get that same person just $880.
With that being said, even the Premier version probably isn’t worthy of an application for anyone but the heaviest Disney spenders, because you won’t be able to spend your rewards on anything that’s not Disney related. Getting a regular travel credit card is probably better for most people.
What You Need to Do to Make the Disney Premier Credit Card Worthwhile
To make the Disney Premier Credit Card worthwhile, you should spend at least $1,000 in the first 3 months in order to earn the $400 initial bonus. That will cover the annual fee for quite a few years, even before you earn any regular rewards.
Disney Rewards Dollars are worth $1 each toward Disney products and experiences. That means if you disregard the initial bonus, you’d have to spend between $900 and $4,500 to break even on the annual fee in a normal year, depending on what you purchase.
You should also pay your credit card bill in full by the due date each month, to avoid accruing interest at the card’s 19.24% - 28.24% (V) APR. This is also true for the Disney Rewards Credit Card, especially since the card offers fewer rewards and therefore will cushion the impact of interest less. It doesn’t charge an annual fee, though.
Disney Premier Credit Card Review Highlights
$400 Initial Bonus
You’re likely going to charge at least $1,000 to your credit card over the next 3 months, as that amounts to just $334 per month. So why not earn $400 in the process? Not having any use for a $400 Disney gift card would be one reason, but I’m pretty sure any Disney fan has that part covered.
Up to 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars
I think the most underrated aspect of the Disney Credit Card is the extent to which it rewards you in important everyday spending categories. More specifically, you will earn the “Rewards Dollar” equivalent of 2% cash back not only on Disney purchases but also on purchases made at gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants.
For the average person — who spends a collective $9,213 in these categories each year, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics — this 2% earning rate would yield about $184 in free Disney goodies annually. And when you factor in the 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on all other purchases — $19,310 per year for the average person — as well as the $49 annual fee, the earnings grow to $328.
Plus, if you use streaming services, the card sweetens the deal with 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases with Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu.
Up To 15% Off Select Disney Purchases
Your Disney Credit Card scores you a 10% discount on “select” purchases of $50 or more (excluding tax and shipping and handling) made at DisneyStore.com and physical Disney Store locations. If you visit Walt Disney World or Disneyland, you can also get 10% off “select” Star Wars merchandise as well as certain recreation and dining options. Plus, you can even score 15% off tours of either park.
For those of you who are concerned about what “select” and “certain” mean, here’s a sampling of the types of purchases and expenses that are excluded from the 10% discount:
Theme park passes | DVDs & Blu-rays | Vinylmation & Playmation items |
Disney INFINITY | CDs | Jim Shore items |
Disney electronics | Video games | Lenox items |
Gift cards/certificates | Books | Olszewski items |
Disney Dollars | Art & collectibles | Enesco busts & figurines |
Precious Moments items | Subscription products | Gift wrap/boxes |
Walt Disney Co. collectible shareholder certificate | Personalization | “Limited Edition” & “Limited Availability” items |
D23 memberships & merchandise | 3-D printed merchandise | Items not in stock or limited in production |
Disney Premier Credit Card Review Lowlights
$49 Annual Fee
The Disney Premier Credit Card’s $49 annual fee isn’t egregious by any means, but it’s not cheap, either, considering that the average credit card charges just $22.29, according to WalletHub’s latest Credit Card Landscape Report.
At the very least, I recommend factoring this cost into your calculations when deciding whether to apply. You might be able to save more with the Disney Rewards Credit Card or a no annual fee card that lacks Disney branding.
3% Foreign-Transaction Fee
While the credit-card market increasingly distances itself from foreign-transaction fees, the Disney Credit Card has not joined the party. Its 3% foreign fee is therefore reason enough not to use it when traveling abroad or making purchases through internationally based merchants.
A lot of people forget about the potential for foreign fees when they’re not physically out of the country, but it is possible to rack up these charges. Plus, Disney has properties outside the U.S.
Redemption Restrictions
Rewards credit cards typically give users a number of options when it comes to redeeming their miles, points or cash-back earnings, some of which may provide more value than others. The Disney Credit Card is a bit different, though. You have to redeem for a Disney Rewards Credit Card (minimum 20 Reward Dollars the first time, 10 thereafter) if you have the Rewards Visa, while Premier cardholders also have the option of a statement credit to pay for airfare to any destination (minimum 50 Reward Dollars).
