When your travel agent goes MIA...

[mouschievous]

We booked through a travel agent who was recommended. When we booked, we were not told that we would not be able to talk to Disney about our reservation or make payments of our own, that everything would have to go through the TA.

A week or so ago, the TA told us that they are stepping back from the business and will no longer be doing this work. They were an independent TA, so no one else at the company to take over. They were looking into transferring our reservation to another independent TA. I've been in contact with the new TA (who's already been more communicative than the original one ever was). The new TA is happy to take us on, but says she hasn't heard from the old TA if Disney approved it.

I have no idea what to do here. I can't make payments on my own, but the TA is no longer doing the job. If Disney doesn't approve it...then what? Do I have any recourse? Will Disney take pity on me once they hear our sob story? I'm getting really nervous, especially with our reservation day approaching in about 2 weeks.

 

[Marthasor]

What kind of reservation do you have? A package? A room-only? What payments have you made so far? Are you checking in in two weeks?

 

[DL1WDW2]

Have you called Disney ? If you have a reservation it would be listed in your name. Also did you use a credit card? You should verify the information they have with the transaction
Its 11:30 in Florida but they are open until 11:00
407-939-5277 Open 7 a.m to 11p.m.
Good luck and let us know . Worried for your family…

 

[Marrila]

Have you called Disney ? If you have a reservation it would be listed in your name. Also did you use a credit card? You should verify the information they have with the transaction
Its 11:30 in Florida but they are open until 11:00
407-939-5277 Open 7 a.m to 11p.m.
Good luck and let us know . Worried for your family…

OP I would tell Disney briefly the story, your ta quit the biz, no agency backup. You want to have Disney take over the reservation. And I would carefully review your payments to date with the CM.
I don't see any plus to you to have another "independent" ta involved.

 

[mouschievous]

Thanks all. Our trip is in January. We have a package - multiple rooms and tickets. I have the confirmation of the booking, and it shows that we paid the $200 deposit for each room. We've also paid additional money on a disney gift card. The gift cards show a $0 balance but I haven't received a receipt or other confirmation of that payment.

I did the chat with Disney on the website, and they gave me that number to call. I called but the wait times were such that I couldn't wait at that point. I'll try again tomorrow, or next week when my work day is less busy.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Late at night on Sunday best time ever to call usually
But keep that trick secret!
Honestly I would be so freaked out I would sit on phone all day… but

Hello Call Center we would pay for the lightning lane ! ! !

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I am so sorry this is happening to you , not the magical start you had planned....
I wondering why the new TA cant get more info.
Have you tried calling around just to ask questions... maybe Dreams ( disboards TA)

With the confirmation number can you use your mde to see your plans?

 

[mouschievous]

I am so sorry this is happening to you , not the magical start you had planned....
I wondering why the new TA cant get more info.
Have you tried calling around just to ask questions... maybe Dreams ( disboards TA)

With the confirmation number can you use your mde to see your plans?

The new TA told me she can't do anything unless Disney allows the transfer from the old TA. I've talked to a couple different TAs and they both told me the same thing.

Our plans are in MDE, yes, so that's good! But I can't make payments on the trip. That's the part that concerns me most. Well, that and having to get up at 2:30 am to make dining reservations!

 

[Elizakapeka]

so let me understand this correctly, your TA is not affiliated with any travel agency? Just clarifying. I had a TA do the same thing to me in 2019. She was independent in the fact that she has a TA site under her name but had a larger agency in the fine print. The large agency was listed on my receipt so I called the owner and he took care of it for me. Maybe you agent is really part of a larger agency?

 

[mouschievous]

so let me understand this correctly, your TA is not affiliated with any travel agency? Just clarifying. I had a TA do the same thing to me in 2019. She was independent in the fact that she has a TA site under her name but had a larger agency in the fine print. The large agency was listed on my receipt so I called the owner and he took care of it for me. Maybe you agent is really part of a larger agency?

Ooooh, I didn't think of that. I don't recall if there was a larger agency listed. I'll look into it, thanks!

 

[mouschievous]

Update: I finally got through to Disney. They told me I need to email to a specific email address with the confirmation numbers, trip dates, and resort and include the info that the TA is no longer in business and ask them to switch my reservation over to me. It takes 2-3 weeks, and they process the requests in the order they're received.