Please help me-AAA rates and dining plan

[justtobeme2]

We are going January 24th until Feb 1st and of course trying to get the best rate. Here is my problem...
I have AAA and I would like the AAA discount but when I call Disney they say they can only book the hotel...without a dining plan or tickets???? I asked if I could book the hotel with the AAA discount (which she didn't want to tell me) and then add on the dining plan and the tickets into the park and she said no she could only book the hotel OR I could book a complete vacation package without the AAA discount and get the dining and tickets..this makes absolutely no sense to me...any suggestions? One can't buy dining plan unless they forgo the AAA discount? Please help I'm so confused.

 

[brentalex]

If you want a package, which is what you need to include the dining plan, and want the AAA discount on the room, you need to book it with a AAA travel agent. You can only book a room only reservation with a AAA discount directly with disney. Packages with the AAA discount must go through AAA.

 

[catne]

To get the Dining plan, you have to book a Magic Your Way package with room and park tickets, either through Disney or through your travel agent...bottom line is, has to be a package. Whether or not it makes sense to us, Disney will not book you a AAA package. The will book a AAA room-only, but you can't add dining plan to room only. My guess is Disney's contract with AAA says Disney reservations have to let the AAA agents book the package deals (probably so the agents don't get cut out of all Disney travel commissions.)

I've booked directly through AAA to get the Magic Your Way package for room, tickets & dining plan. We got a 20% AAA room discount when we booked.

If you don't have a personal Travel Agent at AAA, just call your local office and ask for the Disney specialist. Doesn't cost you any more, you get the same extras that straight Disney Magic Your Way packages give you (like the Planet Hollywood discount, SeaRaycer and mini-golf coupons) and sometimes there are additional perks your AAA agent tosses in. Like we booked last January when our local AAA was having "Disney Month" so we got $25 Disney gift cards when we checked in at our hotel in May.

 

[justtobeme2]

To get the Dining plan, you have to book a Magic Your Way package with room and park tickets, either through Disney or through your travel agent...bottom line is, has to be a package. Whether or not it makes sense to us, Disney will not book you a AAA package. The will book a AAA room-only, but you can't add dining plan to room only. My guess is Disney's contract with AAA says Disney reservations have to let the AAA agents book the package deals (probably so the agents don't get cut out of all Disney travel commissions.)

I've booked directly through AAA to get the Magic Your Way package for room, tickets & dining plan. We got a 20% AAA room discount when we booked.

If you don't have a personal Travel Agent at AAA, just call your local office and ask for the Disney specialist. Doesn't cost you any more, you get the same extras that straight Disney Magic Your Way packages give you (like the Planet Hollywood discount, SeaRaycer and mini-golf coupons) and sometimes there are additional perks your AAA agent tosses in. Like we booked last January when our local AAA was having "Disney Month" so we got $25 Disney gift cards when we checked in at our hotel in May.

Awesome, thanks. I "get" it now. I was having a major issue because the quote AAA gave me was only 14.00 less than going directly through disney which didn't make any sense then I found out she added on a "preferred" room which cut into our savings...I found out it would've been like 20% on the room itself...about 100.00. Which is great.

 

[lmillercrew]

So, how much of a discount do you get from AAA on a room only? I'm thinking of becoming a memeber of AAA so I can get a discount. Just want to make it worth while. But, any discount is better than no discount, right?

 

[snykymom]

The discounts range from 10-20% depending on the season and the level of resort. Go to the AAA website, click on Travel and you can download a brochure that gives you the discount.

 

[MikkiM]

So, how much of a discount do you get from AAA on a room only? I'm thinking of becoming a memeber of AAA so I can get a discount. Just want to make it worth while. But, any discount is better than no discount, right?

Anyone can book a vacation using a AAA travel agent, no need to buy the membership.

 

[lmillercrew]

Thanks guys!

 

[01Sweetpea]

If I book a package thru my AAA TA, and a code comes out can the code be applied to my package?

 

[brentalex]

Anyone can book a vacation using a AAA travel agent, no need to buy the membership.

While that may be true, you can not get the discount without the membership. They often will ask for your AAA card when you check in so they can confirm that you are a member.

 

[MikkiM]

While that may be true, you can not get the discount without the membership. They often will ask for your AAA card when you check in so they can confirm that you are a member.

I'm not a AAA member and I got the AAA discounts. The only thing I don't get is Diamond parking at the parks. I made sure to ask specifically if I booked a package thru them if I needed a membership and was told absolutely not. I was also told that for a room only AAA discount booked thru Disney you had to present your card, not for a package bought thru AAA.

 

[snykymom]

When I booked my trip through Disney, I was told that I will need to show my AAA card on checkin to get the discount. I also had to give the CRO my AAA number before they'd book with the discount. I've heard that others who booked with AAA travel agents to get the package were also told that they'd have to show their card on checkin.

Please let us know if Disney allows you to keep the AAA discount on your room without being an AAA member.