Searching for your dream holiday can seem like a complete nightmare. There are so many different options, so how do you know which one is right for you? Trust me, I've been there, many times. But over the years, I have been lucky enough to have Fairytale Holidays on hand to help me from booking until I've returned home again.
But before you start searching, you need to make sure that you’ve covered all your bases and carefully considered what it is that you really need and want from your Disney Holiday.
To help you get there, here are 7 things to consider before booking your Disney Holiday;
#1 Work out a rough budget for your Disney holiday
It's a massive misconception that travel agents like Fairytale Holidays, only ask for your budget to maximise their commission and overcharge you. I can assure you, this isn't the case! Really, they just want to find the sweet spot that balances everything you love from a holiday along with your budget. Without knowing what you can realistically afford, they have no way of being able to balance this for you. Therefore, they also ask you to be realistic. If you’re looking for a Disney holiday that you ultimately can’t afford, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. I have said this so many times, Disney holidays are not cheap holidays, but they are holidays that you'll remember forever.
In the same way, you would set a budget for buying a car or a house, sit down, and work out what you can comfortably afford to spend on your Disney holiday.
#2 Asking for a “cheap as possible” holiday is the worst thing you can do when searching for your Disney trip - trust me
As I mentioned above, a Disney holiday is an expensive holiday, but the way I always view it is that it's an investment. An investment in my daughter's childhood. An investment in my mental health and a general investment in my life. For me, it's worth it.
And remember, sometimes the difference between a fantastic hotel with brilliant facilities and friendly staff is just a few pounds more per night compared to the “cheapest” hotel. Would you rather spend that little bit more to have a much better holiday or is “the cheaper the better” what you’re really looking for? Everyone has a different idea of what makes a good holiday.
#3 Take reviews with a pinch of salt before booking your Disney Holiday
We have all read so many TripAdvisor reviews that we feel like we've already been there, at least at one time or another! And even if there are hundreds of amazing reviews, why do we always focus on the one negative review?
More and more people now as using TripAdvisor reviews to try and get unwarranted compensation from hotels which skews all the positive reviews. And yes, influencers do this too! So how do you know which are the real reviews?
Fairytale Holidays are an ATOL Protected UK Travel Agent specialising in amazing trips to Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World. Universal Orlando and Disney Cruise Line. All their reviews are real from their real clients!
And remember, what one family loves, another family might be less than impressed with! This is why it's even more important to let Fairytale Holidays know exactly what you want from your holiday!
#4 Never, ever say “We’re not fussed”, “Anything will do” or “It just has to be cheap”
When booking with Fairytale Holidays by Travel Counsellors, think of them as your travel problem solvers. Unfortunately, this kind of vague statement gives them almost nothing to go on. It's like going into a restaurant and just asking for food!
If you have seen a specific hotel on social media, tell them! It can give them an idea of the sort of thing you like. Just a little bit more information from yourself can have a massive impact on your Disney holiday! If you want options to choose from because you aren't sure what's available, just ask! I usually ask for one Value and one Moderate, and then sometimes a mixture of the two. Between us, we always get exactly what I want before booking.
#5 Do some research
As I've mentioned above, what might be good for one family, might not actually work for your family and this is where doing some research comes in. If you're looking at Walt Disney World, have a Google the different types of resorts and what they offer. For Universal, see what perks come with which hotel. If you are travelling to Disneyland Paris, take a look at all the different transport options and see which would be best for you and your party.
Yes, Fairytale Holidays are great at doing all the leg work, but opening up a discussion is what really will guarantee the very best Disney holiday for you and your travel party.
#6 Be flexible
Sometimes by changing your dates by a few days or flying from another airport, you can save a fortune. If you can only fly from a certain local airport on exact dates and times, it will severely limit your choices. Have a few choices in mind for resorts so you don't end up disappointed if the price isn't quite right.
#7 Make sure whatever you book, you’re protected
Did you know that if you book your flights and accommodation separately, you have very little financial protection?
For example, if your flight is cancelled or delayed, the hotel you’ve booked separately is not obliged to move, change or even refund your booking. It’s the same for transfers and park tickets!
Your airline is quite limited in what they have to offer by law. Compensation is available, but in most cases, only if it’s the airlines fault. The majority of the time, flights are cancelled due to weather and strikes which are both out of the control of the airline and they can simply offer you a full refund. Last minute replacement flights will cost you a fortune and generally your refund would not cover these. Many travel insurance policies have very strict and low limits on what they’ll cover in these circumstances.
Fairytale Holidays have been awarded an ATOL license. So, if your airline were to collapse (such as with Thomas Cook or Monarch for example), you’ll be repatriated back to the UK. Every penny of your holiday is safe and secure in their Travel Trust fund independently managed by Barclays Bank.
Their 24/7 Duty Office monitors events world-wide and is there just in case you should need them whilst you’re away. And yes, I have used it! 2016 we were in Florida during Hurricane Matthew, it would have been such a stressful experience had it not been for Fairytale Holidays. It's why now I'll never go past them!
(yes, I know it's Universal, but all this still applies!)