You’ve decided to take a trip to Disney World, one of the most magical destinations on earth, and you’re wondering if you should work with a Walt Disney World travel agent or Disney World vacation planner to plan your trip. If you’re making your first visit to the world of mouse or you simply want to experience the most hassle-free vacation ever, the answer is a definite yes. Finding the best Walt Disney World travel agency will simplify your vacation experience and help you get the most value from your trip.
Best of all, Disney World vacation planners who work with an authorized Disney World travel agency, receive commission from Disney, so there is rarely a cost to you.
Here are 4 reasons you should work with a travel agent from a reputable Walt Disney World travel agency.
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1. Gain the Benefit of Disney Experience
Walt Disney World travel agents know their stuff. Not only do they need to pass the Disney College of Knowledge course to book your vacation, they must also demonstrate a high level of Disney experience. When hiring vacation planners, the best Disney World travel agencies look for someone who has visited Disney World multiple times before hiring them as an agent.
This means your Disney vacation planner knows what to do and when. They’ll share this knowledge with you throughout the booking process, handling your entire reservation.
They’ll continue to offer knowledge and advice as you make plans for your trip, providing dining suggestions, daily itineraries and insider tips that can only be had from someone in the know.
A Disney World travel agent or vacation planner will provide you with all of the insight and advice you need to experience the magic of Disney, with tips that could save you both time in line and money.
2. Get the Best in Disney World Discounts
When Disney World has vacancies at onsite resorts, they frequently offer ticket, resort and package discounts to lure more travelers to the parks. While booking with a discount offer will undoubtedly save you money, it isn’t always as easy as hopping on the website and booking a room.
Some offers will have limited availability, meaning the early bird gets the worm, or in this case a discounted booking. However, when discounts are dropped, it isn’t uncommon for Disney World website and phone lines to become mobbed with travelers trying to book.
Long waits are common as guests vie for one of the coveted spots available at a discounted rate. A Walt Disney World vacation planner can save you this hassle by booking for you, directly with Disney. A Walt Disney World travel agency will know when discounts are being released and will use their dedicated Disney World website to book your vacation.
Most importantly, the best Walt Disney World travel vacation planners will continue to check for discounts and will automatically rebook your trip if a new deal is released for your resort, room type and travel dates.
This means you can have the assurance of booking when you want, knowing you can also take advantage of any deals that are released down the line.
3. Get Easier Access to Disney’s Genie+
Disney’s Genie+ service allows you to save time in line by pre-booking a one-hour window to experience a number of Disney World attractions. During your “ride time” you’ll enter through a special Lightning Lane queue. Since the number of guests who can access the Lightning Lane is capped, you’ll spend less time in line by using Genie+.
However, there is one drawback to Genie+. You will need get up each morning, log into the My Disney Experience app, and purchase Genie+ before you can make your first Lightning Lane reservation.
In most cases, your Walt Disney World travel agency will make this purchase, as well as your first reservation of the day for you, saving you time and hassle during your vacation.
4. Sit Back and Relax—Your Disney Travel Agent’s Got This
When you book your vacation with a Walt Disney World travel agency, your Walt Disney World vacation planner can handle everything for you. One critical, but often overlooked, piece of the Disney World booking puzzle is the park reservation system.
Before entering one of the 4 Disney World theme parks, you must have booked a park reservation in addition to purchasing a ticket. As a result, you can reserve a room, purchase tickets, and still not be able to enter a Disney Park if reservations are sold out.
A Walt Disney World travel agent will make certain that there is park availability before securing your booking and will even make park reservations on your behalf if you prefer it. An agent will then continue to handle the details of your trip, such as making dining reservations for your party.
The Disney dining reservation system opens to you exactly 60 days before your vacation starts. Your Disney vacation planner will save you the hassle of getting up at 6:00 am on this date to grab spots in the most popular restaurants. Sleep in and let your Walt Disney World travel agency do it for you.
Your Disney agent will also recommend your best bets for booking Genie+ reservations, and book tours, special events and VIP experiences, to provide just a few examples of the services offered.
Finding the best Walt Disney World Travel Agency for You
You can find a Walt Disney World travel planner in nearly every state. Most know the parks well but have varying levels of experience. Some have only made recent trips to Disney World. Others draw on decades of Disney World travel to help you make the best decisions and find the best deals for your trip.
