Travel Agent ? or Disney Site?

[CampbellzSoup]

No, it's all about convenience.

Now, on a "simple" vacation, I can handle that all myself, but on a Disney vacation, I like to use a TA, and here's why: My current job has immense ebbs and flows. There can be months where I'm scrambling to find something to do (fortunately I'm salaried), and months when I never have time to look at anything Disney related. So, I like having someone who can "look out for me" and assist me in planning my trip. And, with a good TA, the level of planning they do is all up to the client. You can tell the TA I want such and such flight and this character meal, etc. Someone clueless, however, can give the TA an idea what they like and leave it all up to the TA.

So, if you're the type that wants to be in control of everything, don't use a T.A, but some of us don't have the time nor want to monitor discount codes, free dining, etc.

How is a Disney vacation NOT simple? I'm sorry your job keeps your busy for months, however I actually have a normal 9 - 5 job. The three or so hours it took and my spouse to plan our vacation without having to go through a third party...I guess three hours must be inconvient to some.

Also I like to plan things on my own so I'm sure things are correct without having to consistently approve it through a third party which some seem to operate by email correspondence I guess not wanting to approve my decisions with someone else makes me a control freak lol.

 

[goofy4prez]

How is a Disney vacation NOT simple? I'm sorry your job keeps your busy for months, however I actually have a normal 9 - 5 job. The three or so hours it took and my spouse to plan our vacation without having to go through a third party...I guess three hours must be inconvient to some.

Also I like to plan things on my own so I'm sure things are correct without having to consistently approve it through a third party which some seem to operate by email correspondence I guess not wanting to approve my decisions with someone else makes me a control freak lol.

The first time I booked a Disney trip there was nothing simple about it. Four parks, two water parks, FP's, hundreds of restaurants, dozens of resorts, ADR's at 180+10, dining plan,and etc. it was anything but simple initially. I can understand how a new person or someone else who is not a real planner would find Disney not simple. After a couple of trips, sure it's not all that intimidating at all and I do enjoy planning my Disney vacations, but I still wouldn't call it simple.

 

[tjevans]

How is a Disney vacation NOT simple? I'm sorry your job keeps your busy for months, however I actually have a normal 9 - 5 job. The three or so hours it took and my spouse to plan our vacation without having to go through a third party...I guess three hours must be inconvient to some.

I guess we just have different ideas of what simple is. Simple is also a relative term, that's why I used the quotations--to mean that I wasn't necessarily using the literal definition of the term. When I take a "simple" vacation, I make a hotel reservation maybe three months ahead of time. I book airfare if I need to fly. If a restaurant I want needs reservations, I make them the week before or when I arrive. If I need tickets for any attraction, I buy them when I get there.

For a Disney vacation, I begin planning a year ahead of time. I typically make hotel reservations 6-12 months out. At 180 days out (6 months), I book my restaurant reservations (ADR's). I need to figure out how many days I'm going to be in the parks and if I'm park-hopping and if I'm going to a water park months ahead of time so I can buy tickets. Now, with FP+, I need to figure out what time of day I want to ride certain rides 60 days before I even get there.

Can I go without doing all that so much ahead of time? Yes. Can I go without ADR's and FP+? Yes, but I think we can agree that my experience will be far different than if I did. It might be an experience you like, but it may not be an experience I like, or vice-versa.

Look, I'm not saying that you're wrong for booking directly. You're the one who basically called people who use travel agents luddites. Two trips ago, I used a TA for the first time to book a Disney vacation (for that matter, it was the first time I'd used one to book any vacation). My last trip I booked directly myself. (Both of these were pre-FP+). I found the TA trip-planning process to be much more relaxing. It is a very good feeling when you're busy with other things, haven't checked a Disney-related site in a couple of weeks, haven't listened to a Disney podcast for even longer, and your TA emails you to let you know a discount code came out for your room reservation, and she's already applied it without you having to do anything. The money (from having paid in full) is already on its way back to your bank account.

When I go home, I want to spend time with my family. I don't want to be checking travel sites making sure I have the best available rate, see if free dining has come out, etc. Some people find that relaxing. I don't.

You may like chocolate. I may prefer vanilla. Neither one of us is correct, just different.

Oh, and I didn't have to "approve" anything through my TA. I've never heard of anyone getting permission from a travel agent to do something on their trip.

 

[Original Amber]

I did it myself last time we went. Things have changed a lot since then. As complicated as we were, we are even more so now. For one thing there are two more of us. For another the SI problems I was starting to have are now limiting me to about 5 minutes on my feet, walking or standing, at a time. I've tried to get a scooter that fits me, but the person I was talking to doesn't seem to understand I am short and I need my feet to be flat on the deck of the scooter. I've now turned that problem over to Jodi at OLP travel.

Also, don't think you'll get a better price going through one of the online travel agencies (Orbitz, Travelocity, et al) than using a live travel agent. I used to think that until an old high school friend explained it to me. I would have used her, but she specializes in the Caribbean.

Also I have been having a ton of trouble with the Disney website. I don't even know if I could book on there if I tried!

Glad to know I'm not the only one! I don't have the problems nearly as often on my Kindle as I do on my desktop, but there is so much I can't do on my Kindle.