11 Most Important Reasons to Book Disney with a Travel Agent

You’re starting to look into a Disney family vacation and the deeper you dive the more you realize is involved. Should you use a travel agent for Disney World? Yes, there are deadlines and details galore! Do you know what makes a vacation more relaxing? Reaping the benefits of using a Disney travel agent. You’ll save hours on the phone and get access to some discounts early. Here are our top reasons to book Disney with a travel agent when planning your trip.

11 Most Important Reasons to Book Disney with a Travel Agent

People often think that simply visiting The Most Magical Place on Earth is all it takes to ensure joy for the entire family. Wrong! Seasoned parkgoers such as annual passholders can probably pull this off. However, for those families in the Disney vacation planning process for the first time visit, heed my advice – you need to have a plan when you visit Mickey!

Booking your Disney vacation with a travel agency that specializes in Disney Destinations can make all the difference in the world. Trust me. The Walt Disney Company has created an incredible vacation destination but the planning process overwhelms many first-timers. Let an experienced travel planner help!

Tips on Finding a Good Travel Agent for Disney

First of all, you need to find the RIGHT travel agent to assist in your planning. While any travel agent can book Disney Destination packages, not every agent is knowledgeable on the ins and outs of the parks. It is very important to find a travel agent who specializes in Disney vacations.

Many of our SheBuysTravels trust Get Away Today for their Disney Vacation booking needs. We have a complete review of their services and why we think they are one of the best here.

How to Find Other Disney Travel Agents:

• Try searching the Travel Leaders Network. You can select your state and search for an agent closest to your area. The Travel Leaders Network is a highly respected group of travel agents across the country.
• Talk to your friends. Find out who they used for their trip. Personal referrals are always the best way to go.
• Research! There are thousands of websites that talk about Disney and many of their blogs will have a preferred agent and/or agency that they recommend.

These days, many travel agents work out of their home offices communicating with their clients via phone, email and text message. This makes it very convenient for clients to work with travel agents in different parts of the country. Find a travel agent who makes you feel most comfortable and go from there.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Always read the agent reviews! If you find an agent and/or agency you are interested in, do additional research online. Look for their social media. See if they have a Facebook page. Do they have any reviews there? Do they have a website? Always, always do your research.

1. Disney Travel Agents Have a “Disney Degree”

Disney travel agents have successfully passed the College of Disney Knowledge courses and must re-certify each year. The majority of travel agents specializing in Disney choose to do so because of their passion for Disney travel. You will find that a lot of them own or write for Disney blogs and websites. They are the experts when it comes to the beloved Disney theme parks.

Walt Disney World is constantly growing and changing and agents must keep up with the latest news and details to pass along to their clients. One important detail is the ever-changing refurbishment list. Disney is always having to update their attractions and resorts. They regularly post a list for travel agents to pass along to their clients. For instance in 2022 multiple resorts have pool closures at the beginning of the year, Blizzard Beach will be closed for months, and the Skyliner will be down for maintenance. A good travel agent will make you aware of this and lessen its impact on your trip.

SheBuysTravel Tip: It’s important to make sure that the travel agent you use is an earmarked authorized Disney Vacation planner.

2.  Knowledge of Disney Parks & Resorts

A knowledgeable agent can help you pick the perfect resort for your family and help you stay within your budget. With over 25 Disney World resort hotels to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming trying to pick the best one.

Dreaming of a stay at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa but afraid it’s out of your price range? If your travel dates are flexible, a good agent can assist in helping you find the lowest rates possible to make your Disney dreams come true. They are always staying up-to-date on the latest special offers on resorts and park tickets.

Did you know that you can book a Walt Disney World package with just a $200 deposit? Knowledgeable agents will know all the tips and tricks on how you can budget and afford the Disney vacation of your dreams. Learn more about how you can finance your Disney vacation in Secrets to Affording a Disney Vacation.

3. Save Time – Disney Planning is Complicated

Who knew that planning a vacation could be so difficult? There are so many working parts to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation. From park tickets to park reservations to Disney World and Disneyland resorts, there is a lot to navigate when booking this special vacation. Once you narrow down your travel dates and resort hotel, then you have to decide on the more difficult steps.

How many days do I need in the parks? Which parks are age appropriate for my children? Do I really need a park hopper ticket? Do we want to add a dining plan to our package? If so, which one – there are three (3) to choose from. (Note: At this time Disney Dining Plans have not returned.)

You can read books, blogs and ask all of your friends what they recommend and chances are you will get a different opinion from each one. Yep, everyone has their own opinion about the “right” way to do Disney. You have to decide what is right for you and your family.

This is where the knowledge of a Disney expert is beneficial. A good Disney Travel Agent will give you the pros and cons to all of the different package components and allow you to decide what works best for you and your family vacation.

4.  Save Money – Yes, Seriously

One common misconception is that booking a Disney vacation through a travel agent is more expensive than booking direct. This is simply incorrect. The price you pay for a Disney vacation package, regardless of where it is booked, is the same across the board.

However, booking your vacation with a Disney travel agent can at times save you money. Here’s how.

Disney often releases highly sought after travel discounts throughout the year. If you book your package before the discount is released, you can still take advantage of the deal. If applicable, your travel agent will apply the discount to your package as soon as the promotion is released. You do not have to do anything.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Get Away Today’s complimentary Price Monitoring will automatically price check that each of their guests is getting the best deal. If a new special is better, they will automatically apply the new savings and let the guest know. If it’s not a better deal, they will leave everything as is, and keep their eyes peeled for future promotions that could save their guests more.

