Disney Credit Card Review

There are two Disney-branded Visa credit cards: the Disney® Visa® Card and the Disney® Premier Visa® Card, both issued by Chase. The former has no annual fee, but the Premier version comes with a few additional perks. Read our Disney credit card review for a rundown of the benefits on each Disney credit card and whether they are smart options for consumers.

This credit card is a good fit for: Diehard Disney fans who spend a lot of money on Disney-related products

Features and benefits

To be honest, this card's perks are a lot less, I don't know, magical than you want from Disney. That said, while it may not be fantastical, this card definitely has some good practical value.

Specifically, the exclusive discounts could be very valuable for the right cardholders, and the welcome bonuses are definitely worth checking out.

The star of the show: Disney discounts and cardholder offers

I'd argue the primary selling point of either card is that you get access to a range of discounts for Disney-related purchases. Here's a rundown:

• 10% off purchases at shopDisney.com
• 10% off select merchandise purchases made with your card at DisneyLand or Walt Disney World Resort
• 10% off select dining locations at Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort (blackout dates apply)
• 15% off the non-discounted price of select guided tours at Disneyland® Resort
• 10% Off Non-discounted Disney Cruise Line Digital Photo Packages
• 10% Off Castaway Cay Getaway Packages in the Bahamas
• 20% Off Select Onboard Spa Treatments for Disney Cruise Lines

There are also cardmember-exclusive "limited-time offers." These can include deals on everything from resort tickets to merchandise. If you have a big trip planned, these discounts could certainly add up.

Keep in mind that you need to make pay for the entire purchase with your eligible Disney credit card (or Disney Rewards Redemption Card). If you're shopping in a park, you'll also need to mention the discount at the time of payment. For cruise perks, your Disney credit card must be your designated form of payment.

A unique perk: Exclusive photo ops

While there's an argument that discounts can improve your trip, they don't directly make for a more magical experience. However, this perk may: exclusive cardmember photo opportunities.

Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts have private cardmember locations where you can meet and pose with popular characters. (Yes, this also includes Star Wars character experiences!)

In fact, these locations are so exclusive, you'll need to show your physical Disney credit card at the door for entry. In addition to access and photos ops, you'll get free digital downloads of your pictures.

An unexpected but welcome bonus: New cardholders can earn up to $400

If you've seen the prices at Disney lately (or within the last 20 years, really), you know it's Expensive (with a capital E). So it's huge that both the Disney® Visa® Card and the Disney® Premier Visa® Card offer unexpectedly awesome welcome bonuses.

• Disney® Visa® Card: Earn $250 in statement credit when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
• Disney® Premier Visa® Card: Earn $400 in statement credit when you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months

These welcome bonuses aren't just good for cobranded cards -- they're simply good. In fact, given the very low spending requirements, these welcome bonuses are downright impressive. They're right up there with some of our top picks. (I'd even argue they're better than some of our top picks thanks to those low requirements.)

LEARN MORE: Best sign-up bonus credit cards

Additionally, I really want to emphasize that these welcome bonuses aren't in Disney Rewards Dollars, which would make them much harder to use. Instead, you get a proper credit card statement credit. That means you can use your welcome bonus for pretty much anything you can put on your card. (More on the drawbacks of Disney Rewards Dollars later.)

Potentially useful, but not the selling point: Disney vacation financing

Now, I want to preface this bit: I don't condone financing a vacation if you can't pay it off right away. I just can't encourage it as a smart move.

That being said, if you're going to do it anyway, definitely do it at 0% APR if you can. Both Disney cards have access to special financing on qualifying Disney vacation packages. This unlocks a 0% APR for six months from the date of purchase. Once the six months are over, the go-to rate will apply.

Note that it specifies packages; you can't simply finance a pair of park tickets. Additionally, your eligible vacation package will need to be:

• Paid for entirely on your Disney credit card, and;
• Booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company (online or through an eligible travel agent)

If your trip doesn't qualify (or six months isn't enough time) you could also consider a regular 0% intro APR card. The best ones give you 15 months or more of zero interest on new purchases.

LEARN MORE: Best 0% intro APR cards

Drawbacks to consider

A lot of these cards' downsides have to do with their unimpressive rewards. The travel limitations could also be an issue for some cardholders.

Dumbo in the room: Not the best cards for earning rewards on Disney purchases

Sure, this card can save you some money on certain Disney purchases thanks to the discounts listed above. But when it comes to earning rewards on your Disney purchases? They're generally subpar.

The regular Disney® Visa® Card is downright sad, earning just 1% Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases. The Disney® Premier Visa® Card is a bit more interesting, earning some bonus rewards:

• 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases made at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or ESPNPlus.com
• 2% in Disney Rewards Dollars on purchases at gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, and eligible U.S. Disney locations
• 1% in Disney Rewards Dollars on other purchases

So, overall, you get the best rewards on…streaming? Yes, streaming. (Though this isn't even the best card for streaming rewards, either.)

