should i use a travel agent for disneyland

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Is a travel agent worth it the pros and cons.

Travel experts agree there are several advantages to hiring a vacation planner.

The Pros & Cons of Using a Travel Agent

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A travel agent can save you money and time.

Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking flights and accommodations on your own? That's just one area where a knowledgeable travel agent (also commonly known as a travel advisor) can help. Read on to discover the other benefits – as well as the downsides – of using a travel agent, so you can confidently decide whether or not a travel agent is worth it for your next trip.

The Pros of Using a Travel Agent

Travel agents can save you money – and get you other perks.

"In some cases, you'll actually get a better  deal by working with a travel agent," says Jackie Steele, travel expert at MagicGuides . "This could be in the form of a cruise onboard credit (free spending money to use on the ship), access to special agency/group rates, or even just learning about a discount you qualify for but weren't aware of." The best agents will even keep an eye on new discounts as they're announced and apply them to your trip even after you've booked, he notes.

Travel agents handle all the details

Hotel room? Booked. Dinner reservations? Made. Tour tickets? Ready to go. A travel agent handles every detail of your vacation itinerary. "The traveler still gets to be involved in the fun part of dreaming up ideas and providing their travel wishes, while we take and perfect them," says Jessica Parker, founder of Trip Whisperer .

Molly McShea, owner and travel advisor at McShea Travel , points out that travel agents can also help with timing logistics. "Travel agents know how many days should be spent in each destination, which tours go together, and how many things you should do in a day," she says, adding that crafting an itinerary can be challenging if it's not something you regularly do. Additionally, travel agents can help you choose the best time to visit your preferred destination(s) based on seasonality and your budget, and sift through travel insurance policies to find the best option for your needs.

Travel agents can provide local expertise

"A travel advisor's industry connections and relationships provide added value to their clients," says Valerie Edman, a luxury travel advisor and agency owner at Cultured Travel LLC. She says when working with a travel agent, travelers gain access to a global network of connections including:

• In-destination specialists who work exclusively with travel advisors and can connect travelers with unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences they wouldn't otherwise know about
• Exclusive experiences not available to the general public

You'll avoid surprise fees

When deciding if a travel agent is worth it for you, remember this: A reputable agent can guarantee you won't encounter any surprise fees on accommodations and activities once your trip is booked.

You'll have someone to troubleshoot unexpected travel issues

A travel advisor is essentially your personal vacation concierge. "Because they've been around for so long, agents really know what to look for," says Christopher Elliott , a consumer advocate and journalist. "Travel agents are among the first to know about flight cancellations and delays , making it easy for them to rebook itineraries right away." 

The Cons of Using a Travel Agent

It might not be your cheapest option.

There are some instances when it makes more sense to plan your own trip. "If you're planning a quick flight from New York City to Los Angeles, it's easy enough to book it yourself online directly or through a third-party booking site," says Elliott. "If you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or bucket list honeymoon , that's when you call the experts."

You'll have less flexibility in your itinerary

The upside of working with a travel agent is having someone plan an epic vacation for you based on industry knowledge and local expertise. But this can also be a downside in the event you discover an activity you'd like to do or a restaurant you'd like to try that isn't on your pre-planned itinerary. If you alter your plans, you risk losing money; plus, the time it takes for you and your travel agent to coordinate your change of plans may not be worth the hassle.

You still have to do some research

It's important to find an agent you can trust, which means you still have to do some of the vacation planning. For this part, Parker recommends picking up the phone. "Lots of people avoid or don't pick up the phone as much anymore," she says. "That's where you get the high-touch service, tone of voice, excitement or concerns to manage." She advises to look for the following red flags:

• No fees: " Travel advisors are charging planning fees more now or increasing them, so the client knows more confidently than ever, we work for them, not the suppliers with the best commissions," Parker explains. "There are a lot of things that are non-commissionable and the advisor's time and expertise shouldn't be given away for free, either. That's the best way to show an advisor takes their business seriously."
• Limited options: If you work with someone who is inexperienced or has an incentive to book you with a certain supplier, they may not be prioritizing your best interests. "It's important to check if they are with a larger consortia, accreditations and network, typically listed on their website and signatures," says Parker. "That level of mindshare doesn't come with a lone advisor unless they have many, many years of experience."
• Slow response times: If communication is delayed, that's a sign they may be too busy to plan your trip – but again, this is something you can avoid by having the right conversations early on.

Edman suggestes starting your search with the American Society of Travel Advisors . "ASTA-verified travel advisors are committed to the highest industry standards and have verifiable industry knowledge so consumers can feel confident in working with them," she says.

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Should I use a Disney Travel Agent?

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If you’ve done any research into taking a Disney vacation, you’ve probably noticed just how complicated it can be. That’s why some people prefer using a Disney travel agent.

Some people love planning their own trips, but that isn’t the only option. In fact, booking your trip with a Disney travel agent might be the right choice for you.

But, it’s not for everyone. We’re going to take a look at the ins and outs of using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner so you can decide whether using a travel agent is what’s best for you.

This post also includes an interview with my pick for the best Disney travel agent , Siera Duiser from Destinations in Florida. You can request a free no obligation quote from her at any time .

Table of Contents

6 Benefits of Using a Disney Travel Agent

If you’ve read any of my posts, you know my mission is to help people have a stress free Disney vacation planning experience. Sometimes, this just might mean using a Disney travel agent.

Actually, instead of using the term “Disney travel agent” they are called “Disney vacation planners”. You’ll see me use both phrases interchangeably throughout this post.

1. Using a Disney Travel Agent is FREE!

Probably one of the most frequently asked questions is: How much does it cost to use a Disney travel agent ?

Because most of us automatically assume there is a charge whenever someone is providing us a service. But today is your lucky day because using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is completely free!

Disney vacation planners are paid a commission directly from Disney on the trips they book. What you do need to ask about is whether or not there is an additional fee for more advanced concierge services like itinerary planning.

An authorized Disney vacation planner should have this information posted on their website, but if in doubt, always ask.

If a travel agency tries to charge you a fee for simply working with them to book a basic Disney vacation package, walk away . There should be no charge for that from authorized Disney travel agents.

2. Your Own Personal Sounding Board for Planning Ideas

Frankly, having someone at your disposal to help make the many decisions involved in Disney vacation planning is nothing to sneeze at.

Sure, I try my hardest to fill this gap by providing as many posts as I can to help you make these decisions, but it’s not the same as having a conversation with someone about it.

There are MANY confusing parts of Disney planning. What are park pass reservations? What is the difference between Disney Genie, Genie+, and Lightning Lane reservations?

I think you get my point. The sheer volume of decisions necessary when planning a Disney trip is staggering.

Disney travel agents are trained professionals who can help guide you to make the decisions which work best for your family.

Even if you have no idea of the dates you want to go, the resorts you want to stay at, or what parks you want to visit, a Disney vacation planner can help.

3. A Disney Travel Agent Might Save You Money

Another very popular question that comes up is: Is it cheaper to book Disney through a travel agent? The answer to this is no…and yes.

There are no extra discounts for booking with a Disney vacation planner, so there is no specific advantage there.

However, the advantage lies in the fact that authorized Disney vacation planners have their fingers on the pulse of all things Disney.

Because of this, they know all of the Disney discounts you might be eligible for .

Disney releases their discounts in fits and starts throughout the year. If a discount is released that applies to your reservation, your Disney vacation planner can secure the discount for your reservation. 

If you made your reservation yourself a year in advance and never heard about the discount, that’s hundreds of dollars down the drain you could have saved.

Your Disney travel agent can make sure you never miss a discount.

For example, let’s say you know you want to nab any discounts for you Disney resort that rolls out. If you and your Disney travel agent have talked about this beforehand and she/he knows what you want, they can book it immediately.

This is essential as discounted room inventory can book up very fast.

4. Disney Vacation Planners Help Choose Your Itinerary

A major part of planning your Disney trip is deciding where to go on what day. Let’s face it, there are a lot of things you could do each day!

A Disney vacation planner can help you narrow down your priorities AND have tips for which days to do what things.

For example, did you know that Mondays are always more crowded at Magic Kingdom? I bet a Disney travel agent does!

5. Sit Back and Relax!

This gets right back to my mission to help keep you stress free when planning your Disney trip.

Working with a Disney travel planner can help keep your stress levels down in multiple ways already mentioned here.

In addition to letting them do a lot of the work, it’s nice to simply have the single point of contact to bounce ideas and questions off of .

As a therapist, I’m fully aware of the value of just having a trusted person to talk to about things. Disney trip planning is no different.

6. Help in Case of Emergencies

What if you are on your trip and something goes very wrong? It could be anything. Just give your Disney travel agent a call and they can start working on things behind the scenes.

Hopefully you never need to use this aspect of the service, but it’s nice to have as a back up, just in case.

Downsides to Using a Disney Travel Planner

Of course, there are some downsides to using a Disney travel planner. Whether or not these are a deal breaker for you is up to you to decide.

These cons might not bother some people at all, while others won’t even consider a Disney travel agent because of them.

Giving Up Control

Let’s face it, some of us are control freaks (I’m in the corner raising my hand sheepishly…) and can’t tolerate the thought of letting someone else take the reins in booking a trip.

If that’s the case, no biggie, a Disney travel agent isn’t for you.

However, there is a lot of middle ground here. You can work with a Disney travel agent and still book your own dining. Talk with your agent to determine just what level of participation you want to have.

All Changes to Your Reservation Must be Done by the Disney Travel Agent

This one really only applies to the main components of the trip, like your resort, tickets, dining plan, etc. If your vacation package is booked through a Disney vacation planner, they are the ones who have to make any changes to your reservation.

You will not be able to do it on your own.

Again, you still have ultimate control over your Disney dining reservations, this is mainly just referring to changes to your resort reservation.

So if you originally book Art of Animation but decide you want to switch to Pop Century , your agent must do it for you.

All Disney Travel Agents are NOT Created Equal

When choosing your Disney travel agent it is important to work with an Authorized Disney Vacation planner. Sure, any generic travel agent can book the basics of a trip to Disney World.

However, will that travel agent know the ins and outs of booking a Disney vacation? Or that dining reservations should be made 60 days in advance?

The single biggest advantage of using an authorized Disney Vacation Planner is tapping into their wealth of knowledge. Most Disney travel planners are people who simply love all things Disney.

These are people who are passionate about planning Disney trips and know Disney like the back of their hand.

A generic travel agent simply doesn’t have the same knowledge, so you miss out on many of the benefits listed above.

And this knowledge isn’t just limited to Disney World or Disneyland. They can help book trips to any of the Disney parks around the world, Disney cruises, and Adventures by Disney trips.

What Does Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Mean?

The phrase “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” is language that comes straight from Disney. This is a term they coined to apply to Disney travel agencies that they feel meet their exacting standards.

Essentially, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are earmarked Disney travel agencies. Disney gives them their seal of approval.

Frankly, using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner helps you to know it is an agency you can trust to do the best possible job.

Disney travel agents even have a “degree” in Disney! Each year they attend the Disney College of Knowledge to get recertified. Talk about being up to date in all things Disney.

Finally, all of that brings us to my interview with Siera…

Interview with Disney Vacation Planner Siera Duiser from Destinations in Florida

Just as a brief introduction, Siera is a Top Seller with the Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, Destinations in Florida .

She has been featured in Huffington Post, Fox News, Brides, and more! So without further ado…

Why did you become a Disney vacation planner?

I have always loved all things Disney and even travel in general! I grew up visiting Disney World a couple times a year with my family and visited some incredible places both inside the country and all over the world.

I enjoyed planning my vacations and wanted to share my knowledge and experience that I had gained over the years to help other people make memories on their adventures.

How long have you worked as a Disney vacation planner?

I have worked as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner for about 9 years now.

What does a Disney vacation planner do?

I am as involved as you want me to be. Some guests use my services just for the resort booking process and discount watching to make sure that they get the best deal possible on their vacation (since I take care of all discounts for you) while others need help with making their dining and itinerary decisions. I’m happy to help with whatever you need for your vacation. 

What planning services are complementary and which have an additional fee?

All of my services are free to my guests who book their vacations through me. The only time there is a fee is for guests who need help planning their vacations, but have booked on their own.

Why is it important to book with an authorized Disney vacation planner?

The Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is a designation given by Disney that shows these agencies are approved and recommended by Disney. We are even paid by Disney this way ( so my price is never higher than booking on your own ). We also have completed Disney’s College of Knowledge training to prove that we know the parks and resorts to Disney’s standards.

What is your favorite part of helping people book their Disney vacation?

My favorite part of helping people book their vacation is planning special experiences that will become priceless memories with their families. Whether it be a special dinner to celebrate their child’s birthday, a romantic dinner for a honeymoon, or a princess’ first visit to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, I love helping my guests plan their special moments. 

What other destinations can you help with?

I can book destinations all over the world! I specialize in both family travel and romance travel. In Florida, I help many guests add a day or an extended stay at Universal Orlando Resort to their Disney World vacations, but I also book all cruise lines, all inclusive vacations, Hawaii, and so much more! 

What is your favorite Disney memory?

I have so many favorite Disney memories, from when my husband and I went for our honeymoon to my kids’ birthday celebrations over the years! I think I have to say that my absolute favorite Disney memory is my wedding. I got married at the Polynesian, took wedding photos in both Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and then stayed for my honeymoon.

Do You Want Siera to Help You Plan Your Disney Trip for FREE?

Nicole here, popping back on in. If you are as impressed with Siera and her love of Disney as I am, it’s easy to get your no obligation vacation quote. You can contact her by clicking on the button below and filling out the form . She will get back to you as soon as possible.

Should I Use a Travel Agent for Disney World?

In the end, this is a question only you can answer. It’s definitely not for anyone, but it could possibly be for you. Go with your gut. Read through everything I’ve said in this post and give it some thought.

However, here are some instances where you definitely want to consider the option of a Disney vacation planner:

• High stress levels – You are feeling so stressed out while planning you are missing out on the fun and excitement the planning process should bring
• Last minute trip planning – Planning a last minute trip to Disney can be more complicated and very time sensitive. A Disney vacation planner knows exactly what needs to be done in this situation
• Large groups – If you are traveling with a large group, whether that is extended family, a sports team, or anything else, the complexity of booking increases dramatically. Not to mention, using a Disney vacation planner can help cut down on some of the inevitable drama…

What if I Already Booked My Trip and Decide I Need Help?

It’s never too late to try to get some assistance with planning your trip. However, since the Disney vacation planners are paid via commission on booking the package, things might look a little different.

Many Disney vacation planners offer these additional concierge services for an additional fee.

If it is within 30 days of booking it is also possible to contact Disney and get your booking transferred to your Disney travel agent. This will help save you the concierge fee and get the agent their commission.

I guess as an alternative, you could always cancel your reservation and have your travel agent rebook. Clearly this only works if there’s plenty of time left and the room you want is still available, but it’s worth a shot.

Your Thoughts on Disney Travel Agents

Have you ever used a Disney vacation planner? Did you have a good or a bad experience? I’d love to hear your thoughts and questions in the comments below.

Don’t forget to follow The Disney Journey on Pinterest and Facebook to stay up to date with all the latest news and updates.

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Rookie Moms

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Trying out a Disney Travel Agent – Is it Worth it?

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Picture this: trying to figure out which hotel to pick, what transportation to use for each park, which rides to get fast passes (or lightning lane passes or whatever they call them), which parks have early entry, and which hotels offer the early entry and which ones have the special extra late nights.

And don’t even get me started on when to make dining reservations, how to use that genie + thing, and what time to snag a virtual spot for the Tron & Guardians of the Galaxy Ride. It’s like a never-ending puzzle! Oh yeah, I have to raise a family too.

A few years ago, I finally outsourced this task to a Disney Travel Agent, because I have enough on my plate, (also I didn’t know their services were free, soooo I probably would have done it a lot earlier if I had known that)

My First Disney Travel Agent Experience

My first Disney Travel Agency experience was pretty good. It was one of those big Disney Travel Agencies that boasts it books the most Disney Vacations and makes magical memories, yada yada yada.

They got me my rooms, tickets and I think I saved a little bit of money, so it was definitely worth outsourcing to a Disney Travel Agent because I didn’t have to do any of that stuff. The one thing I didn’t love was they tried to upsell me on everything, which I know is sales but it wasn’t that fun.

Still, I was most likely going to use this same company again…. until my friend told me I needed to use her travel agent.

Now, I am not one to usually jump to whatever my friend tells me, and I didn’t really understand how a travel agent could be any different, but my friend insisted I had to try her Disney Travel Agent.

Seriously, this was the Best Experience Ever

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting too much different when I reached out to the next travel agent, but after a few minutes (maybe even seconds) I knew immediately this was different.

Right off the bat it was a great experience, It was like talking to your best friend. They are so excited to help you plan your vacation, you can feel it. By the way, the name of the company is Best Day Ever Vacations (I probably should mention that)

Rather than just sending over a quote, they wanted to know about my family, what characters my kids are into, what kinds of rides they liked, what kind of resort we prefer, and then worked it all within my budget.

We ended up splurging and staying at the Beach Club Resort because my kids love Star Wars and its a short boat ride away + it has an amazing pool. Also, I loved the classic Ice Cream parlor on property. I absolutely love this resort.

How Did They Help Me Plan My Trip?

In addition to booking the room and tickets, the agency gave our family

• a complete 50+ page guide for our trip
• Notified us along the way of when it was time to book dining reservations
• Gave us a guide and tips on how to setup Genie + to have the best possible day
• DIning Guide for which restaurants are the best
• Tips on how to avoid the crowds and get on the most possible rides
• They even connected me with a stroller rental place which had way nicer strollers than Disney and saved me a ton of money.
• But that’s not even the best part. ….

T hey Found me a Better Deal, Even after I was already Booked!

So I booked the trip about a year in advance. I put down, I think it was a $200 deposit and hadn’t really thought about a trip when out of the blue I got a text from my Disney Planner Jamie saying a new offer just came out and they got me a better deal. They saved me an extra $650 on my vacation that I already booked.

It was the best text I have ever received. Since then I have booked every Disney Vacation with Best Day Ever Vacations , I’ve done two Disney Cruises, and am now going on my 4th Disney World trip booked with them this holiday season.

Update – Disney Aulani

I wanted to update this article because I just got back from a trip to Disney’s Aulani. Once again, I used my handy dandy travel agent and it was sooo good.

First off, Aulani is Magical. The place might be the most wonderful place on the planet. Look at the picture above, it honestly doesn’t even capture the beauty.

Second, Our travel agent got us fully set up with an amazing room, tips on things to do on the island, guided us on how to get to aulani from the airport (we decided on renting a car, we got dining recommendations, even where to get the best malasadas (you have to try a malasada, they are amazing). It was seriously the best trip of our life.

Overall – Should you use a Disney Travel Agent?

If you are looking to book a Disney vacation, I highly recommend using a Disney Travel agent. Worst case, if you find one on your own and they are average, you will save you some time. I guarantee if you use Best Day Ever Vacations, you will be thrilled you booked a trip with them.

They have seriously made Disney Vacations so much more fun for my family and especially me. I now too, like my friend refer everyone to Best Day Ever and I am pretty sure our entire PTA has pretty much used them.

Here is the link to get a free quote from Best Day Ever Vacations , I have sent them a ton of people (so many, they asked if I wanted to be a travel planner, but that’s not for me)

If you mention rookie moms , they will pair you up with one their top travel planners to make sure they get the best service….. and in full transparency they send me a Starbucks gift card when you book as a thank you. Hey, a girl needs her Starbies.

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Should I Use A Disney Travel Agent?

Do You Need A Disney Travel Agent?  

It’s the question I ALWAYS hear from people who are thinking about a trip to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or any Disney Park.  

It’s a tough question, with a lot of factors to consider, but I hope I can layout all the nitty gritty details to help you make your own decision.  

Things You Need To Know About Using A Disney Travel Agent:

My unbiased opinion.

First of all, you need to know that I am NOT affiliated with any travel agency.  This is NOT a sponsored post, and is based on my personal experience using a Disney Travel Agent and booking trips on my own.  

Most posts you’ll find out there about this subject are affiliate posts, where the writer gets paid a kick back for every referral they send to the agency.  

This is NOT one of those posts. 

Any recommendations I share are completely based on my personal experience with an agent and with booking directly through Walt Disney World.  

Fees For Disney Travel Agent Services

Second, the majority of Disney Travel Agents will not charge you a fee.  

