A Guide To Kickstart Your Career As Disney Travel Agent
In today’s scenario, the term “Travel Agent” sounds obsolete. No one likes to get in touch with an agency to plan a vacation when everything can be done online. And this is valid too. With so many great websites, there’s hardly any reason for travelers to get in touch with agents. But there is something that the agents have, and technology does not. Especially when it comes to Disney Travel agents, they are not the same as other travel agents. Disney understands the advancement of technology and has built a robust platform for their travel agents. For all the Disney fanatics, it is a dream job to work as a Disney travel agent.
Do you also want to become a Disney Travel Planner or Agent? Don’t have any idea where to start from? Well, I understand that it is quite daunting to start with a career like so. The major drawback for the Disney Agent beginners is the dearth of information and guidance available on the internet regarding this career. And this is frustrating too.
When I started my career as a Disney Travel Agent a few years ago, it was challenging for me to learn about the industry, how to get into this career, what all skills do I need to hone, and much more. During that time, I had no idea and scanned almost the entire internet but could not get much information. I had to figure it out all by myself, which was quite a task. This is the reason why I am here with this leisure travel guide.
I know that being a Disney travel agent is not just fun but also a satisfactory travel career path. However, with the rising demand, it becomes crucial to know all the essential information, pitfalls, and requirements. To help you out, I have put together all the required information and burning questions that will guide you with your career. Here in this article, I am going to share the ins and outs of the Disney Travel Agent career. I hope you will find this leisure travel guide helpful.
Good luck on your quest to step into the Disney world!
Disney Travel Agent Career Guide
1. Who Is A Disney Travel Agent? 2. Procedure To Become A Disney Travel Agent 3. Advantages Of Becoming A Disney Travel Agent 4. Skills Required By Disney Travel Agent 5. How Much Money Can A Disney Travel Agent Make? 6. Tips To Become A Successful Disney Travel Agent |
Who Is A Disney Travel Agent?
Disney Travel Agent is a planner who offers its customers unbiased and reliable opinions. They are trained well in different areas of Disney vacations like cruises, adventure, theme parks, and resorts. The agents spend hours and days assisting the customers in planning a magical excursion to Disney. The job of an agent is to think, talk, and research about various Disney destinations. To provide the customers with the right suggestions, they need to stay up-to-date with the latest news and trends of Disney world. Needless to say, this job is an exciting opportunity for all the Disney fanatics.
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Procedure To Become A Disney Travel Agent
STEP 1- Learn About Your Goals
Start by knowing what your goals are. Entering aimlessly into a career is never a good choice. Instead, you should do thorough research and learn the direction you want to move in. In the case of a Disney travel agent career, you need to choose between working with a travel agency, joining a host agency, or starting your own business. Look for all three options, learn their pros and cons, and then make a final decision.
I recommend all beginners to start by joining a host agency. Since host agencies have a team of Disney specialists, working with them will provide you with exposure, help you learn more about the industry, and let you enter the Disney world without investment.
STEP 2- Design A Market Plan
This step might sound intimidating and a waste of time, but trust me, it’s not! I assure you that creating a plan before you step into the career will make the journey easier. Having a plan will help you have a clear idea of what you need to do and how. In the Disney world, all the travel agencies want to recruit agents who have a genuine love and passion for DISNEY, and having a plan will depict it to the best.
STEP 3- Pick The Agency To Work With
Once you are done knowing your goals and making a plan, move to one of the most crucial steps of being a Disney travel agent — Choosing the agency to work with. There are ample authorized agencies that are registered as sellers of travel with Disney. You need to find the one that fits your goals. Remember- “A right agency can make or break the whole experience, so make the right choice.” To find the right agency, you need to look at a few things like:
- Is there any upfront charge or fee?
- Do they have a contract, and if yes, then for how long?
- Is there any sales target?
- How are the reviews of the agency?
- Agency general information.
STEP 4- Implement Your Plan To Find Clients
After picking an agency for you, you need to attract clients. This is the time where the plan that was designed in Step 2 will come into the role. You need to be creative while advertising your services. For better results, choose the clients who are not the tire-kickers. Putting it simpler — don’t waste your time and resources with the clients who are not ready to commit to you. You need to implement the strategies that you have planned for getting long-term committing customers.
For doing so, I suggest you charge for your service. Yes, giving out free advice will entice customers to waste time.
STEP 5- Keep Up With Your Clients
This is the final and most crucial step of the process. Once you get a good client, it is vital to continue the relationship for the long term. If a client likes your service, it will become easier for you to retain that client. When a client knows you, your service, and has trust in you, you can convince them again. In order to keep up with a good client, you should follow up with them. Check-in with them about their experience, send them short emails, ask them for review, etc.
| Tip: Before you start with the above procedure, it is suggested that you form a strong base. The most effective way to increase knowledge is to have first-hand experience. I suggest you go on a leisure vacation to Disneyland, stay there, and have a true experience of all the services. Once you are familiarized with the services and have experience, you can offer better advice to others. |
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Advantages Of Becoming A Disney Travel Agent
What advantages does the Disney Travel Agent (DTA) job entail? This is one of the questions we all have in our minds when we step into this career. And I am sure you too are looking for the answer to this question. So, here I am with the advantages or perks that you are going to enjoy being a Disney travel agent.
