Travel agents - help or hurt?

[sookie]

Hi everyone,
I am wanting to take TWO trips this year. I am thinking about just handing it all over to a travel agent, but I'm not sure! I don't have one I trust any more. We are looking at taking a vacation for myself and husband (someplace where it is all inclusive and carribean) and then WDW. It would be our first trip the world.
I especially need help with the WDW vacation - I get so confused and overwhelmed when I look to do it all on my own. Add in that I work full time and am a full time student - I feel screwed!
Help!

 

[julluvsdisney]

I think if you are unfimiliar with the destination a travel agent is the way to go just because they will know so much more than you! For the disney trip I would use a authorized disney planner because they will know so much more than a non authorized (trust me I made that mistake they didnt know any of the deals or the dining plans and never mentioned booking meals) . I would book my own airfare though! travel agents add a fee to the airfare because they do not get a commission from the airlines. good luck! Have fun!

 

[brymolmom]

Make sure to ask around for friends recommendations. I book WDW trips and I just recently found out someone I know at work booked through someone else and was told his park hoppers 'came with' the package. Instead of telling him 'if you would like to save $250 then you can get base tickets'. He has young kids and they weren't planning to hop anyway. It is very annoying to me to hear these things. And the thing is that the TA might not even have known that he could save that money. Some of them who book WDW vacations don't know Chef Mickey from McDonald's.

But once someone has used a TA for awhile, that trust develops and the respect for the knowledge that the TA has.

Only go with someone who gets great recommendations.