travel agent question

[disneyworldsk]

Do travel agents also do disney planning such as booking your restaurant reservations if you ask and booking your park pass reservations and genie plus if you want to add those on? Or do they only book the actual vacation package and apply any discounts that come up?
I ask because I have a family member who doesn't have the time or patience to plan the full trip herself for her immediate family of five and extended family members coming. They don't know what their doing, it's first timers. I can do it of course but I do not want to be involved as her extended family doesn't know me and I don't want to have problems. I gave her as many tips for resources, etc.

 

[R&RsMom]

I think it varies by TA, and there may be costs involved. My TA does the initial booking and applies discounts as they come up. This works well for us, because I prefer to manage the ADRs, and we buy tickets separately. Based on what I’ve read here, seems some TAs do more. And some do it through their agency’s concierge services for a fee. I think the harder part here would be Genie+; the service now needs to be booked each day. And I’m not sure how an agent would book each Genie+ ride, if that’s part of the need.

 

[Pyxie]

Most TA's will do everything outside of purchasing Genie+ for you (because you have to do that the day you are visiting now) and your online check-in. Technically, they are not supposed to make your park reservations per Disney's terms, but a lot of them do. At the very least, a TA should offer to make your dining reservations for you and provide tips on how to navigate your trip.

 

[china mom]

I agree with the above posters. It varies by agent. I used to be a Disney TA and I would book the trip, schedule fast passes and make dining reservations but other than booking the trip, we were not actually supposed to do the other things. You needed access to the client MDE account/password to book FP and to book dining online. We were also not supposed to keep client's credit card numbers on file but there was no way to book dining without it.

Some agents require a fee above the commission for these extra services and some do not. But please remember that using a travel agent to book your trip should cost you nothing - Disney builds a commission into each trip and if you book it yourself, they keep the commission and if you use an agent, they pay the agent that money. If you do pay an agent yourself, you should expect them to go above and beyond to make your trip as perfect as possible. (IMHO, that would include getting up at 7AM and trying to get you Guardians Virtual Queue.)

 

[travelguideideas]

Yes, travel agents can also assist with Disney planning, such as booking restaurant reservations, park passes, and other attractions. Some travel agents specialize in Disney vacations and have extensive knowledge of the parks, resorts, and dining options, and can provide customized recommendations and recommendations based on your specific needs and preferences.
In general, travel agents can handle various aspects of your Disney trip, from booking your vacation package and securing discounts to reserving dining and attractions, and can provide a one-stop-shop for all your vacation planning needs.
It's important to communicate your needs and expectations clearly to your travel agent, so they can assist you with the most comprehensive and tailored services. Keep in mind that while some travel agents offer these services at no additional cost, others may charge a fee for their planning and booking services.

 

[mkb3]

Its pretty standard to book, look for discounts and book dining and experiences. They shouldn't be making park reservations because of the health warnings but not sure if they still have that or not. As for booking Genie Plus they can't do that as a part of your reservation any more so the guests must do that when they are there. It's not feasible for agents to book on their clients park days because you have clients traveling on the same day. It's not fair for the client last on the list.

 

[sdc10]

Just make sure your TA is knowledgeable. I've seen many instances of people getting wrong info due to their TA.

For example, our TA that helped us book our last trip said he would help us book our dining reservations. Long story short, turns out he didn't know bookings open at 6am the morning of being 60 days out. He just checked after midnight and assumed there were no open bookings. So definitely don't expect your TA to do a lot of the legwork.

 

[lovethattink]

Here is the link for the Dreams Unlimited Travel Agents for this message board.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/list-of-dreams-unlimited-travel-agents-updated-11-3-2022.3824064/

 

[msmayor]

I've started working with a DU agent for our 2024 family visit, and she's already told me she will do as little or as much as I want. I'm counting on her being able to book dining reservations and experience reservations for us as I just won't have the time to manage that. She'll take care of tickets, suggest best park days, and has offered to handle all our transportation needs. Really looking forward to working together to have a magical family vacation.