I love credit cards so much!

[Lain]

Those of you who prefer Delta - tell me how you rack up points (besides Amex MRs). DS prefers Delta over SW to get back and forth from school...I need to put some Delta earnings cards on my list of future cards. No business cards, please.

Haha. If one can "prefer" being held hostage.

 

[tink1970]

Those of you who prefer Delta - tell me how you rack up points (besides Amex MRs). DS prefers Delta over SW to get back and forth from school...I need to put some Delta earnings cards on my list of future cards. No business cards, please.

Other than CC sign ups, not a lot of ways I've found. Remember, MRs do transfer to Delta but Amex also has 4 personal co-branded credit cards, two of which (Reserve and Plat) have spending bonuses (10,000 miles for $25 K spent -can get this twice for the Plat and 15,000 miles for $30 K spent -also can have this twice in a calendar year). Sign up bonuses from co-branded Amex cards, referrals, and BIS flying. Around my area, anyone who uses a credit card primarily uses Amex co-brands first to max out the spending bonus (my friend had spent $50K on her Plat by March this year!). Delta does have a shopping portal but its offerings are usually pretty meh.

If your son's school takes CC, that would be a great way to earn miles-sign up, spend, get the bonus plus spend extra miles. This is why I'm holding off on the Reserve for myself and DH, waiting to see where DD attends school. Clearly I'm rooting for a place that accepts Amex.

 

[AmyAnne]

Me too...between changing Dumbo, magic bands and FP+ it's just not fun for me to plan or attend WDW anymore. DL or my next year's trip to DLP still excite me!

I know! RIP Dumbo ride--it was our first MK ride every trip for a long time. The new "dueling Dumbos" is just not at all the same. Not even sure if we will ride it this trip.

I am really trying to not think about how much better the old system was, at least for us. We went every year for about 10 years (from when my oldest was 4 until he started HS) and we had perfected a touring plan that involved riding the popular rides early and then collecting FPs to use in the afternoon and evening. In those 10 years, we waited in lines that were more than 20 minutes probably less than a dozen times. The 3 fastpasses per person just turned me off of WDW for a long time.

But I do think the system seems to be better now, with the ability to get extra fastpasses with the MDE app.

 

[afan]

That's a really sweet offer. At this point I'm not even sure what it is that I want in terms of fastpasses! I know that the first ones should be the super-hard ones (FOP, slinky dog, mine train) but beyond that I am kind of confused. I think I read that once you use the first one, you can start to try to move others up, so I'm not sure if I should get the next-tier hardest (like Space Mountain?) or if it would be better to have the fastpasses earlier in the day so we could possibly then add some.

I'm curious, those of you that are FP+ veterans, if you could have your perfect list of 3 fastpasses per park (those that you reserve ahead), which would those be?

I get thr best fp I can get for each day of the stuff I want to ride. I do try and get them earlier so I can try for a 4th etc but if the 2nd park I'm going to that day is the one I want fps for then that's what I do. Aside from the newer rides that have long lines, it's about your favorites and must dos. My 3 per park will be different than someone elses and also be different based on how many days the trip is. You should see my last epcot day, I got one for figment, haha. But I don't want to do the land for what would probably be the 3rd time by that point.

 

[trenty]

Haha. If one can "prefer" being held hostage.

I am loyal to SW for domestic travel but Delta flies direct from an airport closer to his school.....

 

[trenty]

Other than CC sign ups, not a lot of ways I've found. Remember, MRs do transfer to Delta but Amex also has 4 personal co-branded credit cards, two of which (Reserve and Plat) have spending bonuses (10,000 miles for $25 K spent -can get this twice for the Plat and 15,000 miles for $30 K spent -also can have this twice in a calendar year). Sign up bonuses from co-branded Amex cards, referrals, and BIS flying. Around my area, anyone who uses a credit card primarily uses Amex co-brands first to max out the spending bonus (my friend had spent $50K on her Plat by March this year!). Delta does have a shopping portal but its offerings are usually pretty meh.

If your son's school takes CC, that would be a great way to earn miles-sign up, spend, get the bonus plus spend extra miles. This is why I'm holding off on the Reserve for myself and DH, waiting to see where DD attends school. Clearly I'm rooting for a place that accepts Amex.

