Would you post on your website the cost?

[mochamakes3]

Best advice for finding a TA is to click on the link for the amazing ladies that started and run this forum. They have access to great rates and obviously have a ton of experience dealing with DW.

 

If guests book on their own, they won't count towards your group booking perks. And I've been told that those rates are lower because they have inferior rooms. For example, at MP you get a different colored bracelet based on Palace member, non-member, honeymoon, etc.

[krsmith]

So getting rooms through a TA could result it inferior rooms?!? Oh geez! I wouldn't want that! 

 

I did actually click on the banner above and filled out a form. They set me up with Vacations For Less Inc. I haven't heard anything good/bad about them. 

 

I wonder if it would be just as easy to direct everyone to book directly through the hotel? I definitely want to make this whole process as easy as possible for me AND my guests! Our guest list is at 108 (including everyone's spouses and kids), but I HIGHLY doubt it will come even close to that. I'm thinking it will be more like 50.

 

What are you doing for this?
 

Originally Posted by mochamakes3 

Best advice for finding a TA is to click on the link for the amazing ladies that started and run this forum. They have access to great rates and obviously have a ton of experience dealing with DW.

 

If guests book on their own, they won't count towards your group booking perks. And I've been told that those rates are lower because they have inferior rooms. For example, at MP you get a different colored bracelet based on Palace member, non-member, honeymoon, etc.

[LilyRose]

 

Originally Posted by krsmith 

So getting rooms through a TA could result it inferior rooms?!? Oh geez! I wouldn't want that! 

I do not think this is what mochamakes3 wanted to say.  I think that the inferior rooms are more likely to be given when guests are booking by themselves (Expedia, Orbitz...). Also, on these websites, they only have few rooms for the discounted rate.

I think you are better with a TA from this website.  It will be way easier for your guests to contact a US TA than to deal with the resort directly. I would contact Vacations For Less before deciding.  Keep us updated!

[krsmith]

Oh ok...that makes more sense!

 

I definitely think I will use Vacations For Less. I have emailed some with Teresa, and so far she seems like she will be pretty good. I think I would rather put that responsibility in someone else's hands than leave it open like that anyways.

 

Once I get my contract # I will be contacting Teresa again and hopefully getting the ball rolling!
 

Originally Posted by LilyRose 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by krsmith 

So getting rooms through a TA could result it inferior rooms?!? Oh geez! I wouldn't want that! 

I do not think this is what mochamakes3 wanted to say.  I think that the inferior rooms are more likely to be given when guests are booking by themselves (Expedia, Orbitz...). Also, on these websites, they only have few rooms for the discounted rate.

I think you are better with a TA from this website.  It will be way easier for your guests to contact a US TA than to deal with the resort directly. I would contact Vacations For Less before deciding.  Keep us updated!

[mochamakes3]

Yes, I meant inferior rooms from a discount retailer like Orbitz or Priceline. The same thing happens when you book a regular hotel room with them.

 

We sent out almost 100 invites, which meant about 200 people, but only expect between 30-40. We have people from all different cities in the US and Canada, with different arrival and departure dates. So we arranged the room rates and are leaving flights up to the individual. I did contact an airline for a discount code, which is available 7 days before and after the wedding.

 

The important thing is that your agent has experience with DW and maybe even MP.

[MDLady]

I think that you definitely need to let your guests know how much to budget for the trip.  I didn't include it on the invitations but I did include the website link on the STD and included our Travel Agent's info as well as the info for the resort and room prices.  That way our guests could figure out the cost for their trip and save up for it if money is tight.

 

Airfare is trickier since if you want to do a group purchase for airfare, it has to be from the same airport, same exact flights, same dates..  Basically for us it was impossible since we had guests coming on all different days from different cities and for a different number of days.  Plus I did NOT want to be in charge of everyone's airfare because if there were any issues, I'd feel responsible for straightening it all out and I was stressed out enough with the wedding.

 

I did research flight costs and include them on the website (approximate $$) which obviously varied depending on airline, day, time, etc.  I also had a guest who waited until the last minute to buy the airfare (one of my BMs!!!) and her airfare cost was twice as much as others so I would suggest that they do not wait until the last minute as prices tend to go up when you get closer to the date.

[KrystaRyan]

There's way too much to keep track of for this destination wedding stuff lol.... 

 

But I do think it's a good idea to give the budget right away. I want to do some sort of pre RSVP thing... where they pay a certain amount to say "I want to come" that is non-refundable and if they back out when the travel agent needs deposits, or booking... then It will just go towards everyone's costs.

[mochamakes3]

For the Canadian brides, I was able to contact West Jet for 10% off non-sale fares, it didn't matter where people were flying from, as long as they were booking 7 days before or after our wedding date and included the wedding destination. I found that to be extremely helpful with different departure cities and dates.

 

Not to mention, the WestJet people are always such a pleasure to deal with.

[perry1217]

Teresa is amaaaaaaazing!  I am using her for my Playacar Palace wedding in January.  I talked to two other TAs (and attempted a 3rd but they never got back to me) and none were as easy to work with and responsive as her.  I also talked to two other brides from PP who used her and they raved.

[ckntb]

We decided to book through a travel agent and she was able to get significantly lower prices then a looked at on travelocity/expedia.  Sometimes if they can book it on a charter flight/package the price is reduced.  We posted the information on the website so that guests knew upfront with no surprises.