We’ve touted the value of agency exclusive offers in the past. We’ve been doing “research” (read: planning trips) for August 2019 so we thought we’d share some of our findings. Just as a quick review, agency exclusive offers often boast prices even cheaper than discounts Disney gives. You book through the agency and they handle everything (including changes you might need to make). Our favorite travel agency for these types of offers is Magical Vacations Travel, so let’s take a look at what they have for August 2019. (BTW, one great thing about MVT is the ability to pay for your vacation with discounted Disney gift cards).
Magical Vacations Travel exclusive rates for August 2019
Every year, MVT traditionally has had exclusive rates in August which offer some of the best values of the year. Last year my family stayed at the Polynesian for just under $300 a night, a great deal. The deals aren’t as good this year, but still present a good savings. MVT’s August agency exclusive dates this year are Aug 14-Sept 3. In our experience, you can get a few days on either end outside of those dates, but you must stay at least one night within that window.
We compared Disney’s best rates (for one specific date in the window), 2018 MVT rates (when applicable), and this year’s Magical Vacations Travel agency exclusive rates below (including tax):
| Hotel Property | Disney's nightly rate (Sun & Fun offer) | MVT rate 2018 (per night) | MVT rate 2019 (per night) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronado Springs | $185.63 | N/A | $192.38 |
| Animal Kingdom Lodge | $271.69 | $245.24 | $262.13 |
| Beach Club Resort | $365.34 |
$282.38 | $327.38 |
| Boardwalk Inn | $345.71 | N/A | $327.38 |
| Grand Floridian Resort & Spa | $459.90 | $300.38 | $405.00 |
| Polynesian Village Resort | $463.78 | $291.38 | $418.50 |
| Wilderness Lodge | N/A | $236.25 | $270.00 |
| Yacht Club Resort | $343.36 | N/A | $327.38 |
A few things to note about the above table. First, Magical Vacations Travel offers different room types – they have rates available for club rooms, upgraded view rooms, etc. We have not put those in the above table but if you contact them you will find that those rates usually beat Disney’s best rates.
Also, we just searched for one night (8/29), there is fluctuation on Disney’s website depending on the supply and demand for specific days. Incidentally, Wilderness Lodge was like over $900 and we searched a few different nights, so not sure what’s going on there. Anyway, although Coronado Springs is cheaper on the actual day we searched (8/28), it costs $205.88 on 8/20. Similarly, if you search for Yacht Club on 8/27, it costs $316.58 – lower than the Magical Vacations Travel rate.
With that in mind, we’ve come to these conclusions about the MVT rates for 2019:
- Rates have increased across the board both for Disney and MVT, but some have really jumped (like the Polynesian)
- For the most part, you can save money using MVT rates, but make sure you check your individual dates
- MVT rates should save you money vs. Disney’s current free dining plan offer (more on this in another post)
- While not as good as last year, MVT rates still present a solid savings.
How to book Magical Vacations Travel packages
Booking Magical Vacations Travel packages are pretty straightforward. You can request a quote on their website, e-mail an agent, or call 1-856-310-0095. We like to use Holly, but to be fair, we’ve never worked with anyone else. You can e-mail her holly AT magicalvacationstravel DOT com. When you contact the agency or an agent, let them know your dates, number in your party, and resorts you are interested in. They will get back to you with quotes that will line up with the table that you see above.
You can also save money by bundling tickets in with your Magical Vacations Travel hotel packages – MVT offers some good ticket discounts. Rachel will be analyzing ticket, dining, and overall package discounts in her next post so be sure to look forward to that.
Final Thoughts
We’ve seen better discounts, but Magical Vacations Travel still offers good discounts for late summer 2019. Be sure to compare them to prices you could get via booking through Citi or CNB as you’re deciding on how to pay for your trip. It’s always best to explore a variety of avenues in order to save the most money on your trip.
Have you ever used a Magical Vacations Travel exclusive before? Any thoughts to add? We’d love to hear them in the comments below.
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Featured image by Kent Phillips courtesy of wdwnews.com
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