New Card Update

Companies: Bank One (www.bankone.com) Disney (www.DisneyDreamAuction.com) Special Features: Bank One has issued a new rewards card for Disney. Disney Visa cardholders will be able to bid on auction items, and the proceeds will go to charity. The Buzz: Bank One and Disney will launch the Disney Dream Auction Sept. 27, offering more than 25 Disney items and experiences. The first auction will include the chance to record a song with a "Grammy Award-winning" Walt Disney Records producer, the last remaining pro-am spot in the PGA Tour's "FUNAI Classic," and the "Royal Princess" treatment at Disney's Grand Floridian. The auction benefits three charities: the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Free Arts for Abused Children. New cardholders will be eligible to participate, and current cardholders must register to bid. Companies: TCF Financial (www.tcfexpress.com) Special Features: The TCF Miles Plus Visa platinum credit card is linked to the high-yielding "TCF Premier Checking Plus" account that must be paid off each month and TCF customers receive a combined account statement, which shows not only all checking- account activity but also all of their credit card purchases made with their "Miles Plus" card during the same time period. Card purchases are automatically deducted from the checking account 15 days after the statement is generated. The Buzz: This new Miles-Plus card earns frequent-flyer miles when the cardholder has a balance of $5,000 or more. TCF is offering its new "Premier Checking Plus" customers 5,000 points to get their rewards account started after their first card purchase. Cardholders of the Miles Plus Visa credit card earn one point for every dollar of purchases made with the card. Companies: Visa USA (www.visa.com) Lucky magazine (www.luckypromo.com/visa) Special Features: Visa USA and Lucky magazine will give away Visa prepaid cards to winners of their "Wallet Weigh-In" contest. The promotion ends Sept. 12. The Buzz: The fashion industry's trend toward smaller purses, which are diametrically opposed to the picture-and-paper-stuffed wallets many women carry around, sparked the idea for Visa USA and Lucky to give away Visa prepaid cards to winners of their "Wallet Weigh-In" contest. Entrants share personal stories about why they need a wallet makeover, and Visa and Lucky will decide whose story is the most pathetic, with winners receiving such prizes as a $500 or a $2,000 Visa prepaid card. Companies: Discover (www.discoverbiz.com) Utix (www.utix.com) Special Features: Discover and Utix are offering customers Giftix, a prepaid gift card for universal golf, ski and spa venues that use the Discover/NOVUS Network. Cards are available now to business and corporations, and they will be available to consumers for purchase in department stores this fall. The Buzz: Consumers can redeem the prepaid cards for rounds of golf, visits to day spas or days at the slopes at thousands of venues across the country. A directory of participating venues will accompany each card. Companies: Bank One (www.bankone.com) MGM Mirage (www.mgmmirage.com) Special Features: The MGM Mirage hotel and Bank One launched the MGM Mirage Rewards Visa Card. Card-member privileges include preferred guest check-in and check-out, no annual fee, no blackout dates on reward redemption, a low APR introductory rate for six months, and emergency cash and card replacement plus zero liability on unauthorized purchases. The Buzz: Card-members get privileges at participating MGM Mirage resorts. The new card offers two reward points for every dollar spent on card purchases at MGM MIRAGE resorts and casinos, and one reward point per every dollar spent on everyday card purchases.