Normally, here are MouseMisers, we only cover general public Disney discounts, basically a discount that anyone can book. While some may have some restrictions on them, such as limited to Annual Passholders or Florida Residents only, for the most part, the discounts are available to everyone. We are seeing a trend with Walt Disney World, they are using PIN codes more and more often, and releasing discount to the general public less frequently. Disney has been sending out a Free Dining PIN code for a few months now, good for select Fall 2013 dates. Despite the PIN code being out for nearly 2 months, we have yet to see public discounts for any Fall dates past September 25 yet, though we are still expecting something.
Late yesterday afternoon, Walt Disney World started sending out two new 2014 PIN codes to potential guests. We hope to shed some light on what the PIN codes are offering, how you may get one, and how to use it if you do get one.
What is a PIN code?
A PIN code is a discount sent directly to you from Disney, either by email or a post card. Rather than opening up a discount to everyone, they target individuals they think are likely to travel during that time period. We wrote a fairly lengthly post about Disney PIN codes here:
What about the new 2014 Walt Disney World PIN Codes?
Disney World has starting sending out two separate PIN codes for many Spring 2014 dates. You must check in on one of the following dates:
- January 5 – March 2, 2014
- March 16 – April 12, 2014
There are two completely separate PIN codes being sent out. Many people are receiving both PIN codes, so you or your travel agent should check both offers to see which one is better for you. Please note both of these offers must be booked by July 28, 2013!
What are the two Disney World PIN code offers going out?
As mentioned, there are two different offers. Both emails look nearly identical, same images, same subject line, etc. Look closely to see which one you received.
1. Save up to 35% on Disney Resort Stay – This is a room only discount, but the savings can be huge at many of the deluxe resorts.
- Save 35% at select Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts
- Save 35% at select Disney Deluxe Resorts
- Save 30% at select Disney Moderate Resorts
- Save 25% at select Disney Value Resorts
It appears all resorts are include in this offer, with the exception of the Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation and the new Grand Floridian Villas. Availability may not be available at all resorts or with all room types all dates. Please note: There are several versions of this offer going out. The 35% offer is the best one, some start at 30% and some at 25%.
2. Adults Stay, Play and Dine at kids’ prices with the purchase of select vacation packages – Basically, anyone 10 and older pays kids’s prices for tickets and dining plans. While not free dining, it ends up being pretty close.
- For Quick Service Dining, the savings is about $24 per adult per night of your stay.
- For Disney Dining, the savings is about $40 per adult per night of your stay.
- For Deluxe Dining, the savings is about $75 per adult per night of your stay. We are still confirming that this is included.
- There is also the savings on the park passes, but that tends to be pretty small, around $20 total per adult.
How do I use the Free Dining PIN code?
As with any other Disney discount, just call your Travel Agent or Disney directly to check on prices and availability. I might suggest Mouseketrips, they are experts in PIN codes and Disney discounts.
There are a few restrictions on this Free Dining PIN code, similar to others in the past.
- You must personally receive a PIN code. You CAN NOT use someone else’s code. If your neighbor or Aunt gets a PIN code, you can’t use it. You also can’t buy on ebay nor can someone “give” you their PIN code.
- The person who receives the PIN code must be on your reservation. If your Aunt gets a PIN code, and is coming with you to Disney World, then you can use it.
- For the Adults at Kids’ prices, you must check in on one of the available dates. Only your check in date matters, none of your other dates matter. So, if you check in March 2 for 10 nights, you get the deal for your entire stay. If you check in March 3, you get nothing.
- For the 35% off deal, all of your nights must be available nights, or they will not be discounted. If you check in March 2 for 10 nights, only March 2 will be discounted, none of the other nights will.
- You can book up to three rooms with each PIN code. Again, the person who receives the PIN code must be on one of the reservations.
- You must stay a minimum of three nights, maximum of 14 nights, and everyone in your party must purchase a minimum 2 day park pass on the package deal.
- The Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation are not included, nor are the campsites and 3 bedroom villas. Other resorts may or may not be included for all dates, and everything is always subject to availability.
How do I get a PIN code?
This is one of those eternal mysteries, no one really knows the answer. Disney does not divulge how to get on their “list”. Many guests go to Disney twice a year for 20+ years and never get one, and others have never been, and get several a year. There are a few things you can do to increase your chance. Basically, you need to let Disney know you want to go to Disney World, and are working on going.
I would suggest you do at least these minimum steps:
- Head on over to disneyworld.com and log in with your Disney account. If you do not have one, create one today. Disney is moving all of their dining and other reservations to be associated with this account, you are going to have to have one in the future if you want to plan anything with your future Disney trips.
- Update your profile, make sure it is completely up to date, including correct name, †home address, email address, etc. There are quite a few tabs there, update as many as you can, including past WDW vacations and Disney Vacation Preferences. The more info the better.
- Request a “Free Vacation Planning DVD”. There should be a link on just about any page you go to.
- Head over to the “Plan Your Vacation” and plan out 4 or 5 different options for your family, slightly different dates, resorts, park passes, dining, etc. Save them all to your profile. Make sure the vacations you are planning are during the time you want a PIN code for.
- Consider booking a few dining reservations during your proposed travel dates. Make sure you cancel them in a few weeks if you decide you are not going.
- Come back a week or two later, and plan a few more vacations, around the same travel dates, maybe with different hotels and save as many as you can.
- Keep coming back every few weeks and plan a few more vacations and save them.
What if I don’t get a PIN code
Please note that PIN codes are usually send out in waves. So, they will target a large group, usually by email and send out a big chunk of codes, and then sit back and wait. After a few days (or more), they will determine how bookings are going, and then send out a second wave to additional guests, and so on until they are satisfied with bookings. So, if you didn’t get one today, don’t fret yet, this offer just started.
It is completely possible, and I have seen this a lot, Disney may have a PIN code for you, but for one reason or another, it didn’t make it to you. Maybe you moved, or changed your email address, or you have a really strict spam filter. Feel free, in a few days, to give Disney a call. Just ask them if they have a PIN code for you for the Fall Free Dining. They can look you up by name, address, email address, etc. Most of the time, they will not have something for you, and please don’t beg, the agents can’t add you to the list. If you are chosen, you are chosen. If not, just keep trying the tips above, you never know.
What does this mean for Fall/Spring Discounts?
While there has been precedence of Disney releasing a PIN code for a set of dates, and then releasing the same discount to the general public, it is very rare. Typically, they will release a really good discount via PIN code and book up the rooms/dates they want to book, and then will follow up later with a less attractive general public deal, which usually covers more dates, but isn’t as good of a discount. So, at this point, my expectation is that this PIN code will go on for a while, through a few waves and then will go away.
However, these two deal are strange. They just started going out, but must be booked by July 28, less than two weeks away. That indicates that these offers will go out for a very short time. Current September deals expire July 31. We at MouseMisers are guessing that once the September deals expire, we will see these two deals offered for select Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 dates made available to everyone. Fingers crossed!
Please note, this is my own opinion based on 12+ years of dealing with Disney and discounts, and is not based on any insider knowledge. Think “educated guess”.
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