How Your Kids Can Make Travel Magic Happen!Hey again! Remember how Peter Pan had a little helper sprinkling pixie dust to make dreams come true? Well, I've got some enchanting news for you. Your very own fairy helpers are probably running around your house right now. Yes, I'm talking about your kids! In my previous chat with you, we unlocked one of the best-kept secrets to planning your vacations – opening up a dedicated savings account. If you haven't read it yet, go back and have a look; it's packed with handy tips that'll help you create a budget and kick-start your vacation savings in no time. Now, let's talk about how to fill up that savings account, despite the whirlwind of family life and with no side hustle in sight. Ready for it? Bring the kids on board!  Saving Money in a Piggy Bank!
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Your Roadmap to Adventure PlanningHello again, Ever caught yourself daydreaming about your next adventure but felt your wallet holding you back? Guess what? You're not alone. Better still, I have the perfect roadmap to navigate these financial crossroads while keeping your travel dreams alive. Any financial guru worth their salt will tell you - it all begins with a good budget. Now, before you run a mile, hear me out. Budgeting doesn’t have to be as scary as scaling Everest Let's break it down:  Step one: Kick off with calculating your income. If you have a steady salary, it's a breeze. For those with a variable income, like yours truly, working with estimates or averages will be your go-to strategy. Step two: It's time to get up close and personal with your fixed and variable expenses. My preference is a biweekly budget, but if going month-to-month works for you, that’s wonderful. Start your budget journey by rounding up your fixed expenses, like your mortgage or rent, phone and utility bills, car payments, and minimum debt repayments. Once you've got a handle on this, it's time to subtract these figures from your income. What you’re left with is your pot for variable expenses! This part’s a bit of guesswork, but you've got this! Estimate your variable expenses, such as groceries, fuel, recreational costs, kids' activities, and of course, pet pampering. Review this at the end of each month or pay period to understand your spending patterns. Step three: Achieve a zero balance on your budget. This is where the magic happens. If you’ve got loose change left after all your expenses are covered, it's time to pile it into your savings or further reduce your debt. In the world of finance, we call this the zero-based budgeting method. If you already have a smooth-running budget mechanism, that's fabulous! Just tie in your savings goal to your current budget and designate an amount every month (or biweekly) towards your 'Shine under the Disney fireworks fund.' Remember, savings and debt pay-offs should be at the top of your plan.  But, wait, there's more! Let's supercharge that vacation fund with these savvy tips: Tip #1: If you’ve just cleared a payment obligation, like a car loan or credit card, reign in the urge to breathe easy. Instead, redirect that same payment toward your vacation savings account. It's like you're paying yourself for all the fun awaiting! Tip #2: To keep the vacation savings untapped, set up a dedicated account and schedule automatic transfers. I highly recommend opening a high-yield savings account where your money does some additional heavy lifting. Look at banks like Ally, Capital One 360, or Dollar Savings Direct for easy set-up. Tip #3: Declare all "surprise" money as dedicated vacation fund boosters. Think tax refunds, work bonuses, mystery checks, and even that $10 bill you found inside your winter coat! Make all these unexpected treasures part of your vacation fund. Now here's the ultimate hack to saving big on your trip: Commit to it NOW! It's no secret that as time passes, prices skyrocket. So why stall when we can start planning your dream vacation right away.
