Becoming a Disney Travel Agent - Salary and Business Question

It would be nice if someone could give an average expected income and not just label all the complexeties since all career paths have those.
 
It would be nice if someone could give an average expected income and not just label all the complexeties since all career paths have those.
I think it’s almost impossible to quote an average income because there are so many variables. One of my best friends just became a Disney Travel agent and hasn’t made a dime yet because you don’t get paid until after the persons trip is complete.

If you were to join an agency now, it would probably be several years before you had a client base large enough that you were actually making a regular, living wage.
 
I think it’s almost impossible to quote an average income because there are so many variables. One of my best friends just became a Disney Travel agent and hasn’t made a dime yet because you don’t get paid until after the persons trip is complete.

If you were to join an agency now, it would probably be several years before you had a client base large enough that you were actually making a regular, living wage.
I understand and I guess I could have been more specific but of course I meant once established. It would be silly in any field to assume a steady income once starting out. There are always growing pains starting something new, but it would be nice to hear about the goal i.e. what you would make 5 to 10 years into it. In many other ventures, you are aware of potential that can be made.
 


I became a Disney Travel Agent a little over a year ago as a 1099 employee through a local travel agency. I make 7% commission with no leads or help of any kind from the agency. The only advertising I do is facebook, business cards, work of mouth. In 2017 I had 6 clients and I made just over $1000 for the year.

I would say that I work part time, but when I do work it can be crazy hours. This is something I do because I enjoy it, not because I need the money. I made just as much last year from Swagbucks and Ibotta, but your mileage may vary.
 
I understand and I guess I could have been more specific but of course I meant once established. It would be silly in any field to assume a steady income once starting out. There are always growing pains starting something new, but it would be nice to hear about the goal i.e. what you would make 5 to 10 years into it. In many other ventures, you are aware of potential that can be made.
Any time you're talking about a commission or tip based job, there are just too many factors involved to even give a ballpark figure.

Some of those factors include: geographic area, how hard you're willing to work, how many hours you're willing to work, the reputation of the agency you work for, the amount of commission you get, and frankly, how much people like you.

It's much harder to be a travel agent now than it was in the past, so even if someone who's been in the business for a while can tell you how much that made after 5 years or 10 years, that has very little bearing on what someone starting out today will make.
 
A friend has an agency (just got earmarked, so not super small). She expects the agents to mostly get their own leads. They do so by networking friends family, Facebook, booths at local events, etc. She tends (occasionally) to pass along leads to the most ambitious agents, the hardest working. So the income can greatly vary from agent to agent, agency to agency.

I used to think TAs were no longer needed in the age of self booking online. BUT WOW, some people new to the Disney Parks universe need help! Many never heard of FP, 180 day in advance meal reservations, etc.

I will add that she started her OWN agency after getting screwed by 2 other agencies..... paying commission late or not at all, lying about why the commissions were so late, etc. I wish you well, it can be a great job for many people.
 


I am a part-time agent (in addition to a full-time job) and about 90% of what I do is Disney. Disney does not pay commission on tickets less than 3 days or many extras (not on parties, tours, etc). Room only, packages (barely) and cruises are how you make your money planning Disney trips. I make 10% on room packages and a bit more on cruises. I have learned to set hours and stick to them (unless it's an emergency, of course). I generate all of my own business and it's enough for me to make my own "fun" money and do something I really enjoy. It is most definitely not enough to even consider living on for me, but I love it and will continue funding my own trips through my commissions. Word of warning: most of us are indepedent contractors and therefore 1099 employees, so taxes are not taken out and you need to plan for that. :)
 
If we used my TA money for living we’d be in trouble. You have to find your own leads. You make about $100 on a land package for a value trip. I make very little now but expect it to get better. But not real income better.
 
With the majority of people planning their own vacations online, I would think this would be one of the least lucrative jobs out there. If you want a hobby or maybe some fun money but to help support a family would be risky in my opinion.
 
I am very interested in pursuing employment with an authorized Disney travel agency. There are so many I am wondering the best way to determine which would be the best agencies to look into?
 
