Benefits of using a Travel Agent

[Soarin' Mama]

What are the biggest benefits of using a travel agency to book a WDW vacation? Don't they just look up all the information I could look up? Does it end up costing more to book through an agent than booking through Disney directly?

 

[blana]

I'm not a big fan of booking through a TA, although I DID book through AAA this year. We're going in Dec, so there aren't any overall codes out yet, and DH wants to stay in the AS Suites. So, I decided to go with the guarranteed lower rate, and then get them to change up later. However, when we used a TA a few years ago, (SIL insisted) I know our plane tickets cost us $10 more each than I could have gotten them for myself.

 

[travelmom6416]

TA's get commission so they need to make money one way or another through the package. We buy our airfare directly through the airline and book directly through WDW travel. The schedule changes with the airline (and there are many) I feel more comfortable dealing with myself. The changing promotions with WDW travel, and the changes of heart with my reservation lead me to believe that it is worth the flexibility to book on your own.

 

[Soarin' Mama]

Yeah, my instinct says to book it myself, I was just wondering if there are benefits that I hadn't thought of. I certainly don't mind getting on the phone to talk to Disney, and Dh and I rather enjoy pricing out flights, so it seems like my instinct was right on the money.

Thanks

 

[normmo]

I'm using a TA for the first time for our September trip (Kathy from Small World Vacations) and there ARE some benefits. It's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of, she has done all the calling to Disney and did the math for us so that we knew which deal was the best for us. She's made some really good recommendations plus she even booked our bounceback deal for us when we were at Disney in March (it's now switched to free dining on her recommendation). It's just nice to have someone else do some of the work for once! We aren't flying down so air didn't factor into our scenario. Anyway, I would definitely use her again just for the convenience factor and the fact that I don't have to be up at 7 a.m. and on the phone to Disney everytime a new discount comes out.
Mo

 

[Mary2e]

The only real additional benefit you get would be if you booked through AAA. They have some extras included, such as special fireworks viewing areas in each of the parks, and the AAA diamond parking pass, which gets you a spot closer to the entrance, if there are any left. I believe they also offer some discounts, but if you have a Disney Visa, you get them anyway.

I've used them a few times and it priced out exactly the same. I just told the agent exactly what I wanted and she booked it that way.

You don't have to buy your airfare from them if you prefer to buy your own.

 

[Marine Mom]

TA's get commission so they need to make money one way or another through the package. We buy our airfare directly through the airline and book directly through WDW travel. The schedule changes with the airline (and there are many) I feel more comfortable dealing with myself. The changing promotions with WDW travel, and the changes of heart with my reservation lead me to believe that it is worth the flexibility to book on your own.

I feel the same way. I have never booked any vacations through a TA, I always book myself.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

We used a TA for our first trip - but never again. It drove me nuts that I had to do everything through her - ADRs especially. I wanted to fiddle with things. Lesson learned now we book it all ourselves and I can change whatever I want to when I want to

 

[kellybean]

We used a TA for our first trip - but never again. It drove me nuts that I had to do everything through her - ADRs especially. I wanted to fiddle with things. Lesson learned now we book it all ourselves and I can change whatever I want to when I want to

I booked through a TA last year I was able to do all of my ADRs and some other things myself. I didn't need to go through her to do it. While she offered to do those things for me, I told her I would take care of them and I had no trouble doing it.

 

[aussietravellers]

I have loved using at TA (this is the second time I have used Magical Journeys). For me, particularly living outside the USA, it's expensive to call all the time for things. My TA has made the reservations for me (I'm doing a split stay). I added another night so added a night to the first hotel then moved the second hotel along by one night and I just emailed the TA and she did it straight away for me, no need to call Disney and an expensive phone call. Then free dining came out for part of the trip and then I saw the 40% off, I had already told the TA to add the dining when it comes out even though I would prefer a % discount if it was 30 or 40%. I emailed on the morning of the free dining and 40% off to say I would prefer the 40% off. She emailed back soon after saying that she had called first thing and had already done the numbers and worked out that the 40% was a much better deal for us so had already applied that to my booking.


She then booked the sunset safari for me which again saved me another international phone call.

I did all of the ADR's myself as I wanted to do that and chop and change as other times became available. But I would not hesitate using a TA again as it isn't costing me anything extra to use them and she is doing all of the changes and even helping me come up with the best way to go. She has been absolutely wonderful

 

[Luv2Roam]

I use to do both. Some trips I would plan; some I used DU for.
It was great not holding on line to book or make a dinner res. The TA did it all for me. And I never had issues.

I think TAs should be used when a guest is wanting to just pick there options and hand all the work off to someone else.

Now there are those who switch a lot, sweat n fret, and want their rep 24/7 at the drop of a hat. Those who have tendencies like this should probably do their own trip planning.

AAA does have a few nice side perks that many would enjoy. They would not matter to me. But others may use them.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I have been to WDW over 12 times in the past six years. Every time I used a TA (Small World the first four trips, Dreams all the others). I have some great and not so great experiences. Great all but two, but this last time is the one that will most likely have me booking myself.

