AAA package booking -- $50 activity credit. What's it good for?

Zombie · Aug 21, 2018

I'm looking at booking a Universal package through AAA and it looks like their current offering of member "discounts" includes a $50 resort activities credit. It doesn't sound overly useful -- can't use it until you check in the resort and have to book the activities at their activity desk.

It does make clear that you can't use it for Blue Man Group. The only activity it mentions you can use it for is the Hollywood Drive-In mini golf and for the Dining Plan (which we aren't too interested in). But it then says that you can use it to book other attractions at Universal and in Orlando area.

I'm wondering if anyone has received and used this credit and has an idea of what it can be used for on the resort?

Can it be used for a restaurant on CityWalk? Can it be put toward a cabana or a private seating chair at Volcano Bay? What about bowling or to purchase inner tubes at Cabana Bay? Or (in the unlikely possibility we decided we wanted to go) see a movie at the AMC? Or is it really just things like the meal plan (food allergies and medical dietary restrictions that Universal isn't great about, so we just wouldn't really get the value of it)and things like their character breakfasts or their couple dinner shows (which we aren't too interested in for the same reasons).

How about what attractions in Orlando can you use it for? We'd mostly be interested if you could use it for one of the other local mini-putts. I'm not sure what else in Orlando we'd be interested in or would get to this trip. Maybe an airboat ride/swamp tour thing? Or what about the Kennedy Space Center? But if anyone had success in booking anything off-site or has an idea of what some of the options are, it'd be much appreciated.

macraven · Aug 21, 2018

If your AAA travel agent does not have a listing that is covered in that resort credit, try emailing guest services

I have not booked a AAA package in years so don’t know what is considered current activities

nkereina · Aug 22, 2018

I can't speak to what else its used for, but don't rule out the dining plan. We never considered it in the past, but once while ordering at Three Broomsticks, the cashier told us it would be cheaper for us to purchase the dining plan for that day for our meal we were getting and it would then leave us with two drink credits to use before the end of our trip. This was as opposed to just paying OOP for what we were ordering. So, the dining plan can be purchased ad-hoc and on the fly, unlike Disney that requires it to be bought in advance for X number of days.

That said, I'm not sure how the credit would work for the plan. It would be best case if you could buy the plan for 1-2 days just to use up the credit, and then pay OOP after that.

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

nkereina said:
I can't speak to what else its used for, but don't rule out the dining plan. We never considered it in the past, but once while ordering at Three Broomsticks, the cashier told us it would be cheaper for us to purchase the dining plan for that day for our meal we were getting and it would then leave us with two drink credits to use before the end of our trip. This was as opposed to just paying OOP for what we were ordering. So, the dining plan can be purchased ad-hoc and on the fly, unlike Disney that requires it to be bought in advance for X number of days.

That said, I'm not sure how the credit would work for the plan. It would be best case if you could buy the plan for 1-2 days just to use up the credit, and then pay OOP after that.

Thanks, @nkereina . That's good to know and a decent idea. There is only one person in our party with the medical issue and dietary restrictions but it does generally mean it sort of dictates what/where/when we eat as a group. So the last time we were at Universal, we really didn't do a lot of eating in the parks (they just really aren't that great if you have multiple food allergies or medical dietary restrictions. If it's just milk or gluten or soy they can sort of sideways accommodate but when it's multiple things ... wasn't super awesome for our family with knowledge/availability - only a few restaurants their head chef recommended us eating in, and sometimes you just really aren't near them/choices.) So we tend to carry snacks and eat in our room or off-site. Last time we only did one counter service meal and I think three snacks (none of which the one member of our party could have).

My impression with the credit is that you have to book your "activity" at your hotel's activity desk. So we wouldn't be able to do it on the fly in the parks. But you're right -- we might eat through it slowly over the course of the trip. So it might be the best way to go if there aren't many other options in terms of "activities" they offer. Better to take it and maybe use it than just completely lose it.

I get the sense it might be the kind of "perk" that a lot of people don't use. Lots nice on paper when you book but is kind of useless in the end.

Not too worried about it. Was just curious if anyone had experience with what some of the options were -- beyond Drive IN golf and the dining plan.

damo · Aug 22, 2018

Activities used to include things like mini putt, movie tickets and Blue Man Group.

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

damo said:
Activities used to include things like mini putt, movie tickets and Blue Man Group.

Definitely doesn't include BMG anymore. We might've been all over that and quite happy with getting at least one of us in "free" by using the activity credit. But the current spiel in the fine print makes clear BMG is not something it can be put towards. Too bad. Seems like the most obvious. The only options it mentions right now are the mini-putt and the Dining Plan. There's reference to other "activities" on resort and in the Orlando area but no examples. I've emailed to ask (last week) but haven't heard back. I don't find Universal that timely with responses (have to email them and try to reach them by phone a lot re: dietary and medical accommodations or at least definitions so we know what we're getting into and how to cope and plan). If I do hear from them, I'll let people know the info. Though, expecting that we might not know until we get there kind of thing. Figure there's a few other things on-site that could potentially be counted as an "activity" but can't pinpoint a lot in thinking about it (beyond character breakfasts/meals).

damo · Aug 22, 2018

Zombie said:
Definitely doesn't include BMG anymore. We might've been all over that and quite happy with getting at least one of us in "free" by using the activity credit. But the current spiel in the fine print makes clear BMG is not something it can be put towards. Too bad. Seems like the most obvious. The only options it mentions right now are the mini-putt and the Dining Plan. There's reference to other "activities" on resort and in the Orlando area but no examples. I've emailed to ask (last week) but haven't heard back. I don't find Universal that timely with responses (have to email them and try to reach them by phone a lot re: dietary and medical accommodations or at least definitions so we know what we're getting into and how to cope and plan). If I do hear from them, I'll let people know the info. Though, expecting that we might not know until we get there kind of thing. Figure there's a few other things on-site that could potentially be counted as an "activity" but can't pinpoint a lot in thinking about it (beyond character breakfasts/meals).

