DW said we're going to WDW next June! (leaving on Memorial Day)
So, 1st of all
YAY!!!
Next: When can we book a trip that's a year away? I've tried in the past to book a long-way out, and typically, they won't let me book past the end of the current calendar year.
And, when we book, I know we have to book rooms, but can you wait and add tickets / dining later?
Finally, what's the *advantage* of booking through a travel agency? Wouldn't it cost more going through a 3rd party compared to Disney directly? (SOMEONE'S gotta pay the TA)
1. If you're beyond the current calendar year, you can't book a package. You can book a room-only reservation. The room rate is set as the current rate for the purpose of your deposit, but that rate is not fixed and will change when new rates are announced for the new calendar year. In other words, you can lock in a space, but not a rate. An interesting untouted fact is that you can buy tickets any time you want. As long as you don't start using the tickets, you don't start your "use it within 14 days" clock. This is particularly useful to know if you have a child who is currently 9 years old, but will turn 10 before your trip. You can buy a "child" ticket now. Even if it's never used until the child turns 10, Guest Relations will convert that ticket to an "adult" ticket at WDW. If you're booking a room-only reservation, buying your tickets before August of this year is a good idea (if you can swing the cash up-front), because ticket prices have been going up 3% - 5% a year for the last several years. So you can purchase tickets before the rate increase - that's about the biggest "savings" you'll find on Disney park tickets.
2. If you have an ethical
travel agent, you will NEVER pay more going through an agent than you will booking yourself. Disney eats the cost of travel agent commissions - it's in Disney's interest to make it as easy as possible for as many people as possible to spend their money at a Disney resort! The real advantages of using a travel agent are:
a) Someone will constantly monitor to see if there's a new and better deal that's come available and would save you money, and can re-book your reservation for you without you having to deal with it.
b) Someone will take your directions and take care of the hassle part of making ADRs and special experiences (or not, if you'd prefer to do it yourself). As an example, one of my clients really wanted a Crystal Palace lunch with their young child. They'd done it with their nephew years ago, and wanted to have that specific experience with their son. When we first booked their reservation, Crystal Palace wasn't available. I kept checking for availability several times a day, every day until a slot opened up and got the reservation made. Sure, they
could have done that themselves. But that's just the kind of detail that a travel agent takes off your hands so you don't have to mess with it.
c) A travel agent is constantly monitoring news and rumors from Disney and the Disney community, and can tell you about new opportunities that you might not find on your own. For example, I have a client who has stayed at Port Orleans - Riverside before, and could have just booked themselves there again. But I knew about the new Royal Guest rooms that will be available by the time they travel, and they were interested. I'm getting them booked at POR, and will look to get them changed to a Royal Guest room as soon as booking for that category opens up this summer.
d) With a good travel agent, you can have as much or as little control of details as you want. Want to make all of the ADRs yourself? Go ahead. Need to make a last minute change while trying to get on top of the stuff you've got to finish up at work so you can leave for your vacation? Call your agent, and your agent can take are of it.
e) You'll often receive value-added extras from a travel agent. I offer to develop and send my clients detailed touring plans, to help them minimize time spent waiting in lines at the parks. Agents and agencies sometimes run Disney Gift Card deals or other giveaways (I've been known to give away a unique guide book that would be particularly helpful for a specific client's trip).
ive been wanting to get another one anyway. 
18 stitches on the cheek; must have been some serious gash.
you, and invite you to explore the whole forum, not just this thead. Lot's of valuable things around, like Hooter's restaurants statuses, pics of Disney princesses, and lot's of fantasy sports pools.