Start by scheduling a call with yours truly. Let's embark on the journey to making your travel dreams come true, one budget plan at a time! Dreaming alongside you! Hello again, If I could let you in on a secret that could potentially amplify your happiness and rejuvenate your life, would you be interested? Well, here it is: vacations! Surprised? Let's delve a little deeper.  Hey there, Here we are, waltzing into February, and I've got something really close to my heart that I want to chat with you about. Yes, it's time to blend dreams with plans, and who doesn't get a little thrill from that thought as we step further into the New Year? There's something almost magical about a brand-new year unfolding before us, don't you think? It's like being handed a fresh, unwritten book filled with possibilities and adventures waiting to be discovered. So, what story are we going to write on those pages for 2024?  Navigating Disney World and Universal Orlando with a Special Needs ChildIndulge in the magic of Disney World and the cinematic wonders of Universal Orlando with your specially-abled loved ones. Join us as we uncover the fourth installment in our series—providing you with effective tips for navigating theme parks smoothly. If you wish to see our previous sagas of general travel wisdom, pre-trip planning, and en-route meltdown solutions, be sure to uncover them in our earlier blog posts. En Route MeltdownsWelcome to our third installment of Traveling with Special Needs Handling Enroute Meltdowns This is one of the sections where I have the least amount of tips and tricks to offer! Luckily, traveling with Mr D was always a breeze, as long as he had snacks and a movie and/or his music. Since we always drove to our destinations, it was an easy fix. So, I will give you a simple ‘hack’ we learned as a military family with car traveling. In the military, your vacation or ‘leave’ started at midnight. There was a mentality that you didn’t want to miss a single second of that precious time, so we always left at exactly midnight. Or more accurately a few minutes afterward. The few minutes it took my husband to go to the office, sign out, and get back home. The car would be packed and the kids would be in their jammies and in the car ready and waiting. So, driving through the night to our destination always meant by the time we got to our destination (usually grandma’s house) the kids were up and ready to eat! I would sleep as Dad drove and then I would be fresh for the kids when we arrived and Dad could take a nap when we arrived.  For all the Super Planners, like myself, out there, Universal trips may not require as much detailed planning as say, Disney. But worry not, there are still tons of details we can peg to keep us joyfully busy! Let me walk you through how I plan - from the bare necessities to the intricate nuances allowing us not to just 'wing it'.  Securing our Travel Dates First, we start with the essentials - deciding when we're going and where we're staying. Our paid in full date was yesterday and if you’re anything like me, you know that’s cause for celebration, because it means it’s REAL! Charting out the Fun Stuff Now, comes the fun stuff - planning where we're eating and what we're going to focus on during this trip. While most might bask in spontaneity, I confess - I hate to waste time. I relish moments spent observing people and soaking in the vibrant atmosphere. But loathe to find ourselves in a ‘Where to next?’ loop. I believe in a sensible ‘plan of attack’. There’s no ‘turn-by-turn’ itinerary, but an itinerary nonetheless. One that lists potential pit-stops for much-needed break times and nifty markers noting essential spots in each park area. As a Super Planner catering specially to Special Needs families, these spots serve as oasis within the desert of endless excitement. Tackling Universal’s Enigma: Variable Park Hours But there's a hiccup. Universal still hasn't listed park hours for our dates! It might seem minor to some, but for us Super Planners, it's an integral piece of the puzzle. This becomes even more crucial considering Universal Studios closes early five nights a week for Halloween Horror Nights, and without knowing which park has early admission, our planning gets doubly tripped up! Briefing about the Essentials As our trip materializes, we would be sharing basics on the working of the Express Pass, which I highly recommend. We also schedule our timings to be in line for Early Park Admissions, including time to leave the resort, which varies based on your preferred arrival method - Water Taxi, Garden Walk or bus. Adding a Twist: Our Trip Themes Every trip has its ‘theme’. Sometimes it’s a fun challenge – like seeing how many times we can ride VelociCoaster in a day. Sometimes, it's a day-long immersion into a magical world - visiting The Wizarding World in the same sequence as Harry in the first book. This just adds an extra dash of fun tailored to our unique likings. Planning for Variety This trip is a potpourri of different ages and first-timers, which makes it a fresh adventure. Our itinerary ensures everyone gets a taste of their favorites, with plenty of 'break times' and flagged areas for all the 'must-have' Universal snacks. For the Harry Potter fans in our group, I make sure to highlight the intriguing and lesser-known details within the Wizarding World. It’s always a treat watching them engage, learn and use their wands! Gastronomic Delights Each evening promises a different culinary delight. I save reminders about departure times from the park to ensure minimal waiting times for our dinner reservations. Plus, there's always the hope that we might squeeze in an extra ride after! A Few Last Tidbits As Super Planners, it's important to remember to avail the option of sending your packages back to the resort to lighten your load. And definitely, do not forget to grab your last-minute souvenirs! Pre-Trip Planning Lastly, the unseen planning also matters - how are you travelling to Universal? Are there any special needs to cater? Pets to be cared for? Already sorted time away from work? These are all elements to consider. So, fellow Super Planners, that's how I break down the chaos of planning a Universal trip into a neat plan. Leave no stone unturned and experience Universal in its full glory! How do YOU plan? Are you a 'wing-it' type? A super-planner? Or maybe somewhere in between? I find most people are super planners on their first trip, then a bit more relaxed on subsequent trips. Of course, some think that Universal is soo much smaller than Disney so it has to be much easier to plan and do no planning at all, and only see a small portion of what they could have seen, so they spend much more time planning their next trip.
