Please help! Dining Plan voids AAA Discount???

[jsksjs]

This is crazy. I booked 7 nights for 2 Adults 3 Children at POR. I got an AAA discount for 129.00 a night. (Approx. 1000.00) total. For 2 Adults, 3 Children 10 Day Hopper w/No Exp. Leftover days for future use (Approx. 1600.00). I was interested in the Dining Plan (would be 700.00) Add this up and total is approx. 3300.00. I just called to try and book the dining plan w/tickets and i was given a total of 4100.00! It doesnt make sense! She told me the AAA rate was voided because you cant have it with a dining plan! But, still, it would only be around 150.00 more, not 800.00! Does this make sense? Who would even do this??

 

[ksoehrlein]

From what I understand, you can get the AAA rate on Room-Only reservations (and perhaps on tickets if purchased through AAA) but not on packages. The addition of MYW Dining turns your Room-Only ressie + tickets into a package. Sorry.

 

[DisneyMama629]

You can get the AAA discount for the room when you book a package, but you have to book through AAA. Call your AAA agent and they will hook you up with a AAA travel agent who can do it all for you. That's what I did.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

It would appear that if you get the dining plan you don't get much of a room discount with AAA. I priced a package at AAA also and decided against it. Would love to have the dining plan WITH a good room discount but that doesn't seem to be the way it is now. I've decided to wait for room discounts for our Oct trip or just book the AAA room discount only.

Bummer huh?

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Here's how my quote broke out.

2 Adults, 2 Children (ages 5 and 9)
6 day park hoppers with expiration (814.00)
insurance (89.90) and dining package (540)
Total: $3304.40

That would leave $1860.50 for the room portion, or $310.08 per night, wilderness lodge, courtyard view.

The rack rate for the room according to Disneyworld.com with tax is $334.50.

It would look like about a 7.5% discount on the room portion.

I'm thinking I'd rather wait to see if a good room only discount comes out and not have to deal with using the dining plan. I'm banking on I could always get a AAA package later if there's nothing better (since I'm resort flexible).

If I've misunderstood any of this please someone point it out. I'd like to know. Thanks.

 

[estnh]

When you book the AAA package the room discount should be 15% on a moderate or value resort and 10% on a deluxe. This holds true whether you book the dining package or not.

However, UNLESS you book through AAA, there will be no discount at all for the rooms if you book the dining package.

 

[bhencey]

Agreed with earlier posts. I got a SMALL (couple hundred off total bill of $5K) discount on MYW Package (w/ Dining) through AAA.

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

MYW packages may have a different discount on the room portion than packages in previous years. I keep looking at the numbers and it seems to be a very small discount, not 10% off, a deluxe for me.

Back to the OP, those numbers don't seem right. Perhaps you could break out the numbers and go over it with the agent, ask them to verify everything. It shouldn't be THAT much more. All the agent does is give Disney the parameters and Disney will give them a quote. Maybe there was a miscommunication somewhere. They could've quoted more days than you wanted for example.

Good luck.

 

[DisCapeCoddr]

I have always booked a room only (usually with a code) with Disney directly and saved money. However, we are saving approximately $150 by booking with AAA this time. We have 6 nights at POFQ July 3-9 with a 5 day mywy park pass (with hopper) and the magic your way dining plan for $2,246.24 for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 6 & 9). The same package was $2,394 on Disney.Com. Add air fair on Song for around $600 for the 4 of us from Boston and (without the need for transfers since the magic your way shuttle is included) this is a very reasonable trip to Disney for us (less than $3,000 for a week long trip to Disney while eating at our favorite restaurants and having unlimited access to the parks! ) Even if codes come out, we are way ahead with the dining plan. I have PS's at many restaurants we have always wanted to try (CRT, Park Fare, Ohana's, etc.) and we are saving a lot of money by using the dining plan.

