What do you expect from a travel agent?

[mdcpr]

I've been working with a travel agent who focuses on WDW vacations, I don't think they have been that helpful. All they've done so far is make the payments (deposit) on my behalf. The info shows up on My Disney Experience, so at least I know they are legit.

For some reason I expected more, but I don't know what that more would have been.

Just wanted to vent.

 

[RKSteel]

I used a TA for the first time this year, only because for my trip two years ago, I missed the day the summer discounts were announced and did not get one.
For this trip my TA compared all the discounts and contacted me as to which would save me the most money, so I am happy that I used a TA and have no complaints about the service.
As a family we don't make ADRs and I will select my fastpasses, so I the future I probably wouldn't use a TA again, although I never considered asking my TA to book these items.

 

[mdcpr]

I will tell you that we do respect our clients who want control of their reservation, but we also do watch for any discounts that come out & do our best to get them applied to their reservation. Personally, I like to ask my clients if they, or anyone in their traveling party, have a specific character that they like. I will then give them some suggestions of ways they can meet that character. I also like to tell my clients about other opportunities that are offered at the parks, and even the ones that are outside of the parks, because some are lesser known that they may not have heard about. (ex: "Highway in the Sky") All of the TA's at our agency do our very best to do all we can to make our clients' vacations as magical as possible.

Thank you for this info. After WDW, the next trip will either be Universal or a Disney Cruise. I’ll make sure I’ll contact you.

 

[Master Yoda]

I dealt with AAA travel agents 4 times. The first one was great. Gave me lots of advice ect but that was pre magic bands. After that I have had no luck with them. For a wdw vacation one it was near impossible to ever reach her. And for a Cruise one she was ok, but honestly seemed to know very little. I chalk it up though as I am pretty well informed, being in this forum has helped, and I like control, the only reason I ever used an agent was for little bonuses like cabin credits I might get.

I hate to say it, but that story is quite common with AAA agents. I ran into the same thing myself many moons ago.

Some know WDW like it was their own child. Others are pretty sure that it is somewhere in Florida.

On the flip side, every TA that works for a Disney specific agency that I have spoken to eats, sleeps and breathes the mouse.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

Yes, to add to the TA above about suggesting where to meet favorite characters etc, our TA also mailed us small bags filled with goodies for us and the kids. The kids got stuffed animals, autograph books, coloring books etc. And we got a big folder filled with information like where to find all the play areas in the parks, character meals that might interest us, etc.
I love our TA!

 

[Master Yoda]

My problem with having control is that when you book through a TA you cannot contact Disney directly. They tell you that you must contact the TA and then the TA can contact Disney on your behalf. I do not want or need a middle man.
I suppose I can understand if a first timer or someone that doesn't want as much control preferring a TA but I just could not do it anymore. On the other hand I would enjoy being the TA that shares the info, looks for the discounts, gives helpful hints, books dining and FP+.

That is quite literally the only con with a TA and if you have a good one, it is not much of a con.

I used Kingdom Konsultants before I worked for them and continue to use them after I hung up my ears.

My trips are often booked with 2 emails or less. I send Marie my dates, resort choices, dining etc. She emails back with pricing and availability, I tell her what to book and I am done. No getting up at 6 AM to make dining reservations, no endless searching for promotions, no waiting on hold with Disney trying to rebook, no wondering if I got the best deal, my agent takes care of all of that. All I have to do is go on the trip.

In the event I do have a question or a change, all it takes is a single text or email and it is done.

I can't imagine doing it the old way ever again.

 

[Janir]

Never used a TA for WDW trips. Mostly because my first trip wasn't on property and the next few trips were wedding related so discounts etc came though Disney Weddings and they walked me thought what I needed to know about resort bookings and ADR's , FatPasses were still the paper system back then. By the time we took our 1st WDW trip I had learned most of what I needed to know already and just learned about FP+ system and the 60 day picks.
I DID use a TA for a DLR trip last fall. After our Hawaii trip we stopped at DLR for 3 days since we're on the coast already and why not right? ;-) Not feeling as versed in DLR and the hotels there, and the Max Pass system, getting a TA that knows that area helped give me the warm fuzzy about that part of our trip.

Overall I think a TA is great for your first time, but once you've navigated ADR's, FP+ and been on site once and have some idea of what you prefer and what to try, its more than easy enough to do it yourself.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

That is quite literally the only con with a TA and if you have a good one, it is not much of a con.

I used Kingdom Konsultants before I worked for them and continue to use them after I hung up my ears.

My trips are often booked with 2 emails or less. I send Marie my dates, resort choices, dining etc. She emails back with pricing and availability, I tell her what to book and I am done. No getting up at 6 AM to make dining reservations, no endless searching for promotions, no waiting on hold with Disney trying to rebook, no wondering if I got the best deal, my agent takes care of all of that. All I have to do is go on the trip.

In the event I do have a question or a change, all it takes is a single text or email and it is done.

I can't imagine doing it the old way ever again.

I guess another thing is I personally enjoy the process and like doing it.
I get excited looking at the website and deciding on my dates, resorts, room type... and putting it in my cart.
I love joining the all nighter watch parties for discount drops.
I feel pumped at 6am and 7am respectively to book ADR's and FP+.
Honestly I probably should be a TA myself.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I can honestly say that the Kingdom Konsultant TA's are all Rock Stars! Am I partial, of course. I will tell you that they stay up at night watching for those discounts and within a few minutes, every agent is online working to try to get discounts once they are released. They do as much or as little work that you need them to do. They send gifts, they send itineraries, they become lifelong friends.

Pam

 

[Pirate Magic]

I would never go without a TA. Kingdom Konsultants are the best !! There was one year Marie changed my travel plans 3 times to get me the best deal she could. I don’t have worry about anything, she is on top of everything and they know Disney business very well.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

I would never go without a TA. Kingdom Konsultants are the best !! There was one year Marie changed my travel plans 3 times to get me the best deal she could. I don’t have worry about anything, she is on top of everything and they know Disney business very well.

@wannabeBelle is actually the first agent that I hired when I started my agency.

Pam

 

[macefamily]

Quite honestly, since the inception of much better websites and slicker computers, we have not used a travel agent in 20 years. It's nice to get some tips from sites like WDWMagic on some things that you can do that a good travel would already know. However, with the seamless spread of information (good and bad), I think we do a good job anyway.