Yo, This New Disney Credit Card Doesn’t Suck

Chase Disney Inspire Visa

My wife and I don’t plan on ever receiving another new card approval from Chase.  We don’t plan on applying, anyway.  That’s by design.  But in an alternate universe where the most draconian of all bank application rules doesn’t exist, we could easily make time for the new Chase Disney Inspire Visa.  DDG initially described this card last week, but as a Disney Parks fan, I’m jumping in with my take on this fresh product.  Unsurprisingly, I won’t be changing my strategy in order to obtain this card.  But it provides a considerable amount to prompt others to do so.

A Remarkable Return on the Welcome Offer

New cardholders can earn a $300 Disney e-gift card at approval and a $300 statement credit after spending $1k within the first three months from account opening.  Taking these goodies into account with ongoing earning in an easy 3% category on the way to hitting the $1k threshold, that’s easily up to 63% return before using the card with Disney.

Of course, some may not value that $300 Disney gift card at 100%, since it’s fairly easy to obtain a 5% discount – at a minimum – buying them elsewhere.  And, of course, gift cards like this aren’t truly cash, either.  But the people who don’t substantially value such a gift card probably aren’t big Disney fans, anyway.  This card isn’t for them.  But for this card’s target audience – Disney fans – the welcome offer return is remarkable.  I’d conservatively consider it a 50% return for Disney fans, at a minimum.  Cash back cards generally don’t come near that for the minimum spend requirement.  And for Disney fans, this card’s welcome offer is the next best thing to all cash.

Of course, remember that the $149 annual fee isn’t waived for the first cardmember year, so ensure to incorporate that into your calculations.  But the card comes with several credits which cardholders can trigger to subsidize the annual fee.

A Trio of Credits

The Chase Disney Inspire offers $120 in streaming credits, doled out in $10 monthly increments, for Disney+, Hulu, or ESPN+.  While Amex Platinum cardholders can trigger a $25 monthly credit which includes these services, that card’s annual fee is about $750 more.  That’s an expensive product which doesn’t align with many Disney fans.  These people can easily save $120 on services where they already subscribe.

Another simple credit to trigger is the $100 Disney Theme Park Tickets Credit.  It’s exactly what you think it is.  After spending $200 on park tickets each anniversary year (sadly, very easy to do, amirite), a cardholder picks up the $100 statement credit.

The third one isn’t exactly a credit rebating existing spend, but it’s worth considering for some.  A cardholder who spends a minimum of $2k on Disney Resort stays and Cruise Line bookings in an anniversary year obtains 200 Disney Rewards Dollars.  Many use other strategies for discounting Disney travel which doesn’t entail Chase Disney cards, so this benefit isn’t as useful to them.  But Chase Disney Inspire cardholders focused on savings and simplicity can pick up 200 more to spend by using the card.  And speaking of that, let’s take a look at reward earnings for ongoing card spend.

Chase Disney Inspire Spending Categories

Cardholders earn Disney Reward Dollars at the following rates in these categories:

• 10% at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, and Plus.ESPN.com
• 3% at most other U.S. Disney locations and gas stations
• 2% at grocery stores and restaurants
• 1% on all other card purchases

While that 10% category is for a relatively insignificant amount spend, cardholders picking up some rewards here is compatible since they’ll probably be using the card to trigger monthly $10 credit above, anyway.  Barring any granularity in the terms (I didn’t see specifics), it’s uncertain if that 10% only applies to the amount beyond the credit or also includes it.

Earning 3% at U.S. Disney locations isn’t terrible if a cardholder doesn’t want to mess with discounted Disney gift cards or other cards’ categories.  Most individuals can easily do better than 3% at gas stations and 2% at grocery stores and restaurants.  But adding card-linked Chase offers which stack with these categories can definitely make sense for spend.  Avoid card spend anywhere else, as the earn rate is a mere 1%.

Discounts!

If that’s not enough, the Chase Disney Visa comes with interesting discounts at a variety of outlets:

• 10% off select purchases at DisneyStore.com
• 10% off select merchandise purchases at select locations at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Disneyland® Resort
• 10% off select dining locations most days at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Disneyland® Resort
• 15% off the non-discounted price of select guided tours at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Disneyland® Resort
• 10% off the non-discounted price of select recreation experiences at Walt Disney World® Resort
• Savings aboard Disney Cruise Line for select onboard purchases

First off, I’m interested to see what is defined as “select” here, as that wording is used on each discount.  But perhaps I’m overthinking it.  Broadly interpreted, these discounts can provide considerable value, particularly to those who (again) don’t want to mess with other discounting methods such as gift cards.  Even if there’s a stricter definition of “select,” I expect to see noteworthy value here under the right circumstances.

Perhaps the optimal scenario is for Disney Park passholders.  These discounts theoretically stack with the existing discounts passholders receive, including dining, merch, tours, and recreation.

Conclusion

Those are the primary features of the Chase Disney Inspire Visa.  The card also comes with Disney Park photo opportunities (I expect similar to other Disney credit and debit cards) and Pay Yourself Back opportunities with Disney Rewards Dollars.  By 2026 standards, I feel the Chase Disney Inspire provides a remarkable set of benefits for its modest $149 annual fee.  From a new application perspective, I think fans should forget the other two Disney cards.  Anyone interested in discounting Disney with a Chase card right now should apply for the Inspire’s attractive welcome offer.  Many can justify holding it beyond cardmember year one, too, based on the above benefits.  Others can simply downgrade to the $49 Disney Premier or no-fee card and hopefully preserve the option to upgrade back to the Inspire at their convenience.

I end where I began.  Perhaps the single reason many Disney fans who are “Chase card-eligible” may stay away from their card is the 5/24 rule.  Indeed, based on individual circumstances, many other Chase cards and welcome offers may rank above the Disney Inspire.

Are you pursuing the Chase Disney Inspire Visa?  Beyond the welcome offer, which benefit do you find most attractive?