AAA questions

[MNmom2]

Not sure where this thread should be, but I have questions.

I have never been a member before and don't really know anything about it. Is it worthwhile to join for the Dis discounts? We already have our airfare and WDW tickets. We still need to book a hotel and rental car. Any info anyone can give me would be wonderful!!! Like cost of membership, perks for travel, perks for everyday, anything! I am clueless and the AAA website has loads of info - not sure where to start. LOL! TIA!

 

[Servants of Evan]

You'll spend anywhere from $45 to $ 70 dollars for an annual membership which can save you at virtually every hotel you stay at. You can get free maps, American Express travelers checks (well, not free but there's no fee involved), triptiks -- sort of a continual map where they indicate construction areas, hotels/restaurants, etc., plus other membership perks beyond what you count on AAA for -- roadside assistance and towing, etc. Is it worth it? If you require even one towing in a few years the answer is 'Yes."

 

[yellowfish78]

I agree with Servants of Evan! The only thing I think that was left out was the AAA discount on your room at Disney and an extra 10% and any coupon offers with Hertz. Discounts with Disney rooms can range from 10-20% depending on the season of travel. Hertz offers at least 10% off, second driver FREE, and AAA offers coupons for week rentals, weekend rentals, one or two car class upgrade, free child seat rental...I could go on!
Just like Servants of Evan said, if you use it once for towing, it's paid for. If you use it once for a Disney hotel stay, even at a value resort, it's paid for.

 

[missstcroix]

Or if you are like me and are forever locking your keys in your car.....its worth it! hahahah. Seriously they come and unlock your car for you! Love that because I have used it at least 4 times.

 

[iluvdizknee]

I just booked a 11 night family of 4, staying at POP for $2300.00. That included admissions to all the parks for the entire stay (what they use to call a hopper pass) and magical express for my luggage. I thought that was a great deal. I go every month and give them some money to pay it off.
I love AAA

 

[MNmom2]

Thanks everyone! It'll be $60 for just me to join + $8 if I add dh. With our hotel savings plus car rental and free car seat rental it'll pay for itself!!

One more question - do you and your spouse have the benefits or did just one of you sign up?

 

[byoung]

It's always good to have AAA not only for didcounts. But when you have a breakdown with your car etc.

 

[wecroozin]

I booked our trip online through Disney directly. If I call them and tell them I'm an AAA member will they offer a discount, or do you have to book through AAA? I have used many of the AAA benefits over the years but have yet to book a trip through them.

If it was worthwhile I would switch to AAA for the discount, but we are travelling with friends and they do not have AAA. I'm afraid we may get split up somehow. Can you keep your initial reservation and just use AAA for their discount? How's it all work?

I also want to book my own flights. How would that play in to a switch to AAA. I'm afraid I won't get the flight times and nonstop service if someone else manages it for me. Thanks for any help or suggestions!!

 

[yellowfish78]

MNMom2: Benefits of the membership cover the card carrier. So if both of you get a membership, both of you will have the discounts. Both would have up to 4 tows a year, and either of you can get maps, Show Your Card and Save discounts (Universal offers 10% off if you show your card for food and merchandise purchases for example).

Wecroosin: If you booked a PACKAGE, Disney cannot give you a AAA rate. If you booked a ROOM only, they can give you the AAA rate. So if you bought a package through Disney AND got their insurance, if you have a AAA agent rebook your package you would loose the cost of the insurance. If you DIDN'T get the insurance, call your local AAA office, ask for someone who loves to sell Disney (that's the key right there) and have them give you a quote for them. Just tell them exactly what you want: nonstop airfare, particular room, number of ticket days...etc.
If you're traveling with friends, either get their confirmation number or name of the lead guest on the reservation and have your package cross referenced with theirs (like ask I want to be near/same building as the John Smith party).
AAA will and can book your own flights for you too. Sometimes you can do it right with Disney, and if you get their insurance, it would cover the airfare cost as well.
Basically, there are benefits of booking with AAA: the most obvious is the AAA discount and Diamond Rewards Card. The other is that you have someone to count on if something should go wrong. It's up the the agent to help fix the problem, not just you.

I hope this helps!

 

[MNmom2]

MNMom2: Benefits of the membership cover the card carrier. So if both of you get a membership, both of you will have the discounts. Both would have up to 4 tows a year, and either of you can get maps, Show Your Card and Save discounts (Universal offers 10% off if you show your card for food and merchandise purchases for example).

Thanks for the info!!

 

[tinkerbell87512]

I booked our trip online through Disney directly. If I call them and tell them I'm an AAA member will they offer a discount, or do you have to book through AAA? I have used many of the AAA benefits over the years but have yet to book a trip through them.

