To use a TA or book myself?

[amandals2007]

AT this point, I could absolutely do it all myself.

But I think it's good karma-- someone else gets a commission at no cost to me.

But others are right-- you need to have a good travel agent.

Last year, I emailed our travel agent the day the VISA discounts were due to come out, to remind her what she already knew-- that we would love to apply the discount to our trip.

I'm a teacher, so I left the house before 7. During my study hall, at 10:30, I checked my emails.

She had tentatively moved us from the Beach Club to the Yacht Club, saving us $1000. (They're at opposite ends of the SAME BUILDING. ) IF that wasn't OK, she would be happy to move us back.

Could I have done that myself? I have no idea how many discounted rooms at the Yacht Club were still available. And besides, I didn't really have unlimited time to stay on hold with Disney-- I had a total of about 33 minutes before the period ended. So it would have been 4 pm before I could have really called Disney to try.

She books all our meals, and we've never not gotten what we wanted, at the approximate time frame we wanted.

She's phenomenal at what she does, and our trips are less stressful for me because we've found her.

im so thankful for people like you who think like that!! good karma is right!!!!

my dad used to never mow the lawn at our house. we moved in there about 20 years ago. its not that he couldnt, but there was a man that lived in the neighborhood who couldnt get a drivers license because of a slight mental issue and we lived in the country so it was hard to get a job so he mowed everyones lawn in the neighboorhood to make some money. its all about karma!!

 

[Aliceacc]

Well, to be honest, I'm not sure that our occasional WDW trips will make any sort of a real difference in terms of finances. Our TA is good at her job. If she weren't, I wouldn't be so quick to entrust our vacation to her.

It's win/win. We get excellent help/advise on our vacation, and she gets the commission. It's not charity on my part, it's a great business relationship.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

you can do it yourself but the TAs get the info ahead of time and can be prepared to book them or even book sooner than public. no penality to you if you switch a reservation

But...why? I can do it myself. I like my own reservations handled my way.

 

[amandals2007]

But...why? I can do it myself. I like my own reservations handled my way.

well, someone is going to get the commission on your vacation. the point of booking through a TA and not disney is that it will go to a small business owner and not disney. its about small business, coming from a family where my dad owned a car shop and mom owned a flower shop im all about small business and helping others out. but everyone has their own opinon on things...you can still handle everything yourself someone else just books it for you. but im done pointing out my opinion because i keep repeating myself and it doesnt make a difference.

 

[cavepig]

I book myself even though I have a friend who is now a Disney TA. If she could get me a room that I couldn't I would book with her, but otherwise I prefer to have it all under my control. I am a small business owner so understand supporting small businesses so sort of feel bad not using her, but handing that control over of being able to change stuff just doesn't work for me. It's not a service I need so just because she's a friend I don't want to feel forced into using her (which she understands), it's just like when friends don't use my services, it's nothing personal it's just what do I need and don't need.

 

[MYD714]

I usually book myself, but this trip could not turn down the "magical" deal I got thru a TA. I still do all my own ADR's and fast pass selections myself, though she would have done them had I asked. You do not need to give up complete control. I'm extremely happy. Best of both worlds. I get to do my dining and such, & she got me a fantastic price that in no way I could have gotten thru Disney. Best of both worlds.

We did the same thing for our trip this August. I couldn't pass up the "magical" deal either, and I still managed FP+ and ADRs myself. It really was the best of both worlds! I've always booked trips myself, but I might be doing it this way from now on.

 

[cvjpirate]

I use a TA b/c it doesn't cost me anything and I like the idea of having someone to help back me up during my planing of my vacation. I do 90% or more of everything from ADR's to Fast Pass to getting information but there are times when things are released that I can't just jump on the phone right that minute and book. That is where I use my TA. This past June I booked everything but the FTF package for SWW because I was at work when it was released. I may have been able to get the package myself after work but I would have been stressing out all day. Instead she was able to get on the phone, deal with the hold times and book it when I was at work.