AAA Fastpasses - Any Identification?

[Artuero]

Just getting some last minute nervousness that perhaps someone could alleviate. I booked a AAA package with the stay at GCH and a 5-day PH. So I should have the AAA fastpass that essentially disconnects all rides.

As I sit here in the GCH doing some final planning and packing for my first day at the parks tomorrow I am just a little nervous that the parkhoppers I have don't actually say anything about the special AAA fastpass benefit. Please tell me that this is normal? Otherwise I am not sure how I would try to address the problem; I guess go over to the AAA office on Main Street USA.

BTW it is a lovely day and travels went pretty well except the airline lost my daughter's checked travel booster seat. But it made it on the next flight and I have it here. Also, the hotel took forever to get me a refrigerator and a patch cable. On the very plus side, though, I did get both room requests I had (near elevator and bunk beds) so that is styling.

Tomorrow I am planning to do early entry at Disneyland and then go over to DCA for opening and the remainder of the day. Very much looking forward to it.

But anyway if someone could reassure me about the fastpasses I would be very happy. Thanks!

 

[4girlsmom]

We had a AAA pkg. the last week of June and, like yours, our PHs didn't say anything special.
They did indeed work to get multiple FPs at a time.
Have a great time at DL!!

 

[Artuero]

Thanks very much!

 

[CalGal]

Artuero,

I so understand your nervousness. I noticed this right away when I picked up my package from AAA last week. Even though I've had these passes before and I don't recall any special "Enhanced" or "AAA" notation on them then, it still makes me nervous. My friend confirmed that his Enhanced FPs from a recent trip did not have any identifying marks on them. But just in case, I figure I/you can pay a visit to WDTC in DTD to straighten out any problems.

Enhanced FP rocks! Have fun!

 

[CindyT]

We just got back from DL, had AAA 4-day hoppers and really took advantage of multiple fastpasses. We never had any problems wilth them. This is a fabulous perk. Have a wonderful time!!

 

[Artuero]

It really is a tremendous perk although it is tiring me out. I run around grabbing fastpasses while my daughter is eating or resting. Then we use them up. It's great. In fact it makes it so that Disneyland is a preferred destination over Walt Disney World in the busy summer months, especially since our favorite rides are fastpass ones.

A related question that I will post separately if it isn't answered here. Does anyone know if you can use a parkhopper that has not been scanned in to get fastpasses? I'd like to go into the park early, grab some fastpassess for me and my daughter, then go back and get her later. Is that possible?

 

[Michelle2]

Everyone is making me so excited to use our AAA fastpasses in a little more than a month!
Artuero, I could have sworn I had seen this question brought up in the past, but I think that the ticket had to be scanned at the entrance in order to use it for a fastpass in the park (at least in the beginning of the day). I think that the question I saw was for Disneyworld though, so I am not sure if it is still true in Disneyland. We may want to try this too, having a little one ourselves, and would love to gather fastpasses for him if he is not in the park at the time. Please let us know if you were able to, and what you found out, since you are there before we will be! Have a great time!!

 

[Artuero]

I can say that if you get scanned in at one park you can get fastpasses at the other without scanning in. Which makes sense given how you get into the park and all, but thought I would make that clear.

I am not sure if I will be able to test. Today I actually ran my daughter's card through as well as my own when I went collecting. Which worked fine until I realized that she would now need a stamp that she did not have. But I worked that out. We'll see if I get another chance to do something along those lines. It does make a very big difference to planning if you can go run and get them first thing in the morning.

 

[MazdaUK]

Do they honour AA (UK) membership as well as AAA if you mention it when booking? I fancy a trip to California next year!

 

[Artuero]

I am not sure if they honor it, but it is probably worth joining just to get these. You have to book a package through AAA travel agency that includes a stay at a Disney hotel and a 3 or more day parkhopper. You do not have to have the Disney hotel for the whole trip.

 

[magicmaker1]

So, you have to buy a package that includes the hotel? We just want to get the tickets from AAA, not a package. It's much cheaper for a family of 6 to stay offsite.

 

[BrerMama]

You have to stay at a resort hotel to get this perk, and I'm fairly sure it has to be part of a package. We're waiting for 2006 prices and considering joining AAA to get this package (well, that and the fact that I've needed to be towed 3 times in the last year!).

 

[Artuero]

You have to get the hotel and tickets through AAA. Now, I think you can get one night's hotel (has to be a Disney hotel) and a 3+ day parkhopper and that qualifies. I think that would be the least expensive way.

Also, you cannot get fastpasses if the ticket you are trying to use has not been scanned for admission. So you can't wake up early and get them for your party, unfortunately. I just found that out this morning.

 

[CalGal]

Do they honour AA (UK) membership as well as AAA if you mention it when booking? I fancy a trip to California next year!

The brouchure states that it "pertains only to US and Canada through AAA Vacations for travel packages that include a stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel."
I have read others state that they believe UK would have rights even though this implies otherwise. However, you might be out of luck anyway since you are planning your trip next year. The brouchure goes on to state "The multiple Fastpass ticket travel is available for AAA Vacations through January 18, 2006." So who knows if it will be available next year. I think you may need to wait until the 2006 AAA brouchure comes out. I, for one, don't know when that will be.

 

[JenJen]

A related question that I will post separately if it isn't answered here. Does anyone know if you can use a parkhopper that has not been scanned in to get fastpasses? I'd like to go into the park early, grab some fastpassess for me and my daughter, then go back and get her later. Is that possible?

If you do not use the ticket at all that day at the park you are at then no you can not use it to get a fastpass. It will read out on the pass "this pass was not used for admission today." Now if it is in the middle of the day and you have scanned it at least once for that park that day it will not be a problem. Have fun
JenJen

 

[Artuero]

Actually, it appears that if you have used the pass for admission at either park it will work for getting fastpasses at the other park. But you have to use it for admission to one of the two for it to work.

 

[Michelle2]

That is great information to know Artuero, thanks for filling me in (about having to have admission, and about using it at the other park). I wanted to know those things too and I am sorry that you had to find it out once you were already there. Useful info to me! How were the crowds? Did the enhanced fastpass make a big difference??

 

[Artuero]

Yes, the enhanced fastpasses made a huge difference because I could run around getting them while my daughter was taking a nap (in addition to the more normal method of getting them). In fact they were such a great bonus that because of them alone I would prefer to go to DL during peak times than to WDW.

It was very crowded that week but that's summer for you especially with all the 50th annivesary things going on.