Thanks. Sadly there is a fee for CC at his school.

 

[afan]

Thanks. Sadly there is a fee for CC at his school.

But depending on what you can get back in rewards or meeting spend it may be worth it.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I know! RIP Dumbo ride--it was our first MK ride every trip for a long time. The new "dueling Dumbos" is just not at all the same. Not even sure if we will ride it this trip.

I am really trying to not think about how much better the old system was, at least for us. We went every year for about 10 years (from when my oldest was 4 until he started HS) and we had perfected a touring plan that involved riding the popular rides early and then collecting FPs to use in the afternoon and evening. In those 10 years, we waited in lines that were more than 20 minutes probably less than a dozen times. The 3 fastpasses per person just turned me off of WDW for a long time.

But I do think the system seems to be better now, with the ability to get extra fastpasses with the MDE app.

Well some people, us included, will use a similar system. I tend to book FPs for afternoons. If we do rope drop, don’t need FP. Around 11ish, parks start to get busy. Then we eat lunch and then use FPs. Sometimes I make FP for the same Park, sometimes I book them at a second park, so we hop over there. The only advantage to making FP in the am is getting more FP after using the originally booked ones. So I tend to book them 12ish and on. Once we use them, there are usually some more still available.

 

[tink1970]

RIP Dumbo ride--it was our first MK ride every trip for a long time

I know, I haven't ridden the new one and doubt I will. Loved doing Dumbo Dash at rope drop-really got the competitive juices flowing in the am

Thanks. Sadly there is a fee for CC at his school.

That's disappointing, sorry to hear it I've actually done funny maths (a la @amalone1013 ) to convince DH the fee would save us money "in the long run."

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I know! RIP Dumbo ride--it was our first MK ride every trip for a long time. The new "dueling Dumbos" is just not at all the same. Not even sure if we will ride it this trip.

I am really trying to not think about how much better the old system was, at least for us. We went every year for about 10 years (from when my oldest was 4 until he started HS) and we had perfected a touring plan that involved riding the popular rides early and then collecting FPs to use in the afternoon and evening. In those 10 years, we waited in lines that were more than 20 minutes probably less than a dozen times. The 3 fastpasses per person just turned me off of WDW for a long time.

But I do think the system seems to be better now, with the ability to get extra fastpasses with the MDE app.

We use to do the same when our kids were younger...and up early ...I was the fastpass runner lol....now that they are 27 and 30 this new system works much better since everyone likes to go to the parks later so I book the fast passes for later

 

[elgerber]

The old Dumbo dash has turned into the Peter Pan dash LOL

 

[Haley R]

That's a really sweet offer. At this point I'm not even sure what it is that I want in terms of fastpasses! I know that the first ones should be the super-hard ones (FOP, slinky dog, mine train) but beyond that I am kind of confused. I think I read that once you use the first one, you can start to try to move others up, so I'm not sure if I should get the next-tier hardest (like Space Mountain?) or if it would be better to have the fastpasses earlier in the day so we could possibly then add some.

I'm curious, those of you that are FP+ veterans, if you could have your perfect list of 3 fastpasses per park (those that you reserve ahead), which would those be?

Mk-7dmt, thunder mountain, space mountain
Ak-fop, safari, Everest (unless you want to do kali, we don’t like that ride)
Epcot-frozen, spaceship earth, Nemo (or mission space)
Hs-slinky, rnrc, ToT

The main thing is to know what days you want them for and what times. I literally write out what days and times I want each ride and I put them in order of difficulty. So I would put fop, slinky, frozen, and 7dmt first as high priority.

We always book ours for 9,10,11 or 10,11,12 so we can start getting new FPS right after all three are used.

 

[trenty]

But depending on what you can get back in rewards or meeting spend it may be worth it.

True - but to me it is not worth. Free is free; paying a fee does not yield "free" points. I know it seems silly to most as the points would be deeply discounted. But I want truly free travel.

 

[trenty]

That's disappointing, sorry to hear it I've actually done funny maths (a la @amalone1013 ) to convince DH the fee would save us money "in the long run."

