Booking a trip youself

[Robo]

No guarantee that all TAs know/keep up with all of the rules and timings of everything Disney.

I have read so many stories of really bad advice coming from TAs who ought to know better.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Many, many years ago when we started our Disney vacations we used a AAA "Disney" travel agent. We continued to use her for a couple more trips but then I realized that there was little "value added" to her services. Between bounce back and other Disney offers I was able to book equivalent vacations directly through Disney. These days it seems like Disney makes very few, if any, unique to travel agent deals.

I would suggest investing some time on DisBoards and other sites to learn about WDW and then with the Disney site to investigate what special offers they have (scroll down just a bit on the Walt Disney World home page and look for "Explore our special offers"), decide on the when and where you want to stay, and then book the trip yourself. That's the power of the internet!

 

[LENNON500]

No guarantee that all TAs know/keep up with all of the rules and timings of everything Disney.

I have read so many stories of really bad advice coming from TAs who ought to know better.

Yes, this is a fact. When I worked @ DRC, we would field calls from TA's daily who were not only unfamiliar with booking rules, timing and other key components of booking a Disney vacation, but were also very rushed and rude. It was obvious they were only trying to make a buck and rarely had their clients best interest at heart. While this cannot be said for ALL TA's who phoned in, sadly, it was the case for the vast majority. Book it yourself guys!

 

[little tess]

I'm going to MK for the first time in March for DAH. I'm super excited! Planning for this trip seems a little different than planning for a day time park visit. Best advice I've received was to call Dreams Unlimited. So far, so good!

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Yes, this is a fact. When I worked @ DRC, we would field calls from TA's daily who were not only unfamiliar with booking rules, timing and other key components of booking a Disney vacation, but were also very rushed and rude. It was obvious they were only trying to make a buck and rarely had their clients best interest at heart. While this cannot be said for ALL TA's who phoned in, sadly, it was the case for the vast majority. Book it yourself guys!

DRC?

 

[LENNON500]

DRC?

Disney Reservation Center....that's who answers when you "call Disney"

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Fastpass registration.

I recently served as trip-planner and booked a trip for ourselves, my parents, my in-laws, and my other in-laws. I'm currently booking a trip for ourselves and our good friends. In both cases I came to the conclusion that there wasn't any point in me letting them book their own FPs, or even asking their input on it. Booking rooms they get. Ticket options they get. Even ADRs they get (who doesn't need to make reservations for a nice dinner?). But in order to book Fastpasses you need to know:

1. What rides you want to ride. (Okay, yes, that one's easy).
2. What rides you CAN ride (if you have kids that don't hit height marks).
3. What rides are most popular.
4. What rides have the longest average standby lines.
5. What rides are at each park.
6. What parks have tiers and which rides are on 1 or 2 level tiers.
7. What days you're planning on visiting each park. Also, whether you're planning on attending any special events, and when.
8. What time any ADRs are set for. Also, when you expect to arrive at a given park on a given day.
9. Where the rides are relatively located in the parks so that you can estimate travel times between them.
10. What rides are most likely to "sell out" quickest.
11. How to actually use the system (basically, everything in mesaboy's incredibly helpful thread). It's not 100% intuitive like some of the other reservation systems.
12. When the 60 day mark is, coupled with the willingness to actually get up and make reservations on that given morning.

Some of this stuff may seem second nature to us obsessive Disney planners, but to folks who haven't even visited the World in over a decade, or who may never have done so, this is just waaaaaay too much information to impart. I've just ended up telling them to trust me to do it. It's worked well so far.

 

[Micca]

No guarantee that all TAs know/keep up with all of the rules and timings of everything Disney

Honestly I don't know how anyone can keep up with every aspect of a WDW trip. Just the ticket options alone are mind-blowing to me. Then you add in all the details about resorts, transportation, entertainment... Kudos to anyone who can keep it straight, I'll just continue to rely on Robo & some of the others here who seem to be able to untangle almost any predicament.

 

[KatieDarling]

I have been to Disney many times but this is the first time I am actually using a TA along with the app. Because I haven't been in a few year, I wanted her expertise on what's changed and the best rooms at a new hotel I haven't been to. While I know what I like etc, it's been really nice to be hands off with the actual booking. (I like that she's free too obviously!)

As for My Disney Experience, the website is terrible. It crashed so much the first day I even tried to look at it, that I downloaded the app and now do everything from my phone. I agree though, it would be very overwhelming with all the choices and dates to book things for a first-timer. It's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and show a trip plan to for feedback.

 

[AdamEfimoff]

I use a travel agent But a virtuoso one . I avoid City specific ones like the plague. Really want someone not 'selling' to me but to answer questions. But like to research. Like to research myself as well to avoid crap.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I'm not sure what rolling out of MDE has to do with people booking online. I was booking online 15 years before that. Ten trips in and have never used a TA.

 

[Minnie Quinn]

I just became a Disney Travel Agent. Prior to that, I helped so many people plan a trip to Disney. I think if you are the kind of person that loves the detail and planning, it's fine to do it on your own. Personally, I LOVE planning trips and do a ton of research online when I go somewhere new. I think a lot of people don't enjoy that. For them, they would rather someone else do the planning and they just need to pay for it and show up where and when they need to. I think the most surprising thing for newbies is the level of planning. When I tell people that they need to know 6 months in advance, not only what park they will be in on a particular day, but also where and when they want to eat, they look at me like I have 3 heads. I've done very detailed itineraries for friends and they have literally called me from the park and said "I thought you were crazy, but your plan was perfect and everything was right on time (give or take 5 minutes)". Even if you are the sort of person who enjoys planning, knowing the right fast passes to grab and when to make them is something that is super important and yet a newbie would never know. So, if it's your first few times going to Disney, you should enlist the help of a Disney travel agent or someone who is a Disney expert... Just my 2 cents.

 

[fla4fun]

I've used a TA a couple times, when I was dealing with my mom going through cancer treatments and needed the help staying on top of discounts. It worked fine for me, but I generally prefer to do it myself. I don't find the website to be difficult to use. It's just a pain sometimes when you are having to check the website for something multiple times per day (a new discount, an elusive FP+ or ADR, etc.). That may be something that a newbie finds daunting, but it's certainly easy enough to do.

 

[wallskm]

We used to do everything ourselves but have booked our last few trips through a travel agent. Our main draw to that is the group discount we have been able to get. We have been able to stay at our dream resorts for excellent prices. But after booking through a TA a few times I am finding I really enjoy passing the reigns over. I don't need a lot of guidance but she does all the work- she'd do my ADRs and fast passes for me if I asked. When I want to make a payment I just send her an email (I know I could just do it online but sometimes that's glitchy! It takes me 2 seconds to send an email).

 

[TropicalDIS]

I enjoy the planning and doing it myself. Usually stay off site, so dont have to prep as much in advance. Few months maybe.
Its fun for me.

Looking to do a fall trip and stay onsite hopefully