AAA discount on rooms with dining; travel agent question

[unbroken chain]

Hello, I am thinking about booking a trip staying at a Disney resort, with the dining plan. I understand that you cannot book both a AAA room discount and the dining package through Disney, but you can through AAA. However, I have heard that some of the AAAs are not so good about keeping up with new discounts that might be better and applying them to your package as they come out.

Does anyone have recommendations of travel agents that can book both the AAA discount rooms and the dining plan, and who are very good in finding the additional discounts (or calculating if you will save more money with an AP, etc.?) Or, can only AAA do this?

Thanks!

 

[InstImpres]

there are several AAA agents recommended on the board if you do a search. As you said, you can only book a package with the AAA discount through AAA. If a promo comes out, you can get either the promo code or AAA not both,


Good luck

 

[Imagineer John]

I ran into this same problem with my AAA agent. According to her, I could not use both the room discount and the free dining plan. My trip is scheduled between Aug. 13 and Aug. 19. Since our trip is right in the middle of the free dining promotion offered by Disney, I think AAA didn't want the extra work to book two separate reservations. The agent said the 15% room discount would be a greater savings than the free dining. My sister-in-law who also booked with AAA received both discounts and received two reservations covering the time before the free dining, than during the free dining. Go figures. So I am to confused about these offers and feel like I was scammed by AAA because I was cutting into their profit margin. We also had missed magical express tickets and luggage tags, as well as all of four groups not getting under tha same Grand Gathering number. This wasn't straightened out until I personally spent time through the Disney travel agents. I wish I would have just booked with Disney. It seems like with the internet, AAA travel agents are becoming a thing of the past, they really aren't offering much service.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I ran into this same problem with my AAA agent. According to her, I could not use both the room discount and the free dining plan. My trip is scheduled between Aug. 13 and Aug. 19. Since our trip is right in the middle of the free dining promotion offered by Disney, I think AAA didn't want the extra work to book two separate reservations. The agent said the 15% room discount would be a greater savings than the free dining. My sister-in-law who also booked with AAA received both discounts and received two reservations covering the time before the free dining, than during the free dining. Go figures. So I am to confused about these offers and feel like I was scammed by AAA because I was cutting into their profit margin. We also had missed magical express tickets and luggage tags, as well as all of four groups not getting under tha same Grand Gathering number. This wasn't straightened out until I personally spent time through the Disney travel agents. I wish I would have just booked with Disney. It seems like with the internet, AAA travel agents are becoming a thing of the past, they really aren't offering much service.

Everyone that has free dining during the end of regular season was able to book the room at the value season rate. I believe CRO did this to keep the prices consistant. Maybe your sister is confusing this with an extra AAA rate.

 

[justplaingoofy]

Its one or the other... free dining, or AAA discount.

If you are staying at a deluxe (depending on the rate) you may be better off with the AAA discount. If you are a family of four (2 adults, 2 child) then the regular cost of dining plan would be $98/night. So if the discount for AAA is more than that, then AAA discount would be a better deal, if not the dining plan is a better deal.

If you are two adults staying at deluxe the cost of the dining plan would be $76, so your discount may be greater with the AAA.

 

[MarySB]

Be careful re AAA "Discount Rates". I reserved a room last March for the 20% off rooms from Dec.4-9. I went in yesterday to convert it to a package at the "AAA Discount Rate" and it came out to $200 MORE than on the Disney website. Same date, same tickets, same dining plan. I called them today and got a major runaround. The TA I worked with said she "didn't know why" it was more and that I was the THIRD client who had had that difficulty. If that was the case. you would think THEY would find out WHY. But all they care about is getting their commission. When I really pressed them for the reason, they said I was getting some "perks" like free parking (can't use it because we are using Disney Transportation) and discounts on meals (can't use it because we are on the dining plan---which THEY sold me!) I now have a complaint lodged with the BBB. Don't make the same mistake I did in believing that a AAA Discount Rate means you are actually getting a discount. You're not!