Why Use a Travel Agent for Booking a Disney or Any Other Vacation?
Yes, you can easily book your Disney Parks, Disney Cruise, Disney Aulani, Adventure by Disney or any other Disney Destination on your own. Most of the websites are easy to understand and work though. So, why would you book with a Travel Agent instead of doing it yourself??
Do you know all
the ins and outs of the destination you are booking? Are you up to date on any
policy changes? Look for a Travel Agent who keeps up on these things for you.
Agents spend days/weeks
learning about a specific destination before they are allowed to book it for a
client. That Travel Agent may have gone to Disneyland hundreds of times, but
they are required to take the online classes and pass the tests before they can
book.
- Travel Agents are required to keep up with the changes at the destinations they book.
- Do you know about any and all special offers/discounts? Travel Agents spend time doing this on an ongoing basis.
- Do you know about all the different requirements for your travel?
- Will you need a passport?
- Are there any prohibited items you may have not thought about?
- Are you ready to sit on hold for hours waiting to book your trip, make a special request, or ask a question? As an agent I’ve seen hold times go to 3+ hours for DCL.
- Disney, and most other destinations add the commissions to the price you see on their websites. If you don’t use an agent, the destination is keeping that extra money. In other words, you are PAYING for the services of a Travel Agent, and you are doing the all the work yourself!
- Do you have someone in your travel party with a special need?
- Mobility, hearing, vision or health issue? A TA should be able to ask questions and smooth the way for you.
- Are you prepared to deal with any issues that come up while booking, pre-vacation or during your vacation?
- Should you get Trip Protection or Trip Insurance?
- How do you deal with a travel delay, cancelation or a weather issue that impacts your trip?
- If you are unhappy with service or accommodation, do you wish to take time out of your trip to deal with it? Would it be easier to make a call to your Travel Agent to see if they can resolve the issue for you?
These are just a
few of the reasons to consider using a Travel Agent. The choice is yours.
Things you want in
a Travel Agent:
- The Agent has training/certification on the destination you desire to go to.
- An example is a current College of Disney Knowledge Update Certificate.
- The Agency requires the agent makes payments for you directly to the DESTINATION using a Credit/Debit card and refuses all cash payments. (Disney Gift Cards are a different subject. Not all Agents/Agencies accept them.)
- The Agency requires you to sign a Debit/Credit/Disney Gift Card Authorization Form giving them permission to use your card to pay the destination for you. This can be an e-signature or a physical signature.
- A Credit/Debit/Gift Card Authorization Form protects both the Client and the Travel Agent/Agency.
- How it Protects the Client:
- This form limits the amount of money to be charged.
- Keeps the Agent/Agency from “holding” your funds.
- Limits where the card can be used.
- Example: You book a Disney Parks stay the charge can only be made for booking at that resort.
- All charges must be for the stated reservation.
- How it Protects the Agent/Agency:
- It gives documentation of your consent to make that payment.
- It clearly states how much the client wants each payment to be.
- If the government wants to check records for proof that the agency is not mishandling or holding funds for a client this is necessary.
- The Agent makes sure to send confirmation of bookings and payments.
Things you do not
want in a Travel Agent:
- The agent has no training on the destination you desire.
- The Agent/Agency only accepts cash payments or charges Credit/Debit cards to the agent or agency, not the destinations.
- If the Agent/Agency only accepts cash, ask for proof of an active Bond or Trust Account. If they cannot provide this information be careful.
- There have been cases where the agent/agency makes the deposit and then cancels the trip taking the money and running. This is real fraud and has cost the traveling public millions. The number of cases of this have decreased greatly over the past 10 years due to new laws and public awareness.
- There is minimal documentation of bookings and payments. You don’t get paperwork, you should!
Info@PixieDustedMemoriesTravel.com
Follow us on
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/PixieDustedMemoriesTravel
&