But when you use your Disney-branded credit card to buy Disney park tickets? You get just 2% cash back. You could do just as well with an ordinary 2% flat-rate rewards card. And you could do way better with an entertainment rewards card.

LEARN MORE: Best cards for entertainment purchases

And let's not forget all of the other related purchases. Hotels, airfare, rental cars…all of that and more is required for a proper Disney vacation.

Unless you purchase a Disney package that happens to include it all, you probably won't get much of a discount, nor will the purchases likely qualify for bonus rewards. No, you need a travel rewards card for all of that.

LEARN MORE: Best travel rewards credit cards

Adding insult to injury: Rewards are restrictive and overly complicated

Besides being hard to earn, Disney Rewards Dollars are also hard to use.

The first problem is that Disney Rewards Dollars are not the same thing as cash back rewards. Cash back can be used for statement credit to cover pretty much any card purchase. Disney Rewards Dollars -- can't.

Instead, you'll only be able to use them for Disney-related purchases. Each Disney Rewards Dollar can be redeemed for $1 in value toward:

• Eligible purchases at Disney parks and resorts
• Movie tickets for eligible Disney films at AMC theaters
• Eligible items at DisneyStore.com
• Disney Cruise Line packages, souvenirs, and onboard activities

The only non-Disney redemption option is more of a Chase perk, and it's only available to Disney® Premier Visa® Card. Cardmembers can use Pay Yourself Back to redeem Rewards Dollars toward airline purchases made with their Disney® Premier Visa® Card. (This would be kind of a close call, though, since you won't earn any bonus rewards on your flights with this card.)

Even if you're perfectly happy to redeem for Disney purchases, it's not quite that easy. Oh, no. You need to carry a physical Disney Rewards Redemption Card to actually use your rewards.

The Disney Rewards Redemption Card acts as a sort of debit card for your rewards. You're responsible for loading the Redemption Card -- it's not automatic -- which you can only do if you have a minimum of 10 Disney Rewards Dollars saved up from your purchases (it's 20 for your first transfer, however).

A very questionable annual fee: $49 a year for what?

I have little issue with the base-level Disney® Visa® Card on this point, as it has no annual fee. It also has access to the majority of the discounts, so it could be well worth picking up.

The Disney® Premier Visa® Card, on the other hand, has an annual fee. One that I'm not convinced is justified.

As I noted, the no-fee version has all of the same cardholder discounts listed above. The main differences are the rewards -- which, meh? -- and the airfare redemption option (better, but still not worth $49).

LEARN MORE: Best no annual fee credit cards

In my opinion, the only thing that makes the annual fee worth paying is the welcome bonus. You can easily make up the annual fee (and then some) with the larger bonus. I'd probably suggest downgrading the card to the no annual fee version before the second year's fee hits, however.

Sorry, souris: Foreign transaction fees make this bad for travel

If you've a yen to visit the big mouse abroad, make sure to leave your Disney credit cards behind. You won't want to use these cards at the Paris Disneyland -- or any other international Disney properties.

Why? The foreign transaction fees. Both cards charge a painful foreign transaction fee of 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars., which applies to any purchases in a foreign currency or that route through a foreign bank.

Even with the 2% you can earn with the Disney® Premier Visa® Card, you'll be negative 1% after the transaction fees. Of course, that will only apply to gas, grocery, and restaurant purchases -- you only get the 2% back on Disney purchases at U.S. locations anyway.

Folks who plan to travel abroad for a different Disney experience should pick up a proper travel rewards credit card. The best have no foreign transaction fees.

LEARN MORE: Best cards with no foreign transaction fees

You'll likely need at least a good credit score (670 or higher, according to FICO) to get the Disney® Premier Visa® Card. The Disney® Visa® Card is probably easier to qualify for if your credit score isn't as high, and is likely available to those with fair credit or better (580 or higher). There's a lot that goes into approval for a credit card, so having this score doesn't mean you'll automatically be approved, and vice versa.

Read more: Best Credit Cards for Good Credit

You absolutely love Disney, and will take full advantage of the perks the Disney credit cards offer. Both Disney credit cards offer great discounts for frequent Disney shoppers. If you don't spend a lot on Disney-branded purchases and just want to earn rewards on your travel or theme park visits, check out some of our top travel rewards cards instead.

When considering the Disney credit card options, you need to do a little math. Outside of the welcome bonus, we calculate you need to spend at least $2,450 every year to offset the annual fee on the fancier Disney® Premier Visa® Card. So, unless you'll definitely earn the rewards to cover the fee -- or you really, really want the airline statement credit option -- you're better off choosing the no annual fee version.

Keep reading: Best Credit Cards

Our credit card methodology

At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.