AAA rate + dining plan??

[Wuzefelix]

Hi!

Thank you very much for your answers! I think I just started an interesting discussion .

Greetings, Wuzefelix

 

[jaff87]

You Cant Add Ddp To A Room Only Res!!!

MBanks21 is absolutely correct. I have tried on several occassions to call WDW myself. I am ALWAYS told I can do a room only with AAA rate, BUT NOT both AAA room rate & DDP. That would constitute 2 discounts.

My family always goes thru AAA because:
1. We get the room discount
2. We get the park tickets w/hopper
3. We can add dining
4. In the end, we end up saving about $300 overall from the price WDW quotes us.

I do admit, though, if WDW comes out with public packages, etc, then I cringe thinking I am throwing money out, but depending on who your AAA rep is, you can call them and provide the public code to them and they will contact WDW to try to save you more money. That happened last year, and when all was said and done, I ended up saving an additional $104 when the public code came out.

My guess is that while I was getting the discount, my AAA rep was losing a part of her commission, but, in this day and age, money is money and savings is savings!

 

[disneyfan55]

You Cant Add Ddp To A Room Only Res!!!

Isn't that only with Free Dining? With Free Dining the room has to be at rack rate as well as a purchase of at least a 1 day park pass. I could be wrong but that's what I thought.

 

[janloz]

We have booked 4 rooms at POP for Nov/Dec through AAA. We were offered free park tickets from a friend but in order to get the dlxdining plan we had to book 1 day park tickets/person on the MYW plan. We are saving on our room 4 people over $350 prices on disney website for same package. If a discount like adding park hopper/waterpark is offered, you receive the discount in addition to AAA discount, we did on last visit. Just make sure you call AAA agent since they don't always adjust discount unless prompted.

 

[mbanks21]

Isn't that only with Free Dining? With Free Dining the room has to be at rack rate as well as a purchase of at least a 1 day park pass. I could be wrong but that's what I thought.

No, you cannot add ANY dining to a room only res. (unless its a passholder dining package, but that becomes a package, not a room only)

 

[Ka-chow!]

Good thread. I am looking into a September trip. I got a quote from my AAA travel agent for the MYW with the free DDP. Her quote was exactly the same as Disney's website.

So is the AAA agent holding back on a way to get a reduced room or package rate with AAA while still getting free dining? And can I could get a AAA reduced rate on a package during non-DDP periods? HELP!

 

[mbanks21]

You can get the AAA package with free dining, no discount on the room though. You can get a AAA package with a discounted room and DDP anytime (based on availability)

 

[audrey2580]

Good thread. I am looking into a September trip. I got a quote from my AAA travel agent for the MYW with the free DDP. Her quote was exactly the same as Disney's website.

So is the AAA agent holding back on a way to get a reduced room or package rate with AAA while still getting free dining? And can I could get a AAA reduced rate on a package during non-DDP periods? HELP!

I'm going in Sept on a AAA vacation package with "free dining" for 5 nights at the Poly. It is costing me $329.00 total MORE than if I called CR and booked a AAA discounted room and then bought tickets (no dining added). I'm hoping this is the way to go since I assume my family (me, DH and DS4) would spend more than $329 on food for 5 nights. Who knows!
The AAA package is the same amount as if I booked on Disney.com w/ free dining.

 

[tink_lover]

Not sure if this question belongs in this thread but hopefully someone knows answers. If I book room only now for next year, what is the timeframe for the latest I could add tickets + DDP? When I called this year to make ADRs, they asked if I was any of the DDP - why would that matter? What if I call to make ADRs and am NOT on the DDP, but then amend my reservation to include it? Hope these questions make sense- thanks!

 

[kaytieeldr]

It matters because if you are paying for your meal with Dining Plan credits, the reservationist has to tell you how many credits the location requires.

 

[tink_lover]

thanks - I have always kept track of our DDP credit usage but wondered if the reason they asked was that there were only a certain number of tables reserved for DDP users or non-DDP users.

 

[Ka-chow!]

