Why use a Travel Planner for your next Disney vacation?

By Senior Travel Planner Meghan Umlauf
​This originally ran in the January edition of the Holliston Town Pages

Why use a Travel Planner for your next Disney destination vacation, especially when you have planned plenty of very successful vacations on your own in the past?  Today I will share with you the top 5 reasons to use Travel Planners who specializes in Disney destinations:

​5. They can help you choose the best Disney destination for your family vacation!  With 7 different Disney vacation options (Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland®Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Adventures by Disney®, Disney’s Vero Beach® resort, and Disney’s Hilton Head Resort®) there are many ways to satisfy your families vacation needs!

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4. They will help you make all the decisions needed before you book and many before you even take your vacation!  A travel planner will help you choose: the time of year to travel, the right length of your vacation, your destination or itinerary, your accommodations or stateroom, a dining time on your cruise and, for the theme parks - the type of tickets needed, and dining plan or dining time.  Once booked there are still more details that need to be decided on and planned for before you travel… including magic band colors, Fast Pass selections, dining reservations, pre-booking of cruise activities, and final payments to be made. A travel planner will know when these choices need to be made and make recommendations to help you decide!

3. Some agents will make your Walt Disney® World dining reservations at 6am and Fast Pass + selections at 7am the days your booking windows open for your vacation!  At a minimum they will provide you with instructions to make your own. They can also pre-book any cruise activities at midnight, the day your window opens - depending on your Castaway Club level! In addition some planners will even create a travel itinerary for you!

2. When new Disney destination promotions are released most travel planners will try to get it applied to your reservation if it qualifies!  And when cruise itineraries are released, planners can book for you getting you the lowest fares! Many times when these promotional discounts and itineraries are released there are very long hold times, planners will wait on hold for you, and also have access to modify or book online that in some cases, is faster than calling in!

1.  The BEST reason to use a Travel Planner that specializes in Disney destinations? There is no added costs to use one!  You will pay the same amount for your vacation when booking with a Travel Planner vs booking yourself,  as Independent contractors their Commision is paid by Disney - not you, the consumer! Of course your true savings comes to you in the time a good travel planner will save you!

At Walt Disney World alone there are no less than 2 ticket options, 3 dining packages, 8 magic band colors, 25 Disney resorts, 65 Fast Passes and about 90 dining venues to choose from - most people will need some help or guidance eventually!  Why not have your own personal advisor - who can provide you with concierge travel planning services?