Travel planners vs. Travel agents

dakotafrost

dakotafrost

Member
I consider myself knowledgeable about Disney World and it's workings, and find that if I don't know something I can usually find in online or by calling in. I get information about the PIN codes, and other specials, soft openings, construction updates, and the like from boards like this one.

Given that there are so many resources to get answers to vacation scheduling questions, has anybody used a travel planner or travel agent and gotten what they think to be a better deal than they could find on their own, of is it just a matter of convenience? Any "better" deal would have to cover the fee for the service itself. I enjoy crunching the numbers to confirm my deal, but I understand that others may not feel the same.

What is the difference between an external Disney Planner and Disney Agent? Planners suggest and itinerary and maybe book meals and shows, while agents book everything?
 
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dreamfinder

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Most of the legit Disney specialist TAs don't charge the client any fees. They get their fees/commissions from WDW directly. Will they find a better deal? Hard to say. They don't have access to any special pool of information that doesn't end up elsewhere. They may have extra visibility into different flight options to help you save money there, but with the advent of Kayak and other sites, it's not worth what it once was. The biggest benefit from using one of the Disney specialist TAs is that they will often attempt to rebook your trip with any applicable discount automatically. So when the latest deal comes out, instead of you having to call in and wait in the phone queue, they call the TA line, and are trying to rebook all their clients automatically. This can be good since it's one less thing for you to worry about, but could also be bad if you are the last person on their list and your room type is booked by the time they get to you. A good TA will also deal with any hassles on your behalf. Making changes, helping to deal with cancellations, etc.
 
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G

GoofyMac

New Member
I have used an Authorized Disney Travel Planner exclusively for my families past several vacations and recommend it to everyone considering a vacation to Walt Disney World or other Disney Vacation. A good Disney Travel Planner will be able to ensure you the best value and bookings, help you make reservations to events, even set up photography sessions and many many many other things. Taking much of the stress out of your life of planning your vacation.

I swear by my Disney Travel Planner and unless I am one myself (I have applied to several agencies) i will use her for every vacation i take. Our next trip to Walt Disney World in is 3 weeks booked by our Authorized Disney Travel Planner she was a godsend for this trip.

Using an Authorized Disney Travel planner does not cost anything extra. It never should. They book your vacation through Disney just like you would yourself. If you would like information with regard to who I use please feel free to PM me and ill pass it along.

GoofyMac
 
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Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
I worked as a Disney TA with Kingdom Konsultants for three years and I still use them now that I am a retired agent. There is almost no good reason not to.

When I need to make a Disney reservation I email the same agent that I have been using for years. With that one email I am basically done. I don't have to keep an eye on discounts, I don't have to get up at 6:00 AM to make dining reservations and if I have a question I do not have to go play "CM roulette" when I call Disney.

When it comes to infrequent visitors (less than every 2 years) I can not recommend using a Disney specific TA enough. While there is a metric crap ton of information on WDW available on the internet, it can be unbelievably overwhelming for most people. When you use a Disney TA, you have a single point of contact that can answer every weird question you have, usually off the top of their head. They can even hip you to things you never would have thought to ask.

I can honestly say that the chances of me ever booking directly with Disney again are near zero.
 
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M

MIMIMOM55

New Member
GoofyMac said:
I have used an Authorized Disney Travel Planner exclusively for my families past several vacations and recommend it to everyone considering a vacation to Walt Disney World or other Disney Vacation. A good Disney Travel Planner will be able to ensure you the best value and bookings, help you make reservations to events, even set up photography sessions and many many many other things. Taking much of the stress out of your life of planning your vacation.

I swear by my Disney Travel Planner and unless I am one myself (I have applied to several agencies) i will use her for every vacation i take. Our next trip to Walt Disney World in is 3 weeks booked by our Authorized Disney Travel Planner she was a godsend for this trip.

Using an Authorized Disney Travel planner does not cost anything extra. It never should. They book your vacation through Disney just like you would yourself. If you would like information with regard to who I use please feel free to PM me and ill pass it along.

GoofyMac
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I would love to find out what planner u use new to this and need a good one tia!
 
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