"Rebooting the Family Vacation"...My Reply

Christopher Elliott is a very well-known travel writer that contributes to a variety of publications such as the USA Today and National Geographic which is where I found his latest article.  It is titled "Rebooting the Family Vacation."  You can read it by clicking HERE.  I encourage you to go read it before reading my reply to his article.  I have taken some of his views to task in the past and find myself doing the same with this most recent post of his.  But again...make sure you read it before reading what I have to say.  Are you reading it?  I can see you! Go read it!!

Ok...now that I know you have taken a moment to let it sink in, here is what I have to say in reply.  I agree with most of what he had to say.  It IS a shame that so many parents never take their kids to places that offer any form of cultural enrichment and actual downtime.  It is a shame that some parents force feed their kids the same old fast food that they get at home which is not only made in mass quantities, but also not healthy at all.  But that is not to say that vacations to amusement parks like Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando are worthless and bad overall for children.  In fact, some would argue (including me) that a vacation to Walt Disney World offers some of the best cultural experiences a child can have without needing a passport.  Epcot and Animal Kingdom offer everyone a chance to experience people from various parts of the world, including their native cuisine.  They also offer hands-on educational experiences such as Rafiki's Planet Watch and Innoventions East and West.

So I take an exception to what seemed to be a huge generalization in Chris's article when he mentioned amusement parks amongst this statement, "We’re too tired to prepare real meals for the kids, and we’re too busy to plan enriching travel experiences, so we buy what’s easy—processed junk food and off-the-shelf, highly marketed package vacations that are overly focused on amusement."

While a place like Walt Disney World is about amusement, that amusement can very well come in the form of enrichment.  And there are lots of choices where families do not have to settle for "processed junk food."  No one can force parents to look for healthier eating choices or to search out those "amusement" experiences that both entertain and enrich, which leads me to my second exception to his thoughts.

I was shocked to see that he is blaming the travel industry for this demise of the family vacation.  I fail to see where someone can lump travel agents, tour operators and even cruise lines into this problem.  Are there some travel agents who don't know have enough travel knowledge in order for them to properly offer some culturally diverse vacations to their clients?  YES!  But generally travel agents take their cue from their clients.  In other words...we listen.  We ask "where do you want to go? What types of experiences do you want on your vacation?  How many days off can you take?  What is your budget?  What are the ages of your kids and what do they like to do?"  We ask all of those questions and we listen enough to be able to offer options that suit what the client wants...not what we want.

If a client comes to us and says..."We want to take our kids to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando," we don't reply with "have you thought about the Grand Canyon instead??  We would get that look that says, "Are you an idiot? Did you just not hear me say that we want to take our kids to Walt Disney World?"  The same look would be given if a client said, "We want to head to Cancun so we can do literally nothing and just relax on the beach" and then we reply with, "Have you thought about hiking through the mountains of Peru?"

Now again...can a client go to Cancun and experience some awesome, local Yucatan cuisine?  YES!  Can a client take their family to Cancun and experience some real cultural enrichment by visiting some of the Mayan ruins or other World Heritage sites? YES!  And most of those options are presented to clients during the planning process, but that doesn't mean they will take advantage of those options.

Travel agents, tour operators and cruise lines make all of those enrichment options available, but you can't force a vacation on a client that the client does not want.  A cruise line will take people to a variety of ports of call that will offer every passenger the chance to experience something unique to that Country, even the food.  But again, if the client simply chooses to take a "beach break" at every port, how is that the fault of the cruise line?  And if a family can only afford a 3 or 4 night cruise that only stops at ports that center around beaches and fun in the sun, who am I or who is anyone to try to force the client to take more time off or spend more money?  That leads me to my next rant about the article.

It cannot go overlooked that Chris's article failed to take budget into account.  If a client's budget is X, but the more culturally diverse vacation would cost Z or Y, a good travel agent is not going to try to up-sell their client to Z or Y.  If clients want to go to a certain place because airfare is cheaper or maybe they can drive instead and that destination also has some things they want to do on vacation, then it is not a good business practice to try to get the client to spend more money so they can consider more options that you, the travel agent, thinks is best for their overall vacation.  This is how travel agents have gotten a bad rap over the past several years.  The general public thinks it is all about the sale and not about what they really want or what they truly can afford.  It is the goal of the travel industry to provide vacation options that the families want AND can afford.  Do I wish more clients would consider a trip to some far off destination where they can all learn more about people from all over the world?  YES!  But lest we forget, we are still a Country that has gone through a major financial crisis in the not so distant past and budget-friendly travel is still a priority with most families.  These days, a family either takes the budget friendly vacation or no vacation at all.  I would rather see families go where they want and spend what THEY want vs not going at all because someone thinks their vacation is not very educational or enlightening.

