first timer--recommendations for best rate?

[jpainter3]

I am planning my family's FIRST EVER trip to WDW! These boards have great information but I'm a little overwhelmed, so I'd like to ask some advice.

We are planning to go in early December 2006 for a week, staying at the Poly, hopefully concierge. I am planning to make room-only reservations (using ff miles for flights, dining plan not a good deal for us, will get tickets from somewhere else). Which of the following options do you recommend for getting the best price?
--using a Disney-specialist TA
--joining AAA, and calling CRO for AAA rates
--getting an AP for one of us, then going for AP rates (we probably won't go back within a year, though)
--other???

Thanks so much for your help!!!

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

I personally use a Disney-specialist TA for all of my trips, as I don't have the time to do all of the work.

It depends on how much control you like to have over the trip - with a TA, you are giving up a certain amount of control, you can't call and make changes to your own ressie - but you have a friend and ally to guide you thru the process.

I could book the trip myself, but I let my TA do it - I give her a call or send an email, and she emails me back when it is done.

Since you aren't doing the dining plan, you will end up getting the same rates for all of your scenarios, whether you do it yourself or use a TA - a TA can book AAA room-only and AP rates for you too.

Michael

 

[rkmassa]

I am planning my family's FIRST EVER trip to WDW! These boards have great information but I'm a little overwhelmed, so I'd like to ask some advice.

We are planning to go in early December 2006 for a week, staying at the Poly, hopefully concierge. I am planning to make room-only reservations (using ff miles for flights, dining plan not a good deal for us, will get tickets from somewhere else). Which of the following options do you recommend for getting the best price?
--using a Disney-specialist TA
--joining AAA, and calling CRO for AAA rates
--getting an AP for one of us, then going for AP rates (we probably won't go back within a year, though)
--other???

Thanks so much for your help!!!

We used a TA, The Magic For Less Travel Agency, for our last 2 trips. We also purchased just one AP for the room discount, discounts on shopping, discounts on food, buying the DDE card (20% discount on TS and drinks), and discounts on the watermice. It paid for itself with just one trip. We got a reduced rate, and I saved so much more on the other discounts.