Advantages of NOT booking through Disney

[SandraH]

We just returned from our first cruise and we all LOVED it! Even before we got home, the kids were asking us "When can we go again?" We are DVC members and booked it using points. For the next cruise, we will most likely use cash. My question is: Are there advantages of not booking directly through Disney? I've priced out next November with Interval International and Disney Dreams and they are both higher than Disney. Do prices go down as you get closer to the cruise date? Do other companies offer incentives?
Thanks for your help!

 

[prymsu]

AAA offers shipboard credits and refillable soda mugs. Not sure about price being much different that DCL directly. Also are you purchasing your own air, or are you doing a complete package with transfers, air and all? That makes a difference too sometimes. I know also that DU offers rebates...

 

[my3kids]

I just booked with cruise.com. Very helpful and friendly. Their rate was $400 less than DCL's rate. I called EVERYWHERE checking what rates TA's would give for the same trip. cruise.com and mytravelco.com were about the same. Everyone else was the same as DCL, or a small discount. I just had a better feeling after talking with cruise.com. Costco was lowest for me last trip, but not this time. Talk to agents at the agencies. Don't just go by the rates on the website.