Anyone out there with AAA? What...

[MsMulan]

do you use it for when traveling to WDW?

I just signed up, mainly to get the discounts available on the Auto Train. However, I hope there are other travel related uses while I am in Disney.

Any suggestions????

 

[cruise-o-matic]

If you book your trip through AAA travel, you get a few perks like the Diamond parking pass for a special lot closer to the front entrance of the parks. You'll also get a pass for a free soft drink at their lounge at MK. Plus you get a shopping card for DTD. Spend like $50 and get a $10 gift certificate.

 

[BCV23]

If you book a room only reservation through Disney, you can get a discount. It's usually not as good as an AP discount or a code but this past summer it was very close. I think the AP rate I had at the GF was $6 less than the original AAA rate I had. Later was able to get a CM rate so that was even better!

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

We drove to WDW from Boston. AAA gave us a Trip Tik with directions that made the trip easier than I thought it would be; a bunch of books and a discount on our 4 day park Hopper tickets.

 

[safetymom]

There is a show your card and save program offering discounts in cities all across the country. If you are going to Universal they offer AAA discounts in the park.

You might want to sign onto your AAA website. I can print my own trip tiks from their website, check to see what stores offer discounts at home and where I am traveling to.

I more than get my money back every year even if I don't use the towing or car services. It is a great deal.

 

[MsMulan]

Thanks everyone for the information. It looks like I did the right thing by joining. Now all I have to do is make it work for us.

Any more tips, I would appreciate them.

 

[PlutoPony]

We've done very well using the AAA discount on hotel rooms for non-Disney vacations. Thanksgiving weekend, we'll be saving ~ $30 per nite in Williamsburg at a Spring Hill Suites, which more than pays for a year's membership. Maybe we could save a similar amount w/ other coupons, etc. but it would take a lot more time to search out other savings - using AAA for discounts is so easy! You can also get movie theater tickets at a discount, and things like that. If you're close to one of their offices, I'd go in sometime and talk with them...

 

[pumpkinboy]

Funny, I like the discounts and all, but mainly we like AAA's roadside service. We get the AAA plus with 100 miles free towing. As our cars age (we have a '93 and a '99), AAA become an even better deal. I'd hate to be broken down (or even locked out) without my cellphone and my AAA.

The discounts are just gravy. The AAA discount on 2 nights at AKL this coming April have saved more than the cost of membership (even for the plus option).

 

[MsMulan]

Originally posted by pumpkinboy


The discounts are just gravy. The AAA discount on 2 nights at AKL this coming April have saved more than the cost of membership (even for the plus option).

Pumpkinboy-

How much were the AKL rooms with the discounts? This is where I really want to stay on the last three nights of our vacation. Right now, I feel like it is out of our price range. Hopefully not!!

 

[pumpkinboy]

Well, the AKL rooms are pretty pricy right now for our dates, and we are still hoping for AP discounts for those nights. Our room choices are also on the pricy side: one Deluxe savannah view room with queen, bunk bed and day bed (for 5, DW & I, DS, DD and niece) and one regular savannah view room with king (for my parents). Also note that our dates are the last two nights of "Peak" season. The AAA discount brings these nights down to just over $400 for the Deluxe room, and to about $335 for the regular; it is a straight 10% discount (and one of the two nights covers our AAA membership), and then you add back FL 11.5% rooms tax, and you're back to about rack rate again. But it's still a decent discount.

For our dates, you can also get Pool view for about $285 or Standard (aka parking lot) view for about $250. Again, remember this is for "Peak" season; any later in April than the 16th and we're looking at "Regular" season, and the rates drop sharply: about $50 a night for the regular rooms and $60 for the Deluxe. And for "Value" season the rates are even better, basically another $40 off. Check the rack rates on Deb Wills' AllEarsNet.com and then subtract 10% for the AAA discount, then add back 11.5% for your final cost.

The AAA discount basically brings these AKL rooms into the same range as getting our usual 2BR at BWV, as we are DVC members. We could rent out the 73-75 points needed for each weekend night at DVC at $10-11 per point and be getting a slightly better deal for 2 awesome rooms at AKL. We are staying a little more than a week, and my folks will be picking up the AKL nights while we will use our DVC points for the other 6 days. Of course, it'll be an even better deal if we can score the AP discounts .

Just to reiterate my original point tho, AAA is worth it if only for the raodside assistance and towing. But the discounts can often cover the cost of membership.

 

[MsMulan]

Thanks pumpkinboy, that was helpful. I may come down to the moderate resort level. We've never stayed on Disney property before so I am sure wherever we wind up will be a treat for us.

 

[kerry34]

I recently joined AAA, and I called to get a discount on the two cabins that I rented at FW for April. The total discount was about 476.00 altogether for 7 nights. The person i spoke to said if I got a code later on i could call and see if it was a better deal than the AAA and change it. I dont know if the codes are better or not but I am just glad to have some kind of discount.

 

[Harambe]

8 nights at Old Key West - $3250 (tax included). With the AAA discount, it will cost us $2697 (tax included). Not too shabby!