FREE DINING- combined with AAA rate??

[traveladdiction]

I thought in order to get the Free Dining tomorrow (no Disney Visa here ) you had to pay rack rate and couldn't combine with AAA. For those who booked with AAA, did you pay rack rates (Value $82/night - Value Preferred $94/night) or were you able to COMBINE AAA rate AND Free Dining???

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[jenwimett]

I checked out rates on WDW website and my package would have been $2066. I called AAA on Monday morning and booked the same exact package I priced out on the WDW website for $1805. The TA told me to call back on Thursday to apply the Free dining. I am sure you will hear conflicting reports on whether you can add the dining on a discounted room rate. I am fairly confident that I will be able to add the dining with out losing my rate. I guess we will all find out tomorrow!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

No can do. You must give up the AAA discount in order to get free dining. Disney reservations only allow a single code.... despite what you may read to the contrary.



Good luck tomorrow

I thought in order to get the Free Dining tomorrow (no Disney Visa here ) you had to pay rack rate and couldn't combine with AAA. For those who booked with AAA, did you pay rack rates (Value $82/night - Value Preferred $94/night) or were you able to COMBINE AAA rate AND Free Dining???

Thanks so much!!!!

 

[traveladdiction]

thanks!!!

 

[ch1103]

Is there any benefit to booking through AAA then, rather than directly through Disney?

 

[scrapperjill]

No I don't think there is any beni for booking through AAA instead of Disney...maybe just the oppisite. If you book through Disney you'll be able to view your reservation on line...not so if you use a TA. Of couse by using a TA you won't have to wait for hours on the phone trying to book....the TA will do that for you.

As for the AAA rate. I'm afraid...you'll find out tomarrow that you'll loose your AAA rate. I did. I booked my trip though AAA a few months back...the TA at that time also told me that if/when disney offers free dinning she'll just "ADD" it to my reservation...Well...sure enough as soon as the deal came out Monday she did add it...but my rate is now diffrent. To be prepaired with the possable changes (thanks to the Dis I knew I might loose my AAA rate) I got myself a quote from the Disney site over the weekend...and it's EXACTLY what my "new" price is. She even called me up Monday and said she was sorry...but the room rate is slightly diffrent now by getting the Free Dinning.

Anywho...were staying at POP with free dinning, booked through AAA and were paying the rack rate of the preferred rooms. Which still beats getting the AAA rate and paying for dinning.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I don't particularly care if I can 'see' my reservation online. I have my hardcopy confirmation, which is fine. My agent will make ADRs if I ask her, but I never do. There's a special parking pass, and a few other things...

 

[amyc]

Just got my free dining through my AAA ressies AND got to keep my discount on room rate! Had to switch from POP to ASM but oh well.

There are benefits through using AAA, my TA rattled off a bunch when I made the ressies. Can't find the written stuff now but will look.

YEAH YEAH YEAH!

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

You can get the AAA disccount if you book the package directly through a AAA agent.

 

[ch1103]

You can get the AAA disccount if you book the package directly through a AAA agent.

I called AAA to get a quote and it was exactly the same amount as what I got from Disney's website, so that wasn't the case for me.

 

[Praying Colonel]

You can get the AAA disccount if you book the package directly through a AAA agent.

That was my experience when I booked on Tuesday. Saved about $200 vs. booking through the WDW website.

Even if I hadn't saved the money, I still prefer booking through AAA so we can get the discount card for World of Disney and get the Diamond Parking Pass.

 

[anny_c_99]

We got the 40% discount and had reservations "with" dining booked. Paying OOP for dining.

When the FD plan came out "today" for us, she revised our ressies, and we lost the 40% discount. We could NOT stack discounts.

So what we ended up saving, by getting the FD plan was only about $90.00. But hey, that "might" buy a tank of gas by then. Every little bit helps.

She was very adament about not being able to stack discounts. Nice but adament.

 

[bicker]

I think the issue is the difference between a discounted AAA rate, and the regular AAA rate (which sometimes is less than Disney's rack rate).

 

[anny_c_99]

I'm confused .

But it doesn't take much to confuse me. What is the regular AAA rate, and the Disney rack rate?


Staying at CSR, and paying $145.00 a night. Isn't that the rack rate?

 

[bicker]

Yup, that's the rack rate for value season.

