Holiday Travel Tips from a Travel Expert

Another round of holiday travel tips? You betcha.

It’s that time of the year again (if you can believe it) where we start thinking about holiday travel. Whether it’s Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving or Walt Disney World to experience the holiday magic, here are some tips and tricks to make your holiday travel run smoothly.   

Write a Packing List  

I know this one seems self-explanatory, but as someone who is a notorious last-minute packer, the only reason it gets done is a packing list. If I don’t have one, I’ll wind up with 15 pairs of underwear and no pants in my suitcase. Personally, I write separate lists for toiletries, medications, and clothing. If it’s all on one list, I get too overwhelmed. Many of our agents send out complimentary packing lists to their clients, so half the work is done for you.  

Plan your park days.  

As a generally go with the flow kind of visitor to Walt Disney World, Disneyland or Universal Parks, the only time I go with any sort of itinerary is during the holidays. Usually, I let the park speak to me and tell me where I need to be; this time of year, I’m stalking limited time offerings to make sure I’m seeing it all. Your agent will work with you to make sure you’re aware of all the holidays events, treats, and special sightings that you must experience during your trips to the parks.  

Expect Crowds 

 We’ve all heard that there’s not really an “off season” for the theme parks anymore. With more remote work, staggered school breaks, and just general flexibility in our lives, we can pick up and travel more frequently. However, the holidays is the one time of year almost the entire working world has time to travel at the same time. We know to expect bigger crowds at the theme parks, to expect cruises to be at max capacity, but sometimes we forget to account for crowds at restaurants, the airport, and on the roads. If you’re traveling to Europe, the holiday markets will be packed, the attractions will have longer wait times, and their usually robust transportation systems may require more patience.   

Be a Smart Traveler   

Sometimes in the rush of the holidays some of the commonsense things we do other times of the year go flying out of our heads. So, remember documents and valuables in your personal item. Join TSA pre-check or Clear if you can. Pack light; try to stick to a carry on, if possible, to avoid lost baggage and long claim lines. If you're driving, make sure your vehicle is up to date on needed service. Throw blankets and flashlights in your car in case of emergency. A battery charger in case your battery dies is helpful to have.  

No matter where you’re going, what the intended activity is. The biggest thing to remember is to pack your patience and a smile. We’re all trying to enjoy the holidays, the kinder we are to each other during stressful moments the better our days will be.