How do you book YOUR trip?

[meljean]

Hi all! Well, after returning from our trip just 2 months ago, I am already thinking about the next one. I have booked with a travel agent from our home and with Pixie Vacations this past time. In other years we had cast member discounts from friends. So I guess my question is do most of you just book it yourself on the Disney website? Do you find there are better prices through a travel agent? I love to plan and I just don't know if I want to get a travel agent involved this time. So what do you think? What is the best way to go?

 

[msmama]

I book myself through the Disney website. It's so easy I don't feel the need to involve someone else. My feeling is that the more people involved, the more likely it is that it'll get messed up somehow.

That said, my trips are very straightforward. I usually already know what I want when I'm booking so there's no shopping around or anything. I'm a Disney vet (and frequent these boards) so it's unlikely that something's going to come up that a travel agent will hear about that I don't.

And if I do need to change something, I've never had anything more than a quick phone call to do so. (For instance I'd already had something booked when the recent discount came out. It took me less than 10 minutes to find the number, call, apply the discount and save a few thousand dollars)!!

 

[RocketEAR99]

I remember when I was a kid and going on my first trip, my parents used a travel agent. To my knowledge they haven't used one since. I sure haven't. Disney makes things pretty easy to book online now days.

That said, I would advise anyone who is trying to bypass using a travel agent, to be vigilant for discounts every step of the way, be they Disney discounts, or getting to WDW (airfare, etc.) Also, use EasyWDW.com for crowd calendars, wait time trends and such. It's a great resource! Being your own travel agent works out well, but it does take time and some effort.

 

[richmo]

I've used several methods.

Often we stay offsite, so I do that myself.

Assuming you're onsite, sometimes I've used the Disney website directly. I've also used one of the Disney-related agencies, but not the one sponsoring this board. An advantage to using them is that if Disney releases a discount after you've booked, they're good about attempting to rebook you at the discounted rate. You don't have to watch yourself...as part of booking they get info from you that might apply to discounts, such as whether you're an AP holder, Disney Visa cardholder, etc. One other thing I've done is used one of the third party sites...for example, in Nov '13, I was able to use the Cheap Tickets website to secure a Disney discount, plus I was able to use a promo code from the website to get a further discount....and no problems hooking that up to MDE.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Offsite, no travel agent

 

[TXHauntedMansionFan]

The first few trips we used a Disney certified agent. After a while though, it was just easier (and a little more fun maybe) to plan it ourselves. However, like was mentioned before, the one nice thing was if there was a discount that came out after we booked, the agent was good at getting us rebooked at a lower rate.

For some reason though, we found that we could get better dining reservations if we did it ourselves.

 

[MsMagical]

We booked our first family trip 11 years ago through a travel agent. Every trip since then I have booked on my own. The travel agency was more necessary then. Now I can do everything online myself. We travel there fairly frequently so I am a planning pro at this point and we are DVC members so we never buy packages or pay for rooms and I don't have to worry about searching for discounts. That said, I'll be planning a trip this summer and we are possibly going to pay out of pocket for our room and I will book that myself as well.

In my experience, a middle man (in this case a travel agent) can make things a little more complicated. I also feel more locked into to my choices if I have to call someone else to change them. When I handle my own plans, I feel like I can handle the changes more efficiently and with more flexibility. (The control freak side of me likes to have full control over my plans.) Planning on your own is time consuming so that is something to consider.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

Last year when we went to Disney we used a travel agent. It was a hassle bc every time I wanted to change something I had to go into the office to do it. And when I wanted to pay the trip off again I had to go into the office to do it. And that was just for the magic my way package. I handled all my fast passes, dining, and other misc reservations myself. Keeping track of things was a little more complicated as well. I had 2 folders. My travel agent stuff and then my stuff.

For our trip this year I decided to just book everything through Disney myself. It's easier to have everything in 1 folder. Plus when the promotion came out for spring it was much easier talking directly to the source (disney) and figuring out how to go about using the promotion than going through a middle man. Plus when I compared prices between the travel agent prices and Disney prices they were exactly the same. Now that I have done the just book through Disney thing I think I will continue to just book our future vacations through them. It's a lot easier and less stressful

 

[meljean]

The first few trips we used a Disney certified agent. After a while though, it was just easier (and a little more fun maybe) to plan it ourselves. However, like was mentioned before, the one nice thing was if there was a discount that came out after we booked, the agent was good at getting us rebooked at a lower rate.

