Disney offers exclusive discounts for your vacation called PIN codes. (It’s referred to as a PIN code because there is a numerical pin attached to the offer.) No one knows for sure how you get on the PIN list, but they suggest that you sign up for all the different freebies that Disney offers just in case:
- Request your copy of the Disney Vacation DVD
- Create your own Disney Customized Maps
- Create an account at Disney.com and saving your family’s information and vacation dates.
- Follow these tips from ChipandCo.com
I received my first ever PIN in October 2009 (my one and only so far!). The PIN is a code that is attached to your name. You can not transfer it, it is exclusive to you and your family. You can book up to 3 rooms/trips with the PIN code though. I received the PIN in an email titled “A Magical Disney Deal, (last name) Family” and I found it in my spam folder!
PIN codes are emailed infrequently for a variety of dates. The offers vary drastically too. Sometimes it’s free dining before it’s offered to the public, discounts on just your hotel room, etc. There is really no telling when or what you will get. You can always call Disney at (407) 939-7675 to see if their is a PIN attached to your name.
You can go ahead and make a reservation with your PIN even if you aren’t 100% sure you want to use it. You are just required to pay a deposit. And if a better deal comes out between now and then, you can call and change your reservation to reflect the new special. (There is a penalty if it is within 45 days of your arrival date.)
If you are booking a room only reservation here are the deposit guidelines from Mousesavers.com
- You must pay one night’s room rate as a deposit for room only reservations. (So if you booked 7 nights, you would pay the first night now and the other 6 nights when you check in.)
- You can change or cancel your reservation without any penalty up until 5 days prior to check-in.
And if you book a package, the deposit guidelines are as follows:
- You must pay a $200 deposit within 6-7 days of the date you book your package.
- Final payment of the balance is due 45 days prior to check-in.
- You can change or cancel your reservation without any fees up until 45 days in advance. If it is less than 44 days in advance, there is a cancellation fee of $200.
- You can change your package at any time by applying a new discount code, changing the number of days or changing the resort. If you do this 45 days or less prior to arrival, you will have to pay a $50 fee.
So good luck everyone! I hope you can receive a PIN code for your vacation that you can use!
Disney World is the Most Magical Place On Earth. Be sure to learn how to make the most of your trip by following the Disney World Training series.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I have received several pins recently. They usually come by snail mail. The latest one came because I was pricing out a package to WDW in the fall and then saved it. After that they sent me a pin good in September for the value resorts. It also mentions my Disney Rewards card.
Thanks for posting this! I just found out I have a pin and didn’t even know it!
So what exactly can I do with this pin? Do I have to wait for them to email me about an offer, or can I type it in somewhere to get a deal, or what? Like is the email with the pin only good for the deal in that email? Do I have to wait for a different pin for a different deal? I don’t really understand exactly what it is good for.
Ashley, they should have been able to tell you what the pin code discount was when you called. Try calling again and asking them the dates it is good for and what the % is off the room.
I have been told by Disney that there is no rhyme or reason to pin codes. There are people on the DIS boards that have done all of the above for years and never received one. I think it truly is just luck. I got one and it sure was exciting to get.
I ended up calling Disney to book a vacation and see if perhaps they had something magical up their sleeves. (I had received two other pin offers earlier in the year that had expried) Anyways told them I was looking to book two rooms at the Yacht Club and actually had a Pin number attached to my name that was going to be expiring in a month! It was a great deal and we leave on the 25th of July!!!!!!
I am so HAPPY you posted this today. I had NO, NO! Idea what a pin code was… I started looking into our first trip to a Disney Park in January. When the free dining plan came out we booked our trip because the discount made the trip within our budget. I received a piece of mail from Disney a few weeks ago. I skimmed over it and tossed it into the read later pile of mail I have. I busted this bad boy open today and I got a pin code for a discount on my hotel reservation that expires in 2 days. I am hoping I can apply it to my current reservation for a deeper discount.
I’ve been on soany Disney lists for years and finally got one a few months ago and so did my husband. Oddly enough we received 2 more within weeks. We are fostering my niece and nephew and at 15 and 12, they’ve never been on a vacation, so we are taking them and our 4 yr. old son (this will be his 3rd time)
I’ve never received a PIN code that I am aware of, we’ve always just went with the fall free dining offer. I’m just curious – how deep of a discount are we talking here? I know it varies but can you give some examples of how much it saves you? (I know that won’t help me get one, just curious because I’ve heard so much about them)