Frustrated

[aubriee]

I am an AP holder who goes to WDW several times a year. I have saved vacation pkgs on the WDW site, filled out every survey both online and in the parks that I am asked to, have order the personalized maps and planning DVD's every year, and am registered on every Disney site I can find. I have never received a PIN code. On the other hand, my 76 y/o mom lives with me. Due to my dad not being the type to take vacations, she had never even been to WDW until after my dad went into the nursing home several years ago. I then took her for her first ever trip when she was 73 y/o. She has gone back several times since then, but only when I've taken her. I have always been the lead name on the reservation. She doesn't even have an email, has never spoken to a Disney rep, and they have no way to even have her name, except as a guest in my room. Yet she received a PIN code last year for multiple dates in 2009. Then yesterday she received another PIN for counter service free dining for the summer (through 8/14). I do everything I can to get a PIN, Disney shouldn't even have any information about her in their system as she's never booked a trip, yet she gets PIN codes and I don't?

The counter service free dining is not that good of a deal and my AP discount easily beats it for my upcoming May trip so I wouldn't have used it anyway, but it's just the principle of the thing that irritates me.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I am an AP holder who goes to WDW several times a year. I have saved vacation pkgs on the WDW site, filled out every survey both online and in the parks that I am asked to, have order the personalized maps and planning DVD's every year, and am registered on every Disney site I can find. I have never received a PIN code. On the other hand, my 76 y/o mom lives with me. Due to my dad not being the type to take vacations, she never even been to WDW until after my dad went into the nursing home several years ago. I then took her for her first ever trip when she was 73 y/o. She has gone back several times since then, but only when I've taken her. I have always been the lead name on the reservation. She doesn't even have an email, has never spoken to a Disney rep, and they have no way to even have her name, except as a guest in my room. Yet she received a PIN code last year for multiple dates in 2009. Then yesterday she received another PIN for counter service free dining for the summer (through 8/14). I do everything I can to get a PIN, Disney shouldn't even have any information about her in their system as she's never booked a trip, yet she gets PIN codes and I don't?

The counter service free dining is not that good of a deal and my AP discount easily beats it for my upcoming May trip so I wouldn't have used it anyway, but it's just the principle of the thing that irritates me.

Even Disney acknowledges their system ain't perfect.

And boy - it ain't - that's for sure.

But yesterday a 13 year old daughter of someone got a PIN.

Great promo team Disney!

 

[luvdisney00]

I hear you!!! My boss hasn't been since 95 and seems to get every one that I hear about on these boards, both email and postcards. I can't get one no matter what I do (including everything on your list and more). It makes me so mad that Disney doesn't seem to like me!!!!!!

 

[Nutz4Dizney]

Maybe it's not how often you go or what you have signed up. Maybe it's how many times you have tagged along or maybe it's you not being a frequent guest.

My trips are ALWAYS under my name. My first trip was 96 I'm going to estimate that I have gone 14-15 times since I started. I have NEVER received a pin and I have done all the stuff listed in the OP's post about the "sign ups for Disney".

My son will be going on his 9th trip and he got a pin yesterday.

My husband has been going since the 70's I'm going to estimate that he has gone over 30-35 times. Always under his name that is untill I started going in 96. He is now considered a "tag-along" person under my name (according to me). He got a couple pins over the summer.

My mom has been going since 95 WITH me. Although I book everything, and pay everything with my Disney Visa, the room she stays in is under her name. She have never received a pin.

My mother's ex-boyfriend was going to go with us in 95 (he has never been). I would consider him a "tag-along" person under mom's room name. He canceled at the last minute in 95 and he's received codes at my house.

My godmother traveled with us in 95 stayed in my mothers room. Has only gone 1 time and that was in 95. She too has received pins at my house.

My cousin and her 2 kids traveled with me in April 95. She had her own room but I booked everything and paid for everything and she has never received a pin.

Reminder I use my Disney Visa to book and pay for everything for everyone.
I think Disney "THINKS" it doesn't need to send me a pin since it is more likely than not that I will be heading down. Anyway, this is how I justify not getting a pin in my name.



Any thoughts about this idea.

