You are going to a Disney Resort for vacation. For years you have been thinking about it, now is the time. You speak to your “DISNEY FRIENDS”, they have tons of information. Most important of which is they give you the name of their favorite Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, perhaps Mark at Doing Disney With Mark.
But over the weekend you mention to your brother-in-law what you are planning to do. You know that brother-in-law, the one who pooh poohs everything and he says, “Do it yourself those Planners/Agents are just in it for the money and will rip you off. Do it yourself, it will be easier and cheaper.”
So now you don’t know what to do.
What to do? I wish someone could help me decide.
Well…
Here are…
10 Reasons to Use an Authorized Disney Travel Planner (Travel Agent) for your next Disney Vacation.
1. IT’S FREE…FREE…100% FREE!
There are many things you will learn as you venture into planning you Disney Vacation. The Big One is that it cost a lot of money (even the cheapest way still is pricey, unless you live near Disney).
Using an Authorized Disney Planner (ADP) is one thing that is FREE. They are basically liaisons between Disney and You.
They don’t charge fees for helping plan the trip. The price you get from an Authorized Disney Planner or ADP is the same price you would get by doing all the work yourself. Except they do all the work!
So why would Disney have ADPs if the price is the same?
Simple, if you have a question and you were to call Disney for the answer, that representative you are talking to is now not booking a trip. But an ADP is there to answer every question just like the Disney Rep, but it cost Disney a lot less and frees up that Rep. to book more guest. An ADP is passionate about Disney, to the point that you and your ADP might spend hours on the phone just discussing the Disney World or Disneyland.
2. They Work to Get You the Best Price!
A good ADP might actually save you a decent amount of money, even after you book the trip. ADPs are aware of deals and specials and how to find them. A good ADP will actually keep an eye out for New Disney Package deals even after you are booked. There is nothing worse than missing out on a deal. They work to get you every possible deal.
Say you book a year or even 9 months before you plan to go to Disney. A few months before you go, Disney releases an “Eat All You Want and Stay 3 Nights for the price of 2 Arbor Day Special”. That is when you want to go but you are already book. But you don’t know about it because you are busy working and living your life.
Your are about to sit down at your workstation, when your phone rings and it is your ADP. He says “They Released an Arbor Day Special and it is gonna save you about $400, for the same room or for the same price as you have booked I can get you a hotel upgrade to a Deluxe Resort. What do you like better?”
This is when you say, “Man you are awesome, I am glad I went with an ADP.”
3) Heads in Beds, What Resort Should I Stay At.
You have been studying up on Disney Resorts for a while, getting ready for this trip. You have watched every Travel Channel video and all the Disney Promotional videos. You have even been caught watching videos of travelers visiting Disney World on YouTube. So you know all the resorts, but which one do you want to stay at.
Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts, what is the difference. Wait what is a Deluxe Villa and what the heck is Club Level…UGHHHH!
There are 25 Disney resorts to stay at on Disney World Property, then there are hundreds of those just off property or in the neighboring area. Stay on property or off property, what are the pros and cons. That is an easy answer for an ADP, and they will help you decide which is best for you.
Chances are your ADP has stayed at most of the resorts on property, and at least has visited all of them.
They will make a recommendation based on your budget, your likes and expectations and suggestions…”I want to stay at the Dalmatian Hotel.” or “I want to watch the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from my room.”
A good ADP will make several suggestions and explain what a few dollars more can get you. They know if the resort is under renovation and will it affect your stay. All this is available when you are planning on your own, but if you don’t know what to look for or ask, you might miss something. You could beย waking and looking at a beautiful lake from your room or you could be looking at a construction site.
4) FastPass+???
You may have heard of it, you may have an idea what it is. But when it comes down to it, you have no idea what it is and how to make the most of it.
FastPass+ this can be the make or break for getting on the must do ride. It is not a ticket to the front of the line, but it will reduced your time in line. Knowing when to get them, and what rides to get them for is something a ADP can help you with.
I always have friends and clients, call me asking what is the difference between Tier 1 and 2. How many rides can I get? Not knowing this can make your vacation planning frustrating, a good ADP will answer these questions and some will book the FastPass+ for you.