When agents book a basic Disney trip, the receive a commission from Disney.  If an agent provides additional concierge level services for clients, there is sometimes a fee associated with the booking.  

Find out up front from any agent you work with if they are going to charge you for ANY of their services. 

Your Responsibilty

Third, before booking with ANY travel agent, DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!  

Make sure to read reviews of their services and ask around to your friends for recommendations.  

Any Disney Travel Agent worth using will have attended a Disney College of Knowledge.  These events give agents everything they need to know to properly book your Disney Vacation.  

Make sure you’re using someone reputable from a well-established agency. 

Alright, onto the real info you’re looking for!

Reasons You Should Use A Disney Travel Agent:

You’ve never been to disney world (or whatever disney location you want to go to) before.

Everyone dreams about a magical trip to Disney World or Disneyland, but once you start trying to make it a reality, the details can become overwhelming.  

I mean, there are 34 hotels and resorts on Disney World property alone.  Just figuring out which one you want to stay at (and even IF you want to stay on Disney property) can freak anyone out!  

It’s a Disney Travel Agent’s job to know all about Disney World and help match their clients with the right accommodations and reservations to fit their needs.  

If you’re a first-timer, going with a Disney Agent would probably take a lot of stress out of planning your first trip to Disney World.

You don’t plan on going on a Disney Vacation again anytime soon

While there a lot of people (me included), who love going to Disney World year after year, there are some who are just one and done.  

Once they’ve met the mouse, they see no reason to do it again.  

For those folks, taking the time and energy to learn all the intricacies of every ride and character experience may not make sense.  

Using a Disney Travel Agent would likely benefit them greatly.

You don’t have the time or desire to do the proper research

Say you’re a busy mom of 3, who barely has time to think straight, let alone spend hours on Pinterest researching where to find all the princesses in the Magic Kingdom.  

If reading about the special snacks available in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge sounds worse than a root canal to you, you probably need a Disney Travel Agent.  

For those folks, having a Disney Travel Agent who can plan for you would be a God send.  

You have a large group of people going on your trip

Disney Vacations are often a family affair.  And by family affair, I mean EVERYONE.  

If you open it up to include family, your mama’s cousin’s sister’s uncle will probably want to go on the trip.  

The logistics of taking a Disney Vacation with a large group of people can be quite complicated.  This is where a Disney Travel Agent is key!

They can manage all those multiple room reservations and dietary restrictions.  They’re experts at keeping all the details straight so you don’t have to.  

If you plan on traveling with everybody and their mother, I’d definitely contact a Disney Travel Agent.

You want someone else to worry about the details

ADRs , FastPass+ , MNSSHP , Memory Maker, Park Hoppers.  

If all those words sound foreign to you, you probably need a Disney Travel Agent.  

Disney Parks have their own special set of details that can confuse just about anyone.

Disney Travel Agents know how to navigate through even the most complicated requests.  They’ll book all your dining reservations, FastPass+ reservations, and explain all the “extras” available to you on your vacation.  

It is totally possible to book them on your own, but if you don’t want to take the time to learn all the details, you’re probably better off with a Disney Travel Agent.  

You’re worried that you won’t know what to do if something goes wrong during your trip

Just because you’re going to Disney World doesn’t mean everything will fall into place magically.  

As amazing as the “cast members” at Disney Parks are, sometimes things go wrong.  

If you’ve booked your trip through a Disney Travel Agent, you have a familiar advocate who can help you out while you’re on your vacation.  

Any good travel agency will offer assistance to its clients during their travel, and Disney Agents are no different.  

If you’re concerned about things like this, you probably want to use a Disney Travel Agent. 

Reasons You Should NOT Use A Disney Travel Agent:

You’ve been on a disney vacation more than once and know what to expect.

Once you’ve been to Walt Disney World a couple of times, you get the hang of how things work around the parks.  

If you’ve mastered booking FastPasses on the fly through the MDE app, then you probably could book a Disney trip on your own.  

If you know exactly what restaurants you want to eat at and what times are ideal, you probably don’t need a Disney Travel Agent to help you out  

The Walt Disney World website is pretty self explanatory, and cast members who take booking calls are extremely knowledgeable.  

If you’ve been around the Disney block a time or two, your can probably handle booking a trip without a Disney Travel Agent. 

You have the time and the desire to do the proper research on what you want to do while at the Parks

Even if you’ve never been to any Disney Parks before, it is possible to book your own amazing trip.  You just have to be willing to do the research.  

ALL of info you could ever need about the parks is available online.  I have lots of other posts specifically about Disney World and how to manage your trip, and so do a bazillion other websites.  

A simple Google search of any Disney-related subject you can think of will yield a ton of results.  

If you’re willing to spend the time and energy to learn all things Disney, you can definitely handle booking your trip without a Disney Travel Agent.  

You want to be in control of making any changes or modifications to your booking

When you use a Disney Travel Agent to book a trip, you give up a lot of control.  

Let’s pretend that two months before your big trip, you decide that you need to shift the dates of your reservation by a day or two.  

If you’ve used a Disney Travel, you cannot call and modify your own reservation.  Your Disney Travel Agent has to do it.  

For a first time visit, this probably won’t bother you.  But if you’ve been to the parks a few times and know exactly what you want to change, this may prove problematic.  

If you want the ability to change your reservation at the drop of a hat, you probably want to skip using a Disney Travel Agent.

You want to book in a non-traditional way (i.e. rent DVC points or use a discount broker like Undercover Tourist)

There are lots of ways to go visit Mickey Mouse.  

Booking directly through Walt Disney World is just one of them.  

Some people like to rent Disney Vacation Club points to use for their accommodations through sites like David’s Vacation Club Rentals .  

There are also a few reputable sites like Undercover Tourist where you can book park tickets a discounted prices.  

If you want to use either of these methods to get into Disney Parks, you may not be able to do it with a Disney Travel Agent.

Should you book with a Disney Travel Agent? 

Deciding whether you want to book with an agent or not really all comes down to your own personal needs.  

Disney Travel Agents serve a much needed audience, and can do a lot of things for their clients.  But they’re not 100% necessary to book an amazing trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland.  

If you feel capable of doing it on your own, it’s perfectly possible.  

If you’re worried about pulling it all together, contact a Disney Travel Agent.  There’s definitely ways to have a great vacation by doing it either way! 

My Disney Travel Agent Recommendation

If you DO decided to book with a Disney Travel Agent, I highly recommend Katie Dunn with Travelmation .  Even as a seasoned Walt Disney World visitor, sometimes, I just don’t want to worry about the details. 

Katie provided top notch service and checked on us every step of the way to make sure she was meeting our needs.  She was by FAR the best agent I’ve ever used (and I’ve used a bunch of them!!)

Thursday 30th of March 2023

Great article! We had the absolute best experience with Allyson at Castle Coaches Travel. Will never do Disney World without her! Highly recommend everyone take advantage of using a travel agent when planning a Disney vacation. They are free!!

Or so she says...

Family Fun, Favorites, Food, and Faith

October 5, 2019 by Kimberly w/Get Away Today

Travel Agent vs Booking Direct with Disney ~ What’s Better?

• Pinterest 66

Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly with Packed With Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today . A few weeks ago Mariel and I were talking, and she told me she had a great idea for my next article. Mariel has booked so many vacations with Get Away Today and tells everyone about us, which is just one of the reasons we love her. She brought up some of the questions she gets asked regularly, and suggested that I help set the record straight. A travel agent vs booking direct with Disney… what’s better? I’ve put together the top 10 reasons to book with a travel agent before your next Disneyland vacation. I think you’ll easily see that there are so many benefits, and really no downsides, to booking with a travel agent.

Now, as a disclaimer, this article applies strictly to Get Away Today, because it is my favorite travel agency and I can only vouch for it. 😉

Travel Agent vs Booking Direct With Disney

By the time I’m done with these 10 reasons that our Disney travel agency is so great, I think you’ll understand why there’s just not much to say for booking direct. The prices aren’t negotiated, the extras aren’t there, and you’re just on your own, as far as any tips and tricks for navigating the parks. Our customers love knowing that it’s not just before your trip that we are willing to take care of you, we are available to you throughout your trip, as well.

10 Reasons to Book with a Disney Travel Agent

• It’s free . There are no handling or processing fees when you book with Get Away Today. You’ll never pay more when you book with any of our agents.
• They know what they are talking about. Our agents visit our most popular destinations at least once a year. If you’re going somewhere for the first time, you want to talk to someone who has been there. That’s us.
• They give you all of the inside information. Our agents are passionate about Disneyland, and since we’ve been there so many times, we’ve picked up all sorts of tips and tricks. There’s nothing our agents love more than passing those on to you.
• You get extras. If you book directly with a hotel, that’s normally all you get; a hotel room. When you book a package with Get Away Today, you get all sorts of extras. Local area coupons for up to $300 in savings, lanyards, luggage tags and a vacation countdown chain, are just some examples.
• You have an advocate. Our agents check-in with you while you’re on vacation to make sure everything is going smoothly. If something does go wrong on your vacation, our agents advocate in your behalf and make it right.
• You get the best price. We negotiate the lowest prices directly with the hotels and attractions in Southern California. That allows us to get our guests exclusive extras and pass additional savings onto our guests directly. If by some strange chance you do find something lower, our agents will beat the price.
• You get the best service from our agents. Our customer service agents are always winning awards, including Best of State three years in a row. Our agents are also available seven days a week to help out even, especially when you’re on vacation.
• You get special service from our partners. We are tight with our hotel partners, which means that they take the best care of our guests simply because they’re our customers. In fact, we’ve even had hotel contacts tell us that they always reserve their best rooms for our guests.
• We care about your vacation. Like super care. Our owners know how important family vacations are; that’s why they founded Get Away Today in the first place. The agents take the owners’ passion to heart, and our guests notice. Our guests have sent our agents thank you gifts, and even invited our agents to come with them on vacation; although I’m not sure of any agents who have actually taken them up on that offer.
• We give back. Since beginning in 1990 (25 years ago, what?!?!), we’ve raised over $3.5 million to help kids through school foundations and the Children’s Miracle Network. We figure it’s kids who have made our business successful, and our owners want to give back to them.

The Best Disneyland Travel Agent

The agents at Get Away Today would love to show you personally why you should book your next Disneyland vacation with us. You can even save an extra $10 on any 2-night stay by using promo code: OSSS10 when booking over the phone at 855-GET-AWAY or at www.getawaytoday.com .

More Tips to Make the Most of Your Disneyland Vacation:

Where Not to Buy Disneyland Tickets  – We understand that purchasing tickets to Disneyland is kind of a BIG, exciting deal. You definitely don’t want to find yourself purchasing tickets from a scammer (they’re out there), or paying more than you should. This post will give you some guidance on purchasing your tickets, so you can have the best experience (and price!) possible.

10 Tips for Visiting Disneyland in the Busy Season  – We probably don’t need to tell you that California gets pretty hot in the summer, and the lines at Disneyland can get pretty long. And, it’s not just the summer… there’s holidays, spring break, annual conferences, etc. But, the crowds don’t need to be an issue at all, if you take note of our Disneyland tips and tricks for visiting Disneyland in the busy season.

25 Best Kept Disneyland Secrets  – At Get Away Today, we like to consider ourselves experts on all things Disneyland. We spend a lot of time at the parks, ourselves, getting familiar with the system, the crowds, what’s new, and meeting with staff to discuss anything we might want to pass on to our customers. This post was put together with the intention of letting you in on a handful of things that are useful to know, before you head to Disneyland.

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DESTINATION MAGIC is a boutique travel agency comprised of Disney expert travel agents we call Magic Makers . Our Magic Makers are highly experienced travel specialists eager to help you to plan and book an amazing vacation. Plus our booking services are 100% FREE!

Simply Magical Vacations  means that we make your vacation planning easy so you can begin enjoying your vacation before it even starts. We are Disney expert travel agents that take the planning burden off you so you can relax. We know the ins-and-outs of Disney and will pass that insider information onto you. As Disney expert travel agents, we turn Disney trips into magical vacations.

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Why Use a Travel Agent for Disney?

Should I use a travel agent to book my Disney Vacation?  That is a very good question.

Today, it seems all the tools to book a Disney vacation are at our fingertips. And for many destinations, booking your own trip may make sense. But, if you want to go to Disney, booking on your own is not recommended. However, you don’t want to use just any travel agent. You need a Disney travel agent—one that specializes in Disney World.

You may notice that when you begin to research Walt Disney World,  trying to learn your way around is like learning a foreign language. Things like Magic Bands, Skyliner, Memory Maker, and FastPass+ are just some of the many terms you will hear tossed around, and that only applies to Disney World.

Why use a travel agent for Disney? In this article, we’ll tell you why a travel agent for Disney is important, what a Disney travel agent will do for you, and how to find the best Disney travel agent for you.

A Disney Travel Planner is the Secret to a Magical Vacation

Planning a Disney vacation can be very time-consuming, confusing, and frustrating if you really don’t know the ins and outs to Disney. If this is your first time planning a Disney vacation, you might find yourself walking through a dark tunnel trying to find the light at the end, especially when trying to find the best deals or even deciding on the best plans to make for creating the most magical moments.

There is so much to see, so much food to taste, and so much money to be spent! But there is a not-so-secret weapon out there to help you tackle and win planning a Disney vacation. It’s called the “Disney Travel Planner!”

Many people have discovered that booking their Disney vacation with a travel agent helps them maximize their time and save money. Plus, a good travel planner can create a more magical vacation then if you were doing it yourself.

So, Why use a travel agent for Disney? The answer is simple. Having a professional Disney Travel Planner on your team is imperative when looking to plan your vacation of a lifetime! They have all taken a series of training through the Disney’s College of Knowledge program. But the best agents go beyond online training with regular site visits and in-person training to ensure that they know the finer points of booking your personalized vacation.

Your personal Disney guide

Guidebooks and blogs can be helpful. But they are nothing like speaking with a live person.

A Disney World vacation is like no other trip. With over 25,600 acres, it’s twice the size of the island of Manhattan with so much to see and do, how do you decide what’s best for you and your family?

Enlisting the help of someone who really knows the nuances and complexities of planning a Disney vacation can make all the difference in the world.

A professional Disney travel agent is like no other travel agent. They are someone who lives and breathes Disney.  They have visited many times, stayed at all of the resorts , ridden all of the rides, seen all the show, and knows the secrets of what makes a Disney vacation truly magical. On top of that, they know how to navigate through all the options, decisions, and deadlines to make sure you don’t miss a beat.

Below we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about using a Disney travel agent, all great reasons why you should use a travel agent for Disney.  We recommend you consider hiring a Disney travel agent from our list of the  Best Disney World travel agencies .  In our opinion, they possess all the qualities that make great Disney Travel Planners. You can trust your vacation to them.

To learn more about planning a Walt Disney World vacation, read:

• How to Plan a Disney World Vacation

Frequently Asked Questions About Using a Disney Travel Agent

What is a Disney Travel Agent or Disney Travel Planner?

A Disney Travel Agent, also called Disney Travel Planner, is generally as a Disney fanatic. They are highly trained and focused on helping you to plan your most memorable and magical Disney vacation. Typically, they have taken their passion for Disney and turned it into a job, with the best agents turning it into a career.

Most Disney Travel Agents focus on either Disney World or Disneyland. But there are many other Disney destinations that a Disney Travel Agent can a valuable resource for. Those include other Disney resorts such as Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii, Disney’s Vero Beach or Hilton Head Island resort, or Disney resorts overseas such as Disney Paris and those located in Asia. They can also help you book one of the amazing Adventures by Disney trips, and let’s not forget about planning a Disney cruise.

A Disney Travel Agent will be able to offer you complete and up-to-date information about the resorts and theme park, restaurant recommendations, and overall guidance. They will be able to provide price comparisons for various options and help you book and plan your vacation, as well as find you the best deals.

Are all travel agents the same when planning a trip to Disney?

While most travel agents are able to book a reservation, they do not have the depth of knowledge and direct Disney destination experience required to be an official Disney Travel Planner. The level of detail they provide when it comes to Disney travel is not very different than what you could do booking yourself.

This is particularly true if you are dealing with a big box store’s travel department. The person in the call center may have never been to Disney themselves. How are they going to help you? Not to mention, if you call back, you never get the same agent twice.

With a traditional travel agent, you may be left very much on your own. As Disney destination experts, a Disney Travel Agent will be able to provide a much higher level of service and can be a valuable resource throughout the entire planning process. Plus, when you hire a Disney Travel Agent, you get a personal planner who knows you, and who you know you can go to again and again with any question you may have.

Disney Travel Agents are usually referred to as Disney Travel Planners . That is because they do so much more than just book your room. They are your partner through the entire process, before, during, and even after your trip.

Like everything else, not all travel agents are created equal. Even amongst Disney Travel Planners, you will find some differences in their level of knowledge and expertise. In fact, if you’ve called into the Disney reservation center, depending on the cast member you get on a given call, you will even find varying levels of familiarity and first-hand experience.

It’s important to hire an agent you have a good rapport with and a high level of confidence in. You may be working together for a very long time.

Should I Use a Travel Agent for booking my Disney Vacation?

Absolutely! There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

If you and your family have never experienced Disney World before, I would highly recommend contacting a Disney Travel Planner to assist you. The opportunity to have someone in-the-know help you through the process of planning is invaluable. Not hiring a Disney Travel Planner would be a big mistake.

• Which Disney Resort is best?
• How many days should I visit the parks?
• Is a Park Hopper ticket worth it?
• Do I need to buy the dining plan?

Those are just a few of the dozens and dozens of questions a Disney travel specialist can answer for you.

Disney World is unlike any other vacation destination in the world, and it costs a lot of money to visit. To maximize your experience, there is a lot of planning that is involved. “Winging it” is not usually something that works out best in terms of a Disney vacation.

Yes, there are guidebooks online, but there is no substitute for a live person who has been there and can help you make decisions based on what is best for you and your family. A Disney Travel agent is your best advocate and planning partner. Of course, your input is the most important. But their help and guidance will prove invaluable. They will help you sort through all the options so that you are making the best choices for your trip.

Booking your trip with a travel planner does not cost any more than if you were booking with Disney directly—the pricing is the same.

However, Disney Travel Planners consistently monitors all the sales to find you the best deal out there. If a better price or promotion becomes available, they will work to get that deal, even after you have booked with them.

Disney will not do that for you. If you book direct Disney, they will not apply any new sale unless you specifically ask for them. Which leaves you to constantly monitor the sales yourself.

Plus, booking your trip with a travel planner does not cost any more than if you were booking with Disney directly, plus you will get tons of free information and a dedicated person to help every step of the way. So, why not book with a Disney Travel Planner? There is nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I’ve been to Disney before. Why use a travel agent for Disney?

Even if you have been to Disney multiple times and know the parks and resorts, a travel agent can still be of value in several ways.

They can save you money.

Disney Travel Planners continually monitor the sales, even after you have booked. If a better deal comes out, they will work to get you the best possible price—without you even having to ask.

They can save you time.

With one call, a Disney Travel Planner will book your trip, link your reservations to your My Disney Experience Account, personalize your Magic Bands, and arrange for your Magical Express Transportation. If you like, they will also book your FastPass+ and dining reservations for you. All that is left for you to do is pack!

They reduce the stress of planning a vacation.

Managing all the details of planning a Disney vacation is very time-consuming and some are time-sensitive. Disney Travel Planners can take the stress out planning by doing the heavy lifting for you.

If you choose to make your plans yourself, they can still be helpful by making sure that you do not forget to plan the very important details. Plus, they will keep you on track so you do not miss any important dates like your dining or FastPass+ booking window.

Booking your trip with a travel planner does not cost any more than if you were booking with Disney directly. By handing it over to a specialized Disney planner who will make sure it gets done on time and done right is like starting your vacation before you ever leave home.

Are Disney Travel Agents really free?

Disney Travel planners do not charge a fee to book vacations. Travel agencies are paid a small commission to book vacation packages. Those commissions are based on the package components including hotel , tickets , and dining plan .

Although Disney travel expertise varies greatly between agents and agencies, they all have that one thing in common. Commissions are how travel agencies are paid and why travel agents do not charge you to book their trip. If a travel agent wants to charge you simply to book your vacation package, avoid them. There are many great agents that do not charge for booking your trip.

That said, there are other occasions where it is reasonable to expect to pay a service fee to a travel agent.

