AAA Discount question... anyone book?

[eeyore45]

I'm just wondering if I should spend the $54 to become a AAA member and get a discount on a package - I want to stay at a moderate, rack rate $134, but then I want 7 day passes, with hopping, and a dining pkg added on...

From what I've read, and this is where I need someone's help with... AAA can offer a 15% off, but is that the room portion only? (would that be from $134 to $109 for a moderate I've seen posted?) (which if the dining is $35 per person... )

Rumors seem to be codes will be out for Room only, AP, Florida Residents, and maybe (fingers crossed) General Public, but will AAA still be just 15%? This is all so confusing!!

TIA

 

[SDFgirl]

Not an expert, but...I will tell you what I know.

I have booked the AAA rate for a moderate in May (regular season). From what I was told by CRO, the AAA rate is $126, rack rate is $149.

I was told that I could book a AAA room only rate through Disney, but if I wanted a package I'd have to go through AAA. I don't know if the packages through AAA are discounted or not. I decided to buy everything separately, so I'm buying my tickets through Ticketmania.com, who have deeper discounts on passes than my local AAA office.

All in all, I'd say it is a good thing to join AAA. I saved over $100 on my hotel, plus all the benefits of being part of an automobile club (towing, roadside assistance, etc.)

I know I didn't answer all your questions but I hope that helps a little bit.

 

[carluglenn]

Can you still join AAA and apply the discount after previously booking a "room only" through Disney?

I have booked my room already for May and just paid the one night ($166 tax incld) "down payment".

THANKS!

 

[snishath]

Carluglenn, call the disney folks and tell them you are now a AAA member. The disney rep will have to cancel your existing reservation and create a new one with the AAA discount. This is what I was told when I was in a similar situation. Or you could book through AAA and then cancel your disney reservation.

 

[SDFgirl]

Can you still join AAA and apply the discount after previously booking a "room only" through Disney?

I have booked my room already for May and just paid the one night ($166 tax incld) "down payment".

THANKS!

You may want to call CRO and ask if the AAA rate is available for your resort and dates. From what I understand, only a certain number of rooms are set aside at the AAA rate. Once they're gone, only rack rate rooms are left (I could be TOTALLY wrong about that, so check with CRO to be sure!!).

If the AAA rate is available, I think you can go ahead and book it and join AAA after. You may need to call them back and give them your AAA number and you'll have to show your AAA card when you check in.

Hope that helps...

 

[marriedmarylander]

I just cancelled my room only reservation to get a book a package with AAA. You can add dining through AAA. You can only do dining through a package with tickets whether you go through AAA or Disney package. We did not chose to get the dining package. We booked 6 nights at a moderate resort with 4-day passes with plus option (no hopping, tickets expire) for $1334.32 total. Through Disney it would have been $1482.06. So about $150 savings.

Also, the membership is the membership fee plus a $15 sign up... They took $5 off since I agreed to put my CC on file and have it automatically renew membership... but they said 45 prior they send me a note about it and I can call and cancel that anyway.

AAA does sell Disney tickets alone without a package. That info is actually on their website. You can also request a quote from AAA for a Disney package without being a AAA member... Actually I booked my vacation before signing up to be a member!

AAA Tickets Only Prices:
https://www.aaamidatlantic.com/membership/themepark/ticket_orders_step1.asp
(select Florida in the box)

General Disney AAA info:
http://www.aaamidatlantic.com/travel/disney/

 

[BostonRob]

You may want to call CRO and ask if the AAA rate is available for your resort and dates. From what I understand, only a certain number of rooms are set aside at the AAA rate. Once they're gone, only rack rate rooms are left (I could be TOTALLY wrong about that, so check with CRO to be sure!!).

If the AAA rate is available, I think you can go ahead and book it and join AAA after. You may need to call them back and give them your AAA number and you'll have to show your AAA card when you check in.

Hope that helps...

This is true. I was booked at the Pop with an AAA rate. I decided I wanted to stay at WL. I called and they didn't have any AAA rooms at WL. But they did have standard rooms. So I booked one of those. Now I call back every day to see if an AAA room has come available at WL so I can switch to that.

 

[marriedmarylander]

what is the difference between AAA and standard room?

