Booking with CAA...any benifits?

[TraceyDisney2008]

I know if you book through AAA in the U.S. they get a parking pass and some other perks, does CAA offer any perks to Canadians?

 

[hockeymom3]

I didn't get a thing! The only perk I got is that I paid 68 dollars for my annual membership and I'm getting 50.00 back (they send you a voucher) on your first trip you book with them. So I'm paying 18.00 for them to sit on the phone with Disney and book my hotel. I was under the impression that my discount would be on top of whatever Disney promo's were - but they're not.

 

[FirstTimeDisneyDad]

With CAA you will get a couple of extras...

1) A Diamond parking Pass for use at the parks
2) Special Story time with a character at MK (this is a great event for th kids)
3) Free Mini Golf round (I think this is exclusive to CAA, but could be mistaken)

Plus, you get their room discounts on the package purchase if you don't have an overriding Disney offer (Free Dining, 40% off etc.)

It is pretty clear on the boards that you cannot stack the discounts, so a little research will always help in advance of deciding.

Of course, you get all of the regular CAA benefits as well...

 

[Teapot123]

I find that the CAA travel counsellors are very knowledgable on Disney, it actually states in the CAA Magazine (spring 2008 issue) that all travel counsellors at CAA TRavel are required to be graduates of the "college of disney knowledge". Plus of course your discount on room portion but I guess not this time for us ....trying FD this year....yippee

 

[jsweeks@cogeco.ca]

We just picked up our package yesterday! This is our second time booking with them. The first time we knew nothing and walked out knowing nothing more. This time they have really updated themselves with their Disney Knowledge. But it could just be I found out about this board and I know more to ask now! Well these are the things we got with our package:

-LUGGAGE TAGS FOR EACH PERSON
-30 MINUTE ARCADE CARD FOR YOUR HOTEL
-5X7 DISNEY PHOTO PASS PICTURE
-1 MINIATURE GOLF PASS
-1 PLANET HOLLYWOOD VOUCHER FOR PROBLEY A KEYCHAIN
-$15.00 MEAL VOUCHER FOR PLANET HOLLYWOOD
-30 MINUTES FREE SEA RAYCER WHEN YOU PURCHASE 60 MINUTES
-DISNEY STORYTIME
-DIAMOND PARKING
-DIAMOND DISCOUNT CARD TO USE AT VARIOUS PLACES

I don't know if this is all CAA bonus or everyone gives it, because we have only booked through them. Most of all I like being able to call and have them sit on hold for my reservations. I hope this helps, and goodluck planning!

 

[AndyKay]

When I booked with CAA I got a Disney magazine which listed these perks with use of the Diamond Discount Card:

Dining

• 20% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at Garden Grove Cafe and Kimonos at the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Fresh Mediterranean Market Cabana Bar & Grill, and bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel.
• 20% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at The Outback Restaurant at the Buena Vista Palace.
• 20% off dinner at Traders Island Grill at the Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort Hotel.
• 20% off lunch and 10% off dinner on food and non-alcoholic beverages at Fulton's Crab House and Portobello Yacht Club in Downtown Disney.
• 15% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at Earl of Sandwich Restaurant and House of Blues in Downtown Disney.
• 10% off food and non-alcoholic beverages at Wolfgang Puck Express, Planet Hollywood and Bongos Cuban Cafe in Downtown Disney.
• 10% off Funnel Cake Carts at The American Adventure in Epcot, Disney's BoardWalk, Disney's Blizzard Beach, and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon.

Recreation

• 20% off any Richard Petty Driving Experience
• 15% off one round (18 holes) at Disney's Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course or Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf Course for up to six guests.
• 15% off select Day Visitor Rates at the Walt Disney World championship golf courses.
• 15% off the regular price of Sea Raycers at select Walt Disney World marinas.
• 10% off tennis lessons and equipment rentals at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
• 10% off the regular price of personal water craft excursions at Sammy Duvall's Watersports Center at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

Spa

• 15% off body treatments or water therapy at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.
• 10% off spa and salon services at the Buena vista Palace.

Merchandise

• 10% off purchases at World of Disney store (with purchases of $75.00 or more).
• 10% off purchases at Planet Hollywood, House of Blues and Bongos Cuban Cafe in Downtown Disney.
• 10% off purchases at Arribas Brothers in Downtown Disney Marketplace.
• 15% off at Basin.
• 15% off purchases at Ghirardelli.
• One free charm with a value of $5 with purchase of a hair wrap at select Walt Disney World locations.

Disney Tours

• 15% off select behind-the-scenes tours in Theme Parks.

