Considering joining AAA for a discount

[ampooh]

I have almost every year ended up with a discount code to use and not needed AAA membership. This year we have struggled on choosing our dates and the rooms we want are booking up or booked up.

What kind of deals have you gotten with AAA?

How much have you saved?

Once you join how is the best way to book? I'm not sure if we want room only or a package.

 

[brentalex]

we have gotten between 10 and 20 percent discounts with AAA, depends on time of year and resort. I have never used a package, always seemed like I could beat the package price by purchasing everything separate. I have never used the dining plan because my kids are not very big eaters, yet would be charged as adults. I have usually just called disney and gotten a room only reservation from them and then using the mousesavers newsletter have bought my park tickets.
don't forget there are many other discounts that you can get with a AAA card, not just at disney. It is usually easy to get the annual fee back each year even without going to disney.

 

[imatoad]

We save around $200+ on a Poly stay. I normally book all my own travel, but have found it to be easier to use AAA for Disney. I can email my AAA TA and she takes care of it, besides, having AAA gives me peace of mind anyway, especially on the road. Just remember, you get the AAA discount on the room portion only, not the package.

 

[ampooh]

Thanks for the info. I did not know it was off room only. Makes a difference there for sure.

I have Onstar so I have that covered when in the road. I really wanted it for Disney only but I'm sure I can find other money savings if I look.

I do the room only and buy tix sep every year too.

 

[lark]

There's really no reason to join beforehand if you only want room only.

Just call up CRO and book the AAA rate. If you get a better discount before your trip, you don't need to worry about joining AAA. If you don't , just make sure to join a few weeks before your trip.

Some have reported that they have been asked for their AAA number by CRO in order to book the reservation. If this happens to you, just say, "I don't have a membership yet, but would join if I can get the discount." Some have reported this occasionally not working, but it usually does. If it doesn't, simply hang up and try again with a new cast member.

Just make sure that if you don't get a better discount you have your AAA membership when you arrive to check in.

 

[the Fidge]

I used AAA and had the DDP and got a discount and upgrade with the park hopper pass in April without having to call and ask. Travel agaent did it all herslef and got a great beach towel with a surfing mickey!

Would defintiely use them again!

 

[midwestdee]

I just saved almost $400 on our Nov. WL stay through AAA ( I priced through WDW by phone prior to booking with AAA agent). We did want the dining plan so we had to do a package - the only way to get a room discount and the dining plan is through an AAA package. I think the room only discount varies by season - I'm sure it is on the boards. Value season is 15% off deluxe and 20 % of moderates.

 

[bdklein]

Some roads (like here in NY) have only authorized towing companies for certain roads. I have a Mercedes (with roadside assistance). A cop came by and called a tow truck. I told him I had MB roadside assistance-he still would have had to bill me (and then I would have to get reimbursed from MB). I then told him I belonged to AAA; he took down my card number, and that was it.

Plus I got a check for $100 from AAA upon my return from my trip (it arrived before I even got home from Disney) by booking a trip at an open house at AAA.

 

[Tracey1974]

This may seem like a dumb question but I saw discounted rates for our Dec trip on AAA's site for Pop after our cruise. Can I book through WDW and get the same rate? If so, can I change it if a new code from Disney that comes out after I book??

 

[Fionasmommy]

We're going in June, and when I booked AAA was the only discount available for our dates. The park hopper upgrade came out after we had it all booked, but we still saved more with the AAA code because we didn't want/need the water parks option.

