Split stay

[dishee]

First time poster! Planning a "last minute" trip to the world and universal during spring break. This will be the family's (teen age boys) 2nd trip to the world. We have timeshare reservations but want to spend 2 nights before and after at a disney hotel. What's the best way to make reservations? On my own or ??? I tried the travel agent we worked with last time, but they won't consider less than 3 nights! ANY input (even how crazy it is to go during spring break!) would be greatly appreciated!

 

[BearcatsFan]

First of all, to the DIS!

If I were you, I would try calling 407-W-DISNEY for your reservations. Spring break is a very, very busy time, and having a CM on the phone who can check everywhere for you would be easier than trying to do it yourself on the website (which is performing poorly right now anyway). You might be on hold for a while, but I think that's your best shot.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[dishee]

First of all, to the DIS!

If I were you, I would try calling 407-W-DISNEY for your reservations. Spring break is a very, very busy time, and having a CM on the phone who can check everywhere for you would be easier than trying to do it yourself on the website (which is performing poorly right now anyway). You might be on hold for a while, but I think that's your best shot.

Good luck and have fun!

Thanks for the welcome! So much to read for "research"!

What's the difference between going directly through Disney and a travel agent? I have airfare already, so just (?) need lodging, tickets, and possible ADR or two.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Thanks for the welcome! So much to read for "research"!

What's the difference between going directly through Disney and a travel agent? I have airfare already, so just (?) need lodging, tickets, and possible ADR or two.

You're welcome. I agree, there's so much to read and learn that you never realized. I've learned a lot since I've been here and there are still many people here who have forgotten more than I will ever know.

The difference is if you go directly through Disney, you "own" your reservation - you have control over it. Want to make changes? You can do that on your own without asking someone or waiting for someone else to do it. You can do your own ADRs whether you go through a TA or not, but as far as the actual hotel reservation, the TA "owns" that until they release it to you (which can vary by agency when they do that - 30 days out, 10 days out, etc.). That can be problematic if you don't have a good TA to work with if you want to make changes (ie: add a day, change the resort you're staying at, applying a discount you qualify for, etc.).

There are other differences too, regarding making payments, but as long as I've been here I can't keep that straight in my mind (Disney requires one night's deposit, I think, where with a TA you can make payments ... something along those lines), and with Disney you can (I think!) pay the remainder once you get there instead of in advance ... and the refund process is different, too. See what I mean? That part keeps me completely confused.

Don't get me wrong - working with a TA can be fantastic if you have the right one! I've used AAA for our last two trips and our TA is great, so I'm not saying do not use one. It's really a matter of personal choice (and how much control you're willing to give up or how comfortable you are making phone calls, how much time you have to do it, and how willing you are to deal with the CMs yourself).

Just my .02 cents.

 

[Mom2darlingboys]

I also find that if you're willing to do your own research, pricing is often better if you do it yourself. Things change so often with Disney, that if you stay on top of it (like with airline sales), you can direct your TA on where to find better deals, especially a TA who is not that familiar with Disney.

You can pay rack rate for a Disney vacation (what many TAs quote), or you can try and dig up a better deal.

 

[monicab28]

If you choose a Disney TA, they should be aware of the discounts that Disney is promoting. Occasionally, Disney will release a discount, like the Disney Visa discount, but they don't let the TA's know until after they have notified the Disney Visa holders. Strange, I know! So, if you know before your TA, please don't be upset with them. They would have gotten the information either a few hours or the next day.

One thing to make note of....there are very few discounts floating out there that are better than what Disney offers. There are some places like AAA that buy blocks of rooms and then sell them at a reduced rate, but those are few and far between. When you use a Disney TA, you should never have to pay anything additional. The advantage to using a Disney TA is that they are usually knowledgeable about the parks, resorts, activities,etc... Plus THEY will be the ones spending hours on the phone, waiting for a CA to answer the phone! I work very hard for my clients because I love Disney and want others to have a great experience too.

Disney requires a $200 deposit regardless. Or you can pay it all at once. Or make payments. The final payment is due 45 days from the date of your arrival. If my clients want to make payments, they don't have to waste their time calling Disney. They just send me an email, tell me how much to charge to their card and then I make the payment for them. Easy-peasy!

 

[OklahomaTourist]

Just because I'm basically a control freak at heart, I book direct with Disney. Have gotten quotes from AAA and one other TA before, but no one could beat what I did myself, and if I need to make changes, I can make them myself at nearly any time.