7 Reasons to use a Disney vacation planner

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Have you ever heard the joke “you need a degree to plan a Disney trip?” There’s more than a little truth to this. Planning a Disney trip is…well, it’s complicated, especially if you’re a Disney newbie or haven’t been in a while. That's where a Disney vacation planner comes in.

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Let me tell you a secret: our first trip to Disney? Totally unplanned and unstructured. We booked a room and had no agenda whatsoever, other than to walk around and “see stuff.” We were clueless about things like the Magical Express, Extra Magic Hours, the Disney Dining Plan, My Disney Experience and Character Dining.

Read More: No more Magical Express and other changes coming to Walt Disney World.

And then we had kids. Yes, we went to Disney on our honeymoon. We are those people. And, while our lack of planning didn’t spoil our trip in the least, we did see that guests who had planned and researched better than we did had experiences we didn’t and had less of the “deer in the headlights” as they maneuvered through the parks.

And because we had kids, naturally, we wanted to experience Disney with them.

And then, we realized just how much about Disney we did not know and needed to learn.

I recommend Get Away Today for Walt Disney World and Disneyland California bookings.

7 Reasons to use a Disney vacation planner

I think Disney is awesome and magical no matter what. But, there are so many pieces and parts to planning a Disney vacation and so many changes to keep up with, especially right now. An authorized Disney Vacation planner will help you take what might be a great trip and knock it out of the park. 

7 Reasons to use a Disney Vacation Planner|Ripped Jeans and Bifocals

1. It’s FREE!

That’s right. Really, really, free. If you book your Disney travel through an authorized Disney vacation planner, such as Get Away Today, you will get the best deal possible. 

You don't pay a thing – the vacation planner's commission is paid by Disney. Since it cost you a thing, there’s no reason not to do it.

2. They will keep on the lookout for the best prices even after you’ve booked

Have you ever made travel reservations and then found the same thing for a better price? I’ve booked flights and then seen the fares plummet the very next day. Is it possible to get the better price? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. How much time do you want to spend on the phone with customer service in order to get a better price?

If you book through a Disney vacation planner, they’re still watching for promotions to be released and if your trip qualifies, they’ll work to get you the better price. You do nothing except reap the benefits of saving money and maybe getting additional vacation perks.

I call that winning.

3. They’ll handle your dining reservations

On any given day, someone telling me where to show up and eat sounds heavenly. In addition to fueling your body, dining at Disney is both a process and an experience.

You’ve probably heard about the Disney Dining plan, where you pre-pay your meals. Is that a fit for your family? What’s the best way to combine table-service with quick service meals? What are those little tips, tricks and secrets you really need to know, like how and when you can substitute a desert for something else? Your Disney vacation planner knows all.

Also? It’s not their job to sell you the Disney Dining Plan. If it’s not the right option for your family, they will tell you and help you decide what will work. 

A word about character dining: Our family is a big fan of it, even though it's different right now. At the present time, only a few restaurants are offering socially distanced character dining but I'm hoping to see more return in the near future.

I love character dining because you get an awesome meal plus photo opportunities with your favorite Disney characters. That said, booking character dining can be confusing. Your Disney vacation planner knows the in’s and out’s and what the current policies and availability are. They'll also be the one to get one the phone at 6 a.m. Florida to book your reservation. 

4. They’ll help you find the right resort

A Disney vacation planner has extensive knowledge of all the Disney resorts and the hotels in the surrounding area. They’ll get to know your family’s budget and what amenities are really important to you and make recommendations on what’s going to be the best fit for your family.

Whether you want to save money and stay at a value resort, splurge on a room with a savanna view at Animal Kingdom Lodge, or stay in more than one resort, your Disney vacation planner can hook you up. Also, spending several nights at the budget-friendly All Star Music Resort and splurging on one night at the Grand Floridian is totally doable. You just have to ask.

