Where Do You Plan/Purchase Your Trip?

[BigRed7399]

We are planning our second trip to Disney , so I am still new to the Disney Vacation thing. For our last trip, I went online to Disney's main page and booked our trip.

How does everyone else do it? We are staying on Disney property, getting the Dining Plan and obviously need tickets.

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.

 

[disneymyway]

It depends - I do it online a lot on the passholder page if I can get a passholder rate. If I am using a code that isn't showing up on the website I call. I booked from the room once before I left a trip using the bounceback.

I do it the way that gets me the best deal!!!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I usually call up and do it, but have done it online as well.

 

[Marty Joe]

I normally call WDW and do it myself - the journey is half the fun for me...

 

[HonnyDipp]

I agree. I start planning by calling Disney myself

 

[mmmears]

I also call Disney myself. I like the planning part of the vacation!

 

[bkelly65us]

Not us. We use our local AAA office. I drive the agent crazy checking and repricing but then make it up to her with a gift card to a local restaurant. Nothing but praise for our local AAA.

 

[GOOFYsince71]

Every year for the past 15, we have planned our own vacation.
We start online with the Airline.....put a 24 hour hold on a flight
we can afford(!) and then go online and check our favorite resorts.
We always plan around free dining,,,so we can feel that we got a
deal! I actually have "planned" vacations for friends and family, doing
a notebook now for my sister who is going for the first time in Nov.
It is so exciting planning it all for her, that I called and booked a week
in Sept.!
Get out a notebook,,,
Get airfares........
Get resort info and prices......
put it together
Then Call with your ADR's and plan them around the EMH's
The fun is in the planning!!!!!!!

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[asmarykay]

The fun is in the planning!!!!!!!

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I agree with this - if you know a travel agent, however I would let them make the actual reservation once you have looked on-line to see what you want. The price you will see and the price the agent will get are the same, but if you know a travel agent why not let them get the commission for actually typing the info into the computer!

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

We always check online first so we know what amount to expect, then call our TA and she books it w/ the AAA discount. The discount is only on the room portion though. We buy discount tix through AAA sometimes too

 

[pepe of ohio]

We're into 40 trips since 1977, and have booked every one through CRO, really like dealing with a real person, instant answer to any questions we may have, quick alternatives to plans if what we're after is unavailable, switch us to dining if we want reservations and very easy to cancel at a later date.

 

[lustergirl]

I book all my trip myself using the disney website and call them if I have any big questions!!

 

[kldmom2000]

When I book room-only reservations, I call Disney directly

The last 2 trips though, we added the DDP but wanted our AAA discount applied to the room. This can only be done by going through an actual AAA agent. My agent happens to be one of my former CM's from when I was a Disney Store ASM 14 yrs ago She laughs whenever I call her to adjust my reservation to accomodate a new code that just came out on mousesavers She says I'm more on top of these things than she is

I book our airfare though-I scan the sites of the airlines, and then of course expedia, etc... to get the times/flights/etc. that I want.

I arrange for transportation to and from the aiports myself, and do just about everything else.

 

[laurainsem]

I'm booking through an MEI travel agent. So far I am very impressed. It has really helped to make this a more laid back experience. Plus they will apply any codes to my package the minute they come out. And, there is no additional cost to my trip by using them!

 

[setsail]

We book all of our vacations ourselves (Disney, Hawaii, Europe, etc) AND we get the commissions rather than someone else!!! (why do the searching and then give the booking away, when you can put the extra money back towards your vacation and then use the vacation itself as a tax write off??? ) Honestly the best kept secret....

Chris

 

[mrsmac1203]

I planned mine all on line. I booked my own airfare (before it went out of control) and I used a Cert. Dis. travel agent for the rest of my stuff (room, tix, etc). She was a huge help.

 

[Taja]

I usually book everything myself--either online or by telephone.

I have used a Disney certified TA twice with good results. I just prefer to have control of my reservation so I can change things as needed, rather than have to go through a third person.

 

[backinoz]

I'm in the middle of booking/planning our second trip, and even though I always check things out on the Disney Website first, we've booked through Merrie at Dreams Unlimited. Why??? It saves me having to watch for discount codes all the time, if any become available, Dreams apply them automatically.

The biggest PLUS for us though, is that the Dreams team will book all your ADRs for you, especially important when you live on the other side of the world. I've always received those which I've requested, including the elusive Cinderella's Breakfast (on our 2001 trip), and a Castle Dinner (for our anniversary on our coming trip).

 

[pigletto]

I did a ton of research on my own online. Then I went with a TA at Small World Vacations. It is our first trip onsite and I felt more at ease letting a TA handle it.
She's been great and extremely prompt with everything. I think I would still like to do all the research myself but would definately use her again once I made up my mind. It was nice to have someone do the extra calling for us, especially when free dining was released.

 

[larryz]

I wait for a postcard with a huge discount code on it, then I run like the White Rabbit over to the telephone, where I reserve two rooms for just slightly more than the price of one!

Seriously, I do all my own ressies by phone, and have bought tickets by web. Being a FL resident, we do either the Play 3/4 Days passes, or the occasional AP.