Either way, having a knowledgable Travel Professional on your side can be a very helpful thing when you have that silly question pop up and have no idea that it was a 'thing', much less something you needed to know! (Maybe this would be a good subject for a blog...hmm). If you are ready to have a Travel Professional on your side to help you plan that next (or maybe your first) visit to Universal Orlando, contact me via my calendly and we can get started! Although fall hasn't quite arrived here in Georgia, school is back in session and we're already feeling the heat of over a hundred degrees. It's the perfect time to start thinking about winter break trips! In fact, many people have already taken advantage of early discounts and secured their trips to popular destinations like Disney and Universal for Fall break. Winter break trips are going fast, with resorts still trying to make up for lost revenue due to the pandemic. While there are still some affordable options, hidden costs can quickly add up and take away from your vacation experience.
Universal Part 2Here is the 2nd installment from my blog from my first trip to Universal back in February of 2016! Enjoy! Diagon Alley was awesome! Small walkway (and the fact that nothing else was open) made the area feel very crowded and claustrophobic. Even the shops were wall to wall people. We quickly made our way to Gringott’s Escape to what was a fair wait-about 30 minutes, even though the posted wait time was 10 minutes. Of course, first we put our bags into the free lockers, and then proceeded to inside Gringott’s. Since I left both my camera and phone I got zero pictures of the areas that we were allowed to. We actually went through this area pretty quickly. Even my husband was impressed and he has not seen a single Harry Potter movie…ever! I loved the way you were immersed into the story. Once you get past this part, the waiting was not so nice. Both in length and atmosphere! Several things to talk about here (without giving away too much of the magic). Let’s start with the hokey elevator. I really don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but I will warn you to hold on! And, let’s not forget the mandatory pictures! I never even saw what they looked like…bummer. Stairs, stairs, and more stairs! ‘Seems’ like we went back up all those flights the elevator took us down! Finally we reach the point of loading into the ride. One note here, not for people with long legs! It holds you in place by getting you in the shins! The bar clamps down on your shins as much as your waist. My 6 foot husband had major problems with this part, and it hurt me at only 5 foot 10 inches… But, (at least to me) it was worth it! The ride is not smooth. The jerky motion was something my husband was not fond of (and it may have been the bar cutting into his shins). But the motion did not bother me and my vertigo. Remember, my husband has never seen a Harry Potter movie so it was completely nonsense to him! Me and the kids LOVED it!  Universal Orlando is a destination that never fails to captivate visitors with its thrilling attractions and immersive experiences. As the seasons change, so too does the park, offering a variety of seasonal events that cater to different interests and preferences. From heart-racing scares during Halloween Horror Nights to the vibrant festivities of Mardi Gras, Universal Orlando knows how to keep the excitement level high year-round. In this blog, we'll explore the seasonal offerings you can expect at Universal Orlando, highlighting the pros and cons of each event. Get ready to embark on a journey filled with chills, cheers, and holiday magic as we dive into the world of Universal's seasonal delights  Gringott's Bank |
AuthorMost of the content is written by people at JMorris Travel. Every once in a while we will have a guest blogger, usually it is part of our 'family'.Always with a nod to Family Travel! Archives
January 2024
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