Question for AAA users

[mikey13v]

I am currently trying to book a package to WDW with AAA (3 night Pop, 1 day base ticket, and DDP for 2adult & 1child; no air, no car). The agents here in Washington State seem to be real clueless about WDW and the Diamond Parking Pass.
The question is what does your package need to include to get your parking pass?
The folks here don't seem to know WDW very well. I know a heck of a lot more than they do(with help from my fellow DISers), and they aren't willing to try to learn more.
Do any of you have an agent that is a WDW expert and might be able to help me better? One of the main reasons I joined AAA was for the parking pass.

 

[scgustin]

From what I understood when they gave me my diamond parking pass, is I still have to pay for parking, but I get a preferred lot.

I don't know how you can go about getting the pass if your local AAA office won't help.

 

[susan0326]

We used AAA last year and I was hesitant to use a TA but they saved me money over going through Disney. We are booking through them again this year because they are saving us money again.

After you make final payment on your package, Disney sends them your papers and they'll get them to you. The packet of papers looks a lot like what you get from Disney. There are slips of papers with different information. Your vouchers will be in there. Last year we got a voucher for the AAA lounge (one soda per person) in Magic Kingdom, the parking pass voucher (you can use it over and over again during the year on it), and the AAA diamond card (same as parking pass but a wallet-size card). We also got a free Photopass photo certificate, but I'm not sure if that came in the packet or if we got that upon check in. We also got AAA luggage tags. They look just like Disney's but with AAA logo added.

I picked up one of the AAA books the other day that lists the packages for this year if you need me to scan you a copy of anything that might help you. This year's packages include 1 free meal (per package) at Planet Hollywood, 1 Planet Hollywood souvenir, and a storytelling experience in Magic Kingdom (Mondays and Thursdays during our stay, AAA TA has to make ADR for this). This new stuff is in addition to the normal parking pass, AAA diamond card, etc.

I hope this helped. If there is anything I can help you with, let me know. I'm not a AAA expert, but I know what they've been able to do for us and what we experienced last year. I was pleased enough to go back with them again... but I like to save $!

Susan
http://www.beentheredonethatgoingback.blogspot.com

 

[susan0326]

If you are staying at a Disney Resort, parking is free. You will get a paper to put in your window when you drive to the park. Just show them the paper. If you have questions, ask the CM upon check in to make sure you know which paper it is.

Once you drive into the park, you should see signs for AAA parking. I think they get you to follow a certain color lines (blue or yellow). You might need to show the CM at the gate your AAA parking voucher. We only used the parking card last year at the TTC (going to Magic Kingdom) and we'll probably not use it this year. I'd rather ride the buses.


HTH!
Susan
http://www.beentheredonethatgoingback.blogspot.com

 

[momfor4]

Has anyone ever arrived at their hotel and received any free upgrades and already have used AAA to book their reservations?? just wondering what the chances of any upgrades would be if any with using AAA discount for your package?!?

 

[yellowfish78]

momfor4: You get the same chances if you booked it yourself. I was on a AAA package last January and we were upgraded to a waterview at POFQ. A few years before Disney ran out of king beds at CS so they gave us a suite. I would have been happy with a waterview, but it was cool having a "living room" at Disney!

 

[mikey13v]

Thanks for your help!
I just called a third AAA office and found someone who knew more about this stuff. She assured me that my request was a "select AAA vacation package," and would have all the perks (Storytelling, Diamond discount card, and luggage tag). When I asked about the parking, she assured me that it was included, but wouldn't call it the Diamond parking pass, would say that it came with parking included. I think I'm OK, but I'll find out when I get my docs soon. Anyhow I'm sure she will take care of me if it isn't the Diamond Parking pass. I made it very clear that it was a key factor in my booking.

Of coarse I'll be happy just to be there, and won't let it bother me while I'm there if things don't work out.

 

[bubba73]

The Diamond Parking pass will get you a closer parking spot so it will eliminate you riding the tram to the front gates. You get a free parking pass by staying on property. That portion is not a AAA benefit. It is a benefit by staying on property that Disney provides.

As far as your AAA rep not knowing anything about Disney, that is very likely because I have found at my AAA Center, there are people that don't know anything about WDW. It seems that each of the reps have certain types of vactions they specialize in. They are supposed to be able to talk intelligently about all the different vacations but that could be as far as they go. What you might want to do is to tell your agent to call the AAA Welcome Center in Ocala, Florida. I am sure they could help your rep with any issues. They, of course, specialize in WDW. So much so that as you are driving up, you see a giant Mickey. As far as my parking pass, I received it in my package after I paid off my balance. So just because they don't know anything about it, that doesn't mean you won't automatically get it when you get your passes.

Hope that helps!

 

[Ariel'sMom]

We booked our DisneyWorld hotel through AAA. In the past, when I have done it directly, we have received a packet of info from Disney. Will AAA be receiving our travel packet (with luggage tags, etc.) or will it be sent directly to us?

 

[slenderella]

AAA will be getting your packet before you go and they will have you come and pick it up. We have booked 3 trips through AAA. They do a great job.

 

[Cynt]

BTW...their Disney world brochure book is really good. Good CURRENT information and a good map of the WDW area, including highways and off site hotels. It even has a section w/ specials for offsite hotels. If you have a AAA brick and mortar near you, I suggest you pickup this brochure.