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Free Wi-Fi, how to get it when traveling!

Are you paying for Wi-Fi when you travel?

How to get Free Wi-Fi…

Is Free Wi-Fi important in your hotel stay decision? I recently read an article about how having free Wi-Fi in your hotel is becoming an increasing popular demand among guests. Surprisingly, it is not just the millennials who are demanding it but Generation Xer’s and Baby Boomers. I have to be honest, as I am very connected to my email, internet surfing, Facebook, Twitter, and text messages as it is all right on my phone. I try to do everything over a Wi-Fi connection so I can keep my data usage down for the month and I get faster downloads. But I do find every time I stay at a hotel that download speeds are much slower and I am constantly having to sign into the Wi-Fi connection only to be kicked out a minute later. I can see how easily one can become frustrated and if I were at any of these hotels for a week and needed to do business, I would be very frustrated.

So how about hotels where you have to pay for the Wi-Fi? I have paid for Wi-Fi once when I was at a travel conference and it was very expensive for a day’s use. I have to admit though that I did have faster speeds compared to when I have used free hotel Wi-Fi. I think this is why more people are willing to pay for their Wi-Fi upfront in packages that the hotel offers when booking your stay with them. Yes, I said it. Hotels are offering packages that includes the room and Wi-Fi use in the pricing. A packaged deal that more and more people are wanting to buy upfront because it is cheaper to buy it as a package then get to the hotel and pay per day. Some hotels have a pricing chart for you next to the bed along with the card that says “our company is green and saving water….”.

Some places want to charge you as much as the cost of a steak dinner just for a one-day use!

So how do you get around paying extra for Wi-Fi at a hotel? Find a Panera or local café close to your hotel that provides free Wi-Fi. Head over there for a cup of tea or coffee and take an hour or two to get some work done or surf the internet. Also, look for hotels that provide free Wi-Fi. When you go to book a hotel, check the amenities section of the that specific hotel. In this section they will tell you if free Wi-Fi is provided throughout the hotel, in their café area, or just in the rooms. When the hotel has specific areas that it provides Wi-Fi they will typically provide you with a password or passcode to login. Some hotels will give free Wi-Fi to their rewards members, so consider joining some of these programs, especially if they are free to join.

When it comes to Wi-Fi on your next cruise, I would skip paying for it. Several cruise lines now offer internet minute packages that can be purchased prior to your cruise. Packages are anywhere from one dollar per minute to five dollars per minute, which means for 60 minutes of internet you can pay up to $300. Download times are painfully slow and by the time you get the pages you need you have used up your allotted minutes. If you must do work, consider not taking an excursion and head to a local café that provides free Wi-Fi. You may want to just forget work all together, after all you are on a cruise!

Here are some tips to remember about Wi-Fi on your next vacation:

1.Check the hotel or resort amenities section before booking to find out if they provide free Wi-Fi and where in the hotel/resort they provide it.

2. If your hotel or resort doesn’t provide, look for local Panera’s or cafes that provide free Wi-Fi beforehand.

3.Compare internet package pricing vs. internet day pricing. If you are at a conference and need internet, then consider a package if it is much cheaper.

4. Skip the internet packages on your next cruise. Slow download times leads to frustration and no work done.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation. Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

I love this travel gadget! Find out why….

Liz Hough on

By the end of this article you will want a portable charger,

here is why…

If a store has a travel section, you will find me in it. Usually in the luggage section there is a small kiosk of travel gadgets. This is the section where I rummage through what new device or gadget is going to make it easier for me to travel. Some work, and some are complete failures. I always have to share with you the ones that I absolutely love and do make it easier for me to travel. So here is my latest favorite travel gadget find….the portable smart device charger!

If you already have one of these portable charges then you know how much easier your life is when your phone is on its last bar of battery. You plug in your phone and go. Your phone is charging while you are shopping, sitting in the airport, or even on the plane. It is that easy. No more stalking for an outlet at the airport to charge your phone, smart device, or even laptop. Portable chargers are the best thing to have with you no matter where you are traveling to and everyday life.

