How do you book your WDW vacation?

[missbarbie01]

Hi there! We are planning on taking our 8 year old daughter to Disney during Spring Break (ours is the first week in April). This is our first trip to WDW and I am so excited! I have been doing a little research but I was wondering how YOU like to book your WDW vacation? Do you go through a travel agent, go through Disney direct or use a certain site? Someone told me if I go through Disney direct to be cautious, that they are known for not telling you what promotions apply to your stay.\

TIA!
Barb

 

[IhrkeFamily]

Since this will be your first trip I stongly recommend using a TA. AAA TA's have quite a bit of knowledge on Disney. However; make sure you are checking the Disney site and DIS site for discounts. Plus the TA won't know aobut PINs that are sent directly to you. If you are not sure what a PIN is check out the discount board.

Have a wonderful first trip!

 

[Svhadden]

We've used the same travel agent to book our trip every year. She's been countless times herself, knows the promotions, dates, discounts, etc inside and out, and has been an invaluable source of info.

One of the things I love about using a TA is that all I have to do is tell her our dates, where we want to stay, and where we want to eat. She books everything. Also, and it's happened more than once, if Disney announces a new promotion that pertains to us, she rebooks us, and sends me an email telling me how much LESS our trip is going to cost

But, how you book is a very individualized preference. My cousin, who goes every year, absolutely loves the planning, booking, researching process. It's as much fun to her as the trip is Some people like to be more in control of the process, and don't prefer to use a TA. You just need to figure out what you'd prefer. Do you want someone else to do the work, watch for the deals, etc? Or do you enjoy the planning/booking process and want to stay in control of that?

Either way, a Disney vacay is LOADS OF FUN!!! Hope your trip is wonderful!

 

[ancestry]

I strongly recommend that you do not use a TA. Book the trip yourself directly through Disney. When you use a TA the TA owns your reservation and you can't make any changes to the reservation directly. All changes and modifications must go through the TA which can turn into a nightmare.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

We've used the same travel agent to book our trip every year. She's been countless times herself, knows the promotions, dates, discounts, etc inside and out, and has been an invaluable source of info.

One of the things I love about using a TA is that all I have to do is tell her our dates, where we want to stay, and where we want to eat. She books everything. Also, and it's happened more than once, if Disney announces a new promotion that pertains to us, she rebooks us, and sends me an email telling me how much LESS our trip is going to cost

But, how you book is a very individualized preference. My cousin, who goes every year, absolutely loves the planning, booking, researching process. It's as much fun to her as the trip is Some people like to be more in control of the process, and don't prefer to use a TA. You just need to figure out what you'd prefer. Do you want someone else to do the work, watch for the deals, etc? Or do you enjoy the planning/booking process and want to stay in control of that?

Either way, a Disney vacay is LOADS OF FUN!!! Hope your trip is wonderful!

I am one of those crazy people that loves the planning process! I love being able to plan my trip, include my kids in the planning and execution of the vacation, and hear how wonderful the trip I planned was! It helps me to live Disney longer than just showing up for my trip. The kids, my hubby, and I sit and talk Disney all the time. There's many a night at the dinner table where you'll hear one of my kids say "Okay. Let's talk Disney." We get to hear what they love most, and get their feedback on what is important to them on each trip. My kids love being on the dining plan b/c they consider it part of the Disney experience, so we discuss what places they want to visit again, which places to avoid, and which new places to try. We are just over 11 months out from our next trip, but when I started planning we were over 13 months out. The time is flying already. Before we know it we will be back. It's the longest time we've had to wait in between trips since our first, so we thought it would be hard. It's going by so fast!

I strongly recommend that you do not use a TA. Book the trip yourself directly through Disney. When you use a TA the TA owns your reservation and you can't make any changes to the reservation directly. All changes and modifications must go through the TA which can turn into a nightmare.

I would never be able to let someone else own my reservation! I think I'd go crazy. I like being able to change my ADR's without going through someone else. We enjoyed using Disney for our reservations this last time. It was my first time as my mother did most of the planning on our first trip. Now that I know way more than she does on everything Disney I planned the last trip for 12. It went so smoothly! I liked that I could pay whatever I wanted whenever I wanted up until 45 days out. I frequently ran to the store to get Disney gift cards to pay off my balance so I could earn fuel for paying for my trip through the grocery store. We had free gas for months just for buying the cards there. I paid it online when I wanted and when I didn't want to pay online, I called and they handled my gift cards over the phone. I had it all paid way before the 45 days were up! For once it was a debt I enjoyed paying! Anyway, if you ask the CM's they will tell you what discounts are available or if there are any attached to your name. You have to ask though. I am waiting until the next special offering free dining in October 2012 to book. By then my ADR's will be totally planned out and ready for me to book! Oh, I am getting so excited and I'm several months away from that!