It could save you money but see my post above - I am in the "free is free camp." I don't play this game for discounted travel. I play this game for free travel.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

It could save you money but see my post above - I am in the "free is free camp." I don't play this game for discounted travel. I play this game for free travel.

I agree. The only thing I pay for is Disney GCs, and I have used cash rewards cards to help with those too. I pay a fee (ie Plastiq) only when meeting MSR, and I’ve only done that 2 or 3 times.

 

[amalone1013]

Congratulations on the SPG Lux!

​

Honestly, I've thought about moving all our URs to my wife's CSR and downgrading mine. I've shifted most of my dining spend to the Amex Gold (even though I know Chase has a broader "dining" category that more consistently codes for 3x UR, and I find Amex isn't accepted at a lot of places), and I don't have enough travel charges to earn enough 3x URs to justify the cost of continuing holding the CSR (when I still have the CIP, which also earns 3x UR for travel). I'm weighing downgrading the CSR when my AF comes up in January, but not before I use up the $300 travel credit that resets in December.

A few more thoughts: I've got more Priority Passes and GE/TSA Precheck credits than I know what to do with (and since Chase limited the CSR’s PP to 2 guests, it’s not any better than the PP from other cards)! The Plat has better extended warranty (2 years) than the CSR, so there's little reason to put big purchases on the CSR since Chase got rid of price protection. The CSR does offer better trip interruption/cancelation insurance, and primary rental car insurance.

Chase gives you 30 days after the AF is billed to cancel and receive a full refund. After 30 days, no refunds for cancelations. However, Chase gives you 30 (I've also seen up to 40) days to product change to a no AF card and get a full refund. After that, you can still get a prorated refund for product changes.

If DH got his CSR 2 years ago, his $300 travel credit is still on the calendar year, and should reset after his December statement date. I'm guessing DH's AF will post on 11/1. Say DH pays the $450 and keeps his card through December to use up the travel credit, he should still be able to get at least a $375 refund when he PCs to a Freedom. So $300 travel credits at a cost of $75.

(Someone please check my math. It's early and I'm still sipping my coffee. )

Your math looks good to me. I'm going to do the same and my AF posts 11/1. My travel credit resets 12/12. If I don't have something lined up to use it on, I'm making a $300 payment on our cruise. I still have a card with DHs name in case I have travel or dining expenses, plus two CIPs now. The real question is, 2nd Freedom or CFU?

That's a really sweet offer. At this point I'm not even sure what it is that I want in terms of fastpasses! I know that the first ones should be the super-hard ones (FOP, slinky dog, mine train) but beyond that I am kind of confused. I think I read that once you use the first one, you can start to try to move others up, so I'm not sure if I should get the next-tier hardest (like Space Mountain?) or if it would be better to have the fastpasses earlier in the day so we could possibly then add some.

I'm curious, those of you that are FP+ veterans, if you could have your perfect list of 3 fastpasses per park (those that you reserve ahead), which would those be?

MK - Peter Pan, Mine Train, Space Mtn
Epcot - Test Track or Frozen, Spaceship Earth, Mission Space.
AK - FoP, Everest, Safari
DHS - Slinky Dog, RnRC, ToT

Then if we have more days at MK we do different ones, depending on what we want. Epcot usually just varies between Frozen and TT, I always feel like it's easier to get an extra FP for Soarin and TT. The others tend to stay the same because I use them for things I know we want to do but I expect to have longer lines, or if I think it'll be easy to pick up an extra FP for another ride (like Toy Story Mania right now) I won't use it as a main one.

I usually start our FPs around 10am, and do them 10/11/12. Usually we get there about rope drop, do some rides, hit the 10am one at the end of the hour (I like to do PP/Mine Train for these and hit one at the end, the other at the beginning of the window, and then we either do something else or try to move the next one up). I like to do the Safari as a 10am one as the animals have still been pretty active for us. Then I start searching for extra FPs. We're only 2 people.

It could save you money but see my post above - I am in the "free is free camp." I don't play this game for discounted travel. I play this game for free travel.

