Let’s chat about something simply magical – Disney Cruises…. It’s the BEST!!….. Now, let’s talk about something less magical, having to plan a Disney Cruise. I’ve been on my fair share of trips, but you know what’s the hardest to plan? A Disney Vacation! I’ve taken my kiddos to Disney World more times than I can count in the last 12 years, and believe me, it’s like trying to plan a wedding; so I thought booking a Disney Cruise would be a piece of cake, but let me tell you, I was wrong.
Picture this: You are trying to figure out which cruise you want, and you have to know the answers to all these questions.
- What are the differences between the ships?
- Which itinerary do I choose?
- I heard if you choose the wrong room, it can be noisy, How do I know the right room?
- How do I get to the port?
- Do I need a passport?
- What is rotational dining?
- What is Pirate Night?
- How do I register the kids for the Kids Club, because mom needs a break!
- What is on the private island? Do I need a cabana?
It’s literally endless, honestly, it’s pretty much a part-time job! Oh yeah, I have to raise a family too. So, I decided to try a Disney Travel Agent. Honestly, I would have done it earlier if I knew their services were FREE! (Yes, you heard that right, the service is FREE)
**Update – I’ve been emailed a few times saying some agencies do charge a planning fee, but mine did not charge one**
My First Disney Travel Agent Experience
My first Disney Travel Agency experience was underwhelming to say the least. It was one of those big Disney Travel Agencies that boasts it books a ton of vacations, yada yada yada.
They basically asked who was going, sent me a quote, and then asked if I wanted to book. I could do that on my own.
I was about to just book on my own…….until my friend told me I needed to use her travel agent.
Now, I am not one to usually jump to whatever my friend tells me, and I didn’t really understand how a travel agent could be any different, but my friend insisted I had to try her Disney Travel Agent.
Seriously, this was the Best Experience Ever
I’ll be honest, even though I trust my friends’ opinion, I wasn’t expecting much from this travel agent. Let me tell you, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Right off the bat, it was a great experience, within minutes of my inquiry, I received a text message from Hailey (my new travel agent), and then she set up a quick call.
Wow! what a difference than the last agency. Rather than just sending over a quote, she wanted to know about my family, what characters my kids are into, and what kind of shore excursions the kids would like, and then worked it all within my budget.
It honestly was like talking to my best friend. She was so excited to help me plan my vacation!
We ended up sailing on the Disney Dream because my kids love Marvel, and it was during the Marvel Days at Sea, and it had a stop at Castaway Cay. It was an amazing ship and Castaway Cay might be my favorite place on earth.
By the way, the name of the company Hailey works for is Best Day Ever Vacations (I probably should mention that)
How Did They Help Me Plan My Trip?
In addition to booking the room, she gave our family
- A complete 50+ page guide for our trip
- She set up my dining time immediately so we didnt get the late dining
- She notified us along the way when it was time to book shore excursions
- Gave me some fun ideas for what to bring/wear for Pirate Night
- Gave us a guide and tips on how to set up the Disney Navigator App (which you will need once onboard)
- Tips on how to avoid the crowds on the pool deck
- Gave us a guide on what to pack in our day bag for Day 1 of the cruise
- Oh yeah, gave me a list of items I can’t bring onboard (sad to see I could not bring my steamer)
- Connected us with a premium black car service (same price as Disney Bus!)—my kids thought they were famous
- But that’s not even the best part…
They found me a better deal, even after I had already booked it!
So, I booked the trip about a year in advance with Best Day Ever. I put down, I think it was a 10% deposit and hadn’t really thought about a trip when, out of the blue, I got the best text ever from my agent Julie saying a new offer just came out for Disney + subscribers, and they got me a better deal. They saved me an extra $1100 on my vacation that I ALREADY BOOKED. I would have never known to look.
It was the best text I have ever received. Since then I have booked every Disney Vacation with Best Day Ever Vacations, I’ve done two Disney Cruises, and am now going on my 3rd Disney Cruise booked with them to ALASKA!!!! I can’t wait!
Overall – Will you love a Disney Cruise Travel Agent?
Personally, I wouldn’t go without one.
They’ve made our Disney Cruise a lot more fun, especially for my family and me. I also tell my friends to use Best Day Ever, and I think pretty much everyone in our school’s parent group has used them.
Here is the link to get a free quote from Best Day Ever Vacations, I have sent them practically my entire PTA so many people in fact, they asked if I wanted to be a travel planner, but that’s not for me)
If you mention rookie moms, they will pair you up with one of their top Disney planners to make sure you get the best service….. and in full transparency, they do send me a Starbucks gift card when you book as a thank you. Hey, I can’t complain, a girl needs her Starbies.
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