This means you can make reservations for any trip between January through Christmas 2012 beginning on the first of the year. In fact, you can already find discounts on resort stays between February 21 to March 31 and April 13 to June 14 if you book before January 22 and February 28 respectively. Discounts include…

Save 20% for Value Resort stays at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort, Disney’s All Star Music Resort or Disney’s Pop Century Resort.

Save 25% for Moderate Resort stays at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort or Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.

Save 30% for Deluxe Resort stays at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn or Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Save 30% for Deluxe Villa stays at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort or Disney’s Old Key West Resort.

As the year goes on you’ll find similar deals like this posted for summer, fall, and spring. The only catch is that you have to make your reservation after each promotion goes live but before the posted booking deadline. Usually you get about 45 days to take advantage of room rate discounts.

Now if you are searching specifically for the best deals then you’ll want to visit during the off-seasons. As you would expect, these are the time periods throughout the year where kids are in school. This makes it hard for some families, but if you are traveling to Orlando for business during the school year it might be worth it to save money and beat the crowds. You can read more about the best times to visit Disney World here.

Two of the most popular times to visit Disney World are Halloween and Christmas. For Halloween, you should consider waiting until mid-August to book. This is typically when the final details are posted for “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.” This special event runs approximately 3 times a week (mostly on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) beginning mid-September and ending on November 1st. For the past two years Disney has offered free dining packages and room discounts to coincide with the Halloween booking season. This should be enough incentive to wait until late summer to book your fall trip.

Planning for your 2012 Christmas trip should be completed around the time school begins. Oddly enough, the dates for “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” are often announced before the Halloween party dates. Festivities are held from 7pm to Midnight four nights per week (mostly on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday). Last year the Christmas events ran from November 8th through December 18th. Free dining packages were offered for trips booked between November 26 – Dec 1 or Dec 10 – 15.

Beyond public promotions and special events, you can also qualify for special rates through Bounceback Offers and PIN Codes. There are also discounts for members of the Military and AAA members. In each of these instances you will have a certain booking window available to take advantage. The bottom line here is don’t get too anxious when reserving your vacation dates as there are plenty of hot deals left to be released through 2012.

Happy New Year from DisneyVacationSpecials.com

If you have never received a PIN code before, they are very similar to the coupon codes used at many online retailers. Disney sends them out to targeted audiences through emails and postcards. Some PIN codes are created for the general public, and these are often advertised on television commercials and the Disney World website. Generally speaking though, the most valuable codes are sent directly to the qualifying individual.

There are several potential offers and discounts tied into PIN codes. The most prominent offers are for free dining packages and resort room discounts. Codes can be redeemed by booking your vacation online or by calling the reservations line at (407) 939-7675.

So how can you get on the PIN code notification list? Obviously there is a lot of interest surrounding any sort of Disney World discount offer, and not everyone will gain access to a personalized PIN code. However, there are several strategies to improve your odds of getting one…

Register on the Disney World Website
The idea here is to show Disney that you are in the early stages of planning a vacation. Ideally this will prompt them to send you a code. Register here and follow the steps to build out your vacation preferences (date, resort, etc) and request a free vacation planning DVD. If you are within the calendar year of your trip then you might also want to request a trip quote.

Register Your Spouse Separately
This is an easy and legitimate way to increase the odds your family will be included in a PIN code offer. You don’t need to request a DVD or quote through your spouse’s registration, just complete the simple form with a different email address from the one you used for yourself.

Follow Up
Give your registration a good 30 days to propagate through all of the marketing channels. Then, if you have not received a PIN code, go ahead and call the reservation line. Ask them if there are any codes attached to you or your spouse’s account. If nothing comes up then simply tell the agent you read about these special codes and you were wondering if you qualify for one. Sometimes being courteous and honest can be enough to get you on the list!

Don’t Get Discouraged
Keep in mind that PIN codes are only one of many ways to get a cheap Disney World vacation. You might even receive a code that doesn’t apply to your families needs…so don’t think of them as a magic bullet. Be sure to browse through our discounts section to find other deals that may work better for your family.

The “Couponing to Disney” Blog wrote a fun article sharing some of the perks one special girl has received on her annual birthday trip to the Magic Kingdom. Here are some of the highlights…

- A special birthday button created by a cast member.
- Free dessert from one of the table service restaurants.
- Resort room decorated with a birthday card, balloon, and picture from Minnie Mouse.

You can read the full article here.

Here at Disney Vacation Specials we get a lot of questions about the expired free birthday admission promotion. As far as I know there are no plans to renew this special offer, but if you plan ahead and let Disney know you are bringing a special guest then you are sure to enjoy a fun treat or two!

But even though the internet is filled with coupon codes for traditional online retailers, Disney World has a unique operation for releasing coupon offers. Here is an overview of how their system works…

Does Disney World offer coupon codes?
Technically the answer to this question is “no” because they do not call them coupon codes. The official terminology used by Disney World for their invitation discounts are PIN or PIN-CODE.

A PIN is a sequence of numbers that grants access to a special offer. A PIN-CODE includes an additional sequence of three letters that you must give to your WDW agent in order to unlock the discount offer.

Now this is where it can be confusing…depending on what offer you get from WDW, you might receive the discount in either format (PIN or PIN-CODE).

If you only get a PIN number, then you don’t need to worry about the CODE portion. Your booking agent will be able to bring up the special discount on their computer. If you receive a PIN-CODE then you will need to supply both sequences in order to qualify.

When does Disney World send out these special coupon codes?
In most cases PINs and PIN-CODEs are sent out in the first quarter of each year. January through March seems to include the highest frequency of offers. This makes sense as Disney is likely trying to fill their dates as early in the year as possible.