5) Dining and ADR…
The day of just going to the park and walking into any restaurant for a meal are long gone. Nothing can ruin a trip faster than bad food choices, or no choices at all.
Because of Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) many of the best Restaurants are booked to capacity as far as 6 months in advanced. A good ADP will, if you book prior to the 180 day point, assist you with planning out where you might want to eat. If you are planning short of 180 days or last minute the ADP will help plan your dining but now they may use several tools and tricks to get you that hard to get restaurant with the Character meet and greet your little princess or prince has been dreaming of.ย If you want your ADP (if he is like me) will book all your reservations, so no need to jump on the computer after work trying to get the reservation, the ADP already secured it.
6) Question, Questions, Questions…Answer, Answer, Answer and More Answers…
What is an ADR, a Fast Pass +, a Magic Band? How do I get to the Park from my resort? Is there a place I can workout? How do I meet Mickey? What is best place for me to eat? You can search the web or ask a friend and get some answers and numerous opinions.
Or you can ask your personal Disney Expert, our ADP. As mentioned a good ADP will spend hours on the phone explaining anything and everything to you about Disney. Best time to do something, best place to eat for what your likes are and yes what time the 3 o’clock parade is. They enjoy talking Disney, it is not just a job it is a passion or obsession, that is why they became planners.
7)If Something Goes Wrong!
As much as we don’t like to admit, things can go wrong when you are on vacation, or before vacation. Someone gets sick, someone loses something, or a bad experience with a Cast Member (yes it can happen). A good ADP will provide guidance and assist you and you family along the way.
They are your liaison with Disney, they can contact Disney Representatives for you, they can direct you to an urgent care, a pharmacy or a store to buy better walking shoes.
Here’s an example: I had a guest become very sick after checking out of the room and spending sometime in the park before the evening flight. With the help of the resort concierge, we were able to get a room for the guest to rest up and shower before the evening flight.
8. When to Go and What to Expect..
You have a vacation coming, if you are lucky there is flexibility.
There are busy times and slow times in Disney World, your ADP will tell you when is the best time to go. If your vacation is not flexible, then a good ADP will tell you way to avoid crowds and make the most of your time on property. Did you know there are certain parks that are busier on certain days? Your ADP does and they know why.
Your ADP will be able to explain what the weather will be like. How hot is hot, how cold will it be at night, how often does it rain. These are topics they have the answers to and will actually tell you before you ask the question, because they want you to have all the information before you go.
9. How to Do the Parks
How you visit the parks varies by time of year. In the winter the parks close earlier and it is colder, in the summer they are open later and the midday are brutally hot.
Trying to do the park from rope drop to close can take a toll on your body, your family and your marriage.
Splitting the day to handle the heat, or two different parks in one day to break up the experience. Single Park a day or a parkhopper pass, these are all things that a good ADP will guide you through and explain why or why not. A 7 day trip doesn’t need 7 days worth of park tickets, how about a resort day, or a round or golf or a water park or shopping. These are things the ADP is an expert with.
10. What Do You Want to Do?
You look at the Disney Guide and say “I can’t wait to do all these rides.”
Your are in for a surprise. It is nearly impossible to do all the rides in one day at certain times of the year. An ADP will help you manage those expectations and help you get all the rides without going crazy.
An ADP will advise you, how to best get the most out of your trip and still keep your sanity. It is nearly impossible to see everything in the park, an ADP will take your wish list and tell you how to hit most if not all of the list. An ADP will manage expectation before you go to help prevent meltdowns and broken dreams.
There is one thing you need to remember about the parks, they have been around for over 50 years (Disneyland) and almost 50 years (Disney World). They will be around for many years and a ride you don’t do today, will be around decades from now, i.e. Jungle Cruise is an opening day attraction for both parks.
In Conclusion…
If you have never visited or are not a Disney regular I highly recommend contacting one when considering a trip, even if it is just information, there is no obligation ever. If you are a seasoned Disney Veteran, I also recommend a Disney ADP, there is always a little information they might have that you don’t, but also they can work on your vacation when you can’t. Plus it is FREE FREE FREE. Who knows you might make a new friend so call one today.