5 WAYS TO PLAN A VACATION
Planning a vacation can be stressful, fun, and relaxing all at the same time. How to plan a vacation can be easy. With a little planning, research, budgeting, and prepping it can be a breeze.
“But it takes a long time to plan a trip” – Yes, planning can be very time consuming, but it can also be extremely exciting. If you simply don’t have the time, or you start feeling anxiety just thinking about it, then you should work with a TA like me. We have had the training. We travel often and are on blog groups with other TAs to get and give the best advice to help our clients have the best possible experience for the best price possible.
Here are our 5 ways to plan your next vacation.
#1 Planning
The first thing you need to do when planning anything is decide what you would like to do. Planning a vacation sounds easy right? Wrong… There is a whole world out there and is full of things to see. You are going to have to narrow down the type of trip, possible travel dates, means of transportation, and how many people are traveling with you. If you don’t know these main things first, you will be stressed.
For example: Beach trip or theme park?
June or December?
Full week vacation or weekend getaway?
Flying or driving? (flying can be more convenient, but driving can save you money)
Immediate family or extended family (knowing how many people will greatly affect the type of room you will need to stay in on any vacation)
Now that you have answered the main questions you are ready to start your research.
#2 Research
To us this is the fun part. The #1 way we do research when planning for ANY trip is by watching YouTube videos. Yes, there is a YouTube video for almost everything. Here are some of our favorite ones that have helped us plan our own trips:
Carnival Vista by Jones Family Travels (These are our agency owners and travel over 200 days a year.)
Rise of the Resistance by Tim Tracker (We recommend any of his videos.)
Ship Tour of Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas (pro tip: Always type in the name of the ship and “full ship tour” when searching for cruise ideas. The full ship tour will help you become familiar with your ship and help you to navigate around better once you cruise.
Read menus. One of our favorite things to do on any trip is look at restaurant menus before we travel. This can save us time and allow us to make advance dining reservations when possible.
Another way to do research is check out websites for the different suppliers and always read travel reviews. A hotel may look pretty in pictures, but the most recent travel reviews might paint a different picture. Even if you use a TA you can still do have fun doing research on your own. A good TA will send you links to look at and brochures to read. You need to find what type of vacation works for your family.
#3 Budgeting
Why is budgeting #3 on my list and not #1. Well, that’s simple. Different trips cost different $$. It is not realistic to plan a trip to Disney World on a $500 budget unless you live down the road and already have annual passes to get in.
When making a valid budget you will have to know what your plan is and do your research to see what the average price is for your type of trip. As a TA the question I get the most is “What will it cost?” My answer is always the same, “I’ll have to do some research first.” If I tell someone a price without first researching their individual needs, then I’m setting myself up for disaster. The same will apply to you.
Budgeting is simple. Make a plan that works for your family and stick to it. No two families are the same and no two families share the same idea of what is a cheap trip or a luxury vacation. Don’t overspend on souvenirs. That giant sombrero might look awesome in the store in Mexico, but unless you have a specific place to decorate your house with it when you get back you will probably be wondering why you spent the money on it in the first place.
To us ANY vacation is a luxury because we value time off together. We don’t have to have 5 Star dinners every night, and we usually only have these when we cruise.
If you have ever been on a cruise think about this. When you walk around the ship can you tell which people have the balcony rooms or which have the interior state rooms? Nope. Each guest will be treated the same by the staff and will be offered the same vacation experiences. How you choose to experience it is up to you. How you paid for the experience is only your business and no one else’s.
#4 Prepping
Prepping yourself for a trip can come in many forms.
Get in shape if you will be doing lots of walking. You will thank yourself later for this especially when at Disney. On our last trip to Universal we walked 7 miles in one day.
Pack your bags. If you need themed clothes such as Harry Potter t-shirts for Universal or a white dress for a black and white cruise night, start shopping early. By shopping early, you will ensure you have what you need and can usually find things cheaper. If traveling with kids make sure you have some snacks, small toys, or coloring activities to keep them occupied on planes, at restaurants, or while waiting in lines.
Map out your activities. It is always good to have an idea of what you want to do and when on your trip, but we recommend not being too rigid. You will miss small magical moments if you don’t stop to watch the ducks or listen to the sound of the ocean.
Making loose plans is nice especially when traveling with children. When Morgan was two, she was terrified of automatic flushing bathrooms. They were loud and scary for her. I had to take this into account when making plans because it always took us forever just to make it out of the bathroom alive.
Some theme parks will have areas that allow overstimulated kids to cool down and relax. Knowing the location of these can help a lot.
#5 Enjoy
This is your vacation. Take the time to enjoy it with your family. Be in the moment. Don’t worry about taking all the right pictures or wearing the right clothes. Just have fun and relax. After all, you are not at work. You are on vacation!
Final Thoughts
Yes, vacation planning can be fun, stressful, and relaxing all at the same time. In a recent article by National Geographic they discuss how vacation planning can actually be good for your mental health. Planning a vacation can give you something to look forward to and can make you feel better. All it takes is a little planning, research, budgeting, and prepping and then you will be on your way to enjoying it. Remember… Life’s Short… Take the Trip!
Where can we help you plan to travel this year? Contact us today at amberh@destinationsinflorida.com to start planning your next dream vacation.
