Using a travel agent really the same price?

[Hawkeyegirls]

Hi-
I keep hearing about how its "no extra" cost to use a travel agent for Disney World trips. While I am NOT saying anything bad about using one, both quotes I received from "authorized" Disney agents were more expensive than when I went directly through the Disney website. One I received from our last trip a few months ago to WDW and now I just got a cruise quote and it was also more. I confirmed meal plans, dates, #day passes, taxes, etc were all the same in both their quotes and my search. Yet they are considerably more. Am I missing something?

 

[PrncessA]

I don't know about park packages, I always book those myself, but we booked our cruise through Dreams Unlimited and the price is to the cent the same as the Disney website.

 

[Marionnette]

Hi-
I keep hearing about how its "no extra" cost to use a travel agent for Disney World trips. While I am NOT saying anything bad about using one, both quotes I received from "authorized" Disney agents were more expensive than when I went directly through the Disney website. One I received from our last trip a few months ago to WDW and now I just got a cruise quote and it was also more. I confirmed meal plans, dates, #day passes, taxes, etc were all the same in both their quotes and my search. Yet they are considerably more. Am I missing something?

It shouldn't be more. Disney pays legitimate TAs a commission on their bookings. Disney keeps the commission when a customer books directly with them.

 

[5kidsmommy]

i was going to use a TA for a trip. I priced it out myself because it takes all of 2 minutes and then sent the TA the information. They said they don't charge anything extra but their quote was $700 more and when I challenged them they kind of stuttered about it. I am sure there are plenty of honest TAs but I'll just stick to planning everything myself, it's not hard to do.

 

[havaneselover]

I would only use a TA for a cruise (to get a credit). I Wouldn't give up control otherwise.

There is a NJ TA that I've read has some great late summer prices so that might be one exception.

 

[HM]

Did the TA add in travel insurance? That is one thing that seems to be added sometimes and not noted by the TA.

 

[tina.tina]

I've checked with a TA 3 different times. Once, about 10 years ago, the price they quoted me was way more than WDW. Right after that, I saw that they had gone out of business!

The other 2 times has been online and those quotes matched WDW exactly.

Like some PPs, I can't give up control so I've just booked my own trips.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I asked a travel agent for a quote and they were frustrated that I wasn't sure where exactly I wanted to stay. Then when I asked for a couple different hotel quotes, they stopped replying. Seriously, after 2 emails, zilch. I mean, isn't the job to help people decide where to stay and what to do? I can go online and book a trip more easily through the Disney website, but I thought a travel agent would help me plan a better trip. Seems like thy just want commission with doing any work.

 

[Hawkeyegirls]

Yes, I will just book on my own, since I also love doing the planning also! The cruise credit and some of their advertised specials is what got me to get the quote. I just don't like that I keep seeing posts telling others that its no cost, when Sometimes it is a lot more, hopefully everyone is double checking.

 

[Eighty8Keys]

I've used the same travel agent since 2008. The agency she works for is a sponsor on a podcast I've listened to since 2005 so I felt like they really knew what they were doing by the time I decided to start using them. I still keep close watch on what room rates are and what discounts are available, but it's nice to have someone else on the phone with Disney when a new discount comes out. We always book room-only rather than a package, so I have her book our rooms and Magical Express and I do everything else. One year she re-booked our rooms three times to get us a better rate. I think if I had a bad experience like the PP's then I'd be wary of using a travel agent too, but I have a great relationship with my agent and see no reason not to use her in the future.

 

[dmunsil]

Hi-
I keep hearing about how its "no extra" cost to use a travel agent for Disney World trips. While I am NOT saying anything bad about using one, both quotes I received from "authorized" Disney agents were more expensive than when I went directly through the Disney website. One I received from our last trip a few months ago to WDW and now I just got a cruise quote and it was also more. I confirmed meal plans, dates, #day passes, taxes, etc were all the same in both their quotes and my search. Yet they are considerably more. Am I missing something?

Travel agents should quote you exactly the same rates as Disney. If they're different, then something is different. Often it's trip insurance. Sometimes the TA adds it by default, sometimes it's on the quote form and people don't realize it's checked. Or there's a subtle difference in room type, number of guests, meal plan, etc. Something.

There are some travel agencies that tack on extra fees, but they're very rare. Most travel agencies quote you a price that will be identical to the same trip booked directly.

 

[MillauFr]

I used the magical travel agent because they were charging far less than Disney. Disney was charging $445 per night for the Poly and the TA was charging $189. A no brainer to book with the TA.

 

[staceyeileen]

A TA gets a quote from basically the same WDW booking engine that you do, so there's n reason the price should be different.

 

[It's Mouse Time]

My wife is a TA and as it's been mentioned, a TA quote should NEVER be more than a quote through Disney. Some TA's do include insurance without asking, however that's an optional addition on her quote form. She also occasionally offers Disney Gift Card promotions, which actually makes her quote LESS than Disney. I know TA's sometimes get a bad rap, and like any profession - there's both good and bad TA's out there. Bottom line though - if you get a TA quote that's higher than Disney without an explanation, then stay away.

 

[MillauFr]

A TA gets a quote from basically the same WDW booking engine that you do, so there's n reason the price should be different.

Then why did the TA quote me $189 and Disney $445?

 

[staceyeileen]

Then why did the TA quote me $189 and Disney $445?

No idea, I'd have to compare the two quotes side by side and pull them at exactly the same time.

ETA - oh sorry, you're asking why a TA would be LESS than Disney? Disney pays the TA a commission on each sale. If the TA is advertising a lower price than Disney it's because they are giving up some of their commission or they had group space reserved for their agency when it was a lower rate and the Disney price has since increased. There's no reason the TA price would ever be MORE than Disney's though.

 

[tinka-belle]

Disney prices from a TA should be exactly the same. Your example of getting a higher price could be: ages, room category, promotion code not applied (no excuse for that from an Authorized Planner), promotion code no longer available for your dates (we all know availability can change constantly), extra day on park tickets (the public and TA sites seem to default to a park day for both check in and check out days, not always what one needs), adding PH or WPF&M to the passes, trip insurance. I'm sure there are more but that's off the top of my head right now. If an agent is not careful when quoting your trip any one of these can make the price higher than it should be.

As far as a quote being less, there are certain TA's who purchase room blocks from Disney and re-sell them, limited as to specific dates and resorts though.

 

[HM]

Then why did the TA quote me $189 and Disney $445?

That particular agency actually blocks out rooms at a discounted rate with Disney and thus can offer a low rate during that period. They are working more as a middle man than a TA for those deals.

 

[smiths02]

I used a friend who is a Authorized Disney TA. The quote was the same as the website. It was nice that when discounts came out, she did the contacting Disney for me (while I was at work)-again, the quote was the same as the website. She also helped me with the BOG lunch ADR debacle. Otherwise, I did my own ADRs and FP+. She would have done that for me, though. She also made me a nice spreadsheet.

ETA: If I didn't personally know the TA, I would use Dreams Unlimited (sponsor of this board) or do it myself. OR I might do the magical travel deal that everyone talks about since they block out rooms.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I would only use a TA that actually did something. So if your TA only works limited hours, won't give you a phone number and is doing this as "hobby" to finance her Disney vacation RUN! I have friends that do this so your issues get slotted between trips to Disney and sports practice. I allowed a "Disney specialist" to book ONE cruise for me and it was a NIGHTMARE getting them to respond. (This is the agency that does all the "special events" for most of the other big podcasters... I guess since they have all those special events locked up there's no need to care about service LOL!)

So unless you have a 24/7 agency I wouldn't bother.