If you opt for Disney Dollars over an airfare credit, assuming you even have the choice, you can’t just click the button and benefit. Instead, you have to order a Disney Rewards Redemption Card, wait two to three weeks for it to arrive, and load your earnings onto it through your online account. Then you can spend your money.
This is the kind of restriction that would really grind my gears as a cardholder. When I finally have enough rewards to redeem, I don’t want to wait weeks more and jump through hoops before I can cash in. That would definitely add a little darkness to the magical feeling I get from Disney rewards. On that note, you should also be aware that Reward Dollars not loaded onto a card expire 60 billing periods (i.e. five years) after they are earned.
Other Things About the Disney Premier Credit Card to Consider
Limited 0% Financing Offer
Disney merchandise shouldn’t demand financing, except perhaps during the holiday season, but a big family vacation could certainly take a few months to pay down. Perhaps that’s why the Disney Card’s six-month 0% intro deal applies only to Disney vacation packages (and related real estate purchases).
If you’re thinking about taking Disney up on this offer, I suggest using a credit card calculator to ensure that you pay off what you owe by the time regular rates take effect. This will help you maximize your savings.
High Regular APR
The Disney Card’s standard interest rate is 19.24% - 28.24% (V), depending on your overall creditworthiness. For context, the average APR among credit card offers for people with good credit is 24.12% right now.
Given the likelihood of a high interest rate, you should avoid carrying a balance from month to month when using this card. This will allow you to avoid interest charges entirely. I recommend setting up automatic monthly payments for your full statement balance. Just make sure to review your charges each month to confirm there are no issues.
5% (min $5) Balance-Transfer Fee
The Disney Card’s lack of a 0% introductory balance-transfer APR should be enough to discourage you from using this plastic for such a transaction. But if that’s not enough, the presence of an additional 5% (min $5) surcharge should do the trick.
Disney Premier Credit Card vs. the Competition
Mickey Mouse and the rest of the gang aren’t the only game in town as far as entertainment is concerned. And the Disney Credit Card isn’t your only option when it comes to paying for family fun. With that in mind, I recommend comparing the Disney Card to some of its most notable alternatives. Doing so will help you make the best possible decision for both your family and your wallet.
WINNER | ||
---|---|---|
annual fee$0 | annual fee$0 | annual fee$95 |
Purchase Intro APR0% for 6 months | Purchase Intro APR0% for 15 months from account opening | Purchase Intro APRN/A |
transfer intro aprN/A | transfer intro apr0% for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers Transfer Fee: 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5) | transfer intro aprN/A |
Regular APR19.24% - 28.24% (V) | Regular APR20.24% - 29.99% Variable | Regular APR19.99% - 29.99% (V) |
rewards rate
| rewards rate
| rewards rate
|
bonus offer $250 | bonus offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. | bonus offer Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel |
SponsoredApply Now | SponsoredApply Now |
Bear in mind that some of these cards express certain account terms — the regular interest rate, for example — in the form of a range, and the particular terms you qualify for will thus depend on your credit standing. You can check your credit score for free on WalletHub to better estimate your potential terms.
Disney Premier Credit Card Review Methodology
This Disney Premier Credit Card review is based on WalletHub’s proprietary 100-point credit card rating system. By using a consistent methodology to evaluate the Disney Premier Credit Card and all other cards, WalletHub’s credit card experts make it easy for people to compare their options and find the best credit cards for their needs.
The WalletHub rating system uses 16 key metrics grouped into seven categories: Fees, Rewards, Two-year Cost, Interest Rates, Approval Requirements, Special Features, and Reviews. Each metric has a maximum number of points allocated to it, based on the metric’s importance as determined by our editors. The points are added up to create an overall rating for the Disney Premier Credit Card out of a maximum of 100 points, which is then converted to a 5-point scale.
Ratings for each category reflect how close Disney Premier Credit Card is to WalletHub’s definition of a 5-star credit card, which is based on market conditions and what we believe are reasonable terms. We compare Disney Premier Credit Card to that standard to give a numerical approximation of how reasonable and competitive its terms are compared to other cards.
To learn more about how WalletHub rates credit card offers, check out our full credit card review methodology.
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