AAA Package Confirmation

[jels]

Just wondering - I was under the assumption that everyone received their final package information in the mail prior to their trip. My AAA agent wants me to come and pick it up @ the AAA office which is a good drive from my house. Ugh... Has this happened with anyone else?

 

[ImagineMeDisney]

I just booked a AAA package also...I know when we received our documents for DCL, we had to pick them up from the AAA office. It's a long drive from my house, also, but my excitement made the trip go quickly!!

 

[knovak]

I booked thorugh AAA as well and will have to go pick up my information I believe she said about 2 weeks prior to our trip. Must be how they do it.

 

[thelittlemermaid]

I had to do this. It was less then a week before our trip and still didn't hear anything from our TA. I got so sick of calling and her always being gone or busy with someone else that I just went up to my AAA office to find out what was going on with our paperwork. I ended up having to wait over an hour before seeing her.

When I finally was able to talk to her she said she had just gotten back from vaca and hadn't had time to go through all the Disney stuff to see who's trips were coming up. AAAAHHH!!!!! She is the only one who handles Disney trips at the AAA office, which I think is CRAP!!!

From the time we booked our trip in April 2004 to the time we left in Aug, this lady had been on 4 vacas. Just saw in our paper that my local AAA office is looking for a travel agent. To bad SHE hogs all the Disney travel arrangements. I would be tempted to apply, but only if I could do Disney also. She is suppose to be THEIR Disney expert. LOL!!! When I asked her about codes, she didn't even know what that was. TO FUNNY!!!

For our next trip I am either doing it all myself or going with Dreams Unlimited. No way I am going back to AAA!

 

[gigi1313]

now i'm even gladder that i opted not to use AAA!

 

[Poohgirl]

My trip is right around the corner and I just received my package information by mail. I booked in January so it wasn't a rush job. Maybe it depends on your area? Seems simple enough to be able to pop it in the mail....

 

[denman007]

There is no need to book a package through AAA if staying on-site, imo.

 

[Dutchmom23]

at least that is what she said is her typical mode. She said I would have to be home to sign for it.

34 days and counting down!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Loves2Travel]

Yes, why do you need to book a package through AAA?

Just book a room with an AAA discount through Disney and then order AAA discount tickets through their website.

 

[estnh]

Yes, why do you need to book a package through AAA?

Just book a room with an AAA discount through Disney and then order AAA discount tickets through their website.

This year, the only way you could get a room discount if you wanted a MYW dining package was through AAA. We had to talk them through it, but it was still worth it, as we saved 15% on the room.

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

What exactly are you receiving from AAA as confirmation that you will need for check-in?

I don't understand .... as long as you have your reservation number what else would you possibly need?

 

[thelittlemermaid]

What exactly are you receiving from AAA as confirmation that you will need for check-in?

I don't understand .... as long as you have your reservation number what else would you possibly need?

What was in ours was luggage tags, AAA parking voucher {which we never used}, AAA's diamond card to get discounts at certain places in Disney, papers that Disney sent our TA, and a voucher to get into AAA's VIP lounge in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[jels]

Thanks everyone for your swift replies and for answering other questions that people had that I wasn't sure how to answer. I will say that I paid $13 more to go with AAA than I would have paid just going through WDW, but that included our AAA membership fee among other AAA "perks" (parking, vouchers, etc.) As we are driving down, we thought that it would be helpful to have the AAA. Hope that makes sense. And, I guess I will be going to get our package of stuff at our AAA office ASAP!

 

[kesha]

I had to do this. It was less then a week before our trip and still didn't hear anything from our TA. I got so sick of calling and her always being gone or busy with someone else that I just went up to my AAA office to find out what was going on with our paperwork. I ended up having to wait over an hour before seeing her.

When I finally was able to talk to her she said she had just gotten back from vaca and hadn't had time to go through all the Disney stuff to see who's trips were coming up. AAAAHHH!!!!! She is the only one who handles Disney trips at the AAA office, which I think is CRAP!!!