As previously stated there are varying levels of experience and knowledge, even among Disney travel agents. Some agents do this in their spare time while others do this as their career. Some agents sit behind a computer and research things to do in Disney and recommend things that “seem” enjoyable. Others are out there all the time living it!

Like lawyers, doctors, even plumbers, professionals are expected to be paid for the expertise. Professional Disney Travel Agents are no different. Professional travel planners invest in themselves through extensive training, both online and on the ground so that they can better serve their clients.

They keep up with the latest news and events, but more importantly they research in person. The best agents will have personally stayed at all the resorts, rode every ride, been to every attraction and event, and experienced the extra activities that Disney World has to offer. It is one thing to read a blog or watch a video. It is another to have been there, done that, and be able to pass that onto clients.

You are about to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a vacation. Who do you want on your team, an arm-chair agent, or a planning powerhouse?

What are Concierge Services?

Concierge services go above and beyond booking your trip by providing full, white-glove planning and booking. They create a truly stress-free vacation experience by handling all the details for you. All you need to do it pack and go.

These services vary by agency and typically have different levels of services provided starting with booking FastPasses and dining reservations, up to fully customized itinerary plans, and more.

When considering if it is worth it to have a Disney Travel Planner make your FastPass+ and dining reservations for you, consider this.

To make FastPass+ reservations, they must be online and ready to jump into action before 6:59 EST on the first day the booking window opens. For dining reservations, it’s 5:59 AM EST. Plus, the best planners know how to navigate the system for the best shot at getting those coveted time slots.

If you are paying someone a fee to do that, they are far more likely to be up before dawn compared to someone who is not being paid. They will do it on their schedule.

Some professional Disney travel planners also offer custom itinerary planning. These can be in-depth and detailed plans that often include daily recommended park plans along with insider advice and guidance customized to their clients. They can also provide additional services such as scheduling tours, stroller rentals, or any other services you may need.

Custom itinerary plans, research, pricing, and booking all take time. Typically many, many hours. And Disney does not compensate agents for any of those items and tasks, therefore it is completely reasonable to expect to pay a fee.

No one wants to work for free, even if you love your job.

Some people will tell you to never pay for such services. But, like most things in life, you get what you pay for.

Consider the cost of your time compared to what a professional Disney Travel Planner may charge for concierge services. It’s usually a much better value than it may seem at first.

Why use a travel agent for Disney?  I like planning myself.

With time and effort, you could research your destination and book the trip yourself, but why would you? To save money, of course. Oh, did I mention, booking your trip with a Disney Travel Planner is free? YES, FREE! So, I ask again, why would you book yourself?

In some cases, planning a trip by yourself makes sense. But using a travel agent can be very beneficial. They can help you to decide the best places to stay, the best locations to visit, and even when to go. Plus, a good travel agent who knows your destination first-hand can also help give you tips on where to go and things to do. These are important points no matter where you are going, but if you’re visiting Disney, it becomes crucial.

Plus using a travel agent can make your life much easier. Planning any trips, especially a Disney trip, can be extremely time-consuming. A travel agent can take all of that off your plate and help you start your vacation off stress-free. They can do all the heavy lifting of booking your trip, finalizing the details, and itinerary planning. It’s like starting your vacation before you’ve even left home.

Many people like being in control of all the planning themselves. Understandable. But using a travel agent does not mean giving up control.

Disney Travel Planner is your partner. They are acting on your behalf and creating the vacation you want, not what they enjoy. They should be taking the time to understand you and what you are looking for in a Disney vacation—it is something different to everyone.

A travel agent is there to help you as much or as little you like. Even if you know exactly what you want and prefer to make all your own FastPass+ and dining reservations, that is totally fine.

If nothing else they are there to monitor the sales to be sure you are getting the best price possible, even after you have booked. That alone is worth it.

To learn more the benefits of using a Disney Travel Planner, read:

• Why Use a Disney Travel Planner?

How do I find the best Disney Travel Planner for me?

When you are searching for a Disney World travel agent, it is very important that you find someone that understands your interest and your priorities. It is important to choose someone you have confidence in and a rapport with. You will be working with them for a long time.

The right agent should be asking you lots of questions about your ideal vacation, not just taking orders. Don’t be put off by all the questions. It is their job to understand your dreams and vacation desires. It only helps them to create that memorable vacation that you are longing for and offer the best experience at the happiest place on Earth!

Understanding your budget is another important factor when an agent is designing a trip for you. Don’t be afraid that they are going to try to “sell” you on something that you don’t want or need. The best agents will work within your financial comfort level to recommend the best options for you.

To some, that may mean a more luxurious resort. To someone else, the resort may not matter. Instead they want to experience finer dining. And yet to another, it may mean one-of-a-kind insider experiences. It’s all very personal. A good Disney Travel Planner will know all the options available and guide you to make the most of your money and your time.

Check out our list of the best Disney Travel agents:

• The Best Disney Travel Planners

What if I already booked my trip with Disney?

If you have already booked your trip with Disney directly, or even with a travel agent that does not specialize in Disney, it’s not too late to take advantage of the benefits of working with a Disney travel planner.

If you have booked your trip less than 30-days ago, and have not paid in full, you are able to transfer your reservation to a Disney Travel Planner. Your Disney Travel Planner can tell you how.

If it’s been more than 30 days, if you are staying off Disney property, or if you are using DVC points, there are still some agents that can help. Since they are not earning a commission from Disney to booking your vacation, some agents offer concierge planning services for a fee. It can be well worth the additional charge to get all the benefits we’ve talked about. And the value outweighs the cost.

So, what is the catch?

There is no catch.

A Disney Travel Planner is your best partner in planning the perfect Disney vacation. They are professional agents who are invested in their clients’ happiness. They want to make sure each and every trip is packed full of lifelong, heartwarming memories and magical moments.

When you think about all a specialized Disney Travel Planner offers, it’s a smart choice.  Even if you only use them to book your trip, it’s a win. That part is free, and you still get access to tons of free advice and planning tips. There really is no disadvantage.

Why use a travel agent for Disney? There are many reasons! 

Final Tips About Working with a Disney Travel Agent

Be sure to enlighten your travel agent about any favorite characters, special attractions, or food preferences (including allergies) that you might desire. This will be able to help your agent when booking your magical vacation.

Do not forget that, during the holidays, you want to be sure and ask them about any special events you may want to leave room in your schedule for. There are lots of magical extras and you will not miss out!

As stated before, having a Disney travel planner will make your vacation planning easy. Putting together a fun-filled vacation with memorable moments for the whole entire family should be your travel planner’s top priority. But they are only as good as the information you give them.

If you have any concerns, your agent should be easy to get in touch with. He or she should be able to answer any of the concerns or questions and provide any tips and tricks to make your traveling needs simplified.

Many agents keep regular office hours, but they should be available to you at any time while you are traveling.

So do your own research and find the best agency that fits for you and your family. Then sit back and relax while your planner does all the work for you. Start counting down the days to your visit to the happiest place on Earth!

For more helpful planning tips, check out these articles:

• Planning Timeline and Key Dates
• Disney World Packing List
• Disney Resort Maps

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Booking a Trip with a Disney Travel Agent: Frequently Asked Questions

Personally, when we picture a travel agent we picture a 90’s style office with posters of tropical destinations hung up on the walls. But, that is no longer the reality of a travel agent! While there are many different types of travel agents, today we are focusing on one specific type: a Disney travel agent.

First things first. They are completely  free . In this article we will explain exactly how this is true, a little more about agents, the pros and cons of booking with an agent, qualities a good agent should have, and we’ll end with a gallery of travel agents to help you find the perfect fit for you!

Who can book with a Disney travel agent?

Anyone staying at a Disney resort or a Good Neighbor hotel can book with a travel agent. If you are staying at another offsite location, a travel agent cannot offer their free service to you.

How is a Disney travel agent free?

One of the most confusing parts of travel agents is how they are free! It definitely seems to good to be true. But, they actually aren’t free. They just are paid by Disney, not you! Disney reserves a specific amount of every reservation to be paid to a travel agent. So, every time you don’t use a travel agent Disney collects that fee. If you do choose to use an agent, Disney pays the commission at no additional cost to you.

Pros of Booking with a Disney Travel Agent?

Booking with a travel agent comes with a lot of pros.

1. Travel agents are experts on all things Disney. They can recommend restaurants, rides, resorts to stay at, special experiences, and more. Especially for those who are new to planning their own trips, having an expert on hand to help can be a huge stress reliever. They can also help you plan your itinerary for the day if that is something you are interested in.

2. A travel agent can save you money. The service is free, but with it you can end up saving a lot of money! Travel agents stay up to date on the active deals and discounts Disney releases, and can help rebook your trip for special deals like free dining.

3. They do the dirty work. If you’ve ever tried to book your reservations 180 days in advance, or your fastpasses 60 days out, you know the stress of not getting what you want. It’s a travel agents job to try to help you get your top picks for dining and fastpasses, and they’ll be the ones continuously checking for availability, not you! They’re also the ones who book your hotel for you and any other special events.

Cons of Booking with a Disney Travel Agent?

Despite the fact that there are quite a few pros of booking with agents, it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t discuss the few cons.

1. Not all of your options are available through a travel agent. If you want to stay offsite , or rent DVC points, (both may be more affordable), a travel agent cannot help you with this. However, they can book Good Neighbor Hotels which is another great alternative!

2. If you want to make changes to your reservation, you cannot call Disney and do this. The travel agent is the only one who can contact Disney to make the changes.

3. If you like to have a close eye on the planning process, and don’t love giving up control, a travel agent may not be the best option for you. But, something to note is that the agent can do as much or as little as you want. If you prefer to make all the fastpass selections and dining reservations, you can. Just talk to your agent!

What are the qualities and services a good Disney travel agent should have?

A good travel agent should first and foremost communicate with you. There should be an easy way for you to reach out to your agent with questions, whether it be the phone or email. And, the agent should respond in a timely manner. Not necessarily within a few hours, but depending on the inquiry, they should respond within 24-48 hours during the work week. Before you book with an agent, as them their policy on communication. Do they answer questions on weekends, or is it more of a typical 9-5 schedule?

A travel agent should listen to your needs and questions without getting frustrated. If you can sense that your agent isn’t interested in answering questions, or gets frustrated with them, they may not be the agent for you. Booking a Disney trip can be stressful, so you want someone who is willing to take the time to help you and ease the planning process.

A travel agent should be detail oriented. There are tons of different “deadlines” to remember, like booking fastpasses, dining, and events. The travel agent should not miss a deadline, and if for some reason they do, they should do everything in their power to resolve the issue. (That being said, travel agents are people too, and if someone makes a mistake they are usually more than willing to try to make up for it!)

A travel agent should be knowledgeable about Disney. You should take the time to make sure the agent you are booking with is the right fit for you. If you want to book a cruise, or a trip to Disneyland, you might want an agent who has experience with those type of trips. If you have a family, you might want an agent who books frequently for families or even has kids of their own and understands the stress of traveling with a family.

Find the perfect Disney travel agent for YOU

Does that list overwhelm you? There’s thousands of agents out there, and it’s important to find the right fit for you. So, we reached out to our social media followers for their recommended travel agents. Below you’ll find a list of these agents, with a picture, name, contact information, years of experience, and why you should book with them!

Take your time going through the list and find the perfect agent for you.

Why you should book with Aena: Walt once said, “First, think. Second, dream. Third, believe. And finally, dare.” My love for Disney began as a young girl who believed in the magic of a little mouse and endless possibilities. Now with a family of my own, I’ve perfected the ins and outs of Disney vacations. My travel expertise and passion is to help others discover their love for Disney, no matter their age. With a sense of adventure and compassion, I understand how overwhelming planning a trip can be. Whether you are planning a family vacation, a friends’ trip or a solo getaway, let me share a whole new world with you; one filled with faith, trust, and pixie dust!

Anna Lemmons

Why you should book with Anna : I use to work at Walt Disney World as a Resorts Concierge, so I’ve had plenty of experience making Disney vacations magical for hundreds of families.Although I’m not local, we visit several times a year-whether to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. There’s nothing I love more than spending time in the parks, taking photos, new notes, and gaining more knowledge to assist my clients. I make it a personal goal to stay at a new resort and eat at new restaurants/complete new tours, experiences, dining experiences, etc. each time we visit the parks in order to have the largest variety of experience and information to pass along to my clients.

First time Disney visitors are my favorite to help plan! There is nothing better than starting from scratch and educating Disney newbies about their resort, tickets, dining, and other options. Waking up at 6 and 7am to score those coveted, magical dining reservations and favorite fastpass selections makes me giddy! I truly love to piece together the puzzle of one’s dream, Disney vacation. From trips for toddlers, to thrilling trips to teens, to Disney fairytale honeymoons, I have experience planning all types of trips from start to finish.

I can be as hands on, or hands off as my clients desire. I am dedicated to searching for the best, possible offers to save my clients the most money- and of course my services are always 100% free! They can just sit back, relax, and anticipate their vacation while leaving all of the details up to me.

Ryan Noppinger

Why you should book with Ryan : I completed a Disney College program so I know all the tips and tricks to planning a Disney vacation and getting you the best vacation package or deal for your whole family. I also know the parks like the back of my hand and know how to get around Disney with ease. Let me help make planning your next Disney vacation less stressful and more magical!

Lauren Compasso

Why you should book with Lauren: Hiya pals! My name is Lauren and I currently live in Charleston, SC but my real home is Walt Disney World. I became an Annual Passholder for the first time in 2018 and have since fallen even more in love with the magic of the parks. I’ve been obsessed with Disney ever since I was a little girl watching Lion King and Little Mermaid on repeat practically every day of my childhood. I actually watched Lion King so much that I wore out the VHS twice! The pure fantasy of the all the music and movies has shaped who I am as an adult and I hope to share some of that passion with others!

To me, the most magical thing about Disney is how it brings people together; families and strangers alike. I’ve made so many new friends and loved ones through a shared obsession of Disney and for that reason, it will always have a special place in my heart. Nothing makes me happier than sharing my passion for Disney with others and ever since I became a Disney Travel Agent, I can put that to good use by creating personalized magical vacations! I can’t imagine a better way to spread some pixie dust than by helping someone make the most magical memories ever with their loved ones.

You could say that making dreams come true is my favorite thing to do! I can most commonly be found taking Instagram pictures while eating a Mickey bar and rushing to the next Fastpass. And, I can also be easily spotted by the mouse ears on my head and I am shamelessly excitable around firework shows! You can get to know a little bit more about me and follow along with my Disney adventures by following me on Instagram @girlmeetswalt

Name:  Taryn Lau Agency:   Goldgell Getaways Years Experience :  6 Contact: Facebook   https://www.facebook.com/ laufamilytravels Instagram laufamilytravels YouTube https://www.youtube.com/ laufamilytravels E-Mail:  [email protected]

Why you should book with Taryn: Not only have I planned multiple trips for others, but we’ve also been to Disney MULTIPLE times ourselves.  We always stay on property and have stayed at multiple Disney Resorts.  My 10 year old son also loves to give his recommendations for people who are booking trips with kids!

Shelby Mason

Why should you book with Shelby: I love all things Disney! I come from a family that loves Disney as well. In fact, I have spent my entire life traveling to the Disney parks and going on the Disney Cruises. I love sharing my expertise and experiences with my clients to help make their trips magical!

Also, I have younger siblings and young cousins, so travel with kids is not an issue when it comes to knowing when and what they best things to do are!

Lauren D’Ambra

Why you should book with Lauren:   I am very detail oriented and know Disney Destinations exceptionally well. I’m an Earmarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, a title designated to select travel agencies by Disney. I specialize in family vacations, adult-only vacations, whether it’s birthday, graduation, Disney wedding (I was a Disney bride myself!), honeymoon, babymoon, anniversary or just because, as well as luxury Disney vacations!

Also, I provide concierge level (dining, FastPasses, tours, Bibbidibobbidi Boutique, shore excursions, etc) service to my clients to provide the most magical vacations with the most magical Disney memories!! I frequent Disney World multiple times a year & also attend frequent onsite training across all Disney Destinations throughout the year to stay up-to-date on the newest happenings.

Renee’ Hood

Why you should book with Renee’: I participated in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World for the fall and spring semesters as well as done over 15 runDisney races and have been to Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

Alyssa Maisano

Name: Alyssa Maisano Agency: Kingdom Magic Vacations Years of Experience : 6 years (October 2013) Contact: [email protected] Cell: 214-762-0635 Facebook Instagram

Why you should book with Alyssa: I used to work at WDW on Splash and Pirates of the Caribbean. I also worked for the Disney Store. I have 4 kids and have taken them to the parks DL and WDW since they were toddlers and the Disney Cruise. Last trip was with my kids in August. I drove from Texas all by myself with 4 kids to WDW!

Stephanie Martin

Why you should book with Stephanie:  I currently live 5 minutes from Magic Kingdom, my family moved here a year ago.  Disney is my passion and I love being able to share it with others.  I have two small children and have been taking them both to Disney since they were 6 months old.  They now go several times a week.  It never gets old, we simply love being there and enjoying the magic together.  I plan all of my clients’ vacations just as I would my own.  I want them to be able to spend more time making memories with their family and less time worrying about all the little details.

Amanda Perkins

Why you should book with Amanda: I truly enjoy planning Disney vacations! I’ve been planning my own, and family & friends trips for free for years, ever since my own Honeymoon in Disney World 14 years ago. I love being a Disney Vacation Planner because it gives me so much joy when I’m able to make my clients happy.

When I tell them I was able to get the restaurant or Fastpass they wanted, and I can just see their happy faces in the park, and imagine the magical moments they will have! I know all the little tips & tricks that I share with my clients, once they book with me, from the most kid friendly restaurants to the best and worst bathrooms throughout the parks (Norway in Epcot is the best!) I also offer my clients that I’ll help them book their restaurant reservations & Fastpass+ if they’d like me to! And because I’m with an Earmarked agency, which means we’re Mickey Mouse approved, my services are FREE to my clients!

Sydney Delpidio

Why you should book with Sydney:  After years of visiting WDW, I’ve been on so many types of trips. From senior trips to big family vacations to couple’s getaways, I’ve planned for/done it all! I am also a current Annual Passholder so I’m constantly trying out my itineraries to maximize play time and minimize wait time!  My blog ( www.mouseteens.com )  is all about my Disney humor, adventures, and knowledge, and now my Disney Travel Planner experiences as well!

Kristy Ouellette

Name: Kristy Ouellette Agency: Mickey Guru Travel Company, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency Years of Experience: Celebrated our 5th anniversary this year Contact: Email: [email protected] Website: www.mickeyguru.com Instagram: mickeyguru Facebook: MickeyGuruTravel

Why you should book with Kristy: We pride ourselves on being highly responsive and focused on our clients experience – from the moment they book their trip through their return home. We help with as much, or as little, as each client likes so no two trips are the same. We have nearly 30 agents located all around the country that work on our team.

Damon Vinci

Why you should book with Damon: People should book with me because I’m all about all things Disney.  I’ve been to all of the American parks and both sizes of their cruise line.  I’m a dad of girls so while I have the experience of taking girls to Disney, I also have a dad’s perspective on the parks and cruises.  I love all things Disney and can’t wait to talk more about it with you!

Julia Schilling

Why you should book with Julia: I absolutely adore my career…and I know that it is truly my calling! I love my clients like family, and put my whole heart into planning each and every trip! Also, I work for an amazing company, and we strive for excellence in all we do! I’ve been a Disney Girl (as my mom calls me) since the tiny age of 6 months when I first visited Disneyland!

I have grown up visiting Walt Disney World each year, and it is truly such a huge part of who I am! My family and I have a 10 day trip coming up next week, and will be back again in mid-May! Also, I am a WDW AP holder and truly just love living the Disney life! I’m a wife and momma (two cutie kiddos Olive and Ezra), and my husband and I also own our own Photography business!

I just LOVE life, LOVE people, love making new connections, and of course, I LOVE Disney. Mostly, I am living my dream as a Travel Specialist! I strive to be my clients’ biggest advocate, taking care of each and every detail, all while just loving on them along the way! This life is short, it is SO worth it to be doing something I absolutely LOVE!!

Why you should book with Grant: I have just entered the Travel Agency world but am an avid Disney follower and traveler! I will take care of you and fellow guests to make sure you get the best experience possible!

Whitney Dedmon

Why you should book with Whitney : I’m a WDW AP and have traveled to WDW every year since I was 7! So, I know all the ins and outs of planning a Disney vacation!

