TA just cost me more money

[jmartinez1895]

A bit of a vent here os please bear with me. I booked our upcoming trip with AAA and so far had been pleased with the service I had gotten. This is the first time I have used a TA and I have been on the phone with her for week now because i knew of the free dinning coming out and I did not want ot miss it.I was told to not worry, everything would be taken care of and I should just relax. I called many times yesterday to make sure and got no return phone call. I called many times today to see if anything had changed and still no phone call. Being that I booked at my AAA office I called my insurance guy and asked if the TA was in the office. He informed me that she was out sick and that the office manager was taking over till she got back. I spoke to her and she told me that the reason that she never called me back was that the free dinning did not apply to my trip ( that is not true). I eventually got her to call them and see and low and behold it does.
I am mad because all morning long the standard room was available, but now that group of rooms is already booked and I now have to pay more for a garden view. It is not a lot of money, but it is the principal of the thing.

 

[MomToOne]

I'd cancel the AAA booking, then rebook yourself using the Disney website. Then, if a standard room DOES become available, you can call Disney yourself and switch your reservation.

 

[vicki_c]

Non-Disney specialist TAs often don't know what they are doing relative to Disney visits, including AAA. I'm not against using a TA, but for Disney, I would only use a Disney certified specialist, preferable a TA that has gone through Disney College of Knowledge training.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Dreams Unlimited Travel, they know WDW- or book it yourself. I would have been very annoyed too.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'd cancel the AAA booking, then rebook yourself using the Disney website. Then, if a standard room DOES become available, you can call Disney yourself and switch your reservation.

 

[Eastern]

I'd cancel the AAA booking, then rebook yourself using the Disney website.

That's what I did when my AAA TA couldn't get me a deal on my already booked trip. I kept saying, "it's right on the website!" and she kept saying, "I don't think it applies". So I booked it myself, then called her back to cancel.

 

[Minnesota!]

cancel with aaa, rebook with dreams unlimited or online yourself..
``

 

[angwill]

A bit of a vent here os please bear with me. I booked our upcoming trip with AAA and so far had been pleased with the service I had gotten. This is the first time I have used a TA and I have been on the phone with her for week now because i knew of the free dinning coming out and I did not want ot miss it.I was told to not worry, everything would be taken care of and I should just relax. I called many times yesterday to make sure and got no return phone call. I called many times today to see if anything had changed and still no phone call. Being that I booked at my AAA office I called my insurance guy and asked if the TA was in the office. He informed me that she was out sick and that the office manager was taking over till she got back. I spoke to her and she told me that the reason that she never called me back was that the free dinning did not apply to my trip ( that is not true). I eventually got her to call them and see and low and behold it does.
I am mad because all morning long the standard room was available, but now that group of rooms is already booked and I now have to pay more for a garden view. It is not a lot of money, but it is the principal of the thing.

I would ask them to pay the difference for messing up and if they don't keep going up the chain of command. Someone should get in trouble for it. That said I had a Disney specialist TA do the same thing to me the first year free dining came out. We had to switch resorts to get the rate we originally had because our first choice of resorts booked up. She didn't bother to keep checking the original resort for us for an opening either even though she was supposed to. Sadly, when I took it to the owner she could care less. It was not the Disney specialists TA listed above on the dis though and I am sure most do a good job.

 

[sammysmom]

I would always recommend using someone that specializes in Disney travel

 

[dcibrando]

I'd book with dream come true vacation .com - they are very helpful and knowledgable about disney world

 

[Srbright]

Devils advocate (but I agree with this position). I made my own reservation and called yesterday to add free dining. I was on hold 2 hrs 20 mins total. By the time I got to a CM my room type was sold out. Even if the AAA agent was there there was no guarantee that they could have gotten you the room you wanted.

On the FB board I am on, some of the TAs were on hold 6 hours yesterday.

I think they may owe you an apology for poor customer service, but they don't owe you money.

Stacy

 

[mm1971]

We always book ourselves so we can make adjustments quickly. I would rebook on your own or use a Disney TA as suggested and cancel the AAA one. Why allow them to get paid without doing the work?

 

[jmartinez1895]

Devils advocate (but I agree with this position). I made my own reservation and called yesterday to add free dining. I was on hold 2 hrs 20 mins total. By the time I got to a CM my room type was sold out. Even if the AAA agent was there there was no guarantee that they could have gotten you the room you wanted.

On the FB board I am on, some of the TAs were on hold 6 hours yesterday.

I think they may owe you an apology for poor customer service, but they don't owe you money.

Stacy

If they had made an attempt to call I would be satisfied, but she thought that because we are checking in on the last day if the offer then it would not apply to us so she did not even call until after 4pm when I insisted that we could get the free dinning.
If it where not for the fact that I almost have the trip paid for by using gift cards then I would cancel. I still might, it would just be a pain to make sure it all gets refunded to the cards, but we shall see.
I am going to give my TA a few days to get well and see if she calls me back and see what she has to say. You can bet that I will never book with AAA again.

 

[Dsnyfireman]

We went this year last week of February . Was going to be just the wife and I at first. We went to our local disney TA. Got a price for all star sports, qs dining, 4 day park hoppers and airfare of about $3400. Then we decided to take the kids( parents couldn't watch them at that time) I called disney direct, got same hotel, same week , free dining and my DD was 2 so she was free, same days park hopper and air fair. Also added FP+ and it all cost about $3200!! Two more people on flights, one more park ticket, free dining did help of coarse, and FP+ all for $200 bucks less by booking with disney. Every time I go to a TA for disney I save more by booking direct. I go on the web site and play around with arrival days and hotels ( let's face it that's have the fun ) then call disney and tell them what I saw and they usually save me some on that price .

 

[shortbun]

While I love my AAA membership, the triptiks, discounts, luggage sales, tour books...I would not use their travel agents to book anything other than a simple hotel room and I actually book those myself. You need a Disney Specialist for a thorough WDW booking. Or-you can do it yourself.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Having an existing reservation does nothing but work against you. I know the appeal of being able to do reservations 180-10, but that's all. It doesn't put you ahead of new FD bookings and it give Disney the impression that it doesn't need to offer discounts when so many are booking at rack rate.

It would have been so much easier to book a new reservation the morning if online.

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

Thats frustrating, I am sorry. My AAA TA is a Disney specialist and called me last year when my already booked trip became eligible for free dining before I even knew it was out. It didn't save me money this time (had a good PIN applied), but last time he got us a GC promo when we were already booked. There are good ones out there, but not all TAs are equal. I hope you get the trip booked that you really want!

 

[stmize]

Thats frustrating, I am sorry. My AAA TA is a Disney specialist and called me last year when my already booked trip became eligible for free dining before I even knew it was out. It didn't save me money this time (had a good PIN applied), but last time he got us a GC promo when we were already booked. There are good ones out there, but not all TAs are equal. I hope you get the trip booked that you really want!

I have a wonderful aaa ta Emailed her the dates we wanted and resort got the same price as Disney but also got the aaa perks. Such as planet Hollywood $15 vouchers. Min golf vouchers. Arcade game card. Story time at Epcot And preferred fireworks viewing at plaza landing

 

[cheer25mom]

I will never use a TA for Disney again. I can do it myself and only have to look out for me, not 20 other clients.

 

[sydneysmom]

I'd cancel the AAA booking, then rebook yourself using the Disney website. Then, if a standard room DOES become available, you can call Disney yourself and switch your reservation.

Totally agree 100%. Go right out to Disney's website and book it yourself.