AAA Rate Review...

[fightinfire21]

Anyone that knows this stuff please confirm it for me, it would be of help to me and, I think, some others on this board.

1. No matter if you book a Magic Your Way Package or a room only reservation an, AAA discount is only taken from the room portion of any reservation.

2. You can book a room only reservation with an AAA discount directly with Disney (by phone only, no way to get discount with internet reservation), but if you want to book a package with an AAA discount you must book with an AAA agent.

3. AAA discount is not compatible with any other room discounts, such as AP or PIN Code, or any special offers, such as the current park hopper/water parks free ticket upgrade offer or last years free dining plan upgrade offer.

4. There are only a certain number of rooms at each resort set aside for an AAA discount at any one time.

Those are the main things. If anyone has anything to correct or to add about AAA rates please do so.

 

[DisneyArk]

We just booked through AAA and I think I know the answers to most of your questions (I'm just telling you what they told me ).

1. True - The AAA discount is only on the room portion. You do get the purchase ahead "discount" price that Disney offers.

2. True (I'm not sure about the internet/phone thing). We booked our package through AAA over the phone. She said we could book room only with WDW, but package only through AAA. We used AAA because we needed the package in order to get the Dining plan.

3. True - We booked a package with AAA. A week later WDW released the discount code for a free upgrade to park hoppers and plus tickets. Our AAA agent switched us to the new discount code (we no longer have the AAA discount) because it was $11 less and we now have water parks and more option!

4. I have no idea about this one!

I hope that makes sense!! Good luck making your decision!

 

[CTillberg]

I would like to add that you can indeed book a room only reservation on line with AAA. Her's how:
1. Go to www.AAA.com
2. Under "Travel" click on "Air/Hotel/Car Rental" (NOT Disney Travel)
3. Click "Reserve a Room"
4. Under "Destination" type in LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
5. Under "Hotel Preferences" type in DISNEY (or click on the "D" on the next page after you click search to get to all "Disney hotels)
6. Click "Search"
7. The website will pop up all Disney hotels. Ones with rooms will show "No Rooms Available", others will show "Rates starting at..." click on that hotel or rate link that you are interested in seeing. The link will show you the AAA rates available until they are gone, then it will show you the rack rate until they are gone, then it will say no rooms available. (You will only know the rate is a AAA discount rate if you know that it is cheaper than the rack rate. See a site like moussavres.com or allearsnet.com to see the rack rates.)

I found this information on these boards last year and it has helped me find AAA rates for my family and others that a live person won't always find or disclose. For example, I was checking rates for Oct. last year and when I called Disney, they said no AAA rates were availble for a standard room at CBR so I booked at rake rate. When I looked online on the AAA site after finding this information here in the DISboards, I found that I could get a AAA perferred location or view room at a AAA rate which was cheaper than the standard rack rate I had booked.

Hope this helps others.

 

[belleandthebeast]

4. That is true that they only hold a certain # of rooms with the AAA discount. That applies to all discounts. Often times, if a resort is not available, I'll try without the AAA discount and get it that way. Still get the AAA benefits, just not the discount.

 

[CTillberg]

I would like to add...
You don't need a membership number to book a AAA room only reservation online, you will just need to have it by the time you check in. This is nice in that you can book at AAA.com wait to see if other discounts become available and cancel with out needing to buy the membership if indeed you find something better. Also, when I called the local AAA office to get prices one time they asked if I was a memeber before they would do price checking for me. I had to lie and state I was to get info from them. I don't know if the local office would have made reservations for me without a memebership number if I had tried.

 

[Disney Mama 2 Two]

I would like to add that you can indeed book a room only reservation on line with AAA. Her's how:
1. Go to www.AAA.com
2. Under "Travel" click on "Air/Hotel/Car Rental" (NOT Disney Travel)
3. Click "Reserve a Room"
4. Under "Destination" type in LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
5. Under "Hotel Preferences" type in DISNEY (or click on the "D" on the next page after you click search to get to all "Disney hotels)
6. Click "Search"
7. The website will pop up all Disney hotels. Ones with rooms will show "No Rooms Available", others will show "Rates starting at..." click on that hotel or rate link that you are interested in seeing. The link will show you the AAA rates available until they are gone, then it will show you the rack rate until they are gone, then it will say no rooms available. (You will only know the rate is a AAA discount rate if you know that it is cheaper than the rack rate. See a site like moussavres.com or allearsnet.com to see the rack rates.)

I found this information on these boards last year and it has helped me find AAA rates for my family and others that a live person won't always find or disclose. For example, I was checking rates for Oct. last year and when I called Disney, they said no AAA rates were availble for a standard room at CBR so I booked at rake rate. When I looked online on the AAA site after finding this information here in the DISboards, I found that I could get a AAA perferred location or view room at a AAA rate which was cheaper than the standard rack rate I had booked.

Hope this helps others.

Do you already have to be an AAA member to use this site? I tried to follow your directions and it asked me for a membership # and I didn't see anywhere else to bi-pass that. I currently do not have AAA but I have been looking around for different codes/discounts for our December trip.

thanks!
Dawn

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

2. You can book a room only reservation with an AAA discount directly with Disney (by phone only, no way to get discount with internet reservation), but if you want to book a package with an AAA discount you must book with an AAA agent.