Wrapping It Up

We hope you found this article helpful! If you have any questions, you can ask in the comments below or email us. If you’re a travel agent you would like to be added to the list, send us an email at [email protected]

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Best Disney Travel Agents

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to Disney Travel Planners. Why would anyone use Disney travel agents in this fast-paced digital world when they could just book their own trip online, right? Well, not exactly. You certainly can book your own Disney vacation, but we wouldn’t recommend it.

While there are plenty of online resources to go it alone, the truth is booking your Disney vacation with a specialized Disney travel planner can bring a lot of added value to your trip. And since not all Disney travel agencies are created equal, it’s especially important to work with a reputable one. Therefore, you should always book your vacation with the best Disney travel agents so that everything is done correctly and, ultimately, your Disney trip is as magical as it can be.

Below you will find our list of the top 6 best Disney travel planners in the business today. We follow this list with some of the key reasons why you should always seek out the assistance of a Disney travel agent in the first place. So let’s get started!

Top 6 Disney Travel Planners

(best disney travel agencies).

As you’ll discover later in this article, booking with a Disney travel agency is the smart approach. But before we get into that, let’s take a look at some of the best Disney travel agencies in the business today. Here’s our list of the top 6 Disney travel planners (in our opinion):

1. The Vacationeer

Our top-rated Disney travel planner award goes to The Vacationeer because of their impressive track record of customer satisfaction and professionalism. And we aren’t the only ones who are impressed.

A Diamond Level Earmarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

Disney has recognized The Vacationeer for its success and professionalism. As such, Disney has designated The Vacationeer as both a Diamond Level Producer and an Earmarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner . These designations are only reserved for top-tier Disney travel agencies.

Satisfied Customer Base

The Vacationeer is a boutique travel agency specializing in Disney , Universal, cruise line, and destination resort vacations. With a satisfied client base from around the country, Vacationeers gives their clients personalized touches that larger agencies do not. They go above and beyond their competitors and strive to exceed their client’s expectations from the start to the completion of a Disney trip.

The Vacationeer’s goal is simple: to create magical vacations filled with memories that will last a lifetime. Sounds great, but how do they accomplish this?

Depth of Disney Knowledge

It starts with a staff of knowledgeable “Vacationeers” – all graduates of the College of Disney Knowledge – who not only know a lot about Disney but are also passionate Disney fanatics. In other words, this isn’t just a job; crafting their client’s stress free Disney vacation is rewarding and exciting.

To have this kind of in-depth knowledge, the Disney travel agents at The Vacationeer frequently visit the park. They keep tabs on all the new rides coming to Disney World , all the latest theme park news, and what hotels are being built. That first-hand expertise is something you won’t find with travel wholesalers such as Costco !

The Right Vacation Package For You (At The Lowest Cost)

Vacationeers also stay on top of the latest Disney promotions and best deals. This allows them to pass on as many savings to their client as possible.

Each vacation package is uniquely tailored to the client’s specific goals to ensure satisfaction. At every step of the way, The Vacationeer is there to help you and ensure your vacation is as magical as possible.

Whether you are looking for the best value, a luxury vacation fit for a king or queen, or something in the middle, The Vacationeer has you covered!

You can rest assured that the Disney travel planners at The Vacationeer are some of the best in the industry. They’re in the business of satisfying each customer’s expectations while striving to be among the friendliest to work with. And the proof is in the pudding: The Vacationeer has hundred of 5-star Google reviews.

So, whether it’s your first trip to Disney World or your 30th, we think The Vacationeer is the premier agency to depend on. Contact them today!

Disney Travel Services

The Vacationeer will help you plan and book your hotel accommodations , theme park tickets, advanced dining reservations , and more. In addition, they will advise you through making your Disney Genie+ selections and setting up a payment plan that fits within your monthly budget. And it’s no small bonus that they’ll contact Disney for you if anything pops up… much better than you waiting on hold!

Besides Disney World, the agency is well-versed and fully authorized to book travel for other popular resort destinations and cruise line vacations . And if you’re considering cruising with Disney , you’ll be happy to know that The Vacationeer offers one of the highest onboard credits around — that’s free money to use while you’re onboard the ship! So whether it’s a family vacation, honeymoon, romantic getaway, or just a solo trip away from the grind, The Vacationeer is the best travel agency in the business (in our opinion).

And, of course, their services are 100% free . Click the button below for a free, no-obligation quote, or call them toll-free at  1-833-4MY-TRIP.

Prefer to work with a travel agent who lives near you?

The Vacationeer has agents in most states:

AL ∙ AZ ∙ CA ∙ CT ∙ FL ∙ GA

IL ∙ IN ∙ KY ∙ LA ∙ MA ∙ MD

ME ∙ MI ∙ MS ∙ NC ∙ NJ ∙ NV

NY ∙ OH ∙ OK ∙ PA ∙ RI ∙ SC

TN ∙ TX ∙ VA ∙ VT ∙ WI

The Vacationeer books the following travel destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World Resort (FL) ✓  Theme Parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios ✓  Water Parks: Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon ✓  All Disney World Resort hotels, as well as non-Disney resorts ✓  Disneyland Resort (CA) ✓  Disney Cruise Line ✓  Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓  Universal Studios (FL and CA)

✓  SANDALS® Resorts: Caribbean 5 Star Luxury Included Resorts ✓  BEACHES Resorts ✓  Atlantis Bahamas ✓  Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

2. EnchantAway Travel

We know the team behind EnchantAway Travel very well. It was founded by the owner of one of the top selling Disney Travel Agencies in the country, and their leadership team boasts more than 30 years of experience in the travel industry.

EnchantAway is a boutique travel agency staffed solely by dedicated Disney fans just like you, who’ve chosen to use their vast knowledge (and love) of the parks and resorts to help other families plan the perfect trip.

EnchantAway and its agents are true professionals, through-and-through. Agents must graduate from the College of Disney Knowledge, and they have decades of Disney experience. EnchantAway holds its agents to the same high standards of service and accuracy that apply to Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agencies twenty times their size.

Thanks to their love of Disney and their dedication to a mission of “fans helping fans,” EnchantAway is already garnering rave reviews from its clients. We’ve heard from several who can’t say enough about the dedicated, one-on-one service they get. A consistent refrain is that “they cared about my trip as if it were their own” and “I think my agent was just as excited about my vacation as I was!”

Whether you’re planning for the parks, considering a cruise, or looking to adventure further abroad, you’re sure to be enchanted by the exceptional service you get from the passionate, expert Disney vacation planners at EnchantAway Travel.

Their planning services are completely free, so get your no-cost, no-obligation quote today!

EnchantAway Travel can help with these destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World Resort (FL) ✓  Disneyland Resort (CA) ✓  Disney Cruise Line ✓  Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓  Universal Studios (FL and CA)

3. Glass Slipper Concierge

Glass Slipper Concierge is a division of Sanborn’s Travel Service and is based in Corpus Christi, TX. The Agency is headed by author Cara Goldsbury, whose travel articles have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, Travel Weekly, Forbes Traveler , and more.

Cara’s agency has received praise for its dedication to its customer base and is staffed with enthusiastic Disney fanatics. However, what really differentiates them from other Disney Travel agencies is their focus on crafting luxury Disney vacations . So if you refuse to settle for anything but the best in Disney accommodations, fine dining, and services – and have the budget for the golden treatment – Glass Slipper Concierge may be the people you need to talk with.

Please note that Glass Slipper’s “Gold Key Advisor” planners charge a vacation management fee for their services.

Glass Slipper Concierge books the following travel destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World Resort (FL) ✓  Disneyland Resort (CA) ✓  Disney Cruise Line ✓  Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓  Four Seasons Resort Orlando ✓  Other Destinations

4. Mouse Vacation Planning

Jeffrey Merola is a busy guy. He’s a husband, a father, an author of 11 Disney guidebooks, and the founder of the Disney travel agency Mouse Vacation Planning, LLC.

Jeff has toured Disney World over 340 days despite being situated in upstate New York. There’s no question he is a Disney fanatic!

As a Disney travel agent, Jeff is committed to providing his clients with the 1st class service they deserve. His goal is to make their vacation dreams become a reality.

So whether it is your 1st visit or your 21st, Jeff will be there to help you create the most magical Disney vacation possible.

He’ll take the stress out of planning and booking your family vacation so that all you have to do is pack your suitcase and go!

Mouse Vacation Planning books the following travel destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World Resort (FL) ✓  Disneyland Resort (CA) ✓  Disney Cruise Line ✓  Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓  Universal Orlando

5. Fairytale Journeys

Fairytale Journeys has been helping clients save time and money since its founding in 2009. As authorized Disney Vacation Planners and a Universal Orlando Preferred Travel Agency, Susanne and Steve’s team of more than 150 agents certainly know the ropes when it comes to traveling to Orlando’s major attractions.

Thinking of cruising? They can book your trip on Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Norwegian, Virgin, and more!

The agency has been designated as Earmarked Platinum through Disney, and its agents consistently receive high marks from their clients.

Fairytale Journeys specializes in the following travel destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World ✓  Universal Orlando ✓  Disneyland ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓  Disney’s Aulani ✓  Disney Cruise ✓  Other Cruise Lines ✓  Sandals/Beaches Resorts

6. The Magic for Less

The Magic for Less Travel is another large Disney travel agency. Located in Cranberry Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania, the agency currently employs over 40 Disney travel planners. Their mission statement reads: “We make dreams come true by providing the best vacation planning services so our guests will experience a truly magical vacation.”

The Magic for Less Travel professionals are there to help you find the best price, features, and value at the various Disney Destinations. As an added bonus, they also book Hawaiian vacations and Disney’s Hilton Head and Vero Beach resorts. So if a larger agency focusing on value is music to your ears, The Magic for Less Travel may be the right Disney travel agency for you.

The Magic for Less books the following Disney destinations:

✓  Walt Disney World Resort (FL) ✓  Disneyland Resort (CA) ✓  Disney Cruise Line ✓  Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa ✓  Adventures by Disney ✓   Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort ✓   Disney’s Vero Beach Resort ✓   Universal Orlando Resort

Top Reasons why you should use

Disney travel planners.

Is a Disney Travel Agent the Way to Go ?

Simply put…YES!

Not only can Disney travel planners answer all of your questions, but they also find you the best possible vacation package – at the best promotional rate available anywhere.

Disney travel planners also do the time-consuming “heavy lifting” of booking as many aspects of a Disney World v acation as you wish. And- trust me – there are plenty of time-sensitive details to book!

But what is most surprising to a potential client is that the services of Disney World travel agents are entirely free of charge. No hidden fees, no fine print – nothing.

When you add all the pluses and minuses, there’s really no advantage whatsoever in booking your own trip. So when you see the value Disney travel planners can offer you, it’s a no-brainer decision.

With that said, let’s review some of these key advantages in greater detail.

Here are the main reasons why booking your Disney World vacation with a specialized Disney travel planner is the smart choice:

⭐ A Disney Travel Planner’s Depth of Knowledge of Walt Disney World

This one is especially important if you are visiting Disney World for the first or second time.

Since Disney is a massive theme park filled with all sorts of parks, attractions, resorts, restaurants, entertainment, and transportation options, you need someone who can help you plan and navigate through every step of your Disney World trip. Of course, your input is the most important. But their help and guidance will be invaluable if you don’t already know the ropes.

As amazing as Disney World is, it fast becomes less amazing when you realize you don’t know where you are going. In addition, your experience suffers when you encounter crowded attractions, can’t get a table at popular restaurants, or have booked a vacation package that isn’t perfect for you.

Guidebooks and online blogs can be helpful, but you need to talk with someone with first-hand Disney knowledge of the park’s aspects. A Disney Travel Agent can help you navigate through all of these unknowns and craft a vacation package that’s right for you.

Not all Disney travel planners (and Disney travel agencies) are created equal. Thus, it is important to find a dedicated Disney travel planner whom you can trust for the correct information and guidance.

When you first contact a Disney travel planner, don’t be afraid to ask questions like: how many times have you been to Disney World? When was the last time you were at the park? Which restaurant has the best buffet? Which Magic Kingdom attractions have the shortest lines ? What are the most popular Disney Genie+ (Lightning Lane) attractions? Etc., etc., etc. Many things change over the years, so you want to be sure the person making your recommendations has the most current official Disney information and knows the ropes.

⭐ The Personalized Service Disney Travel Agents Provide

The best Disney Travel Planners should make you feel like they are “on your side” and looking out for your best interests. For example, if you tell them you want to spend 4 nights at a budget-friendly Disney resort, then a good Disney travel planner will respect your goals. They will never try to up-sell you with a more elaborate Disney vacation package.

Disney travel planners should give you the personalized attention any client deserves. This means answering your questions, giving tips and advice to help you decide an itinerary based on your goals, meeting your deadlines, and putting in the extra effort to make sure that every aspect of your Disney World vacation is extra magical.

You certainly won’t get the same level of personalized service if you were to book your trip online. And even when you call Disney’s reservation hotline, you will speak with a different Disney employee each time you call. That can get confusing!

Going through a Disney travel planner is the only way to feel like you have a friend helping you.

Unless you already know Disney all there is to know about Disney World, there’s no downside in having someone on your side to help you plan your trip.

⭐ To get the Best Possible Rate: They Monitor Deals and Special Promotions

Another key advantage of using a Disney travel planner is that they are constantly monitoring new discounts and promotions offered by Disney. It’s their job to do this so you don’t do have to do it yourself.

As you book your trip, a Disney travel planner will find the best current rates available (based on any deals/promotions that Disney is running).

Once the trip is booked, your Disney travel planner will continually monitor all Disney promotions available. Suppose any discounts spring up after a trip has been booked. In that case, a Disney travel planner will modify any existing client’s reservation to take advantage of these applicable discounts.

Having an astute Disney travel planner – constantly on the lookout to save you money – is never a bad thing!

⭐ Booking your Advanced Dining Reservations for You

Some clients prefer to be more hands-on than others. No problem! You can still utilize the services of authorized Disney vacation planners while also doing a lot of the legwork – and some of the booking – yourself. This may include the planning/itinerary and booking of things like transportation, stroller rentals , and Advance Dining Reservations. On the other hand, some clients prefer to leave every single detail up to the Disney travel agent. It’s really up to you how involved you want to be.

At the minimum, the only aspects that a travel agent would need to take care of would be to book your hotel/ticket/dining plan package and to process the payments for your trip. Otherwise, your level of involvement is up to you. However, be warned that some of the bookings are confusing to the uninitiated, not to mention time-consuming and time-sensitive.

Most clients are happy to let their experienced travel planners make all the reservations because they know exactly what they are doing. Plus, they have the time – and obligation – to do it, so why not let them handle it?

If unforeseen circumstances arise after booking your trip, your Disney travel agent is there to help. So if you encounter a medical or family issue, hurricane, pandemic, or whatever, your planner will help you change your existing reservations or re-book the entire trip to a later date.

⭐ All of this – and it’s Free!

Most travel planners receive a small commission for booking their client’s trips. However, this commission comes directly from Disney (not the clients). The clear beneficiary of this policy is you – the client. Some authorized Disney vacation planners do, in fact, charge for their services. Avoid them like the plague! No need to pay someone to do the work that most agencies do for free.

And – if you think there is some sort of catch or hidden fees somewhere – rest assured that there are none. The best Disney travel agencies are strictly no fee. And not only are the services of a Disney travel planner entirely free, but they put you in a position to get the absolute best rates offered anywhere (by closely monitoring the discounts/promotions and adjusting your Disney vacation package anytime a better offer becomes available).

Ready to Book? Choose an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner

We recommend working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner . Disney bestows this award on only a limited number of agencies in the country – the few that have proven themselves in terms of exceptional customer service and sales volume. Knowing this, why work with unproven travel agencies when a Disney-approved Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? They are the best in the business and 100% free to use!

So just to make this clear, when you book with a Disney travel planner, you’ll be speaking with a Disney expert who will answer your questions and steer you in the right direction. Your Disney travel agent will also find you the best possible rates. Furthermore, after you decide what to do and where to stay, your dedicated agent will book all aspects of your Disney vacation for you. So yes, you still get to call the shots. However, you won’t have the hassle of booking everything yourself. No headaches and no stress.

How often do you get this level of service for free ?! Probably NEVER! There’s really no downside to using a good Disney travel planner on your next trip.

Have we convinced you? If so, then contact one today. You won’t regret it!

Have a magical Disney World vacation!

Thank you for reading our Best Disney Travel Planners page. For more helpful Disney World vacation information, see our Disney Dining Plan Calculator , Disney World Transportation Map , Disney World Resort Map , Disney World Tips and Tricks , and our Disney World Crowd Calendar pages.

And if doing all of this — and getting a paycheck for it(!) — sounds like your idea of a dream job, be sure to check out our  How To Become a Disney Travel Agent article, too!

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What to look for in a Disney Vacation Travel Agent

Note: this is NOT a sponsored post. I do receive affiliate commission at no extra cost to you for some recommendations, but I only mention companies that I personally trust. Read full Disclosure Policy.

By Alisha Molen

Why I Use a Disney Vacation Travel Agent

8 reasons i always use a travel agent to book disney vacations.

Disney (any park, any length of stay) is a huuuuugggge vacation. It's so dreamy. I want it to be special! Here are the eight reasons I always use a Disney travel agent for Disney vacations of any kind.

I Want the Best Deal

It’s a big expense. I want to get my money’s worth. My travel agent knows the best Disney deals and can hook me up.

Disney can be Overwhelming

Disney (every park, every hotel) has so much to experience, so much to learn. Fortunately, my travel agent knows ALL. THE. THINGS.

Disney is Constantly Changing

Disney specialists are working in the vacation details every day. They keep up with the latest news, attractions, and offers.

I Don’t Want to Miss Any Magic

There are so many details to Disney. So many things I don’t know. (And I pay attention!) By working with a Disney travel agent, I have access to their expertise. Why do they know so much? Because of #5...

Personal Experience

Working with someone that has a lot of personal experience with Disney parks and hotels gives me another trusted source for information. My travel agent has experienced just about everything Disney has to offer.

It Saves Time

It would take me forever and totally stress me out to try to find the best deals on my own, book everything at the right time, and handle all the details. My agent saves me so much time!

It Costs Me Nothing

See my explanation below

I Get Bonus Perks

I love working with my agent because she often hooks me up with goodies. For a cruise , the on-board credit perks are awesome! ( More on that here .)

What a Disney Vacation Travel Agent Does

A certified Disney travel agent can help you plan EVERY aspect of your trip.

They can do stuff like:

• Tell you the difference between the different ticket types
• Make recommendations about how many days you should stay
• Give you transportation options before, during, and after your vacation
• Suggest a hotel that is a good fit for your family
• Reveal any deals you didn’t know about

Why it’s FREE to Use a Disney Travel Agent

For most travel agents, like my favorites at Get Away Today , there is no fee to use their services.

Agents make a small commission on what they sell, leaving it free to us, the vacationers, to benefit from their knowledge and expertise.

How an Agent Can Help if Something Goes Wrong

One benefit that many people don’t think of is that if something goes wrong on your trip, your travel agent is your advocate.

Especially with Get Away Today (I recommend them, spoiler alert!).

They send so much business to Disney that they have special contacts to help out that we don’t have access to.

What You Should Look For When Picking a Disney Travel Agent

When you talk to any Disney travel agent, I look for these three things before booking anything:

• Find an agent with on-site experience with the park or resort you’re visiting

How to Get the Best Results from Your Agent

Give your travel agent as much information as possible. By default, they will need genders and ages of family members to quote you prices.

However, the more information you provide, such as your interests, what you value in a vacation experience, your favorite things about Disney, what stresses you out, etc., the more your travel agent can give you create personalized recommendations.

So go ahead, open up and share!

Why a Disney Vacation travel agent is better than other non-specialists

T here's a LOT to know about Disney vacations. All the current deals, different ticket types, hotel types, transportation options.

Sure, pretty much any agency can book tickets .

But you don’t need that! You want someone that is an expert in Disney .

You want a specialist .  A Disney guru that will:

• Get you the best deal
• Ensure you have the most magical experience
• Share tips for saving money
• Understand all the ticket types
• Give advice on the best hotels
• Give ideas of other things to do in Orlando or Anaheim

Disney Experience Matters

Even with all my experience on Disney vacations, I admit that I only know a portion of all the magical things there are to know about Disney.  (Yes, even cruises !)

This is why I love working with a travel agent that specializes in Disney vacations.

A specialist with a lot of Disney experience will be able to “unlock” tips and tricks that are perfect for my vacation.

