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What you can do to make vacations less stressful

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I, like so many of you, am a parent. We live in a day and age where everything that we do as parents is posted on social media almost the instant we do it. We get inspiration for things to do with our children from Pinterest, order them matching shirts on Etsy and spend hours micro planning every detail of our day because we Pinterest somehow feel if we don’t we will be judged for not doing so, or worse, we will let our children down. What does all of this bring us-  nothing but stress! This stress is intensified when we try to plan the perfect vacation for our children. I will let you all in on a little secret though. It is possible to plan your dream vacation without it being a stress filled, panic attack, melt down experience. Here are some ways it can be done. 

 

Extend Your Time

While not always an option, taking longer vacations can eliminate a lot of the stress associated with your trip. In general people take two types of vacations. The first is where they plan to do as little as possible. The second and more common one is where they plan to do as much as possible. Whether it be on a cruise, in an all inclusive resort or at a theme park the temptation to see and do everything is great. When you plan a shorter vacation and then add in this temptation it is easy to become stressed. The goal of trying to fit everything in and not leave anything out in a small time frame can absolutely ruin a vacation. Adding in even j

ust one day of rest in the middle of your vacation can elevate that problem. Adding a few extra days makes the problem non-existent from the very beginning.

 

Go with the Flow

If you are a planner this is easier said than done. However the reality is that just because you are on vacation

Serenity Bay

the every day life events that pop up in your regular life that cause you to change your plans, don’t disappear when you are on vacation. Maybe its a change in the weather, or your spouse forgets the room key, or kid number one is screaming because they wanted the blue one and kid number two has the blue one. Whatever it is that causes a sudden change in your plans, go with it. A willingness to change your plans on the spot to accommodate whatever has happened is a great way to save your vacation.The more flexible you are the less stressed and upset you will become if there is a change of plans during your trip. This will allow you to enjoy the moment instead of focusing on the what could have been. Not one single ride, parade, meal, or attraction has to ruin your vacation. Your vacation memories are made by a collection of moments; not a single event. 

 

Lower your Expectations

I can hear the gasp that just escaped your mouth, but hear me out. I know you have spent thousands of dollars on this vacation, you have planned every detail, bought new clothes and shoes, and are ready to 

have the perfect vacation. However the reality is that nothing, absolutely nothing in this world is perfect. If you begin your trip with the idea that everything must be perfect or you will in someway failed (either as a parent, spouse, planner,etc.) then you will stress over every minute of your trip trying to ensure that it is in fact perfect so that you in turn do not fail. However, if you take the view point that there will be things that might go wrong (lost luggage, cranky child, bad weather) and that these things do not reflect on you or your desire to give your family a memorable vacation you will be able to roll with these moments and truly enjoy your time with your loved ones. Even terrible vacations can turn into cherished family memories that you can laugh together over for years to come. Having the mindset that there is no such thing as a perfect vacation will help you to have a much less stressful and way more enjoyable vacation. And as I said above, not one single ride, parade, meal, or attraction has to ruin your vacation. Your vacation memories are made by a collection of moments; not a single event.

 

Book with a Travel Advisor

We are here to help make your vacation as stress free as possible. There are so many benefits to booking your vacation with a DWB Vacations travel advisor, but perhaps the largest one is that you are able to receive our expert planning, advice, and problem solving.

Plan with DWB VacationsWe plan as much or as little as you would like so we are perfect for both the clients who want to plan every detail themselves, and the one who just wants to show up to a wonderfully planned vacation.

are on call 24/7 for you while you are traveling. So if you do have an emergency or have something go terribly wrong, we are able to step in and fix the problem, while you continue your vacation. Having a travel advisor is like having your own personal fairy godmother watching over you, making sure you are protected from things that can ruin your vacation.

 

Vacations are suppose to be a time to enjoy and relax with your loved ones. While they can be stressful at times it is important to remove that stress so that you are able to unwind and recharge. Following these few simple suggestions can help to erase some major stresses learning to a much more enjoyable vacation. Of course booking your vacation with a DWB Vacations advisor can help ensure that not only is the vacation less stressful, but the planning is too. 

A breath of fresh air with Royal Caribbean Group’s new HVAC system

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Guests can breathe easy knowing the existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems on Royal Caribbean Group ships continuously supply fresh, filtered air indoors. Validated in an independent assessment conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the National Strategic Research Institute, the findings were based on the scientists’ study of the HVAC on board a Royal Caribbean ship. Watch how they found that the robust system’s layers of protection make the transmission of aerosol particles (like those from a cough) between spaces extremely low to virtually impossible. In line with the Group’s mantra of “continuous improvement,” the cruise company is also adding extra measures for its HVAC systems to make for even safer and healthier cruises.

