Disney uses the term Authorized Disney Planner instead of "travel agent," but most individuals use the term Disney Travel Agent (Disney TA), so I'll use it here. I'm an Authorized Disney Planner, and my company is Adventures by Mama Doc. I'm writing this post as I am commonly contacted by confused clients who aren't quite sure what I do and if they should use a TA for their Disney vacation.
No one has to use a TA to go on a Disney vacation. You can book your trip directly with Disney or through various 3rd party travel sites. Whether or not you should use a Disney TA is a personal choice based on several factors.
Many people only contact a TA to see if the TA can give them a better price. The short answer is no. Disney Travel Agents can get you the same price as booking directly with Disney, including any promotions or offers, but they can't get you a lower price. Now, we can save you money using our knowledge of available promotions or the best ways to save money within your budget. Many people utilize Disney Gift Cards to pay for a Disney vacation to save on their trip. This means they buy gift cards at discounted rates to pay for their Disney Vacation. A Disney TA can also use your gift cards to purchase your trip. There are no issues with saving in this way with a TA. If you find a discount on a Disney vacation on a third-party travel site like Costco Travel or Priceline, we can NOT match that discount. If you know you value saving the most and the best price is not with Disney, there is no reason to contact a Disney Travel Agent. We are paid by Disney when we book directly with Disney on your behalf. Skip the TA and pocket the savings.
Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney, and Aulani are different; many Disney Travel Agents offer onboard credit for Disney Cruises or rebates for booking Adventures by Disney or Aulani with them. I do this as well. The reason is simple- planning these does not require the amount of work that Disney World or Disneyland requires. Ask the Travel Agent upfront if you are looking for onboard credit or a rebate. Trying to negotiate for a higher onboard credit after they've invested significant time helping you plan is just poor etiquette. Remember I mentioned that Disney pays the TA for booking on your behalf? Well, Disney doesn't give onboard credit or rebates after travel. Your travel agent is paying this from their commission. If you want to contact 30 Travel Agents to see who will be willing to get paid the least and give you the highest credit, please start with this conversation. "Hi, I'm considering the Disney 5-nt Bahamian Cruise leaving on April 4th. Do you offer onboard credit for booking with you?" We know you care about money, and so do we.
What other factors should you consider regarding using a Disney TA? Do you feel knowledgeable about planning your trip? Or are you willing to read up on the trip? Maybe you prefer not to plan and wing it, which I absolutely don't recommend for Walt Disney World or Disneyland. I'm a born planner when it comes to anything, and Walt Disney World is one of the most labor-intensive trips to plan. There are many vacations, which probably can be equally enjoyable, planned or unplanned. Walt Disney World is not one of them.
Do you want to plan your trip yourself? Some people like myself love to plan and want to be in charge of every detail. Don't mind getting up at 4:45 am before work to make dining reservations? Go for it! I'm right there with you. One caveat: if you want to do all the planning yourself and will be booking via Disney directly, you might want to consider giving a TA your business as it won't cost you anything. You can just let the TA know what you do or don't want them to do.
When I help my clients, I start helping them plan based on where they are at in their own decisions regarding the trip. This could be which Disney vacation is best for my family. If they don't have specific dates in mind, we start with picking the best dates to visit. Typically, the length of the trip is the next decision. Given their time constraints and budget, how many days would be best for their visit? Which hotel is best and fits their budget? How many theme park days? Should they get the park hopper? At this point, I book their hotel and tickets. I help set up their My Disney Experience accounts. I follow up to continue planning. Should they order Magic Bands? Which parks should they visit on which days? What advanced dining and enchanting extra do they want? We discuss all the options; they make their pick and time preference. I make these reservations for them when their timeframe opens to maximize their chances of getting the reservations they want. This planning goes all the way to the park day strategy. Should they buy Genie+? Standby Skipper? Which rides should they prioritize with the virtual queue, individual lightning lane purchases, Genie+ versus standby? We make a game plan for each theme park day. In addition, I make contact with Disney for various preferences and issues throughout the process.
Most Disney TAs, including myself, do not make your ride reservations during each park day but help you prepare to do so in advance. The amount of time needed to do this would be astronomically high compared to the commission. I am still a full-time physician anesthesiologist and would be far better off financially spending all my time getting paid to do anesthesia versus being an Authorized Disney Planner. I do this because I love Disney vacations and enjoy helping others plan their best Disney adventure.
If you're interested in Disney, join our Facebook group: Disney Mama Docs!
Comentários