Hiya Jennifer,
Welcome to
planDisney! Thank you for your question about Authorized Disney Vacation Planners! While my obsessive need to control every aspect of planning means I’ve never used one of these talented individuals, I was excited to dig a little deeper into this topic to help you find the glass slipper fit.
Being an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner is not an easy feat. Those travel agencies Ear-Marked as Authorized Disney Vacation Planners must meet several criteria, including a multi-year track record, meeting the Disney standards of excellence, and a specialization in Disney Destinations. When I searched Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I received a ton of results, but not all of them were official, as you mentioned. Unfortunately, we do not have an official list of Authorized Disney Vacation Planners because it evolves regularly, but I can help provide you with an easy way to double-check that a travel agent is designated as one. On their home page, you should see the “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” logo (you will know it is the right one because it has a Mickey hat on top of it). You should also see their EAR-Marked status (diamond, platinum, gold, silver, and bronze), which can help you decide. If you do not see this logo or the Ear-Marked status, I would steer clear of that site if you are looking for an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. The status is a pretty big deal to travel agents, so if they have it, they will proudly display it. I recommend fine-tuning your search by adding an EAR-Marked status to your search parameters to ensure you get more relevant search results.
I hope this was helpful, Jennifer. I know it can be tricky to search through all Disney-loving travel agents; thank you so much for helping me learn something new. Please come back and see us if you need anything else!
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.