2013 Summer Travel Trends

Every summer seems to bring something new and exciting to do and see when it comes to travel.  So, what destinations are the hottest sellers this season?

• Music festivals – there are thousands of them to choose from around the country and in all genres.  Think about your favorite type of music – chances are there are many options for festivals to choose from!
• Disney dinners – to call this a popular destination for families is an understatement.  To get a reservation of dinner with the famous characters, you’ll need at least a 6-month lead time! 
• Wilderness delight – the Cumberland Island off of Georgia’s coast boasts no paved roads, wild horses and pristine natural settings.  Don’t miss out!
• Island hopping – on the Grecian isles, you’ll find sun, sand and more!  Study volcanoes, soak up the sun, enjoy white beaches and that’s just the beginning! 

So if you know where you want to go for a later summer vacation, we urge you to book it sooner rather than later!  Or, perhaps start planning your ideas for next summer’s travel.  If you've already booked a trip – where are you of to this season? 

Disney World – Best Destination For Kids

Today we feature the guest post of Allison Sandberg.  Allison is a mother of three and loves to travel with her family. She is also a travel planner specializing in Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. You can get lots of great travel advice on her website Magical Memory Planners.*

Magical Memory Planners - Allison's company.

It's not surprising that the Walt Disney World resort in Florida is one of the best destination for families. I am a mom of 3, frequent Disney traveler, and travel agent (specializing in Disney) with lots of advice for your next family trip to Disney. The best time to start planning your Disney vacation at least 6 months in advance so that you can have plenty of time to make your dining reservations 180 days in advance. Here are some tips to help you plan your next Disney vacation by deciding when to go, where to stay, deciding on your package, and other money saving tips. 

First, you must decide when you want to go. If your schedule is flexible you will find the best rates and fewest crowds during value season. For 2012, that is from January 2 - February 15 and August 5 -September 27. In addition, the fall usually offers some great deals and exciting special events such as Mickey's Not So Scarry Halloween Party. The highest prices and largest crowds are typically the weeks around Easter (the first two weeks of April in 2012).

The best price is also an important factor. A great travel agent can help you with this. I monitor all of my clients reservations and will let them know if a better price comes up. Disney is great because if a Disney promotion comes out after you book your reservation, they will allow you to modify your reservation without an additional fee. Just remember that promotions cannot be combined so you will want to use the one that saves you the most money. If you are going deluxe then a room discount may be your best deal. If you choose value or moderate then a free dining promotion may save you more. Check out more money saving tips for Disney on my website.

Once you decide when you are going the next decision is where to stay. If you have a family of 4 or less then you can stay anywhere. You just need to decide what your budget is. From value resorts to deluxe there are styles to fit every family. If you have a family of 5 or more then you can get two rooms or consider a resort that sleeps 5 or more. You may also want a villa that offers a kitchen. Don't worry about grocery shopping since you can have grocery delivery to Disney. Even if you don't have a kitchen you can save space in your luggage and save on baggage fees by having your  diapers, formula, baby food and other baby products delivered to any Disney resort with Garden Grocer.

The last step is to figure out your Magic Your Way Plan. You can decide on the type of Disney park tickets you want and if you want to add a dining plan. Dining plans can save you quite a bit on food but only if you pick the dining plan thats right for you. 

Have fun on your next Disney vacation and I recommend using a Disney Specialist Travel Planner, like myself, to help you make sure you have the best price and options for your family. When you request a free quote, I can help plan your next Disney vacation full of magical memories. Visit my website MagicalMemoryPlanners.com for more information about Disney and advice on traveling with children. 


Want to visit Disney?  Fly nonstop to Orlando from MDT on AirTran every day!  


*Publication of this blog is NOT an endorsement of Magical Memory Makers by Harrisburg International Airport (MDT). 

How to Rebook Your Flight

In the summer months when severe weather (thunder storms, hail, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc) is rampant, the likelihood that your flight is delayed and/or canceled, unfortunately increases.  So in our pursuit to keep you "in the know," we went in search of some of the best flight rebooking tips we could find.  Our search landed us on this insightful "how to" article from Frommer's and from it we extrapolated the following section on how to expediently rebook your canceled flight. 

Airlines will always recommend calling their toll-free reservations number, even if wait times can be excruciatingly long and their systems risk shutting down under high call volumes. If this is the case, the best way to go is the airline's website, according to Kate Hanni, executive director of the consumer protection organization FlyersRights.org.  "You can see if you've been automatically rebooked (now a standard practice), reschedule a flight, or cancel your reservation altogether," Hanni says.

If you want face-to-face customer service, the gate or ticket agent is the traditional option. "It's a good idea to become your own information pub, says Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com.  "Sometimes the airline personnel don't know any more than you do. Get on your smartphones, laptops, or iPads, and look at airport status updates, weather reports, and flight schedules. If you help them help you, then you can get through the line faster."

A good resource for those without Internet at their fingertips is the FlyersRights.org hotline (tel. 877/359-3776). Phone operators offer travel advice in all forms: they'll look up flight availability, interpret contracts of carriage, and locate ground transportation.