Most portable chargers are the size of a wallet or a small tube that easily fits into your back pocket or even your smallest purse. Depending on the manufacturer of the charger you can choose from various colors or patterns. The best part of portable charges is that they are compatible with most smart devices because they have a USB port so you can take any charger that has a USB adapter and plug it into the charger and charge your device. Some chargers have enough power to charge your phone to 100% then you will have to recharge it, but some haven enough power to charge a phone and a tablet in one charge.

Even though I said this is my latest travel gadget find, I really bought one last Christmas in the travel section at Marshalls. When I brought it home, my husband rolled his eyes at me and said you really can plug your phone in anywhere we go. Yes, this is true. You can plug your phone in anywhere you go, but you are tied down to where it is plugged in. On our trip in April, I thought to myself that I am going to bring it along, just in case. Sometimes, when my phone is roaming for a long period of time it drains my battery faster than it takes time to charge it. So as we are walking around the Bahamas, I hear that dreaded, Beep, Beep. Yup, my phone only had 10% battery life left so I plugged it into my portable charge, put it in my purse and did some sight-seeing. After an hour, I was up to 80% battery life and the portable charger still had three out of four bars left of battery life. My husband couldn’t believe it. Needless to say, anytime we go to an amusement park, museum, or any day trip my husband asks me if I have the portable charger with us. It really is so convenient and easy to use, and its size makes it so easy to take with you.

So next time you are in the store, check out the travel section and see what gadgets will make your life easier to travel. If you have one you like or love, feel free to email us back and let us know what your favorite ones are so we can share with everyone.

Has TSA searched your luggage lately?

Liz Hough on

Has your checked luggage ever been searched by TSA?

Mine has, and now I have a whole new perspective on how to protect myself.

After returning home from my last flight trip I opened my luggage to a friendly letter saying that my suitcase was searched by TSA. I was part of the random search of suitcases that TSA does on those bags that get checked and placed under the airplane. I have to say this was the first time that my suitcase was searched and I kind of wonder if it was because of all the baby stuff I packed in there. Baby bottles, food, and cereal probably do look suspicious in an x-ray machine.

After reading several articles and seeing several news outlets talking about TSA agents getting fired for stealing people’s items from their suitcases, I was a bit concerned that something was missing. After a thorough inspection of my suitcase I was thankful that everything was there. But this experience had me thinking not just about these corrupt TSA agents but those swipe your suitcase at the luggage carousel. The luggage carousels are very easy to get to and people don’t need a plane ticket to get in this area. They just come in right off the street, take a bag, and get back in their car or go to the bathroom and rummage through the suitcase. I read about one guy who took five suitcases in one day! This is a bit scary.

So how do you make sure that your suitcase isn’t one of the unlucky ones to get inspected by TSA or swiped off the luggage carousel? Unfortunately, nothing is 100% full proof but here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t lose any valuable stuff.

Tip #1: Don’t pack anything valuable in the suitcase you are going to check. You can purchase a piece of carry-on luggage surprisingly large enough to fit a lot of your valuable stuff. What is valuable to you is relative, but for most people it is their electronics, jewelry, souvenirs, camera, wallet or anything they feel personally connected to.

Tip #2: Buy a luggage lock. Don’t buy the cheapest lock on the market. There are a lot of TSA approved locks available at department stores, Amazon, etc. These locks allow TSA to easily open the lock without having to know your combination. If you don’t have a TSA approved lock and they want to inspect your bag, they will just cut it off. Now you don’t have a lock for your luggage for the rest of your trip. Having a lock does not deter TSA from inspecting your bag, as it happened to me. However, it will deter someone from swiping your bag. Think of the guy who took the bags into the bathroom. Do you think he was going to cut locks off of bags while people were coming in and out? Probably not, he was targeting bags he could easily open.