I'd look at it per card then. If it's something that you can use a statement credit against, I'd see if it's still worth it. Like my new CIP. I'm putting most if not all of the $5k spend on my car with Plastiq. That would be a $125 fee for all $5k. I'll get 85k URs including the minimum spend points. If I was aiming for completely free like you, I would probably do it still and cash out 12.5k URs to offset the fee. Unless I had other ways to keep hitting big spends completely organically. I see you were talking about Delta points and I'm not familiar with flying them, so I don't know anything about their points/cards.

 

[tink1970]

It could save you money but see my post above - I am in the "free is free camp." I don't play this game for discounted travel. I play this game for free travel

Fair enough, we all have different ways of approaching things. Since I primarily travel delta then not only are skymiles of some meaning to me, so are MQMs which are also allotted with spend thresholds. For example, paying $60,000 tuition for out of state school would, with 2.5% fee cost $1500. The DL Reserve's fee is $450. So I'm out $1950. However, currently the Reserve is offering 70,000 skymiles for $5k MSR--easily met with $60,000 spend. So 130,000 skymiles plus the 15k plus 15 k skymiles and 15k plus 15k MQMs equals 160,000 skymiles and 30,000 MQMs(lowest value $0.01/skymile) so $1600 value.

Still out $350. But...how much do you value MQMs? The most one can purchase (in December only fwiw) is 10,000 MQMs and the price varied last year from $1100 - $3000 (DL has a formula based on your medallion level and I'm sure other things). Twenty thousand more MQMs can be earned flying RT to Australia from LAX in Delta One (which costs anywhere from $5-10K). In other words, 30,000 MQMs are (if one values MQMs which I do) worth a heck of a lot more than $350!

If, instead, we go the Delta Amex Platinum for the same $60k tuition, we'd earn the 70,000 offer plus 60,000 plus 20,000 spend miles (plus 20,000 MQMs). Cost for this card $195 plus the same $1500 for estimated 2.5% charge. Again, the skymiles value is cancelled out by the fee and I'm in the hole $195 but the MQM value is exponentially higher (to me) than $195. So it's a winning situation with either card.

Everyone is different and views this hobby differently but that's how I approach it. Of course, being a primarily Delta flier and a platinum medallion affects how I perceive the Amex Delta cards and their value.

 

[AmyAnne]

Well some people, us included, will use a similar system. I tend to book FPs for afternoons. If we do rope drop, don’t need FP. Around 11ish, parks start to get busy. Then we eat lunch and then use FPs. Sometimes I make FP for the same Park, sometimes I book them at a second park, so we hop over there. The only advantage to making FP in the am is getting more FP after using the originally booked ones. So I tend to book them 12ish and on. Once we use them, there are usually some more still available.

I definitely need to give this some thought. We are going the week of Christmas, so super-crowded. I am thinking that if our FPs are for the afternoon, then it seems unlikely that there will be FPs left by the time we could get the fourth FP, just given the crowds. If the three scheduled FPs are 12-1 pm, 1-2 pm, and 2-3 pm, then what are the chances there would be FPs available then? Although there might not be any by 1 pm either . . . I feel like I really don't know enough about how quickly FPs will be gone to really plan this well. With the old system, I knew I could get 4-5 sets of FPs by noon, because I could start getting them first thing in the morning.

 

[AmyAnne]

The old Dumbo dash has turned into the Peter Pan dash LOL

Funny you should say that. I was just thinking that Peter Pan will likely be our first ride. Hoping at least some of the crowds will be dashing to Mine Train.

 

[AmyAnne]

Mk-7dmt, thunder mountain, space mountain
Ak-fop, safari, Everest (unless you want to do kali, we don’t like that ride)
Epcot-frozen, spaceship earth, Nemo (or mission space)
Hs-slinky, rnrc, ToT

The main thing is to know what days you want them for and what times. I literally write out what days and times I want each ride and I put them in order of difficulty. So I would put fop, slinky, frozen, and 7dmt first as high priority.

We always book ours for 9,10,11 or 10,11,12 so we can start getting new FPS right after all three are used.

I am leaning toward this plan, rather than FPs in the afternoon, even though the lines will be manageable in the morning I am afraid if we do not use our third FP until 3 pm, there will not be any FPs left.