How can I get my own discount code?
Unfortunately no one outside of WDW seems to have an answer to this question. If you read through any of the Disney World forums (like the one at http://disboards.com) you will notice that the pattern of distribution is very sporadic.

The best thing you can do now is get on the email list at the Disney World website. Some people also suggest ordering a free Disney World planning kit. It stands to reason that your odds will improve by opting-in to any promotional communication streams that Disney World throws at you.

How do I know if I have a discount code?
These coupon/discount codes are distributed through email or postcard to one of the addresses Disney World has on file for your name. The postcard or email will tell you what the code entitles you to and how long it is valid for. In short, if you don’t receive anything that has the terms PIN or PIN-CODE then you likely did not make the list this year.

Are these discount codes transferable?
In most cases no, so don’t waste your time or money trying to find or buy a code from someone else. While there are a handful of public PINs released each year, they usually do not represent a savings any more valuable then the standard Disney World discounts. Each PIN-CODE is assigned to an individual family member. Unless you can prove you are this person than forget about trying to use it.

How do I redeem my discount code?
All discount codes must be redeemed through the Disney Reservation Center by calling 1-407-W-DISNEY. Tell your booking agent that you received a code by mail or email and they will review with you the terms of the offer and assist you with making a reservation.

So to summarize all of this, Disney World coupons do not officially exist. However, some individuals will be lucky enough to receive a PIN or PIN-CODE via postcard or email which will provide them with exclusive discounts. Even if you are not included in the chosen few who get these special discount codes, there are still plenty of other ways to save money on your Disney World vacation. The only difference is that you will just have to dig a little deeper in your research

If you have never been to Disney World for this event then you really should try to go. The weather is absolutely perfect in Orlando during fall. Yes there is always a chance for a hurricane but typically there is very little rain and the high temperatures are in the low 80′s. This makes for bright days to enjoy the park and cooler nights for when the Halloween festivities begin.

Featured attractions include trick-or-treat throughout the park, mascots wearing special costumes, the Boo-to-You parade, orange and green fireworks, and of course popular destinations like the Haunted Mansion.

A separate ticket is required for admission to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Tickets cost $59.95 (for ages 10+) and $53.95 (for ages 3-9) for all dates except Oct. 29 and Oct. 31 when tickets cost $64.95 (ages 10+) and $58.95 (ages 3-9). Advance purchase (prior to event day) savings of $6 per ticket are available for the parties on Sept. 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30; Oct. 1, 3, 7, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26; and Nov. 1.

There are a couple of current promotions that can save you money during Halloween visit. First, check out the late summer specials. Also consider booking a vacation package with a free dining plan. And if you are only staying for the weekend then get maximum savings by staying at the best Disney World value resort.

Trick or Treat!

Here are a handful of inexpensive activities and destinations to consider…

Disney’s Boardwalk, reminiscent of Atlantic City Boardwalk in the 1940s, offers plenty of family fun at little or no cost. For those staying on a Disney property, Disney transportation is available to transport you to the Boardwalk. If you are driving, you can get a free 3-hour parking permit from the lot attendant.

• The promenade along the water offers a breathtaking view. It’s fun to stroll and look around.
• Often you will see street performers, such as jugglers, comedians, jazz ensembles or fire-eaters.
• Vendors along the Boardwalk sell inexpensive food treats.
• Carnival-style games are available for a small cost. Try your luck!
• Watch the Friendship Boats coming and going.

Downtown Disney offers a number of free and inexpensive things to do:
• Wonderful interactive fountains are amazing and fun. And what a great backdrop for your take-home photos! Jump in and enjoy!
• The kids will go wild at the Lego Imagination Center. The Center offers a 3,000-square-foot play area filled with thousands of Lego blocks. Huge Lego sculptures are also available to study and admire.
• Stop by the Magic Masters shop and see the FREE magic demonstrations. You may learn a few tricks yourself.
• Pleasure Island is an un-gated area at night. That means during the evening hours, guests are allowed in at no charge. It’s a fun place to soak up the ambiance – for free!

A little-known area known called Fort Wilderness offers one of the greatest bargains at Disney World, and lots of low-cost fun. Families can come in their own RV or rent one of the cabins. Either way, bring a few of your own basic groceries as the prices in the area stores are a little high.
Air-conditioned cabins (about 400 of them) offer the following amenities:
• Fully-equipped kitchens
• Dining table with seating for six
• Air conditioning
• Irons, ironing boards, coffee makers, hairdryers and VCRs in each room
• Patio deck
• Picnic table and charcoal grill
• Fold-away crib
• In-room safes
• Disney Channel and ESPN
• Daily housekeeping
• Access to nearby laundry facilities/services

The Campfire Program at Fort Wilderness is open to all Disney World guests. You’ll find it near the Meadow Trading Post in the campfire area. A Disney Cast Member leads the sing-a-long while the kids roast marshmallows over the open fire. Your can bring your own marshmallows and snacks, or purchase them at the Chuckwagon.

The kids will be thrilled when Chip and Dale make an appearance and sign autographs. All this is followed by a Disney feature film on the large outdoor screen. Bleachers and benches are available or you can bring your own blankets.

Two heated outdoor swimming pools are available for Fort Wilderness guests – one near the Meadow Trading Post, the second smaller one located near the cabin area.
Guests appreciate the fact that at Fort Wilderness, a boat ferries between Magic Kingdom and the Fort Wilderness dock, which means they beat the crowds following the nightly Magic Kingdom fireworks show.