Tip #3: Black, black, black! Orange is the new black! Having a black suitcase has some advantages like you don’t see all the scuff marks from rough handling but everyone has one. When you’re watching suitcases come off the carousel and you see a black one you automatically think it is yours and then it’s not. Black is so common that it is easy to mistake or swipe. Think of poor Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents. Even the airline mistook his BLACK suitcase and when his future father in law went through his bag he found some “interesting stuff” it lead to some embarrassing moments. Go out of the norm and pick a color that will stand out. This way you can easily spot it coming off the carousel or even worse, someone walking away with it.

Tip #4: I am not going to advocate trip insurance now, but if you have purchased it they give you identification tags to put into your luggage. This tag is usually printed out from your own computer or your travel agent should be providing it to you, but place this in your luggage. This tag has your information on it so that if your luggage gets lost or swiped and someone finds it, they know how to reach you through your insurance company. This also helps the airline if they lose your luggage.

Tip #5: Luggage tags. There are so many luggage tags on the market today. Bright colors, fancy logos, various shapes, large and small, etc. I highly recommend also putting a luggage tag on your suitcase that will help you spot it. I give all of my clients luggage spotters to put on their suitcases. It wraps around the handle, is padded, and they can put their information on the inside. I usually place their extra trip insurance card in the sleeve just in case. Try to get something sturdy as your bags does get thrown around a lot on its way to and from the airplane. I have lost many luggage tags in my day.

Having TSA search your luggage can happen to anyone but you can avoid them taking anything of value from you.

Ready for a Deal?

Liz Hough on

I have been reading a lot of negative reviews lately on TripAdvisor, Travel Guide, Oyster, etc. I am finding that a lot of people who leave negative reviews on these websites is because the hotel or resort they booked was not what they thought they were going to get with their “deal.” I have to laugh a bit because as much as everyone likes a “deal”, why would you want a “deal” for your vacation? Most Americans only take 2 to 3 weeks off per year so that means they are working 49 to 50 weeks a year. I would hate to work so many weeks and then when I take my vacation to be staying at a “deal” hotel or a “deal” resort and be completely disappointed or worse, miserable the entire time.

There are amazing deals around us all the time. I go to Target and get stuff on clearance at the end of the season for my kids and they love it, i.e. princess dresses for those of you who know my oldest daughter. This is a great deal for me because when they are regularly priced they can be expensive and since she wears them every day, they wear out quickly! Now when we go to Disney in a couple of weeks I will buy her princess dresses there but I know in advance that I am going to have to pay full price and I am hoping that they are better quality. I know that I am not going to get a “deal” but I am hoping that I am going to get good “value.” For weeks now, I have been putting aside princess dress money so I can get a better value dress or dresses for her.

Now when someone finds out that I am a travel consultant they instantly tell me about their worst vacation ever. I politely listen and when they are finished I asked them if they booked with a travel agency or travel agent/consultant. Probably 90% of the time they tell me they found a “deal” on the internet when they did their own research. I ask them where they did their research and they tell me TripAdvisor or the resorts webpage. Well, the resort will not post bad reviews of its hotel, and TripAdvisor likes to post the good reviews first. I ask them if they felt like they wasted their money and their time. Most of the time I hear an unquestionable Yes! So if you feel like you wasted your time and money then was it a good “deal?”

I also hear that people are disappointed because they didn’t receive the same treatment their friends did when they had stayed there. When doing your own online research, make sure that you are comparing apples to apples. A lot of times I hear an apples to oranges comparison, and that is why the same services were not provided. Resorts and hotels change specials frequently, sometimes weekly, so when you are looking for that same “deal” it may no longer be available. When doing your own online research, if you feel like you just aren’t finding what fits your needs, it may not be out there. However, a travel consultant may be able to find it in a few minutes because they know where to look.

To avoid becoming disappointed on your next vacation, and possibly leaving a bad review online, try to make your next vacation a “value.” You should come back from your vacation feeling happy and proud because of the star treatment you received. You shouldn’t even realize the amount of money you spent. You should have indulged in fine food and drinks, splurged on souvenirs, and taken private tours where you were the only ones behind the scenes. These experiences are unforgettable and is what you will be talking about with your friends and family at your next gathering. People love to hear these types of travel stories, I love hearing about these travel stories too!