 

[missbarbie01]

Thank you all for your input! I think I will go through Disney direct so that I can make payments. I am going to give them a call and ask some questions before I book though. I ordered The Unofficial Guide to Disney too! Oh yeah, we are keeping it a surprise from our daughter as well! The surprise factor is going to be priceless! Plus, if we did tell her, she would be asking about it every minute and if something happened to where we would have to postpone the trip, she would be heartbroken!

@blackbeltdisneygirl can you tell me about this !?

I frequently ran to the store to get Disney gift cards to pay off my balance so I could earn fuel for paying for my trip through the grocery store. We had free gas for months just for buying the cards there. I paid it online when I wanted and when I didn't want to pay online, I called and they handled my gift cards over the phone.

You just bought a Disney gift card where ever they sell them and used them as your payment? Also, how do you earn fuel by using them? was that just a promotion through your grocery store?

 

[pepe of ohio]

We most always book room only....basically for the discount and always call Disney reservations...they have always been helpful and suggestive in their calls....never done an on-line reservation.....no one to confirm codes that are out etc.

We just called last night for January, AP code, 40% off deluxe (just returned this past September) and everything went smooth as silk, confirmation e-mail this morning.....again room only, one night deposit and balance when we check out.....what could be more easier...they will take dining over the phone but we never do dining pans and don't know where, what time or when we want to eat so that aspect doesn't interest us....but nothing could be so easy (after the beginning speal on the phone) after you get a CM to book your stay......even after all our trips, we still have a few questions and they give us the answers and sometimes offer things we didn't know..

Mousesavers.com is a great site to get codes and discounts and check to see when the different seasons are in WDW, can make a big difference in room rates....check them out and sign for for their alerts.....

 

[the_green_machine]

Just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth......

I booked our first trip to WDW in March (Jan 2012 for my wife and I) and, due to seemingly popular demand, I went with a TA. I thought that was the best way to go about it. I have found from get go that I probably could have done just as well without him. Now I must preface this with, this is not a general comment on TA's...just maybe the one I picked. It seemed to me, as he was the "Disney Expert" at the agency, that he wasnt as "on the ball" as I would have expected.

I would always be on the boards, mousesavers...etc looking for discounts, free dining dates and the like and when I would email him it was like I was speaking in a language he doesnt understand (not to mention taking a week or more getting back to me).

I'm sure not all TA's are like this, actually I'm sure of it but I'm fairly certain that with resourses like the boards and Disney itself, when I plan our 2013 trip I may be going it alone.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Thank you all for your input! I think I will go through Disney direct so that I can make payments. I am going to give them a call and ask some questions before I book though. I ordered The Unofficial Guide to Disney too! Oh yeah, we are keeping it a surprise from our daughter as well! The surprise factor is going to be priceless! Plus, if we did tell her, she would be asking about it every minute and if something happened to where we would have to postpone the trip, she would be heartbroken!

@blackbeltdisneygirl can you tell me about this !?



You just bought a Disney gift card where ever they sell them and used them as your payment? Also, how do you earn fuel by using them? was that just a promotion through your grocery store?

I buy through Giant Eagle where in our area they offer fuelperks for purchasing gift cards through them. Normally it costs $50 to earn $ .10 off each gallon of fuel, up to 30 gallons. We ran out and bought $8,000 in gift cards after we got our tax return, and got several months worth of free gas. I think that total gave us $16.00 in free gas, which is equivalent to almost 150 gallons in free gas. Since we can get up to 30 gallons with each discount, we take our cans with us, fill up our van's tank, then fill the cans and toss it into our truck's tank. Voila! Free gas! I don't know if you guys have that in your area. I was irritated though b/c right after we bought our cards for that trip they offered a $ .20 special instead of $ .10. We could've doubled our fuelperks! They couldn't do anything about it so they gave us a small giftcard to the store to make up for it. It didn't make up for it, but at least it was something!

 

[Virtucomp]

Going back to our first family trip in 2000 we have always booked everything directly ourselves. Airfare, park tickets and hotel. The only thing I've ever gone outside for is a rental car. We had the travel person at work get us some good rates on cars for a few trips.

I like to be able to price out the options and decide which is better. A few times DW tried to go to through AAA but they did not have any deals better than we could get on our own.

 

[ctseaton]

Just to note, using a Travel Agent can be a great experience. Many of us that do Disney truly know what we are doing. Of course there are lots of people out there that don't know Disney like those of us that are a bit obsessed with it.

Yes, the agency does own the actual reservation, but you can still make payments, used Disney Gift Cards, etc. My clients can email me the details or call me with them and I'll apply them. I also help clients work out monthly payments if they want.

I do make dining reservations for my clients, but I also am happy for them to do it. Sometimes I make them initially and they then change them around. I give the confirmation number as soon as they are booked and all I ask is they let me know at some point of any reservations that I made that they canceled (for my records when preparing an itinerary for them).

