The Only 7 Secrets You Need to Have an Epic Family Vacation

I’m super excited to share the top 7 secrets I discovered on my OWN path to family vacation planning bliss! Let’s get to it!

Secret #1: Layaway

Do you remember when stores had a “layaway” option? No? You might be too young. But back in the day, you could purchase items from a department store with a small down payment, then continue to pay for the items over the next 90-365 days. On the day of the final payment, they would hand you the merchandise.

Did you know that many suppliers have their own “layaway” program? As an example, with Disney World, you pay a $200 “down payment” and then you can pay on it in whatever intervals you choose, it just has to be paid in full 30 days before your date of travel.

This is a huge benefit that many people don’t know exists!

Secret #2: Work Backward

Once you’ve determined where you want to go and what their payment options are, you can start thinking about how much you can realistically put toward the vacation each month.

For simplicity’s sake, let’s use the Disney World example. If you can comfortably put $400 aside each month toward your vacation and you want to go in one year, your total budget would be $5000 ($400 x 12 + the $200 you paid up front.)

It’s so very important to realistically determine how much you can pay toward your vacation each month.

Secret #3: Brainstorm Expenses

Some expenses are obvious like airfare and your resort, and even food. But what about other “hidden” expenses that you might not think about?

If you’re flying and checking luggage, how much will that be? Do you have to have coffee every day (or in my case, multiple times a day?) Do you want to have groceries delivered to your resort? And whatever you do, don’t forget souvenirs … because those things add up quickly!

I provide my clients with a list of money saving tips, depending on their destination. The more you can maximize that budget the better! How awesome would it be to actually spend LESS than your budget?

Secret #4: Begin Planning Your Itinerary

Over the last seven years, I’ve learned that there are two kinds of people: those that like to live in the moment and those that want every moment scheduled. What if I told you that there’s a happy medium?

When you consider how much you’re paying for your vacation, you truly want to maximize your time. Vacations are not cheap and your time is valuable. Does this mean that every second has to be planned out? No. But it does mean that a “working itinerary” is probably a good idea. 

In keeping with our Disney World example … if you have lightening lane reservations in New Fantasyland at 1:30 and dining reservations at Crystal Palace at 2:30 and are planning to be in Tomorrowland at 4:30, you are not maximizing your time, you’re not going to be very happy, not to mention the fact that you’re going to be exhausted. Having a loose schedule will keep everyone happy and you’ll get to do SO MUCH more!

Secret #5: Plan Time to Rest & Relax

You do NOT want to return home more tired than when you left. There is nothing magical about that! So plan rest times into each day.

Depending on where you go, this could seem difficult. But resist the urge to push through and do ALL the things. A break, even if it’s just a couple of hours will make a HUGE difference in everyone’s attitudes, including yours! Trust me on this!

Secret #6: Give the Kids “Souvenirs” Before you Even Get to your Destination

One of my big secrets is State Line Bags. 

Before leaving for the trip I go to places like Dollar Tree, 5 and Below, the “Dollar Spot” at Target, etc and stock up on little gifts that are themed toward our vacation. I put several items in a gift bag and every time we cross a state line, we stop at the Welcome Center and they get a bag. If you’re flying, you can still do this when you pass over a state in the air. This gives them several new things to play with so they’re less likely to act up. (Fun fact, my “kids” are now 17 & 24. We just went on a cruise and they were asking where their state line bags were while we were in mid-flight.) Haha. They never outgrow it 🙂

I would also give them a $25 gift card with the understanding that when it’s gone it’s gone, so they needed to choose wisely, and I would encourage them to wait until the end of the trip to select what they want!

Secret #7: Take Home More Than Souvenirs

Most likely the coveted souvenirs will not be around forever, but the memories will. And capturing them in photos and videos is the best way to preserve them. So be sure to always have a way to charge your phone (if that’s what you’re using for photos or video. My favorite chargers are these: Anker 337 or the Alongza Portable Charger.* The Anker charger is heavy and like a brick to carry around, however it charges expensive, but SUPER fast and can charge three or four phones fully before it needs charged again! The Alongza is very light and easy to carry, but doesn’t have the charging power that the Anker does.

And the very most important tip of all is: don’t just take pictures of scenery or the event happening around you. Instead, take pictures of your child as they observe them. Their looks of wonder and amazement are what you will cherish the most!

I hope these seven tips have inspired you to start planning your next vacation! Please reach out to me if you need help. You can schedule a Discovery call here!

All the best,

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