Tranferring reservation from travel agent to myself

[khen1013]

Hi, first time user here! I haven't been able to get this question answered anywhere else so I'm hoping someone can help! I searched the forum and couldn't find anything so I really apologize if I missed this somewhere else.

I used a travel agent that I'm having a lot of trouble with. My emails go unanswered for weeks, I booked my own ADRs, I ended up making my own Fast Pass reservations, and I haven't heard back from an email in which I sent her a huge payment to be applied to our trip.

I can't make payments on my own because the initial reservation was done through the travel agency so I'm trying to figure out how to take control of it. When I called the Disney help line, they said it could be done by sending an email to wdw.drc.iata@Disney.com and should hear back within a week but a) this seems to be only for transferring reservations TO a travel agent and b) it's been over a week.

Anyone have any experience with this? Please help!

 

[hiroMYhero]

The experts on the Resort board will be able to assist you.

Moving you to Resorts.

 

[china mom]

I sympathize. Is the agent with an agency? Would you consider staying with the agency if you had a new agent? I would probably make that my first effort to ditch the agent.

For clarification: you said you made a large payment via email. Do you mean that you provided your credit card number by email? I am an agent and my agency specifically forbids the transmission of a credit card number by any written means for the security of our clients. We can accept a credit card in person or by phone. We enter the payment amount and credit card number directly into the Disney site. The money never comes into our possession.

Just an FYI. According to Disney, agents are not supposed to have access to your MDE account - which is the way FP are made so, they expect the client to make FP, not the agent. (of course, agents still do this all the time on the down low). Agents can and will make ADRs for clients.

 

[khen1013]

china mom - Yes, she's with an agency but she's the owner and only one of 2 agents. Plus, she's supposed to be the Disney "specialist" of the two. I've used her before when I went to Universal and had great success so I'm flummoxed as to why this is happening. I think it's just best to leave all together.

And I made a payment via gift cards we received. She had me send the numbers and pictures of the back of the card. I had no problem doing this since I've used her before and trusted her but I asked for confirmation and got nothing. I waited a week then asked again but still nothing. I've sent a third email and hope to hear something soon.

And yes, my issue wasn't so much that she didn't book them but that she didn't even mention them. She previously told me that they set "alarms" so that they contact their customers for important dates. I emailed her before the 2018 prices came out and she said she would contact me when they did but several weeks after they came out, I had to re-email her and she said something happened with the alarms when they switched to a new system. Later, we went back and forth on ADR questions, with which she was initially very helpful, but then didn't respond to my final questions until the reservations could actually be made. Thankfully I had already booked because reservations to Be Our Guest and Akershus would have been doubtful at that point. Again, something about the "alarms". I never heard a thing about Fast Passes: no emails, no contact, no suggestions, nothing. She originally told me she would have suggestions based on the interests and ages of the children but not a word. Thank goodness I had done research on my own so that I could do it myself.

Sorry for the long-winded response! I guess I just needed to vent about my frustration and disappointment.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Don't think you can transfer it. You might have to cancel and rebook.

 

[hllb]

I don't have much advice, but so sorry for all your difficulty. Have the gift cards been applied? I would think, if you can't see it on line, that Disney could tell you.

 

[Bree]

I think the TA has to agree to release the booking to you. Do you not have a phone number for this TA?

 

[khen1013]

MakiraMarlena - I'm assuming I'd lose the deposit I sent her which I really hate to do.

hllb - I keep checking on the gift card balances and they haven't been applied as of yet. I'm getting tired of checking everyday, though.

Bree - I do have a phone number, yes. I was giving the benefit of the doubt over the holidays. I've gotten automatic email replies from her when she's out of the office and never got one in response to my current emails but I was still being cautious. I'm nervous about calling because I'm way too afraid of conflict but I guess I'll have to suck it up. I wonder how likely it is that she'd be willing to release the booking, though.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[khen1013]

Well, the phone call worked. She apologized and told me she'll get the gift cards processed right away. She said she's been putting my emails on the backburner since they've been so busy but knows that's no excuse. She's looking into getting it transferred to see if it's even "allowed". :|

Once again, thanks for all of the help, everybody!

 

[bumbershoot]

Glad you called her.

She had me send the numbers and pictures of the back of the card. I had no problem doing this since I've used her before and trusted her

It’s not about trusting her, it’s about putting financial information into insecure email. Please don’t do that in the future.

I'm assuming I'd lose the deposit I sent her

There should be no assumptions needed. You read her terms and conditions and policies, check out your emails about your booking, and find out if she keeps the deposit or not.

And keep those gift cards in your oossessikn, in case a refund needs to be made to them.

