When I was growing up, I had one of those school year “as you grow” books, in which you fill out your grade, new friends, achievements, school picture, mementos, and what you want to be when you grow up. In true Dyan (“Aquarian”) fashion, I flip flopped literally every year between wanting to be a teacher and nurse, with an appropriate nod to “airline hostess” for 4th and 5th grade! I guess it’s always been in my nature to nurture. {Spoiler alert, I became a French teacher and am about to enter my 22nd year}
How I got into teaching is a story for another day, but it was not my first post-college stop, much to my mother’s dismay 😉 Over the past 21 years of being a teacher, I have almost always had a second job – at first, it was out of necessity to supplement my income and to pay for my master’s degree, but it continues to be a means for travel and life. During my tenure, I have waited tables, tended bar, worked retail at the Disney Store and Barber Brothers (think local precursor to Paper Store), taught pre-school gymnastics, taken on stipend positions at school, taught summer school, and have done family and event photography.
Now that I am in the latter half of my teaching career, my goals are more forward thinking to retirement (10 years and 11 months until that day, but who’s counting!). Two years ago, I was presented with a new idea that made a whole lot of sense and dovetailed really well with my teaching schedule, love of travel, and lifestyle – travel planning!
In April of 2022, my friend was going on a family vacation (with 13 family members) to Walt Disney World, and she was very overwhelmed. I was confused because she is a savvy traveler and had been working with a travel agent. I also never like to see someone freaking out about the most magical place on earth! Once I talked her off of the proverbial ledge, I asked how I could help, and I then shared some of my personal tips and tricks with her in a 9 page Google doc. I even created a day-by-day itinerary 😂 During their trip, I continued to text with her and helped out with some in the moment dining reservations. At one point, her sister-in-law asked “Why isn’t Dyan a travel planner for Disney?” to which I laughed and said “Why AREN’T I a travel planner for Disney?!” Truth be told, I didn’t know they existed! It was obvious to me and everyone I knew that I was an expert in Walt Disney World – from the resorts, to the parks, to dining – but I could get paid to do what I had already been doing for myself and friends for years? But how? It seemed too good to be true.
For about fifteen years now, I have been planning and executing personal friend trips to various locations and the joke is always if I plan it, they’ll write me a check and show up. So how was I to transition this “Disney travel planner” into an actual job?! I then Googled “how to become a Disney travel agent.” After some initial research, I realized that I was somehow already on an email list for a Disney travel agent – Mousekeplanner! So I reached out to Leigh, the woman whose signature appeared in the email, thinking that it couldn’t hurt to ask a few questions – an informational interview, if you will.
It turns out Leigh was the owner of Mousekeplanner. After some initial back and forth, it turns out that she was in the process of building her Mousekeplanner team and was hiring! As I was filling out the application, I remember thinking, “what are the chances that this gets put into my line of vision, and the first and only person I reach out to offers me a position that I want?” Well, yes, that is precisely what happened. The Universe is quite the provider if you’re ready and paying attention! So I became an independent contractor for Mousekeplanner, and it has been such a brilliant union of my skills that I haven’t once looked back.
There are so many ways for which I am well suited to this job, beginning with my love of Disney AND travel. You may also consider my skill set that I have honed as a classroom teacher for twenty plus years: communication, planning, research, and organization, to name a few. But ultimately, it comes back to that nurturer and educator inside of me too, as I inherently want for people to succeed! I want everyone to have amazing and memorable vacations with their loved ones, and stress shouldn’t be a defining factor of your trip. We get so little time to truly escape and make these memories that we want to make it count! If having someone by your side to help strategize your vacation, bounce ideas off of, and set expectations, why would you not?!
The past two years of having my own small business have been an ongoing transition – some things come naturally to me (see above), while other aspects of having my own business are definitely a learning curve. I have never been a natural salesperson – I want to help, not be “salesy”, so I’ve had to rethink how “helping” is in fact a selling point. My brain also swirls when it comes to digital age marketing (ie Instagram / Facebook / TikTok) – ahhhh, I want to run and hide – haha! But also, I have been eager and hungry to learn all sides of my new profession. Sure, I know Disney, but learning about other areas of travel have been invigorating and inspiring too – cruises, river cruises, all inclusive resorts and other theme parks like (gasp!) Universal because I want to be proficient in more than just the Mouse 😉
This is a marathon, not a sprint – it’s slow and steady and I am in this for as long as I can be! There’s plenty of time to build and I am exactly where I need to be at this moment. We had our first annual Mousekeplanner Conference two weeks ago, and it was a wonderful and educational few days in Walt Disney World. I got to meet fellow agents, tour the resorts with an eye towards clients, go to the parks with the perspective of “how would I advise others,” and have new experiences that I will share in due time on this blog. After all, when shifting your perspective from what you like to do for yourself to how you would advise others, it takes time and quite honestly, effort!
What did you want to be when you were a little kid – did you land anywhere near it? How did you pursue your childhood dreams? Was it a result of nature, more practical reasons, or were there other influences in your life? Comment and let me know!
For more information, check out our main website at www.mousekeplanner.com or email me at [email protected]. My Instagram and Facebook pages are linked at the top of this site 😊
xo Dyan ✨
