Canadians booking thru CRO or using TA

[pollioni]

What are the pros and cons of booking directly thru CRO?

Also what are the pros and cons of using a service like Fairytale Dreams & Destinations/Dreams Unlimited/Small World Vacations or Magical Journeys?

I have once book directly thru the CRO but am wondering if there are any advantages using these travel agents from Canada

 

[madonna31]

Hello Robb!

I posted this info once before on another thread. Hopefully it helps you as well.

I book my clients directly through CRO/Disney Travel Company. Number one reason being if you go through a tour company such as Air Canada or World of Vacations, not only is it more expensive, but through a tour company, there is no way to obtain room discounts, nor make a room request and the like.

Be CAREFUL - some TA's will book through a tour company simply because they pay more commission then Disney does!

Here are some of the pro's in booking through a Disney TA:

1) The TA can make all the phone calls (especially the long distance ones) to Disney for you.
2) The TA can handle all of your Advance Dinnig Reservations for you
3) The TA can worry about making room requests for you
4) Let the TA worry about 'where your vouchers are'
5) If a discount comes out for your travel time - you won't have to sit on hold for an hour waiting to get through to apply it to your reservation. Your Disney TA will do that for you.

In addition, I personally set my clients up with a package that includes the Disney park maps, a passport holder, resort info, Disney trivia, a packing list and more. I guarantee you that you won't get this extra stuff when you book through Disney directly. Nor will you get the same special 'one on one' treatment.

I also want to recommend that if you decide to book through a TA, make certain that you do your homework:

1) Make sure that your TA is indeed a Disney Specialist (normal TA's won't know about discount opportunities such as an Canadian at par rate)

2) Make sure that your TA is a TICO agent. Forget the Jetsgo fiasco - I know of a friend who had to buy a $700US ticket on his way home from Las Vegas because he lost his plane ticket that he booked through Expedia. He's out that $700. Had he booked through a TICO agent - he wouldn't be.

3) It's not a bad idea to check the agent's IATA/TIDS number. You can do that by asking for their number and then checking it here: Check a Code

Hope that helps!

 

[tone.def]

I book with with a TA.

Why I don't book through CRO? I once called to get some price work-ups done for me and ask some questions. While I know not all CM's are as curt as the one I got, I found they want to spend more time making the sale than spending time answering queries.

I also like not having to be up at 7 a.m. to make dining ressies nor do I want to be up calling CRO looking for codes or specials before they're all gone. I like the idea of having someone else do this for me.

I'm not a morning person and I don't want to stress about being on hold for 20 minutes trying to get into a character breakfast or signature restaurant.

I like someone who can make recommendations about some things I might like to try and "hidden jewels" or "jems" to see and go to that I may not find on my own and more then likely I wouldn't have been told by CRO in their 10 minutes phone call when they get all snotty when you don't even want to put a package on hold becuase you're not sure about dates.

That's why I book with a travel agent - the price is exactly the same, but one I get advice and service with.



As a side note to all that, I went to Mexico for a wedding in May and we booked a group trip through a brick and mortar TA who was selling Air Canada Vacations, OMIGOD, what a space cadet. I can't count on my 2 hands how things got so messed up by her. Names spelled wrong, half the group ended up with tickets for another flight on the wrong day, I declined insurance and I was charged for it... twice! People who paid for ocean view rooms didn't get them and I didn't pay for one and I was assigned one.
I know this one was the resort's fault - but the Bride and Groom ended up with their room smack between each set of parents. How horrible!!! For their wedding night they got a complimentary room just for the night becasue they originally asked to be moved to a different room in the same area and the front desk wanted to put them waaaaaay on the other side of the resort from the rest of us and that wasn't satisfactory for them (because it was a very big resort).
The moral of that little story is... if your TA looks like she has spent too much time in a tanning bed and forgets your name when she calls you, go elsewhere!

 

[shaycamp21]

We have used Dreams Unlimited for our upcoming trip in Aug (21-30 POFQ)and it has been wonderful. We put a deposit down in Jan and when the free dining came out in May/June (can't remember) our TA made sure we got it before it even when public. All of AR's we booked by our TA (for some AR ...CRT...TA had to spend 2hrs on hold) and she even made sure special little touches we're going into our CRT breakfast for our DD 7th B-day. She also sent my girls little notes in the mail from Cinderella and Mickey. Our adults night out was arranged by our TA including the childcare at Neverland and a complete itinerary has been made for us as well. This saved us loads of time and probably some $ in not having to make long distance calls. We can't wait.

