What Questions Should I Ask My Disney Travel Agent?

Most families come to me with a date in mind and a budget in their head, and that's a great start. But the best Disney vacations come from a real conversation before anything gets booked. I've been a Disney travel agent since 2010, and these are the questions I think every family should ask their agent, plus the questions a good agent should be asking you.

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What questions will a good Disney travel agent ask me first?

Before I look at a single price, I want to get to know your family. These are the questions I ask every time:

• Have you been to Disney World before? A first trip and a fifth trip are planned very differently. First-timers usually need more help with the basics, and returning families often want to try something new.
• Do you have a preferred hotel? Some families already have their heart set on a resort. If you do, I'll start there. If not, I'll suggest a few that fit your budget and the way you like to travel. Here's a look at places to stay at Disney World.
• What are you planning to do while you're there? Some families want to ride everything. Others want slow mornings at the pool. Knowing that helps me pick the right number of park days.
• Is there anything specific you want to do? A certain ride, a birthday dinner, a show or a special event. I want to know about it early so we can plan around it.
• Who are your favorite characters? This tells me which character meals, parks and experiences will mean the most to your kids, and to you.
• What are your favorite foods? Dining is a big part of a Disney trip, and it's much easier to recommend restaurants when I know what your family actually likes to eat.
• Do you understand Park Hopper tickets? Many families don't, and it makes a real difference in how you plan your days. More on that below.

If your agent doesn't ask you questions like these, they're just booking a room. A good agent is planning your trip.

What questions should I ask about Park Hopper tickets and getting around Disney World?

This is the one I see families skip the most, and it ends up mattering a lot. People ask about tickets and hotels, but they don't ask how long it takes to get from one park to another, or how to get around on Park Hopper days and between resorts.

Here's how Park Hopper works. With a Park Hopper ticket, you can visit another theme park at any time of day during park hours after you enter your first park, subject to capacity (Walt Disney World). Disney also says theme park reservations are no longer required for date-based tickets (Walt Disney World).

What the ticket doesn't tell you is how long the trip in between takes. Walt Disney World is huge, and getting from one park to another means a bus, the monorail, a boat or the Skyliner, and every one of those takes time. I'd ask your agent:

• How long does it really take to get from one park to the next?
• Which transportation goes from my hotel to each park?
• Is hopping worth it for my family, or will we spend too much of our day in transit?
• Where does the Skyliner actually go?

That last one comes from a real story. When I was at Disney World last year, I met someone who had planned their day with ChatGPT. It gave them the wrong information about where the Skyliner was. I was able to set them straight, and that saved them over an hour of riding the monorail and buses just to find out the Skyliner wasn't where they thought it was.

For the record, the Disney Skyliner connects Disney's Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at EPCOT with Disney's Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, Pop Century and Riviera resorts (Walt Disney World). It doesn't go to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. Disney has also announced the Skyliner will be closed for refurbishment from January 24 through January 30, 2027, with complimentary bus service available (Walt Disney World). That's exactly the kind of detail an agent should catch for you.

Prefer to buy tickets yourself? You can compare Walt Disney World tickets on Undercover Tourist.

What should I ask my Disney travel agent about payments and money?

Money questions are the ones families are most nervous to ask, but they're the ones you should ask first. Here's what I'd cover.

Do you offer payment plans?

Ask this right away. With Fun Park Go, vacation packages can be paid over time with a payment plan, so your trip is paid off before you go. Park tickets bought on their own are paid in full when you book. Here's more on how Disney payment plans work.

For Walt Disney World vacation packages booked 31 days or more before arrival, Disney's current terms call for a $200 deposit per reservation, received within 3 days of booking, with payment in full due no later than 30 days before arrival. If you book 30 days or less before arrival, payment in full is due at booking (Walt Disney World package terms).

Room-only reservations work differently. Disney says the balance on a room-only Disney Resort hotel reservation is paid when you arrive at your hotel (Walt Disney World), and it can't be paid online the way a package can (planDisney).

Can I use Disney gift cards to pay for my trip?

Yes, and it's one of my favorite tips. A lot of families pick up Disney gift cards a little at a time and use them as a vacation savings plan. According to Disney's planDisney panel, you can make a payment toward a Walt Disney World vacation package with a Disney gift card through your My Disney Experience account, and room-only reservations can be paid with a gift card by calling Disney (planDisney). Ask your agent how they handle gift card payments on the reservations they book for you.

What happens if a discount comes out after I book?

This is a fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends. Disney's planDisney panel says that when a special offer is released, you may be able to apply it to an existing reservation by modifying your booking, but availability for each offer is limited (planDisney). It isn't automatic, and not every offer will work for every resort, room type or date.

Disney's package terms also say that changes to a reservation are subject to availability and the prices in effect when the change is made, and changes made 30 days or less before arrival carry a $50 change fee per package (Walt Disney World package terms). So ask your agent whether they'll keep an eye out for new offers after you book, and whether they'll check if one can be applied to your trip.

