Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.

If you’re looking for the most affordable way to go to Disney World, Disneyland or on a Disney Cruise, you might be asking yourself if Disney’s credit card offerings — the Disney® Visa® Card and the Disney® Premier Visa® Card — are decent options.

Both cards earn Disney Rewards Dollars that you can use to pay for most things Disney, including trips to the parks or a cruise. And, after all, anything that makes a Disney trip more affordable can be a very good thing to consider.

But the answer to whether or not the cards are worth it is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. We’ll break down how the cards work and when they are — and aren’t — worth getting in anticipation of an upcoming Disney vacation.

Disney Visa card welcome offers

The Disney Visa is an entry-level product with no annual fee. New cardholders can earn a $200 statement credit after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

The Disney Premier Visa has a $49 annual fee, but new cardholders can earn a $400 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Both cards are issued by Chase and thus are subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule.

Though these statement credits sweeten the pot, several credit cards have welcome bonuses worth $1,000 or more.

Just as an example of what else is out there, new Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, they’ll receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in the first cardholder year.

Meanwhile, new Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

While a few hundred dollars in statement credits toward a Disney vacation can be a great way to offset the cost of the trip, it’s good to compare to the value of other cards to ensure you get one that best suits your financial and travel needs.

Disney Visa card rewards

Now that we’ve discussed the bonuses, let’s take a look at earning rates. The Disney credit cards earn rewards at different rates.

The no-annual-fee Disney Visa earns a simple 1% on all card purchases in the form of Disney Rewards Dollars you can use at Disney.

The Disney Premier Visa, meanwhile, earns 5% on card purchases made directly at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or ESPNPlus.com, 2% on purchases at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and most Disney U.S. locations and 1% everywhere else. Like the base Disney Visa, the Disney Premier Visa earns Disney Rewards Dollars.

Disney Rewards Dollars are extremely limited. The Disney Rewards Dollars you earn on either card can be redeemed toward Disney purchases. With the Disney Premier Visa, you can also redeem your dollars for a statement credit toward airline purchases made directly with the airline. That said, it’s likely that there are still better options out there for you.

Earning up to 5% back in Disney Rewards Dollars in some spending categories isn’t bad, but just for perspective, there are many credit cards out there that provide a better return for everyday spending than either of the Disney cards.

For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards card earns at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, albeit for a higher annual fee of $95. Some credit cards award between 3 and 5 points per dollar at places like grocery stores and gas stations. The rewards these cards earn are often transferable to airline and hotel partners, giving you great value.

In other words, you can do much better than earning Disney Reward Dollars.

Related: The best 2% cash-back credit cards 

Disney Visa card perks

The unique perks are where the Disney Visa products get more interesting for those looking to vacation with Mickey Mouse.

First, on eligible dates at Disneyland and Disney World, you can save 10% on some Disney merchandise purchases and 10% on select dining locations. Some eligible spots include Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom, Rose & Crown Dining Room (lunch only) at Epcot, Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Village Resort, the Hollywood Brown Derby at Hollywood Studios and Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian at Disneyland (I highly recommend the breakfast with characters at Storytellers).

Plus, Disney cardmembers also get some exclusive photo opportunities and special financing for select Disney vacation packages.

Related: Is Disney Cruise Line concierge level worth it? We tested it to find out

Why the Disney debit card may be better

At TPG, we aren’t huge fans of using debit cards for everyday purchases, as you typically don’t earn rewards or have the same level of built-in protections as with credit cards. That said, the Disney® Visa® Debit Card may make sense if you’re mainly interested in the Disney perks that come with having the card.

Having the debit card won’t count against your Chase 5/24 status and carries no annual fee. However, you will need a Chase checking account to access this debit card option.

The Disney debit card doesn’t earn rewards (so there’s no need to really use it much), but it gets you access to many of the same photo ops and discounts as the Disney Visa credit cards. This is a way to get the perks but avoid fees or using a 5/24 slot on a Disney credit card.

The information for the Disney Visa Debit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: 4 reasons why you shouldn’t use your debit card (except at ATMs)

Why the Disney Visa cards aren’t always the best choice

I’m a bit of a Disney fanatic, so I get the appeal of having one of these Disney cards — they’re cute, too, with the different available Disney design options. If the built-in perks — the in-park character photo ops and available discounts — sound intriguing, then a Disney Visa might be right for you since those are perks not really replicated on other cards.

If you spend a lot on Disney dining and some out-of-park experiences, saving 10% on those charges can add up for frequent Disney visitors.

However, if your main goal is to get a rewards-earning card that will rack up points or miles you can use toward a Disney vacation, you can probably do better. Many other cards have better welcome bonuses and earning rates than the Disney cards.

If you spend a lot of money at Disney and want to earn as many points or as much cash back as possible on these expenses, the Disney Premier Visa could be a good choice.

Related: How to use points to buy Disney tickets

Bottom line

The Disney Visa credit cards are fun rewards choices for fans of all things Disney. However, the cards are far from slam dunks for Disney enthusiasts looking to earn or use rewards for a Disney vacation in all situations.

In terms of rewards, Disney cards are better than paying for things with cash or debit cards, but they often aren’t the absolute best credit cards on the market if your goal is to use points for your next Disney trip.

Instead, read our guide to the best credit cards for Disney vacations to save the most money and earn maximum points on your next Disney vacation.

For a deeper dive into the Disney cards, check out our full reviews of the Disney Premier Visa and Disney Visa.

Apply here: Disney Visa Card
Apply here: Disney Premier Visa Card