AAA Diamond Parking Pass

[ajworthy]

Has anyone ever used the AAA Diamond parking pass? Is it worth it?

 

[mdmetromom]

We use it every trip and love it. Not sure what you mean by worth it, as we get it free as AAA members. I would be careful buying it off Ebay as most of them are color copies. In most parks, you get parking right next to the Handicapped spots. At MK, it avoids having to take the parking tram. You have to arrive before park opening, or most of the AAA spots are already taken. It works great for our family because we get there early, leave for an afternoon break, and come back in the evening. No problems in the morning, and by late afternoon, alot of people have left so spots open up again.

I'm sure you know, but you still pay full price for parking.

 

[Echo queen]

Have other folks had a problem with the passes purchased on ebay seeing as you say they are just a color copy?

 

[ajworthy]

Thanks for the info. We are staying on-site so I am not worried about paying for parking.

I should have added, is it worth it to purchase on on e-bay? I was looking and it seems that the sellers make it a point to say that it is not signed and not a color copy. I read the feed back and people say they haven't had problems.

 

[stargazertechie]

Thanks for the info. We are staying on-site so I am not worried about paying for parking.

I should have added, is it worth it to purchase on on e-bay? I was looking and it seems that the sellers make it a point to say that it is not signed and not a color copy. I read the feed back and people say they haven't had problems.

The AAA Diamond Passes are non-transferable. It is against DISboard policy to discuss circumventing Disney policy

 

[ajworthy]

I'm sorry - I did not know that.

 

[ThreeBeans]

It would also be violating the rules and spirit of the AAA membership. Theft of services.

That being said, if you don't have AAA...GET IT! Everyone who drives should have AAA. LOL. It's gotten me out of more than a few pickles.


And I found it to be very much 'worth it' at the end of a loooong park day with little ones and we could go directly to our car without trekking through the lot or dealing with the trams (except of course MK).

 

[whacked]

While I have received the larger (separate piece of paper) AAA Diamond pass on previous trips, for my August trip, AAA sent both the Diamond card and Diamond parking pass pre-printed in my trip documents booklet.

The Diamond card and parking pass now have printed dates that are valid for length of stay only. My guess is both Disney and AAA are tired of the e-bay pirates, rightfully so.

As mentioned by others as well, I love the Diamond parking. Out west we only get the passes for booking through AAA. I hate loosing control of my ressie, but it's worth it to me for the parking alone.

I doubt you'll find any working passes on e-bay after the end of the year due to the new pre-printed length of stay passes.

 

[kmk1180]

Has anyone ever used the AAA Diamond parking pass? Is it worth it?

ya we've used it.
i found it so so.
ya it's not bad parking but if your a rope drop person anyhow, regular parking is just as close if not closer anyhow.
probably best for park hopping afternoon people.

also when we went they didn't offer it everyday of our trip.
so even though we had the pass, a couple days we had to park regular anhow.

so it was a wash.

 

[mossy1]

While I have received the larger (separate piece of paper) AAA Diamond pass on previous trips, for my August trip, AAA sent both the Diamond card and Diamond parking pass pre-printed in my trip documents booklet.

The Diamond card and parking pass now have printed dates that are valid for length of stay only. My guess is both Disney and AAA are tired of the e-bay pirates, rightfully so.

As mentioned by others as well, I love the Diamond parking. Out west we only get the passes for booking through AAA. I hate loosing control of my ressie, but it's worth it to me for the parking alone.

I doubt you'll find any working passes on e-bay after the end of the year due to the new pre-printed length of stay passes.

Interesting...thanks for the info!! Can anyone with AAA confirm these are only given with package purchase?? I mean can you get a pass if you only book a room thru them?? TIA

 

[RAPstar]

Interesting...thanks for the info!! Can anyone with AAA confirm these are only given with package purchase?? I mean can you get a pass if you only book a room thru them?? TIA

I can! It even says in our brochures they are only available with a AAA Disney package!

 

[Jennasis]

We love our AAA pass. We get it with our packae purchase through AAA but our agent said they are obtainable by any AAA customer by walking into your local AAA office.