From the time we booked our trip in April 2004 to the time we left in Aug, this lady had been on 4 vacas. Just saw in our paper that my local AAA office is looking for a travel agent. To bad SHE hogs all the Disney travel arrangements. I would be tempted to apply, but only if I could do Disney also. She is suppose to be THEIR Disney expert. LOL!!! When I asked her about codes, she didn't even know what that was. TO FUNNY!!!

For our next trip I am either doing it all myself or going with Dreams Unlimited. No way I am going back to AAA!

I see your from Ohio Little Mermaid. When I read this it sounded just like my AAA Agent and thats where I am from. I hope she does leave. I got the same reaction from her when I mentioned codes. I ended up booking everything myself this time and saved money from what she quoted me because she wouldn't take the time and do her job right. I gave her every opportunity to book everything for me but I wasn't happy with her and her so called knowledge of Disney so I did it on my own. ( Almost) I did get a lot of help from reading the DIs.

 

[Loves2Travel]

Why would they tell you about the codes though? AAA only gets a comission when you book a room through them, with the AAA discount.

I see your from Ohio Little Mermaid. When I read this it sounded just like my AAA Agent and thats where I am from. I hope she does leave. I got the same reaction from her when I mentioned codes. I ended up booking everything myself this time and saved money from what she quoted me because she wouldn't take the time and do her job right. I gave her every opportunity to book everything for me but I wasn't happy with her and her so called knowledge of Disney so I did it on my own. ( Almost) I did get a lot of help from reading the DIs.

 

[kesha]

Why would they tell you about the codes though? AAA only gets a comission when you book a room through them, with the AAA discount.

Your right about that. But that wasn't the reason I didn't book through them. I was asking her if it would be cheaper for me to get the room only instead of the package. She told me if I did that I would lose some of the benefits not booking the package. Like the fastpass. I knew then she was wrong and I told her. Then she corrected herself. But if I wouldn't of known better would she of told me different? I don't know. I then called her at a later date to book my flight. In between this time I had been shopping on line for ticket prices and knew exactly which ones I wanted. When I called I told her that I wanted to go out of one of two different places. Well she quoted me the prices from a couple airlines but didn't come up with the one I saw. So I directly asked about the airline from the airport that I had seen. I never told her that I had been looking also. She gave me a different price which I knew to be from the other airport. My conclusion from her statement was that she hadn't even looked at the other airport.
I had booked a package from this travel agent 3 years before and said I wouldn't use her again. I guess I forgot why and thought I would try her again. Well, after 3 years her attitude never improved either.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

My AAA agent is mailing me my travel documents. I live in southern California and she is in South Carolina. AAA agents are like any travel agent, some know more than others. My local AAA agents knew nothing of WDW packages, but I tried until I found one that was on the ball. I'm sure if you explain how inconvenient (or impossible) it is to retrieve the documents yourself, they would be happy to send them. If you don't get an answer you like, talk nicely to a supervisor.

AAA agents are not paid through trip commissions only, your AAA memebership fees support a wide variety of services, including travel. Agents probably receive bonuses based on how much they produce, but a real agent works to make you happy, not to up the cost of the package.

 

[ChrislovesMinnie]

That's why I don't use AAA for Disney trips.

 

[yellowfish78]

OH MY GOODNESS! Well it looks like there are some bad agents out there!

Being one myself, I'll try to defend a little, but I definately understand where everyone is coming from!

The two biggest benefits of booking a PACKAGE with AAA:
You will get the AAA discount off the package (10%, 15% or 20% off depending on the season) AND the AAA Benefits mentioned in one of the posts above. If you were to call Disney themselves and ask for a AAA rate on a package they won't give it to you, but on room only rates they will. Personally I love booking Disney packages, and the AAA Diamond Card is a big benefit to alot of people! I love seeing peoples faces when I tell them that, besides being an AP member, this is the only way to get a discount off shopping, dining and mini golf at Disney. (10% off the World of Disney is alot of money for some people, as well as discounts at Earl of Sandwich and other DTD restaruants.) And I even left out your basic AAA benefits of towing and Show Your Card and Save discounts!

