by Soarin’ Diva
Aahhh, the much talked about “Pin Code,” or as it’s called now, “Unique Code.” What is it? Where does it come from? Is it some kind of miracle? I see my news feed filled with people upon people who have gotten their unique pin code in their email or snail mail, and they are so excited, but…where’s mine?
Let’s start with the first question, what is a pin code? A pin code is a code that gives you either a room discount if you stay at a select Walt Disney World Resort, usually up to a 30% discount. The unique code could even give you the coveted free dining deal. Please be aware that these discounts are available for a select time frame and for select Disney resorts. For instance, in the last couple of years, my personal favorite resort, Port Orleans French Quarter, is no longer eligible to be booked under a pin/unique code. There will always be an eligible time frame in the email or snail mail you receive as well, so pay attention, because if the time frame says eligible for stays from 06/01/16-08/27/16, and you are checking in 08/28/16…you are out of luck unless you decide to change your dates. Do we even want a pin/unique code? Uhh….it saves you a ton of money, of COURSE we want the code!
A little Pixie dust that came to our email last year
Where does it come from? It usually comes through a pixie dusted email from Disney Destinations, explaining what the offer is, and telling you to be sure to use the unique code below when booking. It does also come through snail mail, so watch for that as well. Be careful though- sometimes you are only receiving a normal promo offer that SAYS to use the code below, and it’s not really a unique pin code. You can tell the difference in the wording. If it’s a true pin code, the email or snail mail will say, “Be sure to mention your UNIQUE OFFER CODE:” then below will be a long fifteen or so digit number code. It will not be a short five or so digit code. I also want to point out that each unique code is assigned to the name of the person receiving the offer. That means, if you get the code, but if the time frame isn’t a good one for you to take advantage of, you can NOT pass the code on to your in-laws or friends, it will not work for them.
It seems like there are some people who get a pin code every single time they are released. They are constantly talking about the newest code they received and whether it’s for free dining or a room discount. Lucky them, they seem to be not just sprinkled, but slathered in pixie dust. Let me be clear, though, not everyone gets the pin code. Guess how many pin codes I’ve gotten. One. One whole pin code. One pin code that I couldn’t even use because it was for a time frame that my husband couldn’t get off of work for. In all the years we have been going to Walt Disney World Resorts, I’ve gotten one pin code.
There doesn’t appear to be any rhyme or reason to who gets the code or why. There are ways to stay on the Disney Destinations radar in hopes of getting one of these codes, but of course there is no guarantee. I can give you a few of the most recommended tips for hovering on the unique pin code gift list. These are all things that we do in our family, so maybe one day we will get another unique code that we can actually use.
The number one thing you must do if you haven’t already, is register your information to get an account on the Walt Disney World website. After registering, the next thing to do is log into and constantly play on the Disney website, planning imaginary vacations. Trust me, Big Brother is watching those websites, they know when you are playing on it. The more interest you show, the more the possibility of a gift from the unique code benefactor. Don’t just stop with the Walt Disney World website, register on the Disneyland site as well, and the Disney Cruise site.
Another big thing I do is to order the newest and latest Disney Planning DVD when they come out every year. The last thing I do is to try to enter as many Disney vacation contests as I possibly can. When entering contests, there is usually a box at the bottom of the contest entry forms that asks if you want to share your information with Disney companies and affiliates. I always, ALWAYS click yes on that box. If I get spam from Disney, who cares? It’s Disney spam, that’s the best kind to get. Maybe, just maybe, one day I’ll get that coveted unique pin code in the midst of the spam.
So, there you have it. A few well known tips to work towards that goal of getting a unique pin code. Will it pay off if you follow these steps? It’s definitely paid off for some. Obviously, I can’t guarantee you will get a unique pin code from following these steps, I mean, I did just say that I’ve only gotten one in my life time. But the point is, I DID get one. Who knows, maybe there will be more to follow. I just have to have faith, trust and Pixie dust.
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