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View Full Version : Cheaper to book on your own or agent?



Maximus
07-08-2002, 12:22 PM
We are thinking of a trip later in the summer to DL. Last time we went we were using one of those discount travel agencies package. This time I am wanting to put a package deal together myself. We are wanting to do like a 5 day 4 night event. We will also want to stay on property and get the flex passes. Do you think we would be able to beat one of those travel agency's deals? There will only be the two of us, what do you guys think?

RideMax Mark
07-08-2002, 12:27 PM
I would just go to mousesavers.com (http://www.mousesavers.com) and see if you can put together your own "package" that beats the cost of the agency package.

Lani
07-08-2002, 01:00 PM
You may save more money by doing it yourself, but it may take more time because you have to do your own legwork. Having a good agent means you tell them what you want, and they take care of everything for you. This is particularly good if you have a complicated itinerary. A good agent may also come in handy if anything goes awry during your trip, as they may be able to make your problem go away easier.

jason
07-08-2002, 03:34 PM
i say screw the agent . we go every year and are to the point now that a few simple days surfing the web and then a few phone calls will set everything up .
a few pointers if you want :
don't take the airport bus , look for the van transports $3 dollars more per person but gets you there sooner and your not in like cattle .
if you feel you must reserve the hotel to be safe , fine , just use the credit card & keep looking for the best deal , you can cancel 48 hrs prior to the check-in.
stay at the disneyland hotel's !!!! this i can't stress enough its so worth it if you can afford it .
if you can't , don't go there to look around , it'll only make you sad.
stay at a hotel close to the park . the closer the better , you'll go back to rest , or swim or whatever ,if it's close . it makes the days sooo much better.

be at the park for friday night but not the weekend , the " local's" can be so rude it allmost ruins the magic .

eat at goofy's kitchen once , pricey but the kids love it , and it's pretty good too! but book this early ... like a month before you go ... just phone the hotel .

stay at the disneyland hotel !!!

Maximus
07-09-2002, 06:37 AM
Originally posted by jason
i say screw the agent . we go every year and are to the point now that a few simple days surfing the web and then a few phone calls will set everything up .
a few pointers if you want :
don't take the airport bus , look for the van transports $3 dollars more per person but gets you there sooner and your not in like cattle .


About the bus thing...do you need to book that in advance or just when you arrive at the airport? Are you usually coming in from the Orange County airport or LAX? Any more details on getting from the airport to the Disneyland hotel would help out, thanks.

jason
07-09-2002, 07:47 AM
we allways have come by lax allthough next time we are going to try the other . just go out the door and ask one of the security gaurds where the super shuttles are . i think it's the red zone but can't be sure . when we left this last time we called the bell desk and they reccomended a private car for 75 $ it was 15 $ more but sure was nice at the end of the trip to be in a air cond car with leather seats , we got there fast ,the kids fell asleep , and he was on time ( we didn't have to wait around for it )

jason
07-09-2002, 08:05 AM
oh yeh - more things

we got a three day pass and after the second day went to the front desk to add more days , they added two more days for 42$ . that s half price . we even went to the park for half a day on the day we left . i don't know if thats policy or not but i'm going to try it next time .

if you want to use the DL gym have them turn on your room card when you check in .

the wine cellar at hooks point will send bottles to your room to enjoy your wine .

go through the grand calif to enter the dca at the grizzly rapids .( go in the grand just to look at the reception area , it's unreal !)

the grand has two nice resturants one with a chip&dale breakfast

the minnies breakfast at the pp is good and has minnie , pluto , max .

roberts1398
07-17-2002, 03:39 PM
Package deals: I thought I'd do my own package. Went thru Expedia, Travelocity, etc. then did the WD travel co package. Found out it was actually cheaper than my prices from surfing. Two things:
(1) WDTC has this Fall Getaway special right now, that I don't think you can get anywhere but thru them or your travel agent. Stay for 3 nites, get the 4th free. Buy 3 day park hopper, upgrade it to 5 days for free. For travel after, I wanna say 8/25, but not sure... I thought unbelievable prices. For "moderate" good neighbor hotels (inc. West Coast and a number of the others), for 1 adult, 1 child, it came to like $560 for 4 nights and 5 days, including park hoppers.
(2) I've also read on some other site (can't remember which) the suggestion of booking your own "package" with a cheap but acceptable to you hotel (that you can cancel with 24-48 hrs notice), then starting 2 weeks before the trip, start shopping Travelocity and Expedia for unsold rooms. I checked this out and found the DL Hotel for $99/night! But it only works at the last minute, and wouldn't work with the free night thing...

Hope this helps!