Annual Pass vs. AAA rates

[Mikester71]

Okay, so I know there have been a few threads on here lately discussing the benefits of buying an annual pass, but when I asked this in one of those recent threads, I don't think anyone responded. All I want to know is whether or not it is more economical to look into an annual pass over just using CAA (Canadian AAA) to book our March 2009 WDW vacation.

I saw a lot of people on here say that if you are staying more than 7 days a year or per trip, the annual pass actually works out to be cheaper. Why I ask is because we are planning a 10 day trip next March to WDW, staying at the Pop Century resort again. Our recent pattern seems to be to go every two years for a week or 10 days. We have been using CAA here in my hometown to book our trips and the rates always seem pretty reasonable considering we are going in the middle of March during our Spring Break (peak season). If I can book the trip cheaper by getting an annual pass however, I am more than interested. I think I could squeeze an extra vacation in there before the year is up somehow, but not 100% sure on that.

I know I can just go on Disney's site and price the vacation as a whole and then use the AP rates to try and figure it out that way, but I was just wondering if there are any Canadian WDW vacationers who usually only go once every year or two out there, or any other yearly or less frequent WDW visitors really, who still find it is the better deal to look into the AP rate. Just for the record, we usually like to hit the water parks and do PI and DQ and all that too, so I know we would be looking at a premium annual pass. Or is it cheaper to just get an annual and buy separate tickets for those things? Any feedback and price comparisons would be greatly appreciated!:sohappy::wave:

 

[DisneyJoe]

Lately AAA and AP rates have been very close in price - every time I compare, I go with AAA as you can book them well in advance unlike AP rates that are never guaranteed.

I've even seen some AAA rates beat the AP rate, but thats usually at deluxe resorts - mostly because AAA rates are a percentage off the rack rate, and AP rates lately have been a fixed amount off the rack rate.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

There are many times that I've gotten better pricing using my AAA card than with my AP. I would however use KingdomKonsultants for the arrangements (then can apply AAA discount) as they know Disney a lot better than your average AAA agent.

 

[MAGICFLOP]

Here is my 2 cents. Other things to consider that may tip the balance. I know nothing about AAA, but I do understand AP. I have had an AP for 7 years now. If the prices are very close here are things that might tip the balance.
If you are stay outside WDW and are driving in each day, AP covers parking ($9/day). Also in a lot of Theme park restaurants the AP gets 10% of meals. Also AP gets 10% of Downtown Disney stores.

Just something to keep in mind!! hope this helps

 

[DisneyJoe]

If you are taking a 10-day trip:

adult 10-day Park Hopper costs $287.55, AP costs $477.12.

You need to calculate if you are going to benefit from the extra $189.57 that you are paying.

 

[Mikester71]

If I lived closer and knew that I would definitely go to WDW more than once every two years, it would be a no brainer. I would go with the AP hands down, just for the discounts on food and at the stores like you said MAGICFLOP. But since we seem to go only the once because of time and distance, I just wondered how AAA rates compared. And I would love to try Kingdom Konsultants, especially after hearing and seeing all the good things said about them on here, but I just don't know how convenient it would be. We usually take my mother-in-law (lives in the States) and my brother (who lives in Canada like me) and it is easy for any of us to walk into the local CAA down the street here and put money down on our vacation at any time. My brother doesn't have a credit card or anything, so usually will just go in every couple of pays and put some money down on our future trip. I may have to contact KK one of these days just to see what I can set up with them.

 

[DisneyJoe]

parking $9/day

Parking is now $11....

 

[Mikester71]

If you are taking a 10-day trip:

adult 10-day Park Hopper costs $287.55, AP costs $477.12.

You need to calculate if you are going to benefit from the extra $189.57 that you are paying.

Hey, thanks DisneyJoe. Just what I was looking for. Now, was that at peak season rates which I believe March break falls in for the park hopper cost?

 

[DisneyJoe]

Hey, thanks DisneyJoe. Just what I was looking for. Now, was that at peak season rates which I believe March break falls in for the park hopper cost?

Tickets cost the same throughout the year - only resort room rates change based on season.

http://www.allearsnet.com/pl/ticketchart.htm

 

[ClemsonTigger]

If you are taking a 10-day trip:

adult 10-day Park Hopper costs $287.55, AP costs $477.12.

You need to calculate if you are going to benefit from the extra $189.57 that you are paying.

And for comparative purposes, AAA membership is about $80...and it can be used for discounts year round.

If I lived closer and knew that I would definitely go to WDW more than once every two years, it would be a no brainer. I would go with the AP hands down, just for the discounts on food and at the stores like you said MAGICFLOP. But since we seem to go only the once because of time and distance, I just wondered how AAA rates compared. And I would love to try Kingdom Konsultants, especially after hearing and seeing all the good things said about them on here, but I just don't know how convenient it would be. We usually take my mother-in-law (lives in the States) and my brother (who lives in Canada like me) and it is easy for any of us to walk into the local CAA down the street here and put money down on our vacation at any time. My brother doesn't have a credit card or anything, so usually will just go in every couple of pays and put some money down on our future trip. I may have to contact KK one of these days just to see what I can set up with them.

