Is working with a travel agent worth the extra money

[Paul Payne]

I'm taking my wife and niece ( 5 years old and first timer) to Disney late February next year. Since vacation cost have been released I have requested quotes from many travel agencies. My question is I'm getting quoted prices $250- 400 more than I can book myself off the Disney site. For those that have worked with travel agents is it worth the extra money. I have planned me and my wife's trips in the past but this will be the first time bringing a child and have never made as many dining reservations as I plan on making. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Alesia]

A legitimate travel agent doesn't cost anything. Are you sure you're comparing apples to apples (including taxes?)

 

[wilkeliza]

A travel agent should get you the same exact deal if not better than booking direct. If you ever have to pay more than direct for a travel agent then it is not worth it.

I would use Dreams Unlimited (the only travel agent you can discuss direct here) hands down. I'm actually trying to use them for a 2017 Disneyland vacation. A good travel agent will listen to your wants and needs and help plan the best vacation. They should not try to up sell you on things like park hopper or dinning plan if it is clear it won't work for your family.

With that difference are you sure you are comparing the exact package to each other? Disney's first quote usually does not include taxes.

 

[iivye]

I use a travel agent and my cost is the same as the website. Maybe find an agent that deals with only Disney? I know I asked my agent to book me an NCL cruise but she said she only handles Disney. I've used the same travel agent for 5 years.

 

[auralia]

I don't like using an agent I prefer to make my own reservations and have control over canceling and modifying without having to go through. 3rd party.... If it is your first trip I suggest reading the unnofficial guide to Disney world.....

 

[Paul Payne]

The tax thing makes since I didn't see it listed when I tried to book directly from Disney. I have requested a quote from Dreams and am waiting for them to get back with me.

 

[cmph]

Any reputable agent should get you at least the same prices you can find yourself, as others have mentioned. We used a bounceback offer on our last WDW trip, which our agent used to book us (after comparing to other deals too), so even those do not have to be booked on your own. We just had to supply her with the code to enter. Our agent didn't just check Disney advertised specials, either. She checked Southwest airlines packages, etc. Do make sure you go with someone who is very knowledgeable about Disney if you want their help with ADRs. Personally, I like using a TA. She's made changes to our bookings when better deals have come up, or added days to our park passes, added and then removed shuttles, etc., and all I had to do was ask. Two years ago we had a snow-related flight disaster and I called her from the plane as we were boarding to ask her to move our fastpasses for that day to later times. I prefer booking my own ADRs and fastpasses, but in cases like that, it's helpful to have someone knowledgeable who is able to do that kind of stuff.

 

[leebee]

I, too, prefer to make my own reservations. I've had great luck with ORbitz for Disney bookings. Not only do they have the same hotel prices for the Disney resorts as Disney does, but they will also apply any discount specials they are running.

If you aren't comfortable with making your own reservations, I'd use Dreams Unlimited. Didn't know we couldn't discuss other agents here, but I've used DU before and I'd go back to them in a heartbeat. Not only will they book the best available rate for you, but they'll keep looking for discounts and apply them even after you've made the reservations.

I'll second it- get a copy of the Unofficial Guide to Disney World! It's a fun read!

 

[disneyseniors]

If you use a certified Disney TA, they are paid by Disney, so there is no charge to you. We've done this for years and have no complaints; only praise!

 

[joannamet]

I don't use a TA because there's no advantage for me. I enjoy doing the research and the bookings myself and I can get the same deals. I would only use a TA if I didn't want to spend time doing the legwork myself but I would never pay more for their services.
If they're prices are higher than the website they're either charging you for their services, which they shouldn't do, or they're incompetent. Go elsewhere.

 

[LizAnn4908]

We personally always use a TA. A Disney authorized agent does not charge you, they are paid by DIsney. Here's one of the main reasons I like it. Once booked, my TA checks daily to make sure when discounts come out or free dining and makes the changes to get me the best possible deal there is. I do not have the time to constantly check for better discounts and so on. Also, at my 180 day mark they made all my adr's (dining) and I did not have to worry about it. My TA takes care of everything tickets, airline, special events and it makes my life so much easier. We spent about an hour phone call planning and they did the rest. So worth it to me!!!

 

[Shanti]

I'm taking my wife and niece ( 5 years old and first timer) to Disney late February next year. Since vacation cost have been released I have requested quotes from many travel agencies. My question is I'm getting quoted prices $250- 400 more than I can book myself off the Disney site. For those that have worked with travel agents is it worth the extra money. I have planned me and my wife's trips in the past but this will be the first time bringing a child and have never made as many dining reservations as I plan on making. Thanks for the advice.

No. WDW trips are the kind of trips where you will want control over the details, and not have to depend on an agent to get all the details right. I have seen so many complaints on these boards about issues with hotel rooms (wrong room type, etc.), and without exception, those complaints were by people who used agents.

