What do you expect from a travel agent?

mdcpr

Well-Known Member
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.
 

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
Travel agents do your bookings, and will manage restaurant and Fastpass reservations for you as well. This means you may not hear from the agent again until it's time to do those things. Of course, if the time comes to make ADRs and Fastpasses and the TA hasn't contacted you, then you've got a dud. The good news is you can still make them yourself (unlike changes to room and tickets, which if made by a TA, can only be changed by the TA)!
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

mdcpr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Travel agents do your bookings, and will manage restaurant and Fastpass reservations for you as well. This means you may not hear from the agent again until it's time to do those things. (Of course, if the time comes to make ADRs and Fastpasses and the TA hasn't contacted you, then you've got a dud. The good news is you can still make them yourself (unlike changes to room and tickets, which if made by a TA, can only be changed by the TA)!
My ADR date is on Friday, and I found out through using the calendar here. I guess I did get a dud.
 
Upvote 0

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Travel agents do your bookings, and will manage restaurant and Fastpass reservations for you as well. This means you may not hear from the agent again until it's time to do those things. (Of course, if the time comes to make ADRs and Fastpasses and the TA hasn't contacted you, then you've got a dud. The good news is you can still make them yourself (unlike changes to room and tickets, which if made by a TA, can only be changed by the TA)!
This^^^

As a former Disney TA, most bookings involve a lot of hurry up and wait once the initial booking is complete. The TA should be getting with you regarding your dining roughly 190 days out give or take if they are booking dining for you and at about 70 days out for Fastpass if they are setting that up those as well.

Outside of that, there is not a lot of contact that a TA will be making without a prompt from the client.
 
Upvote 0

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
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.
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.
 
Upvote 0

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
My ADR date is on Friday, and I found out through using the calendar here. I guess I did get a dud.

Yikes! Do you know what you want to book? If you need any advice (you probably already know stuff like, "book on the app or online at 7am EST," "book the hardest-to-get-ADRs-first," and "try to schedule hard-to-gets near the end of the vacation, when there will be more availablility"), but if you have any specific questions, there's plenty of knowledge on the restaurant forum! It's a quick and easy process.
 
Upvote 0

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Two years ago we did an Alaskan 14 day cruise via a TA and I don't know if we had a bad one or what but she was totally ill informed and messed up so many things. My wife just booked a Holland America Western Caribbean 11 day cruise and did it all directly with Holland America they were more than helpful, planned everything out and gave her the best deals.
 
Upvote 0

mdcpr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yikes! Do you know what you want to book? If you need any advice (you probably already know stuff like, "book on the app or online at 7am EST," "book the hardest-to-get-ADRs-first," and "try to schedule hard-to-gets near the end of the vacation, when there will be more availablility"), but if you have any specific questions, there's plenty of knowledge on the restaurant forum! It's a quick and easy process.
Thanks to this forum I have a pretty good idea on how to do this. I'll be up bright and early with my two computers, my app and my phone ready to get my dining reservations. All I need is 3 and I'm SUPER flexible about times.
 
Upvote 0

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
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.

Honestly I don't expect much because I don't even want them to do anything for me.
I stopped using a TA a number of years ago when I figured out it was so much better when I was in control of my reservation.
When there was an issue or something I wanted to change I had to contact the TA instead of contacting Disney directly.
About the only thing I can see a TA may be helpful for is getting a TA specific discount.
They can make your ADR's, FP+, tours etc but like I said I don't want them to. I want control of everytyhing.
 
Upvote 0

DisneyDreamer08

Well-Known Member
My TA books dining reservations & FPs (if I want her to). Also things like tours and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Last time we went, she sent me a message the night before free dining was released saying all the agents in her group were told “all hands on deck” for the next day. She had no idea what the discount would be but she ran through all the possible options with me and had me rank my preferences in order. I love Disney planning but she was up and ready to go at 4am to get free dining for my family. Which is why I ALWAYS use a TA :)
 
Upvote 0

mdcpr

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My TA books dining reservations & FPs (if I want her to). Also things like tours and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Last time we went, she sent me a message the night before free dining was released saying all the agents in her group were told “all hands on deck” for the next day. She had no idea what the discount would be but she ran through all the possible options with me and had me rank my preferences in order. I love Disney planning but she was up and ready to go at 4am to get free dining for my family. Which is why I ALWAYS use a TA :)
I'll keep this in mind for future trips. Right now I'm stuck with this one since she submitted my deposit.
 
Upvote 0

Club Cooloholic

Well-Known Member
My TA books dining reservations & FPs (if I want her to). Also things like tours and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Last time we went, she sent me a message the night before free dining was released saying all the agents in her group were told “all hands on deck” for the next day. She had no idea what the discount would be but she ran through all the possible options with me and had me rank my preferences in order. I love Disney planning but she was up and ready to go at 4am to get free dining for my family. Which is why I ALWAYS use a TA :)
Yeah who is this TA...sounds great
 
Upvote 0

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
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.

Similar experience we had with our AAA. First agent was excellent, she handled our trip for 3 different years, but she left the business and we never had anyone nearly as good or as personable. Our last TA was worthless. I was telling HER about what was happening with the Dis parks. Her comment... Well if you hear about any discount before me, let me know. Bizarre. Thats why we are going with a different agency for our next trip. I guess when you try doing business locally to keep it in the area, it doesnt always pay.
 
Upvote 0

Gaston's gal

Well-Known Member
Honestly I don't expect much because I don't even want them to do anything for me.
I stopped using a TA a number of years ago when I figured out it was so much better when I was in control of my reservation.
When there was an issue or something I wanted to change I had to contact the TA instead of contacting Disney directly.
About the only thing I can see a TA may be helpful for is getting a TA specific discount.
They can make your ADR's, FP+, tours etc but like I said I don't want them to. I want control of everytyhing.
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. :)
 
Upvote 0

Queen of the WDW Scene

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
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. :)
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+. 😀
 
Upvote 0

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom