Planning a Disney vacation? You may be thinking about getting one of the 2 Disney credit cards that are available.
Is the Disney credit card available in Canada? Sadly, they aren’t. Although, if you have a U.S. address you can use AND have a U.S. social security number you can apply for them.
Nonetheless, these aren’t the best credit cards to help pay for a Disney vacation. There are plenty of terrific Canadian credit cards that will earn you more rewards to help pay for not just a Disney but any vacation.
Here’s what Disney credit cards offer, and the best Canadian alternatives.
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Is the Disney credit card available in Canada?
First things first, Disney credit cards are not available for Canadians to apply for.
These cards are only available to U.S. customers, and are issued by Chase.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t get one. If you put in some work, it’s possible to get one…
How to get the Disney card as a Canadian
It’s tricky, but it’s possible to get American credit cards.
First, you’ll need to have an American mailing address. The credit card companies in the U.S. won’t let you complete an application if your address isn’t in the U.S.
The 2nd part of the puzzle is having a U.S. social security number. Depending on the bank, you may be required to provide one to check your credit score.
And unfortunately, Chase is one of those banks. You won’t be able to submit an application without one. For American credit cards, this can be avoided if you can find a bank willing to look at your Canadian credit file, but Chase isn’t one of them.
If you happen to have one, you should be able to at least submit an application and see if you can get a Disney credit card.
The last thing you’ll need is a U.S. bank account to pay your bill. Your Canadian bank account won’t do. Your payment needs to be in USD not CAD.
For most Canadians, it will be out of reach for you.
How good are the U.S. Disney credit cards?
While most Canadians won’t be able to get one, it’s always interesting to see what credit cards in other countries have to offer.
Chase offers 2 different Disney credit cards for Americans to get. Both of these cards earn Disney Rewards Dollars on all purchases.
These dollars can be redeemed for almost anything Disney, including paying for stays at Disney resorts, theme park tickets, shopping, movies, and more.
Here are the full details on how to redeem your Disney Rewards and what they can be used for.
Now, here’s what each of these 2 credit cards has to offer.
Disney Visa Card
First, we’ll start with the no annual fee card – the Disney Visa Card.
With this card, you’ll earn 1% back in Disney Rewards on all your purchases.
It also comes with these Disney perks at both Disneyland and Disney World (they don’t apply to other Disney theme parks in other parts of the world).
- 10% off select merchandise credit card purchases of $50 or more,
- 10% off select dining, and
- 15% off select guided tours.
Plus, anytime you shop at shopdisney.com, you can save 10% off select purchases.
One cool feature – you can select what credit card design you want, from these 10:
Disney Premier Visa Card
For an annual fee of US$49, you can get the Disney Premier Visa Card instead.
It has increased earn rates of up to 2% back on purchases:
- 2% back on groceries, restaurants, gas, and at most Disney locations, and
- 1% back on all other purchases.
The Disney perks are identical to the no fee card, but it has one bonus perk – you can redeem your Disney Rewards towards airline tickets.
Simply purchase an airfare using a Disney Premier Visa and you have 60 days afterwards to turn your Disney Rewards into an airline statement credit card. You just need to redeem a minimum of $50 Disney Dollars, which will then save you the same amount on your flight.
Are Canadian cards better than the Disney credit card?
So how do these Disney credit cards compare to what you could get in Canada?
Here’s how they compare to some of the best credit cards in Canada.
| Name | Average Earn Rate | Annual Fee | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disney Visa Card | 1% | $0 | Learn More |
| Disney Premier Visa Card | 1.4% | US$49/CA$61* | Learn More |
| American Express Cobalt | 4.5% | $155.88 | |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express | 2.45% | $120 | |
| BMO CashBack World Elite | 2.05% | $120 | |
| American Express Green | 2.1% | $0 |
* Based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 1.25 CAD
American Express Cobalt Card
The
What makes it the best? The rewards. Here’s what you’ll earn for rewards on all your points:
- 5 points per $1 spent on eligible groceries and restaurants
- 3 points per $1 spent on eligible streaming services
- 2 points per $1 spent on eligible gas, transit, and ride share purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
But there’s more – each of these Amex points also carries tremendous value. You have many ways to redeem your points for travel. Here are the 4 top options, and what each point is worth:
- Transfer to Aeroplan – 2 cents
- Fixed Points Travel Program – 1.75 cents
- Transfer to Marriott Bonvoy – 1.164 cents
- Redeem for any purchase – 1 cents
Take the best value and you can get an overall return of up to 4.5% – a return that laps the field when it comes to credit cards in Canada.
The annual fee is also charged out at a reasonable $12.99 per month and has no income requirements.
Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.* Transfer points to Aeroplan and 7 other travel partners with Canada's #1 credit card.*
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Want to learn everything there is to know about Amex Membership Rewards?Here are the full details.
Scotiabank Gold American Express
The
In the U.S., no foreign exchange fees are quite common among credit cards, but both Disney Credit Cards charge a 3% foreign exchange fee, which is higher than the typical Canadian rate of 2.5%.
But with the Scotia Gold Amex, you won’t be charged anything on any purchase not made in Canadian dollars.
This card also offers terrific rewards:
- 6 Scene+ points per $1 spent at Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and more
- 5 Scene+ points per $1 spent on groceries, dining, and entertainment
- 3 Scene+ points per $1 spent on gas, select streaming services, and transit
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on foreign currency purchases
- 1 Scene+ point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Redeem for travel through Scene+, where each point is worth 0.01 cent, and you’re looking at an overall return of 2.45% on purchases.
The annual fee for the card is $120, and it has a low personal income requirement of $12,000.
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BMO CashBack World Elite
If you prefer to earn cash back you can use for anything, we recommend the
You’ll earn plenty of cash back at these rates:
- 5% cash back on groceries, up to $500 in monthly spend
- 4% cash back on transit, up to $300 in monthly spend
- 3% cash back on gas, up to $300 in monthly spend
- 2% cash back on recurring bills, up to $500 in monthly spend
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
If you’re out on a long road trip, this card makes the perfect companion with free roadside assistance. Instead of paying for a plan, the card includes coverage should something happen to your vehicle while you’re out and about.
As to redeeming your cash back? You can do it whenever you like, as long as you have $1 accumulated.
The included insurance is also quite good, including 13 types.
The annual for all this? A standard $120, but keep in mind the high income requirements of either $80,000 personal or $150,000 household.
GC: $150
American Express Green
For those who prefer a no annual fee card, there’s the
It earns a simple 1 point per $1 spent on all purchases. While that may not seem like much, it’s also what each point is worth that also matters.
And this card has every redemption option available in the Amex Membership Rewards program. Meaning – you can get a return of up to 2% on your purchases.
It’s quite incredible for a no annual fee card.
What’s the real best credit card for a Disney Vacation?
What’s the best credit card for a Disney vacation depends on what you want in a credit card.
Here are the pros and cons to these 4 credit cards compared to the Disney cards.
One con for every card on our list – no Disney Perks. All those extra savings disappear with our alternatives.
| Pros | Cons | |
|---|---|---|
| American Express Cobalt | * Best Rewards * Plenty Of Travel Redemptions |
* Higher Annual Fee * Lower Acceptance |
| Scotiabank Gold American Express | * Better Rewards * No Foreign Exchange Fees |
* Higher Annual Fee * Lower Acceptance |
| BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard | * More Rewards * Free Roadside Assistance |
* Higher Annual Fee * High Income Requirements |
| American Express Green | * High Rewards * Plenty Of Redemption Choices For Travel |
* Lower Acceptance |
There are some general trends. All of these cards offer better rewards than what either Disney Card brings to the table.
But there are some drawbacks. We have 3 Amex cards which have somewhat lower acceptance than a Visa card.
And unlike American credit cards where they have no income requirements, we have a super-premium World Elite Mastercard that has very high income requirements to meet.
More points than the Disney credit card – American Express Cobalt
For the most rewards possible, you simply can’t beat the Amex Cobalt card.
Here’s the average rate of return for it and the 2 Disney cards.
More cash back than the Disney credit card – BMO CashBack World Elite
The BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard offers plenty of cash back on a variety of purchases.
Here’s how much you would earn in one year compared to the 2 Disney cards, which while they don’t offer cash back, you’re earning rewards to offset a Disney vacation.
No forex fees, unlike the Disney credit card – Scotiabank Gold American Express
When it comes to avoiding foreign exchange fees, the Scotiabank Gold American Express is one of the best options in Canada – a rare card that waives the fee entirely.
Both Disney cards? Not so much. Yes, you would save at Disneyland/World, as it’s a card in U.S. dollars. But to save up for that vacation you’ll have to make purchases in Canada, and both Disney cards charge a 3% foreign exchange fee.
A better no annual fee card – American Express Green
If you prefer a no fee credit card, the Amex Green Card provides excellent rewards, rivalling many premium credit cards.
In fact, the potential rewards you could get from the Green Card are better than even the premium Disney card.
Bottom line
If you have your eyes set on a Disney vacation, getting a Disney credit card may seem like a good idea to help defer the costs of your next vacation.
But as we’ve shown, there are better Canadian choices that will earn you more rewards to use on travel purchases.
Which of these credit cards might you prefer?
Let us know in the comments below.
FAQ
Can I still get the Disney credit card as a Canadian?
The Disney credit card can be obtained by Canadians, but you’ll need these 3 things:
- American address,
- American bank account, and
- American social security number.
If you don’t have either, you won’t be able to even submit an application for the card.
What is the best alternative to the Disney credit card?
The best alternative to the Disney credit card depends on what you want. We’ve listed 4 Canadian alternatives you can look at which have more flexible rewards for varying annual fees.
What is the best card for a Disney vacation?
The best credit card for a Disney vacation is the Amex Cobalt Card. You can use your points towards any travel purchase made to the card, transfer them to 6 airline and 2 hotel partners, or make use of Amex’s Fixed Points Travel program.
What does the Disney credit card offer?
There are 2 Disney credit cards you can choose from. They offer up to 2% back in Disney Rewards on purchases, plus they come with a host of savings at either Disneyland or Disney World. One card has no annual fee, the other is US$49.
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