Tips To Help Families Plan A Truly "magical" Vacation

Author: Stacey Moore

Source: articledashboard.com



Planning a family vacation may take some time, but it can be a fun experience for everyone involved. With a little expert advice and an early start, you and your family can plan a memorable vacation. And there's no better place to start than with some practical tips from MSNBC.com travel expert John Frenaye, on behalf of the Disney Rewardsฎ Visaฎ Card from Chase.

"As a father of three, I know how crazy planning a family vacation can be," said Frenaye. "Whether you have one child or five, there are proven ways to cut back on the stress of planning a great vacation, maximize your budget and ensure that your family time together is unforgettable."

Here are some of Frenaye's tips for planning a family vacation that pleases everybody:

• Involve the kids-Your ideal vacation may not be exactly what your children have in mind. It's a good idea to get their input at the very start of the planning process so they have a stake in making things go right.

• Take the time to research and think things through-The better the grasp you have on where you are going and what you want to do there, the more enjoyable the experience will be. The Web is a great place to get up-to-date information, as are travel guidebooks.

• Don't forget to build in some downtime-Flexibility is the key when traveling with kids. Everyone will have a better time if they have a chance to do their own thing, whether it is reading a book or hitting the beach.

• Watch your budget-It's easy to overspend while on vacation. But by keeping an eye out for incentives, discounts and other special deals, you can often have a great time for less.

• Book smarter-Traveling in the off-season or the almost off-season can go a long way towards reining in those costs. Plus, there are sure to be fewer crowds.

• Loyalty can pay-If a Disney trip is in the works for you and your family, a flexible rewards card such as Disney Rewards Visa Card from Chase can provide all kinds of benefits. The card offers interest-free financing towards trips to Walt Disney Worldฎ Resort and other great Disney destinations, as well as special benefits good inside and outside the parks.

• Crowd control-If you end up going at a busy time, there are some basic ways to avoid the worst of the crowds. A key one: When visiting a national park or museum, take the less-traveled route. Go left when you enter-most people will go right. And go deep-most visitors stop at the first thing they see.

"The family vacation is an incredible opportunity for parents and children to have fun and enjoy each other's company," said Jenny Cohen, vice president of consumer relationship marketing for The Walt Disney Company. "Disney Rewards Visa offers flexible rewards with no blackout dates and special cardmember benefits-like private character meet-and-greet events at both Walt Disney Worldฎ and Disneylandฎ-to make it even easier for families to create lasting vacation memories."