booking DP and buying theme park tickets?

[aripantaloon]

I didn't know how else to title this.

I just read yesterday that if you are NOT a DVC member that you need to purchase AT LEAST one day's admission to the theme parks when you purchase a DP for all members of your party. Ok. I understand that part.

However, we're trying to figure out how and where to get the best deals on all aspects of our vacation. I wanted to get a AAA discount on the room either through AAA travel agents or through the resort itself if they do that. I saw that Undercover Tourist had good prices on the Park Hopper tickets, so I was going to get them through them. The dining plan, I think I can only get through Disney. Can I even get the dining plan if I'm piecing the rest of the elements (room and tickets) together through different vendors?

Oh, and I know this isn't the resort area, but if I go through AAA then a code comes out or we get the Disney Visa and get a discount code through them, can I even apply that discount to my room since I didn't book directly through Disney?

What I really need is someone to direct me to a place that lists how to get the cheapest deal on rooms, tickets, and food in May 2008!

 

[Mickiethepooh]

You have some of your facts wrong. you can only get the dining plan by booking a PACKAGE that includes at least one day base ticket per person You also can book said package through AAA and get the AAA room rate if it is available for your dates, this would include the dining. Since you need to buy the base ticket anyway and it must be part of the package not purchased separately you might as well go for how ever many days you will need tickets because the cost goes down the more days you add. decide if you want park hopper option, [Strongly recommended] and if you want the water parks option, if you ever plan to return you could go with the ten day no expire tickets but then you are paying a lot up front but saving on a future trip. anyway buy your ticket as part of the package.
Even if you book a AAA rate package, IF a better code comes along and if you otherwise qualify for it, you can call AAA and have them apply the code INSTEAD of the AAA savings. you can't have both. good luck

 

[aripantaloon]

Thank you! That definitely helped!

 

[septbaby]

Keep in mind that if you book your package via AAA you are their customer and they own your reservation, not Disney. You cannot call Disney to ask about, change or make payments on your package. Lots of us on these boards book direct and do call Disney a lot during our planning/paying stage. I have seen some rather "intense" words for Disney CRO from people booking through travel agents upset that Disney can't tell them about their trip.