How to Get a Disney World PIN Code
PIN or unique offer codes are among Walt Disney World’s best hotel discounts. In this post, we’ll offer info about how to receive these targeted resort deals & improving your odds of scoring them, what they look like, steps for redeeming, current dates, and more. (Updated March 29, 2022.)
If you’ve never heard of PIN codes or have not received an email from Disney about a “PIN code,” this all might sound unfamiliar, so let’s start with the basics. PIN codes are the most exclusive of Walt Disney World discounts–they are targeted, non-transferrable discount offers sent to a limited number of recipients that offer deep-discounts for select travel dates or early booking of a special offer.
Part of the reason you might not have heard of PIN codes is because that’s not the terminology Walt Disney World uses these days. PIN codes are now “Unique Offer Codes” (or UOCs) but are still known as PIN codes among many Walt Disney World fans. (I also still call it “EPCOT Center.” I guess I’m old school.) Whatever you know them as, receiving a PIN code email or mailer can feel like the Golden Ticket landing in your hands. Honestly, part of the allure of PIN codes is the mystery and intrigue…
This is in large part because how Walt Disney World unique offer code recipients are selected is a process that is shrouded in secrecy. Some fans speculate that it’s based upon a complex algorithm that takes into account various factors in order to ‘nudge’ certain potential visitors to book a Walt Disney World vacation. The kind of cold and calculated Internet processes that likewise dictate what you see on your Facebook feed or what you see when searching Google.
Others think it’s more random, either determined by a roomful of manatees who push around name and discount balls, or through luck of the draw. If you travel to Walt Disney World regularly but have never received a PIN code, you’re probably disinclined to believe the “luck of the draw” explanation.
Me too. That seems like a fairly quixotic explanation for a company that is technically savvy and leverages data to its advantage. I don’t think it requires much cynicism to realize that nothing Walt Disney World does in the realm of discounts is random. I probably sound like a broken record with my “Walt Disney World does not offer Free Dining out of corporate benevolence” but that’s true, and it bears repeating.
Walt Disney World offers discounts to meet hotel room occupancy targets during times of the year that would otherwise not be as busy, and targeted discount offers like PIN codes are an even more sophisticated approach to offer discounts to certain guests while excluding others.
The goals? Only offer the discount to a very limited number of potential guests, and also (and this is key!) use surgical precision to target those guests who are less likely to book a trip without a discount offer. The discount is a carrot to lure unsuspecting(?) guests to visit Walt Disney World.
The newest PIN code for Walt Disney World hotel stays encompasses the first half of 2022, and it’s a pretty standard special offer. Those receiving the targeted offer can receive up to 20% off rooms at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights now through July 7, 2022..
As far as PIN codes go, whether this is a good one depends upon your circumstances. On the higher end, it’s on par with the Save Up to 25% Off Walt Disney World Hotels in Spring & Summer 2022. In fact, Annual Passholders can actually save more with those discounts. However, those who are not APs or Florida residents will do better with the PIN code, especially at Value Resorts.
In our experience, the best unique offer code deals tend to be more last minute, with more restrictive dates–they’re basically trying to fill a small number of unsold rooms shortly before the travel dates. Deals with a broader range of dates tend to be slightly better than general public discounts, and targeted as an incentive to those Disney deems less likely to book a trip.
You might wonder how Disney determines who is ‘less likely’ to book a trip. Well, for starters, past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. If you visit Walt Disney World like clockwork at the same time every single year, you’re unlikely to receive a PIN code.
By contrast, if you visit sporadically or express interest in visiting but don’t follow through, you are (statistically) more likely to need to be incentivized. Enter PIN codes.
Unfortunately, if you’re like me, you are (sadly?) predictable. You visit Walt Disney World often, often at the same time (or times) every year, have an Annual Pass, are a D23 Member, etc. You are an easy denial according to the algorithms. (Darn you, Skynet technology!)
This was my realization several years ago, but not wanting to let those stupid sentient computers defeat me, I started scheming, trying to think of workarounds. Like all inhuman systems, I figured it could be gamed. I started creating new Disney.com accounts, signing up for random things, and really going through the motions to let Disney know I was interested–but without booking any trips.
