Why should I use a travel professional?

"I can do it myself!!!"

If you have ever witnessed a baby grow into a toddler you may have heard this saying on many occasions. One day they are perfectly happy with you putting on their shoes and coat, then the next day you get a loud "I can do it myself!" and you wait and watch patiently as the shoes go on the wrong feet and the coat slowly makes it's way into wriggling and squirming arms and you are late getting out the door. From that day forward the child has earned a new found confidence and believes they can do anything. It's a magical thing to watch as their little personalities bloom and their freedoms grow. 
But somewhere in adulthood we learn that while we can do many things ourselves, like change the oil or self-diagnose a common cold, sometimes it's good to bring in a professional, like to install a new transmission or perform dental surgery. It's good to turn the reigns over to people who have a passion and education to complete the job right the first time!
My passion for travel planning began at an early age. I loved helping my parents choose where we would spend spring break, then researching as much as possible about that location and dreaming about how I wanted us to spend our days. When it came time to tour colleges my parents fully let me plan our road trip down the east coast. We stayed in an inn run by college students at one University. Then we stayed at a downtown bed and breakfast in another, a 4 star hotel and a condo on the beach all in the town that I now call home. I was passionate about planning that trip and it was a blast! 

When I first started researching for our first family trip to Walt Disney World I dove in headfirst. I was a mostly stay-at-home mom and read and researched all I could. I planned, then scrapped plans and planned again. It was well executed trip and we fell in love with the place. I planned several more trips for us, but then we decided to do a week long stay and things at Disney had started to change a bit. I was busier with life in general and couldn't keep up with the changes. So I had heard about a company called Ears of Experience who planned it all for you so I decided to give it a shot. 
I was so impressed with the job the owner Amy did in planning our vacation! I told her what I envisioned for our trip and where we wanted to eat and *POOF* I received an e-mail with a park plan and dining reservations. Then right before our trip I got a packet in the mail with a printed customized itinerary full of all these tips and tricks I didn't even know! I thought I knew it all to be honest, but there was so much more we had been missing out on! 

After that trip I knew being a Disney planner was my dream job. A year later Amy started her affiliate program and I was among the first to sign up! It has been such a perfect fit for me and I truly love and am passionate about helping others plan the vacation of a lifetime. 
Can you do it yourself? 
Of course.
Would it be better to accept the help of a professional? 
Absolutely!
Why?

• I stay current on all the day to day changes for all Disney destinations. New policy for dining reservations? I know about it. New promotion announced for your travel dates? I'm on top of getting your package adjusted to a lower price before you even know about the promotion. New technology being implemented? I'll be here to train you on how to best use it. Want to wait in line as little as possible and spend more time enjoying attractions with your loved ones? I can give you the tips and tricks to do that! 
• I plan with your family in mind. As soon as you book I send you an travel questionnaire to help me see your vision for your vacation. Based on that I can make suggestions and come up with an ideal and unique vacation itinerary to fit your family's wants and needs. I specialize in multi-generational trips. So if you are traveling with grandma and grandpa or cousins or neighbors and want to be synced up with their plans I can do that! 
• I can plan as much or as little as you want. Some clients want to be very hands on with planning their vacation, maybe because they have been before and know what has worked and what hasn't. And some clients just want to 'show up' and have everything planned for them. I accommodate both types and everyone in between!
• You are already paying for it! The travel professional's commission is already built into the cost of your vacation package. I charge NO ADDITIONAL FEES. So if you book directly with Disney you are paying the same exact price you would pay if you booked through me. Many people don't realize this and think there must be a catch. I have even had clients ask me after their vacation, "So, when do you send me your bill?" There is no bill! All my services are included as part of your Disney package. 

So if you have a travel professional you know and trust, please use them to plan your Disney travel. Things can change when you least expect it and you truly need a professional to help you have the best vacation imaginable and also be there if an emergency arises. If you don't have a travel professional, please consider letting me handle all your Disney travel needs. It's a destination I know and love and I'm passionate about helping people create memories to last a lifetime! 

XOXO
MAMA