I’m about to book our next family trip with a TA. Can she book it as room-only for us, or do you have to book a package with a TA? I like the flexibility of the room-only booking (it’s how I booked our last trip that I planned myself), especially since we may make some resort adjustments depending on spring discounts. Is it still easy to make changes on a package? I wouldn’t want to book it in a way that negatively affects her commission does room-only take anything away from the TA?
As an aside, do the packages seem kind of pointless now that there are no dining plan options? A room and tickets isn’t much of a package, really.
1 Like
She can do room only. Deposit is a bit higher (one night’s lodging) but can cancel
To 5 days in advance
She can arrange your tickets separately and wind up with essentially the same commission as a package.
She can also do a ticketless package (only by calling) which would keep your deposit at $200 but would retain the terms of a package (final payment at 30 days)
I’m this case she can also still do your tickets separately.
But tickets in both cases are paid for in full at time of purchase and are not refundable.this is what keeps packages attractive : tickets are part of the package and are fully refundable when the package is cancelled.
3 Likes
I am going to voice this note from my TA where she asked us to check our park passes. Apparently, Disney has been losing some of them and people have been told they do not have park passes even though they did have them. Therefore, be aware of this and take screen shots of your MDE pages or print them out for proof. 
2 Likes
In this case do
passes = park admission media
OR
passes = park reservations
I don’t mind a higher deposit in exchange for better terms. I don’t plan to cancel (obviously we would only do that if there was some kind of emergency), but it’s nice to know I can without penalty.
Tickets are not refundable, but can be moved to a later date for use, correct? We’d still use them at some point if we had to postpone the trip.
Ah! I see how fully refundable tickets could be appealing.
Thanks for the insight!
I read it as reservations. Hopefully @DocHopper can clarify.
2 Likes
Yes you could use the value of an unused ticket toward the future purchase of new tickets.
1 Like
Ok. I was a little off subject as I did not want to make a new topic out of this. I have upcoming WDW reservations for two weeks. I made them via a TA. My TA got information that Disney was having problems with their park reservation system and it was losing some or all of some customers PARK reservations. She stated that this had NOT happened to any of her clients as of yet but she advised me to check my MDE for park reservations I have made because my dates are quite close. I make mine as soon as possible sometimes months in advance. Mine as of today are all there but I have printed MDE out so if they do disappear, I can prove that I had them. I am simply passing this precautionary information along so that anyone with park reservations do the same as to prove they have or had them. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
1 Like
When I worked in customer service for a health insurance company, we had to put notes in the system for everything we discussed with the insured. I wonder if Disney reps do something similar. I wondered this because I am one of those people who had their tickets and park reservations go poof. It was a PITA time wise getting everything restored. If it happens again I wonder if they could just look up the notes on my account, rather than me having to prove the reservations were there.
1 Like
Proof on paper is the best way. Print your reservations out.
1 Like
Can’t recall specifically right now but I have had some CMs make notes regarding phone calls when trying to resolve an issue.
1 Like
You ever try to get a CM on the phone recently. Last time I tried it was 1 hour and 46 minutes. I don’t even try anymore.
The visit referred to in my post was likely 2019 when we had upwards of 19 extended family members converging on WDW for a 15th birthday bash. Numerous calls to tech support were required to resolve some issues with tickets and MDE but I’m not recalling specifics any more. They were making notes on my file then. 
In December 2020 our reservation for a DVC 1br villa went away. Disappeared. I don’t know if they made any notes but when we arrived we didn’t have to explain much before getting that resolved.
Our trip in June 2022 isn’t quite recent. I don’t recall now why I called before we went and it took about 3 calls to resolve but I don’t think I waited on hold more than 15 or 20 minutes at the longest. I was surprised as I’d heard of folks waiting 7 and 8 hours or longer on hold. 
The several times I called while at Disney - mostly about dining but once about a lost wallet - were answered within a very few minutes. One thing that I found out about calling the resort “front desk” - generally I was speaking to a CM in Guest Services in some central location.
1 Like
I had good luck calling late on a Sunday night. Waited briefly and was off the call within 20 minutes.
I still haven’t decided about package vs room only. Will the Disney+ discounts be applicable to packages also? I just want to make sure we can add a discount the easiest way possible if one becomes available. I also have to decide on which resort. Is it wrong to book two resorts for the same time period and then cancel one later? I’ve seen some discussion about that, but I don’t remember what the recommendation was.