Can I Use ME on a walk-up basis?

[Kitty-chan]

I've found myself in a difficult situation. I booked a room for MouseFest at ASMo through AAA's web site, and now can't seem to find anyone at AAA who is able to attach Magical Express to my reservation. Disney says I need to call AAA, AAA says I need to call Disney. (I've talked to three separate AAA agents at two locations, including one branch manager.)

I considered canceling the AAA reservation and re-booking directly through Disney, but it appears all the Value resorts are sold out for my dates.

If I don't want to use the luggage service, and simply want to take the bus to/from my resort, can I just walk up to the ME counter once I get to MCO?

 

[CarolA]

No you have to have a reservation.

Go down to your local AAA office and STAND there while they TRY to do thier job. (Sorry, but this is why I don't use AAA) If you are there IN person with your reservation making a scene maybe they will do what they got paid to do so that others don't see this lack of service and RUN! LOL!

 

[ljcrochet]

I would call again, maybe even do a confrence call with both AAA and disney ME.

 

[goofy4tink]

Nope, no walk-ups will be accepted. Man, it's really too bad when companies don't do their job. I would get to a AAA office, stand there in person, and demand that they do their job. I've heard so many nightmare stories like yours, with AAA, that I don't think I would ever consider using them or even recommending them to someone else.

 

[wdwluver]

I've done it before. Just go to https://secure.disney.go.com/wdw/reservations/dme/index?CMP=BAC-DMEVanity to make your own reservation for magical express. You will just need your room reservation number.

good luck.

 

[Kitty-chan]

Yeah, I'm not gonna be using AAA for booking rooms at WDW ever again.

Thanks for the link wdwluver, but I don't believe I can use it unfortunately. When one books through AAA, one gets a AAA confirmation number which is not the same as the number in Disney's system. Disney can't help at all with reservations made through AAA.

I'm not sure if going to AAA in person would help me . . . the folks I talked to (all three of them) were absolutely positive (though apparently wrong) that they couldn't possibly do anything to help me.

 

[wdwluver]

Kitty-chan, you can use the AAA reservation number to book magical express. I've done it before and had no problem.

 

[Kitty-chan]

I think I might be closer to resolution . . . sort of. AAA central travel agency gave me the number 866-599-0951, and they tell me that they can in fact arrange ME for me, and that it isn't an issue that I booked through the AAA web site.

Now, they weren't able to do it right away. They said that they can't help me this far in advance (we're talking MouseFest December 08 here). So, I have to call back in the fall, but the woman I reached did say she really was the right person.

 

[Kitty-chan]

Kitty-chan, you can use the AAA reservation number to book magical express. I've done it before and had no problem.

They weren't of any help to me. I tried speaking with a branch manager locally, travel agents at two local branches, plus people at both 800-222-4242 and 800-222-7448. Do you happen to know the number you'd called?

 

[Brian Noble]

I think wdwluver means "using the online site".

 

[Kitty-chan]

I think wdwluver means "using the online site".

If so . .. what does one put in "room reservation number" to make it work properly? The AAA reservation numbers don't match the ones in Disney's database.

 

[Brian Noble]

Have you tried using the AAA reservation number? That's what I assume wdwluver means. Even if it doesn't match Disney's records, it just might work. If it doesn't work, then I second the "go to AAA in person" approach.

This ridiculous incompetence on the part of your travel agent is one more reason why I always caution people not to use AAA unless they have a personal recommendation for the specific agent in question. AAA agents used to be great, but with the squeeze on agency commissions, many of the better agents have moved on to other more lucrative careers. Most of what remains are no better than glorified resellers of pre-packaged travel plans.

 

[Kitty-chan]

Well, I just gave it a try on the web registration form. I put my AAA reservation number in, and will hope for the best. Perhaps they'll look up my reservation by name if they can't find it by number?

I never never never use travel agents, except when required to for business travel. This particular trip in question I booked through the AAA web site, which I've used a few times in the past. It's never given me any trouble for any of my other travels (and I do travel a lot), but I've never had to make changes to a Disney reservation through them before.

 

[goofy4tink]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why AAA is having such a problem with this. What is their explanation for their inability to provide a very basic TA service??
AAA 'owns' the reservation. It isn't technically yours until you get to WDW. So, no, you can't call DME to arrange for your transportation. AAA has to do it for you...plain and simple. I can call DME, at least if it's just a few months before travel, and book it myself, but that's because I normally book my own room. When I go in Dec, for MF like you, I will have to arrange DME for my return to the airport because I'm doing the cruise first.
It just boggles my mind why this is such a big issue for AAA.

 

[txnana]

I have reservations with AAA and I just used their number to reserve my space and that of 9 others with the online information and it worked just using the aaa number as my reservation number

 

[Kitty-chan]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why AAA is having such a problem with this. What is their explanation for their inability to provide a very basic TA service??

Yeah, it's weird . . . they just keep telling me they can't do it.

Anyway, I've requested it through that web page, and if the docs don't show up 45 days prior to the trip I'll just call the ME reservations phone number. They were happy to help me, they just couldn't do it this far in advance. (Don't they know I'm a planning junkie? Geez. )

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, I'm not gonna be using AAA for booking rooms at WDW ever again.

No, don't say that! You "just" need an AAA Travel Agent who knows her Disney stuff! You have a PM (and no, I'm NOT that Agent!) - you might want to consider transferring your reservation.

 

[carj]

We booked our trip through Air Tran and booked ME through the online site. We shoudl be getting our tags soon and I got a confirmation email right after I booked ME.

 

[localdriver]

For the life of me, I can't figure out why AAA is having such a problem with this. What is their explanation for their inability to provide a very basic TA service??
AAA 'owns' the reservation. It isn't technically yours until you get to WDW. So, no, you can't call DME to arrange for your transportation. AAA has to do it for you...plain and simple. I can call DME, at least if it's just a few months before travel, and book it myself, but that's because I normally book my own room. When I go in Dec, for MF like you, I will have to arrange DME for my return to the airport because I'm doing the cruise first.
It just boggles my mind why this is such a big issue for AAA.

As Clark Howard says, this is a perfect example of "customer no service".

Companies get what they pay for. When unemployment is relatively low, and companies won't increase their offerings to lure quality people, this is what you get. It is wide spread and spreading.

 

[Kitty-chan]

No, don't say that! You "just" need an AAA Travel Agent who knows her Disney stuff! You have a PM (and no, I'm NOT that Agent!) - you might want to consider transferring your reservation.

I actually can't stand to use travel agents at all if I can help it . . . I'm too much of a control freak, I like to be in touch with the various airlines, hotels, etc. I've booked a lot of travel through the AAA web site, and I'd probably use them again for other hotels, rental cars, etc . . . but just not Disney rooms.