I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[palhockeymomof2]

Should I purchase their ticket first as well to ensure that there will be a seat? Then cancel their seat and add them as a companion later once I get the pass and ensure another seat is available? If that makes sense?

Since we have plenty of SW points I do book a ticket and cancel once we earn the CP

 

[georgina]

Also, I always hear ads saying how easy it is for someone to steal your home title and they are selling a service to protect you. Does anyone know if that's a real danger or is that a scam?

It happens, I know someone who found out a stranger was calling a real estate agent offering to sell a vacant property that my friend owned. Realtors have been warned to watch out for it. I haven't done anything myself insurance-wise

https://www.nar.realtor/magazine/re...e-of-title-pirates-wreaking-havoc-on-closings

 

[djmeredith]

Having a difficult time with hotel points. DW and I both have Hilton and Marriott cards that generate FNCs each year but don’t put much spend on the cards. I feel like we should go all in on one and get a couple of new cards to build point balance up. But restrictions on Marriott cards are problematic and Hilton’s point redemption value is terrible. Have heard chatter about Hyatt but their sign-on bonus isn’t anything to write home about.

Interested to hear what hotel point strategy works best for you.

Hilton generally does have a terrible redemption rate. However, I feel like I maximized the benefits of getting a couple cards when their SUB was high. I think I got 5-6 nts total out of 2 SUBs (1 personal and 1 biz). I have the Aspire that gives me Diamond status and 1 free night per year plus some other benefits I am able to use. I have gone all in on Hilton over the past year or so because a friend added me to her employee friends and family list, so I get to use that discount. I earn money on those rates plus I get a lot of bonus pts by using their credit card. As someone else said, the 100% pts purchase can be a good deal too.

So, decided that I would like to go to Disneyland sometime in May, June or July with DD22, She is a nurse and works 12 hour days and every 3rd weekend. So, if we go the week after she works a weekend then we can go a Wednesday - Sunday and she does not have to take any time off of work.

I have not been to Disneyland in 40 years (it was 1 day for a Choir Trip in High School). Been trying to read up on the Disneyland Board and ordered a Birnbaum Book for 2024.

We have been to Disneyworld lots of times and normally stay at Boardwalk DVC (a friend of DH's has points we rent from him). So, it is engraved in me at Disneyworld to stay on site. But seems it is not that important at Disneyland?? Any input on good places to stay. I want within walking distance - preferably across the street. I have some Marriott Points and will have 3 FN Certificates (2 at 35k and 1 at 50K) So, with adding points - (basically 2 at 50k and 1 at 65k). I also have some IHG points and have a ton of UR's that I can transfer to Hyatt or wherever. So, do we stay offsite or try and do DVC there - although I feel like that might be hard to get with only a few places to stay on points.

Any help would be greatly appreciated !!

As others have said, you definitely do not need to spend the extra money to stay on site. I stayed at the Westin in September and loved it. I was able to book it using the AmEx Plat fine hotel benefit (or whatever its called). I walked a few times to the parks/back and took Uber a few times, depending on how bad my feet and legs hurt at the time. A couple of years ago I stayed at the JW Marriott, which I also loved. It is walkable as well, but we also used Uber a few times to/from there. Literally every brand has at least 1 hotel within walking distance.

 

[dwonderz]

I have a couple of slightly off-topic questions (but it is related to your ability to get credit cards LOL.) I've been hearing a lot of news lately about major data breaches. Do y'all think it's a good idea to "freeze your credit"? If so, how do you go about doing that? What are the downsides, if any?

Also, I always hear ads saying how easy it is for someone to steal your home title and they are selling a service to protect you. Does anyone know if that's a real danger or is that a scam?

I just wanted to add in that I also freeze my credit reports and it is super easy to do! In fact, I just recently unfroze them to get approved for the new 5-night Marriott Bonvoy sign up bonus. You just sign up individually with each credit bureau - takes like 5 minutes for each one.

The only time it might be a pain is if you are someone who signs up for credit/loan programs in person - aka trying to sign up at checkout for a store card. If your reports are frozen - you'll usually get denied/the system will say more info is needed.

 

[afan]

The only time it might be a pain is if you are someone who signs up for credit/loan programs in person - aka trying to sign up at checkout for a store card. If your reports are frozen - you'll usually get denied/the system will say more info is needed.

Most people here won't sign up for a store card but if you keep a password manager on your phone you can still unfreeze them. Had to do it at BofA after he failed to tell me the correct one to unfreeze. Still annoyed they did a hp to add me to my mom's bank account when I already have my own credit card with them. They clearly also aren't used to people having anything frozen because we were told all I'd need to bring was a credit card and my ID.

 

[Psychodisney]

Since we have plenty of SW points I do book a ticket and cancel once we earn the CP

Yes! Easy peasy!

 

[reliev]

looks like part of that 200+ card revamp is changing delta cards too https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/delta-skymiles-reserve-american-express-card/

 

[hsmamato2]

im able to get tons of availability I'm guessing a close to dates? what properties are you looking at? some 5* places have night restrictions that you have to call to get edited back.

interesting..... yeah I'm looking at Manhattan so all 5* -6 awards.... I;m sure that's it....

 

[becauseimnew]

It's time for DH's next Chase business card, would you go for the CIP with 100K SUB or the CIC with the 75K SUB?
The AF of the CIP would make the SUB more like 90K URs. Thoughts?