And keep one more tidbit in mind before we criticize the type of vacation that the American family is taking; we should be thrilled that families are vacationing at all.  We, the good ole USA, are one of the worst industrialized Countries when it comes to the amount of vacation days that a family will typically take or be given by their employer.  So, as a travel agent, I am thrilled when I get contacted by a mom or dad that says they are ready to take some time off and take their kids to any place that is not their neighborhood pool or local Chuck E. Cheese and requires them to leave their current city limits and spend nights away from home.

So if families want to spend their vacations on the go and at a fast pace, and if they want to only eat what they know their kids WILL eat, then who are we to tell them they have to do something different?  Again...do I wish more clients took some of the more culturally diverse suggestions?  Sure.  Do I wish more clients would branch out and try some different food options that reflect more of what the actual locals eat?  Absolutely.  But families make choices that are best for their families and I can't judge a family because they choose a certain vacation over another.   I am all for vacations that offer a bit of everything and I am very much for vacations that truly offer some much needed R&R, but I cannot see how someone can point fingers at someone else and blame them for what some other family chooses to do.  There are too many factors that go into vacation planning and I simply feel Chris's article did not take those factors into consideration.

So there is my reply.  What are your thoughts about the article or even about my reply?  Agree with Chris?  Agree with me?  Disagree with both of us?

A Vacationer's Dream

Ok, you have decided to take a vacation so you sit down and create your to-do list.  Hopefully it looks something like this:

1. Discuss possible destinations--check
2. Set a budget for the trip--check
3. Pick possible dates for the trip--check
4. Call a travel agent to help plan the details--check
5. Officially book the trip with the help of the agent---check

Now the excitement begins.  You find great apps or other ways to countdown the days until you leave. Time has flown and the time is getting close enough to start packing the bags and then...BLAM, a new form of stress hits.  Who is going to watch the dog?  Who is going to pick up the mail?  Do I have all of my prescriptions?  What about the groceries in the fridge?  The to-do's start to mount up again and they can zap some of the fun away from the vacation itself.

So what if I told you that there are services out there that can even take away those stress factors and give your brain more time to focus on the really fun aspects of your trip?  Wouldn't it be a dream to have someone you could call and they would literally take care of all of those tasks that you can't ignore, but would prefer never to have to worry about?  Imagine not having to worry about anything related to your trip other then things like, "did we load the bags in the car" or "do we have all of our travel documents?"  You know...those things that are actually a part of the trip.

So enough of the lead-in teaser stuff.  Let me introduce you to one such company.  The name of her company is Julie Hullett Concierge LLC and naturally Julie Hullett is the owner.  This is a sample of what she can do for you while you pack your bags (and I even have someone who can offer advice on what to pack, but that is for another post); Julie can take your pet to the boarding kennel, pick up your dry cleaning that you need for the trip, pick up any necessary medications from the pharmacy, and anything else that you might need or need to do before you leave home.

Then picture that the trip is coming to an end and you are about to head home.  Your brain starts to get out of vacation mode and into "what do I need to do when I get home" mode.  Now picture Julie going to get your pet and having him or her there waiting for you when you walk in the door.  Imagine the heat or the AC being at the right temp, your fridge being full with those staples that you knew you would need but hated to buy right before you left home, your mail laid out and organized on your dining table and so on and so on.  Are you getting the stress-free picture?  This is why I call her and her services a "vacationer's dream."  Life would not skip a beat while you were gone.  The transition from before the vacation starts to being on vacation to returning back home from vacation would be so smooth and stress free that you would never plan a vacation the same again.  You would forever be hooked and your concierge's phone number would be a "favorite" in your contacts list.

So the next time you plan a vacation, add one more planning item to your list besides calling a wonderful, all-knowing travel consultant like myself (was that a little much?)...make sure you make an appointment with a concierge service like Julie's.  And if you are in the Nashville area...call Julie.  She is awesome to work with.

Have you ever heard of a service like this?  Have you ever used a service like this?  I would love to get your feedback.

