Our first trip to Disney felt very overwhelming to plan. Naturally, we were looking for the best way to book a Disney trip.

At the time, I just was not into it. As a 40-something mom who was running on empty I thought that Disney was going to be just another thing to fit in. My husband did all the organizing and coordinating to make this trip happen for us. I just begrudgingly went along hoping I wouldn’t hate it.

I was so surprised to realize how much magic there was for the kid in me, too.

Not only is it worth it, for us it was life-changing!

This is why I started this blog and business, because it’s so important to me to help others find the magic of Disney!

First Steps to Booking Your Disney Trip

I have to give big credit to my husband for the trip planning.

He did extensive research, talking with friends at work who had visited Walt Disney World many times. They highly recommended booking the trip with a travel agent they recommended.

The travel agent helped my husband book the resort, park tickets, character meals, and even set up the app to organize everything in one place.

I highly recommend booking with an agent. You’ll learn things you just wouldn’t know otherwise. Even if you are a seasoned visitor there are always more little tips and tricks to learn!

If you can get your research in, then you can communicate that to your agent. The more knowledge YOU have, the easier it is going to be to book your dream vacation! I’ve created posts on this site to help you with just that. You can also sign up to my email list to get regular (weekly) emails with Disney tips and advice!

How to Book Your Walt Disney World Trip with a Disney Specializing Travel Agent

First, find a Travel Agent who specializes in booking Walt Disney World vacation packages. I wrote a blog post on questions to ask a travel agent.

A good way to get to know the agent you are considering is to follow them on social media. That way you can get a feel for their personality and how they can help you. You can follow me on Instagram here to stay updated with tips and advice.

Once you find a company and an agent you’d like to work with, it’s time to get a quote. You can usually do this with absolutely no obligation or cost.

Also, a fun fact – it doesn’t usually cost you anything extra to book a vacation package with an Travel Agent. So, why wouldn’t you? You’re basically outsourcing the work and effort for free.

After you’ve received your quote and you love your booking the next step is to book! You’ll fill in a form to give your agent the information they need to book your magical vacation! This is such an exciting part and your agent makes it easy.

Once you’re booked in you can then download the My Disney Experience app. On the app you’ll get a countdown to your vacation and see your bookings at Walt Disney World.

Important Things to Know About Booking Trip to
Walt Disney World

To book your trip it only costs $200 for the deposit. You can book well in advance, up to a year or so in some cases. After that, your final payment is due 60 days before your arrival date.

You are able to cancel your booking. If you book earlier than 30 days out from your trip, you get a full refund. If your trip is in 29 days or sooner, your deposit will be lost but you will get a refund of the rest of the payment.

A Travel Agent will look for and apply any deals or discounts that come up. Even AFTER you’ve booked your trip. So you’ll always get the best deal available and you won’t have to deal with making that happen.

Your Travel Agent will enhance the Disney experience and handle the details for you! You’re not on your own to do this. That’s a good thing because booking a Walt Disney World trip is a BIG job.

Perks to Booking Your Disney Vacation
With a Travel Agent

• You’ll get discounts and deal retroactively applied to your booking without having to do anything.
• If problems arise with your booking, your Travel Agent will be there to support you (a good one will)!
• Booking may come with perks, depending on the agent. Perks like a printable travel PDF, a little thank you gift card or a letter from a special Disney character. Those little touches make your trip extra special.
• Your travel agent will keep track of important deadlines, like booking dining reservations and when your final payment is due.
• Services are free! You get seasoned, specialized help without paying any fee for that service (Disney pays them).
• Agents receive specialized training direct from Disney. Many are focused exclusively on Disney, so they are not distracted with other offers.
• They can answer your questions about your Disney vacation and help you have the customized vacation you want!

Avoid the Overwhelm and Definitely Don’t Wing It!

As I was researching ideas for this post, I came across a post on Reddit. It was from a mom who said she was very overwhelmed with trying to book her Walt Disney World trip.

