Key Takeaways
- A familiarization trip (FAM trip) is a working trip that gives travel agents firsthand experience with the destinations and properties they sell.
- 35 Boardwalk agents recently spent three days at the Disneyland Resort on an exclusive agency FAM.
- Day one was training: a Disney session led by our Business Development Manager, a Good Neighbor Hotel presentation, and a hotel site visit.
- The next two days were in the parks, where agents built the practical, on-the-ground knowledge that clients love and rely on.
- FAM trips are a genuine perk of becoming a travel agent, but their real value is that they make you better at it.
Ever wondered whether travel agents get the chance to actually visit the places they book for their clients? They do, and it’s called a FAM trip. This summer, 35 Boardwalk agents joined our team at the Disneyland Resort for an exclusive agency FAM: a day of training and site visits, followed by two full days in the parks.
Here’s what a travel agent FAM trip involves, what ours looked like from start to finish, and why agents come home more excited than ever to help their clients book amazing vacations.
What Is a FAM Trip?
FAM is short for “familiarization”. A FAM trip is a short, structured trip that gives travel agents firsthand knowledge of a destination, resort, cruise ship, or hotel. Suppliers like Disney, Universal, cruise lines, hotel brands, and tourism boards run them, and so do host agencies like Boardwalk.
The logic is simple: It’s easier to sell something you’ve experienced yourself. An agent who has walked a resort, seen the room types, and timed the walk to the park gates can answer questions a brochure never will.
Most FAMs blend structured learning (supplier presentations, property tours, site inspections) with time to experience the product the way a client would. Our Disneyland FAM was exactly that!
Day One: Training, Brunch, and a Hotel Site Visit
We kicked things off with brunch and a morning of training at the Element by Marriott Anaheim Resort Convention Center.
Our Disney Business Development Manager (BDM), Disney’s point person for our agency, led an engaging session on selling the Disneyland Resort. Sessions like this are where agents pick up key insider details:
- What’s new at the parks
- How Disney thinks about the guest experience
- How to position the resort for different kinds of travelers
If you’re curious what formal preparation looks like, here’s our guide on whether you need training to become a Disney travel agent.
We also gave away lots of prizes, which never hurts!
Next up was the Element’s own sales team, who manage several Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels. The Good Neighbor Hotel program is a collection of independently owned hotels near the resort that can be packaged with Disneyland tickets. For agents, that means more options for matching each family’s priorities, whether that’s room size, amenities, or distance to the gates.
The morning wrapped up with a tour and site visit of the Element itself, walking through rooms and amenities. Site visits are one of the most practical parts of any FAM. Once you’ve stood in a room, you can tell a client with confidence whether it works for a family of five or a couple on an anniversary trip.
Days Two and Three: Into the Parks
Then, we hit the parks for two days!
Agents had free time to explore Disneyland and Disney California Adventure at their own pace. That unstructured time isn’t a throwaway on a FAM. It’s where agents build the knowledge clients value most: Which lands get busy and when, where to take a midday break, which attractions are worth planning a day around (like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure), and how a park day actually flows for a family with young kids versus a group of adults.
Disneyland also changes with the calendar, so plenty of conversations turned to fall and winter clients, from Halloween at Disneyland to Disneyland at Christmas. Every agent came home with notes, photos, and opinions of their own, and that’s what makes a recommendation sound like advice instead of a script.
A Few Once-in-a-Lifetime Moments
A few lucky agents joined our team for some special experiences and dining opportunities, including reserved seating at a World of Color dessert party on Paradise Bay.
Premium experiences like these are exactly what clients ask about when they’re planning a milestone trip. An agent who has done one can describe it honestly, set expectations, and help a client decide whether it’s the right splurge for their visit.
What Agents Bring Home From a FAM Trip
The obvious takeaway is product knowledge, but a good FAM delivers more than that.
Agents come home with supplier relationships. Meeting our Disney BDM and the Element’s sales team in person means knowing exactly who to call later. They come home with a peer network, too.
Part of what makes a FAM so much fun is who you’re experiencing it with. Walking the parks alongside 35 other agents is nothing like a family vacation. Every ride line turns into a brainstorming session, and every snack break turns into a swap of tips and tricks. One agent has a rope-drop strategy that works, another knows the best spot to watch the fireworks, and someone else just figured out the smartest way to split a day between both parks. For agents who spend most of their workweek running a business (and a busy life), getting to hang out, trade ideas, and laugh together in person is a big part of the magic, and those connections keep paying off long after everyone heads home.
Most of all, they come home confident. Selling Disneyland is easier when you’ve been there recently, as a professional, with an eye on what your clients will care about.
Are FAM Trips Free? The Honest Answer
Sometimes, but usually not entirely, and not in the way people imagine. Depending on who’s hosting, agents may pay a reduced rate, cover their own airfare, or both. Many supplier FAMs have eligibility requirements, such as completed training or a track record of bookings. And the schedule is real: Sessions, site visits, and note-taking come first.
None of that is a knock on FAM trips. They’re a genuine perk of being a travel agent, and one of the best professional development tools an agent has. The travel comes with a purpose, and the purpose is what makes it valuable. For more on the perks side of the business, see our guide to Disney travel agent discounts.
Want to Be on the Next One?
Boardwalk is a host agency. Our agents run their own independent travel businesses, and we provide the training, supplier relationships, and team support behind them, including agency events like this Disneyland FAM. Membership is $99, one time, with no monthly fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a FAM trip for travel agents?
A FAM trip, short for familiarization trip, is a short, structured trip that gives travel agents firsthand experience with a destination, resort, cruise ship, or hotel. FAMs usually combine supplier training and property tours with time to experience the product the way a client would.
Are FAM trips free for travel agents?
Sometimes, but often not entirely. Depending on the host, agents may pay a reduced rate, cover their own airfare, or both. Many FAMs also have eligibility requirements, such as completed supplier training or a history of bookings.
How does a FAM trip help a travel agent?
Firsthand experience lets agents give specific, confident recommendations, from which hotel rooms suit a large family to which experiences are worth a splurge. FAMs also build relationships with supplier contacts who can help with future bookings.
How do I become a travel agent with Boardwalk?
Boardwalk is a host agency with a one-time $99 membership that covers onboarding, training, supplier registration, and ongoing support. Agents run their own independent travel businesses and earn a 70% commission split.