We got POR for $131.75/night.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

We are also new to AAA. In the past, we have always used a room only code for our stays (if available). This year we decided to join AAA for various reasons. I booked our stay at the Poly and the end of Oct. through CRO and asked for a room only AAA rate. All of the LV rooms were booked so I ended up with a GV at a rate of 398 a night. Would I have been quoted a cheaper rate at AAA or would it be the same? Also, if a better code comes out, will I be able to drop the AAA rate and add the new code or do I have to rebook everything? TIA

 

[lark]

We are also new to AAA. In the past, we have always used a room only code for our stays (if available). This year we decided to join AAA for various reasons. I booked our stay at the Poly and the end of Oct. through CRO and asked for a room only AAA rate. All of the LV rooms were booked so I ended up with a GV at a rate of 398 a night. Would I have been quoted a cheaper rate at AAA or would it be the same? Also, if a better code comes out, will I be able to drop the AAA rate and add the new code or do I have to rebook everything? TIA

If this was for October 2006, $398 does not appear to be the correct AAA rate for the poly, garden view. The correct rate should be about $332 without tax or $370 with tax. Typically, the rate is virtually the same whether you book an AAA rate through CRO or AAA.

Many have reported being able to apply new codes to existing AAA reservations without having to rebook.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

Thanks Lark. I need to check on this. I guess I will call CRO and ask them to please review my reservation. I don't want to be charged more than I need to be.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I just book AKL w/ MYW +DDP through AAA, at the same rate that WDW would have given me for the same at POR! Very happy w/ AAA so far!

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

We saved $350 (with tax savings) on a 3 night Contemporary/ 4 night Poly split stay.
Also saved $80 off the $400 Richard Petty rookie driving experience.

(then there's 10% off at Pizza Hut and Burger King at home...and many more)

AAA card pays me to buy it, and I have the peace of mind just in case we break down.

 

[Tuffcookie]

I booked the AAA rate for PC 6-9 to 6-18. It saved me $148 on the resort. But once you subtract the cost of the 1 yr membership (basic=$51) it brought my savings down to $97. Better than nothing and I still have 1 year of benefits from AAA. So I'd say it's worth it.

TC

 

[KimberlyC]

If you are on the fence, I say do it. Believe or not, I've had AAA for years, just for ... well AAA help. I smash my car into a snow bank in the middle of nowhere Ohio and who do I call? AAA and they tow my car for free. (Worth the cost of the membership right there). I need traveler's cheques and where do I go? AAA. I need maps and trip tix (detailed highlighted page by page flip maps) and where do I go? AAA. I need discounts on amusement park tix, Yep AAA. I believe if you book through them you get to park in the AAA section at the parks, not sure though, never tried it. All the above are free services for members.

I dropped AAA for auto insurance because too much $$$ but I'll keep my little membership for life for the free towing alone because...sometimes I just smash the car up - no smashes yet this year though, knock on wood!

And i got an AAA discount for the Poly paying the $370 incl tax per night which I believe was about $55 less than rack rate with tax, so my membership paid for itself this year even if I don't smash anything

FYI, We're going during the MYW hopper plus upgrade promo, but to get that we'd have to pay rack rate and lose the discount so that wasn't a good deal for us. I don't know about the other packages but I was told it doesn't work during free dining, you must book paying rack rate.

 

[floridacrazy]

Hi

I just the above post and you mentioned the MYW hopper plus upgrade promo - when is it? Is it on Disney's website or somewhere else?

I just purchased the hopper tickets with a room only reservation for July, but if I can add the waterparks that would help. I will have to weight out the savings because it looks as if I will lose the AAA discount which I think might be more than the ticket upgrade, but I'll have to see.

Any info will help. Thank you

 

[KimberlyC]

Hi

I just the above post and you mentioned the MYW hopper plus upgrade promo - when is it? Is it on Disney's website or somewhere else?

I just purchased the hopper tickets with a room only reservation for July, but if I can add the waterparks that would help. I will have to weight out the savings because it looks as if I will lose the AAA discount which I think might be more than the ticket upgrade, but I'll have to see.

Any info will help. Thank you

I can't recall when it starts but it goes through June 3, 2006. That's the day I'm checking in so I could have received it for my entire stay but I have a toddler and will be sticking to MK for this short stay so it wasn't worth it for me. Sadly, I don't think they'll be doing it in July. But you can always hope

Have a wonderful vacation!

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

We joined AAA for many..many reasons. All of our hotel reservations at WDW (If no other discount is available) or any other hotel as we travel on the road, movie tickets, multiple tickets to other local attractions. Our DD's have used the roadside service extensively.

It is worth the cost.