There’s no need to search the blogs or Disney’s site for discount offers, as your agent will monitor this for you. You do not have to call Disney to apply the promotion when it is released; your agent will do this for you. In late 2021 there were reports of people spending 4-6 hours on the phone waiting. If you use a Disney travel agent this doesn’t have to be your experience.

5.  Premium Concierge Services offered by Disney Travel Agents

Your Disney Travel Agency may not charge any fees for their services. There are some, however, that charge planning/concierge fees for itinerary planning. If the travel agent is going to charge a fee it should be advertised on their website. If you are uncertain, always ask before booking. In most scenarios as long as you are booking tickets and/or a stay on property there should be no fee. If you’re utilizing an off property hotel the agent may charge a small fee.

The possibilities are endless, depending on the travel agent you choose. Each agent has different specialties to offer. Some other common benefits to using a travel agent in the Disney vacation planning process include:

• Free travel quotes
• Detailed Dining Plan explanations
• Assistance in choosing a package
• Park navigation assistance
• Character location
• Insider tips and tricks
• Airport Transfer Booking (Shuttles, limousines, towncars)
• Stroller / Scooter rentals
• Grocery delivery orders
• Scheduling Childcare with babysitting services
• Assistance with Birthday/Anniversary Celebrations
• Booking Specialty Fireworks Cruises and dessert parties
• VIP Tour Scheduling
• Scheduling Golf tee times
• Scheduling Spa Treatments
• Assistance with runDisney (some agents specialize in this area of travel)

6.  Disney Dining Reservation Assistance

ADRs – also known as Advanced Dining Reservations – are one of the most important details to Disney vacation planning for anyone looking for character dining experiences. Dining reservations used to open 180 days in advance, however changes Covid restrictions altered that to 60 days in advance. This means there is even more competition for those reservations when that booking window opens. A Disney travel agent can do initial bookings and then watch for spots that open up that your family really wanted.

A good travel agent will be able to assist you with all things Disney including dining reservations. Most Disney travel agents will also book your dining reservations for you. If this is something you prefer to do on your own, you will certainly be able to. Simply tell your agent you would like to handle this planning on your own.

Need help planning your Disney trip? Get all your questions answered from our Disney Planning & Fun Facebook Group!

7.  Genie+ Assistance

Fastpass+ reservations ended when the theme parks closed due to the coronavirus in 2020. After reopening it never came back. Since Genie Service has been introduced. Genie+ is an additional ticket add-on that allows you to book rides and experiences one at a time throughout the day. Your Disney travel agent will be intimately familiar with what strategy you should employ and whether it makes sense for your family. If you decide to add Genie+ they can even select tickets that already include it.

Knowing what your family’s priorities are will allow your agent to tell you if the cost is worth it every day or if you should wait and only add it on your Disney’s Hollywood Studios day.

For more details on how the Genie+ system works, read Disney Genie Service: The Good, Bad, and Expensive of the Fastpass+ Replacement.

8. One Point of Contact Throughout the Planning Process

When you book your vacation with a Disney travel agent, that agent will be your main contact throughout the planning process. You will go to your agent with all of your questions and concerns. Your agent will then work with Disney on all the details. You will not need to contact Disney for anything.

If you book your reservations directly through Disney, you will speak with a different agent (Cast Member) each time you call. You will not have the personal relationship you develop when you work directly with one travel agent. There’s no need to explain something more than once when you have just one point of contact.

9. Emergency Contact During Travel

No one wants to think about an emergency occurring during their vacation. Unfortunately these things happen. When you book your vacation with a travel agent, you have someone on stand-by throughout your travels. All you have to do is pick up the phone, call your agent and they start working behind the scenes to assist on your behalf. If you book your vacation through discount outlets such as Costco I can assure you they won’t be there to pick up the phone and help in the event of an emergency.

10. Take Your Adventure Beyond Disney

Yes, we know this whole post is about reasons to book Disney with a travel agent but most agents can do more than just Disney. If you’re looking to expand your Florida vacation to include Universal Orlando resort and Universal Studios be sure to bring it up on your first contact with an agent. They’ll let you know if that’s an area that they can help you out with.

11. Be Prepared for the Worst

This is something we never even used to think about a few short years ago but should something shut down the parks or impact your vacation you’ll have someone dealing with it on your behalf.

Disney planning is in constant flux as things change due to ongoing Covid infections and the rapid spread of Omicron. Experiences that were closed are also starting to reopen again. Having one point of contact allows you to get valuable information in real time from one person. It takes the stress off of you having to keep up with the ever changing Disney landscape.

Already Booked and Need Assistance?

Have you already booked your Walt Disney World vacation and realize you are overwhelmed? Many Disney travel agents will offer concierge planning services for a fee.  If it has been less than 30 days since you made your reservations you can fill out a form with Disney and have your reservation transferred to an agent.

Looking to travel to other Disney Destinations such as Disneyland, Aulani, Disney Cruise Line or Adventures by Disney? Using a travel agent for these destinations is always a good idea too.

If you’re just in the planning process and want to see how much a Disney vacation will cost your family, you can fill out this form and Get Away Today will reach out to you with a personalized quote for FREE!