She wondered if she should just go for it, wing it and book online.

That”s definitely NOT the best way to book a Walt Disney World trip!

You spend good money on this vacation and you want a trip that you absolutely love. There is so much involved that, YES, it can definitely be overwhelming.

No matter what you decide, I wish you the most amazing, magical trip of a lifetime. Just don’t be surprised when that “one and done” trip turns into “oh we HAVE TO come back again”! That’s how it starts 😉

When I tell people they can book their Walt Disney World vacation package for only $200, they’re pretty surprised!

That $200 is the cost for the deposit to secure your vacation. That means it is on hold for you – the tickets, the hotel, the dining pass, the park hopper, the memory maker etc. Whatever you add to your booking is held for you!

Your vacation may be able to be booked up to a year in advance, depending on when you’re booking and what dates have been released.

This is a great way to plan ahead!

You have the time to save up and your final deposit is due 30 days before you are set to arrive.

Booking your Walt Disney World vacation starts with picking your hotel and then adding on your tickets. To get the experienced help you need it’s best to get a quote from a certified travel agent (at no charge).

I’m planning a vacation with a friend of mine who has never been and she was also pretty surprised to learn that the deposit is also refundable. Let’s say something comes up and you sadly need to cancel your magical vacation. No worries! You can get your deposit back if you cancel more than 30 days from your arrival. If it’s in between that the deposit is considered the cancellation fee and you do not get it back.

When’s the best time to go to Disney World?

Well, truth be told there is no bad time to go to Walt Disney World!

This popular family vacation spot is the most magical place in the world and you certainly will find happiness and joy there not matter what time of year or season it is.

That said you’ll want to make your Disney vacation the absolute best it can be by customizing the time you attend to your families preferences and needs.

How to Find the Best Time to go to
Disney for Your Family

Consider the Crowd Levels

WDW Prep School has a detailed Crowd Calendar you might want to take a look at here.

The busiest times of the year include most of March and April and then a lot of October, November and December. That doesn’t mean that you should opt-out of those months. Our families last two trips were in October and November because we wanted to be there for the Christmas and Halloween seasons.

The least busy months for crowds are June through September and for good reason. The weather.

Weather Conditions

The summer months are the hottest and if you don’t want to be going around the parks and sweating your tail off, you might not want to go then.

Hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th in Florida but the biggest times of concern would be August and September. Our vacations in October and November had no worries.

Events at Walt Disney World

When deciding on the best time to go to Disney World for your family you’ll want to take a look at the events.

Two major events are:

• Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party &
• Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Many people will plan their vacation around attending one of these events and wait until the event dates are released to book their vacation package with a travel agent (like myself).

Other events to consider are Run Disney. You may find crowds going up when a Run Disney event is happening at the parks.

You may also want to attend some of the special events such as:

• Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival
• Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Pricing Considerations

Another potential factor in your decision of the best time to go to Walt Disney World may be pricing. Take a look at how pricing varies from season to season or during special events. You may also consider booking based on a great discount offer that pops up.

The great thing about booking with a Travel Agent specializing in booking Disney is that if you book at full price and a deal does pop up your agent will look for and apply deals for you. Nothing for you to do! Make sure you check with the agent to see if they provide this service for you.

There are a lot of things to consider as you decide the best time to visit for you and your family. This is really just the tip of the magical iceberg.

When I read a Disney World trip report I find it helpful to learn how others enjoy the Magic Kingdom and parks.

Cinderella Castle is so beautiful when lit up at night:

Disney Parks Overview

It’s hard to summarize the four parks in one little overview.

I’ll say this – every park is unique and special and magical and awesome.

Everyone has their favorites, though.

