Jenna-
I go to DLR every year in December and I am always watching out for discounts. I have used PIN code discounts and AP discounts. I have posted info about hotel discounts in two or three separate threads recently, as the subject is coming up a lot.
Today, I just commented on hotel discounts in the Christmas/Holiday Superthread today --
Here (see second paragraph).
And I also talked about holiday hotel discounts in this other post/thread --
Here.
There are
usually discounts of some sort (via the DLR website, or via emails, PIN codes, AP website, etc.) that come out every year, for the Fall months, with the exception of 2012 (when Cars Land and Buena Vista Street opened). The discounts -- depending on whether they are for AP holders or for the general public -- will differ, and they may only cover certain weeks in October, November and December, but they usually cover my time frame (which is early December).
Make sure you are signed up on the Disneyland Resort website to receive newsletters and offers. Then, plug in your trip dates (even approximate dates are fine) in the hotels section of the DLR website, as though you are pricing the hotels. Save that offer in your account. Saving the offer will sometimes get you an eventual email with a PIN code or hotel discount offer from Disney Destinations.