 

[mirthmaiden]

My AAA TA booked this for me today. She said she got AAA discount, but I'm really not sure.

5 nights (9/13 - 9/18) at Poly, garden view (rack rate is $329)
2 adults, 2 children (ages 13 & 12)
1 day base tickets ($67 x 4 = $268)
insurance ($119.90)
free dining

Total price: $2140.64

When I subtract the tickets and insurance, I get $1752.74. Divide that by 5 and I get $350.55 per night for room + tax. I don't know what the tax rate it (I guessed 13%)

So, I don't know if that includes a AAA discount or not. Maybe somebody smarter than me can figure it out

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

I don't know what the tax rate it (I guessed 13%)

I'm pretty sure it's 12.5%...someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[scrapperjill]

Yep...didn't work for me either. After I crunched my numbers it came out so I ended up paying exactly rack rate for my rooms. But hey...I'm getting free dinning and I'm happy with the savings I did get

 

[kaytieeldr]

So, I don't know if that includes a AAA discount or not. Maybe somebody smarter than me can figure it out

After exhaustive calculations - no, I'm kidding, it was relatively simple (using Excel, not my brain ) it looks like you're saving 5% off rack rate.

 

[Scornelius]

Is there any benefit to booking through AAA then, rather than directly through Disney?

I found this on the AAA website:

2007 Exclusive AAA Benefits at Walt Disney World
AAA Vacations® Benefits for package bookings:

-Exclusive! Disney’s Story Time - Guests who purchase select AAA Vacations® Walt Disney World® Resort packages, can enjoy a storytelling experience with a character from a classic Disney animated feature. This charming story time takes place in the intimate Expo Hall Theater in Town Square Exposition Hall in Magic Kingdom® Park (advance reservations, reservation voucher and valid Theme Park admission required, seating is limited and subject to availability; operates on select days of the week and certain blockout dates apply). This package is available with Disney’s Magic Your Way® Package Plus Dining, Magic Your Way® Premium Package and Magic Your Way® Platinum Package)

-Exclusive AAA Vacations® Diamond Card provides special savings on meals, merchandise and entertainment options at participating locations throughout the Walt Disney World® Resort.

-Exclusive AAA Diamond Parking – Convenient Preferred Parking spaces at all four Walt Disney World® Resort Theme parks. (voucher required, subject to availability, some block-out dates apply)

-Exclusive AAA Vacations® luggage tag (one per person)

Special AAA Vacations® Hertz® Benefits:

-Hertz® 2 Car Class Upgrade: Add a Class C (midsize) or Class D (Standard 2 or 4 door) to select AAA Vacations® packages and receive a two-car-class upgrade at no additional charge, for rentals picked up and returned in Florida*

-FREE Hertz® Child Seat: Add a Hertz car rental to a AAA Vacations® package and request one child seat at no additional charge for each day of the car rental.**
* Subject to availability of higher class car at time of pickup. Highest obtainable upgrade is to a Class G car. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance and minimum rental period is 2 days. Hertz standard terms and conditions, and driver and credit qualifications at time and place of rental apply. Blockout dates are: 2/15 – 2/21/07; 3/31 – 4/7/07; 6/28 – 8/22/07.
** Child seats must be requested at time of booking. Offer is limited to one complimentary child seat per booking. Any additional child seats will be charged at normal rates. Child seats are available for children up to age six. Offer is based on availability of child seat at time of rental. Offer valid for travel from January 1, 2007 through December 15, 2007.
AAA/CAA Member Benefits:

AAA Disney Magic Moments® Savings - Save up to 10%, 15%, 20% or 35% off the room portion on selected packages on selected dates. (subject to availability.)
200 Disney Dollars included in packages of 7 nights or more at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel. (Can be combined with AAA Disney Magic Moments® Savings. Voucher required at check-in to receive Disney Dollars. (You must request this benefit when booking the reservation.)


We booked our trip with CAA for the discount before we knew free dining was coming up. At that point we were saving about $200. My TA called today and told me the FD had been applied, and the price was down a further $250, but the discounts definitely weren't stacked. My price is now identical to the one on the disney website. The only bonus for booking through CAA (or AAA) seems to be a luggage tag and discount card, which ain't that bad. I loves me a good discount.