TA Dilemma, WWYD? UPDATE in 1st Post

[mom2grace]

Booked for 5/06, deluxe. At the outset, told TA we wanted not the most expensive view, said that was all that was available.....lower categories would open later.

Contacted TA 3 weeks ago to see if category was available, took 2 weeks to respond to the email.
The category we want is now available, (have confirmation from 3 separate sources), TA says it's not.

I contacted TA again saying that I thought that it was, no contact, resent email 2 days later.

What would you do? Cancel with first TA, book with another? Book on my own? I only really want the TA to make ADR's. (Want Cindy's lunch)

UPDATE:
I booked again with Disney directly. There was a pin code, but I am not travelling soon enough.

So, now I have 2 identical ressies, only the room view is different. I explained the situation to the CM and she said it was not a problem to book again.......

I called the number for the TA that was on my confirmation they forwarded me from Disney and left a message that I needed to cancel (left no explanation). So sad, it was one of the ones that come highly recommended on this board (but not Dreams).

Thanks for all of your advice! I still have not heard from the TA!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

I would cancel asap with the first TA and go to someone more reliable. The fact that you had to wait 2 weeks to hear back is proof enough.

 

[HLAuburn]

I'd cancel, too. How annoying! That's what TAs get paid for, and he/she can't even respond to your emails? And do you really trust her to get your Cindy's res if she can't even email you back before 2 weeks or switch to the room you want?
Personally, I'd book on my own and call for Cindy's at the 90 day mark.
Good luck!

 

[MagicKingdom05]

HLAuburn,

I agree with having the OP book on there own. To me it's alot easier making a change to dates, resort, etc on your own. Don't get me wrong TA's are great if you want to have someone else do the leg work for you and not have to worry about it.

 

[tlbwriter]

If your TA is this unresponsive, I sure wouldn't count on him/her being able to get you an ADR for CRT!

 

[skbasnett]

To be quite honest, I am a travel agent, I wouldnt want to be used to book a lunch that is just about impossible to get anyways. I have taken it upon myself to tell my clients that if they want any meal at CRT they have to call themselves. The breakfasts sell out in under 10 minutes and the next one to go is lunch. Plus, we are not at work at 7AM to book these things.

I am in no way saying I agree with her methods however. If you have a request, it is your job (TA) to get that request dealt with ASAP.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'm suspicious that your TA is trying to upsell you for a better commission. I'd run, not walk, to someone else.

As an aside, I wouldn't expect my TA to try to get me CRT unless I was paying them something. I know some agencies do this, but many do not for a variety of reasons. In addition to those above, if an agent has three clients, all of whom want CRT on the same day, how does that agent decide for whom to book first?

 

[shellybaxter]

I'm just curious, if your job as a travel agent isn't to get people what they want for their vacation, then why would they use you? Disney vacations are very easy to book by yourself and the cost is the same, so what exactly is the reason you give for people to use your services? I think if I were your client I'd be uncomfortable with your attitude. If my job were to plan peoples vacations, and one of the things that everyone was concerned about was dining arrangements, and dining arrangements for the most popular spots needed to be made at 7AM, I'd start my hours in the office before 7AM each day. That just makes good business sense.

Shelly

To be quite honest, I am a travel agent, I wouldnt want to be used to book a lunch that is just about impossible to get anyways. I have taken it upon myself to tell my clients that if they want any meal at CRT they have to call themselves. The breakfasts sell out in under 10 minutes and the next one to go is lunch. Plus, we are not at work at 7AM to book these things.

I am in no way saying I agree with her methods however. If you have a request, it is your job (TA) to get that request dealt with ASAP.

 

[ga9497]

To be quite honest, I am a travel agent, I wouldnt want to be used to book a lunch that is just about impossible to get anyways. I have taken it upon myself to tell my clients that if they want any meal at CRT they have to call themselves. The breakfasts sell out in under 10 minutes and the next one to go is lunch. Plus, we are not at work at 7AM to book these things.

I am in no way saying I agree with her methods however. If you have a request, it is your job (TA) to get that request dealt with ASAP.

I am a TA too but I do get on the phone early in the morning to book CRT, and other things hard to get. I am on the phone at 7am for discounts. I do advise people that it isn't guaranteed. If I have more then one person to book for on the same day for CRT I tell the cm right away that I have more then one so that he/she doesn't waste time on small talk or going over all the policies that go along with it.

 

[Liisa]

I used a TA for our Disney trip this year (our first time using one) and she has been great. Very responsive, booked our ADR's, AND got up early TWO mornings in a row to get an Illuminations cruise. Of course, she was very upfront that they are difficult to get and suggested that we also tried. Turns out, the more people who try, the bigger the success!!! We got our cruise!

That being said, I like being in control of things and find that I definitely have the time to stay on top of discounts, etc. So I don't think I would necessarily use a TA again (unless my schedule got busy). But our TA has been terrific!

I think that there are better TA's out there who deserve your business if you decide you want to book through one.

Good luck!!!

 

[Joan1]

.....

 

[skbasnett]

I'm just curious, if your job as a travel agent isn't to get people what they want for their vacation, then why would they use you? Disney vacations are very easy to book by yourself and the cost is the same, so what exactly is the reason you give for people to use your services? I think if I were your client I'd be uncomfortable with your attitude. If my job were to plan peoples vacations, and one of the things that everyone was concerned about was dining arrangements, and dining arrangements for the most popular spots needed to be made at 7AM, I'd start my hours in the office before 7AM each day. That just makes good business sense.