If it was worthwhile I would switch to AAA for the discount, but we are travelling with friends and they do not have AAA. I'm afraid we may get split up somehow. Can you keep your initial reservation and just use AAA for their discount? How's it all work?

I also want to book my own flights. How would that play in to a switch to AAA. I'm afraid I won't get the flight times and nonstop service if someone else manages it for me. Thanks for any help or suggestions!!

just call disney and tell them you have a aaa membership. you dont have to directly book it through them. i had alreay booked my air fare and called disney to make my hotel reservation and they gave me the discount. all u have to do is bring the card with you at check in to prove you are a member.

also about the flights look at southwest i dont know if u like them but i got non stop flights from NH to orlando for $135.50 round trip. so that was a really good deal. also if u book your flights online (with any airline) its usually always cheaper. and what ive found is its usually cheaper to book everything seperately rather than in a package. also u can get discounts on disney tickets when u go to the aaa office. but theres some tips that i found hope they help!

 

[afc104]

I booked my upcoming trip thru AAA. When I first called Disney I got a price which was exactly what AAA quoted me so I was going to just book directly with them. Later that day I got an E-Mail from the AAA agent saying she could cut $100 off the price she had quoted me. I checked back with Disney and was given the original price so I ending up booking thru AAA. Not sure what they did to get a lower price and I did not ask them to do better they just did. I am going this January and I know it is Disney month at AAA so it may have something to do with lower price.

 

[wecroozin]

Sorry to hijack the thread but thanks for all the great info!

 

[Unregistered]

I just booked a disney trip through AAA. I received a confirmation number, but if i call the poly they dont have the reservation. I was told AAA doesnt down load the reservations until 3 weeks before the scheduled arival date.

I asked my AAA agent if i would receive anything in the mail. she said I would get all the tickets etc via DHL 3 weeks before we left.

Does this sound right? Has anyone else has any experience with AAA booking?

 

[yellowfish78]

If you have a confirmation number with AAA that starts with a 5 or a 7, you're good to go. You have a confirmation.

Your actual ROOM reservation does not get loaded into the hotel registration computer (by your name) until 5 days prior arrival. (This is also when they make room assignments, like building 5, pool view for example).

Your actual documents, or vouchers will arrive at whatever place you booked them about 3 weeks prior your trip. Magical Express vouchers have been arriving later, about 10 days before you leave (if you got the transfer that is). Your agent will review them for accuracy, then either call you to come in and go over them with you, or send them in the mail to you.

To AFC104: Unless your package is during peak season (like Christmas) AAA package rates should be cheaper than Disneys actual package prices. It just sounds like your agent didn't give you a AAA rate on your first quote.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

I booked our trip online through Disney directly. If I call them and tell them I'm an AAA member will they offer a discount, or do you have to book through AAA? I have used many of the AAA benefits over the years but have yet to book a trip through them.

If it was worthwhile I would switch to AAA for the discount, but we are travelling with friends and they do not have AAA. I'm afraid we may get split up somehow. Can you keep your initial reservation and just use AAA for their discount? How's it all work?

I also want to book my own flights. How would that play in to a switch to AAA. I'm afraid I won't get the flight times and nonstop service if someone else manages it for me. Thanks for any help or suggestions!!

You can call Disney reservations and tell them you have AAA but they can not exactly "switch" your reservation to the discounted rate. Thay have to cancel the first reservation and re-book with the AAA rate. That was fine but that meant crediting my credit card for the deposit I made the first time and then charging the card for the new discounted reservation. Of course this tool 8 days, because my credit card is not unlimited and with the $800 deposit I had made we were unable to pay the deposit on the new reservation until the credit for the cancelled reservation was posted to the credit card. It worked out fine, saved us over $350 for 7 nights and is a good deal. Just a bit of a pain in the tush! Flight reservations and tickets are fine to do on your own as there is no discount available on a "package" only on the room rate itself.

 

[skbasnett1977]

just call disney and tell them you have a aaa membership. you dont have to directly book it through them. i had alreay booked my air fare and called disney to make my hotel reservation and they gave me the discount. all u have to do is bring the card with you at check in to prove you are a member.

also about the flights look at southwest i dont know if u like them but i got non stop flights from NH to orlando for $135.50 round trip. so that was a really good deal. also if u book your flights online (with any airline) its usually always cheaper. and what ive found is its usually cheaper to book everything seperately rather than in a package. also u can get discounts on disney tickets when u go to the aaa office. but theres some tips that i found hope they help!

Actually you can not do this for a package. To get the discount on the package as a whole, you do need to book directly with AAA. You can get a discount directly through disney if you are doing room only.