I’ve been using the Disney Premier Chase Visa for about 15 years, and I have never had any significant problems with it. I’m sure many of you have enjoyed using it as well. I wanted to give everyone a little heads-up about the My Chase Plan that they offer.
In short, this plan allows you to pay monthly for a qualifying purchase. You can choose a six-, twelve-, or eighteen -month payment plan. However, as I later found out, it is only the first plan that you arrange that you can do it with no fees and no interest. Subsequent plans will carry a monthly fee.
I had seen the availability of the My Chase Plan for quite some time, but I never had looked into it because I assumed there were fees associated with it, and I always pay off my balance each month. However, after renewing my wife’s and my Annual Passes, out of curiosity I thought I would check it out.
I tapped on the transaction for my Annual Pass purchase, which was a little more than my wife’s since I added the Memory Maker. I selected the twelve-month option, and the app displayed information that broke down the amount of the monthly payment and added: “This amount includes a monthly fee of $0.00 with no interest.” We have had a number of unexpected expenses recently, so I thought, “Why not spread that cost out a bit?” and set that up.
I wasn’t sure if I would receive the same deal if I were to set up another one for the amount of my wfie’s Annual Pass. Again, out of curiosity, I tapped on the transaction for hers. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that it also stated: “This amount includes a monthly fee of $0.00 with no interest.” So, I set that plan up as well and called it a day.
Within a few minutes I received an e-mail verification for each of them. However, the e-mail for the second plan said that there was a monthly fee of $6.86. Now, had the app indicated this, I wouldn’t have selected it. I’d much rather save the $80+.
I called Chase to see what could be done. The rep I spoke with confirmed that it was only the first plan that had no fees. I understood this. I suspect that perhaps the first plan hadn’t gone through completely when I set up the second, and their system must have thought it was my first. I asked if I could pay for the second plan in its entirety when the bill comes due. He said yes but advised me to call back when I set that up to make sure it was allocated to the correct plan.
When my statement came, I found that they had already charged me the $6.86 for the first month. I called Chase again, and the rep I talked with said there was no way to cancel a plan and no way to allocate the funds to pay off one of them. She said that the payment would just distribute equally between the two. I objected to this, based on what the previous rep and told me, and she transferred me to a supervisor.
The supervisor did some digging and found there was a way to allocate the funds. I went over the amount I would need to pay to make sure it was covered, and he said that it would be taken care of.
I asked if the $6.86 fee could be waived since the app told me there was no fee and since I was paying the second plan off in its entirety at the same time I would have paid it off had I not set up that plan. He attempted to do so twice, but it wouldn’t go through. He said that they evidently are not able to waive those fees. He admitted that, if it were up to him personally, he would have done so. He was very nice.
I know it’s only $6.86, but I was still really irritated, so I decided to write Chase and politiely explain the problem and the resolution I was hoping for–that they would simply waive the $6.86 fee. After a few days, I received a response that was nice on the surface. Essentially, though, they told me that the problem was my fault, that they are not able to waive the fee, and that they would no longer respond to my inquiry.
I’ve had a couple very minor issues with the card in the past, and the reps at Chase have always been so friendly and helpful. I am still baffled by their response–especially since it was an issue that originated on their side. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me.
I suppose I need to take some of the blame. Maybe I should have read more about the My Chase Plan on their website in advance so I understood it better before setting them up. I was only going by the information that the app gave me at the time.
At any rate, I just wanted to share my experience in case anyone here is thinking of using the My Chase Plan. I’m just glad that I had only set up those two. Otherwise, I might be out much more than $6.86.