Shelly

Well seeing as I work for AAA (I know it seems like a bad thing on this site but I have actually picked up a couple of clients here), I CANT open the office early. PLUS I am not going to be the one held responsible when I can not get the most popular dining place on property for little girls who want to be princesses. Trust me, I completely understand that they want to go to this. But dont put it on me to book it. I have no problem booking for any other meal and I do it --- because IT IS MY JOB, which I LOVE! But dont dare tell me that I have a bad attitude because I am not going to pick and choose when I have 6 clients wanting to go to a breakfast who I am going to book. I would then have to do it from my house, which I would not be able to do seeing as I have my own DS who has to go to daycare and I simply would not be home during the time to call. I have already tried to book for a client CRT once and I missed it and got reamed. I am just protecting myself and telling them up front that if they want it that is the only one they have to do on their own. If they like, I will book any other one that they want.

 

[belleandthebeast]

Well seeing as I work for AAA (I know it seems like a bad thing on this site but I have actually picked up a couple of clients here), I CANT open the office early. PLUS I am not going to be the one held responsible when I can not get the most popular dining place on property for little girls who want to be princesses. Trust me, I completely understand that they want to go to this. But dont put it on me to book it. I have no problem booking for any other meal and I do it --- because IT IS MY JOB, which I LOVE! But dont dare tell me that I have a bad attitude because I am not going to pick and choose when I have 6 clients wanting to go to a breakfast who I am going to book. I would then have to do it from my house, which I would not be able to do seeing as I have my own DS who has to go to daycare and I simply would not be home during the time to call. I have already tried to book for a client CRT once and I missed it and got reamed. I am just protecting myself and telling them up front that if they want it that is the only one they have to do on their own. If they like, I will book any other one that they want.

No offense to anyone who posted here, but I'm w/ Skbasnett-

Like sksbanett, I am an AAA agent. I never, ever make ADR for CRT. I advise my clients how to go about making ADR, give them the # and a few tips, and call to remind them. I do make every other ADR for my clients. My clients enjoy booking w/ me (I have had clients send letters to the President telling him what a great job I did) and I love my job! Most of my clients don't even know what an ADR is!


Alot of AAA agents get slammed on these board. I do my job, I go way above and beyond what is expected of me (my boss will tell you that), but to have someone else tell me how to do my job, when they haven't a clue what I do, really makes me

And also, to assume it is MY responsibility to call and make ADRs is ridiculous. I do make them, as a courtesy for my clients. I would also do anything I could to make their trip as enjoyable as my trips are. But to assume that I should try to call at 7am when office hours aren't utnil 9am is ridiculous. That is interferring w/ my personal time and life for that matter.

 

[Jenn9]

mom2grace, I would most definitely look for a new TA right away. 2 weeks to answer an email is unheard of! My TA agent answers me within hours.
And as far as dining reservations, maybe I am in the minority, but I like to make my own. It is the one part of my trip planning that I really look forward to doing myself.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

If your TA is this unresponsive, I sure wouldn't count on him/her being able to get you an ADR for CRT!

i was thinking the same thing
is they cant back to you how will they handle your ADR
there are plenty of places to go
i dont know where you are
but dreams
small world travel
magical memories
good luck

 

[Cinders Mum]

for the most popular adr's and speciality cruises, I advise my clients that I will try and get it for them but I can never promise them I will be able to secure it, and I also encourage them to try as well as this doubles our chances of securing the right thing for them, not once have any of my clients objected or complained about it..... I think it really depends on how you explain it. But the high you get when you do get the elusive reservation numbers is fantastic ....... it is not something we get paid for but given the amount of agents out there we have to been seen to give the extra service where we can without being held to account if we cannot get CRT on a given morning, after all Disney have all the pixie dust and magic.

Val
xx

 

[Mainestreetpixie]

Booked for 5/06, deluxe. At the outset, told TA we wanted not the most expensive view, said that was all that was available.....lower categories would open later.

Contacted TA 3 weeks ago to see if category was available, took 2 weeks to respond to the email.
The category we want is now available, (have confirmation from 3 separate sources), TA says it's not.

I contacted TA again saying that I thought that it was, no contact, resent email 2 days later.

What would you do? Cancel with first TA, book with another? Book on my own? I only really want the TA to make ADR's. (Want Cindy's lunch)

UPDATE:
I booked again with Disney directly. There was a pin code, but I am not travelling soon enough.

So, now I have 2 identical ressies, only the room view is different. I explained the situation to the CM and she said it was not a problem to book again.......

I called the number for the TA that was on my confirmation they forwarded me from Disney and left a message that I needed to cancel (left no explanation). So sad, it was one of the ones that come highly recommended on this board (but not Dreams).

Thanks for all of your advice! I still have not heard from the TA!

Well, I can say that you can call Disney and get 3 different answers to the same question..one minute the view is there, the next it isn't. Then it is, it's frustrating. It CAN come down to what time you called, what time your agent called, etc. As for commissions, having been with the same agent long enough to become friends, many of the internet agents do it for the love of Disney, not for the commission, which isn't much. If you are talking about the difference between views at the same resort, the difference in commission amounts would be negligible, so I highly doubt she was trying to get more commission LOL Is it possible your agent was in an area affected by one of the storms? Sounds more like an honest mistake than negligence...but that is just my opinion