AAA Question

[WildcatDen]

Here is a question that may have been asked in one form or another. We are looking into a AAA membership and had questions about the price break for a Disney trip. Does anyone have experience with booking a WDW trip using a AAA discount? The basic question is. . .

"Is it more cost effective to book your trip through a AAA office or to book it through the Disney site and apply the AAA discount?"

We plan on going to WDW in November 2007 and stay at CBR. I heard that, booking through AAA, you can reserve (not request) a building and even a room. Any truth in that?

 

[bemusing]

I cannot give you a complete answer, but my advice would be--call Disney reservations and ask them if you, as a AAA member, would receive any discount on your specifically planned trip.

I just booked my next vacation two days ago at Pop Century and was told that there "were no AAA discounts for this particular resort." So, check first with Disney then compare with AAA reservations. Good luck!

 

[Matpez]

We plan on going to WDW in November 2007 and stay at CBR. I heard that, booking through AAA, you can reserve (not request) a building and even a room. Any truth in that?

Nope, there is no way to do that. I ended up with 2 double beds at CBR for my honeymoon.

Overall, AAA will typically give you their discount or the current disney offer (they can't be combined) if you have an agent who is willing to compare them for you.

AAA does have a few benefits, such as the diamond parking if you plan on driving yourself (which I would personally recommend if you plan on staying at CBR).

 

[WildcatDen]

My in-laws stayed at PORS last November and booked through AAA. They were able to reserve their room, location and all in advance. . .

I have asked them this same question on discounts and have not gotten a clear answer as to what may be cheaper. Of course, he may still lurk on this site so he may be reading the post. There goes our dinner invitation. . .

 

[tigsmom]

If you want to use the AAA discount you will have to book thru them, unless things have changed. We used them a few years ago and they were nice throughout the entire process. We drove down so they even booked our rooms for the trip down and back and sent the trip ticket and guide books for the regions we were passing thru. You do get other perks while at WDW, but I wouldn't join just for the discount, you could probably do better elsewhere.

 

[Big-Bad-Dave]

I would just call yourself and ask for the discount. It seems easier to me that way.

 

[DisneyMissy]

This May will be our 2nd trip staying at Pop Century and using AAA. We saved more money this way than booking straight with Disney. I do not know why your were told that you couldn't use the discount for Pop. The Diamond card also saves you 10% off at some of the Downtown Disney stores :sohappy:

 

[MickeyTigg]

Here is a question that may have been asked in one form or another. We are looking into a AAA membership and had questions about the price break for a Disney trip. Does anyone have experience with booking a WDW trip using a AAA discount? The basic question is. . .

"Is it more cost effective to book your trip through a AAA office or to book it through the Disney site and apply the AAA discount?"

We plan on going to WDW in November 2007 and stay at CBR. I heard that, booking through AAA, you can reserve (not request) a building and even a room. Any truth in that?

I have not booked a trip with AAA, but I'll tell you that their discounts on tickets are basically the same as Disney's Advance Purchase discount. For tickets you can do better through Undercover Tourist, Maple Leaf Tickets or The Official Ticket Center.

 

[thecompman]

We are going down tomorrow, and we booked our package with dining through AAA. We are staying at Port Orleans French Quarter. They were great to book through, very knowledgeable. We saved lots of money, and when Disney came out with the promotion of including free Water Parks with the Park Hopper tickets, they even called us and asked if we wanted our tickets switched at no extra charge. Plus they sent us 2 cute picture frames and some coupons.

 

[WDWFanatic]

What is diamond parking?

 

[Tinkwings]

Last year we used an AAA discount at the Wilderness Lodge...but got a lobby room, less preferable in my opinion...rather noisy.... This year I called way back in August, the DAY after they released the AAA discount for 2007 and they said there were no AAA discounts available on concierge level. I talked with them a bit and they said most resorts have a rather limited # of rooms and when they are gone, that's it. So you cannot just get your AAA discount on ANY room. Think we paid 55 for a AAA membership and saved about $120 during peak season. Would only give us a lobby room so I am assuming that is what my discount got me?:brick:

 

[brisem]

We used AAA in 2004 and booked at Pop Century. The difference was about $50. You got the 10% discount at DTD and a free soda at there lounge (which I think they closed). All our tickets and luggage tags were sent to AAA.

 

[tigsmom]

What is diamond parking?

Preferred parking spaces at the parks that you can use with the pass, if there is room. We never used ours because we used Disney transportation.

 

[WildcatDen]

I would just call yourself and ask for the discount. It seems easier to me that way.

Probably best, I just thought some experts here may have had prior experience.

Is there a sopt on the Disney Reservation site to put in a AAA discount code? I thought I read somewhere that applying the code in this way can save between 10 and 15% depending on the resort class. I was curious if this savings was higher/lower than booking directly through AAA.

 

[tigsmom]

Probably best, I just thought some experts here may have had prior experience.

Is there a sopt on the Disney Reservation site to put in a AAA discount code? I thought I read somewhere that applying the code in this way can save between 10 and 15% depending on the resort class. I was curious if this savings was higher/lower than booking directly through AAA.

Don't know how reliable this is because who knows how often sites are updated...

Room only can be booked by calling WDW or a travel agent and asking if there is any discount available. Discounted tickets must be bought thru the AAA office. As I said earlier, we were told that to book a package with the discount you had to deal with AAA, but that may have changed.

*shrugs*

Guess you may have to make some calls or check out AAA's site. Good luck! :wave:

 

[luvGoofy]

When we do just a room only reservation we use our AAA discount and it is pretty good. We also use Pam from Kingdom Konsultants and she is wonderful at finding and getting any discounts available.

 

[PotteryGal]

We booked our trip last November through AAA for the Wilderness Lodge. We requested a room with bunk beds in a quieter area of the Lodge, and that's what we got, so we were very happy with that. AAA also offers character storytime at MK when you book a package with them, and that was fun for our kids. Aladdin read our story and then posed for pics and autrographs.

 

[VT GAL]

When we booked our last trip with AAA, the branch that we went through had 1 person who only did disney reservations. He was SUPER helpful and we had a great experience. We saved about $75, and the trip books and the other little booklets they gave us were great.

 

[jasondiff]

I don't know if you can get AAA discounts on rooms through the web site, I couldn't find a place for a code, so I just called CRO.

In my opinion buying AAA with the hope of getting a discount is not worth it. On the other hand, if AAA rates are available for your stay, then getting an AAA membership probably makes sense. You can call CRO and ask for AAA discounts for a room-only reservation, and even book it without having an AAA membership. You will, however, have to show the card at check-in. I booked rooms at POP with a 10% AAA discount.

A lesser-known fact is that you DO NOT have to be an AAA member to use the AAA Travel Agency to book your Disney vacation. Using the travel agency is open to everyone. You do have to be an AAA member to get things like maps, triptiks, discounted park tickets, etc. I have always found better deals online for park tickets, and AAA often doesn't have a big selection (my AAA has only 4 and 5 day, not 7).

I do not believe that you can reserve (as opposed to request) your room when booking through AAA. Your requests will be noted just like everyone else's are noted, and are not guaranteed.

 

[gjpjtj]

Do you know if you can get the parking pass just for being a AAA member? Or do you need to purchase a package from them?

I am a AAA member, but got a much better deal on my upcoming trip by using a code posted on Mousesavers.com.