AAA help - was it worth it to you?

[Nana2Callie]

A couple of questions about booking through AAA - we are staying AoA so the discount is 5% not huge. But, every little bit helps in Disney dollars.

However, I like being able to change or modify our dining reservations ourselves - can I still do this.

Also, can I still pay with the 30+ Disney GC's.

Do you have an agent you like? Mine... not so much.

thanks,

 

[amomma23]

I booked part of our next stay with AAA discount directly through Disney. Just called and asked for the AAA room rate. No TA necessary if you're more comfortable doing it yourself.

 

[Nana2Callie]

Disney will only book AAA for room only not a package.

 

[MHSweb79]

You can book all your own dining reservations- the AAA agent does not have to do it for you. But if they DO make your ADR's for you, just ask for your confirmation numbers and you should be able to pull them up.

We usually book our own packages but we sometimes use AAA. We are lucky to have an excellent, knowledgeable agent who has never steered us wrong.

 

[NateTiff]

AAA booked my entire package for me. I got the Play, Stay and Dine offer. They also booked some of my ADRs, but I also made some myself.

 

[Shir Kahn]

I didn't even realize CAA (AAAs Canadian version) even booked ADRs at all! I always make my own. Way easier if I can do it myself.

 

[babyflo1]

I love our local AAA for tourbooks and other services but have booked my own vacation with Disney twice and working now on the third one. With all the research we do on finding the right place to stay and which restaurant it seemed just as easy to call the 800 number and do it myself. Only con was the "on hold" time on the phone. I believe some dinner reservations can be made online too, I may try that this time.

 

[Shir Kahn]

I love our local AAA for tourbooks and other services but have booked my own vacation with Disney twice and working now on the third one. With all the research we do on finding the right place to stay and which restaurant it seemed just as easy to call the 800 number and do it myself. Only con was the "on hold" time on the phone. I believe some dinner reservations can be made online too, I may try that this time.

I make all my reservations online. It's the best way to do it in my opinion!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/

 

[JStiffler]

We loved having the AAA diamond parking pass, our TA booked our ADR's first thing in the am at 180 days, and she booked our AAA reservations for Wishes (another perk). If you have AAA, at least use the perks even if you book it yourself.

 

[TinkerBrie]

I have AAA, but booked the trip myself. Can I still purchase a diamond parking pass?? Who do I call to get one?? Is it worth it? Is the parking really better? Come to think of it, I didn't even mention that I had AAA when I booked. I guess if no discount is announced for my trip I should probably look into a AAA discount, huh?

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[noahdove]

I have used AAA for the past few trips and I love it!!! I tell them what I want and the dates, and bam!!! It's like magic So far, they have been 100% perfect to work with. I do however, make my own dining and special other ressies..I love the perks that come with AAA. Special story time, seating for Wishes, mini golf, room discount and other little perks...I pay money for AAA each year so, to me, it's worth my money

 

[Ginny Favers]

I found AAA very difficult to work with. I booked a package through them and did the dining reservations on my own, but then I realized that whenever I wanted to make a change to the package, I COULD have done it very simply on my own, had I booked myself.... but instead I had to call AAA to get them to make the changes for me. This time, I'm booking it without them.

 

[bdklein]

I found AAA very difficult to work with. I booked a package through them and did the dining reservations on my own, but then I realized that whenever I wanted to make a change to the package, I COULD have done it very simply on my own, had I booked myself.... but instead I had to call AAA to get them to make the changes for me. This time, I'm booking it without them.

Except you can't get the AAA discount on a package unless you book through AAA.

Perhaps it was just your agent/office?

And just curious what was the big deal of having AAA make the change for you? Either way you had to take action-wouldn't happen on its own.

 

[pegrad1]

I went through Kingdom Magic Vacations for our upcoming trip. I also checked out AAA. I found that AAA now charges a $25.00 booking fee although I pay an annual fee to be a AAA member. When I asked her why, her response was ,"because other travel agencies do." Kingdom Magic didn't charge me anything to book and my agent has been much more excited for us about our trip than the agent at our local AAA office was. The price, less the $25 booking fee was to the dime the same. She seemed more bothered that I was inquiring about booking a family vacation. I definitely would suggest going through an agent to help with decision making or if for nothing else to make all of the calls for you! I counted the other day how many emails I have sent asking questions to my agent...44! LOL! Good luck on your decision making & I'm sure no matter what, you will have a Magical Vacation!

 

[bdklein]

I went through Kingdom Magic Vacations for our upcoming trip. I also checked out AAA. I found that AAA now charges a $25.00 booking fee although I pay an annual fee to be a AAA member. When I asked her why, her response was ,"because other travel agencies do." Kingdom Magic didn't charge me anything to book and my agent has been much more excited for us about our trip than the agent at our local AAA office was. The price, less the $25 booking fee was to the dime the same. She seemed more bothered that I was inquiring about booking a family vacation. I definitely would suggest going through an agent to help with decision making or if for nothing else to make all of the calls for you! I counted the other day how many emails I have sent asking questions to my agent...44! LOL! Good luck on your decision making & I'm sure no matter what, you will have a Magical Vacation!

Except you can't get the AAA discount on a package unless you book through AAA. And AAA benefits. Unless those were not worth it to you.

 

[Danibelle]

I was surprised to hear that a booking fee was charged. I have used AAA before and never paid an extra fee (and I got the AAA discount). I would use them again although, to be honest, I usually just book my rooms, etc. I really enjoy doing the research!

 

[bdklein]

I really enjoy doing the research!

I enjoy doing the research too, but I enjoy saving money too!!! So I do the research, but I use AAA for the booking.

 

[Danibelle]

I enjoy doing the research too, but I enjoy saving money too!!! So I do the research, but I use AAA for the booking.

The times that I did not use AAA I still got the AAA rate from WDW Reservations. If my PIN or GP discount was greater, I used that instead. I have gotten some great rates. I originally got a AAA rate for February and then changed to my PIN a little later.

 

[Fire14]

I was not charged a booking fee nor was one ever mentioned to me. I like my local AAA agents but they know not to question me when I say something can be done. I booked all my Adrs and fireworks viewing on my own. The Adrs because I had them done before we decided to do AAA, Fireworks because it was just simpiler for me at time. For me it was more of saving pennies. I wanted to scream with ME fisco I had but I blame that more on disney/me rep not listening to ta than anything else.
WE are looking to book two rms for May thru AAA and this time correct names will be on correct rm from start, so I don't have KTTW/Room entry issues.

 

[bdklein]

The times that I did not use AAA I still got the AAA rate from WDW Reservations. If my PIN or GP discount was greater, I used that instead. I have gotten some great rates. I originally got a AAA rate for February and then changed to my PIN a little later.

For room only. But not for a package