How to Plan a Family Vacation That Pleases Everyone

Planning a big family vacation can feel stressful. Luckily, here in Kissimmee, Florida, we make piece-of-cake family vacations! There are opportunities for family fun at every turn, so if you’re looking to plan the best trip ever, you’re in luck. Here are our top tips for planning a family vacation that pleases everyone.

Plan Together

One way to make sure everyone in your family has a fun time on their Florida vacation is to involve them in the process from the get go. Letting your kids help you with the planning helps build excitement and helps ensure that everyone is invested in the activities you’re planning.

Explore maps of the region together, picking out attractions everyone would like to see. Find books to read so your kids can become familiar with the destination. You could even plan at-home family activities to set the mood, like making a local specialty for dinner together or watch a movie that's filmed or set in the area.

Speaking of activities, when you’re planning, think about what your family enjoys doing together. If your kids aren’t keen on heights, opt for a petting zoo or Gatorland show instead of a zip line. If you’re a family of foodies, research the area’s best family-friendly restaurants. If swimming is a favorite family activity, book a place to stay near a beach or with a pool.

Set a Budget

When planning a family vacation, it’s important to set expectations to avoid unnecessary stress or disappointment. Just as important for parents is to set a budget and stick to it. There are plenty of ways to save on your family vacation. Some of our tried and tested budget-savvy tips are:

• Find a place to stay that offers breakfast or allows you to cook meals.
• Be strategic with your activities. It can be easy to get carried away with all of the incredible things to see and do in Kissimmee, but select a few bucket-list items and prioritize those.
• Pack snacks. A hungry kid is not a happy kid, so avoid unexpected food costs (and potential meltdowns) by bringing simple snacks with you to make sure everyone is fed and hydrated throughout the day.
• Look for vacation packages and travel deals.

Pack Smart

Nothing turns a family trip sour like boredom. Fortunately, in Kissimmee you’ll never run out of things to do. To avoid any boredom-related issues as you travel, make sure you pack entertainment for your kids. Toys, games, books, journals, digital entertainment — you’ll be thankful you’ve got them with you during your flight or on a road trip.

Packing smart means packing only what you need. We’ve got shops in Kissimmee, so if you forget a toiletry item or any other item for that matter, it can be easily replaced. Just as you involved your children in the planning process, get their help packing. They can bring some favorite toys and games in their own personal carry-on or choose what T-shirt or favorite dress they want to wear on their first day of vacation.

Make Space

No, we’re not talking about Space Mountain (although that's definitely worth adding to your hit list!). One thing that helps keep everyone calm, happy, and having a good time is personal space. In Kissimmee, the Vacation Home Capital of the World^®, this couldn’t be easier. Our vacation homes come in a range of sizes for families big and small and have eat-in kitchens perfect for prepping breakfasts and snacks, and family rooms for everyone to chill out.

Embrace Downtime

It can be tempting to squeeze as much as possible into your days, but too much at once can overwhelm and exhaust, so plan for one or two major activities per day, with time to recoup in between. Downtime doesn’t always have to mean “nap time,” either. Depending on the age of your kids, maybe it’s fun by the pool, a movie on an iPad, reading in a park, or a relaxed meal.

Stay Flexible

It’s important to have an idea of what you’d like to do on any given day, but depending on energy levels — and in the case of some amusement parks, wait times — things can change. If there’s one thing that’s true about traveling with kids, it’s that flexibility is your friend. Don’t stick to your schedule at the expense of a good time, and you’ll find that at the end of the day, everyone will be happy and tired instead of cranky and run down.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to have a bad time when you’re in Kissimmee, Florida, so stick to our tips for planning a vacation that pleases everyone, and the whole family is sure to have the trip of a lifetime. We’ll meet you in Kissimmee!