As for codes:
We don't get any information on postcard discounts or other specials that may be sent to you in the mail. The only discount we can get you is the AAA rate UNLESS you tell us otherwise. Disney does NOT share that info with us at all. (Which is part of the reason why I joined this website! I at least try to be informed of what codes are going on out there!) Also we cannot combine codes with an AAA rate. As for the commission comment, we get "credit" for commission on room only (with or without codes) and packages. No commission goes into pocket.

Regarding the airline comment:
Personally I hate it when a client doesn't tell me that they've been looking online. I come out and ask them. If they arn't honest with me, it's not right in my eyes. (I'm looking for that trust factor too, I want you to come back to me to book your next trip.) Where I'm from we have three MAJOR airports within an hour and a half drive. I try to check all three. And yes their are airlines out their that offer internet rates. Great! It'll save you money! Let us know because if we don't find it, we WANT you to get that rate before it dissappears and you end up paying more money. We work with almost every major airline and yes it's hard sometimes to find the best rate. We do our best.

When your agent asks you to come in the office to pick up the documents:
They want to meet you! Get you excited about the trip! Maybe give you a gift for booking! They also want to make sure that you understand the information you are given, answer any last minute questions, and for me the biggest reason is to make sure EVERYTHING is correct! I do understand that sometimes this is a waste of time, but if you don't meet your agent, how do you learn to trust them? You might as well have booked over the internet. BUT we will mail them if you want them mailed. Normally they are send DHL because they do have value. (You paid money for these vouchers!) I wouldn't want your neighbor getting these instead of you.

Have a problem while on a trip:
You call your AAA agent! I've had clients call me from their trip to make dining reservations, change package dates, relocate them during the 2004 hurricane season, tell me thank you for their wedding card or Christmas card I mailed to their hotel for their arrival, book Cirque. WE ARE YOUR CONCIERGE.

Yes I do understand that sometimes booking room only and buying tickets is cheaper than a package. (But did you ask how much your package would have been if you were not a member? Normally the discount alone will pay for you membership in itself, and then some.) Yes I understand that their are sometimes bad agents (like Vacation Girl!) But you don't get your AAA benefits. (What did you pay that membership fee for?!) But our job is being a travel agent. Searching for the best deal. Saving YOU time on the internet and the phone doing all the research. A good agent will compare the room only with a package. They will let you know if you have a family of 5 that it could be $100 cheaper if you book two rooms in a value resort instead of POR. They will let you know what rides are closed, provide you with park maps, use www.pscalculator.net for your dining reservations, call at 6:55am for breakfast with Cindy, use this site to print out park hours for you and highlight the extra magic hours or early entry, let you know if your going during a cheerleading contest or the Food and Wine Festival, get you hard tickets for MNSSHP or MVMC. (Just as my clients!)


AAA's goal is to make you happy. Ask for a comments form when you get back from your trip. Fill it out and make sure their manager knows that you weren't happy. Heck just call and talk to the manager. (Its not right that they only have one agent working on Disney packages!) It's our job to make sure you have an easy time booking your trip, and that is goes smoothly and enjoyable.

On a side note, January is ALWAYS Disney month at AAA. If you book during January, you normally get an extra benefit. This year it was $25 Disney dollars per room for Disney World and double shipboard credit for the cruise line, which was $200 for a seven night cruise with a balcony.

Once again, I'm sorry if I yelled.

 

[gigi1313]

wow! i have to admit, i had no idea a AAA agent could/would do all that you mentioned... the one i got some quotes for was in no way personable, nor did he seem willing to go the extra mile... which is why i found another TA that would and is!

your reply was very well written and i did not feel "yelled at" at all!