So when planning your next vacation make sure to catch yourself every time you say “That sounds like a good deal.” Steer clear and try to catch yourself saying: “That sounds like a lot of fun and something I would not have done on my last vacation.”

Do you pay too much in airline fees?

Liz Hough on

Traveling via airplane is a convenient way to get you to your destination in a short amount of time or sometimes it is the only way to get you to an overseas destination. Planes have advanced so much over the years that more people are willing to fly to their destination and prices between airlines have become competitive. But should this mean that you as the consumer have to pay for not only for your seat but to take your luggage, cancellation or changing a reservation, priority boarding, a snack, to use the bathroom, connect to Wifi, or upgrade to preferred seating. These additional fees are called “Ancillary Fees” and most airlines are continually trying to figure out how to incorporate them into their business models. Airlines are saying that the reason they want to charge ancillary fees is because it is better for the clients to “unbundle” these service from the base price as not everyone uses them. It benefits the client who did not want that snack or have to use the bathroom on a long flight.

So where did all this start? In 2007 the low cost airline Spirit decided that they wanted to charge their clients a fee to check their luggage to bring in additional revenue. Quickly American Airlines followed by charging clients $15 per piece of luggage and like any snow ball effect, additional airlines started to get on board with charging clients to check their bags. Today most airlines charge you to check at least your second piece of luggage and the fees can be really high, i.e. $200 plus per piece of luggage. This means a lot of additional revenue for the airline companies. From 2007 to 2014 baggage fees went from bringing in $464 million to $3.53 billion a year in additional revenue for the various airlines charging these fees. The airline that profited the most from baggage fees is American/US Airways and surprisingly United did not make much of a profit from charging baggage fees.

Now have you ever had to cancel or change your reservation? The fees on this service can sometimes cost you more than checking your luggage. Unfortunately, there are times in our lives when something comes up and we need to use this service. Airlines again have profited from this ancillary fee. From 2007 to 2014 cancellation/change fees went from $915 million to $2.98 billion in additional revenue for the various airlines. I, personally, have always believed that you should be allowed one change in your reservation in case you need to take an earlier or later flight and not have to pay for this change. I do understand that you would have to pay for any change in the cost of the flight but I do not believe that you should have to pay both for one change.

Do you like preferred seating? I have personally used preferred seating for overseas flights. The airline company that I have used give the client up to 6 inches in more leg room when you purchase preferred seating. Now I did pay an extra $150 for my preferred seating but let’s be honest, on an overnight flight to Europe, I need that extra room to get comfortable to try and get some sleep. I have not paid for preferred seating on flights here in the US so I do not know how much extra room you get or if you even get extra room. It seems like the flights that I have been getting on lately with preferred seating are those seats right behind first class but do not offer additional leg room. Honestly, I feel like this should be called “second class” and then the rest of us in the back of the plane can be “third class.” More airlines are starting to choose this ancillary fee for this service but consumers are not happy as it can force families with small children to either separate on the plane or make them pay this fee, especially when these are the only seats left on the flight. Some airlines also have confused consumers with offering preferred seating first in the online booking process. The consumer is confused if this is the only option left not knowing that if they decline they will be given a regular seat upon check-in. If you are ever confused about preferred seating, call the airlines reservation line.

The good news is that the United States Senate Commerce Committee took a look at all these ancillary fees and has decided they would like to make some changes. Some of the recommendations that they want the airlines to take into consideration are:

disclosure of ancillary fees early in the booking process so it is easier for the consumer to compare flight pricing
checked and carry-on luggage fees are based on costs incurred by the airline, airlines should promptly refund fees for any checked bags that are delayed more than 6 hours on a domestic flight
airlines need to clearly state that “preferred seating” charges are optional
limit the amount an airline can charge for any changes.

These changes would really help the consumer understand what exactly they are purchasing when they want to take a flight. Having all fees disclosed to you in the beginning of the booking process will help you understand what your options are and if you want to pay extra for the options. There are many times that I don’t want to pay extra