You already notice that you're being quoted prices higher than what you can find yourself, and that you've planned a WDW trip by yourself before. Having a child does not make the process much harder. You will likely do a better job than the agent, and for less money.

 

[CoP Luv]

A legitimate travel agent doesn't cost anything. Are you sure you're comparing apples to apples (including taxes?)

This.

Is each agent quoting the same room type and the same resort (i.e. - Standard Room/Pool View/Garden View/Preferrred)? Each category of room type would be a different amount of money. Also, you can pretty much do an entire reservation on Disney's site without booking it to see the final amount including taxes.

To answer your original question, unless I was getting a phenomenal deal by using a travel agent, I do all of my own travel arrangements on my own. I have used one in the past for cruises, but to be honest, I never saw the value in another person doing it (and there were things that got messed up on one cruise in a few places that were her doing which we didn't find out until after we arrived onboard).

Planning dining reservations isn't hard, if that is your main concern. The agent would have access to the same information that you would online.

 

[tvguy]

I don't like using an agent I prefer to make my own reservations and have control over canceling and modifying without having to go through. 3rd party.... If it is your first trip I suggest reading the unnofficial guide to Disney world.....

It really is personal preference.
There are two schools of thought on Travel Agents and this is one.
I am one who always used a Travel Agent because I just don't have time to sit on hold with Disney to cancel or modify part of my trip. A simple phone call or e-mail to my Travel Agent and she sits on hold on the phone for me, all for free. For me "more control" equals "more work".

 

[LizAnn4908]

It really is personal preference.
There are two schools of thought on Travel Agents and this is one.
I am one who always used a Travel Agent because I just don't have time to sit on hold with Disney to cancel or modify part of my trip. A simple phone call or e-mail to my Travel Agent and she sits on hold on the phone for me, all for free. For me "more control" equals "more work".

I agree. I have complete control over my trip and especially with the MDE I can modify things as well. I just don't have to do the leg work. It is very time consuming.

 

[daughtersrus]

Our trip last year was the first time we used a Disney travel agent (someone recommended by a fellow Dis member here) I was shocked when the price she got us was more than $1,000 less than I could book on my own with discounts I found. We stayed at All Star in Aug so maybe they get better deals on certain hotels or times but we were thrilled. A few weeks after I made the reservation, I got an email code to upgrade to hoppers for no extra cost. She was able to change the tickets from refusal to hopper without any problems. We might be odd, but we don't like to plan months in advance what we will do each day. We knew kind of wing it. We only made our FP a day or two ahead of time. We usually don't eat TS but did one this trip. We made the reservation the day before. Even so,me could have done all of this well in advance with the app if we had wanted to. Our DD is disabled so it was nice for her to make all of th special arrangements that we needed. I will use a TA for the future trips. She suggested to get our plane tickets on our own since we could probably get a better deal.

 

[wilkeliza]

Our trip last year was the first time we used a Disney travel agent (someone recommended by a fellow Dis member here) I was shocked when the price she got us was more than $1,000 less than I could book on my own with discounts I found. We stayed at All Star in Aug so maybe they get better deals on certain hotels or times but we were thrilled. A few weeks after I made the reservation, I got an email code to upgrade to hoppers for no extra cost. She was able to change the tickets from refusal to hopper without any problems. We might be odd, but we don't like to plan months in advance what we will do each day. We knew kind of wing it. We only made our FP a day or two ahead of time. We usually don't eat TS but did one this trip. We made the reservation the day before. Even so,me could have done all of this well in advance with the app if we had wanted to. Our DD is disabled so it was nice for her to make all of th special arrangements that we needed. I will use a TA for the future trips. She suggested to get our plane tickets on our own since we could probably get a better deal.

Some TAs book hotel blocks and that will get them a discount. However if they are boking you into a block sometimes it can make tickets none upgradable or if there is an issue Disney won't move you etc. It is a gamble but usually worth it gor how much you save.

 

[GreatLakes]

I used a TA for Disney for the first time last year. I really just had her book my room and keep an eye out for discounts. I don't make many ADRs but the few I did I made myself, I did my own FP+, and stuff like that.

For those of us that like to do our own planning but don't want to continually keep an eye on every new discount announcement and try to figure out if it will save us money I think that was a good middle ground. I will use my TA for the resort room and tickets when staying on property and do the planning portion up to myself. I also do way less planning than a lot of people here so that makes it easier.

 

[Paul Payne]

Finally received my quote from Dreams and was less than what I could get myself and the other quotes I got from different agancies. Went ahead and booked today my late February 2017 vacation.

 

[Kelly Anne]

There are certain travel agents that are considered like a certified Disney travel agent... And when you book with them they do not charge you any extra to book a Disney trip because Disney pays them direct for booking trips, from what I understand... When ever I quote a price online and then talk to my travel agent she always gives me the exact same price... Maybe you should ask before booking if they charge for booking a Disney trip.