How Do I Become a Disney Travel Agent?

Working as a Mom Approved Travel Agent is NOT a hobby –  this is a Profession.

Take your time to review a more in-depth description of our program below, and if you think you have what it takes and are serious about providing the best experience to your clients, I welcome you to fill out our application here.

Before you read further, please understand we absolutely love what we do, but I want to be clear there is a LOT more work behind what you may see on social media. You don’t know what you don’t know. It is our job to make travel look easy and fun, and that should be the experience our clients feel, but as a Travel Agent or Travel Planner, there is a lot more than simply booking trips that goes into having a Travel business and becoming a Travel Agent. 

This may sound a little rough, but we believe in being filter-free not only for our clients, but for those folks who are interested or exploring entering the Travel industry by becoming a Travel Agent.

Here’s the truth: being a Travel Agent can be a full time or part-time position that will allow you the flexibility to work from home, but if you are looking for a hobby, Mom Approved Travel is NOT a fit for you. 

There is a LOT of responsibility when you are planning precious memories for families who work hard for their money, and this responsibility (and liability) should be taken very seriously! It’s not a job you should dabble in. You are not selling a physical product that can simply be returned, and what you do REALLY matters.

If you think you want to be a Travel Agent or Travel Advisor, ask yourself a few questions:

• Do you have a positive, growth mindset? Negative mindsets won’t survive this industry.
• Are you a self-motivated, business-minded professional, with a high attention to detail? These attributes are essential.
• Do your family and friends consider you the ‘go-to person’ for Disney trip planning questions and answers?
• Has your circle of influence told you that you should get a job as a “Disney Travel Agent” or Travel Planner?
• Do you have extensive, recent travel experience to Disney Destinations (staying on property), Universal Orlando, cruising and/or all inclusives?
• Are you able to travel once or twice a year for business? Participation in trainings and FAMs are important to thrive in this industry.
• Do you have exceptional written and verbal communication skills? Clear communication to your clients and our suppliers is imperative.
• Are you a people person? Your client base is built on relationships, so this is important.
• Are you looking for a profession, not a hobby to dabble in? Part-time is okay, but you cannot be a successful Travel Agent as a hobby.
• Do you have sales and marketing experience? Planning is only a part of what we do.
• Are you a problem solver? Situations will come up where you have to find solutions quickly.
• Are you an encourager? This is very important at Mom Approved Travel.
• Do you like getting up early? Disney dining reservations are made at 5:00 am central time, but if you are reading this you should already know that.
• Do you have a team player mentality? This is important and part of our Mom Approved difference.
• Are you social media savvy? You do not have to be a master of ALL social media channels, but knowing a minimum of 1 or 2 channels is part of marketing.
• Do you already have a list of potential clients in mind that you will market your services to?
• Do you have a good sense of humor? You’ll need it.

If you can answer YES!!! to those questions, you should keep reading.

Let’s get a few common myths and misconceptions about being a Travel Agent or Travel Advisor out of the way:

Popular Myth #1: Becoming a Certified Disney Travel Agent

Being a Certified Disney Travel Agent is one of the biggest red flags to tell if you see a sketchy MLM. This represents a complete lack of training if agents are calling themselves “Certified Disney Travel Agents.” This is not a thing, and its a HUGE red flag when seeking out a Travel or Host Agency to work for. There IS something called an EarMarked Agency (which Mom Approved Travel is) but the Agency is EarMarked, not the Agent.

There are Travel Advisors who have earned a CTA designation from the highly respected Travel Institute, or VTA through ASTA like myself; but this typically is not what people who use the term “Disney Travel Agent” are.

One of the very first things to know is there is no such thing as a “Disney Travel Agent.” It is one of the most misused phrases out there on social media, you would NOT be a Travel agent working for Disney. You are an independent Travel Agent (Advisor) with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Agency, like Mom Approved Travel. You would be a Travel Advisor specializing in Disney destinations, not a Disney Travel Agent. Knowing the rules, regulations and do’s/do-nots for destinations and suppliers is incredibly crucial in this field. 

Popular Myth #2: Will I travel for free as a Travel Agent?

I wish. But because I am asked often- no, you will not travel for free. If you see “free travel” used as a recruitment tool, run as it is likely an MLM. We are not an MLM agency or host. I pay full price for my Walt Disney World Annual Pass each year. Any minimal travel benefits are earned through sales volume and hard work, and they should not be a consideration for starting a travel business and choosing this career path.

Popular Myth #3: All Travel Agencies are the same

Every industry has its shady side, and unfortunately, the travel industry is no different. There are some predatory business models out there, including MLM models, and agencies with less than ethical methods; but we don’t focus on what other people are doing… we focus on growing our business professionally and ethically.   

We are not an MLM, there is no recruiting.
We are not a mega-host agency with thousands of agents, on purpose.
We are not hobbyists. 

We ARE a Boutique Travel Agency made up of a select team of dedicated Travel planners. 
We ARE a combination of full-time, and committed part-time professionals.
We ARE always learning, developing ourselves and serving our MAT client families.