 

[Wdwfan2016]

This is why it's just easier to always book the trip yourself. There isn't anything a travel agent can do for you that you can't do yourself with a Disney trip.

 

[ThistleMae]

I sympathize. Is the agent with an agency? Would you consider staying with the agency if you had a new agent? I would probably make that my first effort to ditch the agent.

For clarification: you said you made a large payment via email. Do you mean that you provided your credit card number by email? I am an agent and my agency specifically forbids the transmission of a credit card number by any written means for the security of our clients. We can accept a credit card in person or by phone. We enter the payment amount and credit card number directly into the Disney site. The money never comes into our possession.

Just an FYI. According to Disney, agents are not supposed to have access to your MDE account - which is the way FP are made so, they expect the client to make FP, not the agent. (of course, agents still do this all the time on the down low). Agents can and will make ADRs for clients.

We used an agent and I never expected her to make my ADR's or FP's. She answers all my emails right away...she is phenominal! Sorry to hear the OP has had an issue, I guess it happens.

 

[ThistleMae]

I don't have much advice, but so sorry for all your difficulty. Have the gift cards been applied? I would think, if you can't see it on line, that Disney could tell you.

The agent should be sending you the confirmation from Disney that the deposit was paid. Has she sent you anything?

 

[RajunCajun]

This is why it's just easier to always book the trip yourself. There isn't anything a travel agent can do for you that you can't do yourself with a Disney trip.

It depends. I ONLY need my travel agent to book my room. I pay upfront. There is no cost difference and it goes to help support a working mother. My TA is phenomenal and I've used her for over a year for 7 or so trips. I make all my FP's and ADR's.

 

[hllb]

I've used a TA for previous trips, even though I book much of it myself. I do look to them for recommendations, or opinions, on the things I've planned. This trip though, the TA got us a very significant deal that I couldn't get myself. However, they have also been very hands off and not helpful in anything else. Which is fine for me, as like I said, I book stuff myself. But I was surprised at the lack of contact other than the here are your quotes, here pay me kind of stuff. Maybe they just expect you to reach out, not sure.

 

[khen1013]

ThistleMae - No, nothing. That's all I was looking for. Just some kind of confirmation she received the email. When I called a bit ago, she told me they didn't process it because they've been so busy. It was over 2 weeks ago I sent it, though, so I think that's a bit of a weak excuse.

RajunCajun - That's kind of where my head was - helping a travel agent. I've had great success with this same TA before. She was fantastic and found me a great deal on not only tickets but an awesome hotel. This time, there wasn't any discount or deal she found and I already knew a lot of things (the hotel I wanted, the meal plan, etc) so there wasn't a real benefit (or loss) to me. I partially went through her because it wasn't going to affect anything either way and if I could help an agent with a commission, why not?

hllb - Definitely in the same boat as you. I can book things and make decisions on my own, no problem. I was grateful to be involved in the decisions; I just didn't expect her to be so hands-off. Why tell me you'll "set an alarm" to contact me about tips/suggestions on ADRs and FPs if you're not going to do it? If I hadn't made my own ADRs, where would I be now? Why would I want you to get my commission if you won't answer my emails or process my payments?

 

[KrazeeK120]

This is why it's just easier to always book the trip yourself. There isn't anything a travel agent can do for you that you can't do yourself with a Disney trip.

That’s not always true. I booked through a travel agent recently to get a 20% discount on a Poly standard view room this coming October. Doubt I’d be able to do that on my own.

 

[Dug720]

That’s not always true. I booked through a travel agent recently to get a 20% discount on a Poly standard view room this coming October. Doubt I’d be able to do that on my own.

I didn’t get a discount through the TA I’m using beyond what Disney had, BUT whenever they release a new deal over my dates she checks to see if it will save me anything and lets me know. I gave her the ok to change it if it does without contacting me first.

I did not even know something New had come out today, but she checked and emailed me to say it would not save me anything. That is a nice feature - I don’t have to crunch numbers.

 

[Euby]

Well, the phone call worked. She apologized and told me she'll get the gift cards processed right away. She said she's been putting my emails on the backburner since they've been so busy but knows that's no excuse. She's looking into getting it transferred to see if it's even "allowed". :|

Once again, thanks for all of the help, everybody!

It is allowed and happens more than most travel agents will admit. If you don't have confirmation by Friday, I'd cancel the arrangement with that agent. Call the agent and tell them you have to cancel. Then find another agency to work with to get your trip set up. It's real easy to find one that is an Authorized Disney Travel Planner. There are some that are associated with these forums as well as others.

Good Luck!

 

[kitkat4622]

This is our 4th trip and the only one I have used a designated disney travel agent for. She got me a great room discount and had been awesome to work with. I however did book my own ADR which I prefer to do anyways. I would definitely use her agency again.