Here are my favorites, in order:

• Magic Kingdom – Yes this is a predictable answer but for me it’s Cinderella Castle and the magic of Main Street USA, especially in the Christmas season when we were first there.
• Hollywood Studios – It’s kind of a toss up between this park and Epcot but I really loved Galaxy’s Edge. I didn’t think I would but the nostalgia of my childhood really hit me while here.
• Epcot – We didn’t get to explore near enough of Epcot on our first visit there but our absolute FAVORITE EVER was the Journey of Water (Moana) exploration trail. So awesome!
• Animal Kingdom – This is an excellent park but I’ll admit I’m not the biggest animal lover so it was much more my husband’s jam than mine.

What can I say? They are all awesome. You definitely want to give yourself at least a day per park and two days for Magic Kingdom. There’s so much to do and explore!

Magic Kingdom Visit Report & Highlights

A big highlight of our days at Magic Kingdom = rain.

Yep. We decided to go in November and it was rainy season. Depending on what time of year you go you should expect this.

One of the best things we did for the rain was buy ponchos at a nearby Walmart.

We spent one and a half days at the Magic Kingdom. We didn’t get on a lot of rides and attractions but some of our favorites were:

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse

Our favorite activity was by far Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – This was so fun! We first went in having no idea what to expect. The animatronics were so cute and by chance when we left it was completely pouring outside which was the effect inside the Tiki Room… so it felt much more real because of that!

And of course two other big highlights of the Magic Kingdom:

1. Happily Ever After – the fireworks show. We stood right in the middle of main street and let me tell you it was CROWDED. Shoulder to shoulder and no room to move. If you want to have more space you’ll want to pick another spot around the castle. We loved the show, though. So awesome with the lights projecting onto the buildings in Main Street USA
2. Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade – our favorite was the fire breathing dragon, which we managed to get a picture of! This parade was such fun.

Oh and there was another little parade that popped up whenever it started to rain. The cast members sang a catchy little rain song – it was so fun!

Ok this is becoming massively long so I’m going to break it up into two posts. I’ll also come back to update and add photos!

If you have any questions about booking a Disney vacation reach out!

Angela

If you’re looking to take a vacation to Walt Disney World and wondering if you should just book it yourself or work with a travel agent this post is for you. Here are some benefits of using a travel agent for Walt Disney World:

1. Walt Disney World is a beast to manage on your own the first time. Even if you are a MASTER researcher, planning Disney can give you a run for your money. If researching is not your passion then having someone help you it’s going to be a big relief!
2. You don’t know what you don’t know. From meals to character meet and greets to best times to go and more. You don’t know what might trip you up.
3. An agent can get you retroactive discounts. If you book your trip early and later on a deal pops up your agent will do the work of calling Disney to get the deal applied to your reservation. This is something you could do yourself but only if you know you can! This alone can save you hundreds of dollars.
4. It costs you nothing extra, usually. Some agents do charge fees for some services so always check. My agency waved the fee book your magical vacation package (hotel and tickets) to Walt Disney World, Universal and more!
5. Tips & Tricks you just wouldn’t know. An agent can tell you things like buy your Mickey ears from the Walmart in Orlando near the park rather than AT the parks. Or that if you’re wanting to get character signatures then the character meals are a great way to do so! Their tips can save you money and time!
6. Planning experienced agents help! If you’re not an experienced vacation planner then planning Walt Disney World vacation can get overwhelming really fast. There are hotels, tickets, park co-ordination, meals co-ordination and so much more.
7. Booking the various pieces can be confusing. I had a friend who books her own Disney flat-out tell me that even though she does book her own Walt Disney World vacations she finds it complicated. She’s experienced and said it’s confusing to find all the pricing and info about booking things like dining, fast pass, transportation, events and more. A Disney specialist can take this over for you so you don’t need to worry about it at all!
8. You’ll get a custom experience, not generic advice. If you go looking for other people’s opinions and advice on how to do a Disney vacation you’ll find many. A true professional is not going to give you a vacation that’s generic or what they love. They’re going to find the ideal, most magical vacation package for you and your family. Everyone is different and a travel agent who’s good will know that and understand how to make it a perfect match for you.

