Accessibility Summit 2016

Two weekends ago, Trippin' with Jamie was at the annual Accessibility Summit held at Mclean Bible Church. It is a great event held to connect families with special needs to vendors, service providers, and other families as well as offering seminars and workshops taught by professionals in the field on various topics all focusing on dealing with special needs.

This is one of our favorite events to attend because it brings together a wide variety of parents, service providers, educators, and specialists all focused on helping families with special needs navigate through life. It is also an incredible reminder of why we do what we do.

I (Jamie) began Trippin' with Jamie in April 2014 after many years of planning our own family vacations and the increasing special needs that came as my daughter dealt with various medical issues and eventually was diagnosed with a rare disease. What used to be planning a simple ski vacation or all-inclusive resort now had a bit more complexity. How do we bring her feeding tube formula? Will the cruise ship have enough outlets to charge her various medical devices? Are we close enough to the slopes to go back mid-day to rest for a while? Are the layovers long enough to allow her to take her service dog out to go to the bathroom and make it back through security before the next flight?

Traveling has become much more complicated. But that doesn't mean it had to become less enjoyable. Things take more time to plan now, but we have continued to travel and continue to build family memories on all sorts of different trips. We've gone white water rafting in West Virginia, gone on a cruise to Alaska, she has stayed at bed and breakfasts, and is looking forward to both Disney and San Francisco later this year.

Yes, traveling with special needs is more challenging and it's not easy. But life with special needs is challenging and not easy. Trippin' with Jamie can't make your trip easy or take away those special needs, but we can make it easier. We offer our expertise in the travel industry and understanding from our personal experiences to offer suggestions and tips to help you make your trip as easy as possible. Some of my family's best memories have come from trips we have taken. We are in this business because we want families to know that having special needs doesn't mean that these memories are not an option for you. Traveling may still be a challenge, but we are here to help you navigate through the craziness of travel planning to make it easier for you. Special needs don't mean you can't have vacation memories, it just means that your memories will be that much more special.

Avoiding Common Disney "Mistakes"

Disney is a popular destination for all sorts of travelers. There is a little bit of everything and even the most differing opinions can usually agree that Disney seems to be able to provide something for everyone. Booking a trip to Disney is an exciting time for the whole family. But as soon as the rooms are booked, the questions start coming...Which parks to go to? Do we need a meal plan? Should we plan out each day or just be spontaneous? Is park hopping a good idea? It can feel overwhelming. While a lot of questions can only be answered by your family, here are some mistakes that hopefully you can avoid on your way to having that magical vacation experience.

1) Not Arriving When the Park Opens

I know, who wants to get up early on vacation? Well, if you're anything like the Trippin' with Jamie family, sleeping just doesn't happen after about 7:30 am even on vacation! But, for everyone who has slightly more "normal" sleep patterns while on vacation, here is some motivation to maybe consider getting up early.

Disney has what is called the Rope Drop each morning right when the part opens. There is a small ceremony and after the park is open for everyone who is waiting. This is a great time to see some attractions with fewer people around, meet some characters without having to wait in super long lines, and be able to enjoy the parks in a quieter atmosphere.

2) Not Going to ______________ First

Take a look at your must-see attractions. Not everyone has the same priorities for seeing the parks, and that is okay, but make sure you know what is important to the people in your group. If you have the chance to spend multiple days in the parks, try to schedule one must-see each day. When you arrive at the park (when it opens, of course =P), go straight to that attraction. If you do arrive early enough, there may be little to no wait. Even if there is a wait, by prioritizing this must-see activity, you guarantee that you will get to enjoy it. If you wait around hoping for shorter lines, that may not happen and you have to decide whether to wait in a long line at the end of the day when everyone is already tired and cranky or skipping this must-see attraction and missing out on something important.

3) Not Arriving Early for Parades

If you are interested in any of the parades offered twice a day at Magic Kingdom, be prepared to plan ahead! Parades are very popular, and if you don't know what to expect, you may find yourself stuck behind rows of people and your kids unable to see any of the characters. Plan to arrive at least an hour before the start of the parade to find a prime spot to watch from. If you have a FastPass or have a member with special needs in your party, you will not need to arrive quite as early.