If you get a Disney Visa, there are also discounts on certain purchases and meals...with no cost.

Generally room discounts are about the same between AAA and AP, so for your situation, I feel AAA is the way to go. As I said before however, you don't have to book through AAA to get AAA discount.

 

[Mikester71]

And for comparative purposes, AAA membership is about $80...and it can be used for discounts year round.



If you get a Disney Visa, there are also discounts on certain purchases and meals...with no cost.

Generally room discounts are about the same between AAA and AP, so for your situation, I feel AAA is the way to go. As I said before however, you don't have to book through AAA to get AAA discount.

That is what I wondered about. How exactly does that work. As I mentioned earlier, we book our trip through CAA up here in Canada and the funny thing is, we aren't even CAA members. My mother-in-law, who comes with us, is a AAA member (she lives across the river in Michigan), so I assumed that when I told this to the agent at CAA she must be using her to get us the discount. But then when we get down to Pop Century and go to check in, I don't remember them asking us to prove we were AAA members. :shrug:
I agree with you though, I still think I might just be better off using the AAA rate instead of purchasing an AP. Thanks for the advice. :wave:

 

[Becky]

AAA was cheaper for me this month (at Pop) as the rate w/discount was the same for all 7 nights. The AP rate w/discount was cheaper for Sun.-Thurs but significantly higher for Fri. and Sat.

I have booked both AP and AAA (total over 50 times) and never been asked to show my card. However with my luck the first time I did not have it at check-in they would ask.

 

[H20Babie]

If you get a Disney Visa, there are also discounts on certain purchases and meals...with no cost.

Canadians are ineligble for the Disney Visa. You must be a resident of the USA. (But your MIL could get one).

BTW: The CAA card also gets you discounts on behind the scenes tours, etc.

 

[SweetMagic]

So, another question then...

If you book your room either through AAA, or using a AAA discount does that then disqualify you from booking a Dining Package due to the fact that you have already booked a discount room and you can't double up on discounts?

 

[H20Babie]

If you book room-only using the AAA/CAA discount, then yes, you cannot add a package, including the DDP. You can, however, book a AAA/CAA package with DDP, which is still usually less than a quote from CRO.

 

[SweetMagic]

If you book room-only using the AAA/CAA discount, then yes, you cannot add a package, including the DDP. You can, however, book a AAA/CAA package with DDP, which is still usually less than a quote from CRO.

That's what I thought. I have an AP, but was just trying to figure out the best value for a stay in Sept. If Disney offers free dining in Sept. then I would not be able to have booked using my AP or AAA if I want the free dining plan apparently, so maybe I'll just use the AP or AAA discount (since I'll be there over the weekend) and forgo the dining since I think the discount is more than what I would spend on dining. We shall see I guess!

 

[Mikester71]

Canadians are ineligble for the Disney Visa. You must be a resident of the USA. (But your MIL could get one).

BTW: The CAA card also gets you discounts on behind the scenes tours, etc.

Cool, I did not know that. Thanks for the heads up! So we would just have to show them my MIL's AAA card then.:sohappy:

 

[Mikester71]

If you book room-only using the AAA/CAA discount, then yes, you cannot add a package, including the DDP. You can, however, book a AAA/CAA package with DDP, which is still usually less than a quote from CRO.

So another quick question then along the lines of SweetMagic04's. When we used CAA to book our last two WDW vacations with MYW packages, would we have gotten the whole package deal at a cheaper AAA rate or do they only discount the rooms? Would the CAA agent know to book them separately or do they usually just book it as a whole package for convenience?

 

[H20Babie]

So another quick question then along the lines of SweetMagic04's. When we used CAA to book our last two WDW vacations with MYW packages, would we have gotten the whole package deal at a cheaper AAA rate or do they only discount the rooms? Would the CAA agent know to book them separately or do they usually just book it as a whole package for convenience?

If you booked the MYW package with CAA, you would have gotten a package discount. Personally, when I book room only with the CAA discount, I reserve directly through Disney. If you do this (room-only) and then convert to a package with Disney, you lose the room-only discount.

I would assume the CAA agent would have booked you a package if you said you wanted the tickets included. Knowledgebale TA's would check the cost differences between packages and separate components. Unless I receive a pin code, I tend to book everything separately since it ends up coming out cheaper for me that way.

BTW, CAA/AAA is interchangeable ... it doesn't matter which one you have

 

[yazmin182]

Hello,

Sorry I can't help you with AAA or AP rates, but I noticed you're only an hour and 15 min from Detroit. Have you ever considered flying out of DTW if you haven't already? I think flights will probably be way cheaper than flying out from Canada. Especially look into Spirit Airlines, cheap fares and their non-stop.