October 2012 Code Watch!!!

[jen42002]

Ordered the DVD (twice!) and saved offers for my dates etc. No pin for me yet Hoping for some pixie dust for us all!

 

[smitch425]

Im also hopping for FD. I think with the halloween party, I think we are all out of luck. We are staying at the new Art of Animation and i saw were there is a discount but the discount is for stays in June

to the Disboards!

Don't give up hope! What are your travel dates? If they are in October, those discounts don't come out until late July/early August. Disney's calendar year operates on a fiscal calendar like the government, so October is technically the begininng of the year for them. First quarter discounts will come, just try to be patient.

 

[Trep72]

The previous 2 times we went (Sept. 2009 and October 2010) the MNSSHP was in full swing and they offered free dining to the general public.

I got a free quick dining PIN for our trip this October and paid the difference in cost for the full dining. I'm hoping they come out with a full dining plan offer for October so I can save even more $$$.

Im also hopping for FD. I think with the halloween party, I think we are all out of luck. We are staying at the new Art of Animation and i saw were there is a discount but the discount is for stays in June

 

[my2ms0205]

Was Free Dining last year the whole month of October or where there blackout dates?

 

[Bella Rose]

Was Free Dining last year the whole month of October or where there blackout dates?

Free dining was blacked out Oct 7-21 last year.

 

[erinscreen]

Anyone know if there was an AP rate last year for last week of October, if so, what was it?

thanks!

 

[ralphie]

Just received a 30% off email for October. Going to AAA to book tomorrow!!
Pixie Dust to those still waiting!!

 

[ZimTheMouse]

Just received a 30% off email for October. Going to AAA to book tomorrow!!
Pixie Dust to those still waiting!!

That's fantastic!! Not to get off topic, but what's the benefit in booking through AAA? I've seen a lot of DISers mentioning AAA, so I guess there must be a benefit. Thanks in advance!!

 

[ralphie]

Basically you get free mini-golf (bogo) special storytime, preferred parking at the parks, and a few more perks I don't think we used. I just feel a little safer going through a travel agent or AAA - they watch out for additional discounts and will also take the time to do your advance dining reservations - which we found helpful.

 

[wdwmaw]

That's fantastic!! Not to get off topic, but what's the benefit in booking through AAA? I've seen a lot of DISers mentioning AAA, so I guess there must be a benefit. Thanks in advance!!

Basically you get free mini-golf (bogo) special storytime, preferred parking at the parks, and a few more perks I don't think we used. I just feel a little safer going through a travel agent or AAA - they watch out for additional discounts and will also take the time to do your advance dining reservations - which we found helpful.

I just want to add that not all AAA agents or even offices are the same. It is great that they watch for discounts, but in my neck of the woods that is not the case. AAA does "own" your reservation if you book a package through them. You have to get them to add changes, requests, discounts, and so on. The agents here can take a couple of days to get back with you so discounts come out and it may take a couple, if not several days to get a discount applied to your reservation. I am very pickey about this and the morning discounts come out I am the type to be on the phone to get that applied to my reservation with hopes of getting the resort I want. Your AAA agent may not even get to work till 10 am and then take a couple of hours to get back with you and on and on. I know there are some great ones out there so I am not knocking them, just warning you that not all are created equal and giving you some questions to think about if you look into this option.

 

[ZimTheMouse]

I just want to add that not all AAA agents or even offices are the same. It is great that they watch for discounts, but in my neck of the woods that is not the case. AAA does "own" your reservation if you book a package through them. You have to get them to add changes, requests, discounts, and so on. The agents here can take a couple of days to get back with you so discounts come out and it may take a couple, if not several days to get a discount applied to your reservation. I am very pickey about this and the morning discounts come out I am the type to be on the phone to get that applied to my reservation with hopes of getting the resort I want. Your AAA agent may not even get to work till 10 am and then take a couple of hours to get back with you and on and on. I know there are some great ones out there so I am not knocking them, just warning you that not all are created equal and giving you some questions to think about if you look into this option.

Good stuff! I'm the same way. I want full control over my trip so unless there's a substantial reason for booking through AAA, I prefer to deal directly with WDWTC. Thanks for the feedback!!!

