[MickeyEars]

Has anyone booked through AAA? (I know this sounds like a dumb question - but I've always booked our WDW trips myself; and I've always been told no question is a dumb question - and I have many.)

How much of a discount does AAA give? Has anyone run the figures and done a comparison to see how much you saved by not booking yourself?

I'm going to officially book my trip (early December) at WL next week and was curious as to what savings people have gotten by using AAA?

If you have booked through AAA, do they also have to make all your ADR's or can you do that yourself?

Who doesn't want to save money if they can - I know I do (especially at the Holidays). It's the whole control of the trip issue with me. I like to be able to call and make changes myself (if I have to) without going through an agent.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!

[woohoo]

you definately save money- I believe its 20% of the room rate portion of the package. You dont save any more if its a time like free dining- and if you have a AAA visa card some of the offices offer you an additional 2% off your package price. But there is no discount if you call directly- so anything is better than nothing.

[Daisee]

PM Val32, she just booked through AAA.

[lovemysons]

Originally Posted by MickeyEars

Has anyone booked through AAA? (I know this sounds like a dumb question - but I've always booked our WDW trips myself; and I've always been told no question is a dumb question - and I have many.)

How much of a discount does AAA give? Has anyone run the figures and done a comparison to see how much you saved by not booking yourself?

I'm going to officially book my trip (early December) at WL next week and was curious as to what savings people have gotten by using AAA?

If you have booked through AAA, do they also have to make all your ADR's or can you do that yourself?

Who doesn't want to save money if they can - I know I do (especially at the Holidays). It's the whole control of the trip issue with me. I like to be able to call and make changes myself (if I have to) without going through an agent.

Any advice is GREATLY appreciated!!

If you go to MouseSavers.com - Disney Discount Source - Disney World Discounts, Disneyland Discounts, Disney Cruise Discounts, you will find what the AAA discounts are, and any other discounts that are available.

[MissDisney]

Be sure to ask you AAA agent about Diamond Parking, which is a nice treat you get when you book through them. It allows you to have some nice parking spots at the parks!

[MickeyEars]

I'm still leary; I went to mousesavers.com and read about the discount section; it sounds that if you book through AAA and a better discount comes up you're not always notified of the discount. Sounds like you still have to do alot of monitoring yourself for other potential and even better cost savings discounts.

Thanks to all who responded so far. I will defintely check into AAA though and see what they have to offer.

[woohoo]

Originally Posted by MickeyEars

I'm still leary; I went to mousesavers.com and read about the discount section; it sounds that if you book through AAA and a better discount comes up you're not always notified of the discount. Sounds like you still have to do alot of monitoring yourself for other potential and even better cost savings discounts.

Thanks to all who responded so far. I will defintely check into AAA though and see what they have to offer.

No you are not always notified, but you are not always notified by any travel agent. You will however find out about them here as soon as they hit because we are all about discounts here and then you call your AAA agent and tell them you want the discount added. Its the same no matter where you go.

[MickeyEars]

Originally Posted by woohoo

No you are not always notified, but you are not always notified by any travel agent. You will however find out about them here as soon as they hit because we are all about discounts here and then you call your AAA agent and tell them you want the discount added. Its the same no matter where you go.

Thanks! and by the way - Who needs the WDW Mom's Panel when you have Mousebuzz. I love this site.

[woohoo]

Originally Posted by MickeyEars

Thanks! and by the way - Who needs the WDW Mom's Panel when you have Mousebuzz. I love this site.

We all happen to agree with you... well all of us bent moms that applied and did not get chosen...besides from what I hear you could have asked them and not received an answer for a while because they are overloaded...

[Praisegirl43]

I just booked our Thanksgiving trip through AAA. I saved 316.01 on a Woods view room at WL for 9 nights!! I used a 1-800 number off of the AAA website. The last time everything got botched up because I had dealt with an inexperience agent at the office near me. I told the young lady I spoke to today everything that happened and she gave me her direct line in case I have a problem or question. I was able to still use my Disney Visa . I was told that if Disney Visa offered a discount later down the road (Like they have the past 2 years) I would have to choice between the discounts because I could not apply both. I was satisfied with my new agent and the discount.

[Prezcatz]

We went through AAA on our first WDW trip in '05. We didn't really have any experience or anything to compare it to at the time. We seemed to get a pretty decent discount through them, especially because we booked as a package with airfare. They did not do any ADR or transpo to/from the MCO airport for us. I think we also got a couple of coupons from them (parking & a AAA 'rest area'?) that we didn't really use. The biggest thing for us it that it was our first time and we had a AAA travel agency in our town that had a dedicated Disney evening presentation, so it was nice to have a local person to talk to and work with.

Given everything I know now, I think going through another certified Disney agent (such as Mouseketrips) who seem to be a bit better about looking for increased discounts after you book would be better.