Most people are happy for me to make the initial reservations because I get up at 6 am to make them at 180 days and they can sleep a bit later.

Most agents are happy for you to do as much or as little of the planning as you would like.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I would certainly recommend a TA, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Blackbeltdisneygirl]

Just to note, using a Travel Agent can be a great experience. Many of us that do Disney truly know what we are doing. Of course there are lots of people out there that don't know Disney like those of us that are a bit obsessed with it.

Yes, the agency does own the actual reservation, but you can still make payments, used Disney Gift Cards, etc. My clients can email me the details or call me with them and I'll apply them. I also help clients work out monthly payments if they want.

I do make dining reservations for my clients, but I also am happy for them to do it. Sometimes I make them initially and they then change them around. I give the confirmation number as soon as they are booked and all I ask is they let me know at some point of any reservations that I made that they canceled (for my records when preparing an itinerary for them).

Most people are happy for me to make the initial reservations because I get up at 6 am to make them at 180 days and they can sleep a bit later.

Most agents are happy for you to do as much or as little of the planning as you would like.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I would certainly recommend a TA, but that's just my opinion.

Good to hear from someone on the other side of things! My parents used a TA the first time they went and had a great experience. I just personally love doing it! Of course I am like that with a lot of things. I homeschool, teach my family and other families karate and MMA while training for my second degree black, my hubby and I are remodeling our third home together, and this week I assembled most of my kids' Halloween costumes from scratch (with the exception of the two that insisted on being Disney princesses...I just don't have the time anymore to put together the princess dresses unless I start way in advance, and with a Disney trip to plan...well, you see.). I hope that doesn't sound like bragging b/c believe me, I drop a lot of balls! I guess I just never realized how much control I like to have! I think the only thing I leave to other people is going out to eat. I like letting other people cook for me!

Anyway, however you choose to go, it will be great. How could Disney be bad? Now I need to start planning our tie dye shirts and family theme shirts. I only have 11 months!!!

 

[missbarbie01]

Thanks again for all your responses! and @ctseaton, it is good to hear from a TA I was thinking of going through one, but I don't think there are any that specialize in Disney in my area anymore. I definatly would want one with Disney experience or at least that knows more about it then I do!

I am getting pretty excited though. I called Disney direct yesterday to get a little info and I had no idea they offered payment plans for vacations! Since my hubby put the bug in my ear about going, I am not turning back now! LOL!

Barb

 

[ctseaton]

Thanks again for all your responses! and @ctseaton, it is good to hear from a TA I was thinking of going through one, but I don't think there are any that specialize in Disney in my area anymore. I definatly would want one with Disney experience or at least that knows more about it then I do!

I am getting pretty excited though. I called Disney direct yesterday to get a little info and I had no idea they offered payment plans for vacations! Since my hubby put the bug in my ear about going, I am not turning back now! LOL!

Barb

You don't have to use one in your area. I live in NC and have clients in VA, TN and various other states. I love meeting with my clients face to face, but it isn't necessary.

Good luck with your trip! Disney is wonderful any way you do it.

 

[missbarbie01]

actually, a good friend gave me the name of her TA that is a Disney Travel Specialist. I am in Indiana and the TA is in NJ.

 

[mellie mel]

I am a TA and can tell you that a good TA will do everything they can to assist you and will not charge you for the service provided. You can still make changes to your reservations booked through a TA by calling the TA. It is our job to ensure your trip/booking goes as planned.

I started off planning my own vacations and those for family and friends and happen to love trip planning. I will say the person that wants to do all the planning themselves does not need a TA. We are there for the people that do not want to spend the hours it takes to plan the trip, book the reservations, stay on top of any promos or discounts that may lower the costs for our clients, etc. If you need help planning your trip, PM me and I would be happy to assist.

 

[TinkPearl]

We always use Magical Journeys (Debbie) and have loved it each time!

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I have tried it both ways, using a TA and through WDW. If you use a TA make certain that they are schooled in WDW trip planning. I prefer doing it myself on line directly with Disney.

The reason I prefer the direct mode is because it is like a vacation lay-away plan. You can play around with different options without involving anyone, just you and your computer. I get newsletters from Passporter and Mousesaver, I read books like the Passporter, Walt Disney World with Kids, etc. I really try to have fun with it but of course my family thinks I obsess about it! Who cares! It is great fun and satisfies my yen for all things DIsney.

 

[missy120]

I always use my AAA travel agent. It saves me tons of time on the phone. I give her my dates and where I want to stay. She books it for me. When I book my airfare I send her the info and she sets it up w Disney for magical express. I book my own ADRs and I have my reservation number for my trip. If a code comes out she is on it. If I get a pin I give it to her. I could. Book all that myself but it saves me some time. Just my experience.

 

[DisneyFamilyMomof5]

I always book just by calling 407-w-disney..