Back to Your Answers
Mom and daughter on Expedition Everest; Animal Kingdom
  • On Mar 2, 2012
    Nicole from OR Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    So confused what is the difference between CRO and the Disney travel company? I have always just booked online before but thanks to the Moms panel I see I could be missing out on some valuable info and discounts. Many thanks!

    Hi Nicole,

    I wasn't familiar with the abbreviation CRO, but I think you mean Central Reservations Office. If I'm understanding you correctly, I think you're asking what the difference is between booking your reservation online at disneyworld.com or over the phone at 407-W-DISNEY. The answer depends on several factors. If you have a straight forward reservation and are not particularly price sensitive, then go ahead and book online. 

    But by calling to make your reservation, you get to talk to an actual human being. You can ask questions like: "Are there any discounts or promotions that might apply to my stay?" "I'm traveling with a party of three, but the advertised promotion is for a party of four, am I still eligible?" or "What is the difference is room size between resort X and resort Y?" By having a conversation, you may be able to find savings or accommodations that better suit your family's needs. 

    Whenever you're booking travel, it makes sense to do research. For example, when I book flights, I first go to the airline websites directly (Delta, American, JetBlue, etc.) to check routes and published pricing. Then I go to travel aggregator sites like Kayak, Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity to compare. And I also run a Google search for possible promotions. I may end up back booking at the airline website, but then again, I may not.

    A smart shopper will do the same for Disney. Go to sites like mousesavers.com and see if there are discounts that apply to you. Check your memberships like AAA or Costco which sometimes have travel discounts. Search Disney-related websites like allears.net or passporter.com for information on promotions. Look on Expedia and Orbitz, etc. Call Disney and chat with a reservationist. You may end up booking via the website, but you may find a better deal elsewhere.

    Overall, it doesn't matter where/how you book. Once you're at WDW, you get the same great service.

    Good luck!  
thumbnail image for Erin

Meet the Panelist: Erin, New York

I have three teenage daughters. We're DVC members obsessed with Disney travel. We've been to Walt Disney World countless times and have visited Disneyland & Disneyland Paris. We've taken several Adventures by Disney and Disney Cruise trips. Learn More About Erin

Didn't find what you were looking for? Click the Ask a Question button to open the Ask a Question dialogue box. If you are not logged in a dialogue box will appear to signin in order to ask a question.

To submit your question, please log in now if you have not already done so.

Ask a QuestionOpens the Ask a Question dialog box.
x

Update Browser

For a better experience browsing this website, please download an updated version of Internet Explorer.


Or you can continue browsing without updating.

 

 

Internet Explorer FireFox Safari Chrome