Genie+ Changes and April Direct Sales - a podcast by Shannon Ford, Peter Scheidle and the My DVC Points Community

Join Shannon, Pete, and Sue for this week's update. Harmony Shop, Genie+ changes, Eat to the Beat concerts, direct sales for April 2022, and a new DVC retail store on I-Drive in Orlando. Episode 78

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Please note this post has affiliate and personal referral links to credit cards.

Special Guests from the YouTube Credit Card Creator Community

• Anthony Venture - "Providing Value by Helping YOU Achieve Life-Changing Vacations Completely For Free With Credit Card Points & Miles!"





• Chad's Money Minutes - "My mission is to simplify investing and empower you with knowledge for smart financial decisions. Discover budget-friendly travel, credit card strategies, and other personal finance tools for optimizing your financial well-being."

How We Evaluate Reward Cards (Academic Scale: A+ to Fail)

• Earning Power
• Redemption Values





• Ease of Redemption





• Flex / Joy of Use from the Card





• Other Perks





• Lounge Access (Orlando and LA + Home Airports)





• Travel Insurance on Flights and Rental Cars

Chase Offers 3 Co-Branded Cards with Disney

1. Disney Visa Card - No Annual Fee Credit Card:

• https://disneyrewards.com/





• Flat - 1% back everywhere.  Awarded as Disney Dollars.





• 3% Foreign Transaction Fee. Normal for Chase No Annual Fee Card





• Sign Up Bonus - $150 statement credit for $500 spent.





• 0% Financing on Major Disney Purchases and DVC Downpayments

2. Disney Premier Card - $49 Annual Fee:

• https://disneyrewards.com/





• 5% back on Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle of Streaming





• 2% back on Grocery Stores, Gas, Dining, and all things Disney





• 1% back on everything else.





• 3% Foreign Transaction Fee - this is strange for a Chase card with an Annual Fee





• 0% Financing on Major Disney Purchases and DVC Downpayments





• $14.99 a month credit for the first three months of Disney Plus Bundle





• Another redemption method is to charge airfare to the card and pay yourself back.  (However, the card's travel insurance is OK - it’s not a travel card).





• Sign Up Bonus - $300 statement credit for $1000 spent.

3. Chase Disney Visa Debit Card - Free with a Chase Checking Account:

• https://disneydebit.com/





• Available with almost every checking account.





• No additional fees for a Disney debit card





• Other than 0% financing for six months on major Disney purchases, you get all the other perks and benefits.





• This doesn’t impact your credit profile, Chase 5/24 status, or other credit cards.





• $200 sign-up bonus for a New Checking Account with direct deposit and transactions





• Chase ATMs are everywhere at WDW and Disneyland - very accessible.

Earning Rates: C-

• Premier Only
  
  
  
  • 2% back is the max you will earn.  That’s the minimum in my ideal setup.
  
  
  
  
  
  • You must spend $4,900 in 2% categories yearly to make up the annual fee.
  
  
  
  





• 1% back is better than nothing, but that’s still unacceptably low.





• 2% back should be the minimum you accept for all categories. You can get a Citi DoubleCash, Wells Fargo Active Cash or Capital One Venture series to earn 2% on everything.

Redemption Notes: C- 

• Earn Disney Dollars - a currency transferable to a gift card you can use at most Disney locations.  You can buy park tickets, APs, DVC dues, meals, etc.





• There is a $10 minimum transfer amount to the redemption card. This requires at least $1,000 of spending on a Disney Visa or $500 in 2% categories on a Premier card.





• Getting the card in the mail, replacing cards, and transferring the rewards are incredibly annoying compared to any other cash-back card program that gives a statement credit or wires the money to your checking account. However, for most Disney fans, once you have the loaded card, it's as easy to use as a Disney Gift Card on your vacations.





• Redemptions are locked in at one cent per point. We're not opposed to 1 cent per point redemptions. However, the Chase Disney program does not have any opportunities for outsized value. Flexible travel reward cards readily offer 1.5 cents per point or higher. 5-10 cents per point is possible with international business flights.

Flex Factor / Joy of Using the Card: A+

• You can choose from 10 to 12 officially licensed Disney characters on your card. The cards are not exclusive or hard to get but very unique. The Disney cards become talking points with cashiers and customers when they see your Disney character credit card.





• A small dose of Pixie Dust every time you pay—this joy is undeniably incredible for any Disney fan.





