The Top 10 Reasons to Use a Disney Travel Agent

Disney vacation planning can be a nightmare! You have to decide when you’re going, where you’ll stay, and what you’ll do when you get there. Don’t get me started on advanced dining reservations! Deciding where to eat is another piece of the puzzle—one that needs to be put together well before your vacation.

Disney destinations on this side of the USA include Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Aulani, and Adventures By Disney. Each of these destinations requires a good deal of planning. Therefore, hiring an authorized Disney vacation planner ensures things go smoothly.

Below, we’ve listed the top 10 reasons for using a Disney travel agent. Additionally, we’ll discuss what services you should expect to receive and how much those services cost. Like everything else, you get what you pay for, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of using a “free” travel agency over one that charges a planning fee. Most professionals who provide full-service planning charge a minimal fee for their services. Let’s go over those benefits.

Benefits of Using a Disney Travel Agent

While using a travel agent has many benefits, a few stand out. We’ve listed each one below.

#1 Travel agents can help you choose the right accommodations for your family.

It’s no secret that we are fond of the various Disney Hotels here on Resorts Gal. So whether you’re trying to decide on a Walt Disney World Resort Hotel, a Disneyland Resort, or one of the various other Disney Destinations, a travel agent can help.

A good travel agent has visited these destinations. They can help you determine what hotel will work best for you based on your budget, party size and composition, and your priorities. For instance, you might have a party of five or plan to bring the grandparents. Disney has various resort rooms that can accommodate up to five guests.

For larger groups, some of the value resorts have suites that are considered budget-friendly. Meanwhile, deluxe resorts have villas as large as three bedrooms.

Additionally, if you’re planning a cruise, most guests like to pick their room. A travel agent can help you select a room without an obstructed view or one that works better for your needs.

#2 Disney travel agents are Lightning Lane experts.

If you’re visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland, you’ll want to brush up on how to tour the parks. Most guests will want to purchase Disney’s skip-the-line service Lightning Lane Multi Pass, along with a few Lightning Lane Single Passes for select rides.

If all of this Lightning Lane talk sounds overwhelming (it is), you want to find a travel agent who knows the ins and outs. A good agent can inform you whether or not you need it, how to use it to your advantage, and what attractions are worth the Lightning Lane upgrade.

Disney has provided extensive training to authorized travel planners for its Lightning Lane system. Additionally, most agents specializing in Disney travel visit the parks multiple times yearly. Therefore, you can count on a good agent to be informed and well-practiced.

Learn More>> Disney World Lightning Lane Guide

#3 Travel agents can help with your itinerary planning.

Beyond providing quotes and details about the latest promotions, a travel agent can help with your itinerary planning.

They can review the time of year you’re going and help schedule park days around unexpected complexities. For instance, you might have a day planned for Magic Kingdom on an evening when the park closes early for a seasonal party. If that’s the case, your agent might adjust your schedule so you will visit Magic Kingdom on a night when the park is open late, and you can enjoy the fireworks, which brings us to our next benefit.

#4 Disney travel agencies know about the extras!

So you’re going on your first Disney Cruise and overwhelmed with the list of extras. Should you book an excursion on your day in the Bahamas?

Or maybe you’re visiting Walt Disney World over the holidays and unaware of the seasonal parties at Magic Kingdom. Are they worth the extra cost? Should you buy theme park tickets for the same day you purchased party tickets?

A Disney travel agent can recommend each of these items and more. They’ll tell you where to spend your money or what to pass on regarding extras.

#5 Disney travel agents can provide transportation alternatives to and from the airport to your destination.

It’s no secret that Disney ended their former Magical Express transportation offering between Walt Disney World and the airport a few years ago. So now there’s an extra step in the planning.

Additionally, if you take a cruise, you have to get to and from the port. If you fly to Hawaii, you must rent a car or secure transportation to Aulani.

No matter where you’re headed, you’ll need to make transportation arrangements. A good travel agent knows this and can help arrange a reputable car service. Once you land, you won’t have to read online reviews or wing it and take an Uber. Instead, someone will be waiting to chauffer you to your final vacation destination.

#6 Disney travel agents can make dining reservations for you.

Dining reservations are one of the biggest headaches when planning a Walt Disney World trip. Your Disney travel planner can help secure the most coveted dining reservations on the property.

Want to enjoy a character breakfast? They’ll let you know whether or not Chef Mickey’s is worth it. (FYI, we think there are better options!) They can also recommend counter-service dining in the Disney Parks and where to get the best snacks. Don’t forget about those Mickey-shaped pretzels!

A travel agent can also help you decide whether you need the Disney Dining Plan. Or they can make you aware of any package deals that include it.

Related: The Best Character Dining Meals at Disney World

#7 You’ll only have one point of contact.

When you book a Disney vacation package with a professional, you’ll have one point of contact. He or she will be there to answer any questions or help you out in the event of an emergency.

Disney travel agents can also discuss purchasing trip insurance and share examples of how or when it might be useful. I never thought much about this until I was on a cruise where a guest was evacuated for a medical emergency.

Do you know how much it costs to have a helicopter come and fetch you at sea? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to know.

#8 A good travel agent will ensure you know must-dos at all the destinations!

Are your children at an age where they might be interested in meeting characters? There are tons of great character meets at Disney World.

But did you know? There’s a Festival of Fantasy Parade every day at Magic Kingdom, sometimes twice per day. If you take the time to see it, you can see many characters in one setting. Not to mention, the parade is a must-do for everyone at least once!

Whether it’s the nightly entertainment offering or the latest attraction, your travel agent will ensure you know all “the big stuff” before your vacation.

#9 Disney travel agents can save you time!

Okay, this one is obvious. We live in a busy world, and planning this vacation is going to take a ton of time. When you hire a travel professional, you can discuss your options and preferences and let them take the wheel. Well, at least, you should be able to do that.

If this is your first time working with an agent, you’ll want to check with them during the planning process to ensure smooth progress. This is one of the reasons we prefer to partner with a travel agency that charges a planning fee. These agents know their worth and often go above and beyond their obligation.

#10 Disney travel agents can save you money!

Yes, a Disney travel agent can save you money, even when you pay a planning fee. After deciding your dates and where you want to stay, most agents will immediately provide you with a quote and reserve your room.

Why is it essential to have a hotel reservation already in place? When Disney releases a special discount, offers are limited to a certain amount of rooms. Unfortunately, the best deal might not be available when you book in advance. However, a good agent will know once a new promotion is released and work to apply it to your reservation. And if another incentive comes out, they’ll compare it to ensure you get the best deal.

The alternative? You could wake up one morning and see that a new offer was released three hours earlier. By the time you wait on hold with Disney and finally talk to someone, your desired hotel could already be booked solid. This wouldn’t have happened if you had hired a travel pro who secured your room in advance. Additionally, they would have been up at 6:00 a.m. working to apply that promotion.