do you use a travel agent or book direct with disney? About This Page:

[qesue]

I've done both. I wasn't unhappy with the TA, but I knew about specials before she did and had to ask her to apply them. So, being the control freak that I am, I will probably do it on my own in the future.

[lura008]

I've done both. This trip is the first one for a TA. She is fantastic and has kept me up to date for everything that is going on. I did decide to do my own ADRs just because I like some control. She is a pretty popular one here on the boards. If you want a name, send me a PM, I would be happy to recommend her. I was very hesitant, but since she is such a Disney fan ( could tell from her being on the boards ALL the time) I went with her and I have enjoyed working with her!

[kimjaw]

I have always done everything myself, this last time I went with AAA, they were very good but I felt left out I want to do all the planning so the next trip I will be doing myself.

[Disney 4ever]

I book myself through Disney travel. I enjoy doing it myself. Thanks to the boards I am able to get most discounts that I am eligible for.

[ferrazalves]

I book everthing myself. Here, we do not have any disney specialist. actually wé should have (there is an "oficial" disney agency) but even paying the full rate I got a better deal using disney website for everything. After I made my reservation, I´ve printed and went to the agency, in order to check upon their rates. Well, if I booked with thn I´d have paid twice!!! Besides when I showed what I´ve trough disney directly they could not beat or present the same rate and besides they wrongly inform that if I book direct with disney I´d have to pay in full at once! I´ve just left!

[tylerdylansmom]

I called Disney and booked myself. It was so easy and i felt very much in control of what I wanted.

[mickey0823]

Originally Posted by ferrazalves

Besides when I showed what I´ve trough disney directly they could not beat or present the same rate and besides they wrongly inform that if I book direct with disney I´d have to pay in full at once! I´ve just left!

That's terrible, no TA worth a salt would have told you that!

[Muffinator]

I do both.
I do all my own planning, looking at the resorts, getting room rates online, etc, then go to AAA with all my printed documents saying "I want this." It's super easy since I have everything all planned out already and get the benefits of having the AAA perks and having someone else make all the long distance calls for me. I do make my own ADRs though. I'm paranoid that they might not get what I want and then have to delay finding an alternative, whereas I can pick what I want right away if I'm doing the reservations. I've also gotten pin codes in my email then just forward it onto my TA and she checks to see if we have a better rate or not (so far it's all been the same darn it!) then calls me right back. It's very convenient.

[jenjen1127]

I've always done it myself. I like playing around on the website checking out different resorts, packages, etc.

[she-luvs-disney]

I've used a TA this time around and I have gotten some free stuff, she sends me all kinds of emails of different things that go on in the park, whether they be attractions, shows, etc., and she was very quick on getting back to me, which I appreciated because we are talking about Disney here and I don't like to wait for someone to get back to me.

[Colexis Mom]

I used to do it myself, but have given it over to a travel agent. Much less stress on me, and the TA will apply any discounts that come out automatically to my ressie!!

[ferrazalves]

Originally Posted by mickey0823

That's terrible, no TA worth a salt would have told you that!

I totally agree with you. Here, you either know some TA personaly who can indeed help in planing and arranging your vacation (I´d one but she has moved out of town and we lost contact, she had arranged an professional trip to Japan and helped me a lot), or you depend on your ability of web surfing or you ´ve these agencies that haveseveral points ofsell in mals, they´re kind of selling vacatio packages rather then real TA!!!

Nowadays I always spend time myself checking upon websites and book all my vacations by myself. It take a lot of time, but I do like reading about places and "travelling" in advance.

The problem is that those agencies make advertisements that get you an wrong idea of the amount of money needed, and everyone prepare the budget based on them. They´ve prety good fares for inside trips, where the 2 person budget for a 4 day trip are much closer to the regular air fare , and if you traveling alone and you do not care about sharing a room with someone else.

I did not know the website, it was a friend who travelled to disney with her family last year who told me that I could try to book online, and that there were recurrent promotions...

Well after returning from a 2-weeks vacation with my DH and with that terrible blues post-vacation, and talking to my DD, I´ve promissed her a vacation for her Bday, I entered the site "just in case", "to check upon the costs" - I was prepared (based in our local TA advertisemnt) for a figure around 3,000 - 6,000 (value to deluxe) for a week for the 3 of us to stay onsite plus tickets without meal and to pay in full in advance...When I run the simulation I could not believe the numbers, besides when I realize that I would not need to PIF, but I´d have several months to do the downpayment....well I cure my vaation blues by booking another vacation.!

[misty hailey]

I booked myself every year until this year & I have really enjoyed someone else taking over. She helped me get free dining & got all the ADR's I wanted. So I have done both, cant complain about either. Good luck!!

[dzlovesdisney]

I book ours myself. I like to be in control of the whole thing.

[Sue M.]

Originally Posted by ferrazalves

I book everthing myself. Here, we do not have any disney specialist. actually wé should have (there is an "oficial" disney agency) but even paying the full rate I got a better deal using disney website for everything. After I made my reservation, I´ve printed and went to the agency, in order to check upon their rates. Well, if I booked with thn I´d have paid twice!!! Besides when I showed what I´ve trough disney directly they could not beat or present the same rate and besides they wrongly inform that if I book direct with disney I´d have to pay in full at once! I´ve just left!

You don't need to have a local agency. I live in the West Coast of Canada, and my TA is in the Southern States. We communicate by e-mail and phone. Works fine. Lots of WDW specialized TA agencies work on-line.