For some reason though, we found that we could get better dining reservations if we did it ourselves.

When we used Pixie Vacations, she booked our trip and I did all the rest. I booked airfare (gave her the info for ME). I also booked all my meals. I was thinking maybe they get different prices than online? Is the Walt Disney website the only place you can book yourself?

 

[meljean]

Last year when we went to Disney we used a travel agent. It was a hassle bc every time I wanted to change something I had to go into the office to do it. And when I wanted to pay the trip off again I had to go into the office to do it. And that was just for the magic my way package. I handled all my fast passes, dining, and other misc reservations myself. Keeping track of things was a little more complicated as well. I had 2 folders. My travel agent stuff and then my stuff.

For our trip this year I decided to just book everything through Disney myself. It's easier to have everything in 1 folder. Plus when the promotion came out for spring it was much easier talking directly to the source (disney) and figuring out how to go about using the promotion than going through a middle man. Plus when I compared prices between the travel agent prices and Disney prices they were exactly the same. Now that I have done the just book through Disney thing I think I will continue to just book our future vacations through them. It's a lot easier and less stressful

Thanks for your thoughts! I haven't ever booked a trip just myself. I have always used some sort of middle man. I am an admitted control freak and having to call them, email them, and then hoping for a time when we can chat was often hard to do. I think next time I will do it all myself and see how it goes!

 

[RustManFan]

I call WDW.... nothing like talking to a real person! We always get room only reservations. Recently I have gotten tickets from Undercover Tourist and have a set I got right before price increase about 3 years ago ready for probable 2016 trip with my DS. We do meals OOP and most of the time take the Amtrak Auto Train which I also reserve by calling.

I am good at internet research so don't feel that a travel agent can find anything better than I can on my own. I have a Disney VISA, AAA and get discounts where I can.

 

[Queen2PrincessG]

I always say an agent. Find an agent and help a small business. You aren't losing money and you're actually helping to support a family vs giving the commission to Disney, who won't help you book fp or adrs at 12 am or just be an ear to shoot information to. Most trips will earn a TA about $300 dollars. Imagine how much that can help a family out? So you want to do everything yourself, that is completely fine! The only thing you NEED to do through the agent is tell them when and how much to make payments for. An agents job isn't JUST finding you better deals. Its a second set of eyes on anything. If you get into a bind there is a person ready to get things done for you.When promotions came out no one had to call me I fixed the reservations. Sent them a lower Invoice for their records. You shouldn't have to go to an office. I have clients I have never physically meet. Its called the telephone, Facetime, email but everyone does it their own way. I have people who want me to plan every detail and I have some who just use me to make the payments. The recent internet friendly Disney change is based in that Disney doesn't want to pay agents. If people an do it online themselves they wont help the small business and Disney keeps all the profits.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I always say an agent. Find an agent and help a small business. You aren't losing money and you're actually help to support a family vs giving the commission to Disney. Who won't help you book fp or adrs or just be an ear to shoot information to. Most trips will earn a TA about $300 dollars. Imagine how much that can help a family out? So you want to do everything yourself, that is completely fine! The only thing you NEED to do through the agent is tell them when and how much to make payments for.

You may not lose money, but you do lose control. We tried an agent once and will never do so again. They didn't save us a dime and the hassle of not being in control of the reservation we paid for was so frustrating. We were at the mercy of the agent for any changes and they weren't always available. I don't understand why anyone would need help making ADR's or FP+ resrevations. The system is simple.

 

[minniemous]

I have strong feeling on this. I know much of it depends on the travel agent you get but I always book on my own since my one experience with an agent and will from here on in. I guess if you get a travel agent who knows their stuff and is truly committed to getting you the best deal and you have no prior Disney experience it may be worth

I went to a "Disney Authorized" travel agent in CT when we went about 5 years ago. We always would see the business when taking a drive and we figured why not give it a try..it can only help.....wrong.


I had been spending a decent amount of time planning the trip (but was by no mean as knowledgeable as I am now). Anyhow, our dates were very flexible being our daughter was so young. We walked in and the agent directed us right away to a deluxe resort (which is OK, but it just set the stage). Gave me the prices and told us how we should really add the dining option and basically put the entire thing together minus the airfare.

After going home and looking at the numbers I had I found that I could go for much less. It is not worth going into all the details and boring you but being that my knowledge was limited being the first time in about 7 years I had gone I was really let myself be handled by this agent.

