3 Reasons you should Work with a Travel Advisor you haven't Heard Yet

Last year I accomplished a dream! I became a travel advisor with an agency specializing in Disney Destinations and Universal Vacations. A lifelong love of travel, planning and research brought me to this point with a lovely female-led company Diserella Travel. After coming aboard I received so much training and so many experiences that have made me a better agent.

When I discuss why you should use a travel agent to book your vacation, I hit a few major broad points. Firstly, for most vacation packages, an agent commission is part of the price. You’re already paying for us even when you don’t use our services and most of the time our services come at no additional cost to you. Our knowledge and service are the biggest selling point though, offering custom, one on one assistance to make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for in a trip. These are the broad strokes! I hope you’d consider me putting me on your team based on these reasons. For this post though, I’d like to dive into some more specifics that you get in that package, that use my knowledge and provide you service. These 3 reasons might be some that you hadn’t considered but could be relevant to your family’s vacation experience! These are some of the details that set advisors apart from other retail travel resources:

1. Accommodations for special needs, dietary requirements and more!

Part of my job is to get to know you! Not just what you want but what you need to make your vacation a great, low stress experience. It's also my job to understand the destinations you plan on travelling to and what challenges they might present to members of your party. From connecting you to a mobility scooter rental, being able to talk about the details of what you’ll experience at the attractions you’ll visit, helping you locate and receive services and ensuring your dietary needs will be handled with care, I want to be your advocate. Instead of figuring these things out as you go and using up that precious vacation time we can work together to make sure your needs are met so you can spend your time on the activities you’ve booked!

Accessibility information can be hard to find through self service travel retailers, and you may find yourself with a vacation to plan AND accessibility needs to plan. Calling in to find this information, researching, and booking accessible activities can add so much time and effort to your trip. Diserella has equipped me to take that off your shoulders. Recently, I toured many of Walt Disney World’s Resort Hotels and the seasoned colleagues I went with shared tips down to the optimal building for mobility challenged clients at many of the resorts. That’s the kind of specific, needs based service we provide.

When booking we can share your needs personally, and insure they are met at the level you need. From pre-arranging dining reservations and making restaurants aware of allergens beforehand, to finding out how bedding is cared for to reduce allergen exposure. I personally have taken an interest in discussing the sensory experience of rides at theme parks because I am affected by motion, lights and sound in a way that alters what I can experience. You deserve to get to let your guard down and fully relax during your time off. We can take that burden off your shoulders.

2. To discover destinations, experiences, and packages you might not have known about.

Even if you know where you’d like to go, say; on a cruise, to an all-inclusive resort, to Universal Hollywood, chances are when we chat about your trip, the details haven’t been decided on. It's my business to help you discover your new favorite place to stay, to narrow down brands and the experience they offer, select excursions and dining, and more. Once you’ve booked with me once and I have an idea of what kind of traveller you are, you may find that I share itineraries and packages with you that I think you’d enjoy. Helping you not only to book the vacation you want now, but to discover your next bucket list item. You may also find a package on my facebook page that you previously may not have known about but sounds like the perfect next adventure for your party.

This job has introduced me to so many places I can’t wait to go and has helped me check off some places I’d already discovered. Every time I work on booking a client, I convince myself at least a little that I need to do that trip too. Hazard of the job!

When you work with a travel advisor you’re not searching through an algorithm and reading the recommendations of strangers who could say anything in their review. You’re working with someone personally invested in your experience, and in travel in general. Travel is my passion and I make it my business to learn and experience as much as I can, so I can pass that knowledge onto you. Sometimes in the process, we both end up with a dream vacation!

3. Perks and Extras

Okay, so this one does come with a bit of a disclaimer. There’s a major misconception that travel agents get access to crazy discounts and can find you the cheapest trip possible. Though I cannot guarantee a discount or a better rate than other retailers, I can guarantee you that if there is a perk or extra to be had, I’ll hunt it down for you. (As an aside, I also want to say that my goal is to tailor a great vacation to your wants and needs, not necessarily find the cheapest possible package. Cheap doesn’t mean best! Though I won’t ever force you past your limits)

Agents don’t have a slate of “travel hacks” to take advantage of (be wary of those who say they do) but we do have relationships with our vendors, training portals, and constant updates from our destinations that mean we can pass special stuff onto our clients when it's available. Also, if you’re the kind of person who’d like to be upgraded, but are too shy to ask, that’s my job too.

Again, as your advocate, I want to make sure you have a great experience and that includes in the little things. Us Diserellas love to sprinkle magic wherever we can. You won’t get that when you purchase from a big box retailer, in fact, because these are often 3rd party sellers you might find less than magical service. Those sites might have rock-bottom prices, but you might arrive and learn that a fine print means you get rock-bottom service too. No one wants that! Hire the fairy godmother that works just for you!

There are so many more great reasons to book with a travel advisor. Whether or travel needs are short and sweet or an extended escapade, the personalized service offered by a trained agent will send you off in style. If you’re looking for an agent now, you’re in luck. You can get in touch with me at this link, my email suzannah@diserella.com My specialities are theme parks, especially on the Orlando side of things (surprise surprise) I also love to book Virgin Voyages cruises, Branson and New York City. But I can book almost anything you send my way. Wouldn’t it be such a slay for you to outsource ALL your travel planning and booking? Outsource it to me.

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