• As a Disney fan, the daily joy of using cards with Disney characters must be recognized. However, there are also a lot of emotional benefits that come with using a luxury travel card like the American Express Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Metal cards feel special. Many people love the prestige of using a high-end credit card.

Other Perks: Nice for Disney Park Fans but Easily Replaced

• In-Park Character Meets
  
  
  
  • Chase hosts a Darth Vader meet-and-greet in Disney's Hollywood Studios (inside Star Wars Launch Bay) and Disneyland near the DVC Member Lounge. Darth is one of the absolute best meet-and-greets at Disney.  He’s the ultimate villain character and offers a highly intimidating presence.  It’s awesome.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Chase offers classic character meets in Epcot near the exit of the Figment Ride and Pixar shorts theatre. You'll also find character opportunities in Disney's California Adventure near the classic Hollywood area.
  
  
  
  
  
  • Lines for the Chase meets are usually very small and move quickly - quite often, you’ll be the only person there.
  
  
  
  





• Discounts: The discounts are only helpful if you don’t have Disney Annual Pass or DVC Membership Extra discounts.  When you compare discounts at MousePerks.com, Disney Visa holders only have about 10% of the discounts available to passholders or DVC members. None of the Disney Visa discounts are exclusive.





• Disney Experience Promotions. When you hold a Disney card, you'll get special invites and mailers for Disney on ICE and theater experiences like when Disney Broadway productions are on tour.





• The first three months of Disney+ are free to new Disney Premier Card holders. However, you may get this free from Verizon. Amex Platinum offers $20 monthly streaming credit on Disney+ and other services. Amex Blue Cash Preferred has no annual fee and offers a $7 monthly credit on Disney+. (The bottom line is that this perk has diminished value since so many Disney+ promotions are readily available.)





• The Six Month Interest-free financing is noteworthy.

Chase Disney Visa and Disney Premier Visa A+ Super Power: Six Months No-Interest Financing

Pro: Both credit card versions offer six months of zero percent interest on Disney vacation purchases. Your trip to Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, or even the downpayment on a Disney Vacation Club contract can be financed for six months at zero interest on this card. Some people have the cash but keep it in an interest-bearing savings account for six months. Travel agents love selling vacations and offering this financing. Your DVC guide will promote using a Chase Disney Visa card as well. Using this card, you'll earn 1% or 2% on the vacation purchase AND get six months of no-interest financing. (In most retail transactions, you must choose between no-interest financing OR getting rewards on spend). This is the true superpower of the Disney credit card solution.

Con: For those of us in the credit card rewards space on team travel, we take issue with actually paying for travel. We argue that your other day-to-day spending rewards should ultimately pay for your vacation experiences. You may get six months without interest, but we're using higher earning cards on our day-to-day spending and getting our entire trip paid for with rewards - no financing needed. If you were to pay for your Disney Cruise on a Capital One Venture X, you would earn 2% on the cruise AND be able to redeem your rewards at 1 cent per dollar to cover the cost of the cruise AND enjoy airport lounge access AND have Visa Infinite level travel insurances and coverages. Alternatively, you could earn 1.5 to 5 points per dollar spent in the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem and cash out the points at 1 cent per point to cover your Disney vacation.

Airport Lounge Access:  Fail

• The Disney cards do not offer any lounge access. The card perks are built for people who love Disney Vacations; however, they are not travel cards.





• Orlando International Airport has two priority pass lounges in Terminals A and B and a Plaza Premium lounge in Terminal C. American Express Platinum, Chase Sapphire Reserve, or Capital One Venture X will grant access to these lounges on departing flights. Any travel card offering lounge access to Priority Pass or Plaza Premium lounges will work at Orlando's MCO airport.





• Lounge access gets more complicated when visiting Disneyland due to multiple airport options. We're interested in lounges that aren't limited to a specific airline. We suggest checking the Lounge Buddy app for the most up-to-date information.
  
  
  
  • LAX - American Express has a Centurion Lounge in LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal. Chase Sapphire holders have access to a video game lounge called Gameday.
  
  
  
  
  
  • ONT - Ontario has two Aspire Lounges available to Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X, and Chase Sapphire Reserve card holders.
  
  
  
  
  
  • LGB - Long Beach airport does not have any lounges.
  
  
  
  
  
  • SNA - John Wayne airport only has American and United lounges.
  
