AAA package and room "discounts"

[ArielDreams]

Hi All -
I'm looking to book our hotel/package reservations for April and looking for a good discount. I've booked with AAA in the past and assumed I got a good deal, however, today I asked them for a quote and it was the same exact price I was quoted on the main WDW website! Does AAA not offer price discounts anymore? Is the only advantage to booking with them that you get AAA associated "perks" (none of which we ever seem to use...)? Has anyone else encountered this issue?

 

[DebbieB]

Hi All -
I'm looking to book our hotel/package reservations for April and looking for a good discount. I've booked with AAA in the past and assumed I got a good deal, however, today I asked them for a quote and it was the same exact price I was quoted on the main WDW website! Does AAA not offer price discounts anymore? Is the only advantage to booking with them that you get AAA associated "perks" (none of which we ever seem to use...)? Has anyone else encountered this issue?

No AAA discounts for 2015:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3312641

 

[minnie mum]

There were threads in previous months staying that there had been a break between Disney and AAA , and as a result there would be no future AAA discounts on resort packages. They do still operate as travel agents though. So you can still book vacations at wdw through AAA if you wish, and hopefully take advantage of any special offers put out by Disney.

 

[ryckpen]

We booked our upcoming Disney trip through CAA (Canadian AAA). The travel agent there told us that there has been a drastic change in dealings between Disney and AAA. There are no more advantages left to book through AAA the preferred parking is gone as well as most of the other perks. I also noticed that there were no free dining pins sent out this year. Disney has said they wanted to ween guests off discounts and looks like they are sticking to their word. I will not book through CAA again with no discounts and agents who have no clue about Disney Vacations I will be better off doing my own Disney planning.

 

[WhispyPixie]

Is the AAA Diamond Parking gone now? AAA gave us a parking past last week....

 

[marauder]

Is the AAA Diamond Parking gone now? AAA gave us a parking past last week....

It goes away January 1st.

I know I tried to use my AAA membership to book a trip to Disney when I went in October/November. The pricing came out as the same exact price as Disney gave me. The AAA travel agent said "if you go with us you get the Diamond parking and cheaper travel insurance." I didn't care about either of that so I went directly with Disney. I have always found, unless you get a great deal your chances of getting better rooms, upgrades, etc. increase if you go directly through the hotel/company (unless you know someone that has an in.)

 

[TravelingJen24]

I used a AAA discount through starwood at the Swan for January 2015 and got a good deal. This is obviously not through Disney, but still an available deal.

 

[Sue M]

We booked our upcoming Disney trip through CAA (Canadian AAA). The travel agent there told us that there has been a drastic change in dealings between Disney and AAA. There are no more advantages left to book through AAA the preferred parking is gone as well as most of the other perks. I also noticed that there were no free dining pins sent out this year. Disney has said they wanted to ween guests off discounts and looks like they are sticking to their word. I will not book through CAA again with no discounts and agents who have no clue about Disney Vacations I will be better off doing my own Disney planning.

I agree. CAA doesn't have a clue about WDW booking. I went to one of their so called Disney experts for a quote and it was higher then the quote I got from Disney!!! Way higher . When I told agent, she said she went thru a secondary travel broker, Sun Fun or something!! Ugh.

And they don't watch for discounts and automatically apply them to your reservation..as a TA who specializes in WDW would.

I've heard stories of people booking with CAA or AAA, and they couldn't get in touch with agent when new discounts were released, so lost discount. I think TA was on holiday, but didn't leave their file with another TA while she was gone.
If I use a TA, it's one of the Agencies that specialize in Disney.

 

[nkereina]

CAA and AAA actually differ. They're different auto clubs and while affiliated, don't operate under the same umbrella.

I used to work at AAA and while I don't any longer, I can say that AAA and Disney often had contract disputes which led to late "renewal" of their partnership. This is similar to restaurants on the dining plan who contract late in the year and don't show up on the next year's dining plan list until very late. Not saying this is the case here, or if the partnership IS done for good, but it's worth checking back on I'd say.

Regardless, even IF the discount is still in effect or goes back into effect, AAA is like Disney in that they have a certain number of rooms at a discounted rate that they can sell and once they are gone, that's it. If the partnership was still in effect, the discount would be based on availability and if their discounted rooms were sold, you'd be booked at the regular price. The AAA discount was never guaranteed across the board booking with them, although they did have a lot of availability since the discount was minimal.

 

[ryckpen]

I agree. CAA doesn't have a clue about WDW booking. I went to one of their so called Disney experts for a quote and it was higher then the quote I got from Disney!!! Way higher . When I told agent, she said she went thru a secondary travel broker, Sun Fun or something!! Ugh.

And they don't watch for discounts and automatically apply them to your reservation..as a TA who specializes in WDW would.

I've heard stories of people booking with CAA or AAA, and they couldn't get in touch with agent when new discounts were released, so lost discount. I think TA was on holiday, but didn't leave their file with another TA while she was gone.
If I use a TA, it's one of the Agencies that specialize in Disney.

Hey Sue, I think we have met on DIS before. I'm thinking you helped me out with travel info for my son who lives in Victoria. That was in 2013. Glad to see we are planning together again.

You are right about CAA. I will not be booking through them again. I was on the receiving end of the discounts coming out and my CAA rep. nowhere to be found. It was very frustrating. My parents went to Disney for their 30th anniversary and used a Disney specific TA. She was amazing. She took care of everything for them and even arranged for a special dinner at Crystal Palace where they got a special dessert and a card signed by all the characters. It was very special.