 

[kelleigh1]

FYI: you don't have to go through your local AAA office. I found that I knew more about WDW than the AAA branch near my office. So I got a referral from someone on the DIS and now when I book WDW, I work with a AAA branch in another state. She knows her stuff and every time I receive a PIN or a mailing, I just let her know and she will either rebook if it's a better deal or she will tell me that it's not better. I've never had a problem and never had to wait to hear back from her when it comes to applying a code.

I will make all my own ADR's though because I will be up and ready to go online/call before she would be able to do it. And I don't mind that.

And while AAA may "own" my reservation, I was still able to take my confirmation #, go online to the Disney website and link to it.

I also like the other benefits of booking with AAA - the parking pass, the various discounts, the special seating for Wishes, etc.

As I said, I didn't like my local office, so I found one a TA who was highly recommended and she just happens to be a couple thousand miles away from me.

 

[sexyravenfan]

Our AAA TA is great! We have been booking with her for years and have never had a problem. Our family drives to the World so we love the Diamond parking. I also always take use of the discount for the Sea Raycers. There's nothing more enjoyable then floating down the Sassagoula for a peaceful ride and then flooring it around Village Lake at DTD. Hoping for a pin!

 

[dfaithberry]

Just joined DISBoards.com..going to Disney Oct 14 - 20. I ordered the custom maps and DVD and got a 30% off PIN for all hotel grades but AoA was excluded. Still hoping for free meal plan. Currently booked for Royal Room @ Port Orleans, but may book @ Pop to save money (to be used elsewhere at the park i am sure).

Just registered my hubby on disney and ordered custom maps under his account, saved some offers, and ordered DVDs again to see if we get PIN.

Our pin was received via snail mail along with our Customized Maps.

 

[ZimTheMouse]

Just joined DISBoards.com..going to Disney Oct 14 - 20. I ordered the custom maps and DVD and got a 30% off PIN for all hotel grades but AoA was excluded. Still hoping for free meal plan. Currently booked for Royal Room @ Port Orleans, but may book @ Pop to save money (to be used elsewhere at the park i am sure).

Just registered my hubby on disney and ordered custom maps under his account, saved some offers, and ordered DVDs again to see if we get PIN.

Our pin was received via snail mail along with our Customized Maps.

Great idea! I just created a custom map and asked for it to be delivered. I'll let you know if I get a pin. You may be on to something!!!

 

[rein4dis]

I am still for my first ever pin I have been going to Disney for years and never knew about them until this year. I had called to see if I had a pin in my name the other day and they said I did but it didn’t work for Oct. it was for May when we normally go to the world. I signed up for the DVD and everything but didn’t think about a costom map good tip maybe I will get something soon. I am not too picky I just want to save some money.

 

[ZimTheMouse]

Please forgive me if this has already been posted, but I think the following link will cheer some people up here in the October board.

As many have stated, there has been Free Dining (FD) offered for the past three years ('09, '10, '11) during pretty much the same October timeframe. Additionally, the FD is normally released at about the same time. And lastly, by reviewing the chart at the link I'm about to post, you can see that Disney is following a similar (if not exact) pattern for 2012.

Again, sorry if this is duplicate information, but I find it VERY encouraging!!

http://www.mousesavers.com/historicalwdwdiscounts.html#codetrends

 

[maryj11]

Wasnt there a week that was excluded from any discounts or free dining in the middle of October when the Gartner Symposium was at Disney ? I hope the week we are going is not excluded, we are arriving on the 14th. Does anyone know ? I'm hoping it was excluded because they already had the rooms full with the conventions, I know the Gartner Symposium will not be there until the following week and the PGA is in November this year ?

 

[smitch425]

Wasnt there a week that was excluded from any discounts or free dining in the middle of October when the Gartner Symposium was at Disney ? I hope the week we are going is not excluded, we are arriving on the 14th. Does anyone know ?

Yes...the middle two weeks were blacked out. I was there the 15-23 and paid rack rate for room, tickets, and QSDP.

 

[Day-Day]

Wasnt there a week that was excluded from any discounts or free dining in the middle of October when the Gartner Symposium was at Disney ? I hope the week we are going is not excluded, we are arriving on the 14th. Does anyone know ? I'm hoping it was excluded because they already had the rooms full with the conventions, I know the Gartner Symposium will not be there until the following week and the PGA is in November this year ?

Recent bounceback offers were not available for October 7-20. Don't know if this means anything as far as general public discounts that come out later.