Traveling with Kids? Here's Your Secret Weapon for a Smooth Trip!"

Have you ever run into a situation while traveling where you wished you had a printout of an important document or confirmation at your fingertips? Say goodbye to the stress and hassle of searching through emails or frantically digging through your bags for important documents. It's time to introduce your travel companion: the family travel folder!  A travel tip for traveling with kids and eliminating stress on family vacation. 

Imagine having all your essential travel information right at your fingertips, neatly organized and easily accessible. No more last-minute panicking at the airport. A little pre-trip organizing will let you have a more relaxed, stress free, and fun vacation.

Proverb: "A place for everything and everything in it's place"

It's your secret weapon for staying organized amidst the chaos of travel planning. Whether you're heading off on an Adventure by Disney overseas or embarking on a relaxing Disney Cruise, this folder will keep everything in order.

If you have all your key travel information gathered in one place and easily accessible you will significantly decrease the amount of stress inherent in traveling. 

You don't need anything fancy to get started. A simple presentation folder or zip-top document pouch will do the trick. It's all about keeping things streamlined and stress-free. Pick one up at your local office supply store, Target or better yet—Amazon. 

Why should you bother with a travel folder?

Let me tell you from experience - it's a game-changer. I generally like to be organized but traveling stresses me out and when I’m asked a question that should be simple, I get all sweaty and panic and all the sudden I can’t remember my zip code! Seriously—have you been in line trying to login at a kiosk and you can’t find the reservation number that you swear you had pulled up and you can just feel hundreds of eyeballs staring you down? 

If you have all the important confirmation numbers, dates, itineraries etc. you don’t have to remember all the details.  If you have everything easily accessible copies (this does not mean scrolling through hundreds of emails at the airline counter trying to find your reservation number) but have them available in your trusty folder, you'll tackle any travel hurdle like a pro.

I did try to create a digital folder but again from experience it isn’t always fail safe. Wifi can be challenging in areas and let's not forget what happens when your batteries dies--yep been there done that. This is why I strongly recommend taking the time to simply print off the info so you have hard copies.  It is simply easier to have printed materials gathered in one place rather than trying to search through old e-mails while endless scrolling for the correct info.

Once I started keeping pertinent information in one place, it was easy to quickly access in these situations, and thus avoid unwanted travel stress.

What should go in it?

·        Airline reservation numbers

·        Airline baggage policies

·        Cruise itinerary

·        Cruise confirmation number

·        Confirmations for cruise line pre-purchases (w prices)

·        Confirmations for independent shore excursions

·        Airport lounge info

·        Phone numbers for credit card companies.

·        Hotel confirmations

·        Confirmations for airport pickups/rides

·        Travel Insurance Information

For International travel -Everything above plus:

·        Copies of passports/visas

·        Contact info for local embassy and any travel alerts.

Tips/best Practices:

Keep your folder within arm's reach throughout your journey. I keep my folder in my personal item/carry-on.   Whether you're navigating airport security or relaxing on the plane, having your documents close at hand will save you time and sanity. 

But wait, there's more! Your travel folder isn't just for storing paperwork. It's also a handy hub for collecting receipts and vouchers along the way. Say goodbye to post-vacation paperwork headaches!  Anything that you may want to review once back home, just throw it into the folder. 

So, are you ready to embrace the magic of the family travel folder?

Get organized, stay stress-free, and make the most of every moment on your next adventure.

Trust me, you'll never look back!

Want help with all of the planning details?  Reach out!  I handle the details, so you don’t have to stress.  Even if you are a control-freak like me, it is so nice to have someone sending you reminders and helping answer questions all along the way especially with cruise travel and Adventures by Disney trips that both have a lot of moving details! Together we will have you prepped for vacation and ready to relax.