Anytime you go to a non-specialized agency, you get a big discrepancy among agents knowledge and experience.

A good Disney vacation travel agent should be an expert in:

• Disney world
• Disney Cruise
• Adventures by Disney

The Company Cares about Travel Agents for Disney

I love this part.

The company requires all travel agents for Disney to take an online course annually to be certified.

Additionally, many Disney agents attend FAM (or Familiarization) trips where they tour a destination and do on-site training.

You Can Get Bonus Perks

M any authorized Disney agents have access to bonus perks to entice someone to book through them. 

Always, always, always ask your agent if there are any bonuses or incentives for booking. 

Quick example:

Our favorite Disney travel agent for booking cruises is Get Away Today . 

They offer "on board credit" with your booking (depending on stateroom, length of trip, etc). 

On-board credit is basically free money that you can spend while on the ship.

This is what they currently offer for onboard credit. See? Free goodies! 

Current Disney Cruise Onboard Credit from Get Away Today

Why i recommend get away today.

It was a wonderful day when I discovered Get Away Today .

I used to think I had no choice but to purchase Disneyland tickets from Disney. Discovering an alternative that would help me to save money on Disneyland tickets was exciting!

They’re a legit, authorized Disney ticket reseller with great customer service. They've been in business almost 30 years and are rated A+ on BBB . You’re safe to purchase from them in confidence.

Tickets are Same as Buying from Disney Tickets purchased from Get Away Today have the EXACT same benefits as those purchased at the Disney gate.

Disclosure: If you buy tickets through the Get Away Today links, I get a small commission. It’s not much but it helps keep the website running and doesn’t cost you any extra. You don’t have to use my links, but I’m very thankful when you do. I recommend them not because of the commission but because I use them myself. 

*EXCLUSIVE COUPON: Save More on Each Package

Use coupon code PICTURETHEMAGIC at checkout on GetAwayToday.com to receive a little extra off any vacation package.

After deciding to feature Get Away Today, I contacted them to ask for some exclusive savings. They said yes and gave me this Get Away Today discount code!

Pin for Later

Should you use a Disney travel agent?

By: Author Shannon Albert

Published: July 17, 2023 Updated: March 22, 2024

Although general travel agents aren’t needed as much anymore, destination-specific experts like Disney travel agents are still invaluable since they provide such detailed guidance on a specific place.

Unless people are willing to spend a lot of time reading and researching, we usually recommend they use a Disney World-focused agent to help plan trips.

However, there are pros and cons to using a Disney travel agent . Here’s a list to help you evaluate if using a travel agent is right for you.

Pros of using a Disney travel agent

Disney knowledge.

This seems obvious, right? But when it comes to Disney World (which requires more research than just about any other destination), it can be a huge time and stress savings to rely on an expert to help advise you on your trip plans.

Usually free to you

It doesn’t cost you any extra to book through an agent vs. booking straight through Disney. Disney pays commission to the agency that books you, but at no cost to you.

Note: some agents charge planning fees to help compensate them for their time, especially since Disney commissions are almost always lower than other suppliers.

Could save you money

Not only does it not cost you anything to use an agent, it can actually save you money because agents are aware of all new discount codes and will apply them to your reservation as they become available.

Can help with difficult situations

Good travel agents can help advocate for their clients in case things go wrong. Situations like issues with hotel rooms, illnesses during trips, items lost during a vacation, and many other things can pop up, and agents can super helpful in handling those for you.

Itinerary planning

Overwhelmed by all the details of planning a Disney World trip? Agents can put together plans for your trip so you’ll know what to do when you get there. However, agent commissions are primarily made on hotel bookings, so don’t expect most agents to be willing to plan your itinerary unless they’re also doing commissionable things for you as well.

Group bookings

Travel agents can often get better deals on group bookings, since negotiating with the supplier is something agencies can do.

Cons of using a Disney travel agent

Relinquishing control.

Control freaks may not be comfortable relying on somebody else to book their trip. However, you can do as much or as little as you’d like when working with an agent.

Changes must go through the agent

If you want to make changes to your reservation that was booked through an agent, you have to go through the agent to make those changes. You won’t be able to call Disney to make modifications.

Not all options are available

Disney agents use Disney’s systems to book your travel. That eliminates some options that might make more sense for your family – things like renting DVC points .

*****************

If you decide to go with an agent, we recommend you go with somebody experienced. We partner with Small World Vacations. To work with them, fill out a quote request and it will go to a team of agents with years of experience to help you plan the perfect vacation. 

Thursday 8th of August 2019

Hey Shannon! I have been listening to your podcasts for a several years now and something I've been debating lately is becoming a Disney TA. While I have been researching it sounds like you need to belong to an authorized agency and you have to apply. How does one start this process? Google or a Careerbuilder type of website. I am an experienced planner having done corporate travel and event planning as well as wedding planning and Disney has become a huge interest in my life over the past 5 years. I think it's a great fit for my skills but seems like a hard thing to get into. I am an independent contractor so I have the time and the talent to do this, just don't know where to start!

Saturday 14th of October 2017

I’m a supercontrol freak and did all the planning for our first 5 Disney trips.

Last two trips, I decided to use certain well known Disney travel agency because they had 30% off POFQ (which is rarely discounted) and deep 30-40% off Poly & BC. This was significantly better than any Disney discount for this time period. Also I got 10% off park tickets and a free water park passes.

I didn’t really have to relinquish any control. I was emailed my Disney confirmation number, and my resort and tickets were automatically linked to MDE, so I could still make my dining ADRs and FP+ on my own.

The only thing I had to depend on them for was to enter my room location request which I emailed to them and requested it be entered exactly as written.

They only require one night room deposit on booking and cancelation policy is good with full refund of everything up to 5 days before checkin, lost deposit after that.

This works well for us when we aren’t renting DVC points. I’m not sure how many other agencies are out there that offer deep discounts like this on resorts or tickets.

Sunday 14th of May 2017

What about help with the Hawaiian Disney Resort??

Monday 12th of December 2016

I travel for work and have travel rewards that I would like to use, would a Disney travel agent use my points that I was wanting to use for hotels or airfare?

Tuesday 5th of July 2016

My husband and I are wanting to book a trip for September 2017. When should we reach out to a travel agent to start planning?

Monday 26th of September 2016

Dining reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance. my answer is its never too early to start the magic!

How to Find the Best Disney Travel Agent (and why you should use one)

Should you use a Walt Disney Travel Agent for your next solo trip?

The answer is a little different for everyone.

Walt Disney World is a huge place with a lot of attractions . The problem is, many of the attractions are hard to find, and if you’re not paying attention, you may miss an event that rarely comes around.

In this article, we’ll consider a few of the pros and cons of having an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to help you decide if having one is right for you. We’ll also go over how to choose the best Disney Travel Agent for your adventure!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Questions this article will answer:

• What is a Disney Travel agent?
• Why use a Travel Agent for Disney?
• What are the pros and cons of using a Disney Travel Planner?
• Is it cheaper to book Disney through a travel agent?
• What questions should I ask an authorized Disney travel agent?
• What are Tips to finding a good Disney travel agent?
• Who is my Disney travel agent recommendation?

What is a Walt Disney Travel Agent and What Do They Do?

A Disney travel agent is a specialist in all things Disney. They stay up to date on all the upcoming attractions and customize your itinerary based on all the interests of you and your family.

Many agents even attend a special Disney college to make sure they know the best way to put your package together.

ORDER NOW to secure your Orlando theme park ticket reservation in the parks! GET MY TICKETS.

5 Pros for Getting an Authorized Disney Planner

1 – Cost Effective

Most travel agencies do not charge you to plan your vacation.

That’s right!

You do not have to pay for a Disney Vacation Planner. Disney covers all agent fees themselves.

So whether you book through them or do it yourself, there’s no extra cost for the service!

2 – Time Saver

Your agent does all of the rate comparisons, so you don’t have to. Disney’s wait time for phone booking can be rather lengthy, so it’s nice to have someone do the waiting for you at no extra charge!

3 – Easy Planning

Combing through every single Disney attraction can be overwhelming, to say the least!

A good agent is knowledgeable and already knows what’s available, so you don’t do any of the work.

4 – Personalized Service

Your travel agent will become familiar with you, your group, or your family and learn your preferences. This means direct answers to your questions and a more personalized travel plan.

5 – Easy to Customize

A thorough conversation with your agent is usually all you’ll need to completely customize your vacation.

If you’re traveling with family, just let your agent know, and they’ll be sure to include family-friendly events.

Have a DIFFERENT kind of Orlando vacation with a Resort home next to Disney World. Find Your Disney Resort Vacation Rental here!

Walt Disney Travel Agent Cons

1 – changing your itinerary.

Changes to your itinerary after you’ve booked with a travel agent have to come from the agent, not you.

 Grab you own Disney World itinerary below!

So, keep that in mind once you choose your authorized vacation planner for your trip.

2 – Finding a Reputable Agency

Not all agencies are earmarked or interested in alerting you to the great deals. You’ll want to find the best Disney Travel Agent by doing a little bit of research.

I decided that using a Disney Travel Agent was the way to go when they let me know a trip I already booked had dropped in price which saved me money.

Is it Cheaper to Book Disney through a Travel Agent?

In many cases, yes.

Travel agencies don’t charge you anything to book your vacation. All agents are paid by the destination, not the guest. In this case, that’s Disney.

As Laura puts it, “in essence what that means is that you are paying for the travel planner [in your ticket] whether you use one or not.”

Since Disney has already covered the cost through the purchase of the tickets, the service is already 100% free to you.

Your agent will watch the promotions for you and go over all the available hotels, attractions, etc. to land you the best price.

And since every deal is not so widely advertised, they may even be able to save you money on discounts you didn’t know were there.

If no specials or agent loopholes are available, you’ll simply pay the price you would have if you did it yourself without having done any of the work.

In the end, you’ll definitely save time, and your price will either be the same or cheaper.

How to Find the Best Disney Travel Agent

Finding a Disney travel agent is incredibly easy. You simply type in “Disney Travel Agent” into your preferred search engine and click whichever result speaks out to you the most.

Once you find a Disney Planner be sure to ask the following questions:

• What is your policy on price alerts?
• Are you an earmarked travel agency with Disney?
• Do you also book flights? (If not, that’s okay. You might find a better deal on flights on your own)
• Are you able to get big savings that someone wouldn’t get elsewhere?
• Can you help with booking Dining Reservations and FastPasses?
• What if I have already booked my package on my own, can I still work with you?
• How much is your service and what is included?

If you can’t get any clear answers or you feel uneasy, then pass on that planner and continue looking until you find someone who understands your vacation goals.

Your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner should be able to create a very detail vacation itinerary for you or be able to create a simple one for you based on your needs.

My Recommended Authorized Disney Vacation Planner – The Best Disney Travel Agent

The reason I prefer finding the right planner who is an earmarked agency with Disney. This means Disney recognizes them as an official agency.

As Laura explains in episode 27 of the ThemeParkHipster podcast , this also means Disney is more likely to honor special requests from them because of their legitimacy.

For a free service, I think that’s pretty cool.

Ready to start planning your next Disney World vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

Final Thoughts

I hope this guide has left you feeling confident in your journey to finding the perfect Disney planner for you.

If you have any additional questions, you can leave a comment below or contact me at ThemeParkHipster at Gmail dot com . 

Get more of your Disney questions answered below:

• What to pack for a Theme Park?
• Can Disney Tickets be Transferred? 
• How to find a vacation home near Walt Disney World?
• What are the 5 best family resorts near Walt Disney World?
• Are Disney pools heated?
• Where are Disney Parks Located?
• How to do Walt Disney World on a Budget?
• How Much Does It Cost to Park at Walt Disney World Parks?
• Is the Magic Kingdom for Adults?

Planning a trip soon? If so, read the  Disney Vacation Planning Guide  for your next dream trip!

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

(Original article written in 2019/Updated July 25, 2020)

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Is abc commissary at hollywood studios worth the visit, 4 thoughts on “how to find the best disney travel agent (and why you should use one)”.

This article answers a lot of questions that people might not think to ask. You have given valuable information. Now I know a bit more about dealing with Disney travel agents!

Glad I could help. My Disney travel agent has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion 🙂

This is great article for find best Disney travel agent. This article have all answers of questions which may have all travelers want to know. This is very helpful article thanks for sharing.

My pleasure!

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Should I Use a Travel Agent for My Disney Trip or Disney Cruise in 2024?

Planning for a Disney trip can be overwhelming, even for the most seasoned Disney visitor. There are SO many things to consider and learn.  Where do you stay ?  What’s the dining situation like ?  What types of tickets are there ?  Don’t worry, you do NOT have to figure this all out on your own.

Disney World can be expensive

Should I use a Travel Agent?

A decade ago, planning your Disney trip was do-able…and even fun — like the anticipation of seeing all of the presents under the tree before Christmas.  But today, things are different.  With  Park Pass Reservations,  Disney’s  Genie+ and Individual Attraction Selection in place ,  dining that needs to be booked  60 days in advance, literally dozens of hotels on property and hundreds off-property,  dessert parties , memorable  behind-the-scenes tours ,  activities , and more…it’s just plain overwhelming to try to figure it all out. Disney World is about TWICE the size of Manhattan…and just as packed with options.

Disney World Entrance

So when a friend or family member has questions about planning an upcoming Disney trip (including a Disney Cruise Line vacation ), our immediate response is to swiftly give them the name of a trusted travel agent. And don’t worry — that’s what we’re going to do for YOU, too.

If this is your first Disney vacation , you may be feeling a little overwhelmed .

Commemorate your first visit to Disney World!

If you’ve been to Disney before , you may have a general idea. Maybe a specific idea. Maybe a very specific idea, including a spreadsheet and a three-ring binder detailing every move your family will make once they pass beneath that magical archway.

But regardless of where you fall on this planning spectrum, using a Travel Agent might be a good idea.

Why Used a Disney Travel Agent? Here’s Just a Few Reasons!

Disney Certified Travel Agents are FREE

You’ve pulled out your trusty calculator, or whipped out your phone and crunched some numbers, and you’ve come to a solid conclusion: Disney vacations are expensive. And the thought of forking out more of your hard-earned, 9-to-5 (or let’s face it, it’s more like 8-to-7-and-still-on-call) moolah on a travel agent just seems excessive, right? How hard can it be? You’re educated, you manage your family’s day-to-day life, and surely you can figure out your vacation days without any extra help, right?

Are you ready for some good news? You may think it costs more. And that there are hidden fees they don’t tell you about. And that’s honestly what I thought, too. But as it turns out, Travel Agents don’t cost you a penny. EVER.

They work on commissions from their suppliers (e.g. Disney), so you pay no extra fees and can spend more time anticipating and enjoying your vacation. It’s a win for the Agents (who genuinely love doing this stuff) and a win for you.

They Find the Deals and Discounts for You

Travel Agents, especially those considered “Authorized Disney Vacation Planners,”  know what deals are out there ahead of the rest of us.  If a new deal comes along after you’ve already made a reservation (e.g.  Disney+ Discounts ,  Annual Passholder Discounts , etc), they can rework your existing reservation to save you some cash. They can also run the numbers to see which deal is going to be the better value.

Oh, and they also get a head’s up on upcoming discounts, so they probably already know what deal is best.

Before it’s even announced.

A Classic Mickey Pretzel

And all that money they save you can be used on super important things, like Mickey-shaped snacks and souvenirs to bring home and keep those memories alive, until you book your next Disney trip (because those Disney World feelings can be addictive).

They Make Your Vacation & Planning Stress-Free

Your agent’s got your back. They can advise you on resort choice, vacation package, and tickets that will suit your family’s unique needs. Overall, they make sure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. They’ve been there and done that, and they can tell you the most stress-free way to have your best vacation ever.

Animal Kingdom

Now let’s talk reservations and planning for when you’re actually on Disney property! Here’s where a Travel Agent can be a super-valuable asset. Disney travel agents know:

• The most popular restaurants and when they need to be booked
• How to get those super-coveted reservations
• Alternatives to those restaurants if they’re full
• What rides, attractions, and events will suit your family’s unique needs
• How to help you plan an extraordinary trip within your budget
• How to craft a trip where you get to do everything you want to do …and still get enough sleep and real, honest-to-goodness “vacation” time when you’re NOT chasing your brood around the theme parks.

Which ride will you do first?

An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner can make suggestions for you based on which park you’ll be in for the day, whether you have access to a Dining Promotion , and what types of foods your family will…or won’t!…find appealing.

In short, they’ll help you narrow down those 200+ restaurant choices , hundreds of ride choices, activity options, and more, and make sure to help you hand-craft the perfect vacation for YOUR family.

Mickey Waffle

Continuous, Personalized Support Throughout Your Vacation

And your Agent’s support doesn’t stop when you get to your resort. No matter what problems arise during your getaway — if your shuttle is canceled, your room isn’t ready, or you need to find a doctor — your Agent knows who to call to put your vacation back on track . They’re just a phone call or text message away no matter what goes down! And when hurricanes sweep through Orlando ( and they do! ), yep, your Travel Agent is working in your corner to help you sort through flight changes and everything that goes with it!

So whether you’re a spreadsheet-toting Disneyphile or a first-timer at the Disney rodeo, consider a Travel Agent. You may just be surprised by how much magic your Agent can conjure up just for you!

IT’S FREE AND EASY

What you get:, 1. a highly-qualified agent with expertise in planning your dream vacation, 2. savings of time and money, 3. a trouble-free trip, 4. no fees or charges — ever, ready to go, but not sure who to choose we highly recommend small world vacations , and here’s why:.

DFB highly recommends Small World Vacations for your trip to any Disney park, resort, or cruise ship.

1. I TRUST THEM:

I’ve been friends with Sue Pisaturo, the owner of the agency, for years. And SWV is also highly recommended by three of my most trusted colleagues — Len Testa of TouringPlans.com and the Unofficial Guide book series, and Don and Sarah Munsil of Mousesavers.com. These are people who KNOW DISNEY and have been in the Disney travel arena for dozens of years.

2. THEY’RE EXCEPTIONAL IN THE INDUSTRY:

Small World Vacations is one of the biggest Disney-focused agencies in the world, BUT all of their highly-qualified agents work full-time . This is exceptional in the travel planner arena. It means that all day, every day, Small World Vacations agents are planning Disney trips for clients — learning everything they can about how to create magical vacations and getting the depth of experience necessary to make sure your trip is a dream come true. It may sound like a little thing, but it offers huge benefits when it comes to working with an agent.

The Disney Wish

3. JUST LISTEN TO A FEW OF THEIR SATISFIED CUSTOMERS:

Sue sent me, like, a million testimonials to share with you, but I just took the ones off the top.

I’m writing to let you know about the simply exceptional service I’ve received from the marvelous Marion Carlson over the past year. I found her via a Google search and approached her in May of 2021 to help me plan a Christmas trip to WDW to surprise my 7-year-old daughter, Alice.  Marion is amazing. She makes me feel like I am her only client, even though I know that couldn’t be further from the truth. She told me that she was thinking about me and Alice over Christmas, and I am certain that she was. Really, Marion basically IS Disney World. She is magic. I know we won’t go to WDW every year forever. And Alice won’t be this perfect WDW age forever. This is a special time in her childhood, and I’ll always be grateful to Marion for her help in giving our girl such a magical present after the terrible pandemic time (virtual school, quarantine, all of it). I am willing to bet I’m not the first of Marion’s clients writing to let you know how outstanding she is, and I’m certain I won’t be the last . — Lora

I am a very hands on planning type person and I have always planned our vacations. I decided this time to give you a try. Best thing I could have done. Beth was able to handle the booking part, which is the tedious part of the planning. Then she was able to get me free dining for my trip, which saved me a ton of money. She answered all my questions very promptly as well. — Cindy My wife and I have been working with Small World Vacations’ agent, Stephanie to book our first Disney cruise as a family. She has been super helpful, and responsive to our requests and questions. She has booked and rebooked our cruise all while traveling which speaks loads to her dedication to being an outstanding travel agent. I cannot recommend her enough. I will continue to refer my friends and family to Stephanie Page at Small World Vacations. — Josh I would heartily recommend her to anyone who seeks the services of a Disney travel expert. Kudos to Small World Vacations and to the wonderful service your agency provides. You’re fortunate to have someone like Tracy working for you! — Wes

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5 ways using an authorized Disney vacation planner will help you save money and improve your trip

Editor's Note

It's not uncommon to begin planning a Walt Disney World Resort vacation a year or more before you actually step into the Magic Kingdom and lay your eyes on Cinderella Castle. It can be a whirlwind of ticket purchases, hotel bookings, dining reservations and itinerary planning that can be overwhelming even for frequent Disney World-goers.

