Free Travel Planning?

[b52hbuff]

As part of my preparation for a WDW vacation, I have been watching some videos on YouTube!. There seem to be two sorts of content providers. Some folks make videos in support of a website. You watch the video and they hope you'll go to a web site and buy their Disney-related services.

Some other folks offer "free trip planning". You tell them what you want in a vacation and they plan the whole thing out for you "for free". I'm intentionally not naming these content providers because I don't want to break rules or cast aspersions.

I understand the financial model for the first set of folks. Use videos so they can get your attention to sell you stuff. I'm a bit more confused about the travel planners. Does WDW offer them some sort of preferred rates so that they can resell the package to their customers with enough markup to make a profit? How are the "for free planners" making their money?

Thanks!

 

[china mom]

I think what you are describing in example #2 is an authorized Disney Vacation Planner / Travel Agent.

Disney builds a commission into all of its resort and package rates whether you use an agent or not. If a person books their own trip, Disney keeps the commission. If the trip is booked by a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner, Disney pays them the commission.

A reputable TA will not charge you anything above the Disney package/room price. They will make their money via the commission paid by Disney.

A good TA will help you plan all aspects of your trip, including dining and FP+ since they are being compensated.

I believe that there are also individuals and companies who don't book trips, therefore, no commission, but who will help you with all of your planning for a fee paid by you.

 

[Alesia]

As part of my preparation for a WDW vacation, I have been watching some videos on YouTube!. There seem to be two sorts of content providers. Some folks make videos in support of a website. You watch the video and they hope you'll go to a web site and buy their Disney-related services.

Some other folks offer "free trip planning". You tell them what you want in a vacation and they plan the whole thing out for you "for free". I'm intentionally not naming these content providers because I don't want to break rules or cast aspersions.

I understand the financial model for the first set of folks. Use videos so they can get your attention to sell you stuff. I'm a bit more confused about the travel planners. Does WDW offer them some sort of preferred rates so that they can resell the package to their customers with enough markup to make a profit? How are the "for free planners" making their money?

Thanks!

It's impossible to know exactly what you're asking unless you will give the names of some of these "content providers" (which is not against the rules here.)

 

[b52hbuff]

Ok. Here are a couple of the YouTube channels I've been watching:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TouringPlans

My understanding of TouringPlans is that they have created statistical models of queuing behavior at DLR/WDW/etc. You pay them a fee to join their service and they create a customized touring plan.

Here is an example that I think is more of a commission/travel agent based:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPE0CKXLl9SDDQO2wZaL3w

And here is their home page:
https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/

...and it says just what @china mom described, "Authorized Disney Vacation Planner".

I'm wondering what kind of commission they get? I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

And I also suspect a lot of it has to do with personality and how you approach a WDW vacation. I like the feeling of "control" of planning my own stuff. Having planned a bunch of DLR trips, I know not everything can go according to plan. But having made a plan, I feel like I have an understanding of how all of the pieces work, so it is easier to improvise.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

I wonder that always. I’ve used a TA for Disney parks twice. First time was a package through costcotravel.com. Second time was Booking a hotel room through a small TA that I’d also booked a Disney cruise through. But it was because I was getting something from it other than just the trips. I planned it all and knew what I wanted. She just pressed the buttons.

Touring Plans is good. Can be worth it.

 

[sponica]

I wonder that always. I’ve used a TA for Disney parks twice. First time was a package through costcotravel.com. Second time was Booking a hotel room through a small TA that I’d also booked a Disney cruise through. But it was because I was getting something from it other than just the trips. I planned it all and knew what I wanted. She just pressed the buttons.

Touring Plans is good. Can be worth it.

Even TP's free stuff is useful.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Ok. Here are a couple of the YouTube channels I've been watching:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TouringPlans

My understanding of TouringPlans is that they have created statistical models of queuing behavior at DLR/WDW/etc. You pay them a fee to join their service and they create a customized touring plan.

Here is an example that I think is more of a commission/travel agent based:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPE0CKXLl9SDDQO2wZaL3w

And here is their home page:
https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/

...and it says just what @china mom described, "Authorized Disney Vacation Planner".