I rectified it a little but I was not told that soon a really good offer would be coming out or told any way we could change our dates in order to save. Again we were very flexible. "free dining" was never mentioned to me. I was not even aware there was such a thing and that if we waited a couple weeks we could take advantage of that.

She added nothing of worth to the trip. No special information, no help with finding special pricing. Basically making us spend the most we could. I should have done my homework but since I was not as knowledgable I figured here is where and agent can help me.

What a waste of time. It just made things more difficult because there was now a sort of middle man. She seemed as I recall to have payment deadlines that Disney World does not even have.

So booking directly gives you more flexibility and you can explore all the great deals and actually talking to the Disboards and getting advice is worth a zillion travel agents (again....compared to mine). We could have gone on that same trip had I booked myself and used available discounts for much, much less and stayed much longer.

I am not sure what kind of business deal Disney Works out with "Disney Authorized" travel agents if it is a commission or what. Again to make it clear. I am sure there are agents that are very good at what they do and supply you with excellent information. This was not our experience at all. I usually do not allow myself to be handled in this manner but she really sold it as a deal and it really was not that at all.

 

[minniemous]

You may not lose money, but you do lose control. We tried an agent once and will never do so again. They didn't save us a dime and the hassle of not being in control of the reservation we paid for was so frustrating. We were at the mercy of the agent for any changes and they weren't always available. I don't understand why anyone would need help making ADR's or FP+ resrevations. The system is simple.

Totally agree. I forgot to mention the umpteen messages I would leave for her when I did have an issue. I received one print out of our itinerary from her on regular office paper that was like 9 size font that was written in light colors that I could not read to save my life (and I have 20/20 vision). I still have it and when ever I pull it out to look at it I am beside myself that she would ever give this to anyone an expect to be helpful.

 

[GatorMama]

I'm planning my second trip with an agent (my first one was only one night) and I'm mostly doing it to help her financially. I could do it all myself easily at this point. And she knows that so while she would help someone else book ADRs and FPs, she knows Id rather do it myself and be able to make changes any time. So once our resort ressie is made and I've paid everything off, she will let me do my thing.

 

[Wood Nymph]

We have always booked our trips directly through Disney until just last week, when I used Orbitz in order to get the room I wanted at the best price possible. I saved $155 off the 35% bounceback discount I already had on that trip and was able to switch resorts to the one I relly wanted. But I hope I never have to use them again. I really hated the lack of flexibilty I have for that trip. I can't add a day or cancel a day without losing the discount. I can't talk to Disney about the reservation at all. I just want to go back to booking through Disney again. If it wasn't for the fact that I wasn't able to get a discounted room at the BC through Disney, I wouldn't have used a travel agent at all.

 

[Dis703]

I've always booked myself and I think we do well by discounts. Last year we bought an APs for our first onsite stay and used the AP discount for our resort. We used an AP discount again in the fall and then booked Bounceback for our return the following Spring.

This next trip I had the Spring Discount booked but now have had a CM offer to book with her discount for us.

 

[minniemous]

I always say an agent. Find an agent and help a small business. You aren't losing money and you're actually helping to support a family vs giving the commission to Disney, who won't help you book fp or adrs at 12 am or just be an ear to shoot information to. Most trips will earn a TA about $300 dollars. Imagine how much that can help a family out? So you want to do everything yourself, that is completely fine! The only thing you NEED to do through the agent is tell them when and how much to make payments for. An agents job isn't JUST finding you better deals. Its a second set of eyes on anything. If you get into a bind there is a person ready to get things done for you.When promotions came out no one had to call me I fixed the reservations. Sent them a lower Invoice for their records. You shouldn't have to go to an office. I have clients I have never physically meet. Its called the telephone, Facetime, email but everyone does it their own way. I have people who want me to plan every detail and I have some who just use me to make the payments. The recent internet friendly Disney change is based in that Disney doesn't want to pay agents. If people an do it online themselves they wont help the small business and Disney keeps all the profits.

Is it a straight fee that "Disney Authorized" agents make, regardless of how much they book you for?

Because like I said I felt like I was being up-sold and not being let in on any money savings information. Basically if there was a way to book our vacation that that would have cost us the most money possible...this is what she tried to book us off that bat.

Again I know that all travel agents are not created equal and I am sure many will try to get the best deals for the customer and provide really valuable information. Just not my one experience. I know I can do much better on my own.

 

[whitney37354]

I've always booked the trips myself through the WDW website.