Travel agents’ commission cut by Disney Cruise Line

[LeeAndRobin]

Are they all online companies? I haven't seen a travel agent store front in years.

Indeed they do still exist. Just a couple weekends ago, when visiting my mom, I saw a storefront in the local mini-mall for a Mann Travel Agency location (which has been around for ever in the Charlotte, NC area). I remember remarking to my wife at the time that I was amazed they were still in business given the internet. So I guess some people still find "value" in using an agent, but for me, there is none.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I have heard a number of horror stories, including many of this board about travel agents that:
1) Messed up the booking and it was not realized
2) Didn't really know things as well as they thought and provided bad info. So you would either have to do all the research yourself anyway or trust they were right.
3) Didn't respond in a timely manner causing losing out on some change or deal they wanted to make
4) Not being able to contact the company directly only through the agent making any changes more cumbersome.

I reserved two Disney cruises using travel agencies who specialize in booking Disney vacations and both bookings were a disaster. These were agencies that were affiliated with different Disney fan sites (like this one). Number 3 & 4 on your list were the issues I encountered. Some of these sites do not have 1-800 numbers to contact the agency directly. You often have to send an e-mail and wait for days (or longer in my case) to receive a response. I ended up cancelling both bookings. I have a Disney cruise booked for next year which I reserved directly through DCL.

 

[skater]

LeeAndRobin - I can't speak for everybody's experience, but our store front agency does not charge anyone more than what they would pay on their own (other than service fees for air only). And in our community, we are local - not halfway around the world. People like having a relationship with one person when planning a vacation of a lifetime or their 10th trip to Disney World. My clients prefer talking to me every time - not a stranger who doesn't really care if they have a good time or not.
People of all ages like sitting at my desk and having a partner to help plan their trips. I am blessed to work in a great agency with agents who work hard to figure out what people want and find it. We utilize years of experience and many contacts to make dreams come true - not to "try to book you in international versions of American chain hotels." With all of our experience in this office, we can recommend local restaurants and hotels if that's what a client desires.
Choosing to use or not use a TA is a personal decision, but it is a profession and many of us work hard to try to "know everything" and help people have the best vacations possible. Of course, you can book things online, but there is a lot of knowledge in this profession, and I hope it doesn't get discounted. Just like in any other profession, there are good eggs and bad ones, but it is a profession. A good TA with years of experience can have a lot to offer. It might not be for you, but many people benefit greatly from using our services.
BTW, not one agent in my office would try to pigeon hole an adventurous client like you into an itinerary chosen by us . Some of my best clients come in and tell me about what they've found online. We then, compare our research and plan it together.

 

[Boski]

LeeAndRobin - I can't speak for everybody's experience, but our store front agency does not charge anyone more than what they would pay on their own (other than service fees for air only). And in our community, we are local - not halfway around the world. People like having a relationship with one person when planning a vacation of a lifetime or their 10th trip to Disney World. My clients prefer talking to me every time - not a stranger who doesn't really care if they have a good time or not.
People of all ages like sitting at my desk and having a partner to help plan their trips. I am blessed to work in a great agency with agents who work hard to figure out what people want and find it. We utilize years of experience and many contacts to make dreams come true - not to "try to book you in international versions of American chain hotels." With all of our experience in this office, we can recommend local restaurants and hotels if that's what a client desires.
Choosing to use or not use a TA is a personal decision, but it is a profession and many of us work hard to try to "know everything" and help people have the best vacations possible. Of course, you can book things online, but there is a lot of knowledge in this profession, and I hope it doesn't get discounted. Just like in any other profession, there are good eggs and bad ones, but it is a profession. A good TA with years of experience can have a lot to offer. It might not be for you, but many people benefit greatly from using our services.
BTW, not one agent in my office would try to pigeon hole an adventurous client like you into an itinerary chosen by us . Some of my best clients come in and tell me about what they've found online. We then, compare our research and plan it together.

I don't use a TA but have to say this was a excellent post.

 

[LeeAndRobin]

LeeAndRobin - I can't speak for everybody's experience, but our store front agency does not charge anyone more than what they would pay on their own (other than service fees for air only).

So you're saying I couldn't find a hotel room or airfare cheaper than you could?

And in our community, we are local - not halfway around the world.

If I am in Asia on my trip and something goes wrong, you are in fact half way around the world.