Luckily, there are magical genies who will plan your vacation for you ... and you don't have to make the daring journey to the Cave of Wonders or even spend one extra penny to find them.

Related: A magical guide for how to plan a trip to Disney World this year

Authorized Disney vacation planners are only an email or a phone call away, and they will help you plan the Disney trip of your dreams at no cost to you.

Yes, this is real, and no, there's no catch. This works because Disney vacation planners make their money off commissions they receive from Disney when you book a trip through them. Their vacation prices are not inflated, and as we'll discuss, they can often help you find the best available rates.

Here are the top five reasons you should use an authorized Disney vacation planner to book your next trip to Disney World.

They do all the work

Booking a Disney hotel and buying theme park tickets may seem easy enough, but a complex array of options and add-ons can make it daunting to do anything from picking the best Disney World hotel for your trip to choosing the best Disney World restaurants for your family.

"The goal of a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations is to take the guesswork out of your vacation and make it as stress-free and seamless as possible," Mary Helen Law, a Disney travel agent with Mouse Counselors, told TPG. "We will take the details you give us and use them to curate a trip specifically designed for the needs and preferences of your family."

FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT DISNEY VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG'S DISNEY BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS .

Popular add-ons like behind-the-scenes tours and character meals book up well in advance. If you have your heart set on brunch with Mickey and Minnie, you sometimes have to be faster than Dash from "The Incredibles" to secure your spot.

Unless, of course, you use an authorized Disney vacation planner.

On a recent visit, I wanted to try out the newly reintroduced Disney Dining Plan . By booking through Mouse Counselors, they reserved my hotel room and added the Disney Dining Plan for me. I didn't have to lift a finger.

"Certain add-on experiences like a princess makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique or a behind-the-scenes tour of Magic Kingdom open at midnight or 6 a.m. Eastern time, so having someone else handle the booking can be advantageous," Law shared. "Many agents will also take care of scheduling airport transfers and crib and stroller rentals," she added.

Related: The best credit cards for your Disney vacation

For the best possible experience, you should provide a few important pieces of information for your vacation planner.

"We'll obviously need your dates and the names and ages of everyone in your travel party, but there are other details that can help us build the best vacation for you," Law said. "If you aren't familiar with the details of Disney World hotels, for example, you can help us find the right one by telling us what you are looking for in a hotel. Do you want proximity to a certain park or the best pool for kids? Are you on a budget, or do you want to splurge?"

Knowing the answers to these questions before you begin working with your planner can help them guide you in the right direction.

They actively search for discounts

It's no secret that "Disney World" and "budget vacation" aren't exactly synonymous, but there are ways to save money on a visit to Walt Disney World .

Disney periodically offers discounted tickets and hotel sales that can help you save hundreds on your vacation.

Availability for these discounts is limited, though, and you sometimes have to stalk Disney's website so you don't miss out when a new offer is released. However, a good Disney vacation planner, whose literal job is booking Disney trips, will be up bright and early to ensure you get one of the discounted rooms or packages when they are released.

Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?

They also monitor your reservation for price drops. If prices decrease for your dates, they can wave their magic wand and modify your existing reservation to take advantage of the lower price.

This is exactly what Law was able to do for me on a recent stay at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. As a Disney World annual passholder, I was eligible for a hotel discount. After my initial booking, Law applied the discount, saving me nearly $100.

They can plan your itinerary

If you're paying a large sum for a vacation, the last thing you want to do is wait in long lines, miss out on activities because you're in the wrong place at the wrong time or spend time doing things you don't want to do. If you want to maximize your time at Disney, you need a wealth of knowledge to know what to do and when to do it.

You can research and learn much of it yourself. However, if you're a once- or twice-in-a-lifetime Disney visitor, researching crowd calendars and in-depth planning guides may not be the best use of your time.

Related: Disney World making changes to simplify visits and bringing back a fan-favorite perk

Without a doubt, having your vacation planner lay out a daily itinerary for your specific dates is a valuable asset. Before you book, you need to find out how detailed your vacation planner will be if that is a service you are interested in. However, this is where your agent's time may come at a bit of a cost to you.

"Most agents do offer help with itinerary planning, but some charge a fee for this service and some don't offer it at all," Law said. "It's important to speak to your agent before booking to ensure you are on the same page with the expected level of hands-on service."

When I booked through Mouse Counselors, Law sent me a thorough guide that detailed how to mobile order food from quick-service restaurants, how to use Genie+ and Lightning Lanes to skip the lines, how to use transportation options in the park, how to use my MagicBand+ or phone as my park ticket and hotel room key, and so much more. As a frequent visitor, I was aware of most of these tips, but they are helpful details you may be unfamiliar with if you don't visit Disney often.

You can be as involved as you want

If you're a Type A personality and want to be involved in every step along the way, you can work hand in hand with your vacation planner to ensure you're comfortable with the itinerary and cost of your trip.

If you're hands-off and want someone to handle all the details and tell you where to go and when, you can also do that.

"In addition to booking your vacation, travel agents can assist with navigating the Disney app, linking your resort reservation and explaining the Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane systems," Law said.

It's also possible for your Disney vacation planner to make your dining reservations at the exact time they open up to you before your trip. Your experience with your agent is entirely up to you, but if "Genie+" and "Lightning Lane" are foreign terms to you, your Disney vacation planner can guide you.

I prefer making my own dining reservations, but Law ensured I knew she was at my service if I needed assistance.

It's free

Other than a cup of ice water and the celebratory buttons available at each park, there's not much that's truly free at Disney World.

However, an agent's booking services come at no cost to you. Disney pays authorized Disney vacation planners commissions from the sales of hotel rooms, tickets, dining packages and more.

They can book anything you see online or find the lower prices you may not have found yourself. So, while your trip to Disney probably won't be inexpensive, the benefit of having an agent doesn't add to the cost.

Some agents may charge an additional fee for specific add-on services, but most Disney vacation planners offer the majority of their services free of charge to travelers booking a Disney trip.

Do know that they make their money off commissions from Disney. This means if you book the bulk of your hotel expenses yourself elsewhere, it may not make sense to work with a vacation planner on that trip unless you do find one who charges a la carte fees for planning services.

Bottom line

Not only can these planners book trips to Disney World, but they can typically also book trips to Disneyland , aboard Disney Cruise Line ships , with Adventures by Disney and to Disney's Aulani Resort in Hawaii.

To that end, TPG has partnered with Mouse Counselors, an authorized Disney vacation planner ; this allows our readers to use an agent at a company we've had good experiences with at no additional cost. If devoting a chunk of time to planning a Disney trip doesn't make sense for you, give an authorized Disney vacation planner a try.

After all, they are the magic-making experts.

Related reading:

• Tips for visiting Disney World: 18 ways to save money and have more fun
• 'For the first time in forever,' Disney World feels like the good old days
• We saved every receipt — here's how much it actually costs to go to Disney World
• The 21 most underrated things at Disney World: What to see, do and eat that many guests miss

6 Reasons You Should Already Have a Disney Travel Agent

by Stephanie Shuster | Oct 19, 2019 | WDW Blog

One of the most common questions I get asked by friends, family, and fans: “Should I use a travel agent to book my Disney World vacation?”.

Disney has a whole system set up to help folks book on their own, so why involve another person? Are travel agents worth it? Here are our top reasons travel agents are worth it. Oh, and spoiler alert… they’re free, so no ripoffs here, guys.

1. When You Love a Good Freebie

Cost is a big concern with every aspect of a vacation–but did you know that with travel agents like our friends at Destinations to Travel LLC , you don’t pay any fee? That’s right – their services are free! Travel agents are paid by Disney, not you . That means you’ll get a Disney vacation planning expert on your side, free-of-charge every time. There’s no sales pressure because the agent is trained to do one big thing: Tailor your vacation just for you.

So with cost out of the way, why might you use a travel agent?  Let’s see what some D2T customers have to say…

Pure Disney Magic is easy with a Disney travel agent by your side. Photo by Cliff Wang

2. When You Need an Expert on Your Side

Maybe you’re a busy person and need help with the intense planning of a WDW vacation. There’s so much research to put into a Walt Disney World trip–it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Here’s why Sophie and Romain were so thankful for the expertise of their Destinations to Travel agent:

“We wanted to contact you in order to let you know how delighted we are with [our Destinations to Travel agent ] Jeremy.  He has gone above and beyond in his service to us, including with respect to the following:

• “He quoted various different packages to us , bearing with us during our times of indecisiveness and giving us his insight as someone who is very familiar with the resorts and parks;
• “He thought of us when you were booking group rates for your company retreat and secured even better pricing for us (we understand that it was ultimately your doing — thank you!);
• “He secured fast passes for us for every day, and a reservation for a character breakfast, which is a huge achievement given the advance reservation systems (who knew you had to plan so far in advance– we were quite naive about all this!).  In addition, I’ve been struggling with the Disney magical experience website , so the fact that he did it for us is even more appreciated;
• “He asked us if we were celebrating anything , asked what our children like and other personal details that ensure that he “gets” us and help provide us with a very personalized, custom-tailored experience for us
• “He’s always available to answer our questions and provide information.  His responsiveness is very impressive (even nights and weekends).

“Jeremy has been a wonderful resource for us. We haven’t had to worry about scheduling or sifting through all the information available about Disneyworld, which, quite frankly, is very intimidating to neophytes like us. We are very much looking forward to our trip:   we will be celebrating the end of my cancer treatments and the return to normalcy!  What better way to celebrate than to visit Mickey Mouse?”

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It can be tough to plan every detail. Photo by Brett Svenson

3. When You Don’t Want to Plan Every Detail

Maybe you want to spend your time focused on your family and have someone else handle the hassles of booking rooms, reservations, and tickets. Planning a vacation can take a LOT of time. If you’d rather be getting the kids hyped to meet Mickey than waking up at 6 A.M. to make Boma reservations, a travel agent is likely right for you. Wendy was feeling this while looking forward to their next Disney World trip:

“Just wanted to let you know I happened to be home on my lunch break when the mail came! Thank you so much for everything you have done for us and for all the gifts!

I actually had tears in my eyes because I’m so excited that I was able to make this trip a reality! It has been a very stressful few months since losing my mom and I’m so excited to get away and unwind with my hubby and youngest. I will definitely recommend your services to friends and family and use you again. You rock!!

Focus on what matters, family! Photo by Laurie Sapp

4. When you Want Someone Invested in Your Trip

Maybe you’re looking for more personalized service. Don Michael was impressed by the in-depth customer service offered by Destinations to Travel:

“I have worked with the public for over 40 years and I have never had the pleasure to deal with an individual that shows more professionalism and concern for her client at all times then I have with Shannon.

“My original package that was sent to me last August 2012 was very complete and full of information, including her cell phone, and I had called her on numerous occasions in the past concerning dining reservations for my family this August 2013.  Shannon truly cares about her clients and their vacation.  She takes the time to get to know you and your family so she can help you plan the perfect family vacation.”

The perfect moment. Photo by Laurie Sapp

5. When You Need the Best Deal for Your Budget

Maybe you want to make sure you’re getting the very best deal. Kinney Bloomer and family needed a lot of advice on bringing some magic to their family during a tough time:

“Stacy, I can’t thank you enough. We had a great time on our trip. My mom keeps thanking me and thanking for asking them to come. Three years ago our family couldn’t even go out to dinner without sweating about the cost. Jobs were lost. Other jobs were found. Other losses occurred. We had 2 kids and a third on the way.

We sacrificed a lot to get ends to meet and still save money for our family. This trip helped us make up for trips we couldn’t take. It made it that much more special that we could treat my folks too. Thank you Stacy Reed. You were kind. You were patient. You were knowledgeable. You were magical. Your attention to detail was AMAZING! Mickey would be so proud. Thanks for helping make dreams come true.”

Prices are climbing and climbing… Photo by Mike Billick

6. For When You Want to Try Something New

Maybe you want to try something new, like a cruise. Catherine W. Fuss needed something a little different for her upcoming vacation, but wasn’t sure how to plan it:

“I’d like to offer a bit about the tremendous job that Andrea Cassidy did for us in planning our summer vacation.  I first got in touch with her well before Christmas 2014 as we had a big milestone (birthdays & anniversary) year coming up in 2015 and wanted to celebrate more than usual.  We knew we wanted to “do Alaska” and had gotten a little input from friends, but we really didn’t know where to start. 

“Andrea made everything so easy for us.  She researched cruise options for the biggest initial decisions.  But it led into so much more – hotel stay for our initial arrival, rental car on the back end, excursions off the ship.

“With each decision, she offered resources and help make the process easy but still very much made it our decision, our special vacation.  We were very new to the cruise experience so she patiently explained some of the processes that might be different or unexpected.  All of this made for such a smooth and enjoyable and memorable trip of a lifetime – cruising the beautiful ports of southern Alaska and touring Vancouver.  Thanks so much to Andrea!”

Try the Disney Crusie Line on for size. Photo by Brett Svenson

7. Not Everything Goes as Planned

Maybe you’re looking for some extra peace of mind in case disaster strikes. Robert and Sheila had this to say about an unexpected end to their trip:

“I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful recommendation for the travel agency, Destinations to Travel . Stacy Reed was an amazing resource for our recent 25 th Anniversary trip to WDW. She planned the perfect, fairytale getaway for myself and my husband to The Beach Club Resort. Everything was perfectly planned for a magical vacation of a lifetime.

“As fate would have it, my husband became ill on the second day of our trip and required emergency surgery and hospitalization for the remainder of our trip. We were beyond heart-broken!

“Upon return home, I wrote to Stacy to thank her for her services and let her know what had happened. I asked her if she could help us re-do the wonderful trip that she had planned for us on a future date. She responded within minutes to let us know how sorry she was that this had happened and immediately got in touch with her regional and district managers to see if there was anything that they could do to help us afford another vacation.

“Stacy worked many hours into the night to be sure that she was able to work some Disney Magic for us. Her caring nature is exceptional, and I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for us. Because of her magic and pixie dust, our Disney Dreams truly will come true!”

Do you Have a Disney Travel Agent Yet?

There’s no end to the reasons to use a travel agent for your next Walt Disney World vacation!  Contact Shannon Bonadurer and her amazing team at Destinations to Travel LLC and see how they can start helping you plan your next dream vacation, today!

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Pros and Cons of Using a Disney World Travel Agent

Planning a trip to Disney World can be stressful, especially if you’ve never visited Orlando before.  And between buying tickets and researching hotels, it’s certainly worth weighing all of the pros and cons of using a Disney World travel agent. Well today, we will explore this exact question, as we’ll examine all of the advantages and disadvantages the average person will encounter when using a Disney Travel agent, and help you figure out if they are truly worth your money—or if you’re better off booking everything by yourself.

Pros and Cons of Using a Disney Travel Agent

Let’s begin with the basics—how do you go about selecting a Disney travel agent (or agency) in the first place?

Choosing A Disney World Travel Agent

Any travel agency can help you book Walt Disney World accommodations and park tickets. However, if you want the best Disney experience, you’re of course going to want to find the best Disney World travel agents . 

In this case, you should find an agent who is an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (also known as an “Earmarked” Disney Vacation Planner). This can be done as easily as searching for one online. Authorized Disney planners are travel agents who specialize in Disney theme park vacations, as well as Disney cruises. They must participate in the “Disney College of Knowledge” program to learn all there is to know about Disney resort policies, procedures, and pricing. They’ll know more about Disney World vacation planning than the average travel agent, and can offer personalized guidance based on the activities your group enjoys the most. Before choosing an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, it’s a good idea to look at their online reviews. Also, have a list of any questions ready to discuss with your chosen vacation planner, so you’ll have a good idea of how much they can assist you.

Benefits of Using a Disney Travel Agent

Let’s begin with the first benefit or “pro,” which revolves around the very important topic of reducing your stress.

Reducing Your Vacation Planning Stress

Making plans to visit Walt Disney World can be complicated. Between choosing accommodations for your group, making park reservations and choosing the right type of tickets, trying to get dinner reservations, and figuring out the Genie+ system, all that planning can seem mentally exhausting. If you want to book your vacation yourself, most of it can be done on the Walt Disney World website. There is a lot of information on their site, but it can be a little overwhelming. It can take some time to read through a lot of vacation options that you don’t want, before finding the options you do want. 

Instead of hunting through the website to find everything you want to do, you can tell your vacation planner your preferences, and they will do the legwork for you. They might even make suggestions for activities you didn’t know about. Be sure to give the names of everyone in your travel party (even children) to the travel planner, so they can make sure all your park reservations and tickets are linked. A travel agent can help you decide if you want to use the Park Hopper option or buy tickets for any after-hours special events that might be happening during your stay. They can also take care of booking any special tours that are offered, such as the popular “Keys To The Kingdom ” tour at Magic Kingdom. Don’t forget about Walt Disney World’s excellent water parks! Your travel planner can book your tickets for Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon , too. 

Other benefits that a travel agent might help with include booking a flight, arranging transportation to and from the airport, and finding information on stroller or wheelchair rentals. 

Knowledge of the Best Accommodations

An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner should be able to make recommendations on the best hotel to fit your budget and group size. They’ll have the best information on hotels amenities to make sure you’ll find a place that best meets your needs. 

If you need special accommodations, such as ground floor rooms or accessible rooms, a travel planner can communicate directly to the hotels with your requests. If staying at a hotel with a table-service restaurant is important to you, or if Disney-themed decor in your room is important to you, your agent should be able to help you find the perfect place. Working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is especially useful if you’ll be traveling with a large group. Making resort reservations for multi-family groups or school trips can be a challenge! It’s not impossible to do it yourself, but it will probably mean spending a great deal of time on the phone with Walt Disney World. Disney’s Authorized Vacation Planners have the expertise to make sure your group will be ready to have fun as soon as they arrive.

Help Plan Your Dining Reservations

Many of the restaurants in the theme parks, with the exception of “quick service” restaurants, will require advance dining reservations. If you’re staying on the Disney property, you can make your dining reservations online or through the My Disney Experience app once you are 60 days from your check-in date. 

Although this sounds fairly simple, it can take up more time than you might realize. It might be easier, especially if you want dining reservations for a large group, to have your Travel Planner handle this for you. It would be a good idea to give the Planner a list with several choices of your preferred restaurants and meal times.  

Once your reservations are confirmed, they should show up on the My Disney Experience app along with your park admission and tickets. In fact, anything your Disney Travel Planner arranges for you can be viewed on the app.

In short, when you’re seeking the best places to eat at Epcot for dinner, or you desire a tasty breakfast at Magic Kingdom the next morning, you’ll likely sleep a lot easier knowing someone with more knowledge and experience planned out your day ahead of time.

Help Save You Money

An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner doesn’t have access to any discounts that aren’t available to the general public. However, when Walt Disney World does offer special rates on hotels or vacation packages, your Travel Planner will be one of the first to know about it. 

Disney does offer special deals periodically with little notice, so you might miss an opportunity to save money, but your Vacation Planner will know about it right away. For instance, if there is a special rate suddenly available for a comparable hotel to the one where you have reservations, your Vacation Planner could call and ask if you’d like to switch hotels to the one with the better rate.

Enjoy Less Known Disney Experiences

There are so many more options than just theme parks on a Walt Disney World vacation! Experiences known as “Enchanting Extras ,” for example, add an extra bit of magic to your vacation.  Sadly, they are yet another thing you’ll need to plan ahead for. 

Thankfully, your Authorized Vacation Planner can help with most of these experiences. 

For example, you might want to book a tee time at one of several golf courses at Walt Disney World if you need a break from the theme parks. Or, if a bit of luxury self-care is something you need, your Planner can make an appointment at one of the resort spas for you. Whatever extra bit of Disney magic you’d like to enjoy, your Vacation Planner can help make it happen for you.  

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Cons of Using a Disney World Travel Agent

While I don’t think that there are any overwhelming “cons” or disadvantages to using a Disney World travel agent, there are a few things that I think are worth being aware of before you hire any individual or travel agency.

