Hi Kirsten,
I personally do not use a Disney travel agency when planning my Disney trip. I am a little obsessive and think half of the fun, & what gets me through my Disney World withdrawals, is the planning process for our next trip. I love checking resorts prices and scouring
www.disneyworld,com as well as
www.mousesavers.com and
www.allears.net for any deals or updates I can find. It can be quite time consuming but I enjoy the challenge of finding the best deal at a Disney resort and playing with our dining & ticket options.
Now if you are looking for some help with this challenge, or you are just not as in to the planning, there are some great Disney travel companies out there who will take the pressure off of you and help you plan a fantastic Disney World trip for your family. (They will even let you take the credit with your kids). Two companies that I have heard great things about and personally have friends who have used them and was VERY happy...is
www.yourmagicaljourneys.com and
www.themagicforless.com.
The great thing about using the agency is they will explain all the current offers and options for your visit and continue to monitor those dates for any new deals and promotions. They will assist in all your travel arrangements and often be able to help arrange your dining reservations and other things you may need, like transportation. To my knowledge there are no deals available to the agencies that you would not be able to find and book yourself, the advantage is simply the ability to have someone else do the work for you.
Good luck deciding, either way, i am sure you will have an incredible time!