Is It Cheaper?

[cammie1229]

I'm using a TA that was recommended to me (from this board!! ) Madonna31 and she is absolutely awesome!

While I don't save any money (her prices are identical to what I'd get booking with Disney on my own), I have found her service invaluable!! She's super knowledgable, booked all my ADRs, answers all my questions immediately. She'll also watch for any discounts that come available for my booking and try to apply them if she can.

I highly recommend her. I'll pm you.

 

[bbangel]

We used Marion at Small World Vacations and she was awesome. She made all my dining reservations (saving me dozens of phone calls) and added notes to our reservations to let them know about our celebration. She applied a discount code to my package before I even found out about it and was great at pointing out things I might want to look for while there. I could have got the same deal booking my self but would have had a lot more hassle. I still did a ton of planning on my own but she made it a lot easier and less time consuming!

 

[eleanor]

We always use Tiffany town Car and really like the service.If you go that route there is a coupon on their website.I am not much for sitting on the bus waiting at each resort.

 

[madonna31]

We're also leaning against not buying the meal plan as the reservations and working around them sound like hassle.

Just a heads up - even if you decide against the dining plan - you still have to make advanced dining reservations (ADR's) where you would like to dine.

A big misconception to the first time (or semi-first time) visitor to Walt Disney World is that "if I don't take the dining plan, I don't have to make reservations for any restaurants" when nothing could be farther from the truth.

You see, due to the popularity of Disney's Dining Plan, the more popular restaurants; such as character meals and the better sit down restaurants in Epcot can (and more importantly; DO) sell out. Because of this, Disney now allows you to make ADR's 180 days in advance of your arrival.

There is nothing worse then getting down to Walt Disney World, seeing all of the wonderful restaurants and not being able to eat in any of them because they are booked up solid.

Trust me, the dining reservations and working around them is a piece of cake.

 

[laura001]

I'm using a TA that was recommended to me (from this board!! ) Madonna31 and she is absolutely awesome!

While I don't save any money (her prices are identical to what I'd get booking with Disney on my own), I have found her service invaluable!! She's super knowledgable, booked all my ADRs, answers all my questions immediately. She'll also watch for any discounts that come available for my booking and try to apply them if she can.

I highly recommend her. I'll pm you.

LOL!!! That is who I was talking about also....She is awesome!!!

 

[dangler]

Our TA charges a hundred dollar fee. Prices were quoted dollar for dollar for Disney as well as the flights. I called her when I found a flight in the price range I was willing to pay. Find out what your TA charges and if you are willing to pay that.

 

[branmack]

We were there the last week in Sept 06. It was very hot, most days in the 90's and a couple in the 80's. Only rained once. We had a great time in Sept and would go again as the crowds were small. To beat the heat we came back to the hotel in the afternoons and swam. Bring a spray bottle with a fan attached. We brought one with us but it broke on the 3rd day. My DS 5yrs decided that he could not live without, so he used his own disney dollers to purchase one in the Epcot. The cool mist is refreshing. Fill it with lots of ice before you leave your hotel in the morning.

We had free dining and we loved it. We didn't have to worry about bugeting for meals but it does take alot of time away from the parks.

 

[OntFamily]

I saw included a 30 minute grocery stopover. We thought this was kind of handy seeing as we didn't want to use the Magical Express and wait for everyone else to be dropped off at their resorts and such.
Is it expensive to use the grocery delivery?

Based on most of the experiences posted, ME and a town car are about the same time to the resort (excluding the time it takes for a grocery stop). This is becaused with ME you don't have to wait for your bags at the carousel - just get on the ME bus. Usually, you'll be at your resort about 70 minutes after you get off the plane.

ME is a great service.

Unless your staying at a DVC resort (and plan on making most of your meals), the grocery stop may not be of much value. You can purchase snacks from the Hess service stations (conveniently located at the Boardwalk and Downtown Disney).

Or as another person posted, take a cab to a grocery store.

 

[OntFamily]

Hello all!
I'm new to this whole Disney planning and hoping you can help!
Is it cheaper to book the package and flights through Disney or through a travel agent.
I've never done this before and want to get the most bang for my Canadian buck yet not get stranded somewhere!

Any suggestions are welcome!!

Overall, the planning isn't difficult (and can even be fun). However, if it is your first time to WDW, and you don't want to do the planning, consider a TA (if the TA is a real Disney specialist, and not a TA that only knows how to surf the intenret and read brochures - those types of TA's are not worth the money).

Where are you located?