 

[BostonRob]

what is the difference between AAA and standard room?

I don't think there are any differences. When I say 'standard' I mean 'non-discounted rooms'. This is misleading. Here's what they have at WL for Regular season rates:
Standard room $239
Woods View $265
Courtyard View $300

Now as I understand it, out of each of the above groups, some rooms are set aside as AAA discount rooms - you get 10% off of the rack rates. As far as I know these rooms are identical to their full priced counterparts. Nobody seems to know how many rooms fall into this AAA discount category. WL has over 700 rooms. How many are available for AAA discount rates? 10? 100? Nobody knows.

 

[lotte]

Eeyore 45 and all other interested parties:

We booked this package through AAA last month for the end of April. Your room is the only thing that is discounted. When my AAA agent called WDW the first time, WDW did not apply the discount. I had worked the price out separately and knew what the total would be. I had my agent call back and have the discount applied. It is worth the price for us.

 

[lotte]

Also, AAA gives different discounts for the different seasons, anywhere from 10%-20%. Regular season is 15% off, room only.

 

[marriedmarylander]

Eeyore 45 and all other interested parties:

We booked this package through AAA last month for the end of April. Your room is the only thing that is discounted. When my AAA agent called WDW the first time, WDW did not apply the discount. I had worked the price out separately and knew what the total would be. I had my agent call back and have the discount applied. It is worth the price for us.

Maybe this was true. I didn't ask them a breakdown of what was discounted and what wasn't. I know they do sell Disney tickets though but I didn't realize they charge a lot for shipping!

 

[SDFgirl]

Maybe this was true. I didn't ask them a breakdown of what was discounted and what wasn't. I know they do sell Disney tickets though but I didn't realize they charge a lot for shipping!

marriedmarylander:

If you don't mind buying online, you may want to check out www.ticketmania.com for discounted tickets. They are lower than AAA and Disney. And, they offer FREE shipping on your tickets!!

I have used them before to buy Islands of Adventure tickets and they were perfect. No problems with anything. Another plus is, if your trip is in the next few days/weeks and you don't have time to get them in the mail, ticketmania will deliver the tickets to your hotel for a very small fee (I think $5 or $10). This is actually how I got my IOA tickets last time - they delivered them to All Star Music and the tickets were waiting for us when we checked in. We are using ticketmania.com for our tickets this time too. They are great!!

 

[marriedmarylander]

marriedmarylander:

If you don't mind buying online, you may want to check out www.ticketmania.com for discounted tickets. They are lower than AAA and Disney. And, they offer FREE shipping on your tickets!!

That was my original plan actually. I was going to book a room only AAA and order tickets separately. However, we needed 4 day with just plus option. Going through AAA and booking an entire package was only $20 more than room + ticketmania tickets. So for $20 more I get discounts apparently and discounts on souveniers as well. I thought it was worth it.

I mainly wrote my statement about the AAA shipping because I was recommending them to others before I realized how much shipping was.

 

[Carrie Ellis]

I just looked at the AAA site. Do they not sell 10day MYW tickets? I would like to get the MYW meals and tickets w/ a room discount so I am thinking about joining. It would not be worth it though if there is not a 10day ticket.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

any ticket/package or room only combo you can get through Disney you can get through AAA, including 10 day MYW, etc.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Maybe this was true. I didn't ask them a breakdown of what was discounted and what wasn't. I know they do sell Disney tickets though but I didn't realize they charge a lot for shipping!

Who charges for shipping? AAA didn't charge me any shipping. Just curious.

 

[marriedmarylander]

Who charges for shipping? AAA didn't charge me any shipping. Just curious.

I just did a test and added a ticket to my shopping cart. The next page showed Attraction Tickets Shipping & Handling Options.

This is the page for tickets:
https://www.aaamidatlantic.com/membership/themepark/ticket_orders_step2.asp

If you put tickets in your card and click order it shows shipping page.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

That sounds screwy... call your local AAA office and get them there. I doubt they will charge you shipping and/or handling for them.

I bought an AAA package, and no shipping or handling charges apply to any of it, tickets included.

Good luck!

 

[andrabell]

I booked a room only with AAA and saved $450 off the rack rates (we're staying two weeks). I'd say that my membership has paid for itself many times over.

YAY!