AAA versus Disney booking

[Tam1067]

By using AAA last summer, we saved over $400 for our family of 5 at the Polynesian. If you want a package (which includes DDP and park tickets) you have to go through an AAA agent to get the AAA discount. We also got a storytime in MK with the Fairy Godmother and the previously mentioned coupons, and if we'd had a car, we could have used the parking pass. My agent offered to make dining reservations for us, though I chose to do it myself.

And Fionasmommy: you've got a photo of my DD's FAVORITE Princess Aurora! We met her at dinner in Akershus last July, and she was so very sweet and spent a lot of time with us; Sophia even got a nice kiss on the cheek from her. We met two different Auroras later in the trip, but neither could live up to the one in your photo.

 

[mrsmom]

Can i get a package through AAA if i am booking only one night with one day hopper tickets and dining for that day?
Kim

 

[MEK]

I got a package through AAA for one night lodging and a 5 day park ticket. I needed one night before a DVC stay and my DH needed a park ticket. I would call AAA and ask about a 1 night stay, 1 day ticket.

The best thing about my "package" was I still got the parking pass (and it came in handy over Thanksgiving), a slight discount on the room (10%), AND I applied $150 dollars that I had in rebates from previous use of my AAA credit card.

I can't emphazise this enough -if you have AAA and go to disney on a regular basis, get their AAA Platinum Visa. Use it for your gas and travel purchases. Apply the rebates to future Disney trips. I saved $275 in 2006 on Disney trip expenses! I believe it is no a annual fee card.

 

[MEK]

Let me add that any additional cost savings you get from the AAA Visa card is in addition to any room discounts you get through AAA.

 

[disneymom06]

Ok, I am embarrassed to even ask this question, but here goes- if you book through AAA, do they make your ADR's for you, or can you do that yourself?

You can make the ADR's yourself. Altlhough I think that the agent will do it for you. I did my own reservations. The only reservation that I couldn't do was an Illuminiation Dinner which was considered a magical gathering(we have 8 people, so we qualified).

The Disney CM gave me all of the information. He told me that he could book the AAA rate for a room only but that AAA could only book me a package with dining. Luckily, I got a AAA room discount for Easter and the dining plan. I knew all of the prices and the AAA agent first gave me the same rates as Disney. When I told her that was what Disney quoted me, she investigated further and said the only mods avail with a AAA room discount were at CS. I took it. I saved $500 on two rooms during Easter week, this with the DDP.

 

[WDWBetsy]

I knew all of the prices and the AAA agent first gave me the same rates as Disney. When I told her that was what Disney quoted me, she investigated further and said the only mods avail with a AAA room discount were at CS. I took it. I saved $500 on two rooms during Easter week, this with the DDP.

Unfortunately, some AAA agents don't take the time to verify if a Magic Moments rate (AKA the AAA discount) is actually in the quote, and then they will give you the same quote as Disney or another travel agent. By researching what the regular price is and knowing what to expect as disneymom06 did, you can question the quote given to you if it's the same or more.

This is what happened to me time after time when the dining plan first came out back in early 2005. My local AAA agents gave me quotes without the discount because Disney's computers were miscalculating the AAA discount (really not even giving it) when it said the discount was given. So I went elsewhere outside my AAA member area in search of the correct AAA discount w/dining.

Your situation was similar in that sometimes only certain resorts have the Magic Moments discount or only certain room types are available - it's all subject to availability, so you might have to be flexible with where you're staying, as disneymom06 was. It's so important to do your homework prior to getting AAA quotes! That 10-20% adds up when you're spending $100s and $1000s, and can easily help pay toward the dining plan cost.

 

[CarKey]

So, to ensure availability on the AAA package rate for say May 2008 do I need to wait until next year's package rates come out in August and book through a AAA agent that very same day? Will I likely get in early enough that way to get the AAA rate?

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

Hi everybody,

I am new to the boards and I just have a quick question for anybody who has experience booking a package through AAA. I am interested in booking the dining plan package. Does AAA offer discounts on the dining plan as well or just on the room portion of the package?

 

[ProudMomTo3Boys]

Room only.

 

[themudd4]

Hi everybody,

I am new to the boards and I just have a quick question for anybody who has experience booking a package through AAA. I am interested in booking the dining plan package. Does AAA offer discounts on the dining plan as well or just on the room portion of the package?