Weird, every time I have contacted Universal they have replied the same day. Are you contacting Universal Guest Services or Universal Orlando Vacations?

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

I thought it was Guest Services. ? What address do you use? (Though, admittedly, sometimes because our question/concern involved dietary/medical what-not they sometimes had to refer it to their chef, restaurant manager, hotel desk, etc. But this question really shouldn't have needed that it was just a "what are the activity options" type request. I will say their head chef, though he does take about two weeks to get back to you, does provide a lot of clarification and explanation. It's just a bit of a twiddling-thumbs waiting game. Contacted them about two weeks ago now re: what accommodations they might be able to do for medical diet restrictions and allergies for the Grinch character breakfast in the pre-Christmas season and still haven't heard back ... but hopeful about the outcome when they do ... When the Loews guest services team members gets involved we've had good results too. Quick reply from them. But if they have to refer something to the front desk manager or their head chef (at Cabana Bay in our case), there's either a long wait, badgering them or no reply.

damo · Aug 22, 2018

Zombie said:
I thought it was Guest Services. ? What address do you use? (Though, admittedly, sometimes because our question/concern involved dietary/medical what-not they sometimes had to refer it to their chef, restaurant manager, hotel desk, etc. But this question really shouldn't have needed that it was just a "what are the activity options" type request.

I use the Guest Services email in the main website and there is actually a dietary contact on the first page of the food sticky on the main universal forum. For extra help call Chef Bob at 321-388-2123 or Universal Guest Services at 407-224-4233, choose option 2.

Here is an old thread for you about the CAA/AAA package activities ... https://www.disboards.com/threads/aaa-caa-question.3487802/#post-55261371

You have to remember that unlike Disney, Universal doesn't run its hotels or run its packages website, so there are often instances where one side doesn't know what the other side is talking about.

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

damo said:
I use the Guest Services email in the main website and there is actually a dietary contact on the first page of the food sticky on the main universal forum.

Yep. That's the Guest Services email I'm still waiting on.

We've had slightly better luck with the dietary accommodations email they list. But, again, as mentioned above can take them about two weeks to get back to you. And, all restaurants in CityWalk and the hotels have to be contacted individually (my experience with getting feedback from the hotel restaurants -- Cabana Bay in our case -- hasn't been great ... read: non-existent.) The Universal head chef is very good at outlining the options and the restaurants, process and do's/don'ts when he does get back to you. It just seems to take a while.

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

damo said:
Here is an old thread for you about the CAA/AAA package activities ... https://www.disboards.com/threads/aaa-caa-question.3487802/#post-55261371

Ohhh ... thanks for this. Hopping over to that one. I had searched but hadn't spotted this.

This raises my hopes. If the breakfast in Harry Potter lands still exists as an option we'd definitely be all over that. It was cited to us by Universal's head chef as a "safe" restaurant for us to eat at that would be able to accommodate -- and he was particular to point out that for breakfast they'd be able to do gluten-free/diary-free/sugar-free pancakes and syrup for our party member, as an example. That would be a HUGE treat for us -- and the 'lil sicko (said very affectionately) in our group.

Fingers crossed ...

And, though we normally wouldn't consider spending part of our vacation time seeing a movie, we do know that the new Fantastic Beasts movie will have just released when we head down there. That might be sort-of-side-ways fun to see on-site, maybe more so if they are including the "activity" as the dinner and a movie package so we could make a night of it. When we previously talked to some of the restaurants on CityWalk there were varying degrees of accommodation that we could likely sort something out to work that way too.

Zombie · Aug 22, 2018

damo said:
You have to remember that unlike Disney, Universal doesn't run its hotels or run its packages website, so there are often instances where one side doesn't know what the other side is talking about.

Oh, yes ... we have definitely experienced this. It's been frustrating just in trying to sort out our situation. But we've been once before so we know a bit better this time what to expect. It'd just be a bit easier if you weren't having to call so many entities and being told so much contradictory information.

Disney being better at it was part of the reason we'd previously stuck with Disney as a destination of choice when dealing with a medical issue in the family that can implications on how we need to holiday. But this year, we've definitely been priced out of Disney. Suspect it's only going to get worse with the new theme park "lands" and hotels opening. Too bad. Hope the same won't happen with Universal with the talk of the fourth theme park and Nintendo land (and them just trying to keep up with and match Disney prices). A "resort" style holiday is really what works best for us right now. Wandering cities and museums and long journeys between individual destinations for day trips just isn't what we can manage right now. Might have to switch to strictly beach holidays in the future, but we aren't sure we're "beach" people to spend a week just in the sun and surf. And we'd likely end up having to make all our meals ourselves when you start getting into smaller communities and their dining options. And that doesn't sound like too much of a holiday to me.

Zombie · Aug 26, 2018

For anyone that was curious too, the answer I got from Guest Services was:

“The $50.00 activity credit can be used to purchase anything offered by our Universal Vacation Planning Desks located in the lobby of your on-site hotel. I would strongly suggest discussing options with the Universal Vacation Planning coordinator to find the most enjoyable activity for your party.”

So the short answer is call the hotel or ask the desk when you get there. But it sounds a bit more promising.

AAA package booking -- $50 activity credit. What's it good for?

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