AAA vs. Regular travel Agent.......

[maxaroni]

Our last trip, we booked a package with AAA and were quite pleased. I just got a quote, room only, using our AAA discount, from an on-line travel agent. What, if any, are my advantages with one over the other?

I realize that AAA needs to be used if we are doing a package. However, is my pricing any better with an on-line AAA?

 

[Joan1]

Not all AAA agents will automatically lower your rate if a better deal comes along and not all AAA agents will book dining reservations for you.

If the online agent you got a quote for is a Disney Authorized travel planner they will automatically update your reservation to any discounts that will apply to you along with some of the booking dining reservations for you. Also most online Disney specialists do not charge you for cancelling / changing your reservation. I believe, but could be wrong, that most AAA offices charge a fee for cancelling or changing a reservation

 

[skbasnett]

Yes we do charge a fee if you cancel. Personally, I like to do my clients dining reservations but I refuse to do CRT. THat is just one that is impossible to get anyways. PLUS now that dining can be booked 180 days out, it makes it even harder. For the most part though, I will do any other. As for the benefits, you get the AAA Diamond Parking (right up front in the parks), the AAA Diamond Discount card, the visit to the AAA VIP Lounge in the Magic Kingdom, Discounts at both Planet Hollywood Restaurant and at the Planet Hollywood shop, if you do dining you get a voucher to the story time and if you book a Premium or Platinum package you get a special seat for Wishes.

 

[maxaroni]

Not all AAA agents will automatically lower your rate if a better deal comes along and not all AAA agents will book dining reservations for you.

If the online agent you got a quote for is a Disney Authorized travel planner they will automatically update your reservation to any discounts that will apply to you along with some of the booking dining reservations for you. Also most online Disney specialists do not charge you for cancelling / changing your reservation. I believe, but could be wrong, that most AAA offices charge a fee for cancelling or changing a reservation

Ok, I see what your saying but can you add a discount on top of a AAA discount??? I wouldn't think that you can use a discount on top of a discount. I presume, if the discount is less than what AAA offers, I would get the better deal?

 

[maxaroni]

Yes we do charge a fee if you cancel. Personally, I like to do my clients dining reservations but I refuse to do CRT. THat is just one that is impossible to get anyways. PLUS now that dining can be booked 180 days out, it makes it even harder. For the most part though, I will do any other. As for the benefits, you get the AAA Diamond Parking (right up front in the parks), the AAA Diamond Discount card, the visit to the AAA VIP Lounge in the Magic Kingdom, Discounts at both Planet Hollywood Restaurant and at the Planet Hollywood shop, if you do dining you get a voucher to the story time and if you book a Premium or Platinum package you get a special seat for Wishes.

We loved AAA and the benefits, this last August. We drove and used the Diamond parking, which worked out great. Now, this next time, we'll be flying and not sure if we'll rent a car or not. I'm not opposed to AAA but I want the best deal that I can get. I read so many posts about the on-line travel agents and wanting to know what the advantages are and historically, who will get me the best price.

Our AAA TA was great but again, just looking for the best deal. I never knew there was so much in getting the best deal, until I started the disboards, which was after we booked through AAA, this past spring for 8/05. Our 2 prior trips, we booked with CRO and I knew nothing about codes or any other deals....

Thanks...

 

[Joan1]

Ok, I see what your saying but can you add a discount on top of a AAA discount??? I wouldn't think that you can use a discount on top of a discount. I presume, if the discount is less than what AAA offers, I would get the better deal?

No you can't. It is either the AAA discount or whatever other discount is available for your dates. This is Disney's rule two discounts cannot be combined or stacked

 

[maxaroni]

No you can't. It is either the AAA discount or whatever other discount is available for your dates. This is Disney's rule two discounts cannot be combined or stacked

I figured that and that's fine, it's the way it should be. However, my question really is, if the on-line TA, would then have your AAA discount and if a better offer came along, switch the ressie to that discount? Whereas, if you book through AAA, you only have the option of the AAA discount? Or will the AAA agent, use a code and get you the better offer?

 

[Joan1]

I figured that and that's fine, it's the way it should be. However, my question really is, if the on-line TA, would then have your AAA discount and if a better offer came along, switch the ressie to that discount? Whereas, if you book through AAA, you only have the option of the AAA discount? Or will the AAA agent, use a code and get you the better offer?

Ahhh
Whether the AAA agent will do that or not will depend on the agent and how "with it" they are with the Disney games, I mean rules, of new offers.

Will the online agent automatically lower your rate if it is better then the AAA rate? If you are using one of the many that are always mentioned on this board, yes. If I were you I would ask the agents involved.

My TA had a blurp about it in the very first email quote that she sent me saying that if I booked with them and a lower rate became available she would automatically apply it, based on availability of course. So I knew even before I decided to book with them what their policy on this was

 

[maxaroni]

So, basicallly, I'm seeing no real advantage to either one, AAA or an On-line TA that is knowlegable on Disney. If we chose to book AAA, with an agent that is Disney knowlegable, I could get the same deals? In other words, if I kept a watch on codes and deals, I can call my AAA TA and it can be applied? Therefore, no advantage to change from my AAA TA?

