The time you take to research and make a
detailed vacation itinerary will determine if your family vacation will truly
be magical and create the memories you will cherish for years to come.
Listen and Research - We are living in the age of the internet and it can be your best resource in helping you and your family decide what you want to do when you get to your vacation destination. Gather ideas and information from the internet, brochures, travel books, and documentaries. Travel agencies can be helpful, as well. Also, research with phone apps will be helpful in making choices for your itinerary, as well as, when you arrive at your destination. Make use of technology! Come together, again, with your family and listen to ideas from each other. Encourage family members to do some research prior to your family discussion. I recently created the daily itineraries for my family's trip to Disney World. As it turned out, it was very important that we went through this step in the process. I listened to the likes, dislikes, and ideas from our family members. I incorporated activities into our daily itineraries, over the 5 days that we vacationed, to allow everyone to feel fulfilled in their experience, and have fun. When creating the itinerary you have to keep in mind that it is a family vacation and not yours alone. Once we reached our destination I found myself enjoying the "likes" of others that I probably would not have tried, otherwise. I was happy I found the courage for the "scary" rides; they were fun after-all! If your vacation destination "is" Disney World, be sure to check-out the Disney Parks Moms Panel for help planning your itinerary. The Moms panel is an online forum that serves as a resource for planning Disney parks vacations. Some great tips and information there!
Listen and Research - We are living in the age of the internet and it can be your best resource in helping you and your family decide what you want to do when you get to your vacation destination. Gather ideas and information from the internet, brochures, travel books, and documentaries. Travel agencies can be helpful, as well. Also, research with phone apps will be helpful in making choices for your itinerary, as well as, when you arrive at your destination. Make use of technology! Come together, again, with your family and listen to ideas from each other. Encourage family members to do some research prior to your family discussion. I recently created the daily itineraries for my family's trip to Disney World. As it turned out, it was very important that we went through this step in the process. I listened to the likes, dislikes, and ideas from our family members. I incorporated activities into our daily itineraries, over the 5 days that we vacationed, to allow everyone to feel fulfilled in their experience, and have fun. When creating the itinerary you have to keep in mind that it is a family vacation and not yours alone. Once we reached our destination I found myself enjoying the "likes" of others that I probably would not have tried, otherwise. I was happy I found the courage for the "scary" rides; they were fun after-all! If your vacation destination "is" Disney World, be sure to check-out the Disney Parks Moms Panel for help planning your itinerary. The Moms panel is an online forum that serves as a resource for planning Disney parks vacations. Some great tips and information there!
Some activities we included in our itinerary on our family vacation to Disney World, April, 2013.
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| Splash Mountain at Disney World, Magic Kingdom Theme Park. |
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| African Safari, Disney World, Animal Kingdom Theme Park. |
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| "The Lion King," an adaptation at Disney World, Animal Kingdom Theme Park. |
It's in the Details - Keep an eye and ear out for specials and discounts for hotels, restaurants, activities, and transportation. There will be many variables and options available to help make your vacation less expensive. A well-traveled family pays attention to the budget. The best and most useful itinerary is detailed. Include: where you are going, how you will get there, the time you will go, amount of time and any cost involved. Gather maps to help you with time management as you move from one activity to another, daily.
If you need help making out your itinerary, work with a travel agency, or if doing it on your own, try the free service of Tripit.com, or template guides available online. If your destination is Disney World, there is a Disney template available online to help you create an itinerary. You can also just use a listing format and list daily activities. Just keep it detailed. Here are helpful links:
http://www.tripit.com/destinations/create-a-vacation-itinerary/
http://www.disneyparksplanning.com/p/planning.html
If you are planning far in advance, a few months, or even a few weeks in advance, you have time, and it is in the best interest of your group to make out a daily trip itinerary.
*Check back for what’s next. It's time to pack!
Copyright - Parents Want to Know 101, Sharon Rose,
"Travel Guide for the Well-Traveled Family: Part 3, The Vacation Itinerary,” June 14,
2013. All rights reserved. Photography credits, Disney World Photos,
to Sharon Rose. All rights reserved.
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