Uggh...help me with my Nov/Dec trip, please!!

[SnowWhite33]

I'm going in circles trying to figure out the best way to go. I am planning a 4 day cruise on the Wonder for Thanksgiving and then staying 6 nights at the Poly with 7 day park hoppers and dining plan for 2 adults and a 12 yo. Sounds like a dream vacation right? Well, it's making me crazy and we are only in January!! We are booking each seperate and I've priced it out several ways and with several agents. I'm 99.9% sure of going with AAA for the cruise portion since they are offering some good incentives-January is Disney month. The land portion of our stay is a little different. They are saving about $250 off of the CRO quote, which is pretty good. BUT-what if a code comes out later down the road? Plus, I have to admit I take my planning very seriously-I've always done it all on my own, so having to go through someone else makes me nervous. AND the AAA agent I was dealing with on the phone is not the most Disney knowledgeable.

Can AAA get the code discounts that come out? I understand I can't have both discounts (darn!!), but if a package comes out that was better, I'd want to switch. For those of you who trust your planning to AAA or other agents, please tell me that it will be ok. As always TIA to the all-knowing DISers who help -From trip 1 to now, I am always indebted to you!!

 

[Puffy2]

If you book AAA you only get the AAA code. You can get a AAA code by calling Disney direct too.

 

[Marthasor]

Hi SnowWhite33 - I feel your pain!!! We went with AAA last trip and, though, it all turned out ok, I, too, had a hard time relinquishing that control. I was also dealing with an AAA agent who wasn't a Disney expert (they deal with SO many different travel companies/destinations, when would most of them have the time?).

Here is what I learned from my past trip. First of all, the ONLY reason I would ever book through AAA again is if I wanted the dining plan as the only way you can get dining AND the AAA discount is by going through them and not Disney CRO. If you choose to book through AAA, you MUST continue to read these boards and do your homework! If a general public discount code comes out, Disney seems to always also issue an AAA code (that happened to us last year). I found out about it through these boards, and, through persistence, was able to get my AAA TA to call Disney and apply the code (it saved me an extra $135). You should also be really up to date on room categories/longhouses at the Poly. We too, stayed there on our trip (LOVED it, by the way) and booked GV. It took three times to finally convince my AAA TA that the Fiji longhouse rooms overlooking the Marina were not "water view" and were actually in the GV category - a lot of persistence just to get her to put in the request.

In the end, we had a fabulous trip. But again, if you are not married to the dining plan, I would book through Disney CRO and get the AAA room-only discount. Just my opinion.