  
  
  
  
  • BUR - Hollywood Burbank airport does not have any lounges.
  
  
  
  
  
  • SAN - San Diego has two Aspire Lounges available to Amex Platinum, Capital One Venture X, and Chase Sapphire Reserve card holders.
  
  
  
  

Card Insurances:  Fail

• Disney Visa card offers $500 of return protection. (Chase Sapphire cards offer $1000 to $10,000.





• $100 a day for three days of lost or delayed baggage coverage.





• Up to 1 year of extended warranty for purchases with three years or less from the manufacturer.

Bottom Line - Our Advice:

• If you travel to Disney Parks or Disney Cruise, you are a traveler. You owe it to yourself to investigate the perks and benefits of travel reward credit cards.





• Travel rewards cards have more earning power. 2% back on everything is the absolute minimum you should accept.





• Travel rewards cards have better reward redemption opportunities.





• Travel rewards cards have better travel insurance and purchase protection coverage.





• Travel reward cards have annual fees, but there are numerous ways to offset the fees.





• If you have a Disney Visa card, we don't recommend canceling the card; keep the card for the perks.





• If you have a Disney Premier card, consider downgrading it to the no annual fee card, but keep it for perks.





• If you don't have either Disney credit card, we recommend getting a Disney Debit card with a Chase checking account. They are free. You'll get 90% of the upside without impacting your credit profile. If you talk to a Chase personal banker, they can help you find a $200 bonus for opening a new Chase checking account.





• Once you get a Disney card, we recommend adding a digital version to Apple Wallet or Google Pay. The digital version works for all discounts and perks.

Affiliate and Referral Links to Card Mentioned in Today's Show (Help support the show by using our links when you apply).

• Chase Disney Visa (if you want the 6-month superpower feature)





• Chase Sapphire Reserve - Excellent Loung Access - Priority Pass with Restaurants and Visa Infinite coverages





• Capital One Venture X - Excellent Lounge Access - Travel Protections and Insurances from top-of-the-line Visa Infinite cards. $395 annual fee but easy to make it -$5 annual fee when you book through their travel portal.





• American Express Platinum - Ultimate Lounge Access Card and Coupon Book - $695 annual fee but $1400 of credits available

Story #1 Harmony Barber Shop Reopening

Harmony Barber Shop will reopen on July 31 for the world’s most magical haircut. A limited number of reservations for this timeless experience will be bookable in the My Disney Experience app beginning June 28. Walk-in appointments will be accepted based on availability.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique was confirmed to be reopening later this year at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, but no specific dates have been provided. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Story #2 Genie+ Changes at Walt Disney World

In an announcement that Walt Disney World Resort will open bookings for theme park tickets, Disney Resort hotel stays and packages for visits in 2023 on June 8, a change to Genie+ was also mentioned. 

Starting June 8, Disney Genie+ will only be offered for purchase through the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit. Previously, Disney offered the option to purchase this service pre-arrival as a ticket add-on.  

This means that moving forward, whether you have an Annual Pass, multi- or single-day ticket, you may only purchase Disney Genie+ service on the day of your visit via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability. Disney hopes this adjustment will help manage the strong demand guests have shown for Disney Genie+.

Disney stated, on average, guests who purchase Disney Genie+ service will continue to enter 2-3 attractions or experiences each day using the Lightning Lane entrance when the first selection is made early in the day. 

Any tickets already purchased that include Disney Genie+ service for dates later in 2022 will still be honored. 

Note this update is also only happening at Walt Disney World Resort and will not affect guests at Disneyland Resort.  

Disney also confirmed the early theme park entry benefit for Disney Resort hotel guests will continue beyond the 50th Anniversary for visits throughout all of 2023! This benefit gives Disney Resort guests an opportunity to enter ANY of the 4 Walt Disney World Resort theme parks to enjoy select attractions, shops, and dining EVERY day (valid admission, park reservation, and Resort ID required).

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Story #3: 2022 Eat to the Beat Concert Series Announced

Disney announced 2022 Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare coming to the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE starting this July.  Internationally recognized artists, as well as local bands, will perform on the America Gardens Theatre stage including favorites like Baha Men, Tiffany, and Air Supply, and new acts like Hoobastank, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Stokley.

