Benefits of using a Disney travel agent?

[NickyBlueEyes]

My Internet friend is a Disney Travel agent. I know they are free to me. I can very well call and book my trip but are there any perks to using a Disney travel agent? I would like to support my friend, so if there are any cons to using one please let me know. Thx!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Here are my biggest reasons for using a TA.

If anything goes wrong during your trip, you can call your TA and let her deal with it while you continue enjoying your vacation rather than wasting hours of your vacation time and getting very frustrated dealing with it.

Somebody else deals with those annoying phone prompts, long hold times and misinformed CRO CMs.

 

[sndral]

I have known people who have used TA's for Disney and I've been surprised at the misinformation they've been given by those TA's.
Assuming your Internet acquaintance/correspondent is better informed than the TAs my friends have used that wouldn't be a problem and Disney specialists should be on top of any newly issued discounts thus perhaps saving you money.
The downside is that Disney will only deal w/ your travel agent, so if a problem arises or you want to change something your TA must do it for you.

 

[mtfarlin]

Oh, not having to worry about getting up at and on the phone by 7am at the 180 mark to make dining reservations!!!!!! And knowing if any room discounts, free dining offers or any other way to save some money comes up I know my Disney TA will be on top of it getting me the best deal I can get!!!! And they are there to help answer any question I might have even thought I have been to WDW a zillion times over the years

 

[Diegosmom]

I just got an email from AAA saying if I book with them they will give me a $25 gift card ($50 if I go deleuxe) some other perks as well so I might consider booking that way...

Sometimes TA offer perks like this but I dont know of anyone else doing something now...

 

[pepe of ohio]

You can only hope your TA will be on top of everything... Personally, I don't trust them... If you never vacationed at WDW, you know less then I ...mouse savers lists all current promos and discount codes, very easy to check...you can book room with AAA discount direct with out a AAA TA.... I want control of my reservation, I want to see it, add or subtract as the time gets near without waiting for some TA to end il me back....

I put my trust in the horses mouth... Not the other end...no third or second party reservations for us, especially dealing with a couple thousand dollar, 1000 mile vacation.

 

[lanejudy]

Some TAs offer a "perk" - like a pre-paid Visa card, a gift in your room.
Also, some TAs will watch for special offers that you might want to take advantage of and will inform you right away, or even transfer your reservation to the special if you've already indicated an interest if such offer opens up.

A downside is that you lose control of your reservation. WDW won't work with you to make changes or anything. If your TA ends up not being responsive to you, you are sort of stuck.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I suppose in my case it helps that my TA is just as knowledgeable if not more so than I am, and among people who know me in real life I'm considered the go-to person for all quesitons about WDW. It's important to have a TA who really knows her stuff. If your TA isn't a Disney specialist then I wouldn't use her.

 

[NickyBlueEyes]

Thank you so much everyone, that was very helpful!

 

[TaraCavin]

I love love love my travel agent, she plans each day for what I want, makes all the dining reservations when I change my mind a thousand times and answers my calls at all kinds of weird hours. I have even called her from the parks and she helped me figure out directions. Travel agents rock, or at least mine does.

 

[alecshawn]

IMHO...NONE..I can see no reason for one. Its too easy to plan and do this yourself. And, its part of the fun.