Many travel agencies are struggling right now. How are you doing?
Years ago, when I opened Enchanted Memories Travel, I was learning all the aspects of running a travel agency. Somebody forgot the chapter in the training manual about persevering through a global pandemic. We also have an amazing team of agents (Memory Makers®) who have been extremely patient and supportive throughout the past year. Their collective attitude, commitment to their clients, and commitment to this company have been inspiring. We all worked together to get to the other side of this.
I truly had no idea when we would start to see our clients traveling again however over the last couple of months, it seems like families are ready to plan vacations and travel in a safe way. Our agents are busy, our phone is ringing and we are planning vacations.
What are the current travel trends you’re seeing? (where are people going, what are they requesting, how far out are they booking?)
Current trends suggest that U.S. travelers are mostly traveling domestically (comfort travel) for obvious reasons.
We’ve always been experts in Orlando area vacations but now more than ever, we have seen an increase in demand for Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resorts. Our clients trust those brand names. The exciting thing is we have not heard any concerning complaints from our clients on their return from traveling to either destination (aside from some traditional, basic travel issues). In fact, we are hearing wonderful reviews, such as the parks cast members/employees are going above and beyond to keep all aspect of the parks clean and safe. We hear comments like “I felt a lot safer in the parks than I ever feel in my local supermarket.”
Another trend we are seeing is people genuinely want something to look forward to so they are booking now for travel dates later in the year. For the most part, our popular destinations require small deposits ($200 or less), which are fully refundable. Clients are also taking advantage of discounted offers from a lot of these destinations and locking in a 2021 package. We see on social media all the time the exciting posts of families showing off their vacation countdowns.
Talk about why people might need to use you to book their vacation. Doesn’t it cost more?
I have always explained to our clients why our services are important, and the best part is that are services are always free. Our suppliers such as Disney, Universal, Funjet Vacations, and more, pay us to help you. The way I explain our services is we help simplify your vacation experience by tailoring it towards what is important for your family. I call it taking all the noise out of planning a vacation. We can help achieve this based on our years of experience with the destinations we specialize in. We are needed now more than ever. Traveling with all the new Covid-19 travel safety protocols can seem difficult. If you are prepared ahead of time it just becomes part of your trip. Our job is to help you know before you go and take the noise out of what to expect. Most people are surprised that we don’t charge any fees considering the level of support our clients receive.
It sounds like Disney and Universal are two destinations that have been open safely for awhile. Have you been there since they re-opened? What is it like? How did it feel there?
I have been truly fortunate to visit Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resorts this past year during the pandemic. My first visit was in July during the re-opening weekend of Walt Disney World. I have to say if felt very strange but good to be back.
The parks felt different on that first trip with very limited number of guests in each park. Some said they loved that it was empty but for me I like the energy and excitement of the parks having crowds. I am a people watcher and seeing smiles and laughter makes waiting in a line that much more tolerable. When I returned in September the parks seemed just like old times to me with lots of happy people (35% capacity). The new elements of magic were in place and had been fine-tuned. As for the Covid-19 safety protocols, the cast members were amazing. I felt safe the entire time I was on Disney or Universal properties.
As for some of what I call “different magic”, the cast members at Walt Disney World did an amazing job preserving the magic in a new world. Yes, character meet and greets are a little farther apart but who does not like a good selfie? I loved the new surprises like the spontaneous pop-up parades (cavalcades) and the surprise fireworks. I was able to meet Mickey Mouse and take a selfie in less than ten minutes – that is my kind of magic!
As for the attractions, again, the cast members are amazing with hand sanitizer stations everywhere you are always keeping your hands clean. As you board an attraction a cast member offers hand sanitizer and when you get off an attraction a cast member offers hand sanitizer. You are always kept six feet apart. The line queues now have clear plastic protection shields while you walk through. Like I said earlier – above and beyond safety precautions. In Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, you are required to always wear a mask while on property other than when sitting down eating or drinking. The parks offer relaxation stations where you can stay in a certain area and remove your mask to take a break.
Universal Orlando also did an amazing job as well with lots of social distancing and hand sanitizer stations everywhere. The employees jumped right back into character like they never left. They too have found a way to preserve that amazing feeling you get while visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Diagon Alley. Whether it was strolling through City Walk or riding on the Hulk I felt safe the entire time.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World. If people want to be there during the 50th anniversary celebration, when should they book their vacation?
With the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World starting in October of 2021 you can imagine the excitement beginning to build. Seeing the trend of pent-up demand combined with the 50th anniversary, means that we are recommending clients book vacations now. It is always better to lock in a fully refundable vacation package to secure your resort. Also Disney requires park reservations as part of their new protocols (we will help you navigate that as well!) and you do not want to miss out on getting a park reservation. If you’re staying on property, Disney only requires a $200 deposit. Since this is fully refundable, it makes sense to book now.
When someone books a vacation with your agency, can they make monthly payments? How much is a typical deposit?
Currently 2021 Walt Disney World packages are available to reserve through the end of the year. Disney refundable package deposits are $200 and yes you can make monthly payments. All of our other suppliers offer very reasonable deposits and we will keep you up to date on any cancellation policies, dates, fees etc. We will also be happy to make your payments for you as part of our free services. And definitely ask us about trip insurance!
What else are you looking forward to in the travel industry in 2021?
Before the global pandemic, our agency was thriving in so many areas in the leisure travel industry. I am looking forward to later in 2021 when my wife and I, along with our clients, will be able to safely hit the high seas on a cruise. Our agency has amazing partnerships with all of the major cruise lines and we are confident in their ability to emerge even stronger. Our all-inclusive resort partners have been great throughout the pandemic – many are now offering on-site, complimentary Covid testing to meet CDC requirements for re-entry into the US. I think our long-standing clients will begin requesting quotes for tropical destinations now that the islands and Mexico have been safely operating for several months and have solid testing protocols in place.
Enchanted Memories Travel is a full-service travel agency based in Franklin, Massachusetts with a network of Memory Makers® across the country. The agency specializes in family vacations and is recognized as an EarMarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner as well as a U-Preferred Agency with Universal Orlando Resorts. Their large network of Memory Makers® means that their expertise extends to cruises, island resorts, European tours and beyond.
