The whole PIN thing makes me angry

[dskib]

I know. I hear ya all. I'm just pissy because, at the moment, I currently have a rack rate reservation and I always book with a discount.

I fully admit to never worrying about who gets PINs and who doesn't because I'm one who used to get them. I know this.

I agree with those who feel that emails like PINs should be like the department stores offers for loyal customers because I'm a loyal Disney customer. And I read time and time again about people who currently have reservations and get PINs anyway.

I know it's a business and a marketing ploy. Of course it is. I just want one. I'm not going in a peak month. I'm not even going on an off peak holiday! I'm going in October - one of those perfect times when attendence is a bit lower and discounts usually abound.

Originally Posted by ANNUAL-DIS-FREAK-OUT-PATTERN
PINs go out in Jan and Feb and everyone gets worked into a lather about it.. and by the second week of April, the same PINs are now a public offer with slightly different dates and way more availability. You can almost set your watch by that pattern in the 5 years since I've been here.

Crossing my fingers that you're right!

Deb

 

[keishashadow]

i've only gotten 1 pin over the years, on dates we couldn't travel

was hoping as another posted that general FDP codes would follow the initial feeding frenzy

im concerned though re anything coming thru for 1st week of Dec this year after several calls switching a March res around for DS. Luckily found out he had a pin code attached to his name, but was told that the 35% mod/40% deluxes, etc. is the best that will be forthcoming this year. Hope the CMs are reading from a script & blowing smoke

 

[Bilierka]

I have never really understood the science of PINS. I have booked without them(usually sharing the cost of the room with a relative), I have booked with a modest AAA discount and I have booked with PINS for a substantial discount.

I was going on each of these ressies whether I received a discount or not. But....once you get that PIN, you feel somewhat cheated if you book a trip without getting one.I have received PINS every year since 2005. I went in 2008 on a PIN, and am going this year on a PIN.

I would be rather ticked off to book another trip knowing what discounts I received on previous trips.

Plus the internet and sites like this just make people mad when all you read about are fabulous PIN offers. Before I joined this board I had never heard of a PIN. I thought AAA was the best I could do nor had I ever heard of public codes.

It is what it is, I am happy for those who get discounts and feel the pain of those who don't.

Personally, I wish Disney would do away with PINS and offer just public codes. Like anything else first come ,first served, or you snooze you lose!

When the promo rooms are gone, there gone.....

.

 

[camnhan]

Take it from someone who has NEVER received a PIN! I feel your pain!!!
Would really be nice if we got just a little taste of Pixie dust...just once....but we are just one of those families that go when we can scrape up the money to go..full price all the time, and have never had anything special happen for us while onsite but

I WOULD NOT GIVE UP OUR TIME AND MEMORIES FOR ANYTHING!!!

 

[Sammie]

I quit thinking about it. We have gone every year for over 30 years and never, ever not once received a PIN of any kind.

I have completely given up hope of ever getting one. I have registered different emails, set up profiles, saved trips, stood on my head, while whistling It's a Small World and nothing works.

I will forever be PINless.

 

[JJsmama]

I agree. I think Disney has every right to offer whatever discounts they want, with whatever blackout dates they want, but they should be general public discounts. If they want to reserve only a First Come First Serve limited number, that is fine too, but the whole 'random/ somewhat secret pin' thing is frustrating. Plus, often people don't even know they have them, so what is the point?? Isn't the point to get more people to book?

 

[ajh88]

Deb:

Think about a car rental. If I'm an GOLDEN Emerald Aisle member (or whatever) - I might get the same SUV you rented for $399 for the week... I might get that for $199. Doesn't make me a smarter consumer necessarily. It means that based on my business profile to that company, they believe offering me the discount will result in even more business down the road.

Not to belabor my position, but this seems to me an illustration of the exact opposite thing that Disney seems to do with their PIN codes. If you are a loyalty member (such as at an auto rental company), you receive special discounts not available to the general public because you are LOYAL to them and they want your repeat business. Say you are a member of said loyalty club and I am not - it wouldn't necessarily seem right if the loyalty club enticed me with special offers to try to get me to join and offered you nothing but full price rates or discounts available to everyone, KWIM? In fact, I just switched cable providers because of this kind of treatment - they offer super low rates to new customers while taking loyal customers for granted.