You can book the package with dining through AAA but the discount will only apply to your room. We book each trip with AAA...I usually save more than enough to cover travel insurance , and maybe a night's hotel stay on the way down.

I have never even thought about asking my AAA TA to do my ADR's. That is something I like doing myself. I am sure if I asked her she would though. But there is such a difference in the TA's within the same office. The first AAA TA I ever used (Julie) was horrible. I ended up asking for a new TA in the middle of planning. The one they switched me to (ANGIE) is great and I only deal with her now. Granted I problably still know more than she does about Disney but I can blame my DIS addiction for that. But when I call her or e-mail her my requests I know what I want when I want and all she does is enter it in the system.

My DBIL & DSIL used AAA to book them a trip to WDW for next month. They didn't know to avoid (JULIE). She had entered the wrong deadline to have their package paid off by...(You must have your package paid off 45 days in advance). I have been telling them this since they made their reservations...but what do I know right? . Anyway I finally printed up the info off the disney site and showed them. "Julie" had it entered that they had until 19 days prior. I am not sure what would have happened but glad they finally listened to me!

IMO: MY AAA TA is great!

 

[DisneyHereWeCome!]

We booked through AAA and saved about $200 on 7 day park hoppers with dining and 6 nights at a moderate resort. Our AAA agent was wonderful to work with! We were very pleased with the entire booking experience. She answered all my questions and if she didn't know something, she found out and called me back within minutes. I was so impressed with her that I wrote a letter to her supervisor about have great she was. She works at AAA MidAtlantic and her name is Celeste.

2 days until we leave for Disney!

 

[disneymotherof3]

If you book with AAA, how does the whole payment work? Do you have to pay in full when you make the reservation or can you do payments?

 

[rabx5]

If you book with AAA, how does the whole payment work? Do you have to pay in full when you make the reservation or can you do payments?

It's the same with WDW. I put down $200 and the rest is due at 45 days before I arrive. Now that's for a package.

 

[disneymotherof3]

Ok.......I just got off the phone with AAA and there really wasn't much of a difference at all. It was only about $5 or $6. Oh well.

 

[luvdisney00]

I just got a quote from AAA for 6 nights in July at the Poly (Garden) with hopper and dining for $3972.00. That's $340.00 off the Disney site price. The travel agent was very nice and helpful looking up different dates and options for me. I didn't ask about ADR though because I'd rather do it myself. I can't wait to go! We've stayed offsite and at the ASM before but never deluxe.

 

[disneymom06]

Ask if vacation ins was put into the price. Ask if the room gets a AAA room discount. I had all of the prices for the mods with DDP at the ready when I called AAA. She could only get me the CS with a AAA room discount and the DDP was then added on. Since I need two rooms, I saved a total of $500 and I get 2, $25 Disney gift cards because I booked before 1/31. This vacation is for Easter week, in 85 days.

Call again and ask why no real price difference. Without any discounts, I would have booked thru Disney.

 

[themudd4]

Ok.......I just got off the phone with AAA and there really wasn't much of a difference at all. It was only about $5 or $6. Oh well.

What were you priceing? How many nights and and what resort?

I agree with the PP...Call them back and ask them to go over it with you screen by screen as you also go over it on your PC. make sure you are getting a quote for the same thing. It may have been something as simple as they added on Travel Insurance, or that they added the water park option when you didn't.

I usually save anywhere from $150-$250 on a week at Values and Mod's.

 

[Fionasmommy]

Wow, I am amazed at the problems people have had trying to get AAA discounts! I must be spoiled because I found my agent here on the DIS and she is amazing. She knows all of the rack rates and seasons off the top of her head and knows what the AAA rate should be. She'd know immediately if we weren't getting the right rate. She never applies insurance without confirming that you want it, and always give us a breakdown of the price so you can see the AAA discount on the rooms as well as what the rack rate is through WDTC for comparison. It seems like too many people unknowingly have insurance applied and then wonder why they didn't get the AAA discount. That or the agent doesn't know what the rates should be in the first place so they assume whatever price they pull up is right.

My advice is to steer clear of those local offices unless you know the agents well and are confident in their Disney knowledge. You don't have to book locally! Use the resources available to you here on the DIS to find an AAA agent who really knows Disney.

 

[poohangel]

We are going Sept. 21-27, if I book a package with AAA and free dining is offered can AAA apply that to my package?

 

[themudd4]

We are going Sept. 21-27, if I book a package with AAA and free dining is offered can AAA apply that to my package?

YES