 

[Chester's Mum]

Hello all!
I'm new to this whole Disney planning and hoping you can help!
Is it cheaper to book the package and flights through Disney or through a travel agent.
I've never done this before and want to get the most bang for my Canadian buck yet not get stranded somewhere!

Any suggestions are welcome!!

When checking Disney website I have found that the flights often have a transfer point (i.e. change planes at Cincinati, or believe it or not Denver???). Booking through Disney is the same pricewise as booking through a Disney Specialist travel agent like Fairy Tale Dreams and Destinations. However, with the travel agent they book your dining reservations and help you with info. Christine from Fairytale Dreams and Destinations, sent me a nice package of info about the hotels, dining plan, restaurants, and included park maps and info about Downtown Disney and the water parks. (and she has been very patient, with my numerous changes )

The amount of information and tips can be overwhelming. You would probably benefit from the experience of someone like Christine. Madonna31 (also on the boards)is also part of fairytale Dreams and Destinations.

www.fairytaledestinations.ca

I'm having trouble posting this as a link, but thats the website address.

Good luck, you've come to the right place for advice. There are lots of people on the boards with experience booking their own vacations. Ask lots of questions.

 

[daver]

Wow! This place is awesome!
A little more information on our trip.

We're going the last week of September. What can I expect the weather to be like?

We're flying out of Detroit as it seems to be cheaper with Spirit. We used Spirit to fly to Myrtle Beach and were very happy with the service.
I haven't seen any round trip flights out of Toronto (I'm in London) that can match that price (89 each way).


We're leaning against NOT using the Magical Express and getting the towncar so that we can stop for some groceries (it's worth that extra expense to us). Has anyone used the towncar service? Do you use the Disney one or the one I have quoted from this website?

We're also leaning against not buying the meal plan as the reservations and working around them sound like hassle. My kids will be 9 and 11 when we go and are not interested in character meals. I want to be sure they get nutritional meals from the counter service but I'm not seeing a whole lot that isnt' deep fried or a gigantic turkey leg (who buys these things anyway? It's so bizarre to me!).

And when do I book this thing? I read somewhere about a free meal plan that *might* be offered when we go but that's a big "if". Is there a better time to buy than right now? How often do specials come up?

I will have about oh, one BILLION questions over the next few months I'm sure. Thank you for your patience!!

Hey SherylR;

You should look at the dining package. We found there was plenty of choice in most restaurants, some will allow you to substitue and also choose from adult menu as well. We brought alot of snacks with us for the trip, and ended up bringing 90% of them back as there was ample to eat every meal. Our kids were 8 & 6 and loved the character dining. Most places were no problem for ressies or walking up. We only made ressies for about 4 restaurants on our 10 day trip and had no problem getting in.
The trip in the bus was was actually pretty quick and they play disney cartoons on the way.
With the Dis tranportation system, we didnt need a car, and wont next time either.
Here is link for temp averages in Orlando:
http://countrystudies.us/united-states/weather/florida/orlando.htm

Also we are going back at the end of Sept too ( Sept 28th?) When/where are you going/staying?

 

[drag n' fly]

We flew West Jet through Toronto. There's nothing "express" about that airport. We put our ME tags on our bags before we handed them off in Toronto. If you were flying direct from Calgary you can put your tags on there no matter how you check in.

Oh ok. We are flying Air Canada and they have express check in. You can print your boarding passes at home and use the express check in at the kiosk at the Calgary airport. Had not used it before...sorry I assumed you flew AC.

 

[crazyhunter98]

we were there in sept 06 and it was our first time we booked everything with expeidia .ca and got a very good deal our flights from n.b. pop century resort free dinning and our magic your way tickets to the parks and park hopper was all included for 7 days we check with a lot of others and got the best deal here but you have to keep checking the internet for good deals everyday because they will come up quick and be gone again.we did order groceries a few snacks and pepsi from gardengrocer and it was waiting for us at pop when we arrived and it was only $10 for delivery and if you use them again while you are there no more delivery fee and we only had a small order about $25 including delivery

 

[almacdonald]

Oh ok. We are flying Air Canada and they have express check in. You can print your boarding passes at home and use the express check in at the kiosk at the Calgary airport. Had not used it before...sorry I assumed you flew AC.

I'm sure it's the same with either airline, you can check-in online with WestJet too. What I said still stands though, if you're flying direct from Calgary tag your bags there. If you're flying with a connection in Toronto, tag your bags there. Basically, what I'm getting at is tag them before the flight that will land you in Orlando.

Wish I was in Orlando today, it's gonna be a cold couple of days!