Guess what I overheard in the travel agent today?

[wilma-bride]

I was in our local Thomas Cook branch this morning, waiting to get some foreign currency for DD, when I overheard a woman talking to one of the Thomas Cook agents. She was asking about booking a character breakfast in Disney World and I couldn't help but prick up my ears.

Imagine my surprise when said employee then went on to tell the customer that 'this is the quietest time of year to visit Disney World' and 'although the queues for the Harry Potter land have been really big in the first couple of weeks, they'll have calmed down by the time you go (from what I overheard this was less than 2 weeks). I can't see you having to wait much more than an hour, apart from to go on the ride but it's only an old one renamed anyway so you won't be missing much'

I was getting really annoyed while I was stood there and was moaning to DD that the poor woman was being misled. DD couldn't understand why I was so upset but I can just imagine the poor woman getting there having believed every word her travel agent told her and having the worst time. I know there are probably loads of people out there who aren't as well prepared/organised as us DISers but, presumably, if your TA tells you something you would take it as gospel (if you didn't know any better).

Sorry - rant over - but I really wanted to go up to the woman and set her straight.

 

[Dimplenose]

I think I might have said something but then again DS is always telling me off for moaning in public.

 

[ariel75]

The poor woman i've just come back and it was a 3 hour queue just to get into the Wizarding world of Harry Potter in the mornings. I cant see that going down for at least a few months!!And as for it being a quiet time of the year the parks were mobbed!! I would have butted in and shown the travel agent up!!!

 

[Chilly]

Poor woman, stupid TA, quietest time of year my ****!

 

[2Tiggies]

I would love to say it's unbelievable but you hear all sorts at travel agents. A couple of years ago while in the TA I overheard another agent telling someone that the DDP would never save any money. Er, at this stage tips and appetizer were still included.

 

[Disneymad]

I absolutely agree.

Unfortunately situations are likely way more common than we see from the small examples that pop up time to time but when it does rear it's head as a problem I've noticed the general response seems to be along the lines of 'it's their fault for believing it without checking' and 'they're spending £,000's so they should have researched it more'.

I feel so sorry for people who go on holiday expecting for one reason or another a very different experience from what they're going to get simple because they don't frequent internet forums

 

[2Tiggies]

I agree with Disneymad. What is really annoying is that these poor people are actually taking the initiative to find out about something, and then being given incorrect information. That being said, I have been told some very interesting things by Disney CMs (US and UK ....)

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

You did well not to say anything, I would have had to!

 

[wilma-bride]

You did well not to say anything, I would have had to!

I really wanted to but I fear my DD would have killed me.

This is the same Thomas Cook that had a huge poster in the window last year offering special offers for Disney Land in Florida

 

[Pegasus928]

Me and DW had a similar experience in our TA a couple of years ago and had to listen to the TA giving some outrageous advice to a couple. I can't remember the details but me and DW were on the verge of following the woman out and putting her straight. Unfortunately another TA came out and started dealing with us and the woman got away.
It is a shame that the TAs really don't do a good job of researching their product before selling it. Any other industry wouldn't et away with it.

 

[UKDEB]

I really wanted to go up to the woman and set her straight.

I'm surprised you didn't! You must have been itching to - I know I would.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm surprised you didn't! You must have been itching to - I know I would.

Me too. As someone perfectly capable of, but not well known for, exercising tact, I suspect I may have been incapable of resisting the urge to have my say.

 

[Cyrano]

I think I would have embarassed the TA and apologised for overhearing the conversation but telling the women the information was grossly incorrect.

We did Forbidden Journey with a 15 minute wait as we had on-site access. Later in the day the queue was stretching past Jurassic Park

 

[T16GEM]

The main problem with TAs is that they really have to have to experience in travel or the product that hey are selling. In a previous life I worked at Thomas Cook in the Foreign Exchange, I was never given any real formal training on how to sell a holiday (I didn't work on that side of things very often) and the main thing that the manager was worried about in the so called "training sessions" was that everyone was meeting their sales targets, virtually at any cost .

It gets me mad too, I think you did very well not to say anything. I went into Thomsons last week just to get a Virgin brochure and the TA came up to me asking if I needed any help etc, she was just about to jump into her speil on Disney and Florida, when she asked if I'd been before - yes I've been going since I was 8 She soon shut up!

 

[Jordanblackpool]

I dont trust travel agents, when we went into Co-Op Travel to book our lads holiday they charged us an extra £40 each on what the 18-30 website was charging.

The girl we were speaking to said it was £40 extra because 'there was more than 5 of us going', so when i said to her we will book online she said 'I should be able to do you some discount to knock the £40 off!' Cheeeky Marrre!

 

[j9000]

on the flip side
i went to the ta, (first time in years) booking my upcoming trip, just to see if they had better prices than what i was finding (best price was on thier site)

the girl i was given to help me asked what i wanted, where roughly i was wanting to stay,

when i said i had been looking online and mentioned the price i had found (on thier site), her reply was "Jesus, thats good.....we carnt touch the customised prices online as its via a different company....i would snap thier hand off for that price, wow!"

 

[2Tiggies]

on the flip side
i went to the ta, (first time in years) booking my upcoming trip, just to see if they had better prices than what i was finding (best price was on thier site)

the girl i was given to help me asked what i wanted, where roughly i was wanting to stay,

when i said i had been looking online and mentioned the price i had found (on thier site), her reply was "Jesus, thats good.....we carnt touch the customised prices online as its via a different company....i would snap thier hand off for that price, wow!"

I wouldn't be saying that if I relied on commission .....

But then I suppose you really have to take into account personalities as well. Some folk are just bubbly and outspoken and to be honest, those are the sort of people I often like to be served by.

 

[j9000]

I wouldn't be saying that if I relied on commission .....

true,
but its somewhat obvious that i hadnt just come off the street and gone, "i wanna go to disneyworld...when should i go...how much?" which is when they can take advantage of someone,

im a bit ocd so i resarch everything
i knew my prices and flight costs of what i was finding, was just struggling a bit with the site (was getting no charter flights in the history of time ever!) so went to speak to someone.

she tried to help with ticket prices as well, but again, couldnt better what i had found.

 

[2Tiggies]

true,
but its somewhat obvious that i hadnt just come off the street and gone, "i wanna go to disneyworld...when should i go...how much?" which is when they can take advantage of someone,

im a bit ocd so i resarch everything
i knew my prices and flight costs of what i was finding, was just struggling a bit with the site (was getting no charter flights in the history of time ever!) so went to speak to someone.

she tried to help with ticket prices as well, but again, couldnt better what i had found.

Fair enough. You take different risks with online booking, but this is obviously one of the hazzards of using a TA . I've been given some great advice, but have to admit, when it comes to Disney I probably know too much for their own good Same goes for almost everyone else on here too!

 

[Laurafoster]

A friend of mine overheard a conversation in her local travel agents where a woman was being advised to book Vero Beach as it was a nice hotel "only a short drive to WDW each day!!" Needless to say my friend set her straight!