Hmmm... Think I'm getting ripped....

[eebuckeye]

I booked through AAA to get a room discount which I did get, however, they have other better deals for my trip. I had to go through the AAA agent (after I waited for 50 minutes on the phone with Disney) and by the time the agent called my dates were taken. I can not check myself for the better rates if they open up due to booking through AAA...

Bummer...

 

[DisOrBust]

You are going during low season and I would be surprise if there ARE NOT discounts going to be offered. start making ADRs now !

 

[elf]

After booking about 30 trips to WDW myself in the last 20 years, I decided to use internet TA that I've seen mentioned on DIS because of time constraints.
I started on 9/11 and still haven't got a vacation. Now I called WDW which I should have done and There are no more deals on my dates for values. Very aggravating. I just wrote here last night of my frustrations. No phone numbers are given and TA's take 2 days to get back to me. They'd said a quote with the wrong Check in day. I'd send back a note saying it's the wrong day and she comes up with a third wrong date out of nowhere. This is not a difficult ressie a value resort, with ticket and dining.

And here I am 10 days later with nothing. I have another recommendation I tried today I'll see how that goes. It would have taken me 10-30 minutes if I called WDW on the phone myself ten days ago.

 

[rlduvall]

My TA charged a fee for booking my air flight, not my Disney pkg.....is that not the norm??

Yes . . . that is the norm. Several years ago the airlines quit paying TAs a commission for airfare they booked.

 

[mjem216]

i thought the annual pass was 500 per year i rounded

 

[mandypandy818]

I say take back control of your vacation and plan it yourself. I agree with all who have said that planning is a huge part of the fun! It's just a nice feeling to take care of the details and know that it's done right because you did it. Just my opinion.

 

[RNMOM]

I had the same issues when I used TA's. I think we know much more than a lot of TA's out there thanks to these boards and want more control than some people ask for. It is easier to do it yourself.

 

[Luv2Roam]

First see if you can get your $ back from the TA. If not, I would stay with them.
I can see where the TA would not book you a AAA package when you are not a AAA member. However you would think the TA would tell you what you would save IF you were a member, to give you an option whether to join or not. Howver, if it is not a AAA TA you are using, they could not offer you a AAA discount.
But maybe there is not availability for AAA for your time or room type.
I think often with discounts guests sometimes have to be more flexible. Make sure your TA knows what you are willing to be flexible on, if anything. Not all room views are always available on given dates.
You could book a AAA MYW package without the DDP. And then add on the DDP up to three days prior to check in. (You could anyway if you were booked with Disney. I cannot say what your TA policy is.)
Make your own ADRs too.
And don't buy an AP just in the hopes for a room discount. That may or may not happen. Just because any discount is available, does not mean the dates or room view you want is available.

 

[Just(donald)Ducky]

Thanks all for the advice... I emailed the head of the agency, and she was very reassuring. She commented that this happend all the time, that neurotic guests started flipping out and taking back reservations. (My words, not hers) and that the few that stay with them are almost always happy, and she suspected that those who were not happy were just miserable people.

I'm going to stick with them, mostly because of the reviews I've seen and the reccomendations I've gotten from well-known sites. Here's hoping for the best!

Also made my ADR's... I took it as my opportunity to be involved in the process. So I am going to be calling and checking on them probably weekly....

 

[Joan1]

For the original poster - Good luck in whatever you decide
I would suggest you also contact the agency owner to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else

 

[Joan1]

Thanks all for the advice... I emailed the head of the agency, and she was very reassuring. She commented that this happend all the time, that neurotic guests started flipping out and taking back reservations. (My words, not hers) and that the few that stay with them are almost always happy, and she suspected that those who were not happy were just miserable people.

I'm going to stick with them, mostly because of the reviews I've seen and the reccomendations I've gotten from well-known sites. Here's hoping for the best!

Also made my ADR's... I took it as my opportunity to be involved in the process. So I am going to be calling and checking on them probably weekly....

I can't believe an agency owner would say that to you. I really find it odd that someone that is trying to run a business would speak that way. Not to downplay what the original poster is going through but it sounds fishy to me now

 

[Quinn222]

I had a TA that made me uncomfortable, not because she didn't do a good job, but because it took forever to get any kind of response from her so I had no confidence at all in her. I used to do it all myself but I work full time and can't spend hours on hold trying to get a discount applied. A few trips ago I switched to a DU agent and it's been fantastic. I know she's going to get me the best deal, she makes all my ADRs promptly, suggests things we might want to do and best of all she saves me time. I have a trip planned for early November that she's doing a great job on and we decided last minute to do a MVMCP trip in December. Since it was only two nights I decided to book it myself. Big mistake. When codes came out it took me about 8 calls and hours on hold trying to get a discount code for that trip and on the same day she got me a code for my November trip with, of course, no trouble at all on my part. I should have just let her handle everything.

 

[disneygirl29]

Thanks all for the advice... I emailed the head of the agency, and she was very reassuring. She commented that this happend all the time, that neurotic guests started flipping out and taking back reservations. (My words, not hers) and that the few that stay with them are almost always happy, and she suspected that those who were not happy were just miserable people.

I'm going to stick with them, mostly because of the reviews I've seen and the reccomendations I've gotten from well-known sites. Here's hoping for the best!

Also made my ADR's... I took it as my opportunity to be involved in the process. So I am going to be calling and checking on them probably weekly....

