For many, the dream of becoming a Disney Travel Agent is as enchanting as the Disney vacations themselves. Disney holds a special place in the hearts of countless people including mine and the opportunity to assist families in creating magical experiences is truly amazing. Fortunately, I recently found out that the path to becoming a Disney Travel Agent is not too difficult at all and a great stay at home job.
With the right agency, you can be up and running fast. I think in just a couple of days I was able to begin booking Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise, and Disney’s Aulani vacations. I have only been an agent now for a little over a year and it has been an amazing ride!
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT?
To embark on the journey of becoming a Disney Travel Agent, there are three fundamental requirements to consider:
- Disney Knowledge and Passion:
You do not need to have visited every park multiple times or been on every cruise, but having a deep understanding of the Disney theme parks, resorts, cruises, and other disney vacations is an important part. While you don’t need to know everything, the more you know, the more it will help you. A genuine love for Disney and its products will come across to your clients and will help you sell vacations more. - Basic Computer Skills:
You know how to browse the web, You know how to book your own vacation?, than you got this. As a travel agent, you’ll work with online booking systems, Disney’s system is super easy to work with. If you can book your own vacation, you can book others, it’s not very complex. You will also have to manage itineraries, and communicate with clients via email or text. - Excellent Communication Skills:
I think the biggest thing to being successful, is knowing how to communicate with clients. Being available for them, being excited to plan their vacation, listening to the clients needs. Those are the things that set good travel agents apart from bad ones
HOW TO BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY AS A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT
Step 1: Finding the Right Agency – I did some serious research on this one!
The initial step in becoming a Disney Travel Agent is to join an authorized travel agency that is registered with Disney as an official seller of travel.
My first place I reached out to join was the agency I booked my last couple Disney Vacations, Best Day Ever Vacations, I used their services for planning our own trips and they have a program that specializes in bringing on newcomers.
It all sounded great, but I am a person who does their due diligence so I reached out to 34 other agencies (yes 34, I have an excel spreadheet of them all)
So, there were 34 agencies I reached out to, here is what I heard back and the replies were almost always the same.
1) No Reply back at all (this was the most common one, 22 of these), and trust me I follow up. Still no reply.
2) Do I have an existing book of clients and have I been a travel agent for over 3 years.
3) Have I booked over $50,000 in bookings in the past 12 months, or can I guarantee that I will book $50,000 in my first year.
4) We are not hiring at this time. (4, at least they replied ?)
I was really shocked! How do people ever start if no one will hire newcomers. So I ended up right where I started which was Best Day Ever Vacations. I asked why are they only ones I found taking on newcomers and their answer was “If you love Disney, and you love to help people, you will be good at being a Disney Travel Agent”
HOW TO SIGN UP
Joining Best Day Ever Vacations was a super easy process that can be completed online, and the best part is (like I said before) you don’t need any prior travel agent experience.
They offer two courses based on your preferences:
- Classic Travel Agent Membership – For those who want to explore Disney Travel Agency as a side hustle, booking vacations for family and friends while making some extra income. (this was the initial route I took and then upgraded later on to the
- Fast Track Membership – For those who aspire to become successful travel agents quickly, they offer a more dedicated program in which they source incoming leads of people looking to plan a Disney Vacation to help build your clientele. I think they guarantee a minimum of 2 leads per week but I know that myself and my friends average probably 4-5 leads per week.
Upon joining, you will receive training on booking Disney vacations, and this training is available at the time of enrollment, regardless of your prior travel experience.
The only requirement is a passion for helping families book Disney vacations. Im going to repeat this, having good communication skills is important as well. It’s a lot of emails and texts with clients and a few phone calls here and there.
One of the benefits of having personal experience with Disney vacations is that it helps you understand your clients’ needs and preferences better. If you’ve visited Disney resorts or cruises before and can’t get enough of them (that’s me in a nutshell) this job might be an excellent fit for you.
BENEFITS AND PERKS OF BEING A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT
Let’s dive into my favorite part! Perks, Perks, Perks! Being a Disney Travel Agent not only allows you to create magical vacations for your clients but also offers incredible discounts on Disney vacations.
That’s right! When you are a Disney Travel Agent you can experience the magic of Disney firsthand at some sweet prices……. oh yeah!
Disney wants its agents to be immersed in everything Disney, so they provide special discounts to agents, allowing them to explore resorts and cruises themselves.
Here are some of the discounts you can expect once you complete your training or renew it:
- 40-50% off Disneyland Resort Hotels
- 40-50% off Walt Disney World Resort Hotel stays
- 30-40% off Aulani hotel rooms
- Incredible Disney Cruise discounts on select sailings (we have sailed for as little as $25 a day)
- up to 50% Off 1-10 day Park Hopper Tickets for Disneyland and Walt Disney World!
Each of these perks can be utilized once per calendar year and can be enjoyed year after year as long as you keep up with your training, typically requiring 1-2 hours a year.