I am very interested in pursuing employment with an authorized Disney travel agency. There are so many I am wondering the best way to determine which would be the best agencies to look into?
Wondering if you ever found a honest agency? Any recommendations?
Thanks!!
 
Recently retired. Looking for a job "when I grow up" (LOL)....Would like some insight into how/if you can deduct your trips to Disney IF you are an agent. I know that after three years you MUST have some type of business income to justify the tax deductions....but wondering how some of you established TA's handle your business expenses? Thanks!
 
Recently retired. Looking for a job "when I grow up" (LOL)....Would like some insight into how/if you can deduct your trips to Disney IF you are an agent. I know that after three years you MUST have some type of business income to justify the tax deductions....but wondering how some of you established TA's handle your business expenses? Thanks!
I don't deduct my trips to Disney as a "business expense". Never even considered that as they are family trips. I guess if you can find a way to justify that to the IRS, then maybe...?
 
Most agencies work in 2 ways. The first way is you pay a very small or even no fee to join their agency to take all the courses to be a certified travel agent. There are different courses for different vacation suppliers including Disney. These agencies then make their money by paying you very little in commission. For example, if you earn a 10% commission on a Disney package, the agency might take 7% and you would then get the remain 3%. The other way is you pay a larger fee such as $500 per year to be a part of the agency but get a larger commission. The agency would take 3% and you would get 7%. The more commission you earn, the larger the percentage of the commission you keep. I would recommend you join an agency that also covers your insurance against fraud from a client among other things. (Not like health insurance) As previous posters have said, getting business and clients is done by you typically. As much as we all love Disney, in order to make decent money at first, you have to be wiling to book other vacations or cruise lines. Most, if not all, airlines no longer pay commissions so booking it for a client does not pay anything but is helpful to the clients. Do your research before joining any agency. There are still brick and mortar travel agencies. Go in and talk to them and see if they are hiring work at home agents. Plan on it being a hobby for the first few years.
 
Recently retired. Looking for a job "when I grow up" (LOL)....Would like some insight into how/if you can deduct your trips to Disney IF you are an agent. I know that after three years you MUST have some type of business income to justify the tax deductions....but wondering how some of you established TA's handle your business expenses? Thanks!

IRS is cracking down on a lot of business expenses so I don't think I'd just try to use that as a way to get free trips to Disney.

irs is not only cracking down but the laws have outright been changed such that it would be hard at best to write off these types of travel deductions. my cpa and were talking when i got my taxes done this year and she said one of the biggest impacts she's seen with the tax law changes is how very legitimate business expenses are now no longer deductible (or drastically cut back), and that she foresees it changing the way some of her clients do business (HUGE reduction in even VERY legit. business travel).
 
I am no longer a travel agent but when I was online with a agency for 2 years, Disney gives 10% of the trip you book to the agency, the company I was with gave 6% of the bookings they kept the other 4%.
So if I sold a trip for $3000 I would make $180. I would still have to file a 1099 to claim my earnings as the company I was with did not take out taxes.
It was difficult, about 90% of the time you are quoting trips for people who do not end up following through or who end up booking themselves... Def hard work. No leads were provided for us.
The only thing my agency charged me for was for my email address domain name which was $60 a year.
For me it was a way to earn extra money to support my own trips, but I could never provide for my family on that amount I made as you have to wait until after the clients trip to actually receive your commission.
 
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I am no longer a travel agent but when I was online with a agency for 2 years, Disney gives 10% of the trip you book to the agency, the company I was with gave 6% of the bookings they kept the other 4%.
So if I sold a trip for $3000 I would make $180. I would still have to file a 1099 to claim my earnings as the company I was with did not take out taxes.
It was difficult, about 90% of the time you are quoting trips for people who do not end up following through or who end up booking themselves... Def hard work. No leads were provided for us.
The only thing my agency charged me for was for my email address domain name which was $60 a year.
For me it was a way to earn extra money to support my own trips, but I could never provide for my family on that amount I made as you have to wait until after the clients trip to actually receive your commission.

That's very good information. Thank You.
 

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