Any reasons why I should NOT book with DU?

[madonna31]

madonna31 - Do you specialize in DLR too?

Yes I do as well as DCL. That being said, 95% of my clients are WDW bound.

Luckily the woman persisted explaining that the "Free Dining" offer expired on Sunday, so Monday would be too late!

That is precisely the reason I become a Disney TA in the first place. I couldn't find a TA in our area who knew a thing about Disney when it came time to book our honeymoon at the GF. I had to tell our TA when the AP discount came out for our travel time so she could call Disney and apply the discount to our ressi.

I reminded the Agent that she should tell her client not to forget to make her ADR's or else her "Free Dining" wouldn't be worth it!

Good for you! I don't think that TA realizes how much you just saved her butt. Not to mention, it's already near impossible to get into the 'good' restaurants for the FREE dining travel time anyhow...

 

[donkthemagicllama]

madonna31: No offense intended, if my first couple experiences with TAs around here had been with someone like yourself who was a specialist, things would have been different. I was posting about my experience, and out here, I haven't run across one. At one of the TAs I visited I was told things one of the benefits of staying at a WDW hotel (we were discussing the All-Stars) was being able to walk to the parks. Granted, I haven't looked too hard for one specializing in Disney because after I found out about DU I didn't feel the need.

 

[phabric]

madonna31-

I have used a DU for the past couple of trips. What I liked about it was when I booked she asked about the dates for my dinning reservations that I wanted and she booked them when they became available. When the price changed she was able to get the reduced price, without me asking. This saved me the long distance call and the time.

Do you do this also, if so I can sent you my email address. I would like to use a Canadian agent.

 

[phabric]

madonna31-

Send me an email to walkerxxx@rogers.com with your information and I will give you the details for WDW trip.

 

[donkthemagicllama]

madonna31: luckily for me I knew better... I'd been there offsite with my parents, so I just smiled and nodded rather than get into an argument, then promptly booked myself (unfortunately not knowing about AAA or AP discounts, they would have helped). However, in the process I found laughingplace.com and mouseplanet.com, which I kept reading after the trip, and eventually got lead here where I found out about DU, where I booked my honeymoon and a family Christmas trip. My DW and I are headed to WDW this fall again thru DU, but next time around I'll certainly check with yourself or another CDN TA. I just assumed that the only specialists were the ones I ran across online at the DIS and laughingplace etc.

Anyway, to the original poster, who's probably long since booked their trip, the only reason I wouldn't book thru DU is because there are Canadian based WDW specialists like madonna31 who provide the same services from Canada ... now I know!

-donk

 

[barkley]

non canadian here-but the one thing i will pass on re. du and some other u.s. travel agents is that they are not always entirely familiar with travel regulations for non u.s. citizens. this probably is'nt an issue for a trip to wdw, but with a disney cruise (or other) that departs from u.s. soil it can be. i got into a heated argument with a dis moderator/du agent on another board when she posted misinformation about immigration policies for u.s and non u.s. passengers on disney cruises (any reputable agent will advise you to refer to the i.n.s. websites for the most up to date rules and regulations, that travel documents detail the travel company's interpretation of the rules/regs at the time of printing and may not be entirely accurate).

we don't use travel agents for our trips (in and out of the u.s.) because i've never found that they could get me any better rate than i could booking it myself. most hotels (including disney) will advise you (if you ask outright) what discounts they are offering/honor for a particular property. airfare bought independant of a travel agent does'nt carry their surcharge, and disney package deals offered to caa/aaa and other groups can be purchased with proof of membership directly from disney (unless that group has an exclusivity contract with disney in which case they are likely tacking on a charge to the cost of the package).

if we were to use a travel agent i would prefer to use one whose office i could walk into and not have to be reliant on telephone or email communication.

 

[madonna31]

Thanks donk.

 

[Cruiser1969]

Thank you so much for all your replies.
You've given me plenty to think about.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

We've done DW three times and DL twice and booked all times on our own. I did try several times with TA but did not find anyone who knew, or cared about Disney I feel so sorry for the people who don't do their own investigations, check the boards etc because, based on my experiences they can be losing out on so much. I am sure there are great TA's out there (including the one's on this post), just haven't found one yet out here. Last trip I did try DU with a quote I had already got on my own through Disney - when I contacted DU to see if they could beat it, I was told to provide them with my reservation #, then they could book it for me at the price I had found and they would make my PS for free (NOT!!!! ). Then this time I thought - okay let's give em a shot again - first of all was told that they don't do flights (fair enough), then I asked to combine a cruise/resort stay (not the land/sea thing, different reservations). Was told I would have to go back to the website and request that quote seperately as that was considered a seperate trip (WHAT!!!!), still stupidly I pursued. He came back with a quote, a good 40% less than what I had been able to find. Sent an email right back asking him to book right away, fabulous deal, great work etc - email back from him the next day saying that Disney had "Changed the price - I didn't get back to him quickly enough". Needless to say at that point I was done, I asked him politely to cancel my "courtesy reservation" as I wasn't sure what our plans were. A few days later I tried to book through Disney directly but was told I couldn't because DU had a reservation already in my name, which the CM couldn't cancel because it wasn't me who made the reservation it was DU. I lost my mind, and with some kind CM and mgmt help, cancelled DU's and made my own. Sorry for the long post, but have been holding this in for a couple of months.... I feel 10 pounds lighter

