Today we’d like to introduce you to Darren Wittko.
Hi Darren, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
If you asked me ten years ago if I saw myself living in Florida working as a travel agent in 2021, I never would have said no! I began my professional adult life as a middle school teacher in 2001. My wife and I got married in 2003 and we were hoping to buy a home. It became obvious that I would need a part-time job. That’s when I became a travel agent where I would specialize in Disney travel. As a life-long Disney parks fan, this was perfect for me.
As a technology teacher, I had an understanding of social media, digital marketing and web design. This background really helped me grow. With growth comes referrals and after about a year, I was doing better than expected.
There were some ups and downs along the way. The recession of 2011 meant that travel just wasn’t a priority for people. It was good to experience that honestly. I learned a lot about economic downturns and how to be resourceful in order to survive them. I didn’t know it at the time, but the recession of 2011 gave me a million dollars worth of experience that would later pay off in 2020.
In 2015, readers of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World began rating me as a “Best of the Best Disney Travel Agent.” That was another boost for me and it came at the right time. Even today, it’s a terrific compliment and I am so grateful.
By 2019, my part-time job had become a full-time career. My family and I always dreamed of moving to Orlando and this seemed like it was the right time to make the move.
On March 7, 2020, we arrived in Celebration, Florida with all of our stuff plus two cats. We were really excited about the future and had no idea what was about to happen.
Then, just a few days after we arrived, COVID 19 forced the entire country into lockdown. For the first time ever, Walt Disney World closed for an extended period of time.
I just bet the farm on a new career and a major life change with my family and in less than a week, a global disaster strikes. But I was able to use what I learned during the 2011 recession about the importance of staying positive, to keep moving forward, and to just keep the faith that things will get better. Financially I knew that Disney would recover, and that meant I would recover. But I have to admit, there were a few sleepless nights during that time.
I am also grateful that Florida was one of the first states to reopen its economy. That saved all of us here in Orlando who rely on tourism. Disney and Universal did everything right in helping people feel safe and as soon as the parks reopened, my email inbox began to light up.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges for me was the economic downturn of 2011. I remember car companies advertising that if you lost your job, you could return the car! That’s when you know things are tough and there weren’t very many people thinking of travel, especially to luxury destinations like Walt Disney World.
But I learned a lot about adapting to meet the needs of my clients. It was a great life lesson too.
What was most important to my clients was for me to be a teacher, a guide and a resource. They didn’t need someone selling them a vacation. They needed someone who was going to help provide them with some confidence about traveling during an uncertain time.
It was good to experience that. Everything I learned during that recession was useful to me during the heart of the pandemic.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I rely more on enthusiasm than I do having a business model. I think whatever you do, do it enthusiastically and people will appreciate that more. I don’t have a business degree, I don’t have the same advertising resources as others, and I’m not great at using strategies that close deals.
But I do the best I can with what I have. It could be someone’s first trip to Walt Disney World or their last and it’s important to me that we get it right.
Something that I’m really proud of is that others like my style enough that I’m able to do this work full time now. It’s a great feeling to create something based on an idea and have others appreciate it. They trust me with their vacation plans and come back to me again, or they recommend me to friends or even on travel websites.
That’s a terrific compliment.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Making connections with people, time, memories, and experiences are what truly matters to me.
These are things that most of us value anyway, but they are the foundation of any family vacation. When a client comes to me looking for help with an Orlando vacation, they are not necessarily looking for information on which rides they should go on or which hotel they should book.
What they are really asking is what how to maximize time with each other? What are some ways we can create incredible memories together? What experiences can we all share as a family?
An Orlando vacation is hotels, theme park tickets, rides and restaurants. But the vacation experience is greater than the list of package components.
Contact Info:
- Website: orlandoparksguy.com
- Instagram: @orlandoparksguy
- Facebook: facebook.com/orlandoparksguy
- Twitter: twitter.com/orlandoparksguy
- YouTube: youtube.com/darrenwittko
