What does everyone think of this Disney Pin Code "Lottery?"

[tzeitel]

Love it...we are staying at a value (not yet booked) and honestly I really dont care which one...so I would take my chance...Only thing is if a better deal came later we couldnt change could we?

It says no cancellations or modifications so that means if something better comes along you would not able to switch.

I would use the pin since I don't mind staying in values and really spend very little time in the resorts. I think now that a new value is opening soon they will have tons of rooms available for pins like this one.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I could deal with any resort. I'm ok with that. But you better have a good hook and this just doesn't.

Overall (making a generalization here) most people who are going to stay at a value do not have a few thousand dollars just laying around to put down within a couple of weeks for a vacation. Those with a pin are limited to how quickly they have to book. So they don't have a vacation planned and bamm now Disney is owed $1500 when they book. Seems a little weird. So the upfront payment to save $20 a night really isn't all that great of a deal is it?

Second as everyone else has stated the inability to modify the reservation (change dates or cancel) leave ALOT to be desired. Who exactly wants to be out of said $1500 because they might have saved $300?

 

[02AggieGirl]

I could deal with any resort. I'm ok with that. But you better have a good hook and this just doesn't.

Overall (making a generalization here) most people who are going to stay at a value do not have a few thousand dollars just laying around to put down within a couple of weeks for a vacation. Those with a pin are limited to how quickly they have to book. So they don't have a vacation planned and bamm now Disney is owed $1500 when they book. Seems a little weird. So the upfront payment to save $20 a night really isn't all that great of a deal is it?

Second as everyone else has stated the inability to modify the reservation (change dates or cancel) leave ALOT to be desired. Who exactly wants to be out of said $1500 because they might have saved $300?

Well it is a "room only discount" so really you could only be out the cost of the room not an entire package but still you would be out some money if you had to change plans.

 

[SarahD]

So no takers it sounds like! That may be good for the rest of us who want a good offer.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't mind not knowing my resort in advance and I'd absolutely take a "run of house" discount within a category or categories, but pre-paid unchangeable reservations don't work for our family unless it is relatively close to our intended dates of travel. I wouldn't book something non-refundable now for our Nov trip, for example, because there's just too high a chance of something coming up that will require changes. Now if I got one of these pins 60 or maybe even 90 days in advance I'd be all over it, but 5-6 months out is just too early for me to be confident of our exact travel dates.

 

[Colleen27]

The free dining public offers have not been released till July.

Free dining PINs were released sooner. The public offer is often similar to the PIN offer which is released first. Last year, for example... there were fall free dining pins circulating in May... and then it became a public offer in July. So I'm curious, has anyone gotten any free dining pins for this fall?

I wouldn't be surprised either way. Wouldn't be surprised to see a free dining offer, wouldn't be surprised to see it skipped.

There's a pin that some have posted about on the Nov 11 code watch thread that seems to work out to be free QSDP for values & mods, though it isn't specifically stated (the pin says "stay play & dine", not "free dining").

This isn't the first time we've seen Disney use pins as a trial balloon for discount offers. The fact that it is out there doesn't mean it'll be the general public offer or popular enough to bring back.

 

[Colleen27]

I thought the same thing about needing trip insurance. But that would negate a decent amount of any savings, so what's the point?

Besides, trip insurance only covers specifically defined emergency circumstances, not any and every reason that might interfere with taking a trip as planned. A lot of the reasons we've had to change trips - DH booking a big job that needs done ASAP or my BFF deciding to get married (yes, she spent less time planning her wedding than my inlaws spent on their Disney grand gathering! They ended up taking the kids without me because I was in the wedding) or one of the kids' teams making the playoffs or just flat out bad airfares that are significantly lower with a little date-adjustment - wouldn't be covered by trip insurance.

 

[ksam97]

I would take this deal in a heartbeat. I am a frequent user of Hotwire and Priceline and I love the option of getting upgraded. I also prefer to stay at the Value Resorts because I am never in my room long enough for it to make a difference. This deal is best suited for vacationers who like last minute travel deals. I do not think this discount is targeted to the obsessive planner. I would make more trips per year with this discount.

 

[disneyfan55]

Well, we did receive this PIN. I would never use it. I don't mind the guessing of the resort it's the non refundable part that stops me. I have received 3 PINs in the past month or so, just for slightly discounted rooms. I haven't used any nor will I since I really don't think they are anything great. I guess between AP and PINs the past few years I've been spoiled with much better rates. I personnaly don't think the FD is any great bargain anymore either, first tips removed, then 2 day pass requirement then the Quick service for Values and now that photo pass. I really am thinking of off site for the next trip.

 

[Colleen27]

I would take this deal in a heartbeat. I am a frequent user of Hotwire and Priceline and I love the option of getting upgraded. I also prefer to stay at the Value Resorts because I am never in my room long enough for it to make a difference. This deal is best suited for vacationers who like last minute travel deals. I do not think this discount is targeted to the obsessive planner. I would make more trips per year with this discount.

Except it isn't being offered last-minute. It is being offered now for Oct to Dec. If it were a last minute offer that I could use the way we use Hotwire or Priceline (often on weeks' rather than months' advance notice) I'd love it, but pay-in-full, no changes/no refunds 5-6 months in advance is a whole different creature.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

It's obvious why they have the no modifications or cancellations, it would defeat the purpose of the lottery if someone could cancel if they don't like the resort they receive. That being said, I'm not sure who would ever go for the deal unless it could be booked with short notice. We're about 2.5 months out and my grandparents aren't sure if they are goin. If they don't we may change resorts and we've already changed from a PIN to the FD offer. That kind of deal would never work for me.

I'd love to hear though if it can be book for 5 in a room. That would restrict it to the All-Star suites, later the new suites at the AoAn resort, POR or FWC. I'm just curious even if I'd never use it!

 

[mom2rtk]

It's obvious why they have the no modifications or cancellations, it would defeat the purpose of the lottery if someone could cancel if they don't like the resort they receive. That being said, I'm not sure who would ever go for the deal unless it could be booked with short notice. We're about 2.5 months out and my grandparents aren't sure if they are goin. If they don't we may change resorts and we've already changed from a PIN to the FD offer. That kind of deal would never work for me.

I'd love to hear though if it can be book for 5 in a room. That would restrict it to the All-Star suites, later the new suites at the AoAn resort, POR or FWC. I'm just curious even if I'd never use it!

I think the part that irritates me most about this is how far out they are asking people to commit, before they have a chance to see what else is offered. Make whatever general public offering you're going to do, let it expire, then put this one out there for last minute fill-ins at the resorts with less bookings.

 

[princess jackie]

Don't think that we will ever do this. We have the opposite concern as most people. I would hate to be put in a moderate resort. We've stayed at a couple of moderates and didn't like it. DS6 actually made us promise to never stay anywhere but POP Century again.

 

[dandave]

I think this is brilliant on Disney's part. The way people book/change/cancel/modify, this is a win-win for Disney. They don't have the phone hassles, and people may very well not even show up for their reservation.

Has anyone here taken the plunge?

 

[mom2rtk]

I think this is brilliant on Disney's part. The way people book/change/cancel/modify, this is a win-win for Disney. They don't have the phone hassles, and people may very well not even show up for their reservation.

Has anyone here taken the plunge?

It's only brilliant if people actually do it. That remains to be seen.

 

[dandave]

I have faith that a certain percentage of people will take the bait with this one. either way, Disney has lost nothing. People are going to continue being obsessed with WDW whether discounts are offered or not. The discounts are just a little game to keep everyone watching, waiting, and talking, IMHO. Prices are so inflated that it takes a nice fat discount just to bring them down to where they should honestly be.

 

[MAYNARDS99]

I LOVE using the opaque booking method where you do not know the travel provider until you book. There are many websites where travelers exchange information on their winning bids. However, I generally only book four star hotels or rental cars. It would be like getting a deluxe resort for the price of a value or moderate. Not so much worth it for a moderate for the price of a value. Seems Disney is just putting their toes in the water.

I wish Disney would offer multiple methods of booking. Noncancellable upfront prepaid rates, auctions and bidding. These methods do not work for all, but they work for me!

 

[Brandilovesdisney]

I've read about quite a few people taking this deal for a moderate/deluxe. I'm still waiting to see what opens up after July 7th

 

[ElizabethB]

I might (might) consider this deal if the upgrade were from a value to a deluxe. For a chance at an upgrade from a value to a moderate, uh . . . no way.

Additionally, this sort of thing is easier to manage on a cruise ship than at a multi-hotel resort property. On a ship, booking a guarantee cabin category means -- even with an upgrade -- you know you will be on the same ship. the only possibility, really, is a higher deck, port vs. starboard, forward vs. aft. Not much to lose, really.

With the Disney offer, the upgrade could be from All Star Music to CBR. That puts one in an entirely different area of a huge resort, with different transportation issues, etc. So, much more risk involved than when this kind of lottery is done with various cabins on one ship.

As for the Hotwire comparison, I won't even consider booking Hotwire unless I have already figured out which hotel I am booking (by checking websites, etc.).

 

[havoc315]

There's a pin that some have posted about on the Nov 11 code watch thread that seems to work out to be free QSDP for values & mods, though it isn't specifically stated (the pin says "stay play & dine", not "free dining").

This isn't the first time we've seen Disney use pins as a trial balloon for discount offers. The fact that it is out there doesn't mean it'll be the general public offer or popular enough to bring back.

Absolutely correct. But the PINs are a good rough general guide in terms of the direction of discounts. As you said, they use the pins as trial balloons. So they can give a good sense of the direction that Disney is headed. And these pins do seem to verify Disney somewhat tightening the reigns on discounts.