4) Not Utilizing the FastPass

Whether you choose to purchase FastPasses or are traveling with a disability and have the option of using them, make sure to plan ahead so you can best utilize the benefits of these passes. While you won't be able to walk right onto the rides, you will get a return time so you can enjoy other parts of the park instead of waiting on line. Decide ahead of time which rides you want to use the FastPasses on first, and also make a plan for how to spend the waiting time. If you like to stay busy, plan to ride some of the smaller, less popular attractions while waiting for your FastPass time as those are likely to have little to no wait. If you need some down-time throughout your day, you can use some of these wait times to find some air conditioning or do some light shopping in a quieter location.

5) Skipping Wishes Nighttime Spectacular

Even if you're not a night person and like to get to bed early (like those of us at Trippin' with Jamie), plan at least one night to stay to see the incredible firework display and character show of the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular. No visit to Disney is complete without viewing this iconic evening production. As mentioned above, make sure to arrive early to get a prime viewing spot.

6) Not Staying in a Disney Resort

When you go to Disney, there are certain things you can do to maximize the value of your stay. While it may seem more expensive to stay in a Disney resort, it ends up giving you more value for your money. Plus, with the wide variety of resorts, there is something for every budget and personality. By staying in a Disney resort, you have much easier access to the parks and will save considerable time getting to and from the parks each day. For anyone traveling with special needs, Trippin' with Jamie HIGHLY recommends staying in a Disney resort. Few places rival Disney in providing accommodations for special needs, plus it will make each day easier as you are close to the parks and right on the bus line. Each property has its own personality and provides additional perks only available for guests staying on the property. Plus you know that the service will be held to the highest Disney standards.

7) Park Hopping

We understand that when you go to Disney, you want to be sure to get the most for the cost of the tickets. However, you actually lose a lot of park time by trying to see multiple parks in one day. When you try to park hop, you spend a lot of time exiting the first park, waiting for the buses, traveling between parks, then entering the next park and getting to the attractions. Instead, choose one park for each day you are at Disney. If you only have a few days, determine what the must-see attractions are and plan to go to those parks. Yes, you  might not get to all the parks, but you will be able to maximize the time you have in each park you do go to. Plus then you have an excuse to plan another trip to Disney!

We hope that these tips will help you as you plan your trip to Disney. Give Trippin' with Jamie a call and let us help you plan your trip and help you figure out the best way to maximize the value of your trip. Whether you're a Disney fanatic or this is your first trip, we would like to help you design a trip that will create memories to last a lifetime.

New Year's Travel Resolutions

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2016!!

Here are some of the top trends in travel that we are seeing for 2016:

• Travel for Impact: There are more options than ever where you can do more than just relax on your vacation, you can make a difference. Families with children 8 and older can combine cruising to the Dominican Republic or Cuba and work alongside like-minded travels to make a difference while becoming immersed in other cultures.  
• Travel the Road Less Traveled: We are seeing more interest in Iceland, Patagonia, Thailand and Cambodia. Whether it is a land trip to see the Northern Lights or a river cruise with 30 other people on the Irawaddy, unique experiences are surprisingly affordable.
• Travel to mark milestones: More and more people are taking multi-family and multi-generational trips to mark significant milestones. Recognizing that family memories trump things, people are choosing cruises, all-inclusives, and even safaris not only to mark the event, but to draw the family closer together.
• Value over cost: The difference between a good and a fabulous vacation can be a few hundred dollars, or might not even cost anything extra. More and more people are using travel agents to get the most bang for their buck and to get the best fit for them. 

As you budget for your 2016 vacation, give Trippin' with Jamie a call to help you best plan your travel. While there are deals available online, the fine print might just be enough to take away from your dream trip. You might get a great price on that balcony room, but did you know it was obstructed? You arrive at a highly anticipated port only to discover that your wheelchair cannot be accommodated on the tender. You get exhausted walking on the huge cruise ships and didn't realize you could get a motorized scooter to help. While not every situation can be anticipated, the more you travel, the more you can properly prepare. Team up with an experienced agent who has been there and done it all before, to help make the best memories.