 

 

To find out more about the cruise lines are planning to keep everyone safe and healthy, contact your DWB Vacations advisor.

Odyssey of the Seas makes it way to the North Sea

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This is amazing to see! Watch the second Quantum Ultra class ship, Odyssey of the Seas, make her way – backward – down the Ems River and to the North Sea on her conveyance. The 20-mile (32-kilometer), 10-plus-hour journey brings the highly anticipated ship one step closer to her debut in Haifa, Israel in May 2021. Odyssey is set to sail a mix of 3- to 7-night cruises to Greece and Cyprus for the summer before continuing her inaugural year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to cruise the eastern, western and southern Caribbean in November 2021.

 

How has air travel changed?

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Covid-19 has caused many parts of our lives to change but that doesn’t mean life has stopped. People are traveling again, and our travel partners are adjusting to meet the needs of the traveling public.

Check out this brief video about how one airport, Orlando International (MCO), is doing their part in keeping things clean!

If you would like to know about what specific airlines are doing to encourage safe travel, check out each airline’s website.

Southwest

Delta

American Airlines

Jet Blue

Help us, Help you!

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I hear from people all the time, “I am waiting to book my Disney vacation until the promotion comes out” or “I’m waiting for free dining”. Waiting for the best deal is not always the best way to save money on your Disney vacation. In some cases it can actually cause you to end up spending more than you will save. In recent years, it is best to book your Disney trip as early as you can to be sure to get the best prices and availability possible. Let’s debunk the myth that waiting for a deal is the best way to save on a Disney vacation (or really any vacation).

There are no guarantees
With Disney and the products that they offer there are no guarantees. Until your trip is booked your prices are not guaranteed. You could be checking the web everyday waiting for that perfect deal to be released, and one day with no warning the prices can increase or additional costs and fees could be added such as the recently added parking fees. There are also no guarantees that a promotion will be offered for when you want to travel. The promotions that are offered often have many different conditions which can cause you to spend more money than you are actually saving. There is no guarantee your package meets the requirements for a promotion that comes out. As travel advisers, we see it all the time. A promotion is released but in order to qualify for it clients must be traveling for a certain number of nights, stay at certain resorts in select room types or have a certain type of park ticket. This can end up costing our clients more than they actually save.

Christmas lights
Christmas lights on Cinderella’s Castle

Prices can increase
Disney does price increases at different times throughout the year. This is why it is important to book your vacation as early as possible. When you book your vacation and place your $200 deposit you lock in your price. The only way the price will change is if you make some type of change to the reservation. When you book your Disney vacation with DWB Vacations your travel adviser will monitor Disney for any possible promotions that are released that will save you some money. This is part of our concierge service. Sometimes promotions are released that are not helpful to our clients. They may result in higher prices for our clients. We are diligent at analyzing the promotions that are released and ensure that our clients get the most value for their money. We are here to help you. As soon as you make your reservation with a DWB Vacations adviser we give you our full attention to ensure that you get the best value in your vacation. If we can save you some money doing so, it makes us even happier.

Availability can disappear
As promotions are released with their restrictions certain room types at certain resorts can disappear very quickly. This can make it difficult for you to reserve your dream room or resort for your vacation. By making your reservation earlier in the year you can ensure that you have the exact room and resort that makes your heart happy. Your travel adviser can always make changes to your reservation without penalty up until thirty days before your trip. Reserving your room early with just a $200 dollar deposit helps you get as much on your wish list as possible. This is also true for dining reservations and fast passes. When waiting for a promotion to be released your 180 day window for dining reservations or 60 day window for fast passes might have already begun. By making your reservation early your DWB Vacations travel adviser diligently monitors those dates as well to ensure that you are able to make those reservations when your window of time opens so you have the best chance at availability. Dining and fastpass reservations are easily cancelled or can often be modified once they are created, however waiting for a promotion can cause you to miss the harder to book reservations.

Your Travel Adviser is on the Case
When you book a Disney Vacation package your adviser is on your side and on the case. We have a whole team working together to look for discounts for our clients. When a promotion is released the whole team works diligently to check those promotions for every single package booked by a DWB Vacations travel adviser. We work diligently, usually hours before you are even aware that a promotion is released to try and save our clients as much as possible. When you book a vacation early it allows your agent to share your trip details with the team so that you then have a team of advisers working together in your best interest.

We understand the costs that are associated with a trip to Walt Disney World, and we completely understand why you want to wait for a promotion to be released. We want you to have the most enjoyable vacation possible without breaking the bank. The best way for us to do this is for you to book your vacation as soon as possible. Then trust in us, your team at DWB Vacations, to get you the best price from any promotions offered. We are here for you. Please help us, help you.

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