Booking through AAA?

[ginnymack]

Are there any additional advantages to booking through AAA? Any discounts or promotions that you may miss out on if you do? I am a little (ok a lot) type A about trip planning so I don't mind - in fact I enjoy - doing the planning and organizing, so "easy" is not a really big selling point for me.

Also, I am considering renting someone's DVC pts (which I know you can't do through AAA ;)) but the one thing holding me back is that there are no additional perks that would be thrown in - discounts on photo passes, free gift cards, free dining, etc.

We are thinking an early Dec - value season - trip, so none of the package deals have been posted yet. Can anyone give me a "booking through AAA sales pitch"? Or a good reason to go another way. Or anything else you feel may be useful!

Thanks!

[Loopner]

From my experience, you can call up Disney and just get the AAA discount without having to go through AAA. I prefer doing it myself and speaking directly with someone at Disney so that I hear all the facts first hand. JMHO.

[Luv2Roam]

January is Disney Month at AAA. You may want to call and see if they are offering anything special.
If you book a package (resort, tickets, dining) you have to go through AAA, if you want to use them. Disney can book a AAA room only res. But not a AAA package res.
Keep in mind if you book through AAA or any other TA, they own the res. Even once you pay for it. Any changes, etc you will have to go through AAA or the TA.
With AAA/TA the only other thing you can do on your own (if you choose to) is make ADRs.

[ginnymack]

ahhh - good point about who "owns" the res. Are AAA deals on the standard Disney package worth the extra hassle of dealing with a "middleman"?

I did check the AAA website for the January specials, but they are not posting any good deals so far ahead of our Dec trip!

[kimis]

We always book through AAA and love it. Last Feb we got the room discount, the free gift card, a dining gift card and the special go for so many nights and get some nights free. Check it out.

[DISNEMOM]

luv2roam-

will aaa make your adr's for you? thanks!

[kimis]

luv2roam-

will aaa make your adr's for you? thanks!

I don't think so. I have always made ours. It is fairly easy. I just make a schedule of what day and around the time we want to go to the resturant for the whole trip. Then I make one phone call. Also if you are on the dining plan they will help you count your allowed meals. If you are going soon I would be making those ADR's. Enjoy!

[dsnymoners]

AAA/TA here...its up to the TA you make them with..I make my clients dining res for them if they like but I know lots of TA's who dont. There are some other benefits with booking with AAA this year..You get the story time, prefered viewing for the afternoon parade at MK, and the diamond saving card. :goodvibes

[ginnymack]

Thanks, Tracy! That is great information!

[jessica29]

Wait I booked with AAA and they did not tell me about the prefered parade viewing. what is this? Everyday?Where is it. I do not have the 2010 book yet though.

[dsnymoners]

Wait I booked with AAA and they did not tell me about the prefered parade viewing. what is this? Everyday?Where is it. I do not have the 2010 book yet though.

sorry they didnt tell you this..its for anyone who booked with AAA with the dining plan for 2010 and its for the afternoon parade 3:00pm you have to make reservations.

location of the viewing area is on the 2nd level of Main Street Train Station.

[brymolmom]

Can you get a discount on a package thru AAA AND the gift card promo?

[The Hendies]

slightly OT, but still an AAA question.... What is the 'Diamond Parking' I hear about? I was on hold with AAA for 15 minutes today to ask, but couldn't keep on the line.

[sahm1000]

slightly OT, but still an AAA question.... What is the 'Diamond Parking' I hear about? I was on hold with AAA for 15 minutes today to ask, but couldn't keep on the line.

I'm also curious about the diamond parking. Is this something for all AAA members or only those who booked trips through AAA? If you just purchase tickets (not hotel stays) do you get the parking passes? And what exactly are the parking passes? Thanks for any help!