There’s a minor requirement, though. You need to have a CLIA or IATA membership, which you can obtain through your agency. The Clia card does cost $119 per calendar year for an agent ID card, which is necessary to book the above perks.
I know certain agencies might require you to book a certain amount before granting access to a CLIA card, but fear not; programs like Best Day Ever Vacations do not have this requirement. So, get ready to experience the magic and share the joy of Disney with all your clients!
FAM TRIPS
Fam trips or familiarization trips are awesome. The way fam trips work for Disney at least is they offer a certain amount to their travel agencies based on the agencies sales. The cost ranges but it is usually very cheap (like a couple hundred bucks) You get to visit the parks, learn about Disney, stay in an amazing hotel and there are some fun private events.
Since Best Day Ever sells a ton of Disney Vacations they get quite a few of these fam trips to give out to their agents. I will be going on my first one next February.
HOW MUCH CAN YOU EARN AS A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT?
Probably one of the first questions that came to my mind after contemplating how to become a Disney Travel Agent is, “How much money can I make?”
Let’s get straight to it: the industry standard for commission on a vacation package is typically 10% of the vacation cost before taxes. When it comes to Disney vacations, most agencies receive a 10% commission across the board, with a few exceptions and then split that commission with their agents.
When I was researching agencies I found that most agencies took the majority of the commission. Best Day Ever Vacations is known for starting new agents at an 70% commission, with the potential to increase from there. This means that if you book a vacation with a $500 commission, you’ll earn $350 at a 70% commission rate.
Breaking Down Commissions
Consider the cost of an average Disney vacation for a family of four at is $6,320. With the agency commission set at 10%, and you receiving 70% of that commission:
- $6,320 * 10% = $632.0 * 70% = $442.40 Agent Commission for One Booking
Most agents receive their payments through paypal or direct deposit. If you book just one vacation package per month, you can expect to earn approximately $200-$500. However, if you book a Disney Cruise Line vacation, you could easily make well over $700 on a single booking, given that these cruises can cost an average family between $5,000 and $12,000.
So, put on your Mickey ears and prepare to start planning unforgettable vacations!
HOW TO ATTRACT CLIENTS
Another common question when discussing how to become a Disney Travel Agent is, “How do I get clients?” Obviously, you kinda need clients to be able to book vacations. Here are some strategies to help grow.
- Personal Networking: Start by reaching out to friends and family. Personal connections can help you get your business off the ground initially.
- Local groups: Church groups, school pta’s, local chamber are all great ways to grow your clientele.
- Social Media: Utilize social media platforms to attract potential clients. Facebook groups are great for this one. Share Disney tips, highlight amazing deals, and showcase success stories from your clients.
- Google My Business: Register your name with Google My Business to appear in local searches when people look for Disney Travel Agents in their area.
- Run ads
I was doing pretty decent on my own, but I really wanted to do this full time, so I eventually decided to do the Best Day Ever’s Fast Track program. There you get a bunch of incoming leads that end up booking vacations. Do all of the leads book vacations, I wish!, but a decent amount do and the best ones are the people that book multiple vacations or have a multi-family vacation. I booked a $27,000 cruise for a family of 12 last month and it was so awesome.
ARE THERE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE A DISNEY TRAVEL AGENT?
When it comes to booking Disney vacations through travel agencies, In my research I did notice many impose minimum requirements, while others may not. The specifics depend on the agency you choose to join. Some agencies may require you to complete at least one booking per month or year, without specifying a minimum dollar amount. As long as you complete a booking within the specified timeframe, you’ll maintain your agent status.
On the other hand, some agencies may have a minimum annual booking requirement, such as $5,000. failing to meet this requirement could result in losing your agent status or receiving a lower commission percentage.
Best Day Ever doesn’t have those minimum requirements. Whether you book once a year, a few times a year, or not at all, you will still be considered an agent.
THE BEST DISNEY AGENCY TO JOIN
In my opinion, selecting an agency boils down to five crucial factors that fits your goals!
- High Commission Rate: Look for an agency that offers a competitive commission rate to maximize your earning potential.
- Training: Ensure that the agency provides comprehensive training to help you offer the best experience to your clients.
- Low Startup Fees: Seek an agency with affordable startup fees to allow you to turn a profit quickly without incurring substantial debt. Some agencies charge exorbitant joining fees or ongoing monthly fees.
- Variety of Booking Options: Opt for an agency that allows you to book various types of vacations beyond Disney, such as cruises, Universal, and more.
- No Sales Minimums: Avoid agencies that impose minimum booking requirements, as these can be unfair and may result in a loss of commissions.
For me, obviously Best Day Ever Vacations checked all these boxes. I have loved it, several of my friends have joined and I have even had friends of mine who were agents from other agencies move over to Best Day Ever.
CONCLUSION
Becoming a Disney Travel Agent requires a commitment of time, and a commitment to your clients. If you have a love for Disney and enjoy working with people and planning vacations, this might be the perfect career path for you.
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