TrippinwithJamie@gmail.com

TrippinwithJamie.com

River, Ocean, or Both??

One of the questions we get a lot is whether it is better to do an ocean cruise or a river cruise. Our answer is "yes"!  Or, as I learned in school, "it depends."

Vacationing is an investment in memories and every person values those experiences differently. As travel agents our job is to assist the client in maximizing the value of their vacation dollar. Depending on the specific likes and needs, either cruise could be ideal.

Here are some considerations we discuss with our clients.  For the sake of simplicity, we are comparing a typical European river cruise with an ocean cruise on one of the major cruise lines.

-  Are you willing to fly?  Approximately 50% of Americans live within a 6 hour drive of an ocean cruise port meaning you can start your vacation without having to add flights to your schedule or budget. Taking a river cruise will most likely require you to fly to Europe.

-  Do you have a passport?  While you will NEED a passport for a European river cruise, it is only highly recommended to have one for an ocean cruise. Even if your cruise starts and ends from a US port, it is still recommended to have a passport for international destinations, such as the Bahamas. However, it IS possible to take an ocean cruise without a passport.

-  Do you have any mobility issues?  River cruises typically cannot accommodate wheelchairs. Ocean cruise ships are very large and can tire a person out just walking the length of the ship. They typically have accessible staterooms and are mostly wheelchair accessible.

-  Do you enjoy drinking?   River cruises often include drinks with meals, so your stateroom rate includes meals with drinks. On an ocean cruise, you may be able to purchase a drink package ahead of time so you don't have to pay each time, but you will need to make sure to budget for your beverages above the cost of your cruise.

- Are you traveling with children?  River cruises typically (with the exception of a few Disney river cruises) do not have organized activities for children, but older children are allowed. Ocean cruises are usually well known for having very robust youth programs starting at a very young age through teenagers.

- Are you a foodie?  River cruises often specialize in the local cuisine with fewer choices in a more refined dining environment. Ocean cruises have a much wider variety of dining options, and also offer specialty dining, but you will pay extra for the specialty options.

- Do you want to interact with your fellow passengers?  River cruises are more intimate and the demographics leans towards an older crowd than ocean cruises. There are ocean cruises that foster a similar demographic as river cruises, but most are regarded as much more upbeat, family focused, and activity based.

Either type of cruising provides opportunities for a great experience. River cruises tend to be more focused on the destinations (the ports you will visit) while ocean cruise ships are destinations in and of themselves while still stopping at a few ports along the way.

December is a great time to plan a vacation for the family or surprise your loved ones with a special trip. Cruising packages and itineraries have been released through 2017, so there are plenty of options to choose from and time to prepare.  In addition, deposits are typically refundable until 90 days prior to sailing, so you can book your trip now and spread out your payments.

Contact Trippin' with Jamie before year's end to discuss your next cruise vacation and find the best pricing and availability!

Cruise Planning 101

First-time cruisers typically start a conversation with us in one of two ways:

Client #1 - They want to cruise to a specific destination and just want the cheapest option

OR

Client #2 - They want to try cruising but with so many options, they don't know where to begin.

I was Client #1 on my second cruise.  I was leaving out of Baltimore for spring break with my teenagers.  We were looking for two cabins and I just wanted to do this cheaply.  It turns out we could upgrade from an inside cabin to a balcony for $50 for the week.  The weather cooperated and the balcony was greatly appreciated.

I was Client #2 when I decided to take the family to Alaska.  There are more than 120 Alaska cruises departing during the one week period where everyone's schedules aligned!  The specific itinerary, departure port, stateroom selections, activity and food options, along with duration and cost all factor into determining the best cruise for the experience.  This was when I was glad to be in the travel industry!

In both situations, Trippin' with Jamie can help.  But also in both situations, we need to take a step back and start with a conversation on what is the real desire behind the vacation.