I'm wondering what kind of commission they get? I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

And I also suspect a lot of it has to do with personality and how you approach a WDW vacation. I like the feeling of "control" of planning my own stuff. Having planned a bunch of DLR trips, I know not everything can go according to plan. But having made a plan, I feel like I have an understanding of how all of the pieces work, so it is easier to improvise.

It depends on what you are booking and how you are booking it. Generally, a TA gets 10% commission on booked WDW (and DL) rooms, dining plans and tickets (if sold as a package, less of a percentage if sold separately). When booking DCL or ABD, the commission is tiered based on how much an agency sells per year. The amount of time a TA will spend booking extras (ADR's and FP+) and creating touring plans for a client is very agent-specific. Some agents will plan and book everything. Some won't. WDW has explicitly asked that TA's do not have access to clients' MDE accounts - some follow that rule, some don't.

 

[labdogs42]

I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

And I also suspect a lot of it has to do with personality and how you approach a WDW vacation. I like the feeling of "control" of planning my own stuff. Having planned a bunch of DLR trips, I know not everything can go according to plan. But having made a plan, I feel like I have an understanding of how all of the pieces work, so it is easier to improvise.

I can explain it from both sides. I used to be a person who planned my trips down to every last detail myself and I still used a travel agent. I liked my agent and I liked that if a discount came out after I booked, she would get it for me. That's the main reason I used her. I did everything else myself. I told her exactly what I wanted, she booked it, and the only things she might have had to do was re-book if a better deal came out.

Now, I just became an agent myself because I had SO many friends asking me to help them plan their trips, I figured I might as well do it for the commission. What everyone said here is right, the commission is built in already, so you might as well use an agent. It doesn't cost you a dime and you can use them as much or as little as you want. You can book all of your dining reservations, but you can also ask your agent to look for them for you -- say, you can't find one for Le Cellier for the day you wanted, have them look, too! Costs you nothing and you have an extra person looking for you!

So, that's my two cents. And, oh yeah, I pay for a Touring PLans subscription, too. Totally worth it!

 

[b52hbuff]

I can explain it from both sides. I used to be a person who planned my trips down to every last detail myself and I still used a travel agent. I liked my agent and I liked that if a discount came out after I booked, she would get it for me. That's the main reason I used her. I did everything else myself. I told her exactly what I wanted, she booked it, and the only things she might have had to do was re-book if a better deal came out.

Thanks for sharing your point of view. In this case, I get that there is "no right answer", and everyone will approach their vacation differently.

One thing that I've learned about my journey is that there was a lot I didn't know. And by working out our plans, reading this board, reading the Official WDW site, reading the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and by watching the incredible videos from Brittany and Touring Plans, I have a better understanding about the tradeoffs we're making on the vacation.

I also see that planning/booking a WDW trip is a little like an Internet version of the FoP rope drop. My concern is that I won't be able to adequately communicate what is important to me and my family to a travel agent. And when it comes time to book things, there isn't a lot of time to deal with conflicts in the ADR/FP+ process. If you take a day or two to book during a busy time, then your alternatives get smaller and smaller as people snatch up reservations.

I'll share my research after our trip is done, but I think you'll get a chuckle at my FP+ reservation sheets. I created and printed worksheets to help me pick FP+ that would fit inside our preferred touring plan. I could see the conflicts at 4AM and resolve them at once. I can't imagine how a travel agent would have handled it on the other end of an email/telephone.

But having said all of that, I know people that don't want to deal with the details and would be happy with whatever the travel agent decides. I'm just not one of those people.