You Have Less Control Over Your Trip

For some people, making all the reservations, and scheduling dining reservations, is actually part of the fun of the whole vacation prep experience . It can build excitement for your upcoming trip. It can also be fun to review everything on the Walt Disney World website as a family activity; kids love to feel like they’re included in the planning. If you’re the type who enjoys making plans and organizing, using the services of a Disney Authorized Vacation Planner might not be for you. Using a Vacation Planner means relinquishing a little bit of control over your plans. Any changes to your itinerary will have to be made by calling your travel agent, not by contacting Disney directly. This means that, if for some reason, you need to cancel a dining reservation or change park admission reservations, you have to call your Vacation Planner to do it. If any original plans were made by a travel agent, Disney won’t accept modifications to those plans unless the travel agent does them. 

If you are already on your vacation and need to make some “last minute” changes to your plans, you’ll still need to do so through your agent. You should feel confident you will be able to reach your Vacation Planner, and that they will respond quickly, so discuss this with your Planner to see if it will be something you’re comfortable with. 

At the end of the day, you are the one that hires the travel agent.  So, to that end, I suppose one could argue that you still have ultimate power.  But, just like when you hire any professional (like a financial advisor, for example), you’re naturally going to cede some control in order for the hired professional to do their job.  

So if you’re a person that relishes that control, and perhaps dislikes having a bit less flexibility in making alterations to your vacation plans on the fly, then you might want to go the route of booking your Disney vacation all by yourself.

You May Find Cheaper Accommodations Yourself

Disney Vacation Planners are limited to only booking Disney property hotels and “Good Neighbor” hotels as part of a Disney vacation package. Staying at one of the Disney hotels is fun and definitely adds some “magic” to your vacation, but if you’re vacationing on a budget, you might be able to find a hotel or vacation rental home nearby for less money. 

Vacation rental homes can be a more affordable option for multiple families traveling together. If you are a member of any rewards programs for individual hotel chains, using rewards points could save you a considerable amount at an off-property location.

Your travel agent might be able to help you book offsite accommodations, but they also might charge a fee for this service. Also keep in mind that if you stay off Disney property, you’ll need a vehicle to drive to and from the parks.

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Not All Travel Agents Are Created Equal

While it is unusual to have a very bad customer experience with anyone related to the Disney industry, some Vacation Planners will give you better service than others. Some have more flexible time to devote to your needs, while others may only be reachable within established work hours.  

Before trusting any travel agent to help with your vacation, spend a little time finding out if they’re going to be as available as you need them to be. Ask any travel agent or vacation planner how many times they’ve visited Walt Disney World, and how recently they’ve visited. Also, ask them how easily they can be reached in case plans need to be modified or if any last-minute travel problems occur. Check online reviews to see what other travelers have said, as well.

It really can’t be overstated that if you want to hire a travel agent, you should use an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner for your Walt Disney World trip. An Authorized Disney Vacation Planner shouldn’t charge you a fee for their regular services. They are paid a commission from Walt Disney World, based on the bookings they make for you. The Authorized Planners have experience and knowledge of Disney vacations that is unparalleled. That being said, you should always do a little research before booking with any planner. 

Are Disney World Travel Agents Worth It?

We’ve described just a few of the pros and cons of using a Disney World travel agent, and hopefully you’ve found this analysis to be helpful. The decision to use a Disney World travel agent depends entirely on your own preferences, but I do have some additional thoughts here.

If you are the type of person who feels making travel plans is part of the thrill of your upcoming vacation, or if you just prefer to have total control of your own plans, you probably won’t want to use a travel agent. Or maybe you will want to have a Vacation Planner handle some of your plans, while you continue to take care of your dining reservations yourself or your ticket purchases or resort accommodations yourself. Give consideration to how comfortable you will be with trusting someone else to plan your family’s vacation. However, if planning and scheduling seem like a tiresome chore to you, using a Vacation Planner is probably the best choice you can make. A Disney World Vacation Planner is definitely beneficial for planning large group vacations.Save yourself some stress and let a professional do all of those tedious tasks for you! You can communicate to your agent about your priorities and preferences, then let them spend the time making the magic happen.

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Michael has been visiting Disney World since he was a kid. He's also been to Disneyland and sailed on the Disney Dream. Michael is the owner and editor of Countdown to Magic.

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• PLAN A TRIP
• WHERE TO STAY
• DISNEY CRUISE LINE
• DISNEYLAND PARIS
• ADVENTURES BY DISNEY
• HONG KONG | SHANGHAI | TOKYO

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Park | Walt Disney Studios Park

• 2 Theme Parks
• 7 Resort Hotels
• Disney Village shopping & entertainment district
• Now booking through March, 2025

No French lessons required. When the Walt Disney Imagineers created Disneyland Paris, they took inspiration from their own childhood dreams about what a Disney park could be. Disneyland Park is now widely considered Disney’s most aesthetically beautiful castle park. Walt Disney Studios Park has welcomed a sparkling new Avengers Campus . After a head-to-toe glittering renovation, the Disneyland Hotel is welcoming guests with enchanted royal rooms and a magical library. A spectacular new Disney Electrical Sky Parade re-imagines the Main Street classic with floating drones over Sleeping Beauty Castle. Soon, it’ll be the home to new attractions inspired by Tangled and  Frozen . And in July, Paris is inviting the whole world to come and experience the Paris 2024 Summer Olym pic and Paralympic Games.

We know Paris. Let’s make this easy.

Bookings are now available through March 29, 2025 . Every week, we plan trips to Disneyland Paris for guests who are journeying from the USA, Canada, Australia and beyond. We’re more than merely an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner for Disneyland Paris — Chris from Wishful Thinking is an Annual Passholder at Disneyland Paris who has lived and traveled extensively in France. He spent several weeks in Paris in the summer of 2022, enjoying the rare privilege to preview the land and prepare clients for the new experiences at Avengers Campus.

2024 NEWS: many dates are selling out for the newly-renovated, deeply immersive Disneyland Hotel. It’s important to start planning early. Let’s begin now.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING

Step into the renovated disneyland hotel.

Ever wished that you could wake up in a royal castle suite?

The glittering, meticulously refurbished Disneyland Hotel is now welcoming guests. Disney has pulled out all the stops, transforming every inch into a magical 5-star luxury experience.

Enchanting surprises await you from the moment you arrive.

Each room is a canvas painted with the unique elegance and charm of a Disney Princess. The all-new Signature Suites invite you into the magical worlds of Rapunzel, Aurora, Elsa, Belle, and others, offering unrivaled views directly into the heart of Main Street U.S.A. If you opt for an exclusive Castle Club room, you’ll revel in delightful breakfasts with Disney princesses every morning — it’s all included in your stay.

At the Royal Kids Club, youngsters (age 4 – 11) are invited into a magical library with hidden secret passageways, surprise character appearances, and up to 2 hours of supervised kid-sitting. Parents getting some some alone time on a Disney vacation? Dreams do come true!

Dining experiences include character dining with Mickey & Minnie in royal garb, French fine dining with princes & princesses at La Table de Lumière, and buffets with creative dishes inspired royal stories such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Sword in the Stone,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess and the Frog,” and “Raya and the Last Dragon.”

In the Royal Suite Frozen, Elsa’s magic will sparkle to life. Crystal opulence meets the comforts of home with a fully equipped kitchen, a spacious living room, and a private balcony, offering an enchanting private panorama of Disneyland Park.

The Disneyland Hotel suites are so exclusive that you cannot simply book them online. Thankfully, as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner travel agent who specializes in Disneyland Paris, we can unlock these experiences for you.

Disneyland Paris Resort Hotels

If you’re curious about the difference between Disneyland Paris’s other resort hotels, like the extra cool  Disney’s Hotel New York – The Art of MARVEL, Disney’s Newport Bay Club or Disney’s Sequoia Lodge , we can help steer you in the right direction. We’ve been there. Many times. We can explain Disney Express luggage service, the pros & cons of half board vs. full board meal plans , and even Premier Access.

We can also help you plan additional days in Paris, including smart sightseeing, hotel & restaurant recommendations in the City of Light.

Read on below for our FAQ!

Disneyland Paris Resort | FAQ

Curious about Paris’s two spectacular theme parks, their seven Disney-owned resort hotels, and some of the new experiences that are on the way? Disneyland Paris is France’s most-visited tourist attraction, and Disney fans from all across the Americas are extra eager to visit, especially as the world turns its eyes to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games. Can you visit Disneyland Paris during a trip for the Olympics? Yes, with our free help!

Avengers Campus opened in 2022, but it’s just the start of the major expansion at the Walt Disney Studios Park. Construction on the new Arendelle — the World of Frozen is well underway.

But when we compare it to Disneyland (in California) and Walt Disney World (in Florida), what’s different about Disneyland Paris Resort? Let’s answer some of the most common questions:

• TIMING | When is the best time to visit Disneyland Paris? How many days do I need? What holidays or days of the week should I avoid? Should I visit Disney before or after some sightseeing in Paris?  | Get the answers ▸

• HOTELS | What are the best hotels at Disneyland Paris Resort? The Disneyland Paris Hotel, Hotel New York – the Art of MARVEL, Newport Bay Club, Sequoia Lodge, or the Hotel Cheyenne? How far is the walk from the hotels to the parks? Should I add breakfast, a Half-Board or Full-Board meal plan?  | Get the answers  ▸

• TICKETS  | How do the theme park tickets work if I’m a Disney resort guest? Why can’t I reduce the number of theme park days in a multi-night hotel package?  it better to stay in Paris and just buy theme park tickets without a resort hotel stay? What about add-ons like Premier Access, PhotoPass or a VIP Tour? | Get the answers  ▸

• PARIS 2024 SUMMER OLYMPICS | Should I visit Disneyland during the Olympics? How busy will it be? Are there organized events at Disneyland during the Paris Olympic games?  | Get the answers  ▸

• TRAINS & TRANSPORTATION | How do I get to Disneyland Paris from the center of Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), or London?  If I’m staying in Paris, how easy are the trains to go and visit for one day? | Get the answers ▸

• TOURISM | What should I see & do in Paris? How many days do I need for sightseeing? How far in advance do I need to get tickets for the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, or the Palace of Versailles? Can I see these sights during my stay at Disneyland Paris? | Get the answers  ▸

These are just the first batch of questions you’re likely to have. Thankfully, we’re experts on travel to Paris, and we’re ready to help you plan every detail of your trip — for free.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT DISNEYLAND PARIS?

The weather’s different, the holidays are different, and the busiest peak-season periods are very different from the USA. You won’t want to arrive in France and second-guess if you’ve timed it right. How many days do you need to see everything?

When you think about planning your visit, keep these guidelines in mind:

You’ll probably want three days to see the parks. | If you’re a major Disney fan — like many Wishful Thinking clients — you’ll probably want at least three days to properly explore Disneyland Paris two parks. Two at a minimum. 

Theme park entry is INCLUDED with any Disney resort hotel stay. | See our explanation below, but Paris is simply set up differently than the USA’s parks. You’ll have admission into both theme parks (including free Park Hopping) from the opening minute of your check-in day all the way to the closing minute of your check-out day. Park entrance is simply a perk of your resort stay. Learn more ▸ 

Disneyland Paris’s shows, restaurants, parades, and shops are completely unique. You’ll want to see as many as you can. Other one-of-a-kind attractions — like Phantom Manor, Crush’s Coaster, and Rhythm of the Pride Lands — are so cool that you’ll want to experience them more than once to notice new details! 

If you only have a day or two, we’ll help you prioritize what to see. If this might be your one and only visit, give yourself sufficient time to explore everything. 

Plan for major jet lag. | If you’re arriving from North or South America, It isn’t wise to visit Disney immediately upon arrival. Why? Because you’ll be dealing with significant jet lag symptoms. For the first two days or so, you’ll probably be foggy-brained, having trouble falling asleep at night. Mornings are extra rough. 

Plan for Paris sightseeing first. | At the start of your trip, give yourself a few full days in Paris. Fill your itinerary with flexible sightseeing plans. Book a comfy, centrally-located hotel  — we’ve got a terrific shortlist — where you can sleep in or take mid-day breaks without fearing that you’re wasting the precious time you’re supposed to be in the parks. Save your Disney days until after your body has had time to adjust. | Yes, we can book your Paris hotel, too ▸

The Disneyland Paris parks are designed for four seasons. | They’ve got quite a lot more indoor attractions, indoor queue space, and indoor dining than the North American parks. The parks are still enjoyable when it’s cold or rainy. Paris’s climate is similar to Seattle, Washington — rainy days are very common, even into the summer months. Snow is rare. It typically melts quickly. Sub-freezing temperatures? Rarely more than a day or two, even in the depths of winter.  The most comfortable months of the year are May through early October. But if you’re wondering when to visit, take it from Audrey Hepburn’s character in Sabrina: “Paris is always a good idea.” 

Weekends are more crowded during warm weather months. | On Saturdays and Sundays — from Spring through early Autumn — you’ll see quite a few local French families and annual pass holders who come for the day. If you can visit during the week, it’s a good idea. Mondays through Thursdays are best.

The holidays are delightful — but potentially crowded. | October is one of the best times to visit Disneyland Paris. Their Halloween decorations are divine, and their new Halloween Party is an absolute smash. The days just before and after Easter are extra crowded, and hotels are pricy.  The Christmas period at Disneyland Paris is beautifully decorated and delightfully charming. Holiday festivities typically begin in late November. But if you visit from about December 22nd through New Year’s Day, expect significant crowds. That said, it’s nowhere near as crowded as Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

In a typical year, avoid August. |  Normally, we say that it’s wise to avoid the entire month of August — when nearly all of Western Europe collectively goes on vacation. Many of Paris’s best independently-owned restaurants, cafes, and bakeries close their doors so their entire staff can take a vacation. A visit during August means you’ll miss out on many of Paris’s local charms. The parks are the most crowded that they’ll ever be, and the Disneyland Paris hotels are the most expensive during this time. August of 2024 will also coincide with the Olympic and Paralympic Games, so Paris’s typical patterns will be askew. Many local mom & pop shops will give their staff extra time off to enjoy the Games (or take vacation), while very touristy destinations will want to capitalize on the world’s visitors.

Tell us about your travel dates & let’s start planning ▸   

WHAT ARE THE BEST HOTELS AT DISNEYLAND PARIS RESORT?

Let’s explore the Disneyland Paris resort hotels — nearly all of which are within walking distance from the theme park entrances. The newly-renovated Disneyland Hotel has just reopened, offering a royal setting with true 5-star luxury accommodations. Other Deluxe hotels like Disney’s Newport Bay Club or Disney’s Hotel New York – the Art of MARVEL also   offer top-notch accommodations. Which hotels are the most unique?

THE LAY OF THE LAND

Before you think about where to stay, let’s cover some navigational basics.

Disneyland Paris is much more compact than Walt Disney World, but much more spread out & expansive than Disneyland. The resort is not technically located in Paris; rather, it’s the suburban towns of  Chessy / Marne-la-Valée , about an hour from Paris by train. The whole resort area is officially called Disneyland Paris Resort — not EuroDisney — it contains 7 resort hotels, the Disney Village dining district, and two theme parks. Disneyland Park  is often called  Parc Disneyland, its French equivalent.  Walt Disney Studios Park is the name of the second theme park, which recently welcomed Avengers Campus and will soon see the arrival of Arendelle — the World of Frozen.

Here are the hotels we recommend for our clients:

DISNEYLAND HOTEL  | Get pricing ▸

• Luxury hotel (5 stars) | Built directly above the park entrance of Disneyland. 4-minute walk to Walt Disney Studios Park.
• Now reopen, it’s become the crown jewel of Disneyland resort hotels worldwide. 
• NEW theming features Disney royalty around every corner: each guest room is themed to a different Disney princess story, with rooms themed to Elsa, Moana, Rapunzel, Belle, Cinderella, and more. 
• NEW on-site kids club, offering up to 2 hours of supervised childcare for guests 3 – 12, in a magical library setting with secret passageways and Royal surprises!
• NEW Crystal Pool, an indoor pool with gleaming marble that’s open year round
• NEW on-site character dining; the Royal Banquet with Mickey, Minnie & pals in medieval garb, and La Table de Lumière, with princes and princesses and décor reminiscent of the Palace at Versailles famous hall of mirrors.
• NEW Castle Club Suites, the creme-de-la-creme of Disney accommodations, featuring eye-catching views directly overlooking Disneyland park.

DISNEY’S HOTEL NEW YORK – THE ART OF MARVEL |  Get pricing ▸

• Deluxe hotel (4 stars) | 5-minute walk to the Disney Village entrance
• A swanky, stylish, genuinely cool, modern hotel full of art inspired by MARVEL characters — created by working MARVEL artists. The restaurants & lounge are extra good — currently the best on property. Guests here enjoy exclusive character appearances and photo opportunities with MARVEL characters. MARVEL-themed photo studios & kid-friendly art workshops. It’s a terrific property.

DISNEY’S NEWPORT BAY CLUB |   Get pricing ▸

• Atlantic yacht club with a seafaring theme, with a relaxing waterfront boardwalk and a tawny club lounge. Very reminiscent of Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World. The indoor-outdoor pool is extra transporting.

DISNEY’S SEQUOIA LODGE |  Get pricing ▸

• Moderate hotel (3 stars) | 7-minute walk to the Disney Village entrance
• Themed around the California state park lodges around Giant Sequoia National Park, with an embrace of mid-century furniture and animal trophy kitsch. Not nearly as luxurious as Disney’s Wilderness Lodge or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, but the vibe is similar. Think comfortable, casual atmosphere, with perhaps a touch of Wes Anderson flair.

DISNEY’S HOTEL CHEYENNE |  Get pricing ▸

• Value hotel (2 stars) | 10-minute walk to the Disney Village entrance
• Themed around the old Western towns. It looks less like Frontierland than you might expect; the design details can be inconsistent. There’s no pool, but the recently renovated rooms have fun-filled details from Toy Story’s Woody’s Round-Up.

DISNEY’S HOTEL SANTA FE |  Get pricing ▸

• Themed around Pixar’s “Cars” franchise, with a Southwestern Americana theme — think cowboys & desert cactuses. It’s cute, but undeniably downmarket. Be advised: there’s no pool, no elevators, and no air-conditioning. 

We do not recommend Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch, because it offers no transportation between its cabins and the theme parks.

WHAT ABOUT STAYING AT A HOTEL / VACATION HOME IN PARIS?

Contemplating heading out to the parks from a hotel or vacation home in Paris? We don’t recommend it. Here’s why:  

• It can take over an hour to get to Disneyland’s parks from the center of Paris on board the RER A train. The morning pre-work rush hour on the RER train isn’t exactly comfy. A ride in a car — with traffic — is usually longer. You’ll probably arrive well after the parks have already opened to the Disney resort hotel guests, so lines may be long by the time you make it in.
• The trains don’t run overnight. At the end of the day, it can be very difficult to make it onto the final train from Marne-la-Valée back to Paris, especially if it’s summertime when fireworks don’t happen until 11 PM. If you do luck out with that final train, you should expect standing room only for your commute. Not fun after a day on your feet.
• You’ll need to purchase your Disneyland Paris theme park tickets a la carte, directly from Disneyland Paris. Those tickets are non-refundable.
• Most significantly, Wishful Thinking cannot assist you. Disney only authorizes us to help those who book a Walt Disney Travel Package with a Disneyland Paris resort hotel or select Disneyland Paris partner hotels: Hôtel l’Elysée Val d’Europe, B&B Hotel, Adagio Marne-la-Vallée Val d’Europe, Explorers Fabulous Hotels Group, or Campanile Val de France.

Compare the pricing for the Disneyland Paris resorts ▸

DISNEYLAND PARIS BREAKFAST & MEAL PLANS

Because there are very few breakfast options at Disneyland Paris, most guests add breakfasts to their hotel reservations — you’ll get to enjoy a buffet breakfast each morning. But many guests here opt to add additional pre-paid meals, which Disney calls Half Board and Full Board. Here’s how it works:

• HALF BOARD  | Breakfast + 1 additional meal per day
• FULL BOARD  | Breakfast + 2 additional meals per day

Worth it? Yes, if you expect to eat at Table Service restaurants. Because most of Disneyland Paris’s table service restaurants only offer a pre-fixe, set price menu, the meal plan typically saves you money. More than anything, it’s lovely to simply have more of your vacation paid for before you even show up. Pricing varies, depending on your resort hotel stay.

Get meal plan & resort stay pricing ▸

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD YOU BOOK?

This is where some personalized help from Wishful Thinking really comes in handy. Disneyland Paris is already booking into 2025, and with the excitement of the Summer Olympic & Paralympic Games in Paris, it’s smart to plan well ahead. We can send current pricing, hotel recommendations and more, customized just for you.  As always, our help is free. 