Walt Disney World...From an Adult's Perspective

Perusing the internet lately, I have come across a couple of articles related to visiting Walt Disney World sans-kids.  Both had some interesting points of views and recommendations of things to do when you don't have any little ones in tow.  But as I was sitting there reading those articles I thought, "wait a doggone minute, my wife and I have been visiting Disney for the past several years and we don't have any children, so why am I not offering advice along these lines as well?"

So here it is...my view of Walt Disney World from the perspective of someone who has never had a child but is a huge fan of the mouse and a soaker in of the magic.

First off, who said you had to be kid in order to act like a kid??  We approach WDW with as much enthusiasm as any child and get a big case of the "can't sleeps" the night before we head down to the "House of Mouse."  Isn't that one of the beauties of going on a Disney vacation?  Don't we all get to once again go back to the memories of our childhood and relive some of that knowing we are in a judge-free environment?  I mean for Pete's sake, where else can you go and see grown adults wearing some of the goofiest hats you have ever seen, no pun intended, and having a ball doing it?  So my point is, don't think you have to go to WDW and act your age even if you don't have kids and even if you are an adult by the law of the land standards.  And this also means that you should be able to ride Dumbo, Peter Pan's Flight and all of the other "children's rides" without feeling the need to hire a kid so you have an excuse to ride them.  Disney is ageless so act like it and be a kid again.

Secondly, if you happen to not have any young ones, enjoy the fact that you are free from any worries about nap times, eating schedules or ride height limitations.  That alone allows you to enjoy WDW on a much more relaxed pace.  My advice...get up early and get to all of the parks as soon as they drop the rope.  You will notice that the parks start filling up more the later that it gets in the morning.  You can rest assured that many who are arriving an hour or so after the park opened are the ones with kids.  They had to get their kids awake, get them dressed, get them fed and then get them corralled onto a bus or into a car.  Meanwhile you and your significant other awoke, got ready, grabbed a quick bite and were at the park 15 mins before the opening gong and already had 4 attractions chalked up before the family with kids got into their first queue line.   So enjoy your early morning conquest and go have a cinnamon roll to celebrate!

Thirdly, take some time to stop and smell the adult roses.  Kids see things through kid's eyes, naturally. What a child may miss is the amazingness of the Disney engineering, the artfulness of the cast member's performances and the awesomeness of the sheer size of all that makes up Walt Disney World. The daily performances of getting people in the parks, on rides, ushered into shows, fed, cleaned in rest rooms etc is an incredible and mind-boggling feat in and of itself.  Take time to notice that and appreciate that. Notice the lack of trash blowing around.  Notice that the food, even the quick service food is actually pretty good considering it is being made at a feverish pace behind the scenes in mass quantities.  Pay attention to the detail that goes into almost every attraction's queue line.  Stop and admire the beauty of the landscaping.  Pause and marvel at the engineering that went into that attraction that either almost made you piddle your pants or shed a tear from the memory it brought back.  Take a moment to really enjoy the hundreds of music scores that you can hear during your visit, either at the parks or even back at your resort.  Watch the fireworks shows for crying out loud and comprehend that they do those on that scale EVERY DAY!  That alone is incredible.  Just stop and really appreciate what too often goes overlooked by the critics and by those adults who think WDW is just a place for kids.

So let me just sum up by saying that, if some adults go to WDW and come back and say it was too boring or too "childish," mark them and avoid them because they have lost their ability to stop and enjoy some of the more simpler things of life and those are not usually the happiest people to be around.    Disney is meant to be a place to go to where you can suspend reality for just a few moments and let us all focus on things that can make us smile.   Doesn't the world need more of that these days?  Doesn't the world need some more Walt Disney's to help us remember that dreams are what keep us going?

So there you have it...Disney through the eyes of a 45 year old kid who will ride Dumbo with his wife and watch her get as giddy as a 5 year old while doing so.

Dueling Theme Parks

You gotta love competition when it comes to theme parks, especially when we are talking about the big two; Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World.  Both companies are being pushed by each other to be better than the other.  As soon as one announces a new addition, whether it be a single attraction or an entirely new area of their park(s), the other one usually follows suit with their own announcement.

For example...Universal announced a few years ago that they were adding what has now become the savior of their Orlando park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Not long after that, Disney comes out with their own announcement regarding the expansion/renovation of the new Fantasyland area in the Magic Kingdom.  

The "Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" attraction has taken the thrill ride experience to a completely new and immersive level.  As I have explained it to people, "it is Soarin on steroids." And not to be outdone, the newest and yet-to-be-opened "Seven Dwarfs Mine Train" in the new Fantasyland is already boasting to have the "first-of-its-kind ride system."

