I need to become a travel planner...

[Tigger&Belle]

I have a license for family home daycare and had my fire inspection today. In chatting with the inspector I mentioned that I'd been to WDW recently. That got his interest since he's going with his wife and kids in October. He asked me some questions (where to stay, should they get a package, etc, etc). Of course I answered his questions and gave him some suggestings, things to do in October, gave him the DISBoards website, along with mousesavers and allearsnet, etc. Geez, you'd think I like DisneyWorld!

I now realize why I still hang out at these boards even though I don't have any more trips planned for awhile and why I'm already planning a 2007 cruise. It's just plain old, clean fun to plan trips and almost as much fun to help others with their trips. Now to turn this into something that I can make $ at. lol

T&B

 

[timandlesley]

I need to do that too : ) Every time a friend of mine or a colleague here at school (I'm a teacher) plans a trip to Disney they come to Lesley "the Disney expert" and ask me questions and I help them plan, book, look for codes, give them links to this site, etc. I get way to involved in everyone elses Disney vacations. I would LOVE to become a Disney planner or travel agent. Wouldn't that be great!

Lesley

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My DH has suggested that I look into Disney planning, so even he knows how obsessed I am with the planning. I have to really watch myself with friends, though, and try to take their lead. One friend went with her family this last fall and I really tried to just answer her questions and give a limited amount of suggestions since she was already so overwhelmed with all the planning.

I don't think this fire inspector knew what hit him though. One funny thing that he told me is that he won't go on roller coasters even though it doesn't faze him to go into burning buildings. That really struck me as funny and I told him that I didn't know that firefighters could be chickens. lol

The planning really is a lot of the fun, isn't it?

T&B

 

[timandlesley]

It is great. My parents went down in January and I had a blast helping them plan ( I guess I live vicariously through others when I'm waiting for our trip to arrive). She called me one morning at 8:30 saying they were headed from their resort to Whispering Canyon for breakfast, I freaked out because they didn't have a PS, so I called for them and called them back with the time. I'm glad I did because they said they wouldn't have been seated otherwise, they didn't get there until 10:00. I just can't stop planning. I wish I could start up a business, talk about loving what you do.

Lesley

 

[harmony29]

I can't help but laughing at this post, and please I don't mean to offend anyone. I was a travel agent for 6 years and believe me when you do it every day for people it doesn't become as much fun. Day in and day out you deal with "I want to go somewhere warm", I" want a $100 flight to Florida at Christmas", etc. For what agents get paid, honestly it is not worth it at all. I am still in the travel industry, but I do corporate travel/group meetings for a company. Yes I love to plan disney, etc. but just like anything else the grass is not always greener and believe me there's a lot more to it than just planning Disney.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

Now to turn this into something that I can make $ at. lol

Ah, there's the rub - actually getting people to give you money for your work!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I need to do that too : ) Every time a friend of mine or a colleague here at school (I'm a teacher) plans a trip to Disney they come to Lesley "the Disney expert" and ask me questions and I help them plan, book, look for codes, give them links to this site, etc. I get way to involved in everyone elses Disney vacations.

Lesley

Ditto!!! I think I like helping others plan, save money, etc. on Disney world trips about as much as I like doing so for myself! LOL

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I can't help but laughing at this post, and please I don't mean to offend anyone. I was a travel agent for 6 years and believe me when you do it every day for people it doesn't become as much fun. Day in and day out you deal with "I want to go somewhere warm", I" want a $100 flight to Florida at Christmas", etc. For what agents get paid, honestly it is not worth it at all. I am still in the travel industry, but I do corporate travel/group meetings for a company. Yes I love to plan disney, etc. but just like anything else the grass is not always greener and believe me there's a lot more to it than just planning Disney.

Good point and probably what would keep me from actually doing it. I guess what makes it so much fun for friends is getting personal feedback about their trip and knowing that the advice and suggestions that were given to them helped make their trip even more magical.

But if I helped people for a living I would have even more reasons to go to Orlando to do " job research". My husband might catch on eventually, though.

T&B

 

[bigcrit]

I'm a bit of a newbie, would you mind loking at this itinerary and tell me what you think?

I really need your help. Please review my post.......


Let me start by saying we haven't been to Disney in a VERY VERY LONG LONG TIME ( at least 15 years ).We are Staying at the CR May 14th - 22nd. We have 7 day park hopper tickets w/ water park passes. We recently purchased the dining option as well. We are hoping to do each park in our first 4 days than going back to any park we really want to do more of. I have done a ton of research using these boards and the unofficial guide so I am armed with some knowledge but would love the advice from people who have been there. Here is my tentative plan. Any thoughts as to what days to go where and possibly good places to eat on particular days would be greatly appreciated. We are planning on eating Breakfast at our hotel most of the time, counter service and once or twice at Chef Mickey's. Lunches will mostly be counter service meals throughout the parks (any suggestions?)