It worked. For a while, we were receiving about 4-6 PIN code offers per year. This number has decreased dramatically since then, primarily (I think) because I stopped trying to get them. Then last year (ironically as “research” for another blog post–which has coincidentally turned into research for this one), I started doing some of the things that I thought caused me to receive PIN codes in the past, and I started receiving new unique offer codes.
Here are some of the things I did (this is not a step-by-step list of things you must do–all are optional), and what I’d recommend doing if you want to increase your owns of receiving a unique offer code from Walt Disney World:
- Order a Free Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Video. (When available.)
- Signing up for the Disney Cruise Line Video might also help. (Again, when available.)
- Go through the resort booking process on DisneyWorld.com while logged into your My Disney Experience account(s) for dates that actually interest you, going all the way to the confirmation screen–but not actually booking.
- Make an Advanced Dining Reservation (ADRs) for a random dates (request an unpopular one and cancel shortly thereafter)
- Create a new My Disney Experience account for a different email address you own. (Do not tie your AP or park tickets to this account.)
- Sign up for any other Disney-related account you find and always specify that you’re open to receiving communications from “the Walt Disney Family of Companies.”
- Sign up for Disney Movie Insiders.
- Register for Disney+.
A few notes on these tips. First, always be sure to use your actual name, email address, and your valid mailing address. Some offers come via email, so are via snail mail. PIN codes are tied to your name, email, and zip code. (Sarah still receives some in her maiden name, and we’ve been unable to use those.)
Second, be courteous when it comes to booking ADRs. Book unpopular ones and cancel quickly so you aren’t throwing a monkey wrench into others’ planning.
If my experience is any indication, booking ADRs and immediately canceling them should be enough to help “trigger” a PIN code. While I was working on updating our posts last spring, that’s what I was doing, and that seemed to work. Around the same time, I was also checking a lot of resort availability for Free Dining (getting far into the booking process for multiple resorts).
Once you receive a PIN code, you can go to this website to enter and view the offer. Another thing you might want to do is call (407) 939-7875 and see if you have any PIN codes tied to your account. There have been times when PIN code offers have gone to my spam folder or paper mailers didn’t make it to us for whatever reason. PIN codes are tied to you, so even if you don’t have the actual code, as long as you provide your info, a reservations agent can retrieve one for you–if you have one.
I should also note that while PIN codes are exciting and there’s a lot of hype to them, they are not always the end-all, be-all of discounts. Sometimes, we receive PIN codes that are amazing–exceptional offers that it’d be insane to pass up. Other times, they are only slightly (if at all) better than a general public offer. Recently, it has seemed like the better the offer, the more restrictive the travel windows. In other words, you won’t always be able to–or want to–take advantage of a PIN code offer, but it’s better to receive a discount offer you won’t use than not receive an offer that you’d like to use!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our advice about the best ways to increase your chances of receiving a ‘unique offer code’ for Walt Disney World? Do you receive these PIN codes often? If so, are they typically good offers, or do you usually pass on them? Any questions about the PIN card madness? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
whoah this weblog is excellent i like reading your articles. Keep up the good work! You know, many individuals are hunting round for this info, you can help them greatly.
Thanks for your very detailed article, it helps us to know a lot more.
Hey Tom, just dropping a note in this article to say I used some of the tips and applied them to Disneyland for an upcoming trip (my sister’s 35th bday! our 1st trip to DL!). While logged in, I picked a room & tickets and went right up to checkout, as well as booking/cancelling ADRs as far out as I could. Started doing this about 2 weeks ago and just received a PIN for 25% off Sun-Thurs – this will not be helpful as its through April 8th and we’re looking at September, but I’m gonna keep on with it until we hopefully see one later in the year. Here’s hoping!
p.s. we’re avid readers – keep up to date on all the WDW with your site and was an amazing resource for my 2019 TDR honeymoon 😉 so thank you for all the content
just realized the 25% is a normal discount on the site lol – regardless, still grateful for your work. Thx.
I miss Primeval Whirl!
Glad to see this post, Thanks for sharing this informative post.
