A Travel Counsellor who saved a Florida trip for two wheelchair users says turning down the enquiry would have been “the ultimate discrimination".

Jess Masters, a Bristol-based advisor, dropped everything after receiving a forwarded email from Orlando Insider regarding a client who was struggling to secure transfers for a Disney World holiday.

Alex Vasquez, founder of The Wheels Blog, had already bought the flights for himself and his fiancé, Lee, having assumed they would later be able to sort ground transport. 

Having always been huge fans of all things Disney, the holiday was meant to be a celebration for the engaged couple – but disaster quickly struck.

Because both Alex and Lee are wheelchair users, the booking required specialised transfers that could accommodate two chairs simultaneously.

The Costa Rican native had previously relied on a trusted contact for these logistics; however, since that individual left the sector, he was unsure where to turn for support. 

“I thought when I booked the plane tickets it’d be easy-peasy,” Alex told TTG. “But it wasn’t like that. Either the companies I approached weren’t being straightforward with prices, or you’d have to phone them and I didn’t have international calls.”

Alex Vasquez

It got to the point where Alex became so anxious about the logistics that he considered cancelling the holiday entirely.

“I told my partner, ‘If this doesn’t work out, let’s just let the flights go to waste,’” the disability advocate admitted. “I was just too panicked about the transfers to be able to enjoy it.”

In a last-ditch effort to save the trip, Alex submitted an enquiry through the Orlando Insider website. The message was passed along to Travel Counsellors, where it landed with Jess – who rang Alex almost immediately to follow up.

Up until that point, Alex's experiences with the trade had been underwhelming.

“I actually had calls about the trip with two other agents, but they either had a very sales-y approach and didn’t explain logistics, or reacted with uncertainty when I explained the booking was for two wheelchair users.”

Jess, on the other hand, was completely transparent about her service – refusing to make false promises during the initial consultation.

“She was so different because she began with two simple words: ‘I think’ I can do it,” Alex explained. “That’s when I realised this is a good person, who won’t pretend to know all the answers, but will investigate and research to make a new plan for us.”

Jess Masters

Crucially, Jess didn't skip over the precise details of the transfers – which had been the primary cause of Alex's concerns. 

“She told us exactly how the car would fit the two wheelchairs," Alex said. “And that it wasn't going to be magical or perfect, because Lee would have to use the ramp because his wheelchair is electric and I’d have to transfer.”

For Alex, it was Jess’s proactive questions – asked in the right way – that gave him the confidence to proceed with the booking. 

“As people with disabilities, we grow up thinking we are an inconvenience – that’s how society makes us feel," he explained. "So that translates into us not wanting to state everything we need upfront, because we know we might intimidate people.”

Jess, however, alleviated that anxiety by tackling the logistics head-on, an approach Alex urges other agents to replicate.

“Try not to think of disability as something that isn’t ‘politically correct.’ As long as you ask things pertaining to the trip, it’s fine,” he said. “At the end of the day, we want to relax, and if we can’t fit in the hotel room or the transfer car, it’s not going to be enjoyable for us.”

Alex Vasquez

Jess, who herself has a sister with a disability, told TTG that Alex's situation hit incredibly close to home.

“When Alex said, ‘We’re really bummed because we don’t think this will happen,’ it broke my heart,” she said. “Nobody should be in that situation.”

To successfully complete the booking, Jess worked closely with a trusted supplier – who could advise her on everything from vehicle recommendations to wheelchair transport.

“They guided me an awful lot, especially in regards to the chair logistics,” she said. “It’s so important to lean on your suppliers.”

Jess also attributes her confidence in helping Alex to the Travel Counsellors’ UK network, which connects her to more than 1,700 advisors.

“I knew if I needed more support, that somewhere in the TC community, someone would have done accessible travel. I knew they were always there as a backup.”

The positive experience has completely converted Alex, who admits he used to default to booking directly before realising the value of an agent.

“It’s funny because it's a muscle to exercise as well, to know that you have an agent that is there for you,” he said. “For our upcoming Paris trip, I thought, ‘Oh, I can book that myself, let me do it.’ And then Lee was like, ‘We literally just had this great experience with Jess, why don't we let her deal with Eurostar? Let her do it because she has the means to be able to talk to them from a travel agent perspective.’”

Alex took his partner's advice, and the results spoke for themselves.

“It was all booked in like a day, I didn't have to move a finger," he said. “Now I love having Jess on our side and I'll be booking everything with her. We're looking at a Norwegian cruise, and a Disney cruise for 2029 with my family as well. It’s not good for our wallets, but I love every suggestion that Jess has made so far. I feel like we're very aligned on what we want to do in the future.”

Having now successfully booked the Florida holiday – plus two subsequent trips – Jess has been invited to Alex and Lee’s wedding in Wembley in December 2027. 

“We’d make her one of our maid of honours if we could!” Alex said. 

Find out more about Travel Counsellors in the TTG Homeworking Hub, packed with advice for existing and would-be homeworkers, and a Matchmaker tool to help you find the right homeworking company for you.