- Special Discounts: Disney agents get special discounts on the visit to various Disney destinations. Right from the resort to Disney parks to Disney cruises to hotels to itineraries, DTA’s receive several discounts.
- Remote Working: Most of the Disney Travel Agent jobs are on independent contractors (IC). This allows the agents to work from home and at any time. Unlike other jobs, DTA’s don’t need to go to the office on a regular basis. However, the efforts and time they put in will speak about their work.
- Commission: Maximum of the travel agencies pays their agents some percentage of commission for every sale they make. This means if a client books their Disney vacation package with you, you will receive a fixed percentage of commission.
- Travel Opportunities: As per the travel agency you are associated with, you will get several opportunities to travel to Disney destinations. This includes both leisure travel and familiarization (FAM) trips. FAM trips help the agents to experience the offerings so that they can serve better.
- DTA Training: After joining the travel agency, they offer their agents free training. The DTA training is called the College of Disney Knowledge. This training is done online by Disney Travel Agent. It helps the new agents to get familiar with all the Disney destinations, resorts, hotels, cruises, etc. Only after completing the training, agents get access to other advantages.
| Note: Although these benefits are pretty exciting, it is suggested to never take the career of Disney Travel Agent just for them. You must look at these benefits as extras from the salary that you are getting for your hard work. |
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Skills Required By Disney Travel Agent
What does it take to be a Disney Travel Agent? At the end of the day, only the skills and experience that you have will benefit the agency. Having the required skills and experience increases the chances, and you’ll be more likely to get hired for the role. However, if you are here at this article, you probably have no prior experience. So, I am going to tell you about the required skills. Every Disney agency has its own set of requirements for hiring a travel agent. Here are some of the skills that will make you a potential candidate for the job role.
- Passion
- Knowledge
- Commitment
- Strong work ethics
- Professionalism
- Marketing skills
- Technical skills
- Good Communication skills
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How Much Money Can A Disney Travel Agent Make?
Now, we are going to cover the burning question- “How much money can a Disney agent make?” This is one of the highly discussed topics of leisure travel guides. No matter which career we are choosing to step in, the first thing that we want to know is the money we can make from it. And believe me, you don’t need to put it past yourself for this. Undoubtedly, if you are helping someone in booking their Disney vacation and suggesting to them how to make their vacation fun, you deserve compensation for the time and effort you are putting in.
Well, stating the income is the most challenging question to answer as there is no fixed salary or amount that you can make being a DTA. So many factors play a role in fixing the income, like the type of vacation, the number of travelers, kind of accommodation, choice of transportation, etc. Every service that the guest enjoys on their vacation has a role in the income of Disney Travel Agent. Apart from the factors, the percentage of compensation differs from agent to agent.
However, the standard rate that the industry pays to the agency on booking a vacation package is 10%. Some components, such as airfare, are the exceptions as they pay less than 10%. Now, if the agency is receiving 10%, you — a Disney Travel agent — are going to get less than this because the agency will also keep a little for itself. But remember, being a DTA, you can increase your commission by offering more add-on services to the customer.
How long does it take a Disney Travel Agent to start earning? After knowing income, this is the question that I feel necessary to consider. Unlike other travel jobs, you won’t start to earn as you join the agency. Generally, it takes a few months for agents to get their first income. This is because Disney pays the agency only after the guest has traveled. And only when the agency gets the income you will get your commission. So, the whole process of — finding the client, booking their vacation, and completing travel — takes a few months, and so does the income.
This concludes that there is no fixed *salary* as the agents get the commission on the bookings. So, if you are someone who is looking for a fixed income or pay on an hourly basis, then this is not the right kind of job for you.
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Tips To Become A Successful Disney Travel Agent
Next on our Leisure travel guide, we have some tips for you that will help you succeed in your career as a Disney Travel Agent.
1. Build Your Knowledge And Love For Disney
To reach the pinnacle of success, you need to spend hours building up your knowledge of Disney. What Disney wants is an agent who has a genuine love for them. This is the biggest reason why some agents grew in their career as Disney travel agents and some not. So, before you embark on your career, start by learning about Disney. Remember — “You need to become a Disney obsession to achieve the growth you are looking for!”
2. Learn The Marketing Skills
Another tip that I have for you is to learn how to sell a vacation to the client. Honing your marketing skills will help you in serving your clients better. It is important for you to offer your client a variety of options, describe to them the benefits of booking with you, and let them visualize the fun that is waiting for them on their Disney vacation. So, improve the skills to get success.
3. Plan Disney Vacation As Often As You Can
I have stated this earlier too. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of first-hand experience in becoming a successful Disney agent. When you travel frequently, you will remain updated with the latest changes and offerings. This will help you answer all the questions of your clients without skipping a beat.
4. Be Persistent And Never Give Up
“Have Patience” — read again. Yes, you need to have patience if you want to succeed in t Disney Travel Agent career. It might look like an easy job to you, but in reality, it is not. It needs a lot of hard work and persistence to enjoy success. It might happen that it takes months to get the first income, but trust me, once you know how to get clients and retain them, there will be no looking back.
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