I think it is a little odd the use of words that your TA used "neurotic" "Flipping out" "miseralbe people" - and that the FEW that stay with them are ALMOST always happy ... I get a weird feeling it, but only you can gauge your feelings, as you are speaking with them directly. That seems odd to me that it happens to them all the time.

I am glad you went ahead and made your ADR's -- it is nice to be invovled in the process... I think it is part of the fun- planning that is .

I hope that you are very happy with the service you receive from here on out! And once you see a code come available (if) it should be one quick call and you should be done with the TA side... good luck !

 

[lilyv]

I had a TA that made me uncomfortable, not because she didn't do a good job, but because it took forever to get any kind of response from her so I had no confidence at all in her. I used to do it all myself but I work full time and can't spend hours on hold trying to get a discount applied. A few trips ago I switched to a DU agent and it's been fantastic. I know she's going to get me the best deal, she makes all my ADRs promptly, suggests things we might want to do and best of all she saves me time. I have a trip planned for early November that she's doing a great job on and we decided last minute to do a MVMCP trip in December. Since it was only two nights I decided to book it myself. Big mistake. When codes came out it took me about 8 calls and hours on hold trying to get a discount code for that trip and on the same day she got me a code for my November trip with, of course, no trouble at all on my part. I should have just let her handle everything.

Count me in as another really satisfied customer of DU. How to choose a TA? I think it's pretty easy to assess early on whether or not a particular agency/TA is going to work well for you, or not. I don't choose to deal with anyone that doesn't seem to be working for my best interest. (I certainly wouldn't stick with someone that was making me uncomfortable, either.) That said, I also don't unnecessarily bug my TA. I don't have time to constantly check for codes, and I also don't always have time to sit for extended periods of time with Disney. I found a great TA with DU, and I'm really happy with the service. I wanted to opt for a slight upgrade, and it was done, no problem. AAA room only rate was important to me, and I stated that upfront. I love the fact that I won't have to hassle with ADR's. For me, I don't need "control", I just need a great TA-someone who's service allows me the freedom to not worry about rates/codes/discounts. They do the work for me!

 

[lilyv]

I can't believe an agency owner would say that to you. I really find it odd that someone that is trying to run a business would speak that way. Not to downplay what the original poster is going through but it sounds fishy to me now

An agency owner who actually used descriptions of their customer base such as "neurotic guests" would certainly not have my business.

I am surprised/skeptical that any business owner would be comfortable putting such a description in written correspondence. Just doesn't add up to me. If they did, though, I'd be looking for another TA. I would not hesitate to go to the trouble of making all new reservations with someone professional.

 

[Joan1]

An agency owner who actually used descriptions of their customer base such as "neurotic guests" would certainly not have my business.

I am surprised/skeptical that any business owner would be comfortable putting such a description in written correspondence. Just doesn't add up to me.

I agree and I hope the original poster is not trying to bash an agency for not good reason. Not to say that is what their doing but this is starting to look like a troll to me

 

[Just(donald)Ducky]

Not a troll at all...

In fact, in my post, I even put down "my words, not hers". Can't remember the exact wordage at this point, but it was nothing that seemed odd or disrespectful, nothing like that in the least. She was very re-assuring, and she promised me that she would be looking into the situation.

Which apparently she did, because I got an e-mail from my TA today, stating that for 'personal reasons' she was taking an "indefinite leave of absence' from the group. She handed me off to another TA, and promised that this TA would be contacting me soon. I'll be e-mailing her if I don't hear from her by 3:30 or so....

Anyways, looks like my original TA wasn't living up to expectations of the group either!

-mike

 

[disneygirl29]

Not a troll at all...

In fact, in my post, I even put down "my words, not hers". Can't remember the exact wordage at this point, but it was nothing that seemed odd or disrespectful, nothing like that in the least. She was very re-assuring, and she promised me that she would be looking into the situation.

Which apparently she did, because I got an e-mail from my TA today, stating that for 'personal reasons' she was taking an "indefinite leave of absence' from the group. She handed me off to another TA, and promised that this TA would be contacting me soon. I'll be e-mailing her if I don't hear from her by 3:30 or so....

Anyways, looks like my original TA wasn't living up to expectations of the group either!

-mike

I don't think it is a troll, I don't think the person ever even mentioned the name of the travel agency! if they were going to bash I am sure they would the put the name in there!

 

[Just(donald)Ducky]

i grew up in the internet age.... I was probably 14 years old when we got our first internet ready computer, and I learned the internet from AOL chatrooms....

Trust me, if i want to troll, I can TROLL! OMG LOL BB-Q

I'm mailing the new TA now. Let's see what this one has to say!

-Mike

 

[lilyv]

i grew up in the internet age.... I was probably 14 years old when we got our first internet ready computer, and I learned the internet from AOL chatrooms....

Trust me, if i want to troll, I can TROLL! OMG LOL BB-Q

I'm mailing the new TA now. Let's see what this one has to say!

-Mike

Glad you're being taken care of by a better TA.

The confusion? It probably arose from:

She commented that this happend all the time, that neurotic guests started flipping out and taking back reservations. {That phrase appears like you are quoting her.}

(My words, not hers){I took this to mean that the words that the following phrase was paraphrased}
and that the few that stay with them are almost always happy, and she suspected that those who were not happy were just miserable people.

So..everything is just ducky! Have fun planning a great vacation!