Disney travel agents get savings for both their clients and themselves on theme park visits, hotels and more.
Updated May 30, 2024 11:24 a.m. PDT · 4 min read Written by Carissa Rawson Carissa Rawson
After spending seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Arabic linguist, Carissa is now a freelance writer using points and miles to fund a four-year (and counting!) adventure. She previously worked as a reporter for The Points Guy. Her writing has since been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes, Business Insider, and The Balance. When she's not flying, you'll usually find her in a Priority Pass lounge somewhere, sipping tea and cursing slow Wi-Fi.
Assistant Assigning Editor Meghan CoyleMeghan Coyle started as a web producer and writer at NerdWallet in 2018. She covers travel rewards, including industry news, airline and hotel loyalty programs, and how to travel on points. She is based in Los Angeles.
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Elina Geller is a former NerdWallet travel writer specializing in airline and hotel loyalty programs and travel insurance. In 2019, Elina founded TheMissMiles, a travel rewards coaching business. Her work has been featured by AwardWallet. She is a certified public accountant with degrees from the London School of Economics and Fordham University.
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MORE LIKE THIS TravelIf you’re a fan of Disney and you like to travel, it’s possible for you to combine these passions into a career or side hustle. By becoming a Disney travel agent, you can earn money by making bookings for clients and also save on your own Disney adventures.
Here's a look at how to become a Disney travel agent and the ways it can save you money and help you earn some cash while helping others make their Disney dreams come true.
As a Disney travel agent:
You can receive benefits on personal travel, such as discounted hotel rooms, free theme park tickets and complimentary Disney cruises.
You control your own schedule and how much you work. You will be able to work from home in most cases. You’ll earn a commission on successful bookings.Becoming a Disney travel advisor is similar to the process of becoming a regular travel agent.
First, you’ll need to meet specific travel agent requirements — but there are additional criteria needed to specialize in selling Disney vacations.
You’ll have to become familiar with Disney’s entire portfolio of products including Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Lines, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii and Adventures by Disney. In addition, clients may also ask Disney travel agents to book Universal Studios, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line packages.
If you’re already a travel agent , you can register for Disney travel agent training on the Disney Travel Agents website. Once you’ve created an account, you’ll need to complete the College of Disney Knowledge training, which includes online classes and information about Disney Destinations.
If you’re not already a certified travel agent , you’ll need to become one before signing up for Disney travel agent training. Certification programs vary in terms of cost, time commitment and requirements. Once you've completed a program, you can choose to join a travel agency or operate on your own as a small business. At this point, you can register for the Disney training.
Once finished, you’re eligible to become an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner and entitled to all the benefits that the designation includes.
Disney travel agent benefits are one of the reasons to become a Disney vacation planner. Perks include special access to discounted hotel rates and other advantages, like:
Disney travel agents can take advantage of discounted rates on accommodation and park entrance fees for their personal trips as well. This also applies to Disney branded hotels, in addition to other properties, cruises and excursions that include:
Disneyland Resort Hotels. Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. Walt Disney World Resort Hotels. Adventures by Disney. Disney Cruise Line. Select all-inclusive resorts in Mexico.The discounts will vary based on where you’re going, but you can expect to save up to 50%.
Adventures by Disney are guided vacation packages, which include Antarctic cruises, European getaways and more.
Businesses want you to be familiar with what you’re selling. After all, the better you know a place, the more capable you’ll be of helping clients choose the right vacation.
To that end, Disney provides Authorized Disney Vacation Planners with complimentary theme park tickets . As a standard Disney travel agent, you’ll receive a one-day Park Hopper ticket to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland each year.
Or, if you want to visit for a longer period of time, you can opt for discounted two- to 10-day Park Hopper tickets at Walt Disney World.
The highest-performing travel agents are recognized by Disney’s EarMarked. This invite-only program grants extra support and perks, such as additional complimentary theme park tickets.
Cheaper tickets aren’t limited to Disney. As a Disney travel agent, you’ll also receive up to four half-price tickets to Universal Studios per year.
Disney cruise travel agents can also score reduced or free tickets to Disney cruises. Depending on the travel agency you work with, agencies with a high number of sales can earn increased commissions on sales associated with cruises.
Disney travel agents work on commission, which means that they make money only when their clients book and complete vacations.
Disney pays up to a 10% commission to travel agents, depending on the package booked for the customer. Disney cruises yield a higher commission. If you’re working independently, you’ll receive the full commission amount — so if your client booked a $5,000 vacation pretax, you’d receive $500 in commission.
You can also opt to join an existing travel agency. These companies offer more support and can help you if you’re just getting started. Depending on the agency, it can also provide marketing support and send leads your way.
If you choose to join a travel agency , you’ll split your commission. The rate for this will vary based on where you’re working, but you can expect to receive up to 75% of the total commission Disney pays out.
This means that if you had a client taking a vacation that cost $5,000 pretax, Disney would pay the travel agency $500. At a 75% split, you would be paid $375. It’s less than you’d make if you were operating on your own, but it may be worth it for the added support and access to interested clients.
There’s no denying that there are benefits to becoming a Disney travel agent. This includes free theme park tickets, discounted rates at official Disney hotels and even savings on cruises. Aside from these perks, you can also turn your passion into a job by selling Disney vacation packages to customers.
Whatever your reason for wanting to become a Disney travel agent, you’ll need to first become a certified travel agent, then complete Disney’s specialized training program.
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