 

[ThreeBeans]

Interesting...thanks for the info!! Can anyone with AAA confirm these are only given with package purchase?? I mean can you get a pass if you only book a room thru them?? TIA

I only got our park hopper passes through them, nothing else, and they came with the parking pass.

 

[RAPstar]

We love our AAA pass. We get it with our packae purchase through AAA but our agent said they are obtainable by any AAA customer by walking into your local AAA office.

Not true. It may be so in you area, but each state AAA has different rules and such (i.e. AAA Texas doesn't sell discount Disney tickets as of right now, just packages, and also the Diamond Pass is only obtainable with a package in AAA Texas). So check with your office before trying to obtain one.

 

[mossy1]

We love our AAA pass. We get it with our packae purchase through AAA but our agent said they are obtainable by any AAA customer by walking into your local AAA office.

See I thought any AAA member could get one as long as you bought a part of your package thru them...just had my sister ask at our local AAA and the lady said only with a package. Just trying to clarify if she was mis informed or too new to know. Or if any member can request one for free. I thought my sister had just asked for one before and got it. hmmm

 

[softballmom3]

My in-laws are AAA members and went with us last yr to WDW. They called AAA office and was told to just come in and they would give them one for no charge.

 

[RAPstar]

See I thought any AAA member could get one as long as you bought a part of your package thru them...just had my sister ask at our local AAA and the lady said only with a package. Just trying to clarify if she was mis informed or too new to know. Or if any member can request one for free. I thought my sister had just asked for one before and got it. hmmm

Again, I'm pretty sure you only get it with a package bought through AAA. All our brochures say you get the card with a package, and there's nothing stating that you get it with room only. I can't vouch for getting them if you buy tickets at AAA, since we don't sell discount tickets at AAA Texas. The parking pass is attached to the package documents when they are mailed out, so I don't see how they could be available without one. Hope that helps.

 

[MHSweb79]

Our local AAA office gives out the parking pass to anyone who walks in and asks for it (members only, of course). I know this for a fact since I've done it!

You'll really need to check with your local office.

I notice on mine it says VOID IF SOLD. So buying one like this on Ebay would definitely be against the rules. I do like that they're going to print length of stay dates on them now. If too many non-AAA members are buying them then that leaves fewer available spaces for legitimate users.

Edited to answer the OP's original question: We find the Diamond parking area to be very good at Epcot, Animal Kingdom and the Studios. It was best when we hopped in the afternoon as there were many front-row or close to it spots available. At the TTC for Magic Kingdom, you are probably better off parking in the regular lot. The Diamond lot is next to the handicapped parking area, and no trams serve either area. It's not all that close and I really feel for those folks with handicapped passengers - it's quite a hike.

 

[nkereina]

Interesting...thanks for the info!! Can anyone with AAA confirm these are only given with package purchase?? I mean can you get a pass if you only book a room thru them?? TIA

This depends on your club, as all AAA clubs have their own policies regarding different things. So you'd have to ask the office in your area. In our club here in Western NY, you just have to go into the office with your card, and the agent will give you one as a benefit of being a member. You don't need to purchase a package, room, or even tickets from them. I used to work there and we had drawers full of them. When someone's documents arrived who had a package booked, the agent would just pull one of the diamond cards out of the drawer and put it in with the documents. I'd imagine this is probably the same in many, if not all clubs. Some clubs may be more strict than others, requiring a room only reservation or package purchase through them.

 

[goofy4tink]

As mentioned earlier, it is against DIS board guidelines to discuss how to get around existing Disney policy. With that being said....AAA passes state, right on them, that they are not for sale and are not transferrable. So, right there you are trying to go around AAA policy. And using a 'bought' AAA parking pass at WDW is against Disney policy.

Each AAA office has different policies. Some allow anyone with a membership to get the parking pass. Others make you buy park passes, while others give them out only as part of a package.

I may go to my office this fall and see if they hand them to any member who asks, just to see what happens.

Really....while the parking is a bit closer, it isn't 'all that and a bag of chips'.