thanks!
After my last trip to Vegas..I say YES.
Though I'm not a travel agent and have never been one, I did work at AAA making triptiks before having my baby. I think since you have a large group, it may save you some headaches later on to go ahead and book with an agent. Yes, they may charge a fee b'c after 9/11 airlines are charging more fees and passing it on to the agent. But, I would still use an agent to make your vacation worry-free. To me, it would be worth paying a little extra to have everything just right.
Go to www.disneyvacations.com. It is Disney's own website for booking stays. They ask you questions just like a travel agent and you can make payments on the trip. They also have an 800# that can help with the planning etc. They also have a free planning kit you can get for either large parties, or normal size parties. I do all my booking through them. Peace of mind and getting to make payments is nice. Plus, the last time I checked, the price was the same as the travel agent offered me. My husband if from Florida so we have been 3 times so far, going again next year.
I am retired now, but have spent many years booking vacation packages for an airline. I recommend that you put your own numbers together and then call the airline that will be your main carrier and ask for the vacation desk. They may be able to offer you non-published airfare that they can only figure in with a vacation package that can save you big bucks. There are also big tour companies that offer non-published airfare because they buy blocks of space on airlines to resell, but there are some hazards if you go through the big tour companies if things start going wrong. I would choose the airline travel company every time if the price is right. You should be able to get this non-published airfare even with just a car rental or hotel booking, plus through an agent, you should be able to purchase cancelation insurance which is often practical for traveling with younger and older vacationers. Agency's can arrange transfers, pre-reserved seats and anticipate all kinds of things for you, plus it is nice to have someone on the ground at a computer when you are on the road and something goes badly wrong. There is no extra charge with the airline agencies and most other agencies, but a few out there are charging a nonimal fee for booking these days. They should tell you up front if they do. Start by calling your favorite major airline and asking the agent which carriers fly nonstop to Orlando from DFW if that is to be your route. Then check out their vacation desks.
Good luck to you! It's a lot of grief to book a big group on a trip like this, with or without the help of a travel agent!
Cindy S.
Hello Priscilla:
My family and my sister's family have always taken vacation togeter (8 in the party). We manager b/t ourselves to find air and hotel accommendation b/c travel agent cost extra $20/per person.
If you are going to Disney World they offer their own package. 3yrs ago we reserves directly from Disney world air/hotel and multiple day passes with bus transportation back to your hotel.
I hope this help
Hello Priscilla,
Read about your dilemma and had to respond (since I used to be a travel agent). You have several options.
If you've done the research and are confident that you have found the best deal/price, then I would definitely book it myself! Sometimes there are extra fees (per person) depending on how the vacation is booked. If your airfare is booked separately and not through the airline,then there are extra fees that the travel agency will charge since airlines have cut agency commissions. (That's how they make up for commission cuts.)
If you are booking as a package through a site such as MLTvacations.com, there is no need for a travel agent since everything is spelled out and you get nothing extra from calling an agent (unless it's through the site, they can answer questions.)
The only reason why I would call an agent is to make sure there is enough availability for your entire party since it is a larger group, again, depending on your vacation, if airfare is involved,etc unless you have put multiple reservations on hold in each party's name.
Also, sometimes there are some specials that agencies can offer if they've purchased blocks of airfare, etc.
I would maybe just call to check out options, and maybe get some inside info. (wink)
Hope this was at least a little helpful!
Dear Priscilla,
I have a dear friend that owns a travel business. She is a great person. She will not only get you the BEST prices but adds extra personal touches to make the vacation meomorable with a touch of TLC. Try notifying her. Rosemary Carter C# 817-706-9820. Email [email protected]. Let me know what you think!
Claire Defiore RN
If you have over 8 people, book thru Disney. They have a program called Grand Gatherings (at least they did last year) which is for large family groups. You'll also find that you won't get much of a price break in dealing with Disney vs. other agencies. Other places might throw in an extra day on a ticket or something but for the most part the prices are the same across the board when dealing with Disney.
I manage all travel arrangements for my husband and it is not that hard to do.
I have also planned 2 family trips to Disney with extended family and everything worked out great. If you have done your research and you know what you want to do, go through Disney for reservations. You can book your hotel (we LOVE the Polynesian and it is the only placed we stay) and character events through Disney. I had reservations in hand at least a year in advance for each trip.
We don't drive anywhere if it is over 2 hrs so I manage our airfares as well. I don't deal with the discounters (you can get bumped more easily). I deal directly with American and Southwest mostly. Southwest has great deals but the only issue is to go to FL you have to fly to Houston or New Orleans and then on to FL. That is a pain in the rear. We usually go on direct shots with American. I work through the airline website as well. If you work with the airlines on the phone, they do charge a fee.