Why Are These Benefits Important to Know?

I’ve written this from the perspective of myself being a Travel Agent who specializes in Disney. This is written from that perspective. Booking Disney can be complicated. Knowing that I would never want you to have a bad trip!

Yes, I hope you’ll consider working with me and that is motivation for this post. Even if you don’t work with me it’s important to realize that creating your own Disney vacation is not as easy as you might think! Getting professional help is a great idea!

If you’re looking to book Walt Disney World with a Travel Agent who specializing in Disney then it’s a good idea to pre-qualify your agent with some questions.

Here are nine questions to ask a Disney Travel Agent you’re considering working with:

1. Do you charge a fee for your services?

Many agents do not charge any fees to help you plan and book your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disneyland and more. There are some services, however, that travel agents do charge for so be sure you know this ahead of time so you don’t get any surprise fees.

2. Is the price of booking with you the same as the Disney Travel site?

The answer should be yes! If it’s not then definitely keep looking. Travel Agents who book through the Disney Travel Agent website get access to the same pricing as you do.

3. What is your own experience with Disney travel locations?

While it’s your personal choice to decide if you’d like to hire someone with extensive travel experience you definitely want someone who’s familiar with the parks. A travel agent who’s booking Disney as their main job likely has some sort of special interest in Disney. Also you’ll want to work with someone who’s been to Disney locations recently as things change fast.

4. How do you help me with my Disney vacation?

Get clear on the services your travel agent who’s booking you into Disney. Do they answer all your questions? Do they give you tips and planning advice? Do they make sure you are set up with all the things you need or advice you on the things you need to do?

5. What training have you received?

Every agent who is registered with Disney Travel Agents (the Disney-owned website) has been trained and has a certificate for the College of Knowledge. If they don’t have this then do not work with them! Agents can also be trained by going to FAM trips which is where they will be trained on location about a certain aspect of the parks. In certain locations other training is needed to become a travel agent. For example you need a TICO certification in order to sell travel if you live in Ontario.

6. Why are you a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations?

I personally think it’s important to work with someone who’s passionate about booking your trip! Are they an agent who loves what they do? WHY did they pick this work? You might also look on their website or social profiles to see if you can get an answer to this question. There is a lot to learn about booking a trip to Walt Disney World and you want a travel agent who’s very dedicated to helping you have the best trip possible!

7. What are your social media profiles?

Speaking of social media you can also get a good idea if this is an agent you’d like to work with by going to their social media profile and taking a look! Do they seem like the kind of person you’d love to work with? If so great!

8. Do you work with a travel agency?

It is to your advantage that your travel agent is working with a team through a legitimate travel agency. If you are looking for feedback on a restaurant or ride or hotel that they haven’t personally experienced it’s likely someone on their team has. Also, if they have any kind of emergency or something that takes them away they have backup people to make sure your account is always taken care of.

9. Do you help me understand how to have the best vacation?

While it’s great when your travel agent who’s booking your trip to Walt Disney World helps you get set up you also need to know things. Things like how to book your character meals, where to find rope drop times, how to get to the parks, etc. Does your travel agent help you educate yourself so you’re not going in confused and bewildered when you get to the parks? You don’t want to get there and not know what to do.

I hope these questions to ask a Disney travel agent is helpful in creating the most perfect vacation for you!

I’ll answer some of these questions for you in relation to my own services:

I’m a travel agent specializing in booking Walt Disney World Orlando. I work with an amazing team and agency at Playcation Travel. I’m very proud to be part of this dedicated team of agents who LOVE Disney like I do!

I do this job because I absolutely fell in LOVE with Walt Disney World after a trip taking my daughter. I was kind of dragged along… ever so reluctantly. I don’t love crowds, lines or coasters so it didn’t seem to have much for me. BOY was I oh so wrong! I feel completely in love with magic Disney has to offer when you show up in person at the parks. 

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