Please help - CM just told me I cannot use a PIN if booked thru AAA.

[were45]

I just spoke with a CM who asked for my reserv. #. When I gave it to her she said "Oh, you cannot get your PIN, if there is one, if you booked through AAA." I said "so my AAA travel agent would have to call you and request my PIN?" She said "no, they cannot get your Pin information." I told her that my AAA agent told me that if I get a Pin code, I should let her know so that she could call Disney to apply it, and the CM told me that is not possible either. Eventually she just decided to check anyway and told me that we don't have a PIN code or any other discount.

Help?! I am fearing I made a huge mistake booking thru AAA if I can't take advantage of any discounts that may come our way. The CM totally confused me. I understand I may have to cancel one reserv and make another if a discount comes up, but she has me thinking that A) neither me nor my travel agent can even find out if I have a code and B) I would NOT be able to apply it anyway unless I cancel and book directly thru Disney.

Does anyone have experience with this issue? Thanks for any help you give, since I'm a little freaked out

 

[BigDaddyWill]

I am thinking the CM was wrong.

We usually book through AAA and last year we got a FD pin and applied it with no problem.

Will

 

[acwsmom]

I'm pretty sure the CM is wrong too. I have always booked my trips through a TA (although not through AAA) and have never had a problem using a PIN. We usually give the TA our pin number if one comes through and she has never had a problem getting it applied to our reservation.

 

[Kristallc]

AAA agent will have to apply the pin through disney. You cant call and apply it, AAA will. Have the agent you booked with apply code. This is what I did on our last trip

 

[Bete]

simply don't connect with your current reservation when asking about one. You could always be planning a second trip; there's no way for a CM to know one way or the other.

If you do have a pincode that works for your trip, try to get the pin code number and then go to AAA for them to get it applied. You may be okay with AAA doing it for you, but I would still try to get the exact code. There have been times codes all of a sudden disappear.

 

[dclfun]

The agent should have explained better that if you have booked through AAA, they are a travel agency, and so only a TA with AAA can modify your reservation. Just call your agent and give them your PIN, esp. if you want to stick with AAA for their perks. They will apply it for you...all set!

 

[TDC Nala]

You need to have the AAA agent call to apply the PIN for you. Disney won't let you do it, since AAA is considered the holder of the reservation.

You may also be able to instruct the agent to call and ask if your reservation is eligible for a PIN code.

 

[were45]

simply don't connect with your current reservation when asking about one. You could always be planning a second trip; there's no way for a CM to know one way or the other.

If you do have a pincode that works for your trip, try to get the pin code number and then go to AAA for them to get it applied. You may be okay with AAA doing it for you, but I would still try to get the exact code. There have been times codes all of a sudden disappear.

Great idea! Unfortunately I can't expect my AAA travel agent to be as obsessive as I am (would it be wrong to ask her to only work for me and call Disney every day on my behalf...hahaha). This way I can still pretend I am in control - ahhhh I feel better now.
Thanks again for your great advice

 

[dclfun]

Great idea! Unfortunately I can't expect my AAA travel agent to be as obsessive as I am (would it be wrong to ask her to only work for me and call Disney every day on my behalf...hahaha). This way I can still pretend I am in control - ahhhh I feel better now.
Thanks again for your great advice

]

If you called and made a new reservation, it may or may not affect AAA's commission. Be sure to call your original TA to let her know what you've done as the original reservation would now need to be cancelled.

 

[katrina1122]

Go to AAA with your pin, they'll call disney and then disney will stack your pin on your AAA discount thru your agent.

I did this and wdw even gave us a fee king size bed upgrade even though the pin was for regular rooms only.

Use your AAA Agent. Also, if you have AAA room only rate, then you probably won't be able to stack. We had to convert our AAA rate to a package to stack the pin...this came out cheaper than the room only rate, so it worked.

 

[DJFan88]

Just call your agent and give them your PIN, esp. if you want to stick with AAA for their perks.

Just curious - what are the perks? I have used a AAA discount when calling Disney direct before, and have always just made my own reservations. Then when I needed to I called back to apply better discounts (like FD or a PIN). I have also just received a trip tik from AAA them since we drive. But, am I missing out on some perks by not having one of their travel agents book our trip? Or is it harder with a middle man? Just wondering if there are any perks I am missing that may sway me to put my vaca in their hands.