Long story short, my TA went out of town, no biggie she is allowed to do that after all! She left my trip details with another TA at that agency and it was during this time they discounted my week. Nobody at this agency let me know. If I hadn't been on disboards one night and seen a thread about the 20-30-40% being released for Easter Week, I would have never known. By this time, my trip, during Easter Week was just a couple of weeks away and that discount had been around for several days. I scrambled and finally got the agent covering for mine to get us switched but it was stressful. Bottom line, the only reason I have ever used a TA was so that they could stay on top of the deals and get me the best rate as pins and discounts became available. Sadly it became obvious to me nobody cared and they even acted like I was asking too much by getting on them to call and get my reservation changed. It worked out and in the end I got a moderate for about $20 more all said and done than my value reservation. But I wont' use them again.

TA's own your reservation. Even if you call WDW directly, you cannot do a thing to your own reservation. Until your TA decides to get on the ball and get it done, its out of your hands totally. Had I had enough on my cc to rebook a whole new reservation, I would have. But I didn't at the time so I was stuck until this woman finally got it changed.

So I am done with the TA thing. If I have to check the deals constantly myself, why bother? This way its in my hands.

I do have to add that if my own TA had been around, things would have been differently. But since most TA's travel regularly its a good possiblity at some point somebody else will cover for your own TA ad heaven help you if that person isn't on the ball.

 

[Robin K]

We used a TA our first trip since we had NO idea what we were doing.
We loved our TA so much that we have used her to book our last 3 trips. She answered all our questions, handed our ADRs, and we make all payments through her. She lets us know when discounts come out such as free dining.
We will continue to use a TA--since we don't like dealing with all the other stuff. I just lke telling her what we want and it gets done!
Everyone is different some people like being in control of all their stuff.
Happy planning!

 

[GetGlowing]

If you're going to use AAA, grill your agent before agreeing to book a Disney trip through them. The "Disney expert" agent at our AAA is as dumb as a post when it comes to the Mouse.

 

[VickiVM]

The only real additional benefit you get would be if you booked through AAA. They have some extras included, such as special fireworks viewing areas in each of the parks, and the AAA diamond parking pass, which gets you a spot closer to the entrance, if there are any left. I believe they also offer some discounts, but if you have a Disney Visa, you get them anyway.

I've used them a few times and it priced out exactly the same. I just told the agent exactly what I wanted and she booked it that way.

You don't have to buy your airfare from them if you prefer to buy your own.

I booked this afternoon FD through our AAA local office. Yeah, I knew more than she did, but kinda cool to get some of the AAA perks...since we're driving I think we will actually use the diamond parking pass.

The only thing she said was the deposit was not refundable at all once I charged it, but the docs she gave me is identical to WDW's deposit policy.

 

[mickey2000]

I booked this afternoon FD through our AAA local office. Yeah, I knew more than she did, but kinda cool to get some of the AAA perks...since we're driving I think we will actually use the diamond parking pass.

The only thing she said was the deposit was not refundable at all once I charged it, but the docs she gave me is identical to WDW's deposit policy.

My office gives the diamond pass without booking a trip as long as you are a AAA member

May 30 – June 6 Celebrity Bermuda

Sept 27 – October 6 WDW

November 7 - 19 Royal Caribbean Southern Caribbean

December 7 – 15 WDW

 

[luvdisney00]

My office gives the diamond pass without booking a trip as long as you are a AAA member

May 30 – June 6 Celebrity Bermuda

Sept 27 – October 6 WDW

November 7 - 19 Royal Caribbean Southern Caribbean

December 7 – 15 WDW

I never heard this before, anyone else get this or did this one office make a mistake in your favor? I am going to call my local AAA because I could use that pass!

I used a TA from AAA in 07 and it was a bad experience. She knew NOTHING about Disney and was very slow to answer my calls. I did it because that summer there were no other discounts available and I figured it was worth it to get the AAA discount since we were at the Poly. Next trip I did my self and it was great, I was fully in control of my res and perfectly capable of keeping on top of discounts and making calls myself (I'm obsessed with Disney anyway LOL). This year I decided to use Tom from Mouse Unlimited because they were giving a deal through SR and it is a completely different experience. He is on top of everything, knows Disney inside and out, and never acts like I'm being a pain for making requests, changes etc... After watching for FD religiously for more than a month, the day it came out, my daughter was in the hospital, so I had no time to call. I was soooo glad that I had the TA, who made all the calls and arrangements for me so I didn't even have to worry about it.


I guess the bottom line is that it's not whether or not you use a TA but which one you use. If you want to have someone else do the legwork for you, be careful to choose wisely. I would be so mad if I used someone not on top of things and I missed out on a good deal. There seem to be several good ones mentioned on these boards, so if you are looking for one, use one of the recommendations here. MU is really great to work with

 

[disneylovinfamily]

We used a TA for our first trip - but never again. It drove me nuts that I had to do everything through her - ADRs especially. I wanted to fiddle with things. Lesson learned now we book it all ourselves and I can change whatever I want to when I want to

Not all agencies that are like that. The agency that I used allows you to be as little or as much involved as you want.

Also my agent that I have used has always monitored for discounts and applied for me. I know she works on commission but I assume her philospohy is that if she really helps and is honest she will get repeat customers.

My agents also does extra thngs like I got a great information packet that was customized for my family. She sent me a questionarrie and asked all kinds of stuff. About a week before the trip, she sent my kids some little gifts (different for the 2 trips I have taken) and also she sent postcards to them taht were from thier fa characters! I highly recommend this service becaue the service has been very customized and she helped with everything that I needed. I assume it really is the agent you get and the company that you go with.