These newest additions to Fantasyland including that new state-of-the-art attraction are slated to be opened sometime in 2014.  Well again not to be outdone and upstaged, Universal counters with the opening of the new Transformers: The Ride 3D and then double-counters with their announcement a few days ago of their newest expansion project; the addition of Diagon Alley which will be an automatic success with anyone who has followed the Harry Potter movies and books.  Universal also promises to deliver some new state-of-the-art ride experiences taking the thrill ride to another new level and is expected to be opened around the same time as Disney's newest ride next year.

For us as fans and park visitors...this is AWESOME!  I say...bring it on Universal and Disney.  My hope is that Disney soon announces a new expansion to the Animal Kingdom or to Hollywood Studios because as soon as they do, they will also be promising yet another new and exciting "state-of-the-art" immersive ride experience.  And, as soon as they do, you know what will be coming.  That's right...a counterpunch from our friends at Universal which makes the future look pretty bright for the fans of both Universal and Disney in my opinion.

So with all of this said...which new 2014 addition are you most excited about?  Disney's new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train?  Or Universal's new Diagon Alley area?

Travel Quiz Contest

Interested in winning a $25 Target Gift Card?  Here is a way you can do just that.  Enter the correct answer in the comment section and everyone who answers correctly will be entered into a drawing. The person chosen at random from that drawing will win a $25 Target Gift Card.

You can enter here or visit my Facebook Page (Operation Destination) and comment under the post with the same question which is this:

True or False?  A US citizen can enter the Caribbean island of St Thomas by air without a passport.

Contest closes at 6pm central time today. Good luck!

The Waiting Game

Not sure what it is.  Is it a cultural thing? Is it a generational thing?  Or is it simply a human thing?  I am referring to this idea that waiting will somehow give you a better advantage when it comes to the cost of booking a trip.

I am curious because it seems to cross over into other areas of life.  Back in the day when I was a Realtor, I had clients who would decide to wait on making an offer on the home they wanted or decide to wait to list their home to see if the market would improve.  In most of those cases, the waiting cost them money.  I am talking about 5+ years ago.  A couple would think that waiting might cause the owner to reduce their price before they made an offer, but then get upset when that same house sold right out from under them.

I am not intending to make this a post about real estate, but I want you to see that maybe it is more than just an industry-specific notion that waiting will somehow work out to your benefit.  Because here I am now working as a professional travel consultant and I see the same exact mentality.  "Let's wait and see if airfare will go down" or "let's wait and see if that cruise offers some steep last minute discounts."  That might have been the case several years ago, but the landscape has changed.

Today...we are experiencing a huge uptick in travel across the board.  In fact, this article, "Consumer Travel Attitudes Hit a High Note," shows that more people are traveling now due to several positive factors.  That means demand is up.  Airplane seats are being filled.  Hotel rooms are being booked.  Cruise lines are selling staterooms further in advance of the actual cruise date.  I already have clients booking vacations into December of this year and hotel rooms have already become scarce at the more popular destinations.

I say all of that to say...if you wait, you might not only pay a higher cost for your trip, but you may also lose out on the place that you wanted to stay.  I have had situations where someone wanted to ponder a little longer and that pondering cost them a few hundred dollars because the cheaper airfare had already sold out.

This is going to take a mentality shift for a lot of you, but here is my advice.  Decide where you want to go.  Determine the dates as quick as you can.  Sit down with yourself, your spouse or your significant other and determine a budget that you can afford for the trip.  Then contact a professional travel planner and give him or her that info and let them do their job.  And when they come back with options, don't think that you have lots of time to ponder and check prices etc.  That price you were quoted may not be there tomorrow.  So listen to your trusted professional.  He or she knows whether the place you are going and the time that you want to go will be something that you can wait on or not.  If it is Hawaii in December...I wouldn't cue the Jeopardy music and think you have plenty of time to decide.

So I am not sure I have an answer to my original question; is this idea of waiting unique to us Americans or is it a world wide trait?  Have you waited to book only to find out that you missed your chance at getting the lowest price?  Maybe you disagree with me.  You comments are always welcome.

The Cruise Industry...Is It Safe?

An editorial-style response from me regarding the cruise industry.  The Carnival Triumph accident was just that...an accident.  I felt the need to give you my opinion related to that accident and also due to the amount of questions I have received related to that unfortunate event.