What are the cancellation rules?

Every family should know these before they book. For Walt Disney World vacation packages, Disney's current terms say (Walt Disney World package terms):

• Cancel 30 days or more before arrival and you're refunded what you've paid, minus any third-party supplier fees and non-refundable items like travel protection plan costs.
• Cancel 2 to 29 days before arrival and there's a $200 cancellation fee per package, plus those same non-refundable amounts.
• Cancel 1 day or less before arrival, or don't show up, and the full price of the package is non-refundable.

For room-only Disney Resort hotel reservations, Disney's planDisney panel explains that you get your deposit back if you cancel at least 8 days before arrival, and cancelling 0 to 7 days before arrival costs one night, which is the deposit (planDisney). Disney's rules can change, so ask your agent to walk you through the terms on your actual reservation.

What should I ask my travel agent about the trip itself?

A good agent doesn't stop helping once you've paid. These are the questions I want families to ask about what happens once they're on the ground.

What am I allowed to bring into the parks?

Disney World has a list of prohibited items, and it's worth reading before you pack. A few that catch families off guard: glass containers (except small ones like baby food jars), alcoholic beverages, wagons, folding chairs, selfie sticks, and strollers wider than 31 inches or longer than 52 inches. Bags and coolers larger than 24 inches long by 15 inches wide by 18 inches high aren't allowed, and loose or dry ice isn't permitted, so Disney recommends reusable ice packs (Walt Disney World property rules).

What snacks can I bring to save money?

This is one of the easiest ways to save. Disney allows outside food and nonalcoholic drinks in the parks for your own use, as long as they aren't in glass containers, don't need heating or refrigeration, and don't have strong odors. You'll need to let Security know you have food when you enter (Walt Disney World). I tell families to pack the snacks their kids already love, like granola bars, crackers, fruit snacks and trail mix, and save the park money for the treats you can only get at Disney.

Is there free water at Disney World?

Yes. Disney's planDisney panel says you can ask for a free cup of ice water at Disney's quick-service dining locations (planDisney). On a hot Florida day, that adds up to real savings for a family. Bring a refillable water bottle too.

Where should we eat outside the parks?

Ask your agent for their personal favorites. Off-property restaurants can be a nice break from park prices and crowds. Two of mine:

Agave Azul Cocina Mexicana. A family-owned Mexican restaurant with several locations around the Orlando area, including one on Winter Garden Vineland Road in Windermere (Agave Azul). It's a place my own family loves.

Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza. Stone-fired pizza and Italian food, with a Windermere location in Lakeside Village on Winter Garden Vineland Road (Piesanos).

Both are good choices if you have a car and want a relaxed dinner after a park day.

How do I reach you if something goes wrong?

This might be the most important question on the whole list. I give all my clients my personal cell phone so they can call or text me while they're traveling, and we also give them a 24/7 hotline in case I'm not available. Ask any agent exactly how you'll reach them during your trip, and who you'll talk to if they can't pick up.

What's the most important question to ask a Disney travel agent?

For me, it comes down to customer service. Ask this: "If something goes wrong on my trip, who do I call, and what will you do about it?"

Anyone can go online and book a trip through a big travel website like Expedia. But in my opinion, when something goes wrong, reaching a large online booking site's customer service can be very difficult. You're often waiting on hold and explaining your situation to someone who has never heard of you.

Here's how I answer that question myself. You get a direct contact, me. I'm a certified graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge, Disney's own training program for travel professionals, and I book your trip directly with Disney. That gives you a real person who knows your plans, plus Disney's own booking behind them. That's what protects you when things don't go as planned.

If you're still deciding who to work with, here's my guide on how to choose the right Disney travel agent, and a closer look at what a Disney travel agent does. You can also see everything we offer on our services page.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost extra to ask a travel agent all these questions?

Not with us. Fun Park Go's planning is free because we're paid by the travel suppliers, not by our clients. If an agent charges a planning fee, ask why. Here's more on whether Disney travel agents charge fees.

Can I ask these questions if I already booked directly with Disney?

Yes. In many cases you can still bring your reservation to an agent. Here's how to transfer your Disney reservation to a travel agent.

Does Fun Park Go book airfare?

No. We book hotels, park tickets and vacation packages, so you'll book your flights separately.

Can you help with Universal Orlando too?

Yes. Fun Park Go is a Universal U-Preferred agency, so we can help if you want to add Universal to your Orlando trip. You can learn more about planning Walt Disney World with us or about Fun Park Go.

Ready to ask me your questions?

Bring me your list, and I'll bring mine. Planning with Fun Park Go is free, and we can set up a payment plan on your vacation package so your trip is paid off before you go. (Park tickets alone are paid in full.) Request your free planning consult, and let's start planning your family's Disney vacation.

Prefer to book yourself? You can browse theme park vacation packages on Funjet.

Fun Park Go is an independent travel agency in Idaho Falls, Idaho, affiliated with Travel Leaders, planning vacations since 2010. Not affiliated with or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company.