 

[reliev]

interesting..... yeah I'm looking at Manhattan so all 5* -6 awards.... I;m sure that's it....

the Andaz is nice but it is difficult to get availability under 3 nights, PH NY is a hard-to-get-on-point hotel from my experience I ended up going hyatt prive I had a deal I haven't found good availability since they went up to 40k points a night.. Thompson is pretty easy to get available. so is Beekman, (i use NYC as my international jump point and don't mind going there the night before) . I was going to book Dreams for my upcoming trip but I read so many bad reviews on flyertalk i decided to pass.
Also wanted to add the 2 times I've been to PH NYC the rate was low enough that to me getting 1.2-1.5 cents a point wasn't worth it.

 

[georgina]

It's time for DH's next Chase business card, would you go for the CIP with 100K SUB or the CIC with the 75K SUB?
The AF of the CIP would make the SUB more like 90K URs. Thoughts?

Depends. CIC pros - no AF, 12 months 0% interest, 5% office supply and cable & internet charges. You might still be able to get the 90K match? CIP does give 3% back on travel, can't remember other pros.

I have been taking advantage of the 0% interest and making 5% interest on my savings account.

 

[LynnTH]

It's really late to be booking with DVC points for May, June or July of this year. Availability changes all the time, but I just glanced at studio, one-bedroom and two-bedrooms at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel and the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian hotel. There's almost nothing left to book on points. For all of those room options, there was just one three-night stay available, and nothing longer. (And that might be gone by the time I click on "post reply.") To make a reservation with points would probably require constantly checking the DVC member website to see if someone cancels, and it's possible that you would never get a reservation at all.

You might want to check in the Disneyland forum here to see if people have been posting about staying off-site. I usually hear that the off-site hotels across the street are actually closer to the parks then the Disney-owned hotels, but I don't have one to suggest.

Thanks for this. I kind of figured it would be a long shot getting something on points. I emailed our guy we get points from and gave him the 4 dates we can go. He was going to check but not holding my breath on this.

I have looked at the Disneyland thread and just get more confused. Seems everyone has a favorite - will just have to pick one and go with it.

 

[LynnTH]

@LynnTH If you want a comparison to the DVC hotels - the Grand Californian is attached to California Adventure. Awesome if you can get it. There's an entrance into the park near Grizzly Peak. We got soaked and then ran back to change.

Disneyland Hotel is about the same walking time as the Fairfield Anaheim, but the walk is within the Disney bubble.

Thanks. It is just so different. We know Disney World so well and nothing about Disneyland. But it will be fun to try something new. Trying to figure out their night time shows. I know they have WOC but not familiar with what it is and Fantasmic is set to reopen end of May. That one is always great. Not sure if it is different.

 

[LynnTH]

As others have said, you definitely do not need to spend the extra money to stay on site. I stayed at the Westin in September and loved it. I was able to book it using the AmEx Plat fine hotel benefit (or whatever its called). I walked a few times to the parks/back and took Uber a few times, depending on how bad my feet and legs hurt at the time. A couple of years ago I stayed at the JW Marriott, which I also loved. It is walkable as well, but we also used Uber a few times to/from there. Literally every brand has at least 1 hotel within walking distance.

Thanks. That is what I am noticing too. Just such a different mindset from Disney World. Off to do more research!!

 

[LynnTH]

Was Global Entry expiration extended during Covid? We got GE back in August 2019. I read you can reapply at the 4 year mark. So, went to do that and it says that my GE does not expire until June 2025 and I can't renew until June 2024. Almost an entire year longer than it should be....

 

[shystalips]

Since we have plenty of SW points I do book a ticket and cancel once we earn the CP

Thanks so much, i'll be sitting on about 1 mill. CUR points by that time.

 

[wanderlust7]

Thanks. It is just so different. We know Disney World so well and nothing about Disneyland. But it will be fun to try something new. Trying to figure out their night time shows. I know they have WOC but not familiar with what it is and Fantasmic is set to reopen end of May. That one is always great. Not sure if it is different.

The setting is different for Fantasmic. At DL, it's at the Rivers of America and you sit on the ground. We did a Blue Bayou dining package last time with a reserved area and cushions (which unfortunately I think they don't give anymore). I felt closer to the action than at WDW in the stadium seating.

 

[wannabee]

looks like part of that 200+ card revamp is changing delta cards too https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card/delta-skymiles-reserve-american-express-card/

I think I may cancel this card. I never used the $100 airline credit I earned bc I used points to book my flights.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I think I may cancel this card. I never used the $100 airline credit I earned bc I used points to book my flights.

I think the same. I also never get the airline credit anyway because I don't spend enough on it. Really, i keep it for the 15% discount on point bookings and I reason the (previous) $99 AF through the free luggage it provides. But we don't save enough in luggage fees to come close to a $150 AF.

 

[afan]

I think the same. I also never get the airline credit anyway because I don't spend enough on it. Really, i keep it for the 15% discount on point bookings and I reason the (previous) $99 AF through the free luggage it provides. But we don't save enough in luggage fees to come close to a $150 AF.

I'm the same but will use the $150 stays credit. It's on any property on their delta stays site so it'll be much easier to use than thr fhr/thc credit on the plat without having to spend over the amount. I've already looked up places nearby for July 4 if I decide to go somewhere more quiet with Tux since it sounds like a war zone where I live. I just don't trust my neighbors enough to book something.