With Mardi Gras, Easter and summer vacation coming up more quickly than we are ready to admit, families from all over are getting ready to travel. And where do most families travel with children? You've got it; "The Happiest Place on Earth...DISNEY!" Traveling to Disney with children can be a bit overwhelming and quite stressful if you are not fully prepared and organized. With that being said, today I have a guest blogger, Henry Moore of Fit Well Traveler , who has agreed to share some really helpful tips for planning a stress-free vacation to Disney.
1. Make concrete plans. As fun as it could be to do everything on a whim, not having a plan when going on your vacation could cause unnecessary stress. Particularly when you’re traveling with kids, it’s important to plan out at least some of your travel and vacation ahead of time. Use an itinerary so that you can plan out where you’ll be each day of your vacation. An itinerary lets you plan out a route so there aren’t any surprises while you’re traveling to Florida or California for your Disney excursion. Google Maps is a great tool for this.
2. Protect your home before you leave no matter how long you’re going to be gone. Although it may seem like a chore to fully prepare your home for when you’re gone, anything could happen while you’re away, so you’ll want to be ready. ASecureLife.com recommends doing whatever you can to make it seem like you’re still home to discourage a break-in. This can be as simple as asking a neighbor to park in your driveway, having a friend stay at your house for a few days, or putting a noise maker by your front and back doors playing a recorded conversation or podcast to make it seem like someone is inside.
3. Don’t try to squeeze everything into one trip. Author Robin Hutson from TravelingMom.com has a great list of things to plan for on your Disney trip, and her best advice by far is to not try to do everything at every park in one trip. Chances are, you’re going to have a great time, so you’ll want to go back for another trip in the future. This means that you don’t have to try to do everything at once, because you’ll return home feeling completely spent. Instead of trying to hit every park, visit one or two of them, then spend time at some other attractions in the area that consume less energy and give you time to relax. If you are traveling with your partner, switch off parenting duties. Have them take the kids down to the pool for an hour or two while you relax, or vice versa.
4. Don’t break the bank. Some of the biggest stressors that people experience during a vacation are money-related. Even if you’ve been saving for what feels like forever and you’re sure you’ve calculated enough money for the trip, there’s still a chance that, at some point, you’re going to be stressed about money. Ease some of your stress by first packing responsibly. Don’t buy anything at the parks that you can bring from home. You’ll be surprised how expensive a poncho is just because it has Mickey’s face on it. Another easy way to save money is to avoid Disney during its peak season. Disneytouristblog.com recommends going the Sunday after Thanksgiving through the first week of December. This is when you can be sure to experience mild weather and low crowds.
There’s a reason that they call Disneyland “The Happiest Place on Earth,” so you should try to avoid stress at all costs during your vacation there. By following this short list and by taking time to relax and enjoy yourself, you’ll be sure to have a fun vacation that you’ll be telling everyone about when you get home.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
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