 

[KatieKateKate]

I booked with a TA. She has been so helpful.

Actually - here is what I posted yesterday when someone asked about Small World Travel vs Dreams Come True in the Resorts thread:

"I am using DCTV for my first ever upcoming Disney World trip. I have booked other vacation packages through TA's in a brick and mortar location and I never got the high customer service level I am currently receiving.
I can't say there's anything I dislike about them, but I do like the resort and restaurant recommendations that were made to fit my budget, I like that I was told no amount of questions were too many because they wanted me to be comfortable with my vacation. I like that I am replied to in a timely manner with no details left out.
I requested quotes from about 5 online Disney TA's. They pretty much all came back the same price for what I asked for. I went with DCTV because they were the fastest to respond and provided the most detailed answers to my questions in the first email. First impressions..."


Anyway, I'm sure I could have done it all myself with a little research and a lot of help from the folk on these boards, but I'm busy. Why not trust a pro???

 

[lizzie64]

Wow - that's easy.

I booked through Fairytale Dreams and Destinations and the level of service couldn't have been better. From phone calls to e-mails to snail mail, every need for my trip was met. Now mind you, I was a compulsive Disney planner. Always planned everything, waiting for the codes, booked my priority seatings. This time, I decided to sit back and let someone else do it for me.

I'll never do it myself again.

Christine was very attentive to detail. Shortly after my reservation I received a lovely package with lots of useful info for my trip. Some maps, itinerary suggestions, dining suggestions and best of all a great checklist for packing and planning.

Best of all - it saved countless numbers of my precious time.

 

[calgarygary]

Whether a TA or CRO make sure that you first visit mousesavers and these boards. I changed our entire plans when I realized that free dining was being offered. We usually stay offsite but this Oct. will be getting 2 rooms at CSR to take advantage of the free dining. We had to explain the entire program to our TA.

 

[wdwr]

Hello Robb!


I book my clients directly through CRO/Disney Travel Company.....

In addition, I personally set my clients up with a package that includes the Disney park maps, a passport holder, resort info, Disney trivia, a packing list and more. I guarantee you that you won't get this extra stuff when you book through Disney directly. Nor will you get the same special 'one on one' treatment.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

You can be my new TA! I would love to get that little package you make up!

My upcoming trip and the one in December 2004, I used a TA. I did however find all the information and told her to book it. That way I don't have to worry about anything just like a normal complete package deal. And if anything happens with my reservations etc..she can take care of fixing it too.

She did offer to do my Table Reservations and book my Tours but I decided to bite the bullet and have the cost of the calls. This way if there was a conflict of times it was easier for me to change them than for her to call me and get a new choice etc.


wdwr

 

[jwill]

Even being south of the border, Christine at Fariytale Dreams and Destinations did a great job making arrangements for my trip in May. I had a few extra conditions to meet to get the rates that were available to to me and Christine handled them expertly. Her service was first rate with everything you would expect and the nice things like the planning packet, packing guide and calendar were very nice and useful additions that put her service to a fantastic level.

 

[madonna31]

You can be my new TA! I would love to get that little package you make up!

lol...Thanks! Let me introduce myself, my name is Christine and I own Fairytale Dreams & Destinations. I do get a ton of compliments on my booking package. So I must be doing something right.

 

[ozzel]

Hi everyone! I used to make all my own reservations for hotel, dining, tickets, etc -- but over a year ago I started letting Christine at FD&D make my travel plans and I haven't looked back!!

I just e-mail her my dates, hotel preference and even room preference and she takes care of the rest. That same morning I'll have a reservation number from her and at the best rate going - often better than I could find on the internet! I send her my dining preferences and she makes priority seatings for me. Even if she couldn't get the exact resort I wanted (I send a short 'priority' list of resorts) she'll get me a hold on the next best thing, then double check with me. She's gotten me rooms when CRO told me they were all sold out. Why sit on hold forever for dining PS, when she can get it all taken care of no problem.

AAA can only get you their rates - which aren't always that good. Many other travel agencies will charge 'administrative fees' - FD&D has no 'hidden costs', and you'll always get the best price going, and if the price changes, Christine will make sure you get it! Plus, unlike many other TA's - she's actually been to WDW and knows the place inside and out and can help you make the most of your trip! That's especially good if you haven't been before. I really can't say enough!