5/14 Saturday - Arriving at hotel (5pm) and getting acclimated. Possibly going to ride the monorail a few laps. Having dinner at Concourse Steakhouse or Chef Mickey's.

5/15 Sunday - Day at MK- Hopefully getting PS for CRT. Not sure about dinner though.

5/16 Monday - MGM or Epcot - Epcot has EMH and I heard we should stay away on those days as everyone else will be there - We are leaning towards MGM - Not sure here any help would be appreciated - Not sure what we will be doing for dinner.

5/17 Tuesday - According to Unofficial guide this would be the best day to do Epcot. So I am inclined to do this - Thinking of taking Monorail to Poly for dinner at O'hana.

5/18 Wednesday - Thinking of doing AK today - We booked HDDR for tonight. But thinking of switching to Boma for dinner while we are there.

5/19 Thursday - Possibly back to MK - Breakfast at Chef Mickeys - Dinner at Brown Derby, Momma Melrose or Hollywood and Vine (If I can get PS) for Fantasmic.

5/20 Friday - Epcot - Any good place to eat for Illuminations? Suggest a time for PS?

5/21 Saturday - Last full day at WDW - Leaving this open for whatever we missed. May end up at MK to say goodbye

Any help would be appreciated this itinerary is definitely flexible. I am hoping to maximize our stay without becoming a drill sargeant for the family.

Thanks....

 

[luv2tvl]

HA! I'm a travel agent and it really isn't all it's cracked up to be. I just got off the phone with a lady who was mad because I couldn't get cheap airfare the peak spring break week in this area. Grrrr....

It's equally hard when you finally get to talk about Disney with a client and they are clearly someone who doesn't understand the Disney "magic" we all know and love. They usually think they know everything, and edcuating them is very hard. It's a constant struggle. I'm always trying to make people understand the benfits of staying on property, or staying for 5-7 nights instead of just 3. Some people just don't want to hear it!

It's sometimes a very fun job to be a "planner" all day, but just like every job it has it's drawbacks, too!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Bigcrit, I like your idea to go to each of the parks the first 4 days. I also try to always leave my last day open so I can return to whatever park(s) I want to see more of. I usually end up at more than one park on that last day. However, if you go to MK on your last day expect crowds since it will be Saturday.

Are you going with kids? If so, how old are they?

I like going to the EMH, but only if I can get there at opening and can hop to another park if it gets crowded. Will you be able to park hop?

One of our very favorite places at MGM is 50's Prime Time Cafe, especially if you or others in your party is a little on the goofy, silly side (as I raise my hand ). We've had such a fun time there and I have gone 5 times this past year.

I like Boma a lot. make sure you allow enough time to look around the resort.

Happy planning!

T&B

 

[Tigger&Belle]

luv2tvl, the good thing about helping friends is that if they irritate me I can just stop discussing it with them (not that it's happened yet, lol). My sister likes going with me because she knows that she doesn't have to plan at all. Of course she'd better not then complain about what we're doing!

T&B

 

[bigcrit]

Bigcrit, I like your idea to go to each of the parks the first 4 days. I also try to always leave my last day open so I can return to whatever park(s) I want to see more of. I usually end up at more than one park on that last day. However, if you go to MK on your last day expect crowds since it will be Saturday.

Are you going with kids? If so, how old are they?

I like going to the EMH, but only if I can get there at opening and can hop to another park if it gets crowded. Will you be able to park hop?

One of our very favorite places at MGM is 50's Prime Time Cafe, especially if you or others in your party is a little on the goofy, silly side (as I raise my hand ). We've had such a fun time there and I have gone 5 times this past year.

I like Boma a lot. make sure you allow enough time to look around the resort.

Happy planning!

T&B

Our daughters are 8 years old (twins). Yes we can park hop we also have 5 days of the water parks and other attractions. So many places to eat and things to do. I'm kinda resigned to the fact we will need at least 2 more trips to Disney to get it all in. I can tell I will become a Disney Freak after this trip....

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Our daughters are 8 years old (twins). Yes we can park hop we also have 5 days of the water parks and other attractions. So many places to eat and things to do. I'm kinda resigned to the fact we will need at least 2 more trips to Disney to get it all in. I can tell I will become a Disney Freak after this trip....

Thanks,

Chris

Yes, that's the problem with WDW. You can never do it all in one trip and then find the "need" to return. My downfall was the annual pass that I got this last year, which encouraged me to return more than I otherwise would have (went 4 times this last year--30 days of Orlando, mostly WDW).

Eight years old is a great age for WDW! Are your girls daring? My 11yo son loved Rock n Rollercoaster this last trip. He'd been too scared to try it his last trip (when he was almost 8yo) and now really kicks himself for not being more daring. We ended up spending most of our time at MGM going on RnR (17 times) and Tower of Terror (15 times), with a few Who Wants to be a Millionaire shows thrown in. UGH! It was just the two of us for that trip, BTW. The rest of my family would never have spent that much time in MGM, but I was happy since it's my favorite park.

