Did you use a travel agent or book yourself

[BobbyRach]

Hi,

We are currently in the middle of planning our trip for disneyworld next year!!

The plan so far is to go on a disney cruise, spend 8 nights at disneyworld and then go to NY.

It seems that australian travel agents are unable to book the disney cruise. I was wondering if people use american agents or they just book the entire holiday themselves?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!!

 

[Busy Busy]

We only booked our flights through a TA, we have done everything else ourselves......I just spent lots of time on Disboards and Trip Advisor and went from there. Then I put into all into Trip It so it's easy to find all of the different details in one place.

I think that my Trip It page is a work of art!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Same as busy, we only use and Australian TA for flights, and only after researching like crazy and making them match the best price.

For our Disney component, we used www.mousetalestravel.com. They don't charge any more than if you booked directly with Disney, and they are able to keep an eye on specials and apply them to your booking if it's relevant to your dates.

All accom we either booked directly with the hotel or via Expedia.

 

[Jade+3]

I am using Dreams Unlimited for WDW, and used them last trip for our Disney Cruise. The only reason I used an agent for the cruise instead of booking it myself is because they offered onboard credits for booking with them.

Flights I have booked myself, and hotels have either been booked directly with the hotel or through expedia.

 

[Anne_Aus]

I also used an Aus Travel agent to book my flights, I have used an american one for my disney part. The rest of my trip I have booked myself through various websites depending on who has the best deal at the time

 

[hellosue]

I booked Melb - LA return with Flight Centre then Magic for Less Travel Agent for everything Disney - Deb Chambers is my consultant..... take your pick there are heaps of DIS Agents get quotes from a few then choose the one you like.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Welcome to the Dis and to our corner of the Internet!


I use an Aussie TA for my long haul flights...they are family friends; unless there is a special internet only deal.

I've used Small World Vacations for my WDW holidays. Carrie, my TA, was brilliant and saved me the late night or early morning calls to the US for ADRs and the like. As the others have said, there are a number of American TA's out there. Choose the one you like and is the most responsive to you.

 

[macNZ]

I'm in NZ and I booked everything online. A total of 6 flights (as we are visiting a few places in the US), accomodation using hotels.com and expedia, and WDW website for Disney resorts.

 

[BobbyRach]

Thank you all for your responses. I definitely think we will just be using the Australian travel agent for flights only. They don't seem to know too much about Disneyworld!

Has anyone used Pixie and Pirate Destinations LLC previously. I emailed them to get a quote and got a reply straight away which was great.

Do these agents really not charge for their time etc as they claim?

Thanks again for the responses. I really appreciate it.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thank you all for your responses. I definitely think we will just be using the Australian travel agent for flights only. They don't seem to know too much about Disneyworld!

Has anyone used Pixie and Pirate Destinations LLC previously. I emailed them to get a quote and got a reply straight away which was great.

Do these agents really not charge for their time etc as they claim?

Thanks again for the responses. I really appreciate it.

They work on commission from Disney. The price they quote you will be the same as what you get from the Disney website directly. They will also have access to the same discounts/pins that Disney offer on the website. The only thing about using a TA is that if you want to make a change to your booking, you'll have to use them to change it. This holds until you check in.

 

[ame]

I've bought everything online by myself. Either through the airline/hotel directly or expedia and the like.

 

[Snickals]

I researched flights and deal online beforehand but being my first international holiday I felt more confident actually booking through a travel agent. I booked through Harvey World Travel who did the flights and were great checking to see if they could get anything cheaper. And then they booked the Disney World part through Creative Holidays, I originally bought a package deal but a little while after booking decided didn't what parts of the package (golf, water parks, hoppers etc), my travel agent was wonderful re-doing it and in the end saved money than originally quoted.

 

[Oz-kateer]

I usually do the flights myself online direct with the airline after researching. I've never found going through any third party lower cost as the airline will match if you call them.

For the ground content I use Dreams Unlimited, mainly for convenience. Their prices are the same as Disney however they will also book/change ADR's, change your dates, book tickets to other FL attractions, book you onto the ME etc etc and will constantly check and double check your booking and apply any discounts or promotions that come up. They'll also let you know whether changing your check in/out date slightly can help you become eligible for a discount or promotion. Disney direct doesn't do all those extras.

 

[BobbyRach]

Thanks so much everyone for your replies!

Just wondering for those of you who did book yourselves - when specials come up (such as free dining) can you change your reservation or get a refund to obtain these speicals like the American TA seem to be able to do?

 

[aussiedad]

We have used Jo from Small World Vacations for all our trips. (We book our own international airfare). She books everything else - as has already been pointed out all our accom, tickets, ADR's, shows. Nothing is too much trouble and it doesn't seem to matter how many times I change things. The big clincher though is that both trips she has been able to book Cinderella's breakfast for us.

 

[Oz-kateer]

Just wondering for those of you who did book yourselves - when specials come up (such as free dining) can you change your reservation or get a refund to obtain these speicals like the American TA seem to be able to do?

You may have to confirm this direct with Disney, unless someone has done it recently and knows you still can.

A couple of years ago (for our 2009 trip) my cousin had a bit of an issue with this. We had booked early in the year for our trip to The Pop in September, and then Free Dining came up.

She had to unbook herself and then try and rebook, and when she went to rebook there were no rooms available on exactly her dates and Disney tried to bump her to the All Stars. She had to end up shaving a day off her trip to stay with us at the Pop.

On the other hand, I booked via a TA and she simply swapped us over.

 

[cappucinno]

We booked our international flights through Flight centre because they price-matched an amazing internet deal and it was easy to just go to the local one.

Small World Travel has booked Disney World for us and tickets etc...(used them in 2006 as well and was very happy).

All my other US travel I have booked myself - all over South west, NY, Dc and an Orlando house just scouring internet for deals for accom, cars etc...it's saved us loads of money...

 

[Travel Mum]

I booked our WDW stay with Michele at Dreams Unlimited and initially we were booked at POR with Magic your way tickets plus I added on the Quick Service dining plan. I asked Michele to watch out if Free Dining came out and, sure enough, when it did, she switched us onto that with no change fees and it gave us free regular Disney dining

 

[aussietravellers]

Thanks so much everyone for your replies!

Just wondering for those of you who did book yourselves - when specials come up (such as free dining) can you change your reservation or get a refund to obtain these speicals like the American TA seem to be able to do?

I have used Denise from Magical Journey's Travel a few times now and booked direct with Disney (would never use an Aussie TA to book a Disney trip, too expensive).

But yes you can change your reservation, add specials, get refunds etc, booking direct with Disney but when I did, the changes had to be made by phone, not online, which was annoying having to stay up late, spending forever on the phone on an international call. Love using the TA so much more so I could just email the changes.

I have always told Denise what I was wanting, so if the specials became available, she was onto it very first thing so we wouldn't miss out. If something because available that I wasn't preparing for or expecting, she would email me and let me know my options. She also made bookings for other things, like tours and fireworks cruises etc, to save me making the international call. She also sent my Disney mail to my hotel in NY before going to WDW so we had our magical express tags and our welcome pack.

If I wasn't planning on making any changes, got the best deal to start with, I would do it myself.

 

[cado]

We going on a disney cruise and then 7 nights at WDW and then 7 nights at Wakiki and we booked all through Escape travel they were great