Tell me about booking direct with Disney

[Hobbes]

Due to shoddy customer service with my ususal holiday company we are thinking about booking the next trip direct with disney-do any of you do it, if so please tell me how you've found them?
I'm patricularly concerned that:
A. They only seem the allow you to book about 10 months in advance-I am used to having my holiday dangling like a far-off carrot 18 months in advance
B. Can you book the whole package, including fligts-I have never booked anything other than the whole package and would be nervous that i could not get a flight if I only book 9 months in advance (As you can guess spontanaity is NOT my middle name)
BTW I am not looking for an argument about my current company so please limit comments to feedback on WDW travel company

 

[orangetiggs]

Ive booked with wdtc before and flights are only for sale around 11 months out but hotel can be booked before that.

We now use complete orlando and are fab, we booked hotel last november to get freedining deal and then jan booked flights deposit only and now its a package and covered etc if anything happens. We also find them cheaper than wdtc

 

[GirlDreamer]

You can book flight inclusive with WDTC, but only 10 months before. If you'd like, you can book the package exclusive the flight further ahead, and then add the flight on through WDTC or do it yourself when they open the bookings. The WDTC have some fantastic deals, and I wouldn't miss out on it. I've heard they'll come with a new offer for next year around april.

We did the full package with the flights last year, but we only decided to go about 10 months before anyway. But we were happy with their service and everything that was included

 

[Hobbes]

cheers for both your responses-I'll certainly look them up next time orangetiggs. I guess its time to be brave and make a leap into the unknown (i.e booking flights separately!! )

 

[TinkerbellW]

I guess its time to be brave and make a leap into the unknown (i.e booking flights separately!! )

Then when you've done it, I might give it a go!

 

[MrRomance]

Due to shoddy customer service with my ususal holiday company we are thinking about booking the next trip direct with disney-do any of you do it, if so please tell me how you've found them?
I'm patricularly concerned that:
A. They only seem the allow you to book about 10 months in advance-I am used to having my holiday dangling like a far-off carrot 18 months in advance
B. Can you book the whole package, including fligts-I have never booked anything other than the whole package and would be nervous that i could not get a flight if I only book 9 months in advance (As you can guess spontanaity is NOT my middle name)
BTW I am not looking for an argument about my current company so please limit comments to feedback on WDW travel company

.
We (almost) always book with Disney Travel Company directly and the reason for that is that they are usually the cheapest for what we want. The other benefit of booking with Disney directly is you have everything under one roof so if anything goes boink with your trip...you just go see the Mouse!

To take your questions one at a time...

a) You can book further out than 10 months. We booked last June for our trip in October this year. The best deal with Disney has historically been for bookings in April - June the year before you travel.

b) Yes, you can book a whole package with Disney but flights can not be added to your package until 11 months out. It's a simple process, you book your hotel, tickets, dining (hopefully free dining ) and then at 11 months when scheduled flights are released, you call them, they add your flights on. There is no amendment fee or anything, they just add the flights on and send you a new invoice.

Our experience with the Disney Travel Company has been fantastic. About a month before you go, you get your mouse mail (luggage tags, magical express tags if you're using it, and all of your paperwork). I honestly don't have a bad word to say about the entire experience with them. The only hiccup for this year was that Disney couldn't find us decent priced flights for the dates we booked, but they let us change our dates without charge so we could get flights that did not require us to sell any vital organs!

You can book direct flights with BA or VA through Disney or indirect if you want the cheaper option. Any questions, feel free to ask me!

 

[Disneynutinlondon]

I hope the OP doesn't mind me jumping in here but can those of you who have priced a package with VH and then gone on to price a WDTC package with VA prices tell me which works out cheaper or are they the same ?

 

[sharon78]

Yes, We booked direct this time, we booked the whole package;
Flights, Hotel, tickets & got the DDP included.
The reason we booked with them direct this time was the price, at the time no other company could get anywhere near the price we paid. Disney had a lot of good offers on at the time.

We normally go with Virgin Holidays however they wanted way too much this time.

We booked for july for 4 adults (1 @ 15) Virgin Flights, Animal Kingdom Lodge 10 nights,14 day ultimate tickets for the price of 7 and DDP package for £5600. Also got $100 gift card and Minature Golf included.
If they quote you a price your happy with go for it, as others say you can always add your flight with them at a later date.
Or just save your money up and book it all in one go at 11 months out.

-Sharon

 

[Hobbes]

thanks for all your replies, you've done a lot to set my mind at rest (I am an obsessive planner, my nickname at work is "Disney-Nazi") And to Tinkerbell W I believe your next but one holiday will be before my next but one holiday so you book first and tell me how easy it was...
No, its not a flaming, Tink is my sister (although I got the looks...)

 

[MrRomance]

We go to WDW every 12 - 18 months and Virgin Holidays have never been cheaper for us. I'm not saying that it's not possible for Virgin to come up cheaper because it may do for other people with different party size or different requirements, but we have never found them cheaper. Virgin were almost £2000 more for our holiday last year. This year, the difference was £1100.

 

[tubbity]

We've booked direct and seem to have problems every time, except the time we did it all online when it was a pain free experience.
Twice we've booked and had problems with them taking money for flights but not actually booking the flights (did get the money back but took a few days and lots of phone calls), these were both for disneyland Paris bookings so hopefully their flights system for other airlines may be a bit better.
Also had arguments with them last time as to home many people you could sleep in a two bed villa, so again it was more phone calls till that got fixed and we could book it all online (not booking anymore flights with them though).
Every time we have used them its because they have been the cheapest and once the holidays have been booked we've never had any problems.

 

[GirlDreamer]

I prefer to book it online myself anyway. That way I can see exactly what I'm doing and I get email confirmations before I close the window, so everything is written I've never tried for Disneyland before though, so I don't know if they often have problems. My WDW booking was 100% hassle free though

 

[tinks_1989]

We booked flight inclusive with Disney this time and loved having it all sorted under one booking.

Again was the cheapest price I could find any where I was quoted hotel/tickets/free dinning then asked how much extra flights inclusive was it was just over £600 more so we booked. I'm keeping my eye out for 2014 dates now.

 

[TinkerbellW]

I believe your next but one holiday will be before my next but one holiday

I don't think it will be - new job in September. It's gonna take a lot more saving this time! I'll let you go first