Which is better, AAA discount or free hoppers and water parks?

[tinkamom]

Can someone help me figure out whats best to do? I think I need some unbiased help from someone used to using AAA. My family is 3 adults and 1 child. Both quotes are for POR.

I have a reservation from Disney for 11 nights with the dining plan, 1 night room only and 10 day tickets with free hoppers and water parks. Total: $4489.83

AAA quote is for 12 nights with the DP and 10 day hoppers. Total: $4478.25 (No water parks)

I have 2 Park Hopper Plus tickets with 3 unused waterpark visits on each one so if we go with AAA, I would have to get waterpark tickets for DD25 and DGD4. Maybe another $90 if I could add the options to just their tickets. I would also have to purchase the AAA membership so that brings the cost of the AAA package to $4618.

So...the short version:
Disney: $4489.83 pay oop last day for food
AAA: $4616.25 DP for entire trip.

Difference: $126.42 (DP cost $124.96/day) Unless I'm missing something I don't think I would be saving anything but the DP "savings" and the cost of AAA for the year. Do you think thats worth it to change the reservation? Does it make any difference when they assign your rooms? Are the AAA rooms in a certain area?

Thanks for any help....I'm so unsure about changing the reservation!

 

[sandymandr]

This may not help, but I ended up switching to the free tix offer from AAA....it was $20 cheaper than my AAA quote AND I got the WP tix which I didn't have before. IF I had just waited, I could have saved my self the AAA membership, but on the other hand, I like having them do all the "dirty work". My agent calls CRO every time I need to make changes, or ME ressies, ADR's, etc...I'd rather talk to her for a few minutes, than be on hold for a long time with CRO. I only booked the AA in the first place because I knew that codes were not guaranteed. I would say save the AAA member $ and go with CRO and get your WP free!

 

[fitzkerry]

When you are looking at the value of Disney vs AAA you also have to factor in the fact that with AAA membership you get the value of the services of AAA such as free travelers checks, trip maps, guide books, discounts on lots of tickets (disney, sixflags etc), FTD, Pearl Vision, Target Online , car rentals, etc. You can easily save enough on the discounts available to pay for the cost of membership, for that matter if you use AAA once for lockout service, a tow, or emergency gas or a jump, you've gotten you're moneys worth.
Also with AAA you get several other package advantages that you may want to take into consideration.

 

[Tam1067]

AAA also gives you those perks with your booking--like the discount at World of Disney in DTD and, if you have a package, the storytime in MK. Sometimes you also get coupons for a free pin or picture frame (that varies). I would not pay extra for those, but they're there if you want them.

 

[karla63]

I have 2 rooms reserved for Pop for June 1-10, originally with the AAA disc., but when the free upgrade came out...I changed to that and saved a total of $80 for all of us. We are 4 adults, 3 16yr old and 1 9yr old. Thought it would have been more of a savings, but I guess the AAA disc was a pretty good discount.

 

[annieb727]

To get a better idea of what you'd be saving, maybe you need to look at two of the EXACT packages...look at AAA with only the 11 nights, keeping all options the same - you can then book an extra night only with a AAA discount directly thru WDTC. OR look at the AAA 12 night package with the WDTC 12 night package.

For us...we (me, dh, ds3, ds5) are staying 14 nights (DDP, 10 day hoppers) at ASMo, and going thru AAA saved us $300. We're still hoping for a 40% off code or better yet FREE dining (we're going in September). So that $300 has more than paid for our AAA membership. We are also staying a couple of nights at the Royal Pacific Resort at Universal (can't pass up that Front of the Line Pass), and saved about $42/night with AAA! Our packaged priced at $3601. Without AAA, thru WDTC it was $3,898.

~annie~

 

[tiki23]

Since joining AAA for the Disney discount last year, we've saved quite a bit of $$. My husband and I both had our cars towed once, received discounts on car repair, Jiffy Lube, a weekend getaway, dinners out, and on the train trip I booked for my Mom to come visit us. It's definitely been worth it for us.

And of course, we'll renew our membership this year...just in time to visit WDW again.