Is there some secret advantage to having a travel agent?

[MommyBryn]

I feel bad asking this because I don't want to offend any travel agents (heck, I'd LOVE your job!! and I know how time consuming it can be to plan a Disney trip for someone else!), but I'm genuinely curious. I've been planning our family Disney vacations since after I graduated high school, so while I've only planned five (almost six) trips, each one has been for anywhere from 12-24 people (we always go as a group), cross-country flights, on site (and this next time off-site), tickets for everyone, DDP (except for last time I budgeted meals for everyone so they knew what they needed to save), and ADR's, have done packages an individual bookings, modifying reservations as discounts were released, etc. Basically the whole deal for everyone involved, and I guess my point is that I feel pretty confident in covering all the details and getting us the best deal on our vacation. HOW I got this job I don't know, but nonetheless I did, and I'll admit I really enjoy it. I don't know if I'd want to have someone else plan my trip! LOL However, if there is some perk I'm missing, I'll gladly rethink things!

That said, is there something particularly beneficial that a travel agent can offer for people who understand the in's and out's of vacation planning? Do they have special access to things that average-but-much-experienced Joe's don't? Or is it mostly for people who don't have a lot of experience, or probably more likely, the time to do it themselves? Does it cost more to hire a travel agent?

My curiosity was sparked after some people we know took another (one of many) WDW vacation recently via a travel agent, but they've always planned them on their own before, and other than the cute basket of goodies that was left in their room, I wasn't sure what other benefits there were to doing it that way vs by themselves.

 

[_19disnA]

Not really. Unless your travel agent offers some special disney discounts not otherwise available to the general public, you can basically do what they do. Travel agents use the same websites we all use to look up prices/deals. In fact, it makes it more difficult to modify your reservations if you work with a 3rd party since disney won't let you modify your reservation and you have to work through the travel agent to make changes.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

You sound like you are your (and family) own TA. If you like the thrill of doing the challenge of coordinating large groups, why don't your look into becoming a TA?

 

[MillauFr]

I just use one for the discounts. Last time we stayed at the Poly we got 50-60% off of the room rates and discounted park tickets. I use Costco for the cruises because they give you a 8-9% discount on the cruise. Why pay full price booking directly with Disney?

 

[Eighty8Keys]

I’ve used a TA for 6 of our 7 WDW trips. Our trip dates are always set in stone and we know which resort we want so there isn’t any chance we’ll change our reservation. It’s nice to have someone looking out for any discounts and rebooking for us without needing to call in or deal with Disney’s website. Even though we budget our trip at rack rate, our TA’s been able to get us discount every time. We supplement that discount by paying with discounted Disney gift cards and various credit card points and travel credits, so we just email her when we want to make a payment and she takes care of it.

A couple of times our trip dates coincided with special group rates that her agency was offering that included special client appreciation events like a private dessert party at DHS when the Osborne lights were still there. Or, she’ll send us a Disney gift card as a thank you.

Even when using a TA, I still make all our ADR’s and FP+. It’s just nice to have the resort reservation handled for us. It doesn’t cost me anything and I like supporting small businesses.

 

[wendow]

I started working as a TA, and only booking Disney, about 6-7 mos ago. As someone who had always planned every aspect of our family trips as well as tons of friends/family trips, I got an opportunity to do that for others and make a little money. Just to be very clear, cause people are always interested in jumping in as a Disney TA, the pay is low. After you give Uncle Sam his part, and pay into the agency you are under, there isn't a lot of money left for how much work goes into it.

So, in my 6-7 mos, I've not had a SINGLE client want to book their own ADR's or FP's. They all definitely want me to do that for them and I'm happy to, though it means getting up with the chickens since I am in CO lol. This service cost them nothing and takes a lot of stress off them. I book them at the very best discount I can find and continue to watch for better sales. This also cost them nothing. I almost always buy each of their kids a Disney GC as spending money, and again, it costs them nothing. I've had clients ask me to do them a touring plan. Do I do it for free? Yes, I do. I spend a lot of time on my client's trips and treat it like it's my trip.

So, are there benefits to using a TA? I think there are a lot of people who feel overwhelmed by a Disney World vacation and really appreciate what a TA can offer them. Maybe the DISboards crowd isn't your typical 'use a TA client' but most people traveling to WDW are not like DISboards peeps.

And on another note, there are agencies who can secure large bookings and get very good rates at certain times of the year. I got a rate from one for late March and it was higher than disney so they cannot always get lower rates but sometimes they can and that is another good reason to use a TA

 

[dclpluto]

You sound like you are your (and family) own TA. If you like the thrill of doing the challenge of coordinating large groups, why don't your look into becoming a TA?