I'm going in Sept on a AAA vacation package with "free dining" for 5 nights at the Poly. It is costing me $329.00 total MORE than if I called CR and booked a AAA discounted room and then bought tickets (no dining added). I'm hoping this is the way to go since I assume my family (me, DH and DS4) would spend more than $329 on food for 5 nights. Who knows!
The AAA package is the same amount as if I booked on Disney.com w/ free dining.

So if I understand right, booking through AAA doesn't give a discount on the Disney MYW + free dining package, so the only incentive to book through the AAA rather than Central reservations is to get the AAA "extras" like closer parking, discounts, storytimes, etc?

Thanks to everybody in advance.

 

[audrey2580]

Ka-chow - that's my understanding. But I'm new to this WDW stuff.

 

[Ka-chow!]

Ka-chow - that's my understanding. But I'm new to this WDW stuff.

Hey - you've got 60 posts to my 37 - I consider you the expert!

 

[Rylee]

Hi!

I would consider booking a Disney resort with the special AAA rate. Would it be possible to add the DDP?

Greetings, Wuzefelix

Hi,

You can make a "ROOM ONLY" reservation directly through Disney, and receive the AAA discount.

AAA or not... To have the Dining Plan, you must book a package. In order to be a "package," it must include, at least, one (1) day park tickets.

To book a AAA PACKAGE, (discount is still only on the "room" part of the package) you must book through AAA.

If you book through an AAA TA, AAA "owns" (so to speak) the reservation and most changes to the package/reservation will need to be made through AAA.

You can only apply one (1) discount code to a reservation.

I don't think you can get a AAA rate/package, plus FREE Dining Plan, (for travel 8/24 - 9/20). In past years, I think some guest did manage to do this, however, I believe Disney put an end to it.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yep, Rylee's right. In 2005, Guests who booked through AAA got the package discount AND free dining. Lots of conditions from 2005 were changed in more recent years (as Disney discovered how devious some Guests could be... what with booking tent-camping sites but not actually staying at FW; creating 'ghost' children; using child credits for adult meals...)

 

[Rylee]

Yep, Rylee's right. In 2005, Guests who booked through AAA got the package discount AND free dining. Lots of conditions from 2005 were changed in more recent years (as Disney discovered how devious some Guests could be... what with booking tent-camping sites but not actually staying at FW; creating 'ghost' children; using child credits for adult meals...)

kaytieeldr,

This year the kids and I are flying down on the 8/21. DH (singer ) has a gig on the 23rd and we didn't want to wait for him, he will arrive on 8/24.

We have a room only reservation 21-24, and our package (which includes DH) with free dining begins on the 24th.

I plan to check-in early AM on the 24th. DH doesn't land at MCO until Noon.

Will they allow me to check-in without him... and get our park passes, so the kids and I can head to the parks? (He can get his when he checks in.)

If they are concerned with "ghost guest" couldn't they verify his existence by checking his ME scheduled arrival?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well, your paperwork will say something about all Guests must be present at check-in.

Actual experience has varied. Sometimes, yes, the CM wants to see everyone - even this can vary from 'you all have to be standing there' to "That's my husband and kids over there watching cartoons".

To the best of my knowledge, they WILL let you check in, and worst case - give you just the dining credits for the people present. Your DH will have to go to the Front Desk to get his credits applied when he checks in.

Or, the CM might just give you everything, without him being there yet. But they won't make you wait for him before allowing you to check in. Technically, you're 'just' pre-registering anyway. I don't know where I read that designation, but I just read it in the last few days. That way, you can't complain if your room's not ready

 

[Ka-chow!]

Thanks kaytieeldr and Rylee!

I booked today for a vacation starting 9/20 -9/26 with "free dining" though a AAA TA. The cost through disney or AAA was the same . We are staying at Ft Wilderness so we'll be out the cabin door and in a park's parking lot in less than 10 minutes, so the AAA parking would be nice.

Never thought about the phantom kids angle ...

 

[audrey2580]

What's the AAA parking?