People like having a relationship with one person when planning a vacation of a lifetime or their 10th trip to Disney World. My clients prefer talking to me every time - not a stranger who doesn't really care if they have a good time or not.

I don't really talk to anyone when making reservations. I generally just do it all online.

People of all ages like sitting at my desk and having a partner to help plan their trips. I am blessed to work in a great agency with agents who work hard to figure out what people want and find it. We utilize years of experience and many contacts to make dreams come true - not to "try to book you in international versions of American chain hotels." With all of our experience in this office, we can recommend local restaurants and hotels if that's what a client desires.

With all due respect, the internet allows me to basically find anything anywhere now, be it a quaint hotel or a neat little restaurant. My wife and I know what we are looking for... I'm not sure why we'd want to filter that through someone else's prejudices.

Of course, you can book things online, but there is a lot of knowledge in this profession, and I hope it doesn't get discounted.

On a trip to Greece, I booked a hotel that no one at the travel agency had ever heard of. It was a great place. Same thing on a trip to Munich (this was a trip where an agent tried to steer me to a chain hotel). I ended up not using a travel agent either time, and haven't since. No one can know everything, but I just don't see the value of the "inside info" that travel agents used to have. I think the net has basically erased that advantage.

Different people have different needs. We just don't see trip planning as such a big deal that we need help with it. In 1990? Yes. In 2015? Nope.

 

[HopperFan]

Haven't used an agent in 25 years .............. except for cruises. We've gotten great packages, gotten them to improve the packages as offers come out down the road because up to a point I can still walk from it/them. I still own my reservation and can log in and book my onboard experiences and feel in control. Using them for a cruise boils down to getting the most dollar value I can.

 

[skater]

I wasn't trying to convince you LeeAndRobin. Just explaining why we work for some people. But good TA's still have inside info. Your research just hasn't turned up the "right agents ."

 

[Teamubr]

Your research just hasn't turned up the "right agents ."

I think that is the key. You have to find the "right" agent. But that is about as hard as finding the "right" doctor. I work in a huge academic hospital. We are required to use the corporate travel agent to book our travel. On a trip to Atlanta last year to meet with one of our vendors, I brought one of my project managers along. She told the "official" agency the travel dates and St Louis to Atlanta. The agency booked her through Phoenix and the ticket was $618. I booked my own, non-stop and it was $285. I also arrived 3 hours before she did and she left over an hour before me.

For most of my personal travel, I usually go to the beach somewhere or Disney and I'm with the rest of the group. I'll book my own travel. I know what I want and I find a condo on the beach or drive my RV to Ft Wilderness. If I was considering a trip to Europe or Australia, I'd do my own research, but would be more likely to use an agent to get their thoughts on what to do and where to go.

To each their own.

And FWIW, I live in a smaller town outside St Louis. We have several store front travel agencies. Most in strip malls.

j

 

[skater]

Reading the negative experiences some have had, makes me very happy to be work where I do. This thread also makes me thankful for my loyal clients (many of whom are under 55 . Despite what many believe, the TA business is alive and well and recovering from a few setbacks (including 9/11). Personally, I love what I do. I partner with my clients and get to help them make their dreams a reality. Sometimes I get to be a hero (like occasionally winning a battle for them with an airline or hotel) and sometimes I simply find the perfect little restaurant or resort for their tastes. Sometimes I can't sleep at night worrying about whether or not someone will remember the advice I gave them.

I'm not advocating for everybody to use an agent. But I guess I am advocating for the profession in general .

 

[skater]

I think that is the key. You have to find the "right" agent. But that is about as hard as finding the "right" doctor. I work in a huge academic hospital. We are required to use the corporate travel agent to book our travel. On a trip to Atlanta last year to meet with one of our vendors, I brought one of my project managers along. She told the "official" agency the travel dates and St Louis to Atlanta. The agency booked her through Phoenix and the ticket was $618. I booked my own, non-stop and it was $285. I also arrived 3 hours before she did and she left over an hour before me.

For most of my personal travel, I usually go to the beach somewhere or Disney and I'm with the rest of the group. I'll book my own travel. I know what I want and I find a condo on the beach or drive my RV to Ft Wilderness. If I was considering a trip to Europe or Australia, I'd do my own research, but would be more likely to use an agent to get their thoughts on what to do and where to go.

To each their own.

