Booking with WDW Travel CO. verses the WDW Website

[Wishmaker]

I found this odd.
I booked a room only reservation for POFQ months ago. We are not going til May of 09 but for me it's time to start shopping for my package. I called yesterday to get a quote on changing from a room only to a package. The price she gave me was about 150.00 higher than the Website, that i checked prior to the call. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why the difference?

[KathyMJ]

It may be, that when you called, the CM added in trip insurance. The cost would be an additional $66.95 per adult.

[Strmchsr]

Switch your reservation over to Magical Journeys. MUCH better!!!

[felix18]

Change to Magical Journeys---The will do all the work for you and get you the best deal out there. I have booked with them several times and have never been sorry.

[InLikeSin]

What kinds of discounts does Magical Journeys offer? I requested a quote for our upcoming trip and it was almost exactaly the same as what we were quoted on the Disney World website.

[Beast_fanatic]

Magical Journeys doesn't manufacture discounts, but they watch out for discounts that might apply to your reservation and they apply them for you if they become available. If you book through Disney, you are on your own to try to find out about the discount and then to try to get it applied. In addition, even if a discount comes out and it isn't available for you when it is released, they'll continue to check for availability up until the time of your trip. For example, last year some discounts came out for my October trip, but there was no availability at the resort we had chosen. However, Debbie kept checking everyday and a discount did become available for us and we were able to save several hundred dollars because of it. If I had been left to find that discount, I never would have as I had long since given up the idea of getting a discount.

They are great to work with, they help support this site, and it doesn't cost you anything to use them. It's a win-win-win situation!

[MushuGrl]

We haven't even gone on this trip yet, and we've ALREADY decided we're definitely doing MJ next time!

[JohnLea]

Definitely go with MJ--I used to research & plan our Disney trips myself but switched over to MJ about a year ago & plan on continuing to use them. As mentioned above, they will provide you the benefit of continually looking out for applicable discounts after you've booked your trip. Even if nothing comes up, it still saves time and effort in the initial research & booking process--they're very knowledgeable, professional and just plain nice. We go through Kathy and highly recommend her!!! (sorry if this sounds like a MJ commercial)

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I would suggest Magical Journeys...I have a coworker who just priced out a trip on WDW website and I talked him into checking with Magical Journeys...they quoted him a price about $50 cheaper that also included dining when the online quote did not because they were aware of a special promotion....

[Insanity Clause]

Definately go MJ...even after to pay for your trip they will apply any special savings that come down the pipe.

[Phantasia]

I tried to book with MJ for the first time ever this year ... Debbie was VERY quick, responsive and helpful.

However, in the end I had to book on my own. I was planning a very last-minute trip, and Debbie recommended that I continue to check the website and if I saw something come up that I just grab it myself.

I guess we're not the type of business that they thrive on. :P

Back to the OP's question, the website calls out that it offers the lowest prices, but I found that the website and the WDW booking line offered exactly the same prices and availability. I ended up booking through the phone line, and they were really, really nice, quick, etc. And there were little Disney-magic touches while on the phone with them. (Like the hold music. )

[DebK]

Unfortunately, when you want to book under 30 days from arrival, Disney will not allow us to hold anything as they require an immediate deposit on your credit card. If we've never booked you before, we wouldn't have that information handy. With the way availability changes that close to trip time, a room could be gone by the time we get the information. It was more important that you got what you needed while available rather than wait to get together with us.....

[Phantasia]

It was more important that you got what you needed while available rather than wait to get together with us.....

It was in no way a complaint! I really appreciated your help, and I totally understand that my situation was non-standard.

Next time! We're planning to go again in April, and I'll definitely be in touch about bookings!