7 reasons to use a Disney vacation planner|Ripped Jeans and Bifocals
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5. Perks

A Disney vacation planner may be able to offer you perks for booking with them. Your mileage will vary based on who you select but perks might include free pin trading lanyards with pins, bride and groom ears, as well as dining or shipboard credit. 

Most of your fun is included on a Disney cruise but the shopping (not included) is amazing! You can also use your shipboard credit for the dining experiences not included in your cruise price, such as Palo or Remy or to purchase cocktails or specialty drinks.

6. If something goes wrong…

A Disney vacation snafu could be something relatively benign like messing up a FastPass or something serious like having a family emergency and needing to fly home early.

No matter what happens, if you use a Disney vacation planner, you have a travel professional in your corner who can help.

7. They’ll become your friend…and that’s part of the magic

How about a “Hey, you’re leaving in three days, what do you still have questions about?” phone call? How sweet would that be?

If you’re planning Disney travel, you might be a mom. And if you’re a mom, you might be maxed out and stressed out by…well, mom stuff. Don’t you need that extra little bit of hand holding? The answer is probably yes.

A word of warning – a travel agent is not necessarily a Disney vacation planner. I am a big advocate of using a travel agent for cruise planning but if you’re doing a Disney cruise – especially if you’re doing a Disney cruise in conjunction with a visit to one of the parks – use someone who knows the in’s and out’s of all things Disney.

There are a lot of great online resources available that allow you to self-book travel. There are just some vacations that warrant that extra level of care and attention and a trip to Disney or a Disney cruise is one of them. They're experienced Disney vacation planners and more importantly, Disney lovers who know all the Disney things.

And, because it bears repeating – it's FREE. 

Get Away Today is now booking Disneyland California reservations for California residents only. They can also offer assistance with booking Walt Disney World in Orlando and other fun destinations. Check them out here.

You might also like:

14 things that are aweomse about a Disney cruise

10 things that will help you get the most out of Castaway cay

6 reasons to do disney without kids

 

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23 Comments

  1. I had no idea that this existed! It sounds like this is the way to go if you were going to be going to Disney anytime. Technology can be such amazing thing especially when it comes to vacations.

  2. We have planned our own Disney vacations the last 2 times we went only because we have a timeshare to use. I would love to use a Disney vacation planner the next time we go!

  3. I had no idea you could get something like this, what a fantastic idea, I love that they get to deal with everything for you, that would take so much pressure off!

  4. Didn’t know there was such a thing as a Disney planner, should have know there would be seeing as how Disney really tries to make it easy on families. Would be wonderful to use.

  5. I have never been to Disney, but if I go, I will definitely hire a Disney vacation planner. I like that they handle the dinner reservations too!

  6. LOL I totally agree you need a degree 🙂 A co-worker of mine went to Disney last year and she had everything worked out months before they went! I would use the Disney planner when we go that’s for sure.

  7. We definitely used the Disney vacation planner when we visited Disney! It really helps with the planning – And with so many things to see, you should plan before you go!

  8. We’ve been to Disney several times and never used a vacation planner. Haven’t even heard of the service actually. It sounds amazing and so much less stressful than planning everything yourself. I’m definitely looking into it next time.

  9. I think with a place as big as Disney, you almost have to use a vacation planner to make sure you don’t miss anything! I know without one, I’d get there and get overwhelmed with excitement and end up forgetting everything I wanted to see!

  10. Wow! One of the reasons we haven’t been to Disney yet with the family is because it’s all so overwhelming! I will definitely look up a Disney planner when it’s time to go. Thanks for the insight!

  11. Wow it’s a amazing post!. we also Love DiSNEY!!! I’m heading here in a week and really worried about the heat! not sure how I will handle the heat but thanks to your very practical tips I hope I will survive and just focus on the Disney magic.

  12. I wanted to thank you for explaining why it could be good to hire a Disney vacation planner. You mentioned that they can help you find a good resort base don your family’s budget. This seems really important especially if you aren’t sure what kinds of resorts to look for and what will fit your needs.