AAA Stinks

[kcminnie]

I used AAA once for a trip to DL. They were the only one who offered the unlimited fastpass so I had to book through them. She knew less than me about DL. They were also running a promotion for free drink mug for the DLH. When they gave me my package there was nothing in there for the mugs. They then told me I would be given it at the hotel. Needless to say the hotel knew nothing about it. This was a promotion that AAA themselves were running & they screwed it up. Would never use them again.

 

[photo_chick]

I have been trying to contact a local AAA agent and never gotten any response back. I left 3 messages over a weeks time at our local office. Clearly leaving all my information. Never got a call back. I am going to try a different office next week but if I get the same wonderful level of service I will just book my trip directly with Disney or another TA. I would rather spend a few dollars more and get better service.

Seriously, how do they expect to make money if they don't call me back to even get started booking my trip?

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I book all my WDW trips through an AAA agent. She makes my package reservations and I make my ADRs. Only once have I changed a reservation she's made and that was to add free dining, which she did immediately. Perhaps it's because I don't make many changes after the initial reservation, but I have never had any trouble with booking through AAA. I use the same agent who's very knowledgeable about WDW, that's probably key.

She has instuctions from me to book a package for the fall free dining period as soon as it's offered to Disney Visa holders. I will get a confirmation in the mail about 4 days later. Not much easier than that.

It really depends on the agent you find. If you are having trouble locally, find an agent closer to WDW or one who is more familiar with it. You can go through any AAA office in the US.

Good luck!

 

[LakeAriel]

I book all my WDW trips through an AAA agent. She makes my package reservations and I make my ADRs. Only once have I changed a reservation she's made and that was to add free dining, which she did immediately. Perhaps it's because I don't make many changes after the initial reservation, but I have never had any trouble with booking through AAA. I use the same agent who's very knowledgeable about WDW, that's probably key.

She has instuctions from me to book a package for the fall free dining period as soon as it's offered to Disney Visa holders. I will get a confirmation in the mail about 4 days later. Not much easier than that.

It really depends on the agent you find. If you are having trouble locally, find an agent closer to WDW or one who is more familiar with it. You can go through any AAA office in the US.

Good luck!

Then you are the perfect person to ask this to:
Can you keep your room discount with AAA and have free dining? there are different answers...thanks

 

[limabeanmom2003]

OP, I feel your frustration. If you were within your penalty for cancellation window (I believe it's 45 days) then you weren't left with much choice but to deal with AAA. Next time, ask to speak with a supervisor. There is no excuse for them not helping you. I had my package booked with AAA, and when the code came out a few weeks ago, my agent was out of the office for the next 5 days. I went ahead and had a room held through Disney because I wanted to make sure if AAA couldn't get it that I still could. The other agents in the AAA office were able to help me (even though I waited on the phone a ridiculous amount of time). In the end, I cancelled with AAA and kept the reservation with Disney. I much prefer having control over my own reservation instead of AAA. The code saved us 35% vs. the 15% we were getting through AAA.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

No, you have to give up your room discount. A few people (in 2006, not 2005) said they were able to keep theirs when they had an AAA package booked with dining previously and it was converted to free dining, but from what I understand, Disney's system only allows a reservation to be booked with a single 3 digit code, not multiple... so I'm not sure how it could be. Not calling anyone a fibber, but if no one else is able to use more than one code... how were they? In any matter, I saved more with free dining than the room discount.

Then you are the perfect person to ask this to:
Can you keep your room discount with AAA and have free dining? there are different answers...thanks

 

[MarksMom2006]

Then you are the perfect person to ask this to:
Can you keep your room discount with AAA and have free dining? there are different answers...thanks

Unfortunately no you can't. That is "stacking" codes and Disney does not allow that. If you want the free dining, you will have to forego your AAA rate.

 

[LakeAriel]

How is it that people have disputed that? It is the same info I was given by CRO but some people have told me AAA can and does do it....

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Try it yourself and see. Personally, I have booked 2 free dining trips through AAA and plan to book a third. If my TA was able to stack codes, believe me she would. AAA agents do not make a commission based on the price of your package. They are salaried employees who are paid through member dues.

Maybe you could ask to see the confirmations that show a discounted room with free dining from those who claim to have gotten it.

How is it that people have disputed that? It is the same info I was given by CRO but some people have told me AAA can and does do it....

