We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sabrine Ortiz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Sabrine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the best thing you’ve ever seen (or done yourself) to show a customer that you appreciate them?

On 11/28/2024, I got a new client: Maritza Salcedo. She wanted my help planning a celebratory vacation with her husband, children and grandchildren. She wanted to celebrate her and her husband’s 50th anniversary going to Disneyland and Aulani including a vow renewal ceremony in Hawaii. We spent months talking on the phone and planning their vacation. I don’t have any family in the United States, and Maritza made me think of my mom, so when it came time for her to come to Disneyland, I made sure we met in person to thank her for the opportunity and trust in me with such an important task. I know she appreciated me taking the time to meet her and her family in person. I truly hope we keep in touch like she said we will. This might not seem like a big gesture to some, but time is the only thing we will never get back. Making time for someone means a lot and I make sure I make time for those who matter. Maritza gave me such a tight and long hug and that hug brought tears to my eyes. I know she appreciated us meeting in person. Once she got to Hawaii, she was amazed by the view from her room at Aulani. She said she couldn’t stop crying out of happiness! This is why I love helping people plan their special moments.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in Brazil and my childhood dream was to go to Disney World. Since I moved to the US, my family and I have been to Disney World MANY times, we’ve been to Disney Cruises as well as Aulani in Hawaii. We are Disneyland Inspire Magic Key Holders and I am Disney obsessed! I go to Disneyland at least once a week. With that being said, one day I questioned myself: “Why am I not using my Disney knowledge to help other people?” I started looking into becoming a travel agent and I am now an Independent Advisor of Mousekeplanner LLC, an Authorized Disney vacation planner.
I’m a Disney Travel Professional and I don’t just read about Disney in guidebooks and brochures. Instead, my knowledge comes from firsthand experience at the Disney resorts and theme parks, Aulani in Hawaii, and aboard the Disney cruise ships. I have yet to experience the guided Adventures by Disney vacations, and National Geographic Expeditions because of my children’s ages. I pride myself on the value of the Disney advice that I offer. The way I look at it is that if my clients know everything there is to know about planning a luxury vacation, they wouldn’t need me. My Disney vacations are customized to meet each of my client’s unique needs. Selecting and reserving their Disney resort and type of theme park tickets that are best for their vacation is just the beginning and that’s where most travel agents call it quits. Not me! I’m in it with them all the way by offering customized planning so that they won’t miss a single thing during their Disney vacation. The difference between a good vacation and an exceptional one lies in the details.  This results in a flawless Disney vacation for them. I’m a graduate of the College of Disney Knowledge and have extensive, firsthand knowledge of most Disney Destinations. Disney builds in the price of an agent to the cost of your trip so booking with me or booking your trip yourself will end up costing the same. The price you see at Disney’s website is the same price you will invest when booking with me. With so many travel agents out there, I want you readers to know that our agency’s knowledge of Disney products has earned us the distinction of being named an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. We are “Earmarked”! We were given this special designation by Disney as a result of our agency’s ongoing focus and commitment to planning customized, magical trips to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line and other Disney vacation destinations worldwide.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I say I came from nothing, I really mean it. It was 2001 in Brazil and social media didn’t exist. I was studying business management and thinking about my future. When applying for jobs, English was a necessary skill and I wanted to perfect my English by studying abroad. My parents couldn’t afford sending me abroad so I got a $500 cash advance from a credit card and moved to New York City. I enrolled at CUNY’s ESL program and got a job at a deli 6 days a week. There was a time I had 3 jobs and no time off! I’d get home at 1 AM and had to be at school at 8 AM. On the weekends, I worked 12 hours a day. It was so so hard. Sometimes I cried myself to sleep questioning my decision to move away from my family. However, little by little life got better. I’m proud of where I came from and even prouder of my strength. It was really hard to adjust to the language and the culture but here I am today proud of where I came from and all that I’ve accomplished.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me has been networking with local moms and participating in discussions on Facebook groups. There’s a local “mom” Facebook group and moms who personally know me refer me whenever they see posts of other moms asking questions about Disney. As a matter of fact, I’ve booked a Disney Cruise vacation for a local family this week! I hope whoever is reading refer me too! haha. I can talk Disney all day and this Disney adult will be happy to help you plan the best vacation for your family!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.disneytravelcenter.com/ms2f01faf6/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brinny_mousekeplanner/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brinnyortizmousekeplanner
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrine-ortiz-2089b092/

Image Credits

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