Other wait-reducing tips: "Make a beeline for airport club lounges -- they have dedicated ticket agents, usually two of them," suggests travel guru and million-mile flier John DiScala of JohnnyJet.com.  Elite-status fliers can call the priority number on the back of their membership card.

Travel agents -- many with 24-hour concierge lines -- can also ease the hassle of rebooking, though not without a fee. "Agents have all the same flight information as the carriers but no line of frustrated passengers," says Jacque Salentine Busby, president of the Milwaukee-based Luxe Travel Deals. "Plus we can more readily rebook you on another carrier if necessary."

Which airlines have you had the best success in rebooking flights quickly?  What tips can you offer for rebooking that aren't addressed in this post?

Smart Summer Travel Tips

This time of year is known for abundant sunshine, high temperatures and depending on where you are, very dry or very humid days. We've put together recommendations for your consideration for when you're throwing things into your suitcase, when you're on the plane, or at your sunny final destination!

Pack light: If you're heading to a sunny destination, be sure to pack clothing that is light colored and light weight. Darker colors attract more of the suns rays and heavier materials will keep your body heat trapped in longer. So avoid the these types of clothing if you can!

Defend your skin: Don't hesitate to bring your sun screen and remember to apply, apply, and reapply. Even if a sunscreen self-advertises as waterproof, it will eventually wear off after multiple dips in the ocean or pool, and you can sweat it off too! It's better to safe than sorry, so keep your dermis safe and sunburn-free.

Protect your eyes: Sunglasses or a hat with a brim are both great ways to keep the sun out of your eyes. The added benefit of a brimmed hat? An additional way, in combination with sunscreen, to keep the sun off your face!

Drink up: Keep yourself hydrated! Water is a good option, but if you're sweating profusely you may wish to consider options that are rich in electrolytes to replenish the sodium and potassium your body's lost. Sport drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade, are a good option for electrolyte replenishment.

Respect your limits: Yes, you want to see everything that you possibly can when traveling, but your body will tire out quicker in the heat. If you're feeling sluggish, flushed, or warmer than usual, take a break, find some shade or a cool indoor environment, and hydrate!

Keep kiddies cool: All of the aforementioned tips apply to the littlest of travelers also!

Mind Fido too: Don't forget that heat is hard on animals. If you're traveling with a pet, keep it hydrated and don't work/play/run it too hard. Dark-coated animals mind the heat more as their fur will absorb more of the suns rays.

Do you have tips to add that we've missed? Do you have recommendations for those traveling with small children and/or pets that you've found to make the trip more tolerable?

Beat the Heat: Summer Travel Tips

This time of year is known for abundant sunshine, high temperatures and depending on where you are, very dry or very humid days. We've put together recommendations for your consideration for when you're throwing things into your suitcase, when you're on the plane, or at your sunny final destination!

• Pack light: If you're heading to a sunny destination, be sure to pack clothing that is light colored and light weight. Darker colors attract more of the suns rays and heavier materials will keep your body heat trapped in longer. So avoid the these types of clothing if you can!
  
  
• Defend your skin: Don't hesitate to bring your sun screen and remember to apply, apply, and reapply. Even if a sunscreen self-advertises as waterproof, it will eventually wear off after multiple dips in the ocean or pool, and you can sweat it off too! It's better to safe than sorry, so keep your dermis safe and sunburn-free.
  
  
• Protect your eyes: Sunglasses or a hat with a brim are both great ways to keep the sun out of your eyes. The added benefit of a brimmed hat? An additional way, in combination with sunscreen, to keep the sun off your face!
  
  
• Drink up: Keep yourself hydrated! Water is a good option, but if you're sweating profusely you may wish to consider drink options that are rich in electrolytes to replenish the sodium and potassium your body's lost. Sport drinks, like Gatorade or Powerade, are a good option for electrolyte replenishment.
  
  
• Respect your limits: Yes, you want to see everything that you possibly can when traveling, but your body will tire out quicker in the heat. If you're feeling sluggish, flushed, or warmer than usual, take a break, find some shade or a cool indoor environment, and hydrate!
  
  
• Keep kiddies cool: All of the aforementioned tips apply to the littlest of travelers also!
  
  
• Mind Fido too: Don't forget that heat is hard on animals. If you're traveling with a pet, keep it hydrated and don't work/play/run it too hard. Dark-coated animals mind the heat more as their fur will absorb more of the suns rays.

Do you have tips to add that we've missed? Do you have recommendations for those traveling with small children and/or pets that you've found to make the trip more tolerable?

Summer Traveling!

We're in the midst of the busy travel season, the time right before Labor Day unofficially closes out summer and the kids head back to school.

Looking for some last minute ideas on where to travel to? The 6 airlines serving HIA have daily nonstops to: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago - O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Minneapolis, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington - Dulles. Not seeing the ideal vacation destination in that list, why not connect? There are 100s of connections available over any of those 13 cities on the airlines serving HIA.

Everyone knows that HIA is convenient. But thanks to offerings like AirTran Airways’ daily low fares and nonstop flights to Orlando and Atlanta, fares to most destinations are as affordable as ever. In fact, the average airfare across most destinations from MDT in 2009 is down by nearly 15%!