A note to those booking via AAA ...

[SleepingUgly]

I called AAA to ask about a package price for an 8-night stay in May (3 nights at POP and 5 nights at AKL) at WDW with 7-day passes with hopper feature for two adults and one child. They quoted me $2250 total.

Then I broke things up and called WDW to make room-only ressies with the AAA discount, and looked up ticket prices on Ticketmania. The total came out to be $100 less than what AAA had quoted me.

So it pays to shop around, and a package price through AAA does not always mean you get the best deal. Of course, if you book through AAA, you would also receive certain benefits, such as discounts at DTD retailers, so do keep that in mind.

Just thought I'd share!

Linda

 

[Gillian]

A couple of things to be aware of with AAA:
-sometimes they don't get you the discount they claim you are getting (it pays to double check!)
-some locations charge a fee (nonrefundable, I'd assume)
-many of the agents are not that knowledgeble about Disney

You don't need to go through AAA unless you want a package with dining. If you want an agent, you can use Dreams Unlimited. They are great!

 

[SB in KY]

AAA routinely incldes trip insurance which runs between $80 and 110 depending on length of trip....they will gladly drop the coverage, but you have to request that it NOT be included....it may be the price you were quoted included the insurance unbeknownst to you.

 

[SleepingUgly]

AAA routinely incldes trip insurance which runs between $80 and 110 depending on length of trip....they will gladly drop the coverage, but you have to request that it NOT be included....it may be the price you were quoted included the insurance unbeknownst to you.

Yes, she did quote me two prices -- one with insurance and one without -- and the one without was still higher than if I had booked everything separately and on my own. Weird, huh?

Linda

 

[Poohgirl]

Hi,
I booked a AKL package for the last week of April through AAA. I had already gone on the Disney website and price the package etc. and knew what the price should be with AAA (a 10% discount for regular season off hotel rate only) based on those numbers I calculated that out what the total package should be as a rough estimate. It took the agent several tries with the Disney CM before we actually got the rate down to near what my number was. The CM was saying they had the AAA rate but the numbers were not adding up... In total it was about a $300 savings from the Disney site to what AAA eventually got me. BTW when I priced out other resorts this was not an issue...only AKL.

 

[WDWBetsy]

If you're wanting the AAA room discount AND the dining package with tickets, definitely question the quotes you get if it's the same or more than if you booked the exact same thing on the Disney website. The problem lies in the discount not showing up on the Disney computer system and the AAA agent not questioning what is told to them.

Unfortunately, this keeps happening. I was finally able to find a AAA travel agent who believed I wasn't nuts - and I was able to get the discount and dining package.

 

[Elbow642]

Betsey, you don't mean you got the discount on the whole package do you? I booked a package with dining plan through triple aaa, but the discount was only on the room portion of it.

 

[becobscot]

I also got a package quote from AAA. I asked if the discount was on the room only and she said it was on the room and tickets. I had read here on the boards that while you can book a package with AAA the discount is still only on the room portion. Anyone know? I'm

 

[WDWBetsy]

I'm sorry - I'm home sick so I probably didn't type what I meant.

The discount I received was for the room portion only. There might have been a little off the tickets, but I received only a total amount, not a breakdown. I tried to break it down myself, but I was off a little bit.

Sorry for the confusion!!!

 

[biz410]

My AAA quote was $250 more than I got from the Disney site for a package.
Of course that does include ONE visit to the AAA Lounge. What's that about? Since I am a AAA member, shouldn't I be able to go in whenever I please?

 

[becobscot]

I think you get a free soda in the AAA Lounge in Tomorrowland! Oh boy!

 

[WDWBetsy]

My AAA quote was $250 more than I got from the Disney site for a package.
Of course that does include ONE visit to the AAA Lounge. What's that about? Since I am a AAA member, shouldn't I be able to go in whenever I please?

I would check to see if they calculated your quote correctly. See if they included insurance or the water parks if you didn't want them.

As for the AAA Lounge, you get a voucher for admission to the lounge. I don't know the details, but you could call your AAA travel agent to ask.

Hope this helps.

 

[biz410]

The quote was exactly what I ended up booking for $250 less.

I think the disparity came with the 3 nights at the Poly after our 7 day package at WL. I think it was because they did not apply their own AAA discount. Seems to me if they are that clueless from the get-go, there is very little hope of them identifying and applying future codes.

As for the lounge, if you book through AAA, you get a voucher to visit ONCE during your entire stay.

 

[disneydreamer2007]

I priced a reservation booked via Disney travel for the All Stars family suites in Nov for 6nts with a 6day park hooper for 3adults and 2kids at 2942.18. I then called AAA and was able to get the same reservation for 2700.65--I saved 241.00 with AAA!!!! Any time that I can save is just more money to spend in Disney!!!

They didn't tell me about the AAA lounge in Disney, what is that all about? I agree they were not very Disney smart but it was a lower price.

 

[themcgoos]

The first 3 times we went we booked with AAA. We had a great local agent and she got us a better deal each time than going through WDW because we checked ourselves. The 4th time we went (2006), we priced everything out every which way we could imagine and we saved a couple hundred dollars by going through WDW directly. We tried over and over with our AAA agent and she finally suggested we book it ourselves through WDW. For this April's trip, we priced everything out (in November) again both ways and initially, it was better for us to book directly via WDW, and our (new) AAA agent suggested we do it that way. I then booked it directly with WDW (deposit only). A couple days later our AAA agent called and said she thought she could save us some more money booking with AAA, so she emailed us a quote with the same, actually a few extra minor add-ons, trip we had in our WDW booking, we examined it closely and she saved us $406. She booked the new trip and cancelled the old trip that same day. We received written confirmations of everything within 2-3 days. This new AAA agent seems to be very Disney savvy and says she has been there 41 times herself. I have to say that overall we have been very happy with our experiences with AAA over the years.

 

[happily single]

Could the price difference be because AAA booked you at Hotel A with 3 day park hopper tickets and then Hotel B with 4 day hopper tickets?

Then,,,,, when you looked at Room only reservations you looked for 1. Hotel A Room Only; 2. Hotel B Room Only and 3. A 7 day park hopper?

By the way I have NEVER had any luck with my local AAA travel agents, so I don't even bother calling them anymore. I would rather pay MORE money and avoid the hassle of explaining every little detail about my wants and then haunt them with phone calls so they will return my call (and then be higher than what I get directly from Disney)

 

[RMulieri]

I just booked a myw with dining last week in a 1br @ BCV.AAA quote was $700 less than what disney quoted me and less then if I booked everything separately.I have to admit though that my agent is considered the "Disney Specialist" in the office so I guess I lucked out.

 

[SassyLassy]

Thanks for posting all of this. It will help in my future planning. I have been contemplating going back to AAA mainly because of what I could save going to Disney. I am planning the trip for 9 (me, DH, DS -6mths when we go, FIL, MIL, BIL, SIL, and their 3 kids). So I am looking for any $$ savers I can get!!

 

[WETWHISTLE]

We booked our package through AAA and got a great deal! It was less than it would've been had I booked it on Disney's web site, and a few months after I booked the trip I got a Pin code in the mail so I called up my AAA lady and she applied that to my reservation and that saved me another $250!!

 

[turnlisa]

I agree that you definitely need to find the right agent. I asked for a quote here in Michigan and no one ever got back to me the first time and the second time took a month to answer my request. I finally found one in New Jersey that I swear by. She was able to save me $600 this trip. I admit that I found the code for $400 of it but she was glad to find out how to apply it. Never had a problem and always saved money -- it really does pay to find the right agent.