Is A Disney Travel Agent The Best Way To Create The Most Magical Vacation?
We’ve always planned our own Disney vacation, until our last Mickey-themed adventure. Here are 7 things we learned about using a Disney Vacation Planner.
(This is a sponsored post. I never recommend anything that I don’t believe in and only accept sponsorships when it is not contingent upon a positive review. All proceeds from posts are donated to charities that are working to make the world in which we travel a little better.)
Out of all my friends, I’ve always been that one who is a bit Disney-obsessed.
My ears-and-magicband-full-closet is my friends go-to when it’s Disney Day at their kids’ school. I’m who they call when they’re planning a Disney vacation and have no idea where to stay. And when they want to see my eyes light up, they let me explain terms like “rope drop” and “lightening lane”.
In fact, on my list of favorite things to do, planning a Disney trip falls only slightly below actually going on a Disney trip.
But, for our most recent Disney vacation we decided to shake things up a bit. We used an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, Mystical Dream Travel, for the first time.
Authorized Disney Vacation Planners, sometimes referred to as Earmarked Agencies, are travel agencies specializing in Disney. They have extensive knowledge on planning Disney vacations.
Here’s what I learned about why a Disney Vacation Planner just might be your new Fairy Godmother.
Walt Disney World is the most popular place Disney Vacation Planners work their magic.
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Disney Vacation Planners Are Free (Most of the time).
Using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner comes at no extra cost to you. (We’ll get to the “most of the time” part later.)
Disney, as well as many all-inclusive resorts, and other theme parks, provides commission to agents. That commission comes directly from Disney and is not added on to what you pay.
Think of it as Disney paying contractors as opposed to salaried employees to do the work of booking your vacation.
So essentially the cost of having an agent to help you book is built into the price you pay. Whether you choose to use that service or book on your own is up to you.
There are a few exceptions to the rule. Some agencies tack on extra charges. (Hence the “most of the time” disclaimer.)
Planning Disney vacations has become increasingly complicated as the company offers more to do. Some agencies charge a fee on top of their commission to account for the time spent planning.
The agency we chose, and many others, do not charge extra fees for Disney vacations. We paid the same price we would have paid had we booked the vacation completely on our own.
Be sure to ask about additional charges when booking an agency.
We booked an Adventures By Disney Barcelona Escape through our Disney Vacation Planner. We met our two wonderful adventure guides, Marco and Billy, on our trip.
Wondering what Adventures By Disney Escapes are all about? Check out:
Adventures By Disney Escapes: Magic In Some Of The World’s Best Cities?
Disney Travel Agents Can Assist Planning Trips Beyond the Parks
For a long time, to us a Disney Vacation meant a trip to Walt Disney World.
But although Orlando boasts Disney’s largest footprint, the brand extends well beyond Florida.
In fact, our booking with Mystical Dream Travel was for an Adventures By Disney vacation. Adventures By Disney is a tour company that leads trips to popular destinations all over the world. Disney Travel Agents book these trips as well.
Disney vacations available to book through Authorized Disney Vacation Planners include:
Disney Vacation Planners can you help you determine which resort hotel, cruise cabin, or adventure is right for you.
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Disney Travel Agents Can Save You Money.
Disney offers discounts frequently. In the dozens of trips we’ve taken, we’ve rarely not taken advantage of some kind of special offer.
One of the best things about Disney’s special offers, is that they can be applied even after you’ve initially booked your trip. So while you can take advantage of the best inventory by booking early, you can also cash in on savings that are offered later.
However, Disney does not automatically apply these special offers to trips already booked. Guests must call to have offers applied to their booking.
So while any guest with a reservation can do that, it requires knowing when deals are released. Or it means checking frequently for special savings.
That’s where your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner comes in. Seasoned agents know when Disney typically releases offers, although they monitor for savings all the time. When you book through an agent, he or she can contact Disney and have eligible offers applied to your vacation.
This is an important reason to use a Disney Travel agent. So, let’s sum it up here and highlight some other ways Authorized Disney Vacation Planners can save you money:
Monitor for special offers and apply discounts after initial booking
Agents can make sure you’re taking advantage of discounts when you book and monitor for offers that are released later. So they can find things like deals on packages, room discounts, and dining savings.
It’s important to note that you must make your initial booking with an agent. Only then can that agent modify your reservation.
You should also know that agents and guests all have access to the same special offers. So, one agency or guest isn’t able to get a discount that another cannot.