The reality of cruise pricing is that the base fare will be the same no matter who does the booking. While travel agents may have amenities and other perks that make the deal better than what a client can get booking directly with the cruise line, the real value of a travel agent is to match the desire of the client's heart to what is available.    

Key Goal:  ** Make the experience as close to what the client is dreaming, given their budget **

Our services do not stop once the cruise is decided.  Excursions are key to experiencing the destination -- especially in Alaska.  Again there are many choices and Trippin' with Jamie can help to sift through the tours to select the best value for every experience.

October is Cruise Month.  This is the BEST time to book -- most cruises can be reserved with a small, refundable deposit.  In some cases 2016 cruises have limited availability and 2017 cruises are available now.  Contact Trippin' with Jamie (TrippinwithJamie@gmail.com or 703-973-1334) for more information!

Mexico - Part 2

Traveling to Mexico and visiting gorgeous hotels sounds like a great job. And it is. But since we saw 7 properties in 2 days it was also a whirlwind. Plus with high heat and humidity it was exhausting. Fortunately all of the resorts provided cool towels at multiple points of the visit, along with cooling drinks, so we had no medical emergencies, although one or two folks did struggle a bit.

All of the resorts had certain things in common:

• They were all-inclusive with food, beverages, including alcohol, and non-motorized water sports included
• They all had attentive service
• The food was exceptional
• The rooms were large
• Each resort had multiple wedding venues
• Each resort had a spa, or access to one very close by
• They were located in the Riviera Maya, with Cancun as the airport for travel

But there were also significant differences.

• Four of the hotels allowed kids.  One had an great cooking program and a number of family activities, while several others seemed to really make kids the focus.  Characters such as Sponge Bob, Patrick and the Ninja Turtles were on site and there are Orange Carpet shows with them each week.

• The adult-only properties did not permit kids (under 18) at any time, even to attend a wedding. So, these properties could not have flower children or ring bearers!
• The properties that allowed kids had a variety of amenities for them including cribs, high chairs, stuffed animals and other toys.  Jars of baby food were available in the dining venues.
• Each hotel had its own variety of restaurants. Some of the hotels have exchange privileges between the properties, providing even more choices. 
• Several of the properties did not have elevators. 
• The size and quality of the beach varied.  While the amount of seaweed also varied, the seaweed levels changed daily, so I wouldn't use this as a decision point, when booking a trip.
• The spas had different themes and some had additional amenities for bridal parties
• One of the resorts was an all-butler property, while other resorts had personal butlers available for some categories of rooms.
• Many of the resorts had the option of a swim-up room or a room with an infinity pool, even on the second or third level! 
  
  
  
  

Every hotel we saw was beautiful and top-notch.  Depending on your tastes, family make-up and budget, some of these hotels would be a better fit than others.  Contact me for more details or to match the right hotel to your dream vacation!

Mexico - Part 1

I (Jamie) was in the Riviera Maya the first week in September to visit and evaluate seven different Karisma properties. Karisma is one of the best hotel companies with many all-inclusive offerings including ones for couples, families, and multi-generational groups. They are particularly renowned for their food and detailed wedding planning.

For me the worst part of traveling is getting there. I am a destination and activity person, so it was great that flying from Dulles was a breeze. The non-stop flight left at a respectable time of 9 am and was not full! We boarded quickly and were off! The Cancun airport has very insistent time-share hawkers, but I just ignored them and found my transfer agent who was waiting with a stretch limo for a direct transfer to the resort.

The host property was Generations, about 30 minutes south of the airport in the Riviera Maya. This resort is an all-suite, all-butler hotel designed for multi-generational families. Upon arrival there were cool towels and a glass of champagne for check-in. We boarded golf carts, and with our baggage, were taken directly to the room. Our butler, Leonardo, gave us a tour of the room. It had a king-sized bed and a separate sitting area that had a king-sized sleeper sofa.