I live in Florida - 2 hours from WDW -- and I go to Canada for my travel plans.

-ozzel

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Hi! I am another happy client of Christine's. Fairytale Dreams and Destinations is a great agency. Christine provides her clients with great information that she has worked on herself. She is available by email or phone. She is very familiar with WDW resorts and will give suggestions such as room location. I highly receommend FD&D.

 

[MECH8T7]

She did offer to do my Table Reservations and book my Tours but I decided to bite the bullet and have the cost of the calls. This way if there was a conflict of times it was easier for me to change them than for her to call me and get a new choice etc.

There are 1-800 numbers for CRO and WDW dining, aren't there? I used them earlier this year. A search of the Canadian board should turn them up.

 

[Higgs22]

I also booked my last trip with Christine at Fairytale Dreams and Destinations, and it was great!

I just told her what I needed and it was all taken care of! She took care of our dinner reservations, got us tickets to Cirque at DTD, park tickets, tickets to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and a wonderful room at the Contemporary for my wife and I!

I can't say enough about how she helped us out...we had six adults going, and we got complicated sometimes...but she was right there and everything went smoothly! I would do another Disney trip with her in a heartbeat!

 

[tone.def]

I'm confused... how did 5 Americans end up in the Canadian Discussion Board posting about a certain TA with a thread heading of: Canadians booking thru CRO or using TA?

I'm suspicious!

 

[madonna31]

I'm confused... how did 5 Americans end up in the Canadian Discussion Board posting about a certain TA with a thread heading of: Canadians booking thru CRO or using TA?

Easy, we all know each other from Fairytale Dreams & Destinations message board as well. I mentioned over there how the OP mentioned my agency on this thread and how excited I was that he had (especially being mentioned in the same post as the MUCH bigger/American Disney Specialist agencies)

So, everyone on my Fairytale Dreams & Destinations message board saw the link to this thread (as I was simply showing them the OP's remarks) and I'm guessing that some of them decided to share their personal experiences in dealing with me.

Not so sure what's suspicious about that. But I do want to say 'extra thank you' to those clients.

 

[lizzie64]

Easy, we all know each other from Fairytale Dreams & Destinations message board as well. I mentioned over there how the OP mentioned my agency on this thread and how excited I was that he had (especially being mentioned in the same post as the MUCH bigger/American Disney Specialist agencies)

So, everyone on my Fairytale Dreams & Destinations message board saw the link to this thread (as I was simply showing them the OP's remarks) and I'm guessing that some of them decided to share their personal experiences in dealing with me.

Not so sure what's suspicious about that. But I do want to say 'extra thank you' to those clients.

Thanks Madonna for clarifying that for the suspicious some. That's exactly the reason why I left DIS and went over to FD&D's boards. None of that over there.

But to the OP, I used to book myself and went to a FD&D after several recommendations. I'm extremely glad I did, and hope you make the right choice for your needs.

 

[springsteenmickey]

Nothing to be suspicious about tone.def – I have booked through FD&D more than once and have found Christine to be the epitome of all things Disney and professional and I am Canadian.

Christine, thank you again for all the wonderful ‘extras’ when planning my Disney vacations, you have really helped make my Disney trips magical.

If ever you are dissatisfied with your TA tone.def I recommend giving Christine a chance, you will not regret it.

 

[Higgs22]

Yeah---just because we are Americans doesn't mean we can't use a Canadian travel agency--and even if we know her from somewhere else or not doesn't change the fact the Christine knows what she is talking about...she flat out does...and you know what, we wanted to share that--nothing suspicious about that.

Yes, I do know her outside of a travel agent/client relationship, but let me tell you, if I wasn't happy with how she planned the trip-I would have said nothing here...My MIL is a travel agent, and books most of our trips--but Christine was able to get us a better deal...so we went with her and couldn't have been happier.

We all posted here about FD&D because we have all had a great experience with her help and sometimes, people do things to help other people for no reason other than the fact that they want to....and it's the right thing to do.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

We all posted here about FD&D because we have all had a great experience with her help and sometimes, people do things to help other people for no reason other than the fact that they want to....and it's the right thing to do.

Exactly. Because of Christine and her site I have many great friends who I have had the pleasure of meeting at WDW, and other friends who I can't wait to meet sometime in the future. There is nothing wrong with supporting a friend.