Can someone fill me in, what is a "pin number" and how do I get one and use one? I have a trip coming up myself!
Sometimes, supposedly at random, WDW will send special mailings or emails to people who've visited recently, with incredibly good deals to come back (although with some potential caveats, like maybe the times they offer for the discount aren't convenient for you). Those mailings/emails will have a PIN number that's specifically for the person to whom it was sent; in theory, if someone has a PIN they can't use, and offer it to you, it won't work. So, it's not the sort of thing you can request, especially if you haven't been in the past year or so. The potentially best thing you can do (and this is in no way a guarantee, it just falls under the heading "it can't hurt") is to be extra-special-nice to the staff, especially the front desk, during your next trip. Tell them what a wonderful time you're having or had. Tell them you certainly hope you'll be able to come back real soon, budget permitting. I've no way of knowing if they have any pull, but if they do, it might grease the skids to get you a mailing for your next trip. Worst case scenario, you were really nice to people who work really hard for comparatively little money to make your trip good. Not much of a downside.
Back on topic. I, personally, would choose the upgrade, but my wife & I generally like to spend some time relaxing at the resort in which we're staying. And the moderate resorts offer better amenities (and MUCH nicer grounds for something as simple as a memorable stroll) than the values, where you get a ginormous pool for each cluster of buildings, a food court and an arcade. The mods also have sit-down restaurants which is a nice option to have for a quiet night (except for POFQ, you'll have to walk/take a bus next door to Boatwright's at PO-R), and nicer lounges.
If you're the type of person/people/family that hits the parks from dawn to dusk, and your resort is mainly a place to shave, shower & shhhhh...ower some more :lookaroun then the Value might be just fine, and then you've got extra money to do what you want (or, you know save it).
Just a final note of, what I think, is ironic: The few dissenters in this thread, who say they'd rather stay in a Value and pocket the money, seem to be using the argument "you can use that money for so many other things you'd rather do." But what if what you'd rather do is stay at a nicer resort? :lol:
