Any benefit to booking through CAA

[PBX1]

Has anyone found any benefits to booking through their CAA membership? I usually book the trips myself on line but was wondering if anyone had got a better rate through CAA. I looked at their Disney "benefit" page but nothing really stood out as to why I should use them.

 

[Subrbnmommy]

I know that you get a discount (10%?) at World of Disney in DTD. That's all I know!

 

[misslissa]

Take a look at the Disney World dot com website and then call up CAA. Compare apples to apples (make sure the room type, resort, ticket types, etc is the same). Generally, there is a discount, for some it works out to $100s. But, there are only a certain number of rooms for each period of time so sometimes the rate is exactly the same. There are the "extra benefits" which will be the only difference if the price is the same.

A lot of people do it simply to get the AAA Diamond Discount card (gives you 10%) discount at some souvenier shops, no food. And, to get the parking pass that allows you access to the AAA lot.

 

[canadaman]

I just looked into this. I looked on disney.com for a value resort in July for 4 nights five days. Then i called CAA and they could only offer me aorund 8% off. I was expecting more. Maybe it is because it is during the summer time. I ended up booking through the disney website.

 

[misslissa]

I just looked into this. I looked on disney.com for a value resort in July for 4 nights five days. Then i called CAA and they could only offer me aorund 8% off. I was expecting more. Maybe it is because it is during the summer time. I ended up booking through the disney website.

Generally, when you book a higher resort level, the savings will be higher. If you are looking into value... it won't be as much as an advantage.

 

[jmtf2004]

Has anyone found any benefits to booking through their CAA membership? I usually book the trips myself on line but was wondering if anyone had got a better rate through CAA. I looked at their Disney "benefit" page but nothing really stood out as to why I should use them.

I am fairly certain you can simply show your CAA card to get the 10% discount at WoD...don't need the diamond card. If you have visited WDW before, it might be worth calling them to ask if there are any discounts associated with your account. I received an email with a PIN for a discount - contacted my TA (not CAA, but is a Disney specialist) to ask her to check on what rates were available. Turns out they could not get the PIN to work , but the CM found a discount associated with my account and it got me a great rate. We're booked for a room only at WL at a great price for late October (Courtyard view w/ bunk beds 7 nights). I don't want to post the amount of the discount, but I think it's safe to say it's quite a bit better than 8%
It never hurts to ask.

 

[tmli]

I just looked into this. I looked on disney.com for a value resort in July for 4 nights five days. Then i called CAA and they could only offer me aorund 8% off. I was expecting more. Maybe it is because it is during the summer time. I ended up booking through the disney website.

The discount is off the room portion only not the tickets/dining.

Besides the benefits listed, if you book with CAA ask for a Disney Specialist....someone who knows Disney inside and out....who has been there. Thats where the real value comes in. A good TA, CAA or otherwise will notify YOU when specials come out that lower your price and change your package when possible to save you money. They will book your dining and answer your planning questions!

 

[Stittsville]

10-20% of room rack rate, depending on "level" and season.

http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#AAA

 

[natcat]

I booked with CAA before and they didn't do anything special for me, convinced me to do 8 days instead of 7 in order to get direct flight which was cancelled. They couldn't rebook for cheaper airfare either so I ended up paying full for direct. My next trip will be booked by me.

 

[misslissa]

I booked with CAA before and they didn't do anything special for me, convinced me to do 8 days instead of 7 in order to get direct flight which was cancelled. They couldn't rebook for cheaper airfare either so I ended up paying full for direct. My next trip will be booked by me.

This all comes back to tmli's advice... which was excellent.

Some TAs suck. You need to be really picky about who you book with...

 

[tmli]

Just a note....rarely can a TA cancel and rebook air...I was referring to the Disney Package. Some airlines (SWA for one) are more flexible than others. Unfortunately, you can't hold a TA or agency responsible for a cancelled flight.

A good TA will do the things I mentioned....not all agents, no matter where they work!

 

[jmtf2004]

TA's (CAA or others) don't make any commission for booking flights, so if they do book a flight for you, they will most likely charge you a fee for doing it, or else they are pretty much doing you a favour. The way it is now, there just isn't much incentive for TAs to provide much service when it comes to booking flights.
As I mentioned earlier, I use a Disney specialist TA. She books my resort stay, tickets for shows (like HDDR) and my ADRs, gives me great tips and helps me make a few decisions about my itinerary while I'm onsite, but that's about it (OK, that's a tremendous amount of help, but hopefully YKWIM). We have gotten our park tickets in the past through Air Miles and ticketmania.com, most recently we have gotten AP's (DVC discount makes them quite attractive). I shop around and book our flights myself. Same for rental cars if we use one.

