Mystery Shopper: Preston travel agents sell a Potter package

The brief: A family of four with two Harry Potter-mad children wants a holiday to Universal Orlando Resort to see the new Harry Potter attraction during the autumn half-term break.

The budget: £6,000.

The verdict: This was tough for agents because of limited availability. But the winning agency combined a great deal with customer service.

Garstang Travel

Market Place, Garstang
Score: 55%

I had a phone conversation with a consultant before I visited and when I arrived another consultant found a brochure from a colleague with a note saying that all flights from Manchester to Orlando on the requested dates were full.

The consultant was friendly and spent some time searching, adding her own experiences. I was offered a Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick with a hefty supplement, and told that to stay on site at Universal would be £1,000 over budget.

Although I was offered a discount to bring me under budget, the quotes – including £5,995 staying at The Enclave Suites departing on October 21 – did not include theme park tickets.

First Choice Holiday Superstore

Deepdale Retail Park
Score: 76%

When I arrived, there was building work going on outside, so it was noisy. Inside, the desk was near a space that was being upgraded to a cruise area.

The consultant was friendly and chatty and said she wanted to go to the Harry Potter attraction too. She spent a lot of time looking for flights and comparing prices and found a holiday with Virgin, staying on site at Loews Royal Pacific Hotel at Universal for £5,398, including park tickets, leaving on October 22.

She looked at a range of suppliers, including Thomson, Thomas Cook and Jetsave, and took time to explain details such as the area, tickets and how the parks were set up, and dissuaded me from car hire. A strong consultation.

Preston Travel Centre

478 Blackpool Road
Score: 86%

The consultant spent a long time looking for flights and eventually found a package under budget. The holiday was flying with Virgin, staying at the Loews Royal Pacific Hotel and departing on October 22. It cost £5,954.

The consultant knew about the area and offered advice on car hire, which parks to visit, which park ticket to choose, and where to stay. She read carefully through the hotel descriptions and highlighted the benefits of staying in an on-site hotel.

She was chatty and amiable throughout the visit. There was a pleasant atmosphere among colleagues in the shop and I was offered a drink while I was waiting.

Travel Circle

66 Derby Road, Longridge
Score: 88%

When I phoned, the consultant was interested in my booking and took lots of details. She offered to get information and prices before my visit. When I arrived, she had prepared information and gave me advice and flight recommendations. She was also realistic about options because it was half-term.

Her cheapest quote was £4,984 with First Choice, flying with Thomson and staying at Hawthorn Suites on International Drive, including a park ticket. She said car hire was unnecessary, and priced options for staying at the park costing £5,658 with Virgin.

The quotes meant flying before half-term started, but the agent said that would give the children time to recover upon their return. She was enthusiastic and willing to chat. Excellent service.

Winning agent: Gemma Rudenko, senior travel consultant

“I’m over the moon to have won. We sell a few theme park holidays to Florida and I have been there too, so I was able to offer some hints and tips. I had no idea the enquiry was from a mystery shopper; I thought she was a very thorough customer.”

Tips: Selling theme parks

1. Book clients in to one of the on-site hotels, which allow access into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour before opening, or book a Virgin Holidays package, which allows access 30 minutes before opening.  
2. Express passes allow clients to join short queues for two rides – Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff – but the Forbidden Journey hasn’t got an express queue yet.
3. Warn parents that children will be unable to resist the sweets in Honeydukes or the toys in Zonkos, as Universal has replicated the products JK Rowling wrote about in the books.
4. Recommend clients spend no more than two days at Wizarding World. This will give them time to experience the three rides and explore the village. They will then be ready to move on to the other parks. 
5. Read our in-depth report from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter