Use a travel agent (Dreams Unlimited) or do it yourself?

[pooh2001]

We have not been to WDW for 8 years.
Much has changed from wearing wrist bands for tickets, FP for everything, & new rides.
So should we use a travel agent or should we read travel guide books and these forums and do it our selves ?

Benefits by using a travel agent or doing everything ourselves ?
Pitfalls by using a travel agent or doing everything ourselves ?

I told DH about Dreams Unlimited and he thought is cost us money
He can not figure out how a travel agent earns an income without adding fees.

 

[dansdad]

I told DH about Dreams Unlimited and he thought is cost us money
He can not figure out how a travel agent earns an income without adding fees.

No fees. Disney pays the travel agents a commission.

 

[xjuax]

Travel agents are there to help you with all the questions you have. You can say "we haven't been to Disney in 8 years! what's changed? what do I need to know?" and they'll answer! Free of charge to you. They also look at any possible discounts available, can help schedule your dining reservations and fast passes, if you'd like them to. Plus it's, I think, $200 deposit to book your reservation, so you can pay off when you can and don't need to drop thousands of dollars at once.

I don't know of any pitfalls to using a travel agent.

 

[Dave006]

A Disney specialist TA knows how to maximize your time available and can handle all the details for you or leave as much of the vacation details up to you depending on your "control" level. Some guests just can't let go of the details. As @dansdad indicated the Travel Agent is paid a commission by Disney. There is no cost to you and in many cases a good TA can get you a better price the you can randomly find.

Dave

 

[kimieko]

Ive done both. More recently, I use a TA because I’ve gotten some really good deals.

 

[FrannyPack]

I've used Dreams Unlimited/TA for my last DCL trip and my upcoming Disneyworld trip. There was really no reason not to use a TA. In fact for my Disneyworld trip I have been able to customize about all of it myself but we were having an issue with with our magicbands. I told our TA and she called Disney for us and fixed the issue.

 

[Sue M]

I’ve done both, and enjoy using a TA even though I’m quite capable to do it myself. It’s a time saver for me. No long waits on hold when discounts or getting up at 4:00am for phones to open up EST. A quick email does it when I want to make a payment.
I make my own FP and dining.

 

[ellynsoh]

I love Dreams Unlimited. If your room rate is reduced due to a special rate, they handle it for you.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Most TA’s book your trip and will be willing to book your ADR’s and possibly your FP’s. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea to have TA’s book FP’s as you really need to know how to navigate that system when you are in the parks so you can modify or select additional FP when you are at the resort. You will also, most likely, get quicker and more detailed responses to questions here on the boards. Not every TA has experienced everything WDW has to offer but I will bet if you have a question about anything at WDW, someone on these boards can offer a detailed answer. I would only book through a TA if they are offering a discount I couldn’t find on my own.

 

[bumbershoot]

If I’m putting in the thoughts to deciding what rides I like and where I want to eat, I might as well see that through.

Most normal Disney TAs cannot get you any deals you cannot get yourself.

The occasional TA books at convention rates and can get it better, but then they have weird ticket restrictions.

If you want a TA to book Dining and FPS then you have to be crystal clear that that’s your expectation to make sure it happens.

Unless im getting something tangible, I don’t use a TA.


Info about bands and such I can get in a focused two hours toodling around the dis, even without asking any questions, and I know that if I’m given the wrong info by one person, 5 others will be by monetarily to correct them.

 

[Aliceacc]

I love Dreams Unlimited. Tracey H has been a godsend there on numerous trips over the years. She has booked our ADRs and Fastpasses while I was at school. She's gotten us discounts as soon as they were released, instead of us waiting until I could get to a phone for the length of time those discounts require.

As a teacher, I don't have any flexibility on when I can get to the phone. Disney opens its phones at 7 am, as I'm leaving the house. Some years my next free moment is during my lunch, and if it's a year when I have 7th period lunch, that's after 1 pm. And its a 38 minute lunch-- I can't leave 40 Seniors waiting for me as I'm on hold with Disney.

Working with Tracey has been a delight.

There is no cost involved.