How To Become Disney Travel Agent?

[WhoInvitedAlicia]

Hello all!

I'm unsure of where to post this and I reallllllly apologize if this is the wrong place

I am a stay at home mom with some degree of travel industry experience, but not as an agent (concierge, hotel booking, car rentals...) in a hotel setting. I am responsible for marketing and sales for my mothers small business and have a strong understanding of how to market products etc...

My question is, where do I start to be a Disney travel agent? Do I connect with a host agency first? Will a host agency even consider bringing me on without agent experience? Do I need to take any travel courses prior to speaking with a host agency?

Please, guide me

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Hello all!

I'm unsure of where to post this and I reallllllly apologize if this is the wrong place

I am a stay at home mom with some degree of travel industry experience, but not as an agent (concierge, hotel booking, car rentals...) in a hotel setting. I am responsible for marketing and sales for my mothers small business and have a strong understanding of how to market products etc...

My question is, where do I start to be a Disney travel agent? Do I connect with a host agency first? Will a host agency even consider bringing me on without agent experience? Do I need to take any travel courses prior to speaking with a host agency?

Please, guide me

I think it would be a good idea to find someone who does your dream job and ask them these questions. If you know of a host agency, give them a call and ask about the path to becoming a Disney travel agent. What kind of training and experience do you need, etc. That way you would know the specific requirements for the exact position you want and you can start from there. Good luck!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the dis, WIA.

I'm sure you will get a variety of ideas here. This might be a good place to start for information. Best wishes in your new venture.

https://www.disneytravelagents.com/

ETA, you might have to already be a TA to register there on the Disney site.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Being a disney travel agent isn't all it's cracked up to be.

1. You would think that being an independent contractor means your time is your own. Nope. Be prepared for early mornings, late evenings, and crazy clients.
2. Beware of MLM schemes. They're more interested in making money off you through training fees and registration fees than in you making money.
3. Very few travel agents have access to any "exclusive" Disney offers. Further, that $5,000 trip you booked. Your agency gets $500. You'll net about $400 out of it at best (Paid after the travel has been completed.) You're just not going to be able to put together that special deal like you can with some other destinations.

 

[MillauFr]

Travel agencies are a dying business. Pretty much like trying to open a DVD rental store. The internet has killed the industry.

 

[CrankyDad]

TA is dead end job. Don’t waste your time

 

[usnuzuloose]

First off TA is not a part time thing. People call you all hours, and you could spend hours of changing things. And people expect you to call back right away. Then it takes time to build clients. And then you do not get paid till they take their trip. And also even after all that work you can get people who do cancel. There are other things that involve being a TA. You need to take classes. I am just being totally honest with you. I am not trying to discourage you.

 

[danielocha30]

IATA is the agency that gives Travel Agent training and upon completion you get your certification and TA number, armed with that number you can register on the Disney travel agency web and start from there. In order to even know how it works you have to be a certified TA to sign up to Disney. Good luck

 

[low-key]

We all want to be travel agents, if I cant get that I want to be General Manger of the Cleveland Browns and then brain surgeon

 

[mom2rb]

I know someone that is a Disney travel agent. She was a stay home mom before. I asked her about it once, she said she probably makes minimum wage, but she love it. She does get to go on cool trips to check out new things at Disney.

 

[princesspiglet]

I was a travel agent for 2 years- worked for American Express Travel from 1999-2001. Even back then, it was a dying breed and the pay is terrible. I think I was making around $10 an hour, just barely above min wage. I worked weird hours too- whenever clients needed me, I worked. Could be 3am or 8pm. I got out of it because it was just too much work for not enough pay. I loved having my IATA card though for all the discounts...but that is the only thing I miss about it.

 

[Poohforyou]

I don't want to be mean but I just don't see travel agents as being a growing career.

With all that is available online for travel just about anywhere I don't see the benefit of using one unless they're offering something for me booking with them. Even then it would have to be really good or I'd rather do it myself.

I do agree with finding someone who does what you're interested in to speak with.

 

[smiths02]

Dreams Unlimited, a sponsor of this board, this a YouTube segment on this

You don't have enough posts for a private message, OP, but I use a friend who is involved with another contract type travel agency. She is a teacher, so she doesn't do the TA thing for a living, but rather for some extra money (and I'm sure the discounts and possible tax write offs of some trips are nice).