I love credit cards so much! v3.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[reliev]

No, DVC has to be purchased in “cash” (or financed). However, if you purchase directly from Disney (and are willing to pay their premium), you can pay with as many credit cards as you’d like to earn points, hit MSRs, etc. You still need to be able to pay off those credit cards though, and I cashed out enough MR and UR points to cover the purchase. Amex MR can be cashed out at 1.25 cpp via a Charles Schwab Platinum into a Schwab brokerage account. Chase UR can be cashed out at 1 cpp as a statement credit or into any bank account. (DVC annual maintenance fees can be paid with Disney Gift Cards.)

Of course, you can redeem or transfer MR and UR points through their travel portals or to airline and hotel partners for greater than 1-1.25 cpp redemption values, and I understand how some people may scoff at my use of 1.2 million MRs and 500k URs (all the lie flat seats and RTW trips I’d be giving up!). But we’ve been earning points faster than we can manage to spend them, and we didn’t have a pressing need for all these points in the next year. Meanwhile, we’ll likely continue to go back to Hawaii and need a place to stay year after year. So this makes sense for us. The game keeps getting tougher, and banks and their travel partners are likely to continue cracking down on churning and devaluing their currencies, or worse. Even after cashing out, we’re still sitting on a “comfortable” amount of points for our use in the next year or two, and I’ll keep earning points to bring those totals back up for whatever’s next.

thanks my wife and I love Hawaii and the mouse Aulani is a resort we want to consider for DVC and for the years we cant get out there staycation, this is useful info.

 

[punkin]

DH got it too, he has 0 AA flights and I have 3 booked through 4/19

I got it and so did DH. I have one flight on websaver points. I cannot upgrade. DH is paying cash and can.

 

[StephPlum]

I have a question for anyone familiar with the Seattle area. DH and I are planning a trip to Seattle in late June, 6/23 - 6/29. No kids this trip! Plan is to spend half of it in Seattle, and the other half hiking and exploring outdoor areas. DH has requested mountain hiking. Is it too early in the season for us to go to Mt. Rainier or the North Cascades? Would Olympic be a better idea in late June? We are hoping to do some moderate-difficulty hiking in the 5-8 mile range since the kids won't be along. We'll probably take the girls (currently 6 and 3) back to the area in a few years. Based on my research, it seems like Mt. Rainier and the North Cascades are likely out this early in summer, but I wanted to check with the experts!

We were in Mt Rainier and Olympic in mid July last year. Obviously the later you can go the less likely you‘ll see snow. We did the easy hikes so not too far up the mountain in Mt Rainier. We did see a few sections on the trail at Sunrise with snow. Like @afan said, it will all depend on this winter And how fast it melts.

I don't think we saw any snow at Hurricane Ridge.

Have fun whichever you choose.

 

[StephPlum]

Congrats @Lain on your DVC purchase.

 

[Alexle2007]

Dh and I had a great little churning-sponsored anniversary trip this weekend! We stayed at the Boulders Resort near Scottsdale, AZ--https://www.theboulders.com/--for two nights, using our Aspire free weekend nights (we each have one). We flew on a combo of SW points and gc bought with the Amex Aspire credit back when you could do that. Three of our meals were covered by the Aspire resort credit and we took a Segway tour of Scottsdale that was purchased using Citi Thankyou points!

Very nice! DH and I got engaged at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn back in 1998.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

I remember that movie!!!!! I was a true Benji fan back in the day.... my parents kind of ruined it for me by telling me that Tiffany (the kicked dog) was actually a boy dog playing his girlfriend... the dog opening the pudding cups still sticks in my mind as cinematic greatness....

Yes I totally remember that! I loved Benji and Tiffany.

 

[Mswiza]

For those who have opened Great Southern Bank accounts, have you gotten account approval right away or do you always get the “we will get back to you” message?

 

[chattadisser]

Very nice! DH and I got engaged at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn back in 1998.

Oh, I LOVE that resort!! We stayed there in 2018 and loved it. Truly a beautiful location.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

For those who have opened Great Southern Bank accounts, have you gotten account approval right away or do you always get the “we will get back to you” message?

They will call you and confirm account details and the card you used for funding. Don’t forget to answer the phone for whatever number you put in the application.

 

[Mswiza]

Thanks

They will call you and confirm account details and the card you used for funding. Don’t forget to answer the phone for whatever number you put in the application.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Anyone else having Amex credits slow to post?
AA charge on Hilton Aspire on 1/12, no credit. Double checked that airline is set to AA.
Sam’s $15 off 30 hasn’t credited for charge posted 1/18 although at least I can see that one in the ‘used’ column.

 

[IFlossU]

Sam’s $15 off 30 hasn’t credited for charge posted 1/18 although at least I can see that one in the ‘used’ column

My Sam’s club credit took around 5-6 days to show up.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

That is gorgeous!!! How big is it?

What is the RotR chart?? How did I miss this?

Only my life's work!!!!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Anyone else having Amex credits slow to post?
AA charge on Hilton Aspire on 1/12, no credit. Double checked that airline is set to AA.
Sam’s $15 off 30 hasn’t credited for charge posted 1/18 although at least I can see that one in the ‘used’ column.

That’s is a long time for your Amex airline credit not to post. After two weeks you can chat them and they can manually process it for you if it was “legit”. What did you buy?

 

[SBWB48]

I got a 15k MR/$2k MSR retention offer on my Gold, despite spending over $30k on its 4x categories last year. Not great, but not bad considering it’s a card I’m keeping anyway. I guess the takeaway is spend, but don’t spend too much on only the bonus categories?

First, I got the same retention offer the other day. Was also slightly disappointed, but will take what I can get since it's our primary dining card these days and is a guaranteed keeper.

Secondly, CONGRATS on the DVC purchase and 2am Tokyo trip! It makes perfect sense for you and your family, and you pulled it off seamlessly, like so many other things, it seems

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Is someone keeping track of the SW loophole? DH just informed me his guy trip is Memorial Day weekend, after spending all weekend talking about the SW loophole, ugh. Seriously, like we mentioned it 3 times!

Send him to the shun corner... I'd say another one will come around in a month or so and you'll be able to cover the Sat before Memorial day and beyond if you play your cards right. If he's leaving Friday that leg will be out of luck.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

So guys... I have a confession to make. And it's not easy to say this... but I've been cheating on this thread...

You see... this new ride, Rise of the Resistance (RotR) opened up at WDW. And there was a thread...and one thing led to another...and I became their spreadsheet guy. I didn't intend for it to happen, I promise!! I only looked, I didn't touch!!

Don't worry...after I head to Disney World next week, I promise I'll break it off!!! Please forgive me!!!

 

[elgerber]

So guys... I have a confession to make. And it's not easy to say this... but I've been cheating on this thread...

You see... this new ride, Rise of the Resistance (RotR) opened up at WDW. And there was a thread...and one thing led to another...and I became their spreadsheet guy. I didn't intend for it to happen, I promise!! I only looked, I didn't touch!!

Don't worry...after I head to Disney World next week, I promise I'll break it off!!! Please forgive me!!!

Noooo don’t break it off LOL I am going in April and now reading your comments all day long.

 

[SouthFayetteFan]

Noooo don’t break it off LOL I am going in April and now reading your comments all day long.

I promise this thread is so much prettier than that one. They're like nothing compared to you guys...

 

[CastAStone]

I promise this thread is so much prettier than that one. They're like nothing compared to you guys...

Hey now.