[kmccartney]

AAA/TA here...its up to the TA you make them with..I make my clients dining res for them if they like but I know lots of TA's who dont. There are some other benefits with booking with AAA this year..You get the story time, prefered viewing for the afternoon parade at MK, and the diamond saving card. :goodvibes

I was reading your post and you said that you are a AAA TA. I am in CNY and have not figured out how to find a AAA TA that knows tons about Disney. I communicated via email with two agents, one that said she no longer books Disney travel, and the second who has only been there twice and didn't seem very interested in booking my package. So can you tell me the best way to find TA that will know all of the special perks for celebrating a very special birthday and can take care of my package? :confused3

[jessica29]

I see 3 AAA Ta they didn't know crap. It's hard to find a good TA these days. Thank God for DIS:cheer2:

[dsnymoners]

I see 3 AAA Ta they didn't know crap. It's hard to find a good TA these days. Thank God for DIS:cheer2:

Wow thats harsh..Hope the information from this AAA/TA that I posted on here was helpful.

[dsnymoners]

Can you get a discount on a package thru AAA AND the gift card promo?

You wont get the AAA Discount and the gift card..you will get the gift card and the extra AAA perks as I mentioned earlier.

[ginnymack]

Ouch - that WAS harsh! Thanks again, Tracy - you have been very helpful!:thumbsup2

[kmccartney]

I was reading your post and you said that you are a AAA TA. I am in CNY and have not figured out how to find a AAA TA that knows tons about Disney. I communicated via email with two agents, one that said she no longer books Disney travel, and the second who has only been there twice and didn't seem very interested in booking my package. So can you tell me the best way to find TA that will know all of the special perks for celebrating a very special birthday and can take care of my package? :confused3

WOW! I am so sorry, I never meant to start a AAA TA bashing session, I was just unimpressed that the two I dealt with and that they were not right for me for this particular trip. Please know that I have used AAA TAs before for international travel and loved my agents.

And to Tracy, thank you for the PM you were very helpful! :thumbsup2

[sisaaliyah]

I HEART my AAA/TA! She's a DIS fanatic just like us here on the boards. I can't say enough good things about her. She called me last week to see if I knew about the gift card promo. She figured I did, as much as I keep up with all things DIS.

Our trip in 2008 I booked with her, but our most recent trip I only bought tickets from AAA as I rented DVC points. Both times I received the AAA parking pass. We really like it as we prefer to rent a car and drive to the parks. The parking is towards the front near all the handicap spaces. You just show your AAA parking pass and they wave you on.

[pooch]

to the AAA/TA here, I am WAAAYY too type-A to let someone else have control of my vacation arrangements. Many of the AAA benefits are available to any AAA member whether or not you booked your package through AAA so convenience and service would be the only reason to use a TA of any kind IMHO. The last time I used AAA was in 2006. Booked a trip in anticipation of Free Dining being announced. Once it was, it took me all day to find someone at AAA to make the change for me since I did not own the ressie and couldn't do it myself. My TA was off for the day. Funny though, when we booked with her she made a big deal about the fact that AAA was Disney's biggest booker and how they always got advanced warning of upcoming promotions and she'd know exactly what I could get well in advance. Well, maybe not at least in her case. I even ran into her the following year and, a week after the announcement was made, she still didn't know free dining was being offered again!!! Not the expert she claimed to be for sure! I know enough about WDW thanks to these boards to do the heavy lifting myself now.

[schnerk]

I'm also curious about the diamond parking. Is this something for all AAA members or only those who booked trips through AAA? If you just purchase tickets (not hotel stays) do you get the parking passes? And what exactly are the parking passes? Thanks for any help!

Not sure what you need to book to get the parking pass, but they are WONDERFUL!

At all of the parks, there is a special area near the handicap parking for guests with the AAA parking pass. It is Super convenient at HS and AK, and good at Epcot. For the MK you still have to park at the TTA.

I have heard of people getting these off of ebay, though... :confused3

AAA TA, like al TA's are great for some people, but are not for everyone. It's true that a Disney Certified TA can be more knowledgable than most people, but if you have done a lot of reading and research already and consider yourself an expert, then it may be more beneficial to use a TA. Personally, as a TA, I think that most people on their first trip or two to WDW can easily get bogged down with the size and scope of a Disney Vacation.

I guess what I am trying to say is, go and talk to an agent, and if after the conversation, you aren't confident in their ability, try another one. Also, look for the agents with their Disney Training Mouse Ears on their desk.

