What It’s Really Like To Be A Disney Travel Agent

If you’re a diehard Disney fan, it may seem like becoming a Disney Travel Agent is the ultimate dream job.

After all, it’s literally our job to talk about Disney.

But, there’s so much more to being a Travel Agent than the ability to talk about Disney all day long.

So, here are the good, the bad, and the ugly (truths) about what it’s really like to be a Disney Travel Agent.

What It’s Really Like To Be A Disney Travel Agent

The Best Part of My Job

I Am My Own Boss

Although I work for an Agency, I am technically self-employed.

This means I have all the other perks that come along with being my own boss, including the ability to write my own schedule.

Being my own boss means that I no longer have to ask someone’s permission to leave work early, so I can watch my son play in the school band. And it also means that I don’t have to wait to see if my vacation time has been approved before I start making vacation plans.

Being a Disney Travel Agent has given me the opportunity to be present for every important event in my boys’ lives. That alone is worth everything to me.

I Get To Work Wherever I Want

The easiest part of my job is the ability to work anywhere. Most of the time, this means sitting at my desk in the office space I set up in my house.

But, really, I can work anywhere. Sometimes that means sending out quotes while waiting to board a plane. Other times, I’m sitting in the car and waiting for my son to get out of school.

While some spaces are harder than others, the flexibility to work from anywhere I want is amazing.

The Perks

We may not get free vacations. But, we do get discounts that we can utilize. As a licensed Travel Agent, it means those discounts are not limited to Disney destinations.

And since the bulk of my job is Disney-related, I can write off my trips as a research expense. After all, it’s easier to recommend certain Resorts and Restaurants if I have personal experience to back it up.

The Difficulties

Working Out Of My Home

There is a huge benefit to working at home. I don’t have to deal with traffic, dress clothes, or punch a time clock.

But, it also means that my work life and my home life often compete with each other for my attention.

While there is a common misconception that Disney Travel Agents sit around in their pj’s all day and watch Disney Movies, it’s not all that far from the truth either.

The day Disney+ launched, my office consisted of my couch, an endless stream of Disney movies, and a stack of quotes.

But, that isn’t the norm.

Most days, I sit at my desk, trying to get as much work done as I can before everyone comes home. Because I know that later on, there will be distractions. Dinner will need to be made. My dog will need to be walked. The laundry will need to be folded.

And since my office is in a corner of my bedroom, I know that many nights, my husband will come in to watch TV before falling asleep.

While he has every right to want to lie down in his own bedroom, it’s also a huge distraction. And I know I won’t get as much work done as I planned.

The Hours Are Unpredictable

Because I work at home, friends and family don’t always understand when I can’t go out or why my laundry and dishes pile up.

Some days, I will talk to one client and have the rest of the day to focus on the blog or catch up on some housework.

Other days, I spend hours working on quotes and answering questions from current clients. And before I know it, it’s time to go pick my son up from school.

On particularly busy days, I will work late into the night, trying to catch up on things I didn’t get done in the morning.

The Ugly Truth

You Need To Be A Jack or Jill of All Trades

Being a Disney Travel Agent takes more work than just knowing about Disney.

Being your own boss means that your success directly relies on how hard you work to grow your business.

This is why many Travel Agents write blogs, just like this one. How else would you know what I do for a living if I didn’t market myself?

But, above everything, we must be organized. Clients rely on us. Not only is it up to us to help you plan a magical vacation, it’s our responsibility to remind you of important dates and details.

Commission-Based Paychecks

Without clients, there is no paycheck.

And even if you do have clients, it could mean many months of work before seeing that paycheck…or no paycheck at all, if they end up canceling.

This is another reason why blogging is so important to Travel Agents. If none of our clients travel that month, we may still get some sort of payment from blogging.

Rejection is an Every Day Occurance

About 90% of the people who contact me for a quote will never respond back to my email.

I used to take it as a sign that I was not good at my job or I wasn’t saying the right things.

But, the truth of the matter is that some people still don’t trust Travel Agents. They either assume that I have a secret stash of tickets for sold-out Parties or I quote more expensive packages to get a bigger commission.

Although Travel Agents are skilled at knowing where to find the discounts, they are the same discounts that you could find on your own. We just do the work, so you don’t have to.

And since it’s common knowledge that Disney Travel Agents don’t charge for our services, they take that valuable information and book the same Package themselves.

Sometimes it works out well for them. And I’m glad that it does.

Other times, they contact me when they get overwhelmed and need me to take over. But, the truth is, at that point, there’s only so much I can do.

So, the harsh reality is that at times, being a Disney Travel Agent results in hard work with little (or no) reward.

The job may be different than I initially thought it would be. But, I can honestly say that I love what I do and I can’t see myself wanting to do anything else.

Where else would I get paid to talk about Disney all day from the comfort of my own home?

Related Post: What A Travel Agent Doesn’t Tell You (But Probably Should)