 

[DisCapeCoddr]

I have always booked a room only (usually with a code) with Disney directly and saved money. However, we are saving approximately $150 by booking with AAA this time. We have 6 nights at POFQ July 3-9 with a 5 day mywy park pass (with hopper) and the magic your way dining plan for $2,246.24 for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 6 & 9). The same package was $2,394 on Disney.Com. Add air fair on Song for around $600 for the 4 of us from Boston and (without the need for transfers since the magic your way shuttle is included) this is a very reasonable trip to Disney for us (less than $3,000 for a week long trip to Disney while eating at our favorite restaurants and having unlimited access to the parks! ) Even if codes come out, we are way ahead with the dining plan. I have PS's at many restaurants we have always wanted to try (CRT, Park Fare, Ohana's, etc.) and we are saving a lot of money by using the dining plan.

 

[Cplofdisneynutz]

We booked our honeymoon with AAA and there was no voiding of discounts. In fact we saved about $330 vs booking through Disney online. We have the MYW with dining as well. I think the agent @ AAA has either mis-informed you or our AAA agent goofed (in our favor) which i think is highly unlikely.

The only thing I can think of is are you booking this as a package or trying to do everything individually? Regardless I don't see how that would make a difference(IMHO). I would call AAA again and talk to someone else about this.

Good luck to you

 

[somcgregor]

When I booked my package through AAA I got a 10% discount on room, tickets and dinning. We are staying at the CR so I am not sure what it is all on. I thought it was good, because I could not get anything else. We are going in September, I guess if a really good code comes out we will change, but right now we are very happy.

 

[cmc mouse]

When you book the AAA package the room discount should be 15% on a moderate or value resort and 10% on a deluxe. This holds true whether you book the dining package or not.

However, UNLESS you book through AAA, there will be no discount at all for the rooms if you book the dining package.

That is correct. We book through them every trip. Going 6/29-7/7.

 

[jsksjs]

I didnt try calling AAA, i booked the hotel directly from WDW and thats who gave me that price and info. If i do book through AAA, will i get my deposit back from the Room only from WDW?? Im assuming, AAA will want The full payment right away, unlike disney with 45 days??

 

[somcgregor]

OUR AAA agent requried a $200 deposit and the balance due within 45 days. That was on a package deal, so I would assume most others are the same, and the fine print at the bottom said is was required by Disney not AAA

 

[jsksjs]

Thanks, i will DEFINATELY call AAA tomorrow! I just hope that disney will give my down payment back if i cancel!

 

[AlexTina]

I had a pin code and originally booked room only then I decided to add 7 day MYW w/park hopper option, I did this with no problem at all. Then a couple of weeks later I decided I wanted to add on the dining plan, this seemed to truley confuse the CM that I spoke too. My original total was around $2600 for 8 nights at the poly and 2 adult 7 day tickets w/park hopper and 1 child 7 day ticket with park hopper, after I called to add the dining plan she said okay your new total is $4400 . I said what???? My previous balance was $2600 you've added on a $640 item how could my new total be sooooo high!!! After hearing quit a few "hold one moment please" she got it figured out and got my discount/pin code back in the system. So my suggestion would be to continue calling back until you get a CM who knows how to do this. It can be done.

Tina

 

[cmc mouse]

I didnt try calling AAA, i booked the hotel directly from WDW and thats who gave me that price and info. If i do book through AAA, will i get my deposit back from the Room only from WDW?? Im assuming, AAA will want The full payment right away, unlike disney with 45 days??

AAA, like WDW, will hold/book a trip for you and you will have 14 days to cancel with no penalty. Again, like WDW, if you don't pay your $200 deposit (required for a package) in 14 days, the trip automatically cancels itself and they do not contact you. Our discount was 15% off the hotel. The Plus Dining ($34.99/day/adult), travel insurance ($49.50 per adult), and tickets are the same prices as WDW.

We use AAA as opposed to WDW because WDW won't let you get the AAA discount on a package- plain and simple. AAA abides by all of WDW's rules and prices. When you call AAA to book for you, they provide you the service of calling WDW on your behalf, without charging you a service fee to do so. This is a benefit of being a AAA member. You do need your membership # to get a quote and book the trip!