Good luck! Have Fun!
Susan
P,
I'm a travel agent and do not charge an "extra" fee.
Look at my site for airfare and hotel: www.tripsbyalex.worldventures.biz
Do it yourself. Part of the planning is the fun. We create a spreadsheet when we go that has our meal reservations, parade/show times, hours of the park, what we want to do for each day we are there. We have never used a travel agent and our trips have been organized and fun.
I travel to Disney frequently and September is a great time of the year to go if you are not going during Labor Day. I would advice you to go to Disney.com and order the free DVD travel video. You can also chatwith a real Disney cast member while looking at your travel options. There is also a section for first time travelers that would be elpful. You need to decide how much you want to spend. Do you all want to stay in a suite or seperate rooms? How close to Disney World do you want to be? Do you want to be on Disney property? Even the Cheapest rooms are elleborately decorated and I highly recommend staying on Disney property. Also, to save money,I recommend you purchase a dining package. You will save a bundle. The one sit down meal a day was good enough for our family. If you stay on conceirge level you will be able to snack and have continental breakfasts. Good luck!!!
Use a travel agent!!! Any time you travel, they are the ones that can pick up the pieces if ANYTHING goes wrong, from flights, to hotels, to transfers. My in-laws are travel agents and Disney specialists (yes - there is a special certification for that, believe it or not!) so I recommend finding an agent very familiar with Disney, so you can get the best deals and rates, and they will also be able to book any other special things you do there, like character dinners, etc. Good luck and have fun! We are doing Magic Kingdom/Disney Cruise this fall with our family, and all the grandparents!
I would definitely use a travel agent. I have a great one! She only charges $35 for the trip (one charge of $35 per charge to your credit card -- so if all tickets are under one name it is jsut a $35 charge, make sense??) and she gets great seats on the plane -- almost always exit row when I travel! Her name is Sarah ANdriani (Maxwell) and her email is [email protected] -- tell her Erika sent you! SHE ROCKS!!! It just makes it easier than doing it yourself! Saves time and money!
We travel to WDW at least once a year, and I now plan all of our trips on my own, including one with lots of extended family a couple of years ago. As someone else said, part of the fun is the planning! HOWEVER, if you haven't been very many times, or you don't have time to do a lot of research, I HIGHLY recommend using a Disney certified travel agent - and there's no fee to you; they get their cut from Disney. As a Disney junkie, I know of two online companies that deal exclusively with Disney. All of their agents have been many, many times, and they'll help you book dining reservations, look for special discounts you might be eligible for, and adjust your final cost if the rate goes down before your trip. I've used them both (before I started doing it all myself) and they're both great! Check out dreamsunlimitedtravel.com (they also have an awesome message board community to help you plan) or smallworldvacations.com. Good luck - I know you'll have a blast!!
Hi Priscilla,
You should definitely use a travel agent. All agent fees are paid for by the hotel, rental car agency, etc. These fees are built in to the price, so you might as well benefit from the service of your chosen travel agent.
Of course, not all agents are good agents. I highly recommend Heather Quiring with Travel Directions at 214-502-8789. She booked our trip to Disneyworld and it was fabulous! She has been in the travel industry for 20 years, and really does a great job.
Have a wonderful trip!
Brenda
Good Morning Priscilla!
My husband has used Disney Magical Express the past 2 trips and it has been awesome! They do everything - book the airline, hotel, even make dinner reservations. After you check in your bags - you don't have to worry - they put them in the room for you.
I can't say enough about how this has made our experience even more enjoyable!
Have a great time!
Linnea
Priscilla - I would recommend doing all the research, find the best deal, and let your travel agent do all the booking. Also, if you go through Orbitz you can find coupons that will take 10 to 50 % off of the package. Either way, once you have found the deal, I would tell the other parties about how to book it, either by giving them the URL, contacting the agent or whatever, but I would strongly encourage you to NOT book the event for others. Let them take the money out of their own wallets - not yours.
Priscilla,
I am a travel agent that books DisneyWorld. It is easy to work with an experienced agent. Ask if they went through the Disney training classes. Expect them to ask a lot of questions so that you have the very best package for your family. Some agencies will charge a planning fee and then give it back if you book and others like our agency don't charge any fees. We get our compensation from the park.
I would love to work with you. DisneyWorld is truly a magical place. My husband and I went yearly before kids and sometimes as much as twice a year with the kids.
There is nothing better than to watch kids eyes light up and hear their laughter.
Have a great time!
Jane