Two times I received PIN codes have each been within a week or so of searching for rooms online & getting to checkout but not booking. I called last week to modify an upcoming reservation, & they said I had a PIN code tied to my acct & it gave me a better discount. Even better, they applied it to my parents’ reservation that I was modifying as well even though they didn’t have a PIN code on their acct. We were adding a night, so it was nice to save a little.
OMG! Just got my first PIN! So exciting! Unfortunately won’t be using it since we don’t plan to travel to Florida anytime soon (we’re in Canada and won’t come to the US until covid cases come down or there’s a vaccine) but still.
Wonder if they blasted these PINs to anyone who has looked at booking a vacation recently but I’m going to keep logging into the website to see if another PIN comes up for when we do plan to travel
Well, Tom, I decided to take your advice and book a room via MDE, but not actually booking it. I just hit, “save”, and did not progress to the booking page. I didn’t make any adr’s or anything else, just filling in all the spaces of booking, but not finishing.
We will see if this does anything for me as far as PIN codes.
Thanks, Tom, for the wonderful advice.
If I dont’ get a response, I will make an adr and cancel right away, as suggested. Or I might try moving the resort or dates. It’s worth a try because I am predictable with my disney vacations, usually early March.
Is it possible to get PIN codes for internationals? Or do you need to live in and have a USA postal address?
I have done most of these things and never received a pin code but I am from the UK so does this only apply to US citizens
OMG! Just got my first PIN! So exciting! Unfortunately won’t be using it since we don’t plan to travel to Florida anytime soon (we’re in Canada and won’t come to the US until covid cases come down or there’s a vaccine) but still.
Wonder if they blasted these PINs to anyone who has looked at booking a vacation recently but I’m going to keep logging into the website to see if another PIN comes up for when we do plan to travel
We just got a PIN code email for multiple dates in Feb, April, and May. I’ve only got an email with them 1 other time and that was probably 5 years ago. The account info tied to this one was with my wife’s maiden name and my old address from 10.5 years ago, so I’m not sure what sort of list they’re working off of. It came to MY email address though, so it must have been from some list I entered info under her name for back before we were married when we had annual passes and booked rooms.
This came the day after I complained online about the booking system and how frustrating it is – trying to book a room for 3/24 shows nothing available. Same for 3/25. Same for 3/26. However, if I enter dates of 3/22-3/27, magically there are rooms. Customer service said I should book the longer trip, then modify the reservation. (Yes, I had already figured that out but don’t think I should have to do that … especially since shortening a reservation requires calling … and being on hold.)
The account I contacted customer service to chat about my complaint has the same email address as the PIN code was sent to (albeit with outdated shipping address info). It would be highly coincidental that the PIN code email was sent the very next day if my complaints about booking had nothing to do with it.
Just food for thought. No matter the reason, I’m happy – while not as good as the $49/nt rates I remember getting a decade ago with passholder discount, we’ll try to make some of the $68/nt March and April dates work.
Now, if only we didn’t have to pay for parking on top of that …
What was the PIN code specifically for? Just curious as they are sometimes all different. Was it for a specific hotel? Value/Deluxe etc? Thanks in advance. 🙂
It was for room-only discounts at value resorts. There were 5 or 6 sets of dates, only 1 of which was limited exclusively to All-Star Sports; the others had choices of which value resorts.
I also used to get mailings and pin codes a few years ago and all of a sudden they just stopped. I think it is because they know they have me hooked and i will go with a regular discount?
I have never gotten any emails from Disney with discounts and i know that one time i called they asked me why i had so many accounts and if i wanted them to erase the ones i didn’t use. hahah
We previously received PIN codes. ALL. THE. TIME. Then they dried up. Stopped. COMPLETELY. This 5 year dry spell was associated with 3 things 1) moving. Our zip code changed & we are in a much more rural (& poor) community. We also started booking our own trips, instead of using a travel agent. We have continued trips every year or two but haven’t had a PIN in over 5 years. I personally think that the changes I mentioned are the reason we stopped getting codes. Nothing else in our behavior pattern changed ~I frequently check / book online imaginary trips. We get planning videos. We have the Disney visa. We are on every imaginable Disney email list. Etc etc etc #shrug they know we are hooked I guess. Lol