Finding the best travel agent for your Disney vacation comes down to not only experience but availability and the agent’s willingness to help you with your travel planning. Keep in mind that every agent will make the same commission when booking your trip, so the level of service they are willing to provide you is key when choosing a Disney World travel planner.
Some things to consider when selecting a travel agent for your Disney World vacation:
- Will they help you with non-commission-based services, such as setting up your My Disney Experience account, booking dining reservations, and providing you with daily itineraries. Your agent won’t receive commission on these types of services, but vacation planners from the best Disney World travel agencies help you with these tasks to ensure you have the most magical vacation.
- Are they available to answer questions during your travel planning and while you are on vacation?
- Are they flexible? The best travel agent for a Disney vacation will let you do as much or as little of your planning as you desire.
- How excited is the agent about Disney travel? When vacationers post positive reviews about Disney travel vacation planners, the agent’s enthusiasm for Disney is one attribute that is often cited, because agent’s who love Disney are happy to share the magic with you by offering special insider tips and advice.
“Her attention to detail and her love and enthusiasm for all things ‘Disney’ is contagious – and that’s just who you want to help plan your special vacation!”
T. Snyder, Connecticut
It’s also important to understand that the best travel agents for Disney work for a Walt Disney World travel agency. That means you should also check out the agency as well as the individual travel planner. Some things to consider are:
- Is the agency an authorized Disney Vacation Planner? This is a designation bestowed by Disney and indicates that the agency meets their high standards of approval.
- Does the agency hold a valid Florida state license? Sellers or promotors of travel in the state of Florida are required to register annually with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Their registration number should be clearly printed on the footer of their website.
- Has the agency been “earmarked” as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? Disney’s EarMarked Program is reserved for travel agencies that specialize in selling Disney vacations and that have a multi-year history of meeting high sales volumes. This means the agency is highly knowledgeable and dedicated to customer service as much of an agency’s business comes from referrals and word of mouth.
Creating a fun and magical Disney World adventure can be complicated, but booking with a travel agent for your Walt Disney World vacation from an authorized Walt Disney World travel agency eliminates the confusion and simplifies planning. All you have to do is show up at your resort, head to the parks and enjoy.
We are Walt Disney World travel planners with Mickey World Travel, an EarMarked Authorized Disney vacation planner. Learn more about the travel planning services we provide or email your questions: ka******@mi***************.com.
Frequently Asked Questions About a Disney Travel Agent
Is it cheaper to use a Disney travel agent?
In most cases, you will pay the same to use a Disney travel agent as you would to book a vacation package directly through Disney. In fact, the commission that Disney pays to a travel agent is already baked into the cost of the vacation. That means when you book through Disney, you are paying a commission for travel agent services without receiving the wisdom, experience and help of the agent.
In some cases, the Disney travel agent may be required to assess a travel planning fee. This typically happens when the client wants to make a minimal purchase through the travel agent but receive a high level of extra help and services.
For example, the agent will receive a small commission on a booking where the client wants to purchase only their theme park tickets through the agent. The commission earned is usually not enough to cover his or her time in providing extra services, such as making dining reservations, booking Genie+ and other value added experiences, so the agent my ask for a fee to cover the time spent on these activities.
However, most agents are happy to answer questions, provide advice and guide you on your way without requiring this fee.
Is it better to use a travel agent for Disney?
A Disney agent can provide you with a number of services and benefits that you won’t get by booking your vacation on your own, such as help setting up your My Disney Experience account, booking dining reservations and Genie+. However, one of the biggest benefits to using a Disney travel agent is their wisdom and experience. An agent is always willing to answer questions and provide guidance to help your trip run smoothly. And if they don’t know the answer to a question, they have an extended family of agents to tap. This wealth of experience is invaluable when booking comprehensive travel such as a Disney vacation.
How do I contact a Disney travel agent?
Contacting a Disney travel agent is easy. Once you find the agent that’s right for you, contact can usually be made by email, phone or through a convenient web form.
If you are interested in receiving a free, no obligation quote on Disney travel, you can fill out the form below. We are agents with Mickey World Travel, a Platinum Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.
