Are there any perks to using a travel agent?

[annacejka]

And are they expensive to use?

 

[PlanningMama]

IMO the biggest benefit is that they may catch a discount before I know about it and can help get it added to the reservation without any trouble. I myself have made all the ADR's because I like planning and enjoy that part of getting ready for a trip, but a TA has offered to do this for us. And no, they are not charging us anything. I think there are many more people who are savvier than I am that might tell you they don't feel that they need a TA, but that's just my viewpoint. Happy planning!

 

[5kidsmommy]

They aren't supposed to charge more, it's supposed to be free.

I have always booked and planned my own trips but I thought about using one for my next trip. The TA quoted $700 more than I could book myself as there were no discounts right now but I booked at rack rates and was $700 less for all the same details straight from Disney. I decided just to continue to book myself.

 

[geethb]

Obviously, there are a few perks

If you are a first timer, then planning by yourself can be daunting, especially if you don't have much time left.
That's where the Disney Travel agent comes in picture.
However note that no two travel companies are same.

It is your best bet to get quotes from multiple travel providers.

I got mine through word of mouth from another family that utilized their services.

One criteria to be a Disney official travel provider, is that they actually need to visit Disney atleast once an year. SO they actually know what they are preaching.

But having been there, i can honestly tell one thing, read a book or two and you will know everything you need about WDW yourself.

The travel agent once told me, there are actually no deals for Disney, since WDW does not provide different deals for different providers. So there is not much that you can actually gain money-wise from using a Disney authorized travel agent.

However, you can definitely pick their brain and get ideas on various things like resort selection, dining plan selection, transportation questions, Disney Magic Express etc. That's the ONLY actual value from using a travel agent.
Therefore make sure that the travel agents are friendly and they respond quickly through phone and/or email.

Just be forewarned, that a few travel agents do charge a little extra and you need to be cautious and as i said before you would do well to get quotes from multiple providers.

The rule of the thumb is you should NOT BE PAYING MORE that what you get when you book a WDW trip online in Disney site.

Cheers,
GeethB

 

[mac3mpc]

We have a friend who is a travel agent. She books the trip for us and watches for any other discounts that may apply. I book our ADRs and FP+ because I really enjoy having control of that part but she has offered to do that for us as well. The biggest perk I found when using a TA is that she has the ability (and is willing) to stay on hold for 45 minutes to an hour if we want to make changes or have questions regarding our trip. It saves me a lot of time and frustration. I don't have the patience for it.

 

[annacejka]

Up until December I went once a week! Then we moved back to DC This is the first time in a long time that I am actually going to stay in a hotel for a week and not using our DVC and I'm trying to make it special since its our 2 year old's birthday. I might talk to one and see if they have suggestions since all of the little mermaid rooms are booked.

Thanks for all the input!!

 

[wareagle57]

I was under the impression that certain travel agencies DID have exclusive deals that were not offered to the public. I've always booked myself but I decided to get a few quotes earlier this week, and the quote they gave me was lower than what I could book myself even with the traditional discounts.

 

[dansdad]

I was under the impression that certain travel agencies DID have exclusive deals that were not offered to the public. I've always booked myself but I decided to get a few quotes earlier this week, and the quote they gave me was lower than what I could book myself even with the traditional discounts.

Yes, sometimes agencies do have exclusive deals. These are large blocks of rooms reserved by the agency at the same rate as a company hosting a conference would get. They then turn around and sell them at a discounted rate. Those exclusive packages have some restrictions. Like not being able to add dining and not being able to add days to tickets.

 

[nkereina]

Travel Agents do not charge their customers. They earn their money on commission they make from your booking. In this case, Disney pays them a percentage of your trip cost. So, using a TA is of no cost to you. Only exception might be is if the TA is booking airfare for you, they may impose a service fee. Airlines do not pay commission, so to book air for you means they make no money on it. But every agent handles this differently.

Some larger travel agencies can provide exclusive deals - whether because they secure a block of rooms, or are willing to comp some things out of their own commission for the sake of their exclusive promo (onboard credit on DCL is a big one).

Other than that, if you get the right agent, benefits include the agent doing all the legwork for you - sitting on the phone with Disney, researching your questions, and some will book ADRs/FP+ if you want to. There's a 24 hour agent we've used in the past who is also able to assist with flight delays and cancellations at any time of day or not, so that was a big benefit as well.

 

[annacejka]

So if they are buying large blocks of rooms, does that mean there might possibly be a little mermaid room floating about with a travel agency that I could book? Am i understanding that correctly?

