Tell me about AAA

maciemouse

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 6, 2007
Messages
638
The website shows what I need as available as far as hotels go. If I book, I have to have a card present at check in. right? Do you think I will get the card by May 5. Also, what are the benefits of being a member? Do they offer any kind of discount?
Thank you! I am a beginner at this stuff.
 
I'm very happy with our AAA membership. Aside from the roadside services (which are outstanding):

Sometimes, AAA discount is the only one available (15% off mods). They are great for plane tix (especially when we have group). The tour books are free for members, and the travel merchandise discount is good. Best of all is we have the AAA credit card. We get 3% back on gas purchases, and earn $50 per $5,000 spent, which we use for plane tix.

However, I don't use them as my WDW travel agent. I find that Dreams Unlimited agents are far better at getting me the discounts and room requests I want.
 
barbeml,
We are currently booked at the Poly for three nights in May. On our 4th night, there is no availability. The only thing they have available is Pop. So we are booked there. I was thinking that it would be hard going from Poly to Pop. So I wanted to try for Beach Club, AKL, or POR. Well, nothing is available. All three of these resorts are available on the AAA site. Is it worth me joining to get one of these rooms? If AAA is a great service, I don't mind paying the joining fee. How do you get these discounts? Is it thru their website, or do I call Disney to get their discount?
 
AAA is a great to have. AAA discounted rooms are subject to availability so they may have rooms available but they may not be discounted.
 

If you deal with AAA make sure you know what the rack rate is so you know if you're getting a discount. Im sure there are great TAs there, i know there are some on these boards, maybe its because I live far away, but they are the worst to deal with for Disney here and don't even understand their own promos (discounts etc.). Everytime I deal with them its a hassle and the last time the TA didn't even know that members got a discount.

They are great for the discount, but they'd probably lose 90 percent of their disney business if it weren't for the program, which they mismanage. I have no idea why their company puts so much money into buying this huge benefit for themselves and then doesn't train their employees adequately. This spring, I said forget the extra bonuses of going through AAA after trying again to get a package through them and just booked with disney and got room only. Of the things they didn't know or misrepresented: 1) They tried to sell me the old DDP with tips etc included, 2) they booked a room at rack rate, told me it was AAA rate, I said it is not, they called back and found out I was correct and they were confused as to the availibility issue. I knew about it, explained it, and asked to try another resort, but they had no problem just fibbing about something they didn't know about. 3) Attempted to charge me a 50 dollar research fee because the hotel I wanted (wilderness lodge) wasn't in their 1 year old guide book.

It goes on, moral of the story, be careful with them, they aren't disney experts. This wasn't one TA, I've tried 3 separate times, all different years and experience similar disasters every time. And I know exactly what I want, when, where and am understanding if the discounts are sold out etc. Feel sorry for the people who don't and just accept what they are told as truth.

Their roadside stuff is great. Used them last week :).
 
barbeml,
We are currently booked at the Poly for three nights in May. On our 4th night, there is no availability. The only thing they have available is Pop. So we are booked there. I was thinking that it would be hard going from Poly to Pop. So I wanted to try for Beach Club, AKL, or POR. Well, nothing is available. All three of these resorts are available on the AAA site. Is it worth me joining to get one of these rooms? If AAA is a great service, I don't mind paying the joining fee. How do you get these discounts? Is it thru their website, or do I call Disney to get their discount?

You do NOT have to book through AAA to get a AAA discount at WDW. You just need to have your AAA number and can book through Dreams Unlimited (and others, I'm sure, I just have no experience with them) or directly with Disney. You'd have to run the numbers (cost of membership vs. room discount) to see if it's worth it to you to join AAA.

As a PP said, AAA agents are often woefully ignorant of Disney discounts and their own preferred provider status.
 
I think we had a printable card right away and got our actual cards shortly after we joined (2 weeks).

I will buy an AAA membership when the room is dicounted enough to make up for the membership - think it has been worthwhile the last 3 visits. We price out AAA membership, then call Disney and check out prices versus rack rate.
 
If you get a good agent, AAA is very good.

We've saved about $400 off this year's upcoming trip by going through them, and we saved about the same last year. My agent knows her stuff and always returns my calls, so I'm happy with them. That said, the quality of agents varies.

I also like the free maps and guide books which are really quite helpful.

AAA membership also brings with it discounts at other places (admission to various museums, Payless shoes, Lenscrafters, and more) which might be worthwhile depending on your personal choices.
 
I booked my trip in October with AAA. I am saving about $300 with them and my agent has been very helpful. I can also go back to her if an upgrade of any kind becomes available and she will get that for me also. There are also the perks that AAA gives you in the park. I keep AAA for the roadside help also. In fact the day I booked my trip to WDW I had to call roadside assistance to come to the AAA office because in my excitement to plan my trip I locked my keys in the car. :rotfl:
 
Discounts are the only reason we have AAA. We just got a Pop room to stay in before our Boardwalk trip. Cost us $70+tax.

It's worth it!
 
I bought AAA for the Disney discounts (AAA packages can only be booked through AAA), but I keep renewing it because I find the auto coverage is nice to have too! It has saved me a bundle on Disney trips, and came in handy for car towing too.
 
I called a local AAA TA for the first time last week to get a quote on a package for 2 rooms at Pop. She quoted me rack rates. So I checked the AAA website myself, put in our dates for Pop, and what do you know?......there's rooms available for $65.60 plus tax per night.

I just don't get it.:confused3

Anyway, I'm working on getting a package quote using our AAA discount from Dreams Unlimited. Hopefully the TA there is more educated when it comes to Disney packages and getting the appropriate discounts.:thumbsup2
 
Booked room-only thru Disney using our AAA card and saved $275 on our split stay in August WL (15%) and CSR (20%).
 

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