The difference comes in knowing when the offers are released and making sure to modify the reservation. Special offers and specific rooms do sell out so it’s important agents be diligent about checking for deals.
Help choosing a hotel room, vacation package, or cruise cabin that doesn’t involve paying for things you won’t use.
We’ve found Disney vacations involve making more decisions than any other type of vacation we book.
For example, at Walt Disney World, there are over 30 hotels on property from which to choose. Disney Cruise Line has 7 different ships. Each ship has 4 categories of staterooms and a variety of stateroom types within each category. And Adventures by Disney boats about 40 different itineraries.
The internet is chock full of articles about which hotel is “best”. But an Authorized Disney Vacation planner can help you make personalized decisions about which hotel is worth you spending money on.
The same rings true for Disney Cruises and Adventures By Disney. Well-skilled Disney travel advisors can help you booked based on what’s important to your family.
Customize your itinerary to save you money.
Even after you’ve picked where to go and which hotel or cabin to stay in, you’ve got options.
Are park hoppers worth it for your family? Will an Enchanting Extra add magic to your vacation? Is an Adventures By Disney escape a better value over a longer land adventure for the way you travel?
Agents can help you decide which splurges are worth it and where you might be able to save.
Knowing how to avoid lines for some of the most popular attractions, like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney's Hollywood Studios, is key to a great vacation.
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Agents Can Save You A Ton Of Time.
It’s not just money that a Disney travel agent can save you.
Researching hotels, restaurants and activities can take a lot of time. So can contacting Disney to cash in on new special offers. Phone lines tend to get backed up and wait times can be really long.
And it can be overwhelming.
A Disney travel agent can be your magic wand by taking over these time-consuming planning tasks.
Nighttime spectaculars are at the top of many family’s lists of must-do’s.
Disney Travel Agents Can Provide Invaluable Tips For Your Vacation.
With so much to see and do on any type of Disney vacation, a little expert help can come in extremely handy.
This is huge for first-time visitors to Walt Disney World. The resort encompasses over 25,000 acres, 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, and a vast assortment of hotels and restaurants.
Booking Disney through an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner isn’t like booking another type of vacation through a one-size-fits-all travel agency.
These aren’t your parent’s travel agents who were made somewhat obsolete with the invention of the internet.
To be an authorized agent, planners must receive training.
But beyond that, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners tend to be huge Disney fans who travel with the brand often. They’ve been guests, not just planners who aren’t personally familiar with what they’re recommending.
Remember also Walt Disney World isn’t the only trick up Disney’s sleeve.
For Disney World fanatics like me, a Disney Travel Planner is especially helpful when exploring beyond that which I’m most familiar. So I’ve realized my own personal Genie is helpful when planning things like Adventures By Disney, Disneyland, or Disney Cruises.
Our travel agent was really useful prior to our Adventures By Disney Barcelona Escape.
We had a complication that arose when we initially booked our trip. She was able to negotiate a great solution.
And prior to traveling, she helped field all the questions that we had.
Travel advisors specializing in Disney stay up to date with things like the September 2025 refurbishments to the Radiator Springs Racers attraction at Disney California Adventure.
Thinking of checking out the European version of Disney parks? Read:
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Authorized Disney Travel Agents Stay Up To Date On Changes.
I love following Disney boards and blogs and staying up in all the happenings in the parks and other destinations.
But, I also know this is not everyone’s jam.
If you’re still using the term “fast pass” instead of “lightening lane” or you have no idea how virtual queues work, a planner can help.
Disney is constantly making changes and updates to improve guests’ experiences.
Knowing how to best navigate lines or what’s the latest in cruising can really affect your vacation. Being surprised by a refurbishment or a new restaurant you would have loved to book is a vacation downer.
Getting the inside scoop is like finding the best hidden Mickey ever. Experienced planners are great at providing that.
Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World Of Harry Potter can be booked through many travel agents as well.
If you love making every trip a learning adventure as much as we do, be sure to read:
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your travel agent can provide assistance with other attractions in the area.
Travel advisors like Mystical Dream often also provide assistance with other aspects of your trip beyond Disney.
Many all-inclusive resorts, other theme parks, and cruise lines compensate travel agencies much like Disney does. So agents certified to work with those brands are able to work with clients at no charge to clients.
This is especially helpful when your Disney vacation involves traveling to Orlando. If Universal Studios or a cruise is on your agenda, a travel agent is a good idea. The agency we worked with also has wealth of knowledge on both.