And FWIW, I live in a smaller town outside St Louis. We have several store front travel agencies. Most in strip malls.

j

I hope that you find a specialist if you do use an agent for Europe or Australia. And doing your own research is the best way to handle it. A confident agent likes an educated consumer.

 

[skater]

So you're saying I couldn't find a hotel room or airfare cheaper than you could?



If I am in Asia on my trip and something goes wrong, you are in fact half way around the world.



I don't really talk to anyone when making reservations. I generally just do it all online.



With all due respect, the internet allows me to basically find anything anywhere now, be it a quaint hotel or a neat little restaurant. My wife and I know what we are looking for... I'm not sure why we'd want to filter that through someone else's prejudices.



On a trip to Greece, I booked a hotel that no one at the travel agency had ever heard of. It was a great place. Same thing on a trip to Munich (this was a trip where an agent tried to steer me to a chain hotel). I ended up not using a travel agent either time, and haven't since. No one can know everything, but I just don't see the value of the "inside info" that travel agents used to have. I think the net has basically erased that advantage.

Different people have different needs. We just don't see trip planning as such a big deal that we need help with it. In 1990? Yes. In 2015? Nope.

I'm not saying you couldn't find a hotel or air cheaper, but in our office, it is rare. Even if someone finds something on a site like Cheap Caribbean, we can usually get a supplier to match it. We usually compare it ourselves and proactively get the supplier to match it.

I think you are fine booking your own travel - if you are so dead set against using an agent, you'd would have a hard time in that partner relationship that makes it work so well. I agree that different people have different needs (that understanding is what makes me great ). Many people want to talk to a real person when booking their trips. The net has not erased the advantage that TA' s have - its just not the reality. Thankfully, a lot of people are coming back to TA's. Maybe because not everybody wants to spend the time researching. And maybe because we do have a lot of collective experience. Its okay if that's not your opinion. I am extremely lucky to have so many people appreciate what I do for them. And yes, in 2015, there are plenty of people who appreciate my mad skills with trip planning, LOL.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

We book our cruises through an on-line travel agency, have for 15 years. We have consistently paid less than most of the others who we have met and discussed this sort of thing with while on board. We have also used an on-line travel agency to book a few WDW vacations. On two separate trips, 2 years apart, we saved about 60% off of the standard (rack) rate at deluxe resorts.

That said, for most of our travel we book ourselves. We only use a TA when it will save us enough money to ease my concerns about not having direct control over every aspect of my vacation. Generally we are able to find what we are looking for at rates very similar to that of a TA.

 

[purplegirl1818]

I'm actually amazed that travel agents even exist anymore, what with everything being easily bookable on the internet. I personally haven't used one in the last 15 years (or more), and I've traveled all over the world during that time period. In the period before that, a colleague used a travel agent for large solar eclipse tours and it was generally a disaster. I have no doubt we could have done better ourselves.

If someone can explain to me what benefits I can get by using a travel agent, I'd love to hear it, as I can't think of one myself.

We used a TA for a group trip to Mexico. It was great having someone who knew about the resort, got us transfers and flights all together and kept everyone straight (group of 30ish). So I see the value with a group. I used that same agency for our first Disney trip in 2013 and she didn't know what she was doing. I asked her for X, she gave me Y, and because Disney doesn't allow you to touch your ressie if a TA makes it, I couldn't do anything. It was a disaster and I will never use a TA again. That being said, I could see value for a family to use a Disney TA if they didn't know what all a disney vacation entails (ADRs, FP, etc).

 

[manning]

So you're saying I couldn't find a hotel room or airfare cheaper than you could?



If I am in Asia on my trip and something goes wrong, you are in fact half way around the world.



I don't really talk to anyone when making reservations. I generally just do it all online.



With all due respect, the internet allows me to basically find anything anywhere now, be it a quaint hotel or a neat little restaurant. My wife and I know what we are looking for... I'm not sure why we'd want to filter that through someone else's prejudices.



On a trip to Greece, I booked a hotel that no one at the travel agency had ever heard of. It was a great place. Same thing on a trip to Munich (this was a trip where an agent tried to steer me to a chain hotel). I ended up not using a travel agent either time, and haven't since. No one can know everything, but I just don't see the value of the "inside info" that travel agents used to have. I think the net has basically erased that advantage.

Different people have different needs. We just don't see trip planning as such a big deal that we need help with it. In 1990? Yes. In 2015? Nope.

When you experience a foul up by an airline and hitting a dead end with both the TA can help. it happened with me.

