If I use a travel agent?
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If I use a travel agent?
| Thu, 07-27-2006 - 10:27pm |
I have loved researching all the disney stuff, I love reading all the emails I get and I even have the new dream screen saver from disney BUT I just ordered all my books for shool next year (nursing program) and with 14 some books I have a feeling my internet time is going to be limited and my planning will come to a screeching halt once the school year starts. So with that lengthy whiney explanation!LOL!! I thinking of using a travel agent for our trip my BIG question is...if we're planning on staying on site and using a dining plan (so I'm not searching for off site hotels and deals and such) but will I still get a very competative rate? Aren't the packages pretty much "they are what they are" sorta thing? I know the magic your way is changing to the dream thing... and I'm sure the dining plan won't be free again atleast when I want to go...so wouldn't I be saving myself a bunch of hassle, headache and worry by letting someone else do it? letting someone else watch for my 180days and book my ADR's? do travel agents usually get you into the ADR's you want? and do travel agents get a better chance of getting that room with a view for you? we're considering two days at a value hotel and 2 at AK! what do you all think!?!



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We did the "Magic Your Way" in January, including dining - but it wasn't free then! I can't believe it's been free recently!!!
Have you done the dining plan before? If you have to pay for it then I would suggest only getting the plan for you and your husband. TOOOO much food.
In terms of the 180 days and stuff, I don't know what you're talking about, because we booked ours less then 60 days in advance. so, sorry about that. I also don't know what ADR's are.
But I will tell you our experience with travel agents - SO not worth it. We talked to 'travel cuts' the student travel agent at all the universities, and they couldn't find us a deal cheaper then 2150/each. We ended up buying our flight on expedia through United, and bought our WDW package, Magic Your Way from the disney website.
Obviously if you've been to Disney before, then you might want room w/ a view. But honestly I wouldn't worry about that, we were out the door at 7:30 most days, and then came home for about an hour for a nap around 3-4pm, and then didn't get home until 12pm most days (obviously if you have little kids, you'll be home earlier).
If you do the dining plan, you MUST buy it for everyone in your room or you can't buy it for anyone.
And, depending on when you went, ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations) used to be only 60 days out (few years ago), then 90 days out (last year), and now you can make all of your ADRs as early as 180 days out (as of the past 6-8 months or so). Some restaurants MUST be booked 180 days out (princess meals in particular), but others don't fill up so fast and you can book closer to your trip.
Alysha
If you use a good TA that has graduated from the Disney College of Knowledge and knows to be on the lookout for better deals as they come up then yes, you will get the best price out there. Unfortuneately there are times when there just aren't any deals to be had (last July comes to mind immediately) and you'll pay rack rate with or without a TA.
I wonder if there's anyway to get around that? Like, what if you bought the package just for two, and included dining, and then went back and just added in your children later, with park passes ~ basically no resort or dining?
No...everyone in the room and/or on the reservation (so even if you did 2 rooms on the same reservation) has to get the dining if one person wants it.
I agree, it is a lot of food, but for those that like to do table service meals, it's a great deal.
Alysha
If you add anyone to your reservation than the entire package is added for them. The dining plan is an all or nothing deal. They've recently made a few changes/clarifications to the plan due to people trying to 'find a way around it' and or 'make it stretch'.
Hi,
Yeah, I would totally agree that it's a great deal. We picked it because my friend really wanted to eat at different restaurants, and try different things, and I'm a huge cheapskate (which explains why I went for every appy, entree, snack, drink, and desert we deserved! :)), so this was definitly the best option for us. I even went through all our receipts at the end. The best deal for us was Wolfgang Puck's in downtown disney so that our meal was over $120, but it was the best meal. Generally we would try and find the most expensive thing on the menu and order that, just to get the most for our money. In the beginning we stockpiled food because we thought we might need more...no way.
I'm just totally the type of person who - if i'm entitled to it, I'm using/taking it, or at least try to. I just thought it was too much food, and by the end of it we didn't even eat our final meal, which were sandwiches bought the night before for our flight the next day.
out of curiosity; what are the new guidelines/rules in place for the dining, to keep people from "stretching" or other ways of finding a way around it.
Also, what's this "disney college of Knowledge" - i know you're a travel agent. What does it take to become a travel agent?
Mary Anne
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