• July 14-15 – Baha Men
• July 16-18 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
• July 29-30 – Taylor Dayne
• July 31-Aug. 1 – Tiffany
• Aug. 5-8 – Joey Fatone & Friends
• Aug. 12-13 – The Devon Allman Project
• Aug. 14-15 – Christopher Cross
• Aug. 19-20 – Journey former Lead Vocalist Steve Augeri
• Aug. 21-22 – Air Supply
• Sept. 2-3 – Southern Avenue
• Sept. 4-5 – Kris Allen & David Cook
• Sept. 9-10 – Hoobastank (NEW)
• Sept. 16-17 – Los Amigos Invisibles (NEW)
• Sept. 23-24 – BBMak
• Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Stokley (NEW)
• Oct. 2-3 – Sheila E.
• Oct. 7-8 – Mark Wills
• Oct. 9-10 – 38 Special
• Oct. 23-24 – Billy Ocean
• Oct. 28-31 – Hanson
• Nov. 4-7 – Boyz II Men

Eat to the Beat Dining Packages will be offered Friday through Monday. Reservations open on May 24th. 

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Story #4 Direct Sales break 300,000 points in April 2022

Lead:  Peter

For only the second time in the 12 years DVCNews has tracked direct sales, more than 300,000 Disney Vacation Club points were sold in a single month. Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa continued to dominate however Disney's Riviera Resort tallied its highest monthly sales numbers in more than two years.

310,866 DVC points were sold in April 2022 for the 11 resorts at Walt Disney World.   The last time DVC sales topped the 300,000-point mark was in July 2013 when 364,416 points were sold.  Coincidentally, July 2013 was also the second month of sales for the original Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  Grand Floridian accounted for 57.2% of April’s sales, while Disney’s Riviera Resort represented 30.0% of total sales. 

Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort —  In its second month since resuming sales, 177,819 points were sold for Grand Floridian.  It was the largest number of points sold for a single resort in a single month since Disney’s Riviera Resort sold 181,289 points in January 2020.  Disney has now sold 293,818 points, or 16.5% of the 1,779,822 points that have been assigned to the 202 Resort Studios located in the Big Pine Key building. 

Disney has declared exactly half of the 202 Resort Studios for the DVC inventory.  This means that 101 resort studios can be booked using DVC points on any given Use Day.

Disney’s Riviera Resort —  In April 2022, 93,218 points were sold for Riviera, the largest single-month sales since 153,416 points were sold in March 2020 at the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disney has sold 2,874,658 points, or 42.7%, of Riviera’s 6.7 million points.   The resort has averaged 78,190 points in monthly sales, which includes several months in 2020 when sales for all DVC resorts were severely impacted by the COVID pandemic.

On April 15, 2022, Disney declared additional vacation homes for the DVC inventory at Riviera.  180 of Riviera’s 341 vacation homes are now available for DVC members to book using points.  The declared inventory accounts for about 3,605,940 points or 53.5% of the resort’s total points.

Source: DVCNews.com

Story #5 DVC Virtual Discovery Station Coming To International Drive

Later this month, Disney plans to open a new retail location on the I-4 / International Drive corridor which will feature a remote Disney Vacation Club sales center. 

The new Walt Disney World Store will feature Disney merchandise, theme park ticket sales, and a new Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station. With floor-to-ceiling screens, The Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station can transport guests to our theme parks, resorts, and cruise destinations around the world via first-person virtual tours, photo galleries, and videos.

The location will also feature a dramatic ribbon-like display board that wraps around the parking garage in Hollywood Plaza. The display will be used to showcase Disney characters, theme park attractions, and more. 

The retail location is scheduled to open on May 31, 2022. 

Source: DVCnews.com

Story #6 Showtime and Pricing Announced for Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

Join the Pioneer Hall Players for 2 hours of rousing Wild West dancing, singing and zany comedy at Pioneer Hall in Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

In between skits and song standards, chow down on all-you-care-to-enjoy fried chicken and smoked BBQ pork ribs, as well as a tossed green salad, cowboy beans, fresh-baked cornbread, macaroni-and-cheese and creamy coleslaw. And be sure to save room for the grand finale… strawberry shortcake!

The doors open at 4:00 PM, 6:15 PM or 8:30 PM. Seating will begin immediately at these times; the show begins 20 minutes later.

Choose from 3 different seating categories. Prices include tax and gratuity. 

Ages 10 and older Ages 3 to 9

Category 1

$74 $44

Category 2

$69 $40

Category 3

$66 $39

Source: Walt Disney World website

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