Seth Travel Agent Gets A Side Hustle, Specializing in Disney World Vacations

• Chelsea Guffey recently started a side hustle as a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations.
• “I thought to myself, ‘Okay, this could be a really good thing,'” Guffey said when a friend she helped advise on a vacation in D.C. suggested it as a job.
• This is Chelsea Guffey’s story as told to writer Jamie Killeen.

This essay is based on a recent conversation with Chelsea Guffey. He started a side hustle as a travel agent focusing on Disney vacations. He Edited for length and clarity.

Last year I noticed on social media that one of my sorority sisters had started working as a travel agent on many Disney vacations and worked for a travel agency called ET Family Travel.

I had a Disney vacation there in November, and I had everything booked in advance but I asked her to find me a place to eat because those are the hardest things to get at Disney World and she agreed. She helped me find all the places to eat that I wanted.

Then she said, “Chelsea, you know DC inside and out. You should come as an agent.” So, I thought about it, and I came into the new year thinking to myself, “Well, this could be a really good thing.” I joined the group and loved it.

Travel is just in my blood, and I love booking vacations for my family, so it was a no-brainer.

I grew up in Florida, about two hours away from DC World, and I grew up going.

Chelsea Guffey

I was maybe three weeks old when I first went. I’ve always had a love of travel – I studied abroad in college, and growing up my family traveled across the country at least once a year.

Travel is in my blood, and I love booking vacations for my family, so it was a no-brainer that I wanted to do it for other people.

The agency I work for focuses on Disney and family-friendly trips, so most agents focus on park vacations. However, we do all kinds of travel. At first I was focused on Disney, but then I got requests from friends, so I decided to branch out.

I did a UK trip for a friend in June, and now I’m doing another UK trip and a New York trip. I also helped with California trips and even accommodations.

My clients are mainly friends and people in my network, but now I have two clients that I didn’t know before – one I got through my social media, and the other is a referral through the agency.

Chelsea Guffey

I can help my clients save a lot of time. I have a lot of knowledge; Even if they need months to plan a trip, I can do it for them in three weeks. Sometimes I get low prices on them.

I also make sure to tell my clients that this is my second job and that I have a full-time job. I try to give my clients as much time as I can – but I make sure to set expectations.

I get perks like free Disney tickets and discounts on hotels.

As a side hustle, it’s nice to have the extra cash. I am an independent contractor who makes money based on commissions from theme parks and hotels. The amount of time I spend on the job varies, but I average 12 to 15 hours a week in addition to my full-time job. I start as soon as my baby falls asleep, so 7:30 pm and 10 pm are my prime.

I get perks like free Disney tickets and discounts on hotels. I have to meet a certain commission in a year to qualify for some benefits. One of these is the CLIA card, which focuses on cruise travel, and once you meet the minimum commission threshold, you can get special travel agent rates. For example, this October there are Disney cruises for $20 per person per night.

I’m really looking forward to reaping the benefits of those.