 

[were45]

]

If you called and made a new reservation, it may or may not affect AAA's commission. Be sure to call your original TA to let her know what you've done as the original reservation would now need to be cancelled.

Oh I don't plan to cancel the reserv. - I booked thru AAA and intend for them to complete it. It's just that I am a little concerned about them keeping up on current discounts, plus how would they even know if a PIN suddenly came up for me unless they keep checking? I thought I would make sure about discounts or PINS then call AAA to get them to apply it.

Back story: I was burned a number of years ago with a different AAA office/agent who "didn't see the fax" until it was too late to try to have free dining applied to our trip. (By the time I called her to make sure she had applied it, there was no more availability.) I think since I am sort of having trouble letting them do their job, maybe I should have just booked on my own. (Room direct thru Disney using my AAA discount.) But, I did the MYW package and will stay with AAA for this trip. Because we are going this time during a likely blackout period (Jersey Week), even if FD is announced for Nov. we probably won't qualify. Hence I feel the need to keep hoping for a PIN. I know, I know, the Pin will come via regular mail or email, but a girl can still hope!

 

[were45]

Just curious - what are the perks? I have used a AAA discount when calling Disney direct before, and have always just made my own reservations. Then when I needed to I called back to apply better discounts (like FD or a PIN). I have also just received a trip tik from AAA them since we drive. But, am I missing out on some perks by not having one of their travel agents book our trip? Or is it harder with a middle man? Just wondering if there are any perks I am missing that may sway me to put my vaca in their hands.

I could be wrong (and often am, just ask my husband) but I don't think the perks are anything special. I priced out doing AAA room only thru Disney plus tickets thru undercover tourist and the price was almost exactly the same as doing the MYW package thru AAA. I just decided to be lazy and get it all thru AAA but as I have explained previously....due to my control freak nature I probably should have just done it all myself! I feel like if you are the type who can relax and let someone else handle things (not me) you'd be fine with an agent. For me though, I can't stop trying to do their job for them. Ahhh, gotta love me.

 

[DJFan88]

I could be wrong (and often am, just ask my husband) but I don't think the perks are anything special. I priced out doing AAA room only thru Disney plus tickets thru undercover tourist and the price was almost exactly the same as doing the MYW package thru AAA. I just decided to be lazy and get it all thru AAA but as I have explained previously....due to my control freak nature I probably should have just done it all myself! I feel like if you are the type who can relax and let someone else handle things (not me) you'd be fine with an agent. For me though, I can't stop trying to do their job for them. Ahhh, gotta love me.

Okay, so I'm probably good with what I do. I thought I had looked into it years ago am nd didn't see any difference and I do not like to relinquish control (unless worth it). I can get a MYW package through disney anyway. Just making sure I'm not missing out.

 

[ColtGurl]

Some of the AAA perks are Diamond parking, preferred area for Wishes, Princess Storytime and a diamond discount card. I have always booked through AAA but have never used the extra perks. Guess I just love my agent.

 

[ccgirl]

YOu need to provide your PIN to your TA. Once you do that, they will apply that to your reservation. Keep in mind you can only use one discount so it's either the AAA discount or your PIN.

Personally, I would only let a TA book for me if I did not want to control the reservation which is very unlikely due to the type A personality that I am.

 

[were45]

YOu need to provide your PIN to your TA. Once you do that, they will apply that to your reservation. Keep in mind you can only use one discount so it's either the AAA discount or your PIN.

Personally, I would only let a TA book for me if I did not want to control the reservation which is very unlikely due to the type A personality that I am.

You mean I'm not the only type A out here????

Yes, I should have done it myself; I think travel agents are wonderful for folks who prefer not to do the planning and detail work themselves. (These are the people I think are cool) I just really enjoy the research involved as well.
No matter HOW we get to Disney, as long as we can get there it's all good.

 

[DJFan88]

You mean I'm not the only type A out here????

Yes, I should have done it myself; I think travel agents are wonderful for folks who prefer not to do the planning and detail work themselves. (These are the people I think are cool) I just really enjoy the research involved as well.
No matter HOW we get to Disney, as long as we can get there it's all good.

Yeah, I'm the same way too. I can't handle having to depend on someone else when I could just do it myself and know it's set and how I want it. Now that I learn what the perks are (not anything I need), I can't imagine why I would ever want to do that. It must just be our personalities, because there's a business out there for some reason.
Good luck with your PIN - and I wouldn't even think twice about calling all the time until you get what you need done, that's their job.