Same thing with department stores - they don't send me (who never shops there) special coupons or promotions - they reserve those for their loyal customers. I can take advantage of publicly advertised sales or coupons, but not "special" loyalty offers.

I'm just playing devil's advocate a bit here...the bottom line is that we have paid rack rate at Disney, we have booked with discount codes before, and I have every confidence I will find another discount before our trip this summer. I continue to vacation there because I enjoy it and like another PP, I base my budget on rack rate and if I get a discount, then woo hoo for me! However, I still sympathize with the OP in her frustration. I don't really care what other people pay but I do care about what I pay and I hate not getting the best deal possible on anything!

 

[sndral]

The thing that irritates me about Disney marketing is when they send pins to people you have traveled with but who do not live at your address to your address. This happened in '09 when they sent a pin postcard to my mom @ my address where she's never lived. Then I started receiving emails addressed to my son and his (now ex) gf in my personal email and a credit card offer for the exgf to my address. I don't mind Disney marketing to people who haven't booked with them but have stayed there as part of my reservation, but they need to send the offers to where those people live and not expect me to be their conduit. I do object to them sending mail addressed to others to my physical address and email addressed to others to my personal email address - it's like they are rubbing my face in the fact that these people are getting pins and I'm not. Mmm, maybe I need to have someone else book the reservation and Disney will send me a pin to their address.

 

[disney11fan]

call disney and ask if there are any pins for what ever your looking for. if they say no .. go elsewhere this vacation. don't get mad it doesn't solve a thing. i've gotten serveral pins and have never used one.

try looking off site ..may find better deals then what disney if offering if you still decide to go.

good luck and have a great vacation.

 

[5 for WDW]

We understand the frustration. We have taken over 20 trips since 1996. We have called here and there to see if we have a pin. We never have.

We just assume Disney knows we will visit pin or not so, they don't send one our way.

It would be nice to be a part of the pin "club" just once though. Congrats to all you lucky people that do get them.

 

[dskib]

The thing that irritates me about Disney marketing is when they send pins to people you have traveled with but who do not live at your address to your address. This happened in '09 when they sent a pin postcard to my mom @ my address where she's never lived. Then I started receiving emails addressed to my son and his (now ex) gf in my personal email and a credit card offer for the exgf to my address. I don't mind Disney marketing to people who haven't booked with them but have stayed there as part of my reservation, but they need to send the offers to where those people live and not expect me to be their conduit. I do object to them sending mail addressed to others to my physical address and email addressed to others to my personal email address - it's like they are rubbing my face in the fact that these people are getting pins and I'm not. Mmm, maybe I need to have someone else book the reservation and Disney will send me a pin to their address.

Two years ago we went and brought along my sister Conny and her daughter (my neice) Brooke.

The following year, I got a PIN sent to my home addressed to Ms Conny Brooke.

That person doesn't even exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deb

 

[rie'smom]

One year I received 4 pin offers, another year a couple but I haven't received any this year or last. It doesn't bother me though because the general public discounts have been as good- 40% for deluxe if we choose not to stay DVC.
Those hoping for pin codes I hope you get one!

 

[crashbb]

I've gotten PINS in the past and seemed to have dropped off the radar, so maybe that's why I'm annoyed, but the more I read, the more annoyed I get.

Simply stated, I don't think it's right that the person in the room next to me got 40% off or free dining and I had to pay full price because I didn't receive some random email! Seriously. It's one thing to have a public promo with a "book by" date. Everyone has the opportunity. But the PINs are different. It's like they are selecting who they feel deserves a discount.

Don't like it. So now here's hoping I get a PIN for those blocked out weeks in October!

Deb

Was it fair when YOU got 40% (due to all those PINs you said you got before) and the person beside you had to pay full price? Seems rather hypocritical to complain about others using PINs when you have benefited from "some random email" in the past (and will use one if you get one in the future).

I've never received a PIN and have only used public discounts. Sure, it would have been nice to get better discounts, but I don't take it as a personal affront.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I understand the frustration.

I'm still hoping for an October discount during the one weekend I can go. I'd love to go for my first ever Food and Wine trip. Right now there's no room only discount out for it.

I booked mid-Sept. using the public code instead so I can at least do MNSSHP and I'll move it if a room only discount comes out.