- You can book a room only ressie with AAA discount with any TA that sells Disney.

- Booking a AAA discounted room only ressie and also purchasing separate MYW tickets with Disney direct or with a TA is usually equivalent in price to booking a AAA discounted MYW package with AAA with the same room and ticket options.

- The only time that you absolutely, positively must book with an AAA agency is if you want the features that only a package can provide - dining, insurance, or airfare.

 

[CTillberg]

Dawn,
Is this when you get to "Create Your Account"? There is a space that asks for membership number, but below there is a note that states: "Membership is not required to register with AAA Online." You can just leave the membership number area blank and proceed with creating an account. It has worked for me fine in the past. Let me know if you are coming up with a problem somewhere else.

 

[CTillberg]

To all,
I just realized that different areas of the country may have different AAA websites that may not allow them to book trips as I have shown. When you first log on to www.aaa.com, it asks for your zipcode, then directs you to your local AAA club and then a cookie is placed on your computer so that on subsequent logins, you are directed your local AAA website.

To start again to use my directions, log into www.autoclubgroup.com and click on one of these states- IA, MN, IL, WI, or do a zipcode search for 52803 from a link to other AAA clubs , if you can find one on your AAA homepage. Or you can try this direct link and see if it will bring you to the IA/MN AAA Club to follow my directions above - http://www.autoclubgroup.com/mnia/welcome.asp.

Hope that helps/works betters.

 

[EWL]

To all,
I just realized that different areas of the country may have different AAA websites that may not allow them to book trips as I have shown. When you first log on to www.aaa.com, it asks for your zipcode, then directs you to your local AAA club and then a cookie is placed on your computer so that on subsequent logins, you are directed your local AAA website.

....Hope that helps/works betters.

Thank you SO MUCH! My local website was a little different but using your instructions I still was able to find my way to the rates-- finally! I have been playing with the AAA website for a couple hours and had about given up. It sure is a confusing site!

 

[5DisneyNuts]

To all,
I just realized that different areas of the country may have different AAA websites that may not allow them to book trips as I have shown. When you first log on to www.aaa.com, it asks for your zipcode, then directs you to your local AAA club and then a cookie is placed on your computer so that on subsequent logins, you are directed your local AAA website.
]http://www.autoclubgroup.com/mnia/welcome.asp[/url].

Hope that helps/works betters.

Thanks so much CTillberg! I too have been trying to figure out how to book online. One quick question, is there a way to book the package (tickets/dining plan) online or just the hotel room?

 

[disneymomof5]

I just wanted to add that if you do a room only through AAA you can purchase Passes cheaper than if you would through Disney. Last year we booked room only and then right before our trip I purchased the passes and saved $12 on adult park hopper plus and saved $7 on a child than I would have if I booked online through Disney. This year we purchased the package through AAA so we could get the dining plan. But if you are not worried about the dining plan it is much cheaper to purchase a room only and passes through aaa than it is for a package through disney or AAA.

 

[Docsknotinn]

I just cancelled my AAA reservation. The AAA rate from Disney direct was a little less expensive but now my requests are in the Disney system and not out in limbo someplace with AAA. If I would have known I could ask Disney direct for the AAA rate I could have saved $30 over the Disney price. Tickets (7day hoppers) were the same price through Disney or AAA. I see no benefit at all to booking with AAA unless you are going to buy a package. I am always more confident when booking direct that everything is done the right way. Plus I have access to my reservations with the Disney web site.

 

[disneymomof5]

I just cancelled my AAA reservation. The AAA rate from Disney direct was a little less expensive but now my requests are in the Disney system and not out in limbo someplace with AAA. If I would have known I could ask Disney direct for the AAA rate I could have saved $30 over the Disney price. Tickets (7day hoppers) were the same price through Disney or AAA. I see no benefit at all to booking with AAA unless you are going to buy a package. I am always more confident when booking direct that everything is done the right way. Plus I have access to my reservations with the Disney web site.

The AAA price for tickets include tax the Disney direct price does not.

 

[kmccain]

The AAA price for tickets include tax the Disney direct price does not.

That is good to know!

I picked up a Ticket brochure from the Disney Store and the prices are cheaper than the AAA ticket prices. I thought that was strange!

I want 7 day ticket that AAA does not offer, any suggestions?

Thank You!

 

[disneymomof5]

That is good to know!

I picked up a Ticket brochure from the Disney Store and the prices are cheaper than the AAA ticket prices. I thought that was strange!

I want 7 day ticket that AAA does not offer, any suggestions?

Thank You!

They do have them they just take a week to get in. That is what I purchased. The disney store prices also do not include tax. Which when you are figuring $1000+ it can be costly.

 

[Docsknotinn]

The ticket price we received from Disney did include the tax as well. No matter how you slice it the same room and the same tickets were less expensive through Disney. That is total price including tax. Before you book a room only reservation and buy tickets from AAA check the price Disney direct.
Disney direct will never be more expensive if they have a AAA rate available. If you live in an area that AAA charges a $25 booking fee you will at least save that much.