I am just curious because so many people use DU or any of the other agencies and not knowing if there was a true advantage or not. We are AAA members anyway. I did get a quote from an on-line TA and it was just the rack rate, minus the AAA discount. Why should I book through them? There doesn't seem to be any advantage.

 

[Joan1]

So, basicallly, I'm seeing no real advantage to either one, AAA or an On-line TA that is knowlegable on Disney. If we chose to book AAA, with an agent that is Disney knowlegable, I could get the same deals? In other words, if I kept a watch on codes and deals, I can call my AAA TA and it can be applied? Therefore, no advantage to change from my AAA TA?

There could be an advantange with the online TA. Usually one that knows the ins and outs of Disney will automatically apply the new discount on the day it becomes available without you having to email them. Most of them don't change a change fee. With AAA some offices charge a fee just to change your reservation.

As to what either can offer, no one can answer that except the agents themselves. To do so wouldn't be fair to either agent as we don't know who they are.

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

If the online agent you got a quote for is a Disney Authorized travel planner they will automatically update your reservation to any discounts that will apply to you along with some of the booking dining reservations for you.

Not all Disney Authorized travel planners offer this service.

Most of the Disney-specialist agencies mentioned on these boards do.

Michael

 

[d4est]

Ahhh
Whether the AAA agent will do that or not will depend on the agent and how "with it" they are with the Disney games, I mean rules, of new offers.

I booked thru my local AAA so I could get a discount on package with dining. She is one that is not "with it." She had no idea about "codes" or if I could switch rates if a better deal comes along. She had to call disney to ask!

**Does anyone know if Disney emails or faxes TA's about new discounts/promotions when they are released? I have a feeling that on the morning of 11/3, I will have to be on the phone with my TA giving her the scoop & getting her to call Disney.

If it weren't for only being able to get a AAA discount package thru AAA, I would have used one of the specialists mentioned on the boards so frequently.

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

Does anyone know if Disney emails or faxes TA's about new discounts/promotions when they are released?

MouseSavers and these boards get the info first. TA's do get an email, but not by 7am.

 

[d4est]

MouseSavers and these boards get the info first. TA's do get an email, but not by 7am.

And 7am is when you can start calling Disney, right? I am sure my AAA agent is not in the office @ 7am. Great.

Do I start calling Disney myself & book if something is there that is better than AAA? Cause I know I can't make any changes to my existing ressie, only the AAA can. That means I would have to be double booked and then cancel the AAA one. I don't know if they charge a fee. Ugh. This sucks.

 

[plutolovr]

Just to note, I'm a TA in S. Jersey, I'm not AAA and I'm not online, but I do keep up with all the discounts and such and do get them for my clients.

I will call Disney Dining at 7 a.m. to get a client a special dining like CRT if I'm able to get it great, if not at least I tried.

Yes, AAA will give you a discount on packages, and I think it kinda stinks that they have exclusivity on this, because in some cases a regular TA or online agent can't compete with that, but when a general discount comes out everyone's fair game. I follow these boards and am regularly on Mousesavers and other sites to get the best information. I am a regular at DW, at least once a year, so have firsthand experience of the attractions and resorts. BTW we can get someone AAA discount on room only, just not packages.

 

[maxaroni]

Thanks to everyone....it's all so confusing to me. My mom was a TA for 20 yrs but has been retired for 15 yrs, therefore, things have changed so much since the days she was involved. It used to be so easy, call mom and tell her what we need and that's that. I'm just trying to find the best way to do this next trip as we did 2 trips, without knowing the ins and outs. This last trip was through AAA, no complaints but just looking for the best way to go about this. Also, trying to figure out, prior to buying an AP, if that will work out to be cheaper. The trip won't be until 8/06, so we can't figure that one out yet.

 

[skbasnett]

And 7am is when you can start calling Disney, right? I am sure my AAA agent is not in the office @ 7am. Great.

Do I start calling Disney myself & book if something is there that is better than AAA? Cause I know I can't make any changes to my existing ressie, only the AAA can. That means I would have to be double booked and then cancel the AAA one. I don't know if they charge a fee. Ugh. This sucks.

There wont be a fee, but you will have to wait for your AAA TA to do the changes for you. Trust me, we get on the phone and TRY. But NOTHING is a guarantee until it is seen on paper in your ressie.

 

[Joan1]

Not all Disney Authorized travel planners offer this service.

Most of the Disney-specialist agencies mentioned on these boards do.

Michael

That is what I meant, thanks for clarifying

 

[Joan1]

MouseSavers and these boards get the info first. TA's do get an email, but not by 7am.

The agency that gives most of the information to Mousesavers does have the information before 7am

 

[d4est]

There wont be a fee, but you will have to wait for your AAA TA to do the changes for you. Trust me, we get on the phone and TRY. But NOTHING is a guarantee until it is seen on paper in your ressie.

The thing that worries me is I am sure my AAA TA is not in the office at 7am. I mean her no disrespect, but she isn't what I would call a Disney expert. She didn't even know about codes etc. I told her that a code/promotion was expected to be released on 11/3. She had to call Disney to ask if it could be applied. She told me she had never had a code/promotion that would save more than AAA---that they (AAA) have the best prices in the industry! Ugh, the frustration...