The bathroom had a double sink, a Jacuzzi tub, separate toilet, and an accessible rainforest shower. Robes, slippers, an umbrella, and a safe, with charging cable inside, were provided. The mini-bar was restocked every day and had a nice variety of sodas, beer, chips, and candy. The room had a balcony with 2 chairs and a table, a eurolounger, and a wonderful view of the ocean.

The rooms on the lower levels had swim outs or infinity pools.

One of the features of Generations is that you go through a foyer then there are three separate rooms inside. These can be booked individually or together, so there were many options for creating multiple rooms, with multiple bathrooms.

After dropping the bags, we headed to lunch. The hostess asked if anyone had food allergies, then she escorted us to a table. The restaurant has what is called "Full Display" rather than a buffet. It consists of nicely presented small plates that are continuously replaced, ensuring quality and freshness. The individual dishes could be rated good to excellent. The crispy beef and the chocolate brownie tort were outstanding. The salmon had good flavor, but was a bit dry. The vegetable lasagna was very tasty, and the chips and guacamole were what you would see in the States.

After lunch it was off for a short self-tour. The property was beautiful and spotlessly clean. There were outdoor areas for basketball, life-sized chess, and ping pong. The gym, unfortunately, was not a high point for this resort. It had treadmills, bikes, and weights, but was dark, had no view, and overall felt uninviting.

I walked along the beach and there were people cleaning and raking. The east coast of Mexico, along with several other Caribbean destinations has been hit hard this year with Sargassum, a brown seaweed. The resort was constantly fighting the battle to keep it clean. At this particular resort, the beach was small, but relatively clear.

This is an all-inclusive resort, so I got a mudslide at the pool bar, which was well-made and not watered down. The pool was long, by my calculation at least 150, maybe 175 yards, and salt water.

There were tables and stools in the pool and drinks were delivered to the water. At the pool bar there was a drink making demonstration with multiple drinks created and sampling for the audience. The staff seemed to enjoy this.

The resort had a nice feel to it. The staff were friendly and always said "Hola" when they passed you. Service was good and a "thank you" was always answered with "my pleasure." There are butlers for every room as well as beach butlers. The beach butlers bring sunscreen, popsicles, and other items and make sure the king-sized loungers are clean and set-up with sand play toys.

The first night we had a group dinner at Habb, the Mediterranean restaurant.  The first course was Baba Ghanoush and pita, followed by a French Onion soup that had a crouton and little bit of cheese sprinkled on top.  My main course was chicken in a yellow curry sauce with mashed potatoes and two types of rice, with cheesecake for dessert.  Back in the room there were 3 chocolate covered strawberries that were excellent!

There is also Jade, an Asian fusion restaurant and a Wine Bar.

In the morning I went for a run.  Oh yeah, it was 100% humidity and probably close to 80 degrees.  I finished the 7 miles and then discovered I had run at a 9:35 pace, which explained the gasping for air and puddles at my feet!  Breakfast was good with a nice variety of breads, muffins, traditional and Mexican breakfast food.  Gerber jars of food was provided for the babies.

There are a total of 144 rooms at Generations.  This is a nice place for families to stay for a destination wedding.  Each foyer contained 3 rooms, which a maximum occupancy of 2 adults and 2 children, or 6 adults and 6 children for a 3 room suite.  There is a separate lounge, with card and pool tables and snacks, which would be a nice place for teens.

The resort offers special packages when celebrities visit and also the Best Birthday Bash, which is available when at least 2 rooms are booked in a birthday month.  There is a Sky Terrace, which is available for weddings and other functions. 

Generations offers celebrity packages (where they bring in a celebrity) and Best Birthday bash.  For BBB must have at least 2 bedrooms booked and it must be in the birthday month. 

The Kids program has a large, inviting play area.

There is also a kitchen where they teach cooking lessons, where the kids make food from scratch.  The program is available from 9-5 and 7-9. Children must be 4 to come without parent or babysitter and babysitters are available for an extra charge.

Adults at Generations can use all the facilities at the neighboring El Dorado Royale and El Dorado Casitas Royale.

There are a number of nice deals available, especially if you can travel before the end of the year or during the spring (spring break excluded).  When would you like to go??