Do you love all things Disney? If you’ve visited (or longed to visit) the various Disney theme parks around the world, then you qualify as a Disney fan. Moreover, you qualify as a Disney travel fan. Disney has so many different vacations, cruises, and travel opportunities. If that excites you, ask yourself whether or not you like planning trips? If the answer to that is also yes then you might want to become a Disney travel planner.
What Is a Disney Travel Planner?
As you probably know, a travel planner helps people figure out all of the details of a trip. In this job, you would research options for vacations including transportation, lodging, entertainment, etc. A Disney travel planner does the same thing with a specific emphasis on Disney vacations. So, it’s important that you know about all things Disney, including their latest travel-related news. There are specific travel agencies that work directly with the Disney brand. So this is a niche of the larger industry of travel planning.
Become a Disney Travel Planner Through an Agency
Travel + Leisure explains that there are travel agencies that partner with Disney. Disney pays them a commission on all of the trips that they book. Therefore, if you want to become a Disney travel planner, then you’ll probably apply to work at one of these travel agencies. There are a large number of different travel agencies that partner with Disney. Therefore, you should find it relatively easy to come up with a list of companies you might apply with. In fact, the majority of travel planners work remotely so you might not even have to look in your own area to find an agency that’s the right fit.
Make Sure The Agency is Qualified for Disney Vacation Planning
Just because an agency says that they can help someone plan a Disney vacation doesn’t mean that they’re the place to become a Disney travel planner. According to Travel + Leisure, you want to look specifically for agencies that are Earmarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. Note that there are five levels of this authorizations from Bronze to Diamond. If you’re serious about trying to become a Disney travel planner then you’ll want to learn about all of these levels and find an agency that’s the right fit for you.
Is The Agency the Right Fit as You Become a Disney Travel Planner?
Travel + Leisure emphasizes that you want to look for the right fit in an agency. First of all, you’ll need to find out their hiring criteria. Each agency differs in what they require for you to become a Disney travel planner. Some require related degrees and experience while others are willing to work with newbies to the field.
Second, make sure that you understand how payment works. Typically, Disney pays a commission to the agency. Then you and the agency split that commission. Percentages vary. During the hiring process, make sure to ask a lot of questions. What is the working relationship between you and the agency? Do you have to drum up all of your own clients or do they send some your way? What help do they offer throughout the planning process, especially when you’re new?
Get Educated to Become a Disney Travel Planner
Disney is a huge brand. Therefore, they’ve established a path to help people in various careers throughout the brand. To that end, Travel + Leisure notes that the College of Disney Knowledge is a great place to start learning more about Disney. The more you know about the company, the easier you’ll have it as a travel planner. After all, your future clients are going to ask a lot of questions. You want to know all of the answers. There are also various other learning tools provided by and about Disney. In fact, they have an entire platform dedicated to providing information and education to their travel planners.
However, the best way to get to know what’s great to offer your clients is to experience it yourself. Therefore, you’ll want to start early by planning your own trips. Check out as many of the theme parks, cruises, and other Disney vacations as possible. After all, if you can become a Disney travel planner for yourself then you’re well on your way to helping others. Offering to plan Disney vacations for friends and family is also a great way to get experiences.
How to Qualify for a Travel Planning Job
As far as the work of being a travel agent, you have a few options. On one hand, you can apply with an agency that provides on-the-job training. Many companies that specifically hire people who want to become a Disney travel planner do offer this opportunity, according to Park Savers which is one such agency.
On the other hand, you might opt to go through a program to learn about travel planning in general. You don’t have to have a degree in order to become a travel planner. However, there are degrees as well as certification programs out there that make it a lot easier. They teach you what you need to know in order to do the job well. Plus it’s obviously easier to get hired without experience if you have related education. This is a good path in particular for people who want to become a Disney travel planner but may also want to do other travel planning gigs too.
You’ll Enjoy This Job If …
You might want to become a Disney travel planner if you’re looking for a new part-time or full-time career. You’ll likely enjoy this job if:
- You’re able to work independently. Often, you may work remotely.
- Everything about Disney and Disney travel appeals to you.
- If you could go on vacation right now, you’d choose a Disney vacation.
- You enjoy figuring out the details of trip planning.
- You work well with people, provide strong customer service, and are able to adapt to changing requests from clients.
- Sales and marketing come naturally to you or you’re willing to learn.
Read More:
- Saving Tips for Your Disney World Trip
- Here’s How to Buy Disney Stock for Under $100
- Disney Timeshares: The One Timeshare That’s Worth the Money?
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