Clarendon Hills small business helps families plan, book trips to Disney, other amusement parks

CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- If Disney is the happiest place on earth, a west suburban office may be a close runner up.

It's the headquarters of The Park Planners: a company that helps families plan and book trips to Disney properties and other amusement parks.

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Colleen Bentley founded the Clarendon Hills-based business seven years ago, after a trip to Disney World with her family.

"We really take care of families start to finish, handling all of the details," Bentley said. "Figuring out, 'OK, here's where you're going to go first, which rides you're going to do,' and we base it all on the families. So, it's the kids' ages, their heights, their thrill levels, their favorite characters."

Bentley says she came up with the idea of a concierge service to help families navigate planning their Disney itineraries.

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Over the years, Bentley's business has grown to include nine part-time concierge planners, who walk their clients through every step of planning their trip, even following up with them while they're on vacation.

Hannah Franchetti is the business manager.

"I always have families say like, 'we are so glad this is a service that we can utilize.' I was just talking to a family yesterday who's going to Aulani, and they were, 'oh my gosh, like we don't have to do anything? We just have to show up?' And I was like, 'yep, you just have to show up. Like, get your plane tickets set, and you're ready to go,'" Franchetti said.

Hannah Lewis came onboard as a concierge planner, after using The Park Planners during the pandemic, when she had to rebook her trip.

"Many times clients will send us pictures, which is super rewarding because we can see the expression on their face and feel the magic," Lewis said.

The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of this ABC station.