What is like working as a Travel Agent in a Mom Approved Travel partnership

Our Approach: I started Mom Approved Travel over a decade ago with a vision of doing things a little differently, focusing on making sure busy Moms (and Dads) get a vacation too, so our approach and processes for our clients are a little different! 

Our Partnerships: We are an EarMarked Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency and have earned this special designation because of our hardworking Mom Approved Travel Advisors. We are also a Universal U-Preferred Agency with Universal Resorts and have strong partnerships with most major cruise lines, tour operators, all-inclusives and more.

Our Culture: We really are smaller on purpose, and really believe in QUALITY over Quantity when it comes to our Travel Advisor team- it is why we are very particular who we invite to our table. Our Travel Agents are a close-knit team who all bring their unique talents to the table to help each other. We work differently, together on purpose. We support each other. We teach each other. We encourage each other. We truly care about our collective success and about people on our team. We have fun together. We cheer each other on. We win together. We have different strengths and talents which we share with each other. We all put in the work, and we rise together.

Our Agency Fees: This is an independent contractor position, so you are responsible for providing your computer, phone etc. We do have a minimal and reasonable agency fee to cover the tools you will utilize, this is a customary practice for the industry and required as an Independent Contractor, but they are agency actual costs and no profit is made off of advisors by the agency on these monthly fees.

Our training and professional development:  At Mom Approved Travel, our learning never stops. Yes, all of our Travel Advisors have completed the Disney College of Knowledge, but this is not enough. We have an internal program designed to develop new Travel Advisors to thrive in the travel industry. 

Our Advisors spend hours every week in continual education in internal agency workshops, supplier webinars and their business development. There are opportunities to network and engage with other Travel Advisors, suppliers, business development managers and industry experts. There are many opportunities to learn and grow if you are willing to put in the work to do so.

Frequently Asked Questions about becoming a Travel Agent with our agency:

FAQ: If I work with Mom Approved Travel, can I only sell Disney?

We specialize in Family Travel and maintain strong partnerships with many different suppliers, cruise lines and all-inclusive resorts. You can choose the vacations you wish to sell as a Travel Advisor.

Currently, all of our Advisors sell Disney and Universal, and some choose to specialize in theme parks, but each Advisor chooses what they will sell. Our Advisors have a diverse portfolio of specializations from theme parks, cruising, Hawaii, all-inclusive resorts, to Europe, and we network together to best serve our clientele.

FAQ: How much can I earn as a Travel Agent?

As a home-based Travel Agent, you are an Independent Contractor position, and income is 100% commission based, so there is no cap on what you can earn. I coach my Advisors that you get out of it what YOU put into it, and your income fully depends on:

• How much time you invest
• What you sell (Disney, Universal, cruises, all-inclusive, etc.)
• Your ability to build and develop client relationships

The agency earns a commission for every traveled booking made and there is a reasonable and mutually sustainable, competitive split between the Agency and the Agent.

Travel Advisors begin seeing income once bookings begin to travel. Some grow to full-time, others build a flexible part-time income stream. As an agency, we do absolutely permit (and encourage) charging planning fees so that you are compensated for your time; but it is optional.

FAQ: How am I paid?

We utilize direct deposit to pay our Travel Agent commissions, consistently on time and accurately.

FAQ: Do you provide leads?

We do have agency leads, and those are distributed based on the best interests of the client. Ultimately, this is a sales position, and you are responsible for finding your clientele, but chances are you know families in your circles looking to travel. It can take time to build up a referral network, but I can show you how to build your clientele with authentic means.

How to know if Mom Approved Travel is the right place for you:

I’ve seen lists of “things to look for” in a Travel Agency for those looking to enter the field, and frankly most of those lists are written by folks with quantity over quality in mind. The truth is, agencies come in different business models and sizes. An agency isn’t “bad” because they are big or small. They are just different. Agencies vary greatly in support levels, commission levels, and culture. 

I believe in leadership that speaks to an individual love language, not simply a general approach. I truly believe in taking responsibility for your success and that you will get out of Mom Approved Travel what you put into it! We will absolutely encourage you along the way, but you have to put in the work.

Mom Approved Travel might be a good fit for you if you: 

• want to build a real business, not a hobby
• love helping people and talking about family travel (Disney, Universal, Cruises, All Inclusives)
• are self motivated,  coachable and open to feedback
• are comfortable with social media and marketing online (we will help you learn)

We are probably not a fit for for you if you: 

• aren’t willing to invest time in learning 
• expect guaranteed income or travel perks
• dislike working with people or are aloof with details

We may not be the right flavor of ice cream for you! But perhaps, we are exactly what you are looking for. Mom Approved Travel is different on purpose.
We are real. We are supportive. We are fun. We are fair. We work hard.

Still not sure? We’ve been around for over 10 years and you are welcome to talk to one of our Travel Advisors. I am happy to introduce you to one or two of our Senior Travel Advisors who can give you a little insight into if what we say is what we do.

Ready to apply to be a Mom Approved Travel Advisor?

If you have reviewed the information about us, how we operate, you really like the color pink, and still want to work with us – Fill out our Travel Agent application HERE. We will review your application and reach out to you and let you know if we would like to pursue the next steps in our hiring process.

I can’t wait to hear your story!

 – Christy Slavik –
Owner, Mom Approved Travel