 

[Happy_2_B]

I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

Agree with some of the PPs- no so much with others. I have 'tried' to use TAs twice. Fired them both times. If you are on these boards and know what you know- you will actually do better on your own IMHO. For people that don't have a clue how to put a WDW vacation together- it might work for them. But for us, we found that we were emailing them with info (or calling and leaving a message), then had to wait for them to do what needed to be done- when we could have just saved the step of contacting them and done it ourselves. In our experience (and our view may be in the minority) TAs get to the point where they have a lot of clients and (for us) were not able to stay on top of stuff in real time. I don't want to have to email or call someone to tell then something they should already know- and should have already handled. For us- never again- but YMMV

 

[labdogs42]

Agree with some of the PPs- no so much with others. I have 'tried' to use TAs twice. Fired them both times. If you are on these boards and know what you know- you will actually do better on your own IMHO. For people that don't have a clue how to put a WDW vacation together- it might work for them. But for us, we found that we were emailing them with info (or calling and leaving a message), then had to wait for them to do what needed to be done- when we could have just saved the step of contacting them and done it ourselves. In our experience (and our view may be in the minority) TAs get to the point where they have a lot of clients and (for us) were not able to stay on top of stuff in real time. I don't want to have to email or call someone to tell then something they should already know- and should have already handled. For us- never again- but YMMV

See, I never had my TA do anything but book my room/package. One call. That was it. She didn't "plan" anything. I told her -- I want a standard room at X resort from this day to this day, I want 7 day hoppers and the dining plan. Then she booked it. Then if free dining or something came out, we'd talk and she'd spend all day on the phone getting it for me if it was available. That was basically all I needed.

Thanks for sharing your point of view. In this case, I get that there is "no right answer", and everyone will approach their vacation differently.

One thing that I've learned about my journey is that there was a lot I didn't know. And by working out our plans, reading this board, reading the Official WDW site, reading the Unofficial Guide to WDW, and by watching the incredible videos from Brittany and Touring Plans, I have a better understanding about the tradeoffs we're making on the vacation.

I also see that planning/booking a WDW trip is a little like an Internet version of the FoP rope drop. My concern is that I won't be able to adequately communicate what is important to me and my family to a travel agent. And when it comes time to book things, there isn't a lot of time to deal with conflicts in the ADR/FP+ process. If you take a day or two to book during a busy time, then your alternatives get smaller and smaller as people snatch up reservations.

I'll share my research after our trip is done, but I think you'll get a chuckle at my FP+ reservation sheets. I created and printed worksheets to help me pick FP+ that would fit inside our preferred touring plan. I could see the conflicts at 4AM and resolve them at once. I can't imagine how a travel agent would have handled it on the other end of an email/telephone.

But having said all of that, I know people that don't want to deal with the details and would be happy with whatever the travel agent decides. I'm just not one of those people.

I didn't have my TA do any details and TA's aren't supposed to book fastpasses for people, that's always the guest's job. If you're a die hard planner, you would use the TA to book and then re-book if a deal comes out and you wouldn't need anything else, but they'd also be there to help you out in case of a hurricane, or some kind of crazy issue like that. I have always done all of my ADR's and fastpasses, even when I used a TA, but I'm finding that I already have clients that want me to hold their hand through the whole process and ones that know the drill and are using me just to do the booking and that's it. Which is great! I like having both kinds of clients. Good luck with your Fastpasses!

 

[rteetz]

Ok. Here are a couple of the YouTube channels I've been watching:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TouringPlans

My understanding of TouringPlans is that they have created statistical models of queuing behavior at DLR/WDW/etc. You pay them a fee to join their service and they create a customized touring plan.

Here is an example that I think is more of a commission/travel agent based:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtPE0CKXLl9SDDQO2wZaL3w

And here is their home page:
https://www.magicaljourneystravel.com/

...and it says just what @china mom described, "Authorized Disney Vacation Planner".

I'm wondering what kind of commission they get? I'm curious because I have spent so much time planning our trip that I'm wondering how much time/detail a TA could provide?

And I also suspect a lot of it has to do with personality and how you approach a WDW vacation. I like the feeling of "control" of planning my own stuff. Having planned a bunch of DLR trips, I know not everything can go according to plan. But having made a plan, I feel like I have an understanding of how all of the pieces work, so it is easier to improvise.

Disney Travel Agents/planners will tell you they will help you as much or as little as you’d like.

They won’t disclose their commission numbers and they don’t really have to since that is their pay for their job.