 

[Disney Spaz]

Here's my story with AAA. First two trips (1997 & 1999) packages and I thought I was getting a great deal. Then 2002 AAA package planneds and then I found the DIS. Cancelled AAA and bought AP's. Last year didn't renew AP's because we had a baby on the way a knew we wouldn't us them. Planned another AAA trip for this past October then canceled it because I found a better deal pushing the trip back to this coming May and planning it myself. We have AAA discounted rooms and I appriciate the discount but would never again allow an agent to book my trip and limit my access to my own reservations. I figure if I am paying for the trip I should have the right to modify the reservation when I want not be told I don't have access to my own paid reservation.

 

[Magical JenK]

I joined AAA in 2005 to get the Disney discount for our package (no DDP)...about 1 month after I booked, free dining was offered. I found out about it from the DISboards, my AAA TA did not tell me about it because she figured I didn't want it because it would cause my price to increase (i.e. losing the AAA discount/paying rack rates), DH is a bit frugal .

After I crunched my numbers, I figured that we would end up saving more in the long run if our food was "free". So while I did lose the AAA discount & ended up paying more than what we originally planned, the free DDP worked out well for us.

Last year, there were again rumors of the free dining plan but I again booked with the same AAA TA because we wanted the DDP w/our AAA discount (knew you could only get this through AAA). Again, free dining was offered & I knew about it before the AAA TA because of the DIS/Mousesavers. But as soon as she could, she changed our package to include the free dining.

This year, I called the CRO when I heard about the 40% code (as I had my spreadsheet already telling me the 40% code would be a better deal for us than free dining). He gave me a quote which I took back to the AAA TA to see if she could get me the same price. She could.

I guess I just find it funny that while I keep my AAA membership for the guaranteed Disney discount there has yet been a time for me to actually use it because something better has always come through Disney!! But I keep AAA just in case, you know !!

I have learned that I am keeping up with the Disney info more than my AAA TA is & I'm ok with it because I know she will listen to me & do whatever she can to get me the price I could get through Disney. She has offered to do my ADRs, but I'd rather do those. I also like the little AAA perks that they offer as well, like the discount card for shopping & eating in DTD. We don't use the parking pass much, but it's nice to have & last year I got a free set of luggage for booking a certain month.

All-in-all I'm happy with my AAA TA. I have read on the DIS many people not happy with their AAA TA & that just makes me very appreciative of what I have!

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

As alot of the previous posters said I too didn't get the ZHE code applied to my AAA reservation because by the time my AAA agent got back to me nothing was available for my dates and resort choice. However I would have liked to know what was available, perhaps a deluxe resort. I told my DH that next time I won't be using them. I want the control and the ability to change my reservation.

 

[MarksMom2006]

How is it that people have disputed that? It is the same info I was given by CRO but some people have told me AAA can and does do it....

Well I don't know how people get it. Maybe they "claim" to. I can tell you completely honestly that it can't be done. I was an AAA travel agent up until a month ago. Actually I had a bunch of people from these boards referred to me! (Kristin) Anyways, its just the way Disney is. You can have it one way or the other. You can't get it all. It stinks! But that is the way it is!

 

[ribbot]

I booked our upcoming August trip with our local AAA for the first time. I am a control freak also, but didn't find using AAA that difficult and basically I felt in control anyway. I was sitting across the desk when she made the ressies, and I also was there when she did my dining reservations. She wrote the confirmation numbers on a paper just like I would have done.

I have a printed out confirmation from AAA just like I would from Disney, so I really don't see how using AAA takes away your control. I was offered that if a code would come out to call there and they would be more than happy to apply the code. I also had both AAA's agents working with me, and both were more than happy to help out with any questions I had.

Now.....I haven't arrived at Disney yet, so we'll see if it all pans out. But using AAA saved me close to $300!! (and $180 on another purchase, so it has paid for itself).

 

[casana]

AAA agents do not make a commission based on the price of your package. They are salaried employees who are paid through member dues.

Maybe you could ask to see the confirmations that show a discounted room with free dining from those who claim to have gotten it.

That's not what I was told when I called last Friday to ask that they apply a new discount to our reservation. The TA that answered the phone specifically said that agents get a small comission on reservations, and that TA's didn't take reservations from each other so I'd have to wait for the next day when my original TA was in the office. If what you say is true, she should have taken care of my request on the spot.

My DH was on the phone with a national AAA mgr this morning, they promised to talk to do a thorough investigation and get back to us by tomorrow. DH asked for them to compensate us for what we missed... I'll keep my fingers crossed but will not hold my breath.