Whispering Canyon would be a fun breakfast or dinner place (lunch is kind of quiet) and it's close to CR.

T&B

 

[2gether]

I've actually been considering getting a travel agent license so I can do the planning for my friends. I've talked more families than I can count into going to WDW.....and love to live vicariously off their stories!

In fact, I am planning my boss' family's trip right now....

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

I am a travel agent as well, and your post caught my eye, because I began by planning family's trips and friends' trips and then got licensed as an agent and now have my own agency.Sure it gets tiring, when certain clients get pushy or don't understand when things can't be done.I work from my home and have a successful business.I quit working for others years ago when I divorced and wow, I have never been happier.I make enough to pay my bills and take my sons on vacation, AND I LOVE MY JOB, and I LOVE to plan for others and see that they enjoy wherever they choose to go.I do specialize in Universal and in Disney travel, you can go to each of the company's websites nowadays and get an actual certificate by taking a "quiz" on the Universal site and on Disney, it is the Disney College of Knowledge. You can order brochures, maps, selling aids for the parks also to help people plan.Yes being an agent has its drawbacks but the good , in my opinion anyways, outweighs the bad everyday! You sound like I did in the beginning, and if it is something you want to do , then GO FOR IT!!! You will have fun and make money, just keep things in perspective that it will take a while to get a client base and make money.Good luck and I wish you well!!!

 

[LukenDC]

But if I helped people for a living I would have even more reasons to go to Orlando to do " job research". My husband might catch on eventually, though.

T&B

I wonder if you could use job-related trips to WDW as a tax write-off? Are travel agents allowed to deduct their travel from their taxes?

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

I take all my receipts from my trips to my tax guy at the end of the year and he writes off certain things, HOWEVER I do work a little when I'm on a trip, I pass out business card when people ask me what I do and talk to them about future trips, such as a Disney cruise,so yes you can write off certain things,because my tax man has been doing it for years for me.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Sounds like the deductions are similar to what I do as a daycare home. Pretty much anything I buy that *can* be used by daycare children can be deducted. The funny thing is that I do very part-time daycare, with only one before/after school child, but can still deduct many things. Even when I had more income I was able to deduct enough things that made me appear to actuall be losing $ as a business. All legal stuff, though!

tiggergirlinMI, that's wonderful that you are able to make a living doing what you love! Maybe I'll explore the option in the next couple years. Right now I'm trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up since my baby starts kindergarten this fall (and my oldest goes to college). Time for some changes I would say.

T&B

 

[gonga]

Just a heads up for all wanna be TA's. There is no licence required - NONE. You need an IATA or CLIA#. You can become a TA by becoming a member if CLIA (www.cruising.org) as you need a CLIA # in order to make TA reservations, you are then the agency owner.- no licence. You need a seperate phone line, fax, business cards, Federal TAx id, and a business bank account, pay annual fees and take a yearly class. You can also just work for a Travel Agency. No Licence required. Sure, you can make reservations, as you use the Travel agency's Iata and or CLIA# to plan someone's trip. Then say you book a few trips for next year or 6 months from now. Disney cuts a commission check 10 days AFTER your cleint has checked out. That commission is not made out to you, it is made out to the Travel Agency you work for. The travel Agency gets 50 to 60% of that commission. Do you know how much commission has been paid to the agency. Take a look and get out your calculator. Disney pays 10% before taxes on resort hotels, and 3 to 8% on theme park tickets. You will get 50 to 40% of this mere pittance.


Giving disney and or travel advice and actuallly selling it are two different things. When someone asks for advice that is one thing...when it comes to them giving you credit card info, that is another. And remember, you cannot do anything your client can't, meaning....you cannot guarantee any room, an upgrade, tables at restaurants, etc...

Before you think its fun, having a conversation or two about WDW is much different than planning someone elses trip. You will be plagued by inane phone calls, and then after picking your brain and codeing you to death to get the cheapest trip possible...they take all the info you gave them and book it themselves.

What you wind up doing is a lot of work for very littleor no money. WDW is running commercials for $1500 or less - so what's your end of that =about $40 or so once the house takes their cut.

That is why travel agencies are a dying breed, and WDTC is all anyone needs. Why call a TA who is just going to call WDTC, when you can do it yourself direct. As a customer, you still have to call someone.

Just a word to the wise.

I am a TA, and I own my own home based business. It is not my source of income, as we have another business. Do not think you will make any kind of money. Where I live, a successful agent with a large customer base makes about $20,000 average per year. That's not just selling Disney either. That is not enough to live on. Disney has even cut back on the TA benefits, pretty soon TA's won't get anything as ever year they cut back a little more.