Question for people who book through AAA

[jlcd]

Do you book online or go into your local AAA office? Is there any advantage to doing one over the other? Thanks!

 

[Dustmouse]

I submitted a request online and was contacted by a local AAA agent, but I did not like her very much, so on recommendation of a fellow DISer I called another agent out of state and she was great! I guess it doesn't really matter where either of you are.

 

[Palendat]

So I've been told, you can add the dining plan to a AAA-travel agent package, but not to a CRO room-only AAA discount. If you want the dining plan, book through AAA Travel. If you want a room-only, book through CRO. However, once booked, I'm not too sure how a AAA travel agent would ding you if you cancelled, or changed after other, better (hopefully) codes come out.

 

[MEK]

I got my AAA travel agent by going through the web site. Seh contacted me directly. When I had a code last year she applied it to my package. She has also booked my package for August and then one night for me in November (rest of stay on DVC points).

I like using the AAA agent because I am only dealing with one person. When I need to make changes, I contact her directly by phone or email.

Here is the best thing about booking with AAA - if you have their credit card you can start saving $ on your trips. I just paid off my current trip with my card. I applied $179 worth of rebates to this trip just for using my card. I won't go into the details, but I essentially saved $179 on my "free dining package". I don't think there is an annual fee for their card. I only use it for gas and for travel expenses. Every so often I get $50 rebate checks that can be applied to AAA services. On top of that I get 2% back whenever I pay for a trip with the card.

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Max is my favorite cat!

 

[jlcd]

Thanks for the replies. Do the AAA agents make your ADRs for you or do you do that yourself?. Also, will they lower the rate if a Disney special rate or promo comes out that is cheaper than the AAA package? TIA or all the help, I'm just trying to figure out which way to go for our April trip.

 

[Ilovestitch]

Yes, your AAA agent will make dining reservations and lower your rate if a code comes out. They get emails when a new code comes out and see if it is worth it for their clients.

 

[the Fidge]

I made mine over the phone and everything was processed through the mail. No problems at all!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly -

You can book with AAA, get their discounted rate and then if another public code comes out, they can apply it to your reservation and get it discounted further?

If I'm right, does this apply to packages too, or is this for room only reservations?

So much to learn...

 

[jenr812]

I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly -

You can book with AAA, get their discounted rate and then if another public code comes out, they can apply it to your reservation and get it discounted further?

If I'm right, does this apply to packages too, or is this for room only reservations?

So much to learn...

The way I understand it, you can only use one discount, either the AAA discount or free dining or whatever other discount WDW offers. But your AAA agent will apply whichever discount is a better deal for you and provide the other normal services that a AAA TA offers (making ADRs, getting the AAA parking pass, discount card, other AAA booking perks, etc.) HTHT!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

The way I understand it, you can only use one discount, either the AAA discount or free dining or whatever other discount WDW offers. But your AAA agent will apply whichever discount is a better deal for you and provide the other normal services that a AAA TA offers (making ADRs, getting the AAA parking pass, discount card, other AAA booking perks, etc.) HTHT!

Gotcha! I figured this was the way it worked, but just wanted to make sure!

Out of all my trips, this is the first one we've ever tried to get any sort of discount on. Better late than never, I guess!

 

[AMaloy314]

I ended up booking with AAA because in order to get a AAA package discount, you must use a AAA travel agent. I'm not sure if there will be any better discounts on our dates, but if there are, she will apply it. I figured that I'm in a no lose situation using her.

This is the first time that I've ever used a TA and I did run into a problem at the beginning. I went to a local office to book a basic package (to hold a family suite until 2007 packages come out) and was told that it couldn't be done. Of course, being a DISer, I knew better, so rather than argue with someone who didn't know WDW, I went online to request a TA that was a Disney College of Knowledge graduate. Within a couple of days, I had the name, number and email address of my current agent. I couldn't be happier with her. She got me booked and we are now just waiting for the 2007 package prices to be released. I guess the point of this story is...don't settle if you aren't comfortable with your travel agent.

 

[Nik's Mom]

Does anyone care to share the name and e-mail and or phone # of a good AAA TA? The one's here in Southern California know nothing about WDW.

 

[Scraper]

I am not a member of AAA but my inlaws are. They are comming down for our Oct. trip to Disney. I get the Fl. resident rate on the rooms but they were wondering if they can get a discount on th 7 day hopper through AAA. Would apprciate the info if anyone knows.

HAVE A MAGICAL DAY

 

[jlcd]

I would also be very happy to have the name and contact info for a good AAA agent. If anyone has one they would recommend could you please post or PM me? Thanks!!

 

[Donald is #1]

I am not a member of AAA but my inlaws are. They are comming down for our Oct. trip to Disney. I get the Fl. resident rate on the rooms but they were wondering if they can get a discount on th 7 day hopper through AAA. Would apprciate the info if anyone knows.

HAVE A MAGICAL DAY

I believe that if they go to their AAA office to buy their park hopper passes, then they will get them at the AAA rate. THe only hassle is that I don't think that all AAA offices carry all combinations of the passes. For example, my local office only has passes for 7 days or less. Have a great trip!

 

[kansas_visitors]

Bumping! Interested to hear if anyone has any good agent names to share!

 

[Natalya]

jlcd: I am also from CT and while I was planning this trip I contacted our local AAA office. The travel agent I got was very nice and seemed very knowledgeable. I ended up just keeping my CRO reservation but if I decided to add the dining I would have used the AAA agent.

I thought I called the Waterford office but when I got the travel agents card it has a Manchester office listed.

But anyhow the toll free number to the AAA office is 800-842-4320 (if you are calling from CT...if you are calling from out of state it would be a different name). The girl I talked to was Kim.

 

[jlcd]

Natalya,

Thanks. I'm only 15 min from Manchester. I think I'll stop in and see what they have to say!

 

[MeggerasMa]

For what it's worth: I contacted my local AAA travel agent. Lets just say that I wasn't comfortable with that arrangement. However, I've been a AAA member since I went to college and have had plenty of good dealings with them overall. I then went to the AAA website and asked for info re a Disney vaca. Within a few days, an agent contacted me by email and we went over the details. To make a long story short, Celeste, has been great. She even put up with my numerous changes! She currently has us booked with the "basic" package because our dates are definite, our hotel choice is absolute and we know we want the dining plan. I also agree with another poster who stated that the AAA credit card is a good deal. We also use ours for gas and hope to accumulate enough cash back to pay for our AAA membership fees (that includes membership for all our dear children). The regular services they provide have come in handy too.

 

[Dustmouse]

jlcd and kansas_visitors,

I sent you a PM with the info for the AAA TA that we used. She was great!