Are You The ‘Go To’ Advice Person For Your Friends’ Disney Trips?

When your friends start thinking about or planning a trip to Walt Disney World do they say – Let’s ask (insert your name here) for some help. I know this happens to me a lot, and rather than considering it a burden, I look forward to it and consider it an honor that they would choose me for something this important. Presently I’m working with three groups of friends on their upcoming 2011 trips. As much fun as it is and as rewarding as it can be there are some pitfalls to be avoided, I’ll try to outline the major ones here:

1. Resort Choice – The choice of a resort can have a very significant impact on any visit to Walt Disney World. It’s vital that you let your friends make the choice for themselves and that you not influence that choice based on your own preferences. Give them the facts about each category, including off site and provide them with  appropriate web sites (both fan sites and “official” sites). It would be unfortunate if you recommended a resort that you love and your friends found to be incompatible with their needs.
2. Seasons – Make sure they understand Disney’s seasons and the differences in cost and crowd size at different times of the year. Recommend travel at the time of year that best matches their budget and availability needs but once again, they need to make the final choice based on the available options.
3. Reservation Policies – It’s important that your friends understand the deposit, payment, and cancellation policies for their trip. Refer them to the appropriate web sites for this information rather than telling them from memory. They need the “official” information on these items.
4. Packages – This one is huge! Some folks love package plans and some folks hate them. In recent years, Disney has improved their packages making them a bit more inclusive and economical. Personally, I almost never use a package because of other options available but in a lot of cases packages make sense, especially for first time travelers. Explain the differences, tell them about the available options, give them websites to visit, and let them make the choices.
5. Admission Media – If your friends choose a package or buy separate admission media make sure they understand they should buy only what they will actually use for admission media. The most viable option is the Park Hopper Option and some may effectively use the Water Park and More option but the No Expiration option is very expensive and rarely taken advantage of even if it is purchased.
6. Advance Dining Reservations – If your friends are traveling during a busy season or when free dining is offered, stress the importance of making ADR’s. If they enjoy at least one sit down meal a day (a great idea by the way) ADR’s are absolutely essential. This is a good place to recommend your absolute favorite restaurants because Disney restaurants seldom disappoint.
7. Recommend Print Resources – I recommend two in particular – Passporter’s Walt Disney World and The Unofficial Guide To Walt Disney World. They are both outstanding but for different reasons so I always recommend both. If the investment for both doesn’t appeal to your friends I lean towards the Passporter because they not only provide the print version but they publish updates on their website as things at Disney change (and we all know about changes at Disney).
8. Discounts – Let your friends know that there are almost always discounts available of one kind or another. For this reason I always recommend, after you have presented them with the basics, that they get themselves a Disney Specialist Travel Agent (TA). After they make their basic decisions the TA can implement them and make sure that all of the available discounts can be applied to their vacation. One of the most important things you can relate to your friends is that TA’s do not charge for their services because they are paid by Disney.

You may have noticed a theme here, the old – You tell them the options and they must make the choices theme. There is nothing worse than having your friends thinking, well (insert your name here one more time) recommended this and it was terrible, it ruined our vacation. That is absolutely the most important rule in helping friends plan vacations. Remember – they must make the choices!! As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!

Ken

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