For example, we pay $137 dues to AAA Mid-Atlantic for a year, for the two of us to belong to AAA. Our 15%- 8 night discount was $135. So, the membership basically paid for itself and beyond that, we still get all the benefits of AAA for other travel, restaurants, roadside service, towing, etc...
Their travel reps are wonderful! 1-800-436-4222. No I don't work for AAA. Ha ha. I'm just a satisfied member

AAA, like WDW will charge you a $50 fee to make changes to your trip when you are within 45 days or less of travel. This is WDW's rule- they call it a "document change fee", as they print all of your travel documents on day 45 and mail them out. So they'd have to make you a whole new set of documents if you change details.

Good luck everyone! Thanks for all the good tips on "stuff"!

CMCH & JJH

 

[jsksjs]

Well, i decided to just book the hotel. The package deal is not working out for me! I called AAA and was told a price for tickets, dining and hotel. I called back and decided not to get dining because we will not be at disney everyday. She gave me a price for POR w/7 day passes for 2 adult/2 kids for 1738.00. I booked the hotel from Disney for 938.00, and for 7 day passes on disneys site for 2 adult/2 kids are 764.00. Now, add 938.00 and 764.00 and it totals 1702.00! She was trying to charge me 1738.00! Then, i asked for a quote for POP w/2 rooms and 7 day tickets. Then she was arguing with me about i told her the tickets were cheaper on disneys website. She was getting mad and told me it was right in front of her and she was correct. I called and booked POP w/2 rooms w/AAA discount MYSELF for 1311.00. I will just buy the tickets myself soon from Disneys Website. Ive had bad luck with AAA's Pricing quotes! Oh, she was also GETTING ME SICK about telling me about the Trundle bed at POR! She said DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BUGS ARE IN FLORIDA? THAT TRUNDLE BED IN ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO THE DOOR! I would not advise this! I thought about it and i decided on the 2 rooms at POP! I know there are bugs, but, she didnt have to say that!

 

[LadyTrampScamp&Angel]

Have fun on your trip jsksjs I don't know what's going on with the difference of opinions here on AAA packages. I wonder if some are referring to past packages - which I agree were discounted more - I think the new Magic Your Way packages are different. There are some possible variables. She could be charging insurance for 2 people on each room on those quotes she gave you where you don't have that cost with room only. Although the package might have been slightly less before the approx $90 was added for ins it then made the package slightly more? I personally like the much less restrictive cancellation policy with room only than having to buy insurance (although when I buy a package I buy the insurance because of the 45 day out thing). I booked room only also.

The agent you talked to doesn't sound like she is either very patient or very experienced. If insurance was the difference she should have figured that out and told you - it's optional. Don't know if you'd really want to deal with her anyway. I can't believe she said that about the trundle beds. Yes, bugs are there in Florida, you'll see posters talk about them every once in a while but really don't think you have to worry about the trundle bed! I know sometimes people do but in my 10 trips I've never seen a bug in my own room.

BTW I used to BE a AAA travel agent in Southern CA. Unless things have changed lots the agents are given quotas for their preferred partners (Disney is one) that they are expected to make. They aren't given a lot of time for customer service - gotta make those quotas! I hated it. I'd much rather work on commission (AAA paid a salary, not commission in S CA although there were rewards based on your gross sales) and have more time to do quality work than meet quotas. They also have to push their travel partners so you could go in wanting a certain cruise company and you'll be certain they'll push another if the one you wanted isn't a "partner". I liked a company called Classic for Hawaii packages for example. Last I heard they aren't a AAA partner anymore so AAA will try to sell you a company called Pleasant Hawaiian . . .

If that agent had been smart she would've tried to sell you the BENEFITS of a package (ease, the dining plan, ability to insure the whole thing including air if you're flying) rather than trying to use scare tactics about bugs.

Enjoy yourselves. Have a magical time!