 

[n2mm]

I'm alot like the OP. We are AP holders since 1995! We are not Florida residents. We are DVC members. We are Disney Visa Cardholders--charter members since day ONE. DH is a former CM. We go to WDW 5-6 trips a YEAR. We have been to WDW over 60 trips now-stopped counting. We only get pins for AP holders. We got 1 last year for the extra percentage off our room before the AP rates were released and was better than the AP rate (40% off of moderates). 2 years ago we got an AP pin for the 50% off a value room and a 35% shopping discount. Other than those 2 pins over the last couple of years, we've never gotten one and both were addressed to AP holders (so they were only for AP holders like us). Now, I've called many times and asked about a room rates as sometimes we like to add a couple of non-DVC nights to our vacation and have always been told we have a pin. I don't call looking for one, but I also never get them either email or snail mail. Yes, I'm always online looking at rates, making dining reservations (when you go every couple of months, I'm always tweaking a trip or two or three -- working on three trips at one time now). I've saved packages, I've ordered maps, I've booked cruises, I've taken cruises. I get email from Disney Destinations all of the time, I get the Hello, I get AP emails, Heck I even get Universal Studios emails (also an AP holder there). I also do surveys all of the time. I get a postcard after each trip and will do the survey. I get stopped while in WDW and they ask if I would do a survey when I get home and I always do. There's really nothing more I could possibly do to generate a pin email or snail mail. I just don't worry about it anymore. Often the AP discount is good enough for me and I'm always in WDW, so can book a bounceback any time I want. I even have the free dining for late September because I booked the FD BB last October while staying in my DVC resort! OP, not sure why frequent visitors don't get them, but maybe because we are frequent visitors.

 

[aubriee]

Often the AP discount is good enough for me and I'm always in WDW, so can book a bounceback any time I want. I even have the free dining for late September because I booked the FD BB last October while staying in my DVC resort! OP, not sure why frequent visitors don't get them, but maybe because we are frequent visitors.

That's true. When I was there this past Sept/Oct, I booked bounce back free dining for Sept 25th-Oct 3rd, then when I was there in Dec I booked the 35% off bounceback for May 1st-9th, Oct 23rd-31st, and Dec 4th-12th, so I have four bounceback deals booked already for 2010. Because the AP discount beat it, I've already switched my May trip to the AP discount. I'll be canceling either the free dining or 35% off deal for the fall (depends on how many people wind up going with me on that trip as to which is the better deal, for a solo the 35% off is a better deal, but for more people free dining beat it), and if the AP discount beats the 35% off I have now, I'll be changing that one also, so I can't complain about not getting discounts, but it's still just the principle of the thing. I WANT A PIN CODE!!!!!! Disney gets my money several times a year, so why not show us frequent vistitors some appreciation.

 

[PictureJumpr]

I think that you've figured it out, even if you don't realize it.

I get PIN codes about once a year. I've never taken the website survey, I haven't ordered maps in years, I don't save phantom itineraries or update info on a regular basis or any of the other things people do to encourage Disney to send them a PIN.

I don't get them the most often, though, among folks I travel with.

They come most often for my Dad (has never been on a reservation in his own name; has only been once on a package, a couple of other times on a day trip). Second-most frequent recipient is my mom (took us as kids in 198...3?; has never been on a reservation in her name; goes with me every time, as 'additional guest'). My brother, who passed away in January of 2001, got one a few years ago - he'd never even been there with me/as an adult, just that trip back in 1983, and we stayed off-site back then. He was booked on a trip with me and my then-BF in 2000, but ended up not going and being removed from the reservation before arrival.

All of these come to one of my e-mail addresses. Because none of these folks is registered on the Disney sites in their own right. I have used various addresses over the years; I update to the one I use most at the time when I book another trip, to get the confirmations. I don't have 'ghost' accounts with different names and e-mails on them, just the one account.


I just assume that the program is skewed to people who, according to their database, have been or have planned to go in the past but who have not booked anything recently. Or ever, at least not in their own name as lead guest. And it makes sense, I suppose - those who routinely/regularly book are not the ones they are worried about.

 

[leahjade]

I am an AP holder who goes to WDW several times a year

Disney already has your business - why do they need to send you a pin? Pins usually go to people who infrequently go to Disney to try to get their business back. Probably the same reason WDW may not offer free dining this year. If the rooms are filled without offering it, why lose money for nothing.
I don't know what's so great about the pins anyway - the same deal is often offered to the public in a few days or weeks anyway. It's not like they're giving free trips away.