Had relatives flying to Hawaii. I arranged (with the airline) for a birthday cake. They were on an escorted tour. Everyone flying coach. I asked the tour guide(TA) if she could check to see if the cake will be on board. All this took place at the gate. She said she would check. A few minutes later she confirmed it was and told relatives to not say anything, they would be flying in first class. Try pulling that off yourself.

I guess there are times when a TA is useful.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

I use a TA for some of my trips, well always for a cruise, not that I will ever be able to afford a Disney cruise again. But, for my trips to the world, I like to get deeper discounts than what Disney offers. I could not get the Poly at a 32% discount any other way but through my TA.

 

[Baklava]

Typically a travel agent isn't going to charge you anything beyond what you would have paid if you did your own discovery on the internet. They take a commission from your purchase price and provide you with a ton of experience and time in planning. Since you don't pay any extra, the real question becomes: Why wouldn't you use a travel agent?

I tried to book a WDW vacation with a well respected Disney focused travel agency. Then I discovered she didn't know really important things I learned on the DIS. (Tip: If you MUST have a pull out bed at POR and there aren't 5 people in your party you CAN make that happen by booking a preferred room.) But the TA didn't know that and I had to be concerned about what else she didn't know and couldn't be bothered to find out. How could I trust her to care enough to be up at 3 am to book my ADRs? Or to be online at 9 pm and prioritize my FP+ and make sure my teen got the right alternates when the rest of us were doing things he doesn't like? I don't have that level of trust in a potentially badly informed stranger.

 

[cuteduck223]

I personally (as a TA) think that somewhere someone opened the floodgates and allowed almost anyone to start an agency--and those people hire just about anyone--many with little to no knowledge beyond what they like--mostly because they think they will get some amazing great benefits from Disney--which don't get just starting out without hard work. This is where the disasters happen (on both sides, the original agency i was working with still owes me money from several years ago-the owner is basically a scam artist and shes impossible to shut down--several of us have tried). I recently had a friend ask for help, then decide not to use me to book her vacation herself. She's a friend, and so as she constantly asked me questions, i answered them. I knew I wasn't getting a commission from it, and that was ok--I wanted her to have a great trip with her family. Of course, then--after this trip (and it was only her 3rd ever trip to disney--first with kids) she has the nerve to say "how to do become a travel agent? My mom thinks I should do it, since we just had an awesome trip and then I could get some benefits!" This girl didn't even UNDERSTAND the dining plan. I would never let her plan a trip for me--but--a stranger wouldn't know that she was clueless. Of course, she asked what sorts of discounts she could get from disney if she did become a TA. For some people, they think being a TA gets them the better deal. That person is not someone you want planning a trip for you.

I also get that everything is readily available online. I planned my own trips for years Some people just don't want to take the time to do it. Other people are just overwhelmed by things like 180 days, Fast passes, etc. and just really want someone to guide them. Not everyone loves to travel--some people are really intimidated by it, so it helps them to know they have someone to help. So, I'm glad to be a person that can help them.

 

[skater]

I tried to book a WDW vacation with a well respected Disney focused travel agency. Then I discovered she didn't know really important things I learned on the DIS. (Tip: If you MUST have a pull out bed at POR and there aren't 5 people in your party you CAN make that happen by booking a preferred room.) But the TA didn't know that and I had to be concerned about what else she didn't know and couldn't be bothered to find out. How could I trust her to care enough to be up at 3 am to book my ADRs? Or to be online at 9 pm and prioritize my FP+ and make sure my teen got the right alternates when the rest of us were doing things he doesn't like? I don't have that level of trust in a potentially badly informed stranger.

If you expect a TA to be up at 3 a.m., you are probably better off booking it yourself (its hard to tell tone, but I say this in the nicest way possible). I know that many home based agents are up at 6 a.m. or up until 12 a.m. for dining and fastpasses. I will sometimes do it - especially for older people or people who are really overwhelmed, but having to be at work all day makes it hard to be up early and late on a regular basis. I'm good, but not that good I guess !

Also, that's why if you do use a TA, its good to find someone local and then, be a partner. I know a lot about Disney World, but all of us can occasionally miss something. Not knowing a detail about one room category didn't necessarily mean that she couldn't be trusted. Now, if she couldn't be bothered to find out - that's a troublesome. Also, TA's can't read minds. I usually ask many questions to find out what a client likes and what they're looking for - then I offer suggestions. Clients who are partners have the best trips because they make sure that I know what they like, they send me articles (because I can't know everything all the time, no matter how informed I am), and they ask me tons of questions. I work hard to make it worth their while to book through my office, but they work at it too - most people want to be involved on some level anyway!

