It’s no surprise that my little ones have grown up as Disney fanatics. The song “We don’t talk about Bruno” (from “Encanto”) is a household favorite, and my 6-year-old daughter requested that my husband dress as Maui when she was Moana (from the hit Disney movie) for Halloween. Disney clothing and toys line our children’s bedrooms and toy area.

Disney is both a favorite and a necessity and has grown into a tradition for our family – we try to travel to Walt Disney World every few years. But, until our recent Disney vacation, we never realized just how helpful a AAA Travel Advisor specializing in Disney (an Angel) can be.

For so long, we thought we were doing everything right. Boy, were we wrong!

Here are the top eight lessons we learned after booking a Walt Disney World trip the right way – utilizing the services of AAA Magic Creators and our personal fairy godmother – AAA Western and Central New York Senior Manager of Outside Sales and Disney Destinations Manager Shelley Eastmer.

1. Getting you the VIP treatment without paying for the VIP treatment!

If you aren’t familiar with the dining or experience process, you may not know that getting a spot at Chef Mickey’s or Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is tricky… extremely tricky – especially if you haven’t booked months in advance. We decided to travel somewhat last minute, so I thought Chef Mickey’s dining experience was out of the question. As business owners, our fast-paced lives do not allow for us to check in daily for any cancellations, so we left that in the hands of our Magic Creator, Shelley. I had high hopes yet didn’t think it was possible, but within days, she had Chef Mickey’s secured with a dinner reservation at the most convenient time for our family, including our three children – 6-year-old twins and a toddler with a BIG imagination! My husband and I will never forget the wonder on the face of our 2-year-old hugging Minnie for the first time.

2. Hard-to-reserve resorts!

Trying to find a reservation at some of the Disney resorts can be challenging. We had the most ideal stay at Port Orleans Riverside, right along the water, highly recommended by Shelley and incredibly easy on the wallet. We never thought to stay on resort – due to the sheer price of it all. But it made our trip a MILLION times better. With convenient and frequent bus transportation, we never felt bad about leaving the parks early to take a break because we could travel to and from in a matter of MINUTES! 
If you are looking to get into a very booked resort, AAA advisors know where and how to look – because people do cancel! Reservations may pop up, but you have to allocate time to find them. Having a trusted advisor on your side makes all the difference. 

3. Travel agents are not pricey — can you believe it, they’re FREE!
Read that again. Yep, there’s no expense to you. Whether you book directly with Disney or through a travel agent, you will pay the same price. That’s because commission is built into the price of your Walt Disney World vacation, so you might as well use one and get all the magical perks!

We have always strayed from travel agents, thinking their price was unnecessary and that we could do it ourselves. We learned quickly that travel agents can save you money and we now understand just how necessary experts, like AAA Magic Creators, are. 
This, hands down, has been our most favorite family vacation because it was stress free, full of fun, and just easy! 

4. Navigating the Disney features — which aren’t as user friendly as Disney thinks!

Genie+, Lightning Lanes, and the Virtual Queue are confusing and, though they are meant to be a perk, can be daunting when planning. Also, since the pandemic, park reservations are required for each park, and you cannot just park hop at noon (I mean wouldn’t you think that, too?). We had so many questions going into our trip, and it honestly felt overwhelming. Shelley was there to answer our pre-questions, as well as our questions during the trip! She was an easy text or email away to help with the questions we thought we knew the answers to, including an early morning email on our trip that was answered within minutes. AAA always says they are there for you before, during, and after your trip – and they mean it!

One of the best experiences we had as a family was riding the brand-new and incredibly thrilling Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Shelley gave us the heads up about the Virtual Queue, which enabled us to literally walk on the ride!  AAA’s travel advisors are up to date on the latest Disney news, so you don’t have to be!

5. Knowing the best times!

There is a science to Disney. You can avoid the long lines and the massive crowds with an experienced agent who can recommend the best times to travel to each park. Shelley was extremely helpful giving us tips to avoid the biggest crowds and picking the best days for the parks. So, yes, we avoided Magic Kingdom on a Saturday and chose our specific day for Animal Kingdom for the optimal experience with the animals.

We also enjoyed Epcot’s Festival of the Arts because of AAA’s recommendation to travel the last week of January. What a beautiful scene that was!

6. Do not wait on hold—EVER—with Disney!

Planning for any family trip is exciting, but when you are dealing with work deadlines, school schedules, packing, animal sitters… the list goes on… leaving to go away can be exhausting!

Disney is a mega company, and waiting on hold can be common in the travel industry. If you run into any challenges or need customer service, this is the role of your AAA advisor - to take those long holds, and to get you the answers you need… PRONTO!

7. AAA Magic Creators have a “Disney Degree”

Our Magic Creator, Shelley, has a true passion for the Disney brand and her love for it is felt when you work with her. She, and her colleagues, have passed the “College of Disney Knowledge” courses with flying, magical colors, so when it comes to planning your trip, you feel completely at ease and stress free. You are leaving this critical experience in the hands of a true expert, and my husband stepped onto the airplane with no stress and just an open mind of enjoying every single moment with our kids. Because they’re only young once!

8. Plain and simple, the entire experience is MAGICALLY FUN!

Shelley loaded us up with goodies prior to our trip – from Mickey ears to autograph books, drawstring packs and water bottles - we had all the good stuff to pack into our suitcases. Working with AAA and the Magic Creators wasn’t a hassle, and it definitely wasn’t a regret.
It actually turned our dream of having an unforgettable vacation into magical reality.

Kate Glaser is the Founder of Hope Rises, a global media platform that spans the globe, reaching millions of fans each week with good news and acts of charitable kindness. Kate utilized the services of AAA Western and Central New York and looks forward to booking her next trip with AAA. She encourages you to do the same!

Head here for details, and be sure to use Kate's AAA promo code with your travel advisor: WDW-Kate
Magic Creators | AAA Western and Central New York