AAA Services

• 10% off automotive repairs and tires at AAA Car Care Center.

Now I'm really not going to take advantage of most of these offers, but I did like the 15% off the tours, and the 10% off purchases at World of Disney. Since CAA has the same prices that booking directly with Disney does (in my case of the 4/3 deal), I figured why not? That way CAA takes care of everything and in case something goes wrong I have them to help me with it.

 

[Northstar]

You may already know this, but you don't need to book with CAA to get the CAA room-only discount on your hotel. Any CAA member can get it booking directly with Disney.

 

[cab0899]

Aren't most of the discounts listed by AndyKay available to anyone that shows their CAA card. So even if I haven't booked through CAA but I am a member I can still get those discounts.

So for example, I booked with Disney (room only) and got the 40% off PIN, free WDW passes through airmiles and then still got the CAA discount at the World of Disney store by just showing my CAA card.

 

[dopeyluvsgrumpy]

We've always booked our disney vacations through CAA and have loved the service we recieved. The TA 's we've dealt with have always gone above and beyond for us....they even book your ADR's for you!!!! Plus they always have some "extra" for DS to get him excited about his trip like a disney sticker book or bag tags. During our last disney vacation we booked the CAA storytime hour and it was great!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Aren't most of the discounts listed by AndyKay available to anyone that shows their CAA card. So even if I haven't booked through CAA but I am a member I can still get those discounts.

So for example, I booked with Disney (room only) and got the 40% off PIN, free WDW passes through airmiles and then still got the CAA discount at the World of Disney store by just showing my CAA card.

Those are the perks you get with the AAA Diamond card that you receive with a CAA/AAA package.

As far as just showing your CAA card at World of Disney. You got lucky. I had heard that and I've tried 3 times with no luck. Each time they told me I needed the diamond card To get the discount.

 

[TraceyDisney2008]

I went to CAA today and it was awful, the only thing they offered me was all the 10-15% off stuff in the magazine, the TA never said anything about a room discount, all she did was call Disney and get the same quote I had online already, they looked for airfare for me and then said we add $87.oo for a service fee. I had to ask about the free dining, she said well I know it starts soon????? So as far as CAA goes...thanx but no thanx.

 

[crazyfordisney2000]

I just booked with CAA - Port Orleans Frenh Quarter Sept 15-24th!! Wooo Hoooo! The advantage I like is I can take US cash (that I previously saved) into the CAA office to pay my trip instead of using my credit card and getting charged the extra % for exchange on it.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

In August 2007 my family and I thought that CAA members all got 10% off at the World of Disney, so one night when purchasing items that was over $75.00 in value and we got the discount. So the next time we went there nad showed them our card the Cast Member said we could not get it, so we asked to speak with a manager. Well as it turns out we read that information wrong because we had no idea you needed to book a package with them to get the diamond card with the 10% off so it was our mistake, however the manager (who was from Toronto and was very nice) still gave us the 10% off. Now because I have an Annual Pass we get 10% off at the World of Disney no matter how much we spend, which is better knowing it does not need to be a specific amount to get the discount.

Besides that this past Saturday my dad called CRO and got the AAA/CAA discount on a room only reservation for the Contemporary with a Bay Lake View - Atrium Club room for this December.

 

[AndyKay]

I went to CAA today and it was awful, the only thing they offered me was all the 10-15% off stuff in the magazine, the TA never said anything about a room discount, all she did was call Disney and get the same quote I had online already, they looked for airfare for me and then said we add $87.oo for a service fee. I had to ask about the free dining, she said well I know it starts soon????? So as far as CAA goes...thanx but no thanx.

Sounds like you got a CAA travel agent that really didn't know a thing about Disney. I booked with CAA for their special 3 days free when you book 4 days promotion. I agree that the prices were the same as online but this is simply because CAA cannot double stack promotions. Meaning that they can't do your three days free as well as give you their normal discount off the room rates.

I opted to book through them and paid my $200 deposit. Then the free mealplan promotion came though and I phoned CAA to see if I could switch promotions. Not a problem. I had to switch the dates by a week because my original August dates were before the promotion started, but I've got it now and ended up saving $350 American by switching promotions. I didn't even have to pay any type of cancellation or service fee either. My CAA travel agent has been a great help.

 

[deanie]

In B.C., our CAA knows all about Disneyland but very little about DisneyWorld. I left my name with them and they didn't even call me back for weeks. By that time I had booked with someone else.

 

[Charleyann]

If you are just getting CAA to book your room only, does the $50 voucher apply to first time?

Thanks

Charleyann