 

[Josh Hendy]

I planned my own trips for years Some people just don't want to take the time to do it. Other people are just overwhelmed by things like 180 days, Fast passes, etc. and just really want someone to guide them. Not everyone loves to travel--some people are really intimidated by it, so it helps them to know they have someone to help. So, I'm glad to be a person that can help them.

This is where Disney's "logic" collides with reality.

First they say, gosh if we knew where people would be eating months in advance then we could really plan staffing levels, park hours and whole lot of other things not only in the restaurants, but in the parks that the restaurants are in (and especially in the parks where the restaurants are NOT, if you know what I mean).

Then, wow that's such a good idea, what if we also knew what attractions they're going to be visiting and therefore which parks and which areas of parks ... almost down to the minute, and we knew this months in advance. WHooooooaaaaaa !!! Ding! Ding! Ding! Now we're shifting around ride staffing, park hours, attraction hours, special events, shop hours and staffing, restaurant staffing, DVC sales booth staffing, and bus and monorail schedules! And don't forget the electronic tracking bracelets to help monitor that the cash units... err, guests ... are behaving as predicted.

And the holy grail ... "demand" based pricing, based on predicted attendance, scheduling and spending behavior determined by ... however we want to determine it. With nearly instant feedback for our variable pricing models based on advance reservations (hotels, restaurants, attractions and special events) combined with tracking data from following people around every second that they spend in the parks.

It is totally logical ... and it also causes more and more problems for Disney and its guests.

I won't go into the IT problems, or the somewhat bizarre assumption that everyone enjoys planning their annual vacation "free" time down to the minute, several months before it happens. But look at it just from the point of view of travel agents ... many people really need a TA because they don't have the time or the knowledge to master the intricacies ... but what TA? Who's really qualified to help you get ADRs, FP+, customized magic bands, linked magic bands for your whole extended family, and so on? Who's going to change or fix your ressies or FP+s based on changed plans or Disney computer glitches? How can a TA make any money if they have to constantly bang on the Disney web site to get the ADRs and FP+s to line up? Or if they don't do all those things, how can they make any money if the customers are disappointed with the experience and don't give them repeat business or referrals? What if they do a conscientious job planning customers' ADRs and FPs, but the schedule just doesn't work out because of Disney transportation hiccups, bad weather, or changed customer preference?

 

[Baklava]

If you expect a TA to be up at 3 a.m., you are probably better off booking it yourself (its hard to tell tone, but I say this in the nicest way possible). I know that many home based agents are up at 6 a.m. or up until 12 a.m. for dining and fastpasses. I will sometimes do it - especially for older people or people who are really overwhelmed, but having to be at work all day makes it hard to be up early and late on a regular basis. I'm good, but not that good I guess !

Also, that's why if you do use a TA, its good to find someone local and then, be a partner. I know a lot about Disney World, but all of us can occasionally miss something. Not knowing a detail about one room category didn't necessarily mean that she couldn't be trusted. Now, if she couldn't be bothered to find out - that's a troublesome. Also, TA's can't read minds. I usually ask many questions to find out what a client likes and what they're looking for - then I offer suggestions. Clients who are partners have the best trips because they make sure that I know what they like, they send me articles (because I can't know everything all the time, no matter how informed I am), and they ask me tons of questions. I work hard to make it worth their while to book through my office, but they work at it too - most people want to be involved on some level anyway!

You've made my point. The TA does not care as much about my vacation as I do. Given that the TA cannot save me money or get me things that I can't save or get for myself, there's no point in using one. She may have been honest as the day is long, but I got the information she lacked in about 30 minutes on the DIS. She not only didn't know, she insisted it was impossible to do... the thing I called Disney and did over the phone with no fuss. That means she could not be trusted to have accurate information or to have put in the research time to get it. She had already decided that she knew what she knew and both DISers and CMs knew better. Using a TA for this trip would have meant acting on bad information about my room, not getting the ADRs and FP+ I wanted and not saving any money in the process of getting a lesser experience than I can by doing some research myself. (Plus, then I wouldn't know all these lovely DISers.)