FD Pin....Help Me Understand

[EpiStitch]

Good morning everyone,

I'm not exactly new to Disney, but I've never used a PIN before. I received what I think is a PIN in the mail for FD and RD that seems similar to the current offer to the general public, but it says that I can book the FD through September 12 instead of August 8.

I don't have exact dates yet, but I'm hoping to go sometime in September of October (obviously within the date ranges given for FD). I know that there is a limit on the number of rooms that can be booked with a given discount, but does that differ at all when there's a PIN involved?

For example, say I wanted to book FD for 9/23-9/30 (dates included in the discount) for a moderate. There are no rooms for those dates with the FD discount that is currently available online, but there are non-discounted rooms available. Would the PIN allow me to book one of the rooms that isn't currently showing as eligible for FD as long as there is room availability at all during our time? Obviously, I realize that not all moderate resorts may be included, I'm just trying to figure out how this PIN thing works to my advantage, other than the ability to book later.

I hope that all makes sense. Thanks in advance!

 

[bcalloway]

If you use the link that is provided in the email, it will show which resorts it includes. The pin (at least for my dates) did include different resorts, such as POR.

 

[EpiStitch]

Thanks for the quick reply! Mine came via USPS, so I'll have to check if there was a link provided when I get home tonight. I think POR might have been included, which is great because I'm really hoping to stay at a moderate this time and get the FD that includes table service. I'd also love to try CBR since I've never stayed there, but they may be all booked up. Boo

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Good morning everyone,

I'm not exactly new to Disney, but I've never used a PIN before. I received what I think is a PIN in the mail for FD and RD that seems similar to the current offer to the general public, but it says that I can book the FD through September 12 instead of August 8.

I don't have exact dates yet, but I'm hoping to go sometime in September of October (obviously within the date ranges given for FD). I know that there is a limit on the number of rooms that can be booked with a given discount, but does that differ at all when there's a PIN involved?

For example, say I wanted to book FD for 9/23-9/30 (dates included in the discount) for a moderate. There are no rooms for those dates with the FD discount that is currently available online, but there are non-discounted rooms available. Would the PIN allow me to book one of the rooms that isn't currently showing as eligible for FD as long as there is room availability at all during our time? Obviously, I realize that not all moderate resorts may be included, I'm just trying to figure out how this PIN thing works to my advantage, other than the ability to book later.

I hope that all makes sense. Thanks in advance!

Unfortunately a PIN Code does not guarantee availability. Just like any other Disney offer, the offer is subject to resort availability.

When Disney makes an offer available, by whichever means, it makes only so many rooms available for that offer.

I could call up Disney and say, I want Beach Club on the FD plan Pin Code for Dec xx to xx and even though it falls within the offer period, they may well say "no rooms are available under this offer". I could then ask them if I could book rack rates for the same date and there very well may be availability.

Pin Codes are great, but they are not a guarantee.

 

[EpiStitch]

Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure you know the answer to this, but does Disney allocate extra rooms for the PIN codes compared to what is already available to the general public. For example, if they allocate 50 rooms for FD at CBR, do they also allocate, say, 5 rooms for PINs too? Or does the 50 that are allocated include PINs too? I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth calling to see if the PIN will work at a resort even though there don't appear to be FD rooms availalbe to the general public.

Thanks!

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure you know the answer to this, but does Disney allocate extra rooms for the PIN codes compared to what is already available to the general public. For example, if they allocate 50 rooms for FD at CBR, do they also allocate, say, 5 rooms for PINs too? Or does the 50 that are allocated include PINs too? I'm just trying to figure out if it's worth calling to see if the PIN will work at a resort even though there don't appear to be FD rooms availalbe to the general public.

Thanks!

I think they do. The general public offering that came out for free dining excluded POR but when a subsequent pin code was released the pin code expanded on the GP offering to include POR, so they definitely added more rooms by including a new resort. I also think Disney may add rooms based on public reaction to the offer and based on how overall occupancy rates are looking.

I think for Disney, this is a very fluid and fluxuating process that they can use to target specific resorts a/o dates that are below anticipated occupancy levels.

 

[EpiStitch]

I really appreciate the help! I'm not sure we'd be able to go this year without the free dining, and we don't always know our plans 6 months out, so it's hard to jump right when the offers come out. I'm so lucky to have gotten a PIN!

Thanks!

 

[Hitchhiking Ghost]

I really appreciate the help! I'm not sure we'd be able to go this year without the free dining, and we don't always know our plans 6 months out, so it's hard to jump right when the offers come out. I'm so lucky to have gotten a PIN!

Thanks!

Unfortunately we got double whammied. We were on the fence about going after Thanksgiving (last trip was 2012) but basically needed help in the form of free dining or a great RO discount to pull it off.

Unfortunately the first whammy came when the GP offering excluded our dates AND excluded POR (the only moderate we can stay at without having to book a suite or two rooms)

The second whammy came when it came out that add'l pin codes were released but that we didn't get one (we had a free dining pin code for 2012).

I guess a 3rd whammy is that the recently released late fall RO discounts weren't exactly blockbuster, and again the dates are more restrictive than in the past.

I'm slowly getting the notion that this year isn't meant to be.

 

[EpiStitch]

I'm sorry to hear that. If I hadn't received the PIN, we wouldn't be going either because the room discount doesn't help us much and we weren't able to book when FD was released. Luckily, we don't need a 5 person room, but we need to keep it under $1500/person for a week including travel, tips, and souvenirs.