Disney has added a new credit card to their preexisting offers. The Disney Inspire Visa Card joins the Premier and (standard) Disney Visa in the lineup. This newest offering will be the top-tier in the lineup, having a higher annual fee but offering more rewards. In this post, we’ll share the details of the new card before adding our commentary on whether the Inspire Card is worth getting.

I’m sure I’ve lost some of you already, as credit cards can still have a negative connotation. Melissa and I use credit cards often to rake in rewards and make travel far more affordable. Honestly, we should be doing it more. While we do that, we’ve never had credit cards collect interest and we’ve paid them off every month. This is how we encourage people to use them and if you don’t think you’d be able to pay them off monthly without collecting debt, then we don’t recommend you apply for any.

But credit cards have played a huge role in the amount we’ve been able to travel over the years, especially early on in our marriage. Reward bonuses paid for many flights along the way and high-end credit cards are more en vogue than ever. With that in mind, it’s not a surprise to see Disney wade into those waters. Frankly, there’s another market to be tapped here with an even higher annual fee and better rewards but that’s a post for another day.

Here are the details on the Disney Inspire Visa Card benefits:

• Exclusive annual benefits:
  • 200 Disney Rewards Dollars after spending $2,000 per anniversary year on U.S. Disney Resort stays and Disney Cruise Line bookings
  • $100 statement credit after spending $200 per anniversary year on U.S. Disney Theme Park Tickets
  • Up to $120 annual credit on Disney+, Hulu, and Plus.ESPN.com purchases. Yearly activation required
• Ways to earn Disney Rewards Dollars:
  • 10% at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, and PlusESPN.com
  • 3% at most other U.S. Disney locations and gas stations
  • 2% at grocery stores and restaurants
  • 1% on all other card purchases

Disney Rewards Dollars can be used on:

• Disney Theme Park Tickets, resort stays, shopping, and dining in the U.S.
• Disney Cruise Line packages, onboard activities, and souvenirs
• Purchases at DisneyStore.com
• The latest Disney movies at AMC Theatres
• Airline purchases using Pay Yourself Back® for statement credits

This top tier Disney card will have a $149 annual fee. Along with the annual benefits, the launch offer includes $300 Disney Gift Card eGift for new Cardmembers upon approval and a $300 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Disney Inspire Visa Cardmembers can choose from five exclusive card designs, featuring beloved characters such as Mickey Mouse and Stitch. Cardmembers will also have the option to choose from 11 additional designs that are available to Disney Visa and Disney Premier Visa Cardmembers.

“We’re proud to provide Disney fans with valuable rewards and benefits that enhance their experiences, whether they’re streaming Disney content, visiting the parks, or planning future vacations,” said Chris Cracchiolo, President of Co-Brand Credit Cards at Chase. “Our collaboration with Disney enables us to deliver meaningful solutions and added value to our Cardmembers, and we appreciate the opportunity to work alongside such an iconic company.”

“We’re thrilled to debut the Disney Inspire Visa Card so Cardmembers can create even more magical Disney memories,” said Cathy Cline, Senior Vice President of Corporate Alliances and Consumer Financial Services at The Walt Disney Company. “From exclusive card designs, to more ways to earn Disney Rewards Dollars, this card is sure to be a Disney fan’s go-to card in their wallet.”

Additional Disney Inspire Visa Cardmember benefits include:

• 0% promotional APR for 6 months on select Disney vacation packages
• 10% off select purchases at DisneyStore.com
• Cardmember-exclusive character photo opportunities at the Walt Disney World® Resort and the Disneyland® Resort
• 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
• Pay Yourself Back® to redeem Disney Rewards Dollars for a statement credit on qualifying Disney and airline purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

Commentary

In terms of travel credit cards, Disney’s existing ones weren’t very strong. Both the Premier Visa and Standard Disney Visa offered some okay sign up bonuses but after that were hardly worth using in terms of rewards, relative to the competition. With the standard card, there was virtually no risk since there was no annual fee. But there are other cards out there with no annual fee that gave better travel options. The same was true with the Premier Visa.

With that in mind, I had low expectations for whatever the Disney Inspire Visa Card would offer. Those expectations were easily surpassed with this announcement. While the higher $149 annual fee will scare some people away, some quick math will show that it’s easy to surpass.

The card is essentially offering $420 in annual credits – $10/month for streaming + $200 Disney Rewards Dollars (after spending $2,000 the previous year) + $100 theme park ticket credit (if you spend $200 on theme park tickets per year). Assuming you use those credits, the profit of the card will be $270 each year. Not bad! You’ll also have 3% back on gas and Disney locations, which matches most high end travel cards.

Before we go farther, I want to clarify that the Disney Inspire Visa Card is not a very good travel credit card. You can find much better ones for regular flights and hotel stays. Where it does succeed is in theme park travel. If you go to Disneyland and/or Walt Disney World once per year then this card will pay for itself in no time. This gets even better if you remember to use your streaming credits.

The bonus is another benefit. Getting $600 Disney related dollars with a fairly low spending threshold is a nice score and goes a long way in buying tickets or paying for food in the parks. We haven’t used our Disney Credit Card in years and I wasn’t expecting that this would appeal enough to me to apply but the details were strong with this one and I’m signing up now!

If you’re a serious traveler that likes theme parks then the Disney Inspire Visa Card will be a good secondary addition to your wallet. Find a way to make the annual spending thresholds and this will easily pay for itself. If you’re looking for a primary travel credit card, I’d caution against making this one your go to. There are better deals out there. If you’re interested in a post specifically about our favorite travel cards, then let us know. For now, I’m happy to see Disney has added an interesting option and would love to see them add another tier above this!

What do you think of the new Disney Inspire Visa Credit Card? Leave a comment or question below. Planning a trip to a Disney Park? Check out all of our Planning Guides to help you along the way. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!