Let’s plan your trip to Paris ▸

HOW DO THEME PARK TICKETS WORK AT DISNEYLAND PARIS RESORT?

With any Disneyland Paris resort package, you’ll enjoy multi-day theme park tickets as a perk of your stay — but the access & pricing are very different from the American parks. Especially if you’re staying off-property. We’ll explain. Is  Premier Access Ultimate  worthwhile to skip the standby queue wait times? What about add-ons like PhotoPass or a VIP Tour?

THEME PARK ACCESS & THEME PARK TICKETS FOR RESORT HOTEL GUESTS

At Disneyland Paris, Theme Park entry is included with Disney resort hotel packages, as a perk of your accommodations. You’re welcome to enter the parks from the opening minutes of your arrival day through to the closing minutes of your departure day. Also, unlimited park hopping is included all day, every day. 

Some Americans’ jaws drop when they learn this — this is very different from Walt Disney World and Disneyland. To put it simply, Disneyland Paris has a different business model than the American parks. 

WHY CAN’T I REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THEME PARK DAYS WITH OUR RESORT HOTEL STAY?

After contemplating this perk, some guests ask, “What if we won’t arrive at Disneyland Paris resort until late on our first day? Or need to leave early on our check out day? Wouldn’t we be wasting theme park tickets? What’s what’s the price if we do it a la carte? Can we do a five night hotel stay and a three day ticket?”

All perfectly reasonable questions!

The answer, quite simply, is that Disney makes it much more expensive if you try to do it this way. The included theme park entry perk is an incentive to draw guests to stay at the Disneyland Paris hotels, and Disney prices those incentives accordingly! Realistically, even with this perk, a 5-night Disneyland Paris resort hotel stay is typically more affordable than, say, a 5 night hotel stay + 3 days of theme park tickets at a Disneyland or Walt Disney World resort hotel. Enjoy the perk, we say, and enjoy the feeling that heading into the parks is free! 

PREMIER ACCESS

Rather than Genie+ (or FastPass), Disneyland Paris’s skip-the-lines privilege is called Premier Access, and it’s offered at the 15 most popular attractions between the two parks. There are two ways to do it:

PREMIER ACCESS (standard)

• Pay within your app (8 to 15 Euros per guest per attraction)
• You must select from a limited number of return time windows
• You may not prepay for the service before your visit
• Pricing is dynamic. Expect around 15 Euro (per guest) for Crush’s Coaster or Spider Man WEB-SLINGERS, and around 8 Euro for something like Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast.

PREMIER ACCESS ULTIMATE

• Enjoy access to ALL 15 of the attractions that accept the privilege — no advance booking windows are required.
• Use the privilege once per attraction; you simply walk up and enter. (And if you want to re-ride, you’re always free to wait in the Standby queue.)
• The price of Premier Access Ultimate varies by the day (typically between $140 – $190 USD per guest per day).
• NOTE: It’s always best for us to add this to your package if you anticipate that you’ll want a day (or multiple days) with Premier Access Ultimate. You can remove it (up until your balance payment date) if you change your mind.
• A LIMITED NUMBER OF GUESTS MAY PURCHASE THIS PER DAY. You may add this on the day of your visit — IF there are still Premier Access Ultimate bookings available.
• We can add Premier Access Ultimate to any package for one day or multiple days. To book, we must select the specific day or days you’d like the service.

Similar to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, you can pre-pay to pose with Disney’s professional photographers throughout both parks. They’re primarily found near character meet & greets. One price covers all the days and all the guests within your vacation package. It’s about $85 USD, and we’ll add it to your vacation package when you book.

For those who want the crème de la crème of the Disneyland Paris experience, we can add an exclusive VIP Tour to your vacation package.

• Enjoy 6 hours with an expert VIP Guide, inviting you to skip all lines and waits, guaranteeing you premium viewing areas for all parades, shows & spectaculars.
• Learn exclusive behind-the-scenes secrets of the Disney Imagineers’ most charmingly designed park, plus Avengers Campus and more.
• Choose a morning or afternoon start time: 10 AM or 2 PM. Each tour is scheduled for 6 hours, but you can add additional time if you like.
• May be booked up to 2 weeks before arrival (but availability is limited).
• To book a Disneyland Paris VIP Tour, contact us for pricing.

PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES & DISNEY PLANNING TIPS

Should I visit Disneyland Paris during the Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games? How busy will it be? Is it better to visit during, before, or after the games?  

WHAT WE KNOW / WHAT WE DON’T KNOW | Disneyland Paris has just opened its entire calendar for bookings through March of 2025, and many international guests are booking hotels at Disneyland Paris during their visits. Rates are in-keeping with previous summer periods, and we’re already booking many clients who have tickets to various Olympic sporting events. We still don’t know how transportation to this part of Paris might be impacted, but it’s reasonable to assume that the RER A train will be running often. We also don’t know if Disney will be doing anything unique during the games as part of their own on-site celebration. 

HISTORICALLY, TOURIST SITES ARE NOT BUSY DURING THE SUMMER GAMES | Talk to anyone who visited Rio de Janeiro in 2016, London in 2012, Beijing in 2008 or Athens in 2004. Although the Olympic venues were busy, the tourist areas were not. Why? Because nearly all the city’s hotels & lodging are occupied by visiting athletes, delegations, corporate sponsors, and their families, who are laser-focused on the Olympics. Regular ol’ tourists tend to stay away. Sometimes they assume the city will be jam-packed (although it isn’t), or they’re unable to find affordable lodging (because, see above). 

Therefore, although Disneyland Paris is the #1 most-visited tourist destination in France — with twice as many visitors as the Louvre — it’s reasonable to assume that no, the parks won’t be super crowded. 

SHOULD I VISIT DISNEYLAND PARIS BEFORE, DURING, OR AFTER THE GAMES?

If we’re looking at historical patterns, then we need to note something else: Rio de Janeiro, London, Beijing and Athens were all very busy just BEFORE the games. Many tourists jam-packed the tourist areas in the hopes of seeing everything before the masses showed up. 

If you’ll be visiting for the Olympics and you’d like to add some Disney days before or after, go ahead and get in touch now via the link below. We should book your resort hotel ASAP.

TRAINS & TRANSPORTATION

How do I get to Disneyland Paris by train from the center of Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), or London ?  I’m staying in Paris, how easy are the trains to go and visit for one day? 

PLAN YOUR ARRIVAL BY TRAIN  | Most guests arrive at Disneyland Paris by train (see arriving by car, below, for other options). To plan travel to the train station at the resort, it’s wise to use the Google Maps app. (The native app, not the website version). You’ll travel to Marne-la-Valée / Chessy. This station is located literally steps away from the security entrance for Disneyland Paris Resort.   Please note that there are many train lines which travel here from across France, Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and beyond.

TRAVELING TO / FROM THE CENTER OF PARIS  | The train which takes you between Paris and the resort is the  RER train, line A.  (Please note that this is different from the Paris metro, and requires a separate ticket than the standard subway lines in Paris). From the center of Paris — such as Châtelet–Les Halles — the trains arrive about every 10 – 15 minutes, and the travel time is just under an hour. 

TRAVELING TO / FROM CDG AIRPORT |  The train which travels between the resort and Charles de Gaulle Airport is the  TGV line . It’s incredibly easy. Trains depart about once an hour. The travel time is less than 15 minutes .

DISNEY EXPRESS LUGGAGE SERVICE | Disney Resort hotel guests who add this enhancement to their package may leave their luggage and bags at the Disney Express welcome desk inside the train station and head right into the parks. Disney Cast Members will porter them to your Disney resort hotel for you. (And on your check-out day, they’ll return them to the station.) This pre-paid enhancement must be reserved several days in advance; it’s available exclusively for Disney resort hotel guests, regardless of how you arrive at the Marne-la-Valée / Chessy station. Get pricing ▸  

BUYING YOUR TRAIN TICKETS | If you’re traveling from Paris or CDG, you do not need to purchase train tickets before your travel day.  Rely on the automated ticket kiosks within the train stations, which accept major credit cards. Take note that not every kiosk sells all ticket types, so be sure that your kiosk has the RER logo (or sells TGV tickets, if traveling from CDG). 

VERY EARLY / VERY LATE | If you expect to arrive or depart very early in the day — before 7 AM or after 10 PM — the trains may not be operating on a timely schedule to get you to your destination. It may be advisable to book a private transfer instead. 

TRAVELING FROM / TO LONDON | If you’ll be traveling between Disneyland Paris and  London , it’s advisable to purchase your Eurostar train ticket at least 4 weeks in advance. Tickets get much more expensive as the date nears. Pre-pandemic, many direct trains  traveled directly between London and Disneyland Paris. As of 2022, however, direct trains are only offered on peak travel dates. On other days, you’ll often need to transfer at Paris’s Gare du Nord station. Catch an RER train to travel between Gare du Nord and the resort.

ARRIVING BY CAR / TAXI / PRIVATE TRANSFER | If you’ll be driving your own car, you may either enter via your resort hotel or be dropped off at the train station. The resort hotels all offer guest parking. If you plan to catch a taxi, you’re most likely to find a taxi at the airports (CDG or Orly) or in the center of Paris. If you’d like to take a rideshare, it won’t be difficult to get an Uber pickup in the center of Paris, but finding an available Uber driver is very, very rare in the suburban area of Disneyland Paris. For a pickup at the Disneyland Paris area on your departure day, it’s best to schedule a private ground transfer from a service like Disneyland Paris Transfer .

WHAT SHOULD I SEE & DO IN PARIS?

How many days do I need for sightseeing? How far in advance do I need to get tickets for the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, or the Palace of Versailles? Can I see these sights during my stay at Disneyland Paris?

It typically takes more than an hour to travel from Disneyland Paris resort to the heart of the city. For that reason, we suggest booking a separate hotel in Paris when you’d like to see the city. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a group of friends, a couple on a romantic getaway or a family looking to save some Euros, we’re thrilled to help our Disneyland Paris clients also book their perfect Paris hotel. We’ve got an excellent shortlist of hotels that we’ve personally visited and our clients adore.

Get pricing for a stay in Paris >

Only have one extra day? Disneyland Paris provides a selection of guided tours that pick you up right at your Disneyland Paris resort hotel, take you to a few must-see sights, and return you in time for dinner. Keep in mind, they’re not offered every day of the week or every week of the year. So, get in touch if you’re curious about including one during your Disneyland Paris stay.

SIGHTSEEING RECOMMENDATIONS IN PARIS

For those who can include at least 2 or more days of sightseeing in the City of Light, here are our top recommendations. Note : each link sends you to its official ticketing / information site.

EIFFEL TOWER | The iconic symbol of Paris stands tall. Take the elevator ride and feel the breeze on your face while you admire panoramic views. Fun fact: there are 1,665 steps to the top, but don’t worry, elevators are available! Get your tickets at least a month in advance — even earlier if you’re hoping for a sunset visit.

MUSÉE DU LOUVRE | Home to Mona Lisa’s mysterious smile and more masterpieces than you could possibly see in a day. Art and history galore, it’s a place to taste Parisian history and immerse yourself in culture. Tip: fewer crowds on Wednesdays and Fridays, but it’s smart to buy your tickets at least a few days in advance. Longer for weekends or peak travel season.

CATHÉDRALE DE NOTRE DAME | A Gothic masterpiece boasting intricate gargoyles and stunning stained glass. Once you see it with your own eyes, you’ll understand why Quasimodo found sanctuary here. It’s stunning. Through 2024, its devastating fire- damage restoration is in progress, but the undeniable heart of Paris beats strong.

SACRÉ-COEUR | The white-domed beauty atop Montmartre hill offers 360° views that make you feel on top of the world. On warm afternoons, the hillside lawn welcomes street musicians and a global sing-a-long full of bonhomie. Its views of the city are unrivaled. Bonus: hop on the nearby miniature carousel for a joyful spin.

MONTMARTRE | This bohemian, artsy neighborhood invites you to stroll cobblestone streets, spot countless artists, and visit buzzing cafes. Taste a fresh croissant and listen to street musicians, and keep an eye out for chef Gusteau’s ghost! History nugget: Picasso, Van Gogh, and Amelie Poulain once roamed here!

LE MARAIS | The central neighborhood where medieval charm meets modern chic. Countless quaint boutiques, trendy galleries, and delightful eateries. Get delicious falafel, select a colorful batch of macarons, or simply sit at a corner bistro. People-watching here is an art. Paris’s LGBTQ+ community rules the nightlife in the Marais; by day, you’ll see lots of families with kids enjoying its beautiful playgrounds and parks. Don’t miss the charming Place des Vosgues.

RIVER SEINE | Paris’ lifeblood meanders through the city, offering romantic strolls along its banks. A must-see if you’re up for a little l’amour. Family tip: take an enchanting boat cruise and enjoy the twinkling city lights. You can typically book one just a few days in advance.

CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES | Showcasing royal opulence and grand gardens, a gilded palace that Cogsworth would be proud to call home. Marvel at the Hall of Mirrors and imagine Marie Antoinette’s reflection. The gardens and fountains are an extravagant delight on summer Sundays. Plan on at least half a day here, with ample travel time out & back. Get tickets at least a week in advance. Fun fact: Versailles housed 20,000 people in its heyday!

CATACOMBS OF PARIS | Venture beneath the city streets to explore an eerie labyrinth of bones, a chilling adventure for the brave at heart!  More than six million skeletons are still buried beneath the city, dating back to the 1700s. Age recommendation: 10+ and above. Buy your tickets at least a week in advance; longer during peak travel season.

MUSÉE D’ORSAY | A former train station turned world-class art museum, housing innumerous gems from Impressionist painters like Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Caillebotte.  Smart to buy tickets a day beforehand, & check to see what’s on during your visit. Some exhibitions are extra kid-friendly.

CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES & ARC DE TRIOMPHE | The iconic avenue may suffer from an overkill of store-brand flagships, but the boulevard itself is stunning. Get tickets to visit the top of the Arc. It’s extra cool when a setting sun casts an arc-shaped shadow on the boulevard.

This is just the beginning. We’ve got far, far more tips to share.

Wondering where to find the cutest Instagram-worthy macarons, the coolest unique French fashions, the tastiest Bretonne crepes & galettes , or some swoon-worthy gourmet dining that won’t break the bank? 

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We’ve been to Paris countless times, and we’d love to tell you. We know the city like the back of our four-fingered white gloved hand. 

If you plan your trip with Wishful Thinking, we can provide a shortlist of our favorite restaurants, the coolest shops, most unique nightlife, and the best locations for family-friendly sights in the city. We’ve also got lots of practical tips on how to take best advantage of the Disneyland Paris park entry times, how to get to and from the city, which restaurants are most worthwhile, and more. Especially with the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games on the way, it’s never too early to start planning!

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Avengers Campus at Disneyland Paris

Avengers, assemble! The world’s second Avengers Campus opened in July, with new attractions, up-close character experiences, and heroic dining.

Spider-Man W.E.B. Adventure is Paris’s version of the WEB SLINGERS attraction that first premiered at Disney California Adventure. Sharpen your very own spidey sense as you fling virtual webs through an immersive, interactive workshop that’s been overtaken by spider bots!

Avengers Assemble: Flight Force showcases Iron Man and Captain Marvel in a newly themed story on the former site of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. A pioneering new Audio-Animatronic Iron-Man welcomes you to the attraction, where you’re recruited to join the Avengers to save the world from an intergalactic threat!

As in California, the land bursts to life with live stunt shows, character meet & greets, and innovative restaurants like the Stark Factory and PYM Kitchen. 

Chris from Wishful Thinking has explored every adventure within Avengers Campus, and we’ve got lots of insider tips for you!

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Boxing/MMA | Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal out to prove…

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Boxing/MMA | Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal out to prove who’s ‘baddest’

The former but still-feuding ufc stars wrap up a tour in la to promote their boxing match june 1 at the forum.

LOS ANGELES — Nate Diaz was done.

Throughout an abbreviated final stop on a four-city press junket promoting their crossover pay-per-view boxing match June 1 at The Forum in Inglewood, invectives flew and fans feigned like they were eager to scale a barrier separating them from Diaz, the 37-year-old combat sports star from Stockton, and fellow UFC fan favorite Jorge Masvidal, who delighted in egging them on.

“I expect more heat,” Masvidal said between invitations to step outside. “In my city, he couldn’t get a word out.”

Diaz wouldn’t claim L.A. as his city.

The Stockton native is a Giants-Niners-Kings-and-Warriors kind of guy, but they all play in California and, from a home-field advantage perspective, that played out like you might expect. Nonetheless, he was over the whole thing.

Diaz lasted 11 minutes before walking off the stage Friday night inside The Novo at L.A. Live, closing a weeklong promotional tour for the fists-only rematch of the first UFC BMF title fight in 2019 that sold out Madison Square Garden.

“It was a fun tour,” Diaz said, buttering up his departure. “Going all over the USA. I’m done with all this (crap). I’m cool with all this talking (crap).

“Sell this (crap) yourself, (expletive).”

A short time later in a room full of people he liked, Diaz summed up the experience:

“Obnoxious,” he said. “Obnoxious.”

Diaz had had enough of Masvidal: “I don’t like him. Does anyone else like him?”

Masvidal felt similarly: “As this tour has gone more and more and this last stunt he pulled, yeah, I’m starting to actually dislike this (expletive). I really want to put his lights out in a violent way.”

A doctor’s stoppage for cuts above and below Diaz’s right eye courtesy of Masvidal’s elbows inside the Octagon was a point of controversy among the fan base when it happened.

Even though the cuts required 25 stitches to close, that sense of unfinished business is among the reasons Fanmio, a digital platform that is increasingly producing combat sports pay-per-view events, footed the bill to put Diaz and Masvidal together in Las Vegas a day before UFC 300, New York, the Cuban-American’s home base of Miami and, lastly, the host city, which turned out a hefty pro-Diaz crowd.

“We believe if we do it, do it right,” said Solomon Engel, CEO and majority owner of Fanmio. “Don’t cut corners. That’s how it needs to be done. So why are we going to put in a ton of time, team resources, money behind something that really doesn’t have much of a return? That’s sort of the psychology we had. If we’re going to do an event, we’re trying to fit the right parties together. It all has to make sense.”

Counterintuitive as Diaz seems, by short-circuiting the streamed portion of the L.A. presser he likely did more to promote the event than by keeping to the confines of how the game is usually played. On top of his skill and determination as a fighter, both in the UFC and where he stands today as a free agent calling his own shots, it was the kind of viral example he’s paid millions to deliver for being himself.

The effect of combining forces, reputations and fan bases with Masvidal was weighed and measured by Engel’s data model, which he believes can accurately determine how an event could perform.

“We have a really detailed model, and it’s not just some fluff model,” Engel said. “It’s pretty detailed. Even running this show, running through this process, we’re comparing it up against the model and we’re like wow, in some areas we’re super close, which is good.”

Because Fanmio operates like a network and not just a promoter, Engel says that distributing its own events “gives us margins that traditional promoters don’t just have.”

Prior to the start of the pandemic, negotiating with some of combat sports’ most robust personalities for big-money purses wasn’t in Engel’s job description. His Miami-based company sold video chat meet-and-greets for fans and celebrities. It was good money, but not successful pay-per-view money, which came into focus after that lucrative ability was built as a separate feature when they introduced the production and distribution of content to the platform.

“When we leaned into that, focusing on that, the next thing you know we’re doing [Floyd] Mayweather-Logan Paul,” said Engel, who claimed the June 2021 exhibition did “incredibly well” at the box office, better than has been reported publicly.

“We realized, well, we make a lot more money doing combat sports and doing PPV than these little meet-and-greet business things,” he said, “so we shelved that business.”

The price point for Mayweather-Paul was $49.99 at a time when influencer boxing was taking hold.

Engel tried to match Diaz with Paul, but at the late stages of the negotiations, the UFC veteran agreed to instead fight the younger brother, Jake, for $59.99 on DAZN.

Diaz vs. Masvidal is listed at $79.99 and occurs opposite UFC 302, which costs the same, making it a dilemma-inducing and expensive night for fight fans.

Engel booked his event first and explained that the UFC, which signed off on Masvidal’s participation, gave him the go-ahead to run June 1. When it became clear that the PPV events were actually running on parallel tracks, it was too late to hop off the train.

Diaz said fans should spend their money how they want. Masvidal made the case that if he was at home he’d purchase both events because that’s what combat sports addicts do.

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