AAA or Disney

[speed]

Am I better to go through AAAor disney for reservations?

 

[2goofycampers]

Cheapest way is usually thru AAA.com.

Best way is thru rhonda@dreamsunlitedtravel.com

 

[LarryJ]

Cheapest way is usually thru AAA.com.

Best way is thru rhonda@dreamsunlitedtravel.com

One big drawback using DU is that you don't have access to any ressies she makes to try and change things, check on discounts like AAA that are not published anywhere, etc. From what I understand Rhonda doesn't check for new AAA discounts more than every week or two and AAA opening change a lot. Last year DW called to check on them for the month of Nov and only one day was available and when she checked two days later she was able to get the entire month of Nov (saved us close to $400). Our son used her for their upcoming trip staying at WL and she was able to pick up the discount in Jan automatically for them so for other than FW trying to get or use a AAA discount I would agree.

To OP I didn't think AAA did site only ressies, just packages like with tickets or DP, but I might be wrong and some AAA regions might vary so you would have to check with yours to see what they can do for you.

Larry

 

[ElementCamper]

I was about to post with question on AAA when this post opened up. I just got a membership invitation for AAA today, $64 per year. If I do one trip to WDW a year, is it worth joining for any other discounts I can get such as other campgrounds etc?

 

[clkelley]

One big drawback using DU is that you don't have access to any ressies she makes to try and change things, check on discounts like AAA that are not published anywhere, etc. From what I understand Rhonda doesn't check for new AAA discounts more than every week or two and AAA opening change a lot.

Larry

However, you are free to check on things yourself and buzz her an email whenever you see something she might not be aware of. She is very quick to respond and will quickly snag anything you find.

 

[LarryJ]

However, you are free to check on things yourself and buzz her an email whenever you see something she might not be aware of. She is very quick to respond and will quickly snag anything you find.

Tried that and you have to give them your reservation number to check for any AAA discounts and I couldn't do that since the ressie was not in my name.

Larry

 

[BradyBz12]

We've done both, and the biggest factor for me deciding to book myself directly through Disney these days is that I have direct access to making changes to my reservation. If AAA makes your ressie initially, you'll have to go through them to make changes. When we did this and tried to make changes ourselves, Disney wouldn't talk to us.

Cost wise our experience with our local AAA (southern New England) is that they get us some small discount on a package, but not much at all (if anything) on a room only. We had better luck getting an AP rate for our site this past year. Also if you book your package through AAA you get a few other perks, incl. the diamond parking pass, story time, etc.

Now that we get APs and book room only, we handle the ressies ourselves.

 

[clkelley]

Tried that and you have to give them your reservation number to check for any AAA discounts and I couldn't do that since the ressie was not in my name.

Larry

I just check AAA.com and if I don't already have the AAA rate and it shows up for my dates, I buzz Rhonda and she fixes it for me.

Or I check Disney.com to see how availability is for my already booked dates and call to check on AAA rates for a new reservation, then email Rhonda and she snags it for me.

 

[LarryJ]

I just check AAA.com and if I don't already have the AAA rate and it shows up for my dates, I buzz Rhonda and she fixes it for me.

Or I check Disney.com to see how availability is for my already booked dates and call to check on AAA rates for a new reservation, then email Rhonda and she snags it for me.

You could go thru that two or three step process, but I would prefer not to take the chance of a delay in snagging these elusive AAA discounts (remember my first post of only one day discount and two days later the entire month and $400 is nothing to ignore) and if the rate is available get is now and not hope it's available after some unknown time period.

Sometimes all this ressie stuff seems to be disconnected. In our case for next Oct/Nov Rhonda started about a month or so ago trying to get a time frame from 16 Oct to 1 Dec in a full hook up and initially she got one ressie or 10/15 to 11/05 in either a preferred or premium with a deposit of $75 and change and then another for 11/20 to 12/1 in a premium with another deposit of $91 and change and then about a month later a third on from 11/5 to 11/20 again in a premium with a third deposit of $91 so I had over $260 in fees and the day I got notified of the third block I thought this was nuts, so I went on the disney website and was able to book back to back ressies in a full hook up for the entire period with a total deposit on the two ressies of only just over $130 or half of what I was committed to the other way and now I'm in total control of these ressies.

I just think if you are trying to get ressies and get the AAA discount doing it directly with Disney is the best way to go.

Larry

 

[clkelley]

To each their own. I've been perfectly happy with Rhonda's service and have always gotten the best rate with my ressies with her, either AAA or Passholder.

The only time I go directly with Disney anymore is when we book through Group Reservations.

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

Personally we use AAA because we like to drive to the parks and the Diamond parking makes it much easier. We also love the story time which you can't get without booking through AAA.

Discount wise, it was only a few dollars cheaper for us, but I could call and speak with my agent if we needed to make changes, and she woudl price compare when new deals came up for us. On one trip we booked in advance w/o a discount and when the 4/3 deal came up she was able to swap us to that no problem!

they also give you a card to get some discounts (usually 10%) off at some stores at DTD and restaurants