Hello All, so I’m planning our family’s first trip to WDW 2nd week of May. I wanted to save a bit of money while getting a deluxe resort so went through a DVC broker to get AKL and since my family members are not foodies, I’m mainly planning on doing QS meals with one or two TS thrown in. My friends who have been seem appalled that I am not using a Disney travel agent or booking ADRs for everyday. Am I doing this all wrong? Does a travel agent provide that much more assistance than the research I’ve been putting in? Is a TS dining package worth it for extremely picky eaters?
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If you aren’t interested in TS, then don’t worry about booking ADRs or the dining plan.
I use a TA for discounts. Way back in 2007 for our honeymoon, our TA booked ADRs for us (no digital FPs then), but our trips in 2016 and 2018 I did myself.
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I wouldn’t worry about not having a travel agent. I love our Disney TA but you have already done the hardest part in booking a room. If food is not a priority for your family, then you definitely don’t need a dining plan or a lot of ADRs. Pick the couple of TS restaurants that most appeal to you and try for reservations. Otherwise, there are so many really good counter service places. Spend some time researching those and getting an idea of which ones you would like to try.
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I would def try and book any ADR you might want—- then can get rid of some when it gets closer. Ton of counter service option in the world but hard to get a reservation st a TS if you change your mind later. I didn’t use a travel agent… I used touring plans. Liners are very helpful!!!
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We are currently using a travel agent to book a multi-city trip to Machu Picchu in Peru, because it is a foreign country we’ve never visited, there is a language difference, and we are using in-country airlines & tours
I plan all our Disney trips myself and wouldn’t want to use a travel agent for that. Maybe if we went to Tokyo Disney I would.
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Relax - you are doing perfectly fine based on your objectives. Sound to me like you have everything under control. 
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You are doing great!!! You know your people and you are doing the research. We all have different travel styles. The main reason I have ever booked meals is dual purpose…BOG PPO because we have never seen it, want to try the grey stuff on the Master’s cupcake, and gets us further into the park for RD), Tusker House last trip was to meet characters (which we don’t do during the park time) and get the ROL package along with great food. HEA dessert party this time because I hate crowds but want to see the show (plus the look on my daughter’s face when she realizes she can eat ALL the desserts!). Otherwise we order from Amazon prime now and spend food money on treats…this trip Dole Whips, Food and Garden snack stands, tater tots from Friar’s Nook. Others might plan great ADR’s for every meal but this is how WE like to travel😃 Have a great trip!!!
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Thanks everyone!! I had figured the combined knowledge of everyone on this forum blows any travel agent out of the water.
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Relax. In all my WDW trips, I have never used a TA. If you’re happy with QS, then there is no need for ADRs; many people eat nothing but QS.
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You are doing fine! Don’t stress. You are on here reading and researching which is more than what most people do. You don’t have to have a travel agent. I’ve never used one for any trip we’ve taken. Don’t stress about ADR’s either. If you want some then book them, but you can have a great trip without them too. On our last trip I cancelled 4 out of the 8 we had made because they became too much work with having to be somewhere at a certain (not made easier by 4littles age 4 and under). We are picky eaters, except DH, and QS was just as good for us. You know your family best.
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@GeneralOrgana, the whole getting at a specific place on time was my biggest concern about TS!! I want to focus on the entertainment aspect rather than stressing on making a reservation where my kids will only eat the bread:joy:
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As far as ADRs go, TS is certainly more time-consuming, more time-dependent, and more expensive. Plenty of people don’t want to spend the time or money on sit-down restaurants. And it is hard to plan when and what to eat so far in advance. That being said, it is nice to sit down during a long park day, have some A/C, relax, and have someone bring you food instead of waiting in line to order or pick up food if mobile order, searching for a table, hopping up to get napkins, etc. Not sure if kids are in your party, but especially with kids! We are going for 9 days this spring and have 1 ADR booked for each day except 1 day we have 0 ADRs and another day we have 2.
I agree with you 100%! I have never used a TA and our last three trips have been AMAZING. We accomplished everything we wanted and more! I feel like no TA will ever know exactly how YOU want your trip to go - and the research/planning is half the fun! Plus, if you’re spending a lot of time researching, interacting with this forum, and planning yourself, I feel as if you are MUCH more prepared to handle the unexpected once you are there! You will have a better grasp on what your alternatives are and what is worth doing - or skipping.
You’ll have a blast no matter what.
Stick with counter service then— I hear ya on only eating the bread— if that for my kids! I also had some stand by cereal in milk in the room for back up dinner… next trip I think we will reasearch more counter service options… we only did the one st the hotel and I’ve read about so many great ones on here…
THIS!!!
I would pick one or two TS spots to try - we found the QS food meh most spots we ate (aside from the Pandora spot and Flame Tree at AK) and the TS spots much more memorable.