 

[Chief Planner]

All this chatter brings up my frustration with using AAA for our trip this past January. Our Roseville, MN AAA travel agent was supposedly, Disney "College of Knowledge" certified, but certainly, knew way less than anyone who reads DIS. When we booked in August we tried to apply a AAA rate to a WL reservation. I missed the opportunity to book the Disney discount of the time while waiting for travel agent to figure out that the AAA discount wouldn't work for concierge level at the hotel I wanted. Really wanted the hotel, for the pool, so agreed to go rack rate. But then I discovered (not agent) the hotel pool would be closed during our stay, so switched to YC, and again just missed the Disney discount while waiting for AAA to get their act together. I won't be using them again for a Disney trip. If you've done your homework, and if you are reading DIS, then booking directly with CRO, or a Disney specialist travel agent, is my vote. I don't think the AAA savings was worth the frustration I had with AAA, and their lack of service.

 

[JanineandMike]

Sorry to all those having a bad AAA experience, but ours has been good so far. We have been planning on going in August, but waiting for free dining or a good room discount. Unfortunately we missed out on the 40% code and are going 8/10-8/17, which may not be in the free dining period anyway. We signed up for AAA specifically to get the 20% off room discount, since it seemed like our best discount opportunity and had a pleasant experience (so far) booking with AAA. We knew the price we were looking for, called and were immediately greeted and quoted the 20% off discount price. AAA is saving us $130.00 over 7 nights @ POP in August and our trip w/ 8 day PH's and DDP is just under $1,600. If a better discount code or free dining is offered for our dates we will call to re-book, hopefully, we won't have a bad experience.

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

I booked our upcoming August trip with our local AAA for the first time. I am a control freak also, but didn't find using AAA that difficult and basically I felt in control anyway. I was sitting across the desk when she made the ressies, and I also was there when she did my dining reservations. She wrote the confirmation numbers on a paper just like I would have done.

I have a printed out confirmation from AAA just like I would from Disney, so I really don't see how using AAA takes away your control. I was offered that if a code would come out to call there and they would be more than happy to apply the code. I also had both AAA's agents working with me, and both were more than happy to help out with any questions I had.

Now.....I haven't arrived at Disney yet, so we'll see if it all pans out. But using AAA saved me close to $300!! (and $180 on another purchase, so it has paid for itself).

I feel like I lost control because I wasn't able to use the code that just came out for April/May travel. I emailed my agent with the code on the day it came out. Then I emailed her again the day after and finally the next day she emailed me back and said that there was no availability for my dates and resort. However had she checked on the day that she was first emailed, there may have been. I am not saying that I am not happy with my AAA discount because I am, I just would have liked to know what my options were had I been able to use the code.

 

[jamounger]

My AAA experience so far with this booking has been good. I did know more than my agent but had researched the prices and wrote down exactly what I wanted her to ask for. She was able to get me a 40% discount when I had been unable to get one. For 1000 dollar savings on our package I'll give up a little control.

 

[kandb]

Buyer Beware. I had BIG problems with AAA as well. Let me try to make this short. I booked a AAA vaction to WDW for end of April. We couldn't go then, work related. I got a code and called WDW directly one night (AAA closed). I explained what happened and CM gave me a good deal for new trip a few weeks after, and said I couldn't get this rate with AAA. I booked it and paid in full, over the phone (it was around $300-$400 less then AAA booking for same trip). Since I was cancelling my trip with AAA I didn't think it would be a problem because the trip I was cancelling was around 90 days out, I know with WDW you get your full refund if is 45 days out. I also asked the AAA agent if their cancellation was the same as WDW and he said yes (granted he was typing when I asked him and maybe he misunderstood me). I send my agent an e-mail, asking him to cancel my trip and he tells me there is a $40 per person fee for cancelling . I was shocked, how could I be charged when WDW would not of charged me and I am paying a monthly fee for AAA????? Yeah, I know he had to get on the phone and make reservations for me (big deal) but that's what I'm paying my yearly service fee to AAA for. There was no way I was going to hand AAA $160 for making a few phone calls. I had to fight it out with the "corporate headquarters" and had the agents supervisor hand up on me (so professional). And no I was not nasty or I didn't curse, the reason she hung up on me was because I asked for her supervisor and told her I would fight the charge through my credit card company. After I said that, she said "fine, don't book anymore vacations with us" and simply hung up in my ear. I didn't report her because I just wanted it over with and I will seriously not get AAA again, Linda