 

[bluezy]

I use a Disney Earmarked Travel Agent to book my room/package simply because I usually book 6+ months ahead of time and discounts aren't out yet for our time of travel. My agent will take care of getting the discounts applied when they come out and simply sends me an e-mail with the updated reservation and information. That way I don't have to sit on the phone for an hour waiting to get through to Disney to modify the reservation. The agency I use often offers a perk or incentive for booking with them -- either a free gift or a $25-75 gift card (depending on the price of your trip) or sometimes both. I don't think any Disney travel agent has access to exclusive offers through Disney. If they're offering a discount that's better than the one Disney is offering, it's of their own doing and is coming out of their pocket.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

So if they are buying large blocks of rooms, does that mean there might possibly be a little mermaid room floating about with a travel agency that I could book? Am i understanding that correctly?

I doubt you will find Disney selling a single travel agent large blocks of Little Mermaid rooms as there are not many of them to start with and they are still in demand. No need for Disney to discount them. The rooms are often available through Orbitz or other resellers (I booked one through Orbitz) but when their inventory is gone, it's gone, and they go pretty fast.

 

[annacejka]

Bummer. I'll stick to hitting refresh on the website ohhh every 4 minutes...I was prepared for that answer and am kicking myself for not booking the room I had a few nights ago but the dates weren't set in stone then.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

take a look at Orbitz or Travelocity and see if they have any mermaid rooms. If the cost comes out as being over $200 then all they have left are the suites.

 

[Sue M]

The most important thing is to use an Ear Marked Agency, one that specializes in Disney. They do not charge extra, and are aware of when discounts are released, and should automatically apply discount to your reservation.
Regular TAs don't do this.

I once got a ridiculous quote from CAA that was way higher then Disney web site. And the TA was suppose to be their Disney expert. She said she used Sun Fun Holidays for a quote . Not a clue!!!

I have booked myself many years, but find I am getting spoiled using my TA. Just send her an email where and when I want to stay. No waiting on hold. Making payment is also as simple as just sending an email.

 

[geethb]

Can you offer any recommendations for TA.
my last TA did not offer much in terms of savings

Thanks,
GeethB

 

[Lynne M]

Folks, just a reminder that if you post the name of a business, you MUST include the link to that business's web site. NO exceptions. That way the word filter will catch the names of banned businesses.

Also, deliberate attempts to bypass the word filter are not permitted on this site, and can result in infractions. I've been being nice about not issuing infractions for this, but I'm about done with that.

 

[biim85]

I used a travel agent once for my first adult trip because planning it alone seemed like an impossible task in the amount of time that I had left, and though my mom had taken me many times a child, she was no help at all ("I dont know, I just booked whatever sounded easy! You were a kid, you didnt know the difference...") However, once I kind of learned the Disney ropes, and it only took that one trip, I never used one again. As much as it may seem less stressful to sit back and let someone else handle it, it wasnt for me. There are plenty of websites to check up on discounts, and I've never had a problem getting on applied in the past. I find I saved a little more money planning on my own than using an agent and I have total control (aside from Disney's availability) on what's happening. I dont have to worry whether or not my agent is on their A-game either. I think if you're versed enough in Disney you can do it yourself cheaper and easier. If you're pulling your hair out or having heart palpatations, get an agent even if it costs you a few bucks more.

 

[tinkerbella16]

Going through a TA should be free. I always book with a Disney Vacation Specialist. It has been a breeze and stree-free for me since 2007. I always book my trips about 8 months out. I'll book my own dining adrs, but they do offer to do it for me. When discounts do come out, my TA takes care of it first thing and just sends me an email. I love knowing that I don't have to sit on the phone with disney and waiting on hold the day they offer promotions. I won't have to take any time away from work, which is great.

 

[IrishNYC]

We have a friend who is a travel agent. She books the trip for us and watches for any other discounts that may apply. I book our ADRs and FP+ because I really enjoy having control of that part but she has offered to do that for us as well. The biggest perk I found when using a TA is that she has the ability (and is willing) to stay on hold for 45 minutes to an hour if we want to make changes or have questions regarding our trip. It saves me a lot of time and frustration. I don't have the patience for it.

This is the same reason I used a TA (who is also a friend, and a Disney specialist) for Disney and only for Disney. She caught a discount I may not have, waited on hold for dining changes, snagged me a pre-opening ADR I probably wouldn't have caught, and did a lot of hand-holding that I needed. I'm a pretty savvy traveler and love planning vacations, but Disney was just overwhelming for me.

PS: If a TA wants to charge you for their services, you shouldn't do business with them. They're making commission on most of what they book for you so you don't have to pay them. I had a (cruise specialist) TA tell me about a year ago that companies had lowered traditional commission amounts, so he had to charge a "service fee" to make up for it. I told him where to stick it.