Disney Premier Visa Card review: Full details
Disney Premier Visa Card overview
The Disney® Premier Visa® Card makes sense only for Disney superfans who don’t mind uber-limited redemption options and can make use of all the Disney-related perks. At $49 annually, the Premier offers more than the no-annual-fee Disney® Visa® Card but is still hamstrung by earning “Disney Rewards Dollars” instead of cash back. You can get value from the card and capitalize on its perks, but only if you’re a real Disney head. Card rating*: ⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
While it offers some value, the Disney Premier Visa Card still only makes sense for hardcore Disney enthusiasts, thanks to its limited redemption options.
Instead of points, miles or cash back, this card earns “Disney Reward Dollars,” greatly limiting your redemption options and making the card viable only for those who spend a lot at Disney annually. TPG recommends that you have a credit score of around 670 to increase your chances of approval.
Let’s take a closer look at the Disney Premier to see if it makes sense for you.
Disney Premier pros and cons
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Disney Premier welcome offer
With the Disney Premier, you’ll earn a $400 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
That’s a decent return for a spending requirement of just $1,000. Note that this offer is only available if you don’t have the Disney Premier and haven’t received a welcome bonus on the card in the past 24 months.
Disney Premier benefits
The Disney Premier card does offer reasonable perks for Disney loyalists, including the fun option of choosing from over 12 card designs.
First, subscribers can earn back up to $14.99 each month, up to 3 consecutive months in statement credits on qualifying Disney Bundle purchases. This includes qualifying subscriptions, or add-ons purchased directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com that total $14.99 or more, according to the Disney Rewards website.
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In short, you can get around $45 back on your Disney+, Hulu or ESPN+ subscriptions.
In line with several other Chase offerings, the Disney Premier comes with one year of complimentary DashPass, a membership for both DoorDash and Caviar that provides unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible orders — probably the card’s most useful perk for non-Disney fans.
However, this offer isn’t exclusive to the Disney Premier, as you can get this with other Chase cards as well.
The top perk is the card’s discount of 10% off select credit card purchases at DisneyStore.com. You’ll also get 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations at Disneyland, at Disney World and aboard Disney cruises. You’ll get the same discount at select dining locations in Disneyland and Disney World.
Then there’s the 15% off the non-discounted price of select guided tours at Disneyland and Disney World when you use your card, plus the option to pose for special photos at private cardmember locations — all of which can be handy if you spend a ton at Disney, but not really outside of that.
Cardholders also receive a 20% discount on their first year of an Annual Marvel Unlimited subscription, which includes digital access to over 30,000 Marvel comics.
Finally, the Disney Premier offers helpful protections like baggage delay insurance, credit card purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
Earning rewards on the Disney Premier
With the Disney Premier, you’ll earn 5% Disney Rewards Dollars (more on this reward currency below) back on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com; 2% back on card purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney U.S. locations; and 1% back on everything else.
Those return rates are not significant unless you regularly spend a lot at Disney locations and online shops. A 5% return on Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ is nice but unlikely to provide much value outside of your regular subscription to those services.
Redeeming rewards on the Disney Premier
Instead of cash back, this card earns Disney Rewards Dollars, greatly limiting your redemption options and making the card viable only for Disney superfans.
Per the card landing page, Disney Rewards Dollars can be redeemed toward “most anything Disney at most Disney locations, including Disney shopping, movies, Theme Park tickets, Resort stays, dining and more in the U.S.”
If you just want travel rewards like TPG editor Emily Thompson, you can also redeem Disney Rewards Dollars for a statement credit toward airline travel. Just purchase tickets on any airline with your card and then redeem your rewards for a statement credit.
Per the card landing page, these redemptions must be made with the card within 90 days before the redemption request date.
Which cards compete with the Disney Premier?
When it comes to spending at Disney, the Premier is a good bet. Outside of that, though, consider these alternatives:
- If you don’t want an annual fee: The no-annual-fee Disney® Visa® Card has a much lower earnings rate — a simple 1% back in Disney Rewards Dollars on all card purchases — but you’ll still get 10% off most of your Disney purchases. For more information, read our full review of the Disney Visa.
- If you want a popular travel rewards card: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers 5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠ and Lyft purchases; 3 points per dollar spent on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target®, Walmart® and wholesale clubs); 2 points per dollar spent on all other travel purchases; and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else. It’s a much more versatile all-around card than the Disney Premier, offering the same free year of DashPass (when you register by December 31, 2027), plus tons of other perks. For more information, read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred.
- If you want simplified rewards: The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) offers 2% earnings on all purchases — 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off — and is one of the most straightforward cash-back cards out there. If you want easy rewards for no annual fee, this card is a great choice. For more information, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best travel cards.
Read more: Everything you need to know about visiting Walt Disney World Resort
Bottom line
Even with the affordable $49 annual fee, the Disney Premier won’t make much sense for you unless you’re a frequent park guest and spend a lot while visiting Disney parks.
A general travel card is much better; for that reason, those who aren’t Disney superfans would be better off choosing one of the alternatives listed above.
Apply here: Disney Premier Card