I'm one of those folks who will change my timeframe or go somewhere else if I can't get a discount.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Two years ago we went and brought along my sister Conny and her daughter (my neice) Brooke.

The following year, I got a PIN sent to my home addressed to Ms Conny Brooke.

That person doesn't even exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deb

Yeah their systems leave a LOT to be desired. I traveled with Andrew Leblanc and Farley Lindsay and my name is Knox.. and we got :

Andrew Farley
Lindsay Knox

And my personal favorite..

"Knox Leblanc"

ALL came to my address.

And yeah, I stand by my "DIS PIN FREAKOUT" theory. Seen it 5 years running now.. I can't imagine we won't see # 6 this year.

 

[luvdisney77]

I've never had a PIN, and we have visted several times. I would LOVE to get a pin, but for whatever reason...still nothing. I've tried all the so-called tricks that everyone does to try and get a pin, nada.

Oh well, bottom line is I still love Disney on most days..LOL

I just go when I can get a discount...no party foul.

 

[luvdisney77]

Yeah their systems leave a LOT to be desired. I traveled with Andrew Leblanc and Farley Lindsay and my name is Knox.. and we got :

Andrew Farley
Lindsay Knox

And my personal favorite..

"Knox Leblanc"

ALL came to my address.

And yeah, I stand by my "DIS PIN FREAKOUT" theory. Seen it 5 years running now.. I can't imagine we won't see # 6 this year.

Reminds me of the FRIENDS episode where in the TV guide comes to Chandler and Joey's place as "Miss Chanadaler Bong".



BTW - dare I ask what the DIS PIN FREAKOUT is?

 

[dskib]

Was it fair when YOU got 40% (due to all those PINs you said you got before) and the person beside you had to pay full price? Seems rather hypocritical to complain about others using PINs when you have benefited from "some random email" in the past (and will use one if you get one in the future).

I've never received a PIN and have only used public discounts. Sure, it would have been nice to get better discounts, but I don't take it as a personal affront.

Nope. Not a hypocrite. If you've read my other posts, you'll see that I'm admittedly jealous that my PINs have stopped and admitted to not even thinking about it before. Not a darn thing hypocritical about that. Thanks for that though.I'll happily accept my 40% when offered. The person beside me should have received the same offer though.

I'm just saying that I can see where frequent and valued customers sometimes get little bonuses and coupons for their loyalty. Most businesses do it.

But random PINs sent to non existant people doesn't seem right to me. And I'm not ashamed to say I'm annoyed about it. Guess what?! Non existant people won't be reserving anything, whereas I'll be spending actual real life $$$.

I believe it should be Public offers with expiration dates. Everyone has the opportunity to use them or not. If they want to send PINs to whom they feel are their most loyal and deserving guests, then go ahead. It's sort of a customer service standard.

But I'm no hypocrite.

Deb

 

[luvdisney77]

Nope. Not a hypocrite. If you've read my other posts, you'll see that I'm admittedly jealous that my PINs have stopped and admitted to not even thinking about it before. Not a darn thing hypocritical about that. Thanks for that though.I'll happily accept my 40% when offered. The person beside me should have received the same offer though.

I'm just saying that I can see where frequent and valued customers sometimes get little bonuses and coupons for their loyalty. Most businesses do it.

But random PINs sent to non existant people doesn't seem right to me. And I'm not ashamed to say I'm annoyed about it. Guess what?! Non existant people won't be reserving anything, whereas I'll be spending actual real life $$$.

I believe it should be Public offers with expiration dates. Everyone has the opportunity to use them or not. If they want to send PINs to whom they feel are their most loyal and deserving guests, then go ahead. It's sort of a customer service standard.

But I'm no hypocrite.

Deb

I especially agree with the PIN to loyal customers part.

 

[GovieMom]

I've never had a PIN, and we have visted several times. I would LOVE to get a pin, but for whatever reason...still nothing. I've tried all the so-called tricks that everyone does to try and get a pin, nada.

Same here. We've been to Disney several times, ordered the DVDs, priced trips online, etc. Every time I call to see if there's a PIN for us ... nothing.
It's like going shopping and at the register, another patron has the same item as me. The clerk tells the patron that her item is 40% off, but I have to pay full price for mine. Soooo depressing!