I can’t speak for the op but the pay for a travel agent is very low.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Time is money. All the time you spent booking your groups reservations I’m guessing you did for free? That’s hours of work. You’re fine with that because you’re being essentially being paid in enjoyment but a lot of people would get no enjoyment out of it so they use a TA.

Having grown up in a travel agency- no you don’t. Plan out whole trips, answer all their questions time after time after time, only to get cancelled on right before the down payment goes hard because they saved $10 elsewhere? Something entirely out of your control happened on their trip so they call you up after to cuss you out? TA life is hard & unless you get a steady group of people booking expensive trips your $/hour is horrendous.

 

[Magical2017]

If a TA can get me just as good or a better deal, I would use one (only an official Disney TA, though). You have to go through the TA to make changes to your room reservations, I believe.

For me, booking the room (and possibly air) would be the end of the transaction. I like booking my own ADRs and FP, but a TA can do that for you as well.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I can’t speak for the op but the pay for a travel agent is very low.

After what @wendow explained, I understand the pay is low. How much is the family paying for the same "type" of service by one lone family member?

 

[Shughart]

Our first trip, my mother in law made most of the plans for us. Because we flew separately, that was obviously on me, and I made all the ADR for us as a group of 10. This time though I *WISH* I could use a TA. I have no desire to make the FP or ADR or touring plans. I would love to hand someone a list of what we want and for them to make it happen. Alas, we are off site this trip. Or I would definitely be looking for a good Disney TA.

 

[Magical2017]

I think It's rude to ask a TA to do the leg work and then book on your own or elsewhere because you might save $50. At least give them the chance to match the price, or if they have been answering tons of questions for a few months, consider the difference payment for their time. (Not saying anyone here does that, but someone upthread mentioned it happens).

 

[Alynw]

I was curious about this as well. Ive always done all the planning for our vacations. I can tell u, if i could go back to my very first trip to wdw, id def use a TA. Even with all the research and help i got, i was still so under prepared for my first wdw trip. But ive always wondered if TA got special rates and discounts on flights and certain tickets,vac packages.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I only book with a TA that offers agency exclusive deals. I get locked into a good rate about a year out. No waiting and stalking the dis for discounts to come out closer to the date. I still do everything else myself. ADRS, FP and flights. I do have the agent book my dme.

 

[wendow]

If a TA can get me just as good or a better deal, I would use one (only an official Disney TA, though). You have to go through the TA to make changes to your room reservations, I believe.

For me, booking the room (and possibly air) would be the end of the transaction. I like booking my own ADRs and FP, but a TA can do that for you as well.

TA's can always get you as good of a deal as what you can get through Disney (the booking website for TA's is very similar to the consumer site with the exact same pricing and promos). A good TA will also keep an eye on your reservation and try to find better offers to fit you into. Some big agencies get exclusive rates that are much better than what you can get through Disney And yes, any changes to a reservation or payments made need to go through the TA.

 

[Hikergirl]

I use a TA that has agency exclusive deals, but just for the room and tickets.
If I make any ADRs, or purchase special event tickets or FP then I do that all myself.

 

[lady9]

My husband and I are travel agents and love it. When a client books far out, we are always on the look out for a discount that can be applied to the reservation so the client doesn't have to do that. We usually run promotions offering Disney Gift cards or on board credit for booking with us. It doesn't pay a lot, but it's so much fun to plan trips with clients.

 

[Magical2017]

TA's can always get you as good of a deal as what you can get through Disney (the booking website for TA's is very similar to the consumer site with the exact same pricing and promos). A good TA will also keep an eye on your reservation and try to find better offers to fit you into. Some big agencies get exclusive rates that are much better than what you can get through Disney And yes, any changes to a reservation or payments made need to go through the TA.

I think I would drive a TA nuts. Last summer I changed dates and locations several times. At least the TA would not have to manage my FP and ADRs--I cannot tell you how many times I changed those. Thanks, though. I put a request for a quote in today with an agency that does large volume discounts.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Back on our trip in 2000 I used the Dreams Unlimited Travel Agent. I was glad I did. She made our ressies at ASMu and our ADRs. Hubby and I decided it was entirely too much food to eat. There were a few days we didn't get our monies worth, but we still had a blast on that trip anyway! I'd rather just do it myself. I like having control of my hotel ressie and FPs. And even though it's only MDE I'd rather not give that password out to anyone except immediate family.

 

[wendow]

I think I would drive a TA nuts. Last summer I changed dates and locations several times. At least the TA would not have to manage my FP and ADRs--I cannot tell you how many times I changed those. Thanks, though. I put a request for a quote in today with an agency that does large volume discounts.

I hope you get a good rate! I've had excellent results with that agency