Just my 4 cents...

[mickeymouse108]

I just booked a disney trip for this summer with my aaa ta and I will let you all know how it goes but i went online first and played around with dates and prices first and aaa got my trip for five hundred dollars less than i was quoted online thru disney direct. and my aaa ta told me that if any promos come up for the time I booked I would get them she said Disney is really good about giving current discounts to trips already booked. I am looking forward to the AAA parking I hope it works out for us and the diamond card as well.

I think even if you use a ta you need to be pro active and keep calling and asking your ta to look into current info the one thing mine forgot was to put that this trip is for my 20th anv. so I called her to tell her to make sure it is in my reservation info she added it right when I called her.

[kimis]

We always book with AAA and get the the discounts AND the perks. Last Jan. we got the AAA discount, the $25 dining card, the $100 gift card. Love booking through AAA. I do make our own ADR's though just because I want to because I know our time frame better.

[jessica29]

Wow thats harsh..Hope the information from this AAA/TA that I posted on here was helpful.


Didn't mean it to sound that way. I was seconding the fact that I have had no luck with a knowledgable TA on DISNEY from AAA.
I have no doubt that some TA know stuff but not at my AAA office. Apparently, I was told, they do not have a AAA specialist. How? It's the #1 vacay destination. NEWAys I did book with AAA for the benefits but planned it all myself. As every TA I spoke with hadn't been there in 10 years!

[jessica29]

FYI

My mom may go with on on vacation and she went to AAA to price stuff and they gave her the giftcard promo only and not the room discount rates. Not sure why since they said they would match Disney promos. I had to reprice everything using the room discount which was a different of about 1500.00 at each hotel from what they had given her.

[DSDopey48]

aaa travel is different in what ever area your in they can go from knowing all to knowing very little. Aaa does offer savings and it can be worth checking into. I have always found that going with aaa has saved if it was just using the parking or the diamond card shopping.

[jeffiner1978]

I always book thru AAA and love my agent. She is incredibly knowledgeable, gives me all the available discounts. Just booked 2 weeks ago and got the room discount, Disney gift card, AAA gift card and all the other perks. The only one she didn't tell me about was the prefered viewing area but only I did the quick service dining plan. She also told me any disney coupon codes I received to call her and she'd plug them in for me. I found her by calling the number in a the travel magazine they send out and it just rolled me over to the closest agent. I also booked my next trip while they had a Disney employee in their office and he too told me AAA is the biggest ally they have and Disney would not deny their members any of the other perks just b/c we booked thru AAA. Sounds like we just lucked into a really awesome agent.

[PrincessAtta]

are there any other AAA discounts or benefits out there just for showing your card? What if you book tickets only through AAA?

[PrincessAtta]

dsnymoners or other AAA savers check back in.

Thanks in advance!

[stmize]

our aaa ta is wonderful. I have booked approx 5 trips with her and she has been great. she has never had a problem rebooking with special offers come out. However I am on here everyday and get wind prior to them being released.

[I*Love*Fairytales]

I first approached them to price out a stay and she told me about the extra AAA perks. She knew I had a pin code, but now after the package is booked, she basically said," Sorry, since you had a pin to use, we can't give you the free photo." Give me a break. Nor did she tell me about the train station viewing. Ugh.

Does anyone know any more about the special parade viewing area? Can I book this on my own since I am a AAA resort guest on DDP?

Thanks.

[dr&momto2boys]

Also, I am considering renting someone's DVC pts (which I know you can't do through AAA ;)) but the one thing holding me back is that there are no additional perks that would be thrown in - discounts on photo passes, free gift cards, free dining, etc.



No additional perks? How about Deluxe resort accomodations at Value resort prices? I'd consider it again. We LOVE DVC! :lovestruc

[ginnymack]

No doubt that DVC is a great value for what you get! I am just wondering if it is the best choice for us. For example, being able to finance our vacation interest free for 6 months is huge to us, and tossing in some other "deal sweeteners" that I am hoping will be offered may make something else better for my family, that's all. :thumbsup2