Is it worth getting the AAA membership for the discounts?

[EnchantedPrincess]

Just wondering if it is worth getting an AAA membership just for the discount? We are really, really hoping to go in June 2008 and would love to stay at Animal Kingdom Lodge with a Savannah view. Right now, I don't believe there are any discount/code for June 2008.

Do you think I should book now, or should I wait till maybe sometime in December and hope that a discount code pop up then? How much discount do you normally get with a AAA membership?

I think I am addicted to Disney, and after reading some of the pre-trip report and trip reports, I just can't wait to start planning for our trip.

 

[lilyv]

I think so. The road service assistance is peace of mind to me. I always have AAA. I was pleased to find out Disney offers room only AAA rates. I have a future trip booked to Disney-saved about $300.00. Keep in mind, though, there aren't unlimited #'s of rooms with the AAA price break. My first choice was WL, couldn't get AAA, so we chose AKL.

We travel frequently, and if I can't find any other better discounts, most hotels give some break with AAA.

 

[Disneyanajc]

Our AAA card has saved us on the average $400.00 per room...this trip it is $440.00 per room...Love it! And our AAA travel agent is one of the best...
JC

 

[EnchantedPrincess]

Wow..so you are saying that for the same package through Disney Travel, you can save an extra few hundred dollars if bought through AAA? Can you add on the dining plan as well, or take advantage of free dining plan if offered? How about changes to current reservations if a new promotion comes up?

Sorry, I know that is a lot of questions but just trying to figure out the most cost effective way to take our next trip.

Thanks!

 

[lilyv]

We book room only, so we can use a Disney specialist travel agent, as well as calling Disney direct.

If you are wanting quotes on AAA packages, you'd need to call AAA. They are the only ones who can do AAA packages.

Hope this helps!

 

[Disneyanajc]

Wow..so you are saying that for the same package through Disney Travel, you can save an extra few hundred dollars if bought through AAA? Can you add on the dining plan as well, or take advantage of free dining plan if offered? How about changes to current reservations if a new promotion comes up?

Sorry, I know that is a lot of questions but just trying to figure out the most cost effective way to take our next trip.

Thanks!

My AAA package includes the DDP...if free dining comes out you can use it but you can only use ONE discount per package...so you would have to do the math...is it better to use the free dining or the room discount...I have changed my plans more then once and AAA is very good on helping my do this...this year a promo came out in May for upgraded park tickets and my agent got this discount for us...hope this helps...
JC

 

[Stinky_Pete]

The AAA discount can be significant for a WDW trip - I believe it is something like 15% on deluxe resorts and 20% on moderates(?). At least that was for 2007. Everything's going crazy in 2008 so who knows?

But you never know if WDW will release a public discount that equals or exceeds the AAA discount.

You can book a room only reservation through CRO with the AAA discount - but you cannot get a AAA package discount through CRO. You can get a package with the AAA discount through AAA travel.

As someone mentioned, there are a limited number of rooms available with the AAA discount. I wanted a standard or woods view room at WL for December but when I contacted AAA (and WDW directly) all that was available with the discount was courtyard view. The discount made the courtyard view room slightly less than the woods view room rack rate, but still too much for me to justify in spite of my love for the lodge.

Aside from the discounts at WDW, AAA offers many other discounts for travel as well as locally. You can get discounts at car rental companies and many hotel chains, etc. Locally, my auto shop gives a 10% labor discount to AAA members, The discounts alone will well pay for the membership if remember to ask for them.

Then there is the wonderful roadside assistance! One call for a tow and the membership is paid for.

 

[Disney Fans]

We have AAA and it is really the best deal for the high season rates too.
You can a lot of times get deals like free dine, etc. But for example we have on hold AAA for DL this X-mas though New Years and it really saves us a lot!!
But without the AAA during that time, there is no other discount like it for those high seasonal times.

Yes, get the AAA, it is good to have! And also if you do book AAA, do it early because they only have so many rooms per hotel, per night for AAA. So even if you have AAA the dates you want could be gone

 

[psu1978]

"Room Only" AAA discounts for 2008 were released in August. I'm not sure about packages. There are a specific number of rooms set aside for AAA. I was told that once the rooms are gone, that is it - no more will be released. We have already booked our AKL Savanah View Club Level room for August 08. I believe we saved about $50 per night. You can also get discounted park passes from AAA. Not to mention that when I got a flat tire, they sent someone immediately to change it. Works for me!

We can't wait for our first stay at AKL.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

While I have had problems with AAA in the past as far as the TA not really knowing much, I decided to try again for my longer trip in December 2008 and was able to get a $250 discount for the ASMusic Family Suites, with the basic DDP and 1 day base, because we now have AP's, which I got a great rate on from AAA. Now if we are only going for a few days, then I book a room only by myself and try to get a AAA rate room. This December as well as last December the AAA rate was much better than any code that came out, but for the rest of the year the public room only code was better.

