By Marissa PrejeanWhen I published the first version of this post in 2025, I was blown away by how many of you reached out. Some of you had planned your own family's Disney trips for years. Some of you were already the friend everyone texts for dining advice. And some of you simply wanted work that lets you use your brain and still be present for your family. I get it. That's exactly how I started.
Before travel, I was an auditor at Arthur Andersen and then in pharmaceutical sales. Then, while staying home with my three boys and planning trip after trip, friends started asking me to plan theirs. I became a Disney travel planner, and in 2016 I opened Castles and Cruises Travel Company. Today we are an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency, Earmarked Gold, with a team of more than 60 advisors across the country.
So let's talk honestly about what this career looks like in 2026.
What does a travel advisor actually do?
You'll hear "travel agent" and "travel advisor" used for the same job. "Advisor" is the term our industry uses today, because the work is so much more than making reservations. A typical week might include:
- Listening first. Learning how a family likes to travel, what they're celebrating, and what would make the trip a success for them.
- Recommending. Matching them with the right resort, ship, stateroom, or itinerary, and explaining why.
- Planning the details. Dining reservations, Lightning Lane strategy, park days, transfers, and the little touches that make a trip feel personal.
- Staying current. Ships launch, parks change, and policies update. Ongoing learning is part of the job.
- Supporting clients while they travel. When something goes sideways mid-trip, you're the person in their corner.
- Growing your business. Building relationships, earning referrals, and sharing your expertise on social media.
It's a people business first. The families you serve become clients for years, and many become friends.
How do you become a travel advisor?
There's no single license that makes you a travel advisor, but there is a real learning curve. Most successful advisors build their foundation in three ways:
- Join a travel agency. A travel agency gives you the supplier relationships, credentials, tools, and support you'd otherwise spend years building on your own.
- Complete supplier training. For Disney, that means Disney's own training programs, including the College of Disney Knowledge. Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian offer their own advisor training too.
- Learn by doing, with a mentor nearby. Your first quotes, first dining days, and first client questions go so much smoother when an experienced advisor is a message away.
What does it cost to become a travel advisor?
This is one of the most common questions I'm asked, and the honest answer is that it depends. Costs vary widely by agency and business model. Some agencies charge startup or ongoing fees and some don't, and what's included (training, technology, marketing, support) varies just as much.
The smartest thing you can do is ask every agency you're considering exactly what you'll receive and what you'll invest, in time as well as money. A good agency will walk you through it clearly. We're always happy to have that conversation with you personally.
Do you need experience?
No, you don't need travel industry experience to start. Many of our best advisors began as the Disney-loving planner in their friend group. What you do need:
- A real love of travel and of helping people.
- Organization and follow-through. Details matter in this business.
- Patience while you build. Your first clients usually come from people who already know and trust you. Building a full book of business takes time and consistency.
- A willingness to keep learning.
What you put in is what you get out. With gumption and the right support, your business grows one happy family at a time.
How do you choose a travel agency?
This decision shapes your whole experience, so take your time. Questions worth asking:
- Training: Is there a clear path for new advisors, and ongoing education for experienced ones?
- Mentorship: Will you have a real person to call, not just a help desk?
- Supplier relationships and credentials: Is the agency an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency? What other supplier standings does it hold?
- Community: Do advisors share knowledge and cheer each other on?
- Support for your business: Help with marketing, your own advisor profile, and growing your client base.
- Clarity: Are the expectations, compensation, and any costs explained clearly before you commit?
What makes Castles and Cruises Travel Company different?
- Disney roots and credentials. We're an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner agency, Earmarked Gold, and Universal Preferred Gold.
- Mentorship that's real.
- A collaborative team. More than 60 advisors who share what they know. If you don't know the answer, someone on our team does.
- First-hand knowledge. I've sailed Disney Cruise Line 18 times, and our advisors travel and train constantly so their advice comes from experience.
- Your own book of business. You build relationships with your own clients, with the agency's resources behind you.
- Room to grow. As you grow, you can expand into cruises, Universal, escorted travel, and luxury travel. Advisors focused on luxury can grow with C&C World Travel, our luxury-focused sister agency and a Virtuoso member.
- A trusted name. Our clients have given us a 5.0 rating across 200+ Google reviews.
Already an experienced advisor?
If you're already planning travel and looking for a better fit, your needs are different from a beginner's. You may want stronger supplier relationships, better tools, a team you actually enjoy, or support for moving into luxury travel. We'd love to hear what you're looking for and talk honestly about whether we're the right home for your business.
How do you join Castles and Cruises Travel Company?
If this sounds like the work you've been dreaming about, I'd love to hear from you. Start by telling us a little about yourself on our Join Our Team page, and we'll set up a conversation.