Prezcatz Paul

[Jennatrz]

I think Costco has better prices through DL. Check and Compare. Costco was cheaper for us.

[Val32]

Hi, I dont know if you saw my reply to you in my thread, but I did reply to your questions!!!

I have book 4 trips thru AAA since 2004 and Iam EXREMELY Happy and Satisfied with them!!!! They give you such a great discount and the discount usually varies by season and hotel category. For my trip that Iam staying at the CBR for Halloween, Iam saving $220 by booking thru AAA and you get alot of perks with booking thru them also. I will post them again for you here:

EXCLUSIVE! AAA Diamond Parking - you get to park upfront at the parks (blackout dates apply), and I usually rent a car!

AAA Disney luggage tags

If you book the car thru Hertz (I always book ALAMO), you get a free car upgrade, and a free child car seat

Must see, Must Do, How to guide (40 page booklet)

AAA Diamond card , offers savings and values at different locations throughout WDW (recreation, dining, spa, merchandise, disney tours and AAA services (car care center) )

Also Exclusive to AAA you get the Disney story time experience which is a special storytelling experience held at Expo Hall in MK

If you book at the Swan or Dolphin hotels you get $200 disney dollars upon check in! for bookings of 7nts or more

Hotel discounts: (off room portion of packages)

Value and MOds: Value season - 20% off, Regular season- 15% off, Peak season - 10% off and Summer seaons 10% off

Disney Deluxe Villas: Value season - 20% off, Reg season - 15% off, Peak season- 10% off

Disney Deluxe hotels and FW (cabins) - Value season - 15% off, Reg season 10% off, Peak season- 10%off

FW (campsites) - Value season- 20% off, Reg season- 15% off, Peak season 10% off, and Pre-holiday season 20% off (11/21-12/18/08)

Diseny Swan & Dolphin hotels - 35% off across the board!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DD resort area hotels and Select WDW good neighbor hotels - most nights 15% off year round!

Also when you get your package documents you get extra vouchers and it's usually PH voucher, like $15 towards meal and merchandise voucher, Mini golf voucher, See Raycer voucher and the Disney storytime voucher.

When you pick up your docs, you AAA Diamond card is in there with all the places you get discounts at and your AAA diamond parking voucher is in there too with the black out dates for each park (holidays usually).

AAA will book ground transp if you need it, tell them what you need and they will book it. You make your OWN Dining reservations yourself!!! Iam anal about that, dont want nobody booking them other than me!!!!

Iam always getting emails about specials thru WDW. IF a special comes out, just call your travel agent and they can make the change for you. BUT the room has to be available to re-book! I have done this 2yrs in a row so far!!!! BUT when I rebooked our first year, I was not able to get the preferred room for the discount I had to get a std room at CBR and boy was I sorry I switched!!! Would of rather kept the preferred room location!!! IF you have paid your final payment already there is a small change fee that is deducted from your REFUND!!! Yup if you paid in full already and you want the special promo thats out, you get a refund back, usually however you paid your final payment, like CC, they will issue your CC a credit. The travel agent has no problem doing this and I usally call Disney CRO myself to see if the room is available to be rebooked and the CM will tell you right then and there, then you call your AAA trvl agt and tell her to make the change! It's really easy!!

I Love booking thru AAA!!!!

When I did Girl Trip last year and stayed with Wishy at OKW, I bought my Park hoppers thru AAA and this was right after WDW Raised their rates!!!! Well guess what???? AAA did NOT raise their rates and I got the same low discounted rate they were offering!!!! I shopped around too and they were the lowest by far!!!!


I hope I answered all of your questions, PM if you like or just ask more questions here!!! I wouldnt book with anyone but AAA!!!!

[Val32]

Originally Posted by Praisegirl43

I just booked our Thanksgiving trip through AAA. I saved 316.01 on a Woods view room at WL for 9 nights!! I used a 1-800 number off of the AAA website. The last time everything got botched up because I had dealt with an inexperience agent at the office near me. I told the young lady I spoke to today everything that happened and she gave me her direct line in case I have a problem or question. I was able to still use my Disney Visa . I was told that if Disney Visa offered a discount later down the road (Like they have the past 2 years) I would have to choice between the discounts because I could not apply both. I was satisfied with my new agent and the discount.

That really stinks but I have been in those same shoes when I started out as a Travel agent, I had never been to WDW and it made selling it harder!!!!

The lady I book with at AAA is a senior (experienced) agent and she has been to WDW many times but she really does not have to do much with me since Iam the DIsney know it all! I just tell her my dates and what I want, she gets the prices and I book!!! Iam soo easy!!! I think the first year we went was the only time I asked some questions but still even then I knew what I wanted!

[Jennatrz]

We buy our tickets through AAA it saves a bundle.