Triple A booking vs Disney direct??

[danielle916]

sorry if this was double posted...

Well i just got off the phone with AAA, they are offering with dining, tickets, and room......300.00 less then what Disney quoted...

so now, whats the catch? lol
i just feel thats too good to be true, so can anyone help and give me the pros and cons with booking through AAA VS. Disney........

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ShariVT]

triple A is less because with them you get a room discount and the dinning plan. If you book with disney you pay rack rate for the room, if you want the dinning plan. When we stay at disney and use the dinning plan we always book with triple A for the discount. Enjoy your trip.

 

[danielle916]

triple A is less because with them you get a room discount and the dinning plan. If you book with disney you pay rack rate for the room, if you want the dinning plan. When we stay at disney and use the dinning plan we always book with triple A for the discount. Enjoy your trip.

thank you, i am getting alot of mixed reviews, thats why i am so confused, someone mentioned that aaa OWNS your ressie so you can't change it etc.

 

[MagiKitty]

I booked my FD September trip with AAA earlier this week. I had also emailed for quotes from two online TAs who specialize in Disney travel. The three quotes were exactly the same price. I didn't even try calling Disney direct b/c of all the stories of people on hold for over an hour! I called my AAA, gave her my dates and desired resort. She called me back about 15 minutes later and I had my trip all set.

There are supposedly some AAA perks when booking for Disney, I"m not sure of what they are.

In my case, a 7 day value resort trip without free dining came up $40 MORE than an 8 day with free dining. I'm not going to ask questions...I'm going to Disney!

 

[danielle916]

I booked my FD September trip with AAA earlier this week. I had also emailed for quotes from two online TAs who specialize in Disney travel. The three quotes were exactly the same price. I didn't even try calling Disney direct b/c of all the stories of people on hold for over an hour! I called my AAA, gave her my dates and desired resort. She called me back about 15 minutes later and I had my trip all set.

There are supposedly some AAA perks when booking for Disney, I"m not sure of what they are.

In my case, a 7 day value resort trip without free dining came up $40 MORE than an 8 day with free dining. I'm not going to ask questions...I'm going to Disney!

thank you!!!!

 

[danielle916]

i gotta ask this now, does AAA book your adr's?

 

[MagiKitty]

I don't know about that. I was so excited about dining that I went ahead and called 1-407-wdw-dine myself. I didn't know my reservation number, I just gave them my cell number. I think you need to give a way to be contacted while down there. I did tell them where I would be staying. Good luck! Its my first time doing free dining and ADRs, so I know where you're coming from. Let me know if I can help at all.

 

[yellowfish78]

thank you, i am getting alot of mixed reviews, thats why i am so confused, someone mentioned that aaa OWNS your ressie so you can't change it etc.

i gotta ask this now, does AAA book your adr's?

AAA "owns" your reservation in that you can't call Disney to make any changes to it. You call your travel agent and they do all the changes. Some people like this because then you have one person to deal with compared to talking to a different agent each time you call Disney. If you have problems while on vacation, you also know who to call to help you fix it.
Some travel agents will make dining reservations for you, but you can make them yourself too. Just ask your agent for the confirmation number of your package. Should be an 8 digit number starting with either 7 (if your agent booked it online which qualifies you for a free 5x7 photo from Disney's Photopass) or a 5 if your agent called Disney to book it over the phone with them.
Some of the extra perks are a planning guide, AAA Diamond Card for discounts onsite at some places, parking pass if you're driving, and the AAA Storytime for the children.
HTH!

 

[ShariVT]

I also made all my own adr's. As far as aaa owning your reservation I don't see that as a big deal if I need to make a change I just call them.

 

[kkwis2]

We used AAA in March of 2006. Between our two rooms we saved a couple hundred dollars. We had to join which cost around $80.00 (we had been members before and kept thinking about rejoining anyway) and we also booked our airfare through them which saved us $.

This trip we were lucky enough to get a code through Disney so we are saving 40% off rack rate on our rooms.

If anyone knows - and I'm guessing I can't do this but...since this is the budget board....can I keep our hotel reservation through Disney but get discounted tickets through AAA? It know it is probably double dipping but it never hurts to ask.

 

[PrincessMom98]

If anyone knows - and I'm guessing I can't do this but...since this is the budget board....can I keep our hotel reservation through Disney but get discounted tickets through AAA? It know it is probably double dipping but it never hurts to ask.

If you are booking a room only reservation through Disney you can buy your tickets anywhere. Check out mousesavers.com and sign up for their newsletter. You can get some good prices on tickets through them.

 

[kkwis2]

If you are booking a room only reservation through Disney you can buy your tickets anywhere.

If I book room only does that mean we can or can't use Magical Express to and from the airport?

Thanks!

 

[PrincessMom98]

If I book room only does that mean we can or can't use Magical Express to and from the airport?

Thanks!

We drive down so we have never used Disney's Magical Express but as long as you are staying in one of Disney's hotels you can use the service. Here is the link to Magical Express FAQ.

 

[OnourwaytoWDW]

Now I was told by my AAA agent that I couldn't have their room discount AND free dining. I opted to pay rack rate on the room and get the free dining because it came out better that way in the long run.

 

[mtblujeans]

If I book room only does that mean we can or can't use Magical Express to and from the airport?

Thanks!

I believe you can use ME. Call whoever you made your reservations through and let them know you intend to use ME. They will make arrangements for you to receive special tags for your bags to get them taken to your hotel with you on ME.

 

[jrsmom]

We most always use AAA. I like being able to deal with one person. There is a woman who I always deal with and she has never done wrong by us.

As far as dining goes, you will need to call Disney yourself and make all of your ADR's.

I have booked through AAA when booking free dining,room only and with discount codes found on all of the different sites without a problem.

 

[mtblujeans]

After reading this thread, I went to the Disney site and priced a one-week stay with the free dining. Once I added the free dining, the price of the stay jumped $700! I don't understand that.....!

 

[MagiKitty]

Now that is just crazy...it doesn't make any sense at all.

 

[seven dwarfs]

I have booked both ways. If u book through Disney directly ask for the AAA rate and they will give it to u. It will be the same rate u can get from AAA. I have booked the free dinning twice now. Last year through AAA with rack rate room (no double discount) and this year through Disney. It was the same price. I know people have said to be able to get both discounts (room and free food) through AAA and maybe so but I have not had that experience. In fact anyone who has an agent who can get both please pm me the name and number so I can get that deal! Last year I needed to change a request on our room location. I didn't want to bother my agent and called Disney to make these changes. I was not allowed to and had to call my agent. There are pros and cons to both. This year we decided to just book through Disney so I know that all my requests are made. Oh and u do get the diamond card but the discounts are less and less every year and I have found that the Disney Visa can get u most of the same ones. Example the Disney store at DTD will give u a discount with the aaa diamond card but u can get the same with the Disney visa. We never had time for the story book thing but I am sure it is nice for those who do it. I hope I helped some. I guess the real answer is whatever floats your boat! They are both ok!

 

[mtblujeans]

Ok, now I have found the free dining link to price the vacation with the accurate price. Go down to the "get started" button to begin putting together the details and it will give you a quote to the trip with the free dining.

I have been pricing and it appears that AAA and Disney are the same in rate for this special.