For 2007 AAA had discounts based on the "seasons" just like Disney does and the Values started at Value season at 20% discount, which is what I got off my package for Dec 2008. The discount for Value/Moderate is 15% to 20%, Deluxe/DVC/Cabins is 10% to 15% and campsites are 10% to 20%, Swan/Dolphin is 35%. I don't know if this will be the same for 2008 or not, that book will come out in January.

Personally, I have saved enough to pay for my AAA card for many years to come. I pay $63/year for myself and my husband and I know I have saved more than that alone in one trip.

If you book a package through a AAA rep, there are extra bonuses you get, some of which we use, some we don't. Stop by a AAA office if there is one in your area and get the 2007 book, it has alot of great info.

Suzanne

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I think it was. It can save you quite a but of money sometimes.

 

[LindaOwl1]

So, if I have booked bounceback for 10 days with a 1 day base ticket, can I buy discounted tickets from AAA for the other 9 days??? Anybody know?

 

[Matt'sMom]

Just wondering if it is worth getting an AAA membership just for the discount?

We are saving $396 off of what rack rate at the Poly would have cost us for our December 2008 trip (6 nights, value season, LV). I'd say that more than offsets the price of membership. Even if it did not, I like knowing that we have that roadside service available if/when needed.

What is doubly nice is that we book 'room only' at AAA rate using a Disney specialist TA--so if an even better discount code comes along, she quickly and painlessly switches us over to the better rate. But in the mean time, I know that I at least have that $396 savings off of rack safely locked in.

DDP has not been a 'good value' for us, so we really aren't interested in booking a package deal. Tickets can be purchased separately in advance, at an additional savings, using mousesavers discounts. (We will be finishing up the remaining 6 days on our non-exp. tickets next trip--they were purchased at a discount & two 'price increases' back, so rather nice savings there!)

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

So, if I have booked bounceback for 10 days with a 1 day base ticket, can I buy discounted tickets from AAA for the other 9 days??? Anybody know?

No, most of them don't offer that length of tickets, but you should check with your local AAA office. Some only offer up to 4 day tickets.

Suzanne

 

[Carol17]

Please forgive my stupidity, but I dont really understand how this works. I am in Canada, so I have the AAA equivalent, CAA. I booked WL(courtyard) Premium package for December 15-21 2007 online. Can I call WDW reservations and ask for some type of discount for having CAA? Are these so called"AAA rooms" any better/worse than a regular room? Are there any other discounts that I could have taken advantage of? Thanks for your help!

 

[Mary2e]

If you booked a package directly you can't get the discount. The only direct discount you can get from Disney is on a room only reservation, and it runs 10-20% depending upon the season.

I booked the premium package for last June thru my AAA agent and saved over $300. That was a pretty decent deal since it was regular season. The discounts are greater off season.

The rooms are exactly the same. I think having booked the premium package, we actually got a nicer location and were granted our request. For the end of June I was surprised.

Remember, you're paying for one of their top packages, they're not going to stick you in a crappy room.

 

[Elmo888]

I joined AAA a few years ago for the WDW discount, but I did not get a discount. I think that you still have to be on top of the WDW discounts with AAA, mainly because, in general, AAA TAs don't specialize in WDW (I am sure that there are some AAA TAs that do specialize in WDW, but I don't know how you find them).

I just wanted to let you know that you still have to be on top of things with AAA. With Disney specialist TAs, it sounds like they are always on the lookout for the discount. And, of course, when I book myself, I am constantly checking for discounts. With AAA, that doesn't seem to be the case. It seems like you may need to be proactive with AAA discounts.

Anyway, valid or not, I was frustrated with AAA, and I hesitate to join again (although with our 8+ year old car and 13+ year old car, free roadside assistance that someone mentioned sounds appealing...). I think that I would be more aware of the whole discount "game" next time, but I still hesitate.

I just wanted to give you another perspective.

 

[Kanga1]

It sure does save money! We are saving a whopping $676 on our stay next summer!!! (12 nights Poly GV/Value season) We booked a package with 10-day tickets and the DDP. AAA rates came out the exact time that room only rates came out...August. We book early to get the room and dates we want. (And yes, you have to book the AAA package through a AAA TA.) Add that to the many weekend stays we take throughout the year where we stay at Hampton Inn and get the AAA rate, PLUS having roadside service. Our battery died last month when we were out of town. AAA tow truck was there within 20 min and towed us at no charge.

So, yes...for us, it's definitely worth the $69 annual fee to have membership.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Worth it, in a heart beat. We also use AAA for Amtrak, 10% off fares. Same for Disney depending on time period, 10-15% off rack rates, times a 10-12 night stay is well worth the $69.00 membership fee plus the road service around home. With that said its better than nothing.

 

[noahdove]

I have AAA and it didn't save me as much as Mattsmom and PrincessSuzanne but I at least saved my membership fee I have had AAA for years and I consider it a security for driving and for any reservations that I make. Good luck with your decision.