 

[misslissa]

TA's (CAA or others) don't make any commission for booking flights, so if they do book a flight for you, they will most likely charge you a fee for doing it, or else they are pretty much doing you a favour. The way it is now, there just isn't much incentive for TAs to provide much service when it comes to booking flights.
As I mentioned earlier, I use a Disney specialist TA. She books my resort stay, tickets for shows (like HDDR) and my ADRs, gives me great tips and helps me make a few decisions about my itinerary while I'm onsite, but that's about it (OK, that's a tremendous amount of help, but hopefully YKWIM). We have gotten our park tickets in the past through Air Miles and ticketmania.com, most recently we have gotten AP's (DVC discount makes them quite attractive). I shop around and book our flights myself. Same for rental cars if we use one.

Excellent advice as well. Especially in Canada, rarely is there any air commission. The US is a little better...

 

[laura001]

You need to be careful when booking though CAA, most of the time you will end up knowing more than they do....they call themselves specialists.... It is how little they know for the most part!

If you are going to use a TA, you need to find a true Disney Specialist!

Also, if you are flying an airline like Southwest where you can get a further discount on your ticket if it is discounted, you are best to book it and keep track of it yourself. CAA will book Southwest for you, but the price you pay at the beginning is what you pay....no extra discount if it comes out.

You can get the CAA discount on rooms (if there are rooms available at that discount) booking it yourself or even with another TA that is not a CAA TA.

 

[misslissa]

You need to be careful when booking though CAA, most of the time you will end up knowing more than they do....they call themselves specialists.... It is how little they know for the most part!

If you are going to use a TA, you need to find a true Disney Specialist!

Also, if you are flying an airline like Southwest where you can get a further discount on your ticket if it is discounted, you are best to book it and keep track of it yourself. CAA will book Southwest for you, but the price you pay at the beginning is what you pay....no extra discount if it comes out.

You can get the CAA discount on rooms (if there are rooms available at that discount) booking it yourself or even with another TA that is not a CAA TA.

All CAA TAs are not specialists. I once heard one state that AK was a moderate. She obviously wasn't a specialist... just like going anywhere, make sure they have been there and have more knowledge than you!!!!

I don't really think it is very fair to label all as such... some are excellent and do know more than you. Generalizations aren't nice.

 

[mickeywho?]

I am fairly certain you can simply show your CAA card to get the 10% discount at WoD...don't need the diamond card.

Nope - can't anymore! They only give a discount with the diamond card now. Or an annual pass.

 

[tmli]

Well said Misslissa. It should also be said that some TA's will notify you when SWA drops their fares and even rebook them for you.

The point remains.....if you decide to book with CAA you must ask for a Disney Specialist. Working at CAA does not automatically transform a TA into a disney specialist. That is not to say they are not fantastic agents....they may just specialize in another area!

If you decide not to book with CAA but still want a TA....find a Disney Specialist.

If you are able and comfortable to book on your own -- than do it!

My point is there is a not a one size fits all....do what works for you.

 

[DearDaisyinDurham]

just my 2 cents (Canadian pennies)

sometimes you can have an agent who has a travel agent card who has completed the "College of Disney Knowledge" online course. (I have done this.) BUT though you may be using a TA who can call themselves a Disney specialist, you don't know if they've BEEN to Disney, or if they've been, How MANY Times have they been, which resorts have they stayed at, etc.

for me it all comes down to two things; customer service -do they want me to have the best value/experience as badly as I want to have it? and personal experience, b/c if you haven't been to a resort how can you possibly recommend it w/ any certainty? again just my thoughts....

 

[tmli]

Great points Daisy! Any dis'er could pass the college of knowledge program with flying colors!!! Having that certificate does not a disney specialist make!

You need to interview your TA, ask questions and make sure they have been there!

 

[mom2the3cs]

When my dd and I were researching our trip, we went to a TA and got our quote from her. Left there with the quote, and went to CAA, asked for the identical trip detail, and received a quote from the agent there...
same trip plan, same dates, same airline flighttimes ect.. apples for apples the cost was 117.00 MORE with the CAA discount the it was booking through RobertQ. I found that quite interesting... Our trip was booked the next day, and NOT with a CAA (not so) discount.