 

[Disney Fanatic]

Personally I would not book with a US Travel Agency like Dreams Unlimited because if they go bankrupt or just close their doors one day, your $$$ will not be covered by TICO.

My suggestion is this, why not book either with a Canadian travel agent that specializes in Disney. Disney actually takes selected agents to WDW and teaches them as much as they can about selling Disney. Ask around and you will find one of these agents.

Secondly, if you don't mind the leg work you can book your own package and get a great deal!!

Something to consider is renting points from a Disney Vacation Club Member and staying at some of the nicest WDW properties for an amazing price. I wish I had of known about this before we first travelled to Disney. We are now happy vacation club members but unfortunately all our pts are spoken for or I would rent you some to try out. Just go to the rent/trade board and see what great deals can be had for yourself.

I also recommend going to ticketmania and ordering tickets through them. You can save a few bucks and get yourself a good deal. We travel often to Disney so we find the 10 day with park hopper and no expiry date (this also includes and extra 5 days at the water parks) gives us the best value.

Good Luck with your planning

 

[dimoe]

I beg to differ at least with from my experience with canadian tas. I booked through small world last time and du this time. Last time I was quoted canadian prices 3600- 4900 plus dining to go . I booked my flight from Buffalo on Southwest myself and it ended up costing us 3000
If the prices were anywhere comparable I would be willling to book through a Canadian travel agent but they dont compare at all.
my opinion
Diane

 

[donkthemagicllama]

dimoe: I think you're correct when it comes to flights, but it's hardly the TAs fault. It just costs more to fly from Canada thanks to our insane taxes/fees. For DW and me to fly to Orlando on points (i.e. just paying the taxes/fees), it still costs $160 each. You can probably pay for the tickets for less than that in the States.

 

[madonna31]

I think your right donk.

I'm willing to bet that the Canadian TA Dimoe got prices from quoted her with a 'package' which included air through Air Canada Vacations, Nolitours, Air Transat or another tour operator of the like.

I'm telling you, regular TAs should NOT be allowed to book Disney.

 

[donkthemagicllama]

Disney Fanatic: For what it's worth, when you book with DU, you are billed by Disney and not DU (I can't speak for other online TAs). Hopefully Disney won't go bankrupt!

 

[dimoe]

I would have been quoted 1169.00 just for airfare out of Hamilton. Instead I paid 500.00 out of the states.
Diane

 

[madonna31]

Dimoe - I assure you that you would of gotten the same price as you did with DU, had you gone to a Canadian agent who specializes in Disney travel.

Believe me, we know all about Southwest and the like. Simply because we use them for our own vacations.

 

[Disney Fanatic]

Disney Fanatic: For what it's worth, when you book with DU, you are billed by Disney and not DU (I can't speak for other online TAs). Hopefully Disney won't go bankrupt!

Wow! I didn't know that. Is DU owned by Disney?

Thanks for the info.

 

[dimoe]

I tried two disney specialists one through caa and one through another travel agency and they didnt even come close to the quote. We saved so much ppl cant believe for how little it cost us compared to what they have spent to go.
Diane

 

[cslittle999]

DU isn't owned by Disney. If I remember correctly DU acts as an agent of Walt Disney World Travel Company. DU books everything through them. I believe that this is true of all of the Disney specialist agencies (Madonna31 can correct me if I'm wrong about that). That's why everyone says that you can do just as well yourself because the TA is simply doing what you could be doing. The only discount that you have to get through a specific TA is the CAA discount on a package. That can only be booked by a CAA TA.

For Disney going through a TA is about convenience not about cost savings. For other kinds of travel it is different because you are dealing with blocks of rooms, charter flights and packages that have been created by a travel agency or vacation company. You may be able to put the same pieces together but not get the discount that the TA can give.

 

[minnie56]

Whether you want to do the legwork or not basically? Before I was a TA..I always did my own bookings too. Now I still search many sources when I am putting a Disney vacation together for myself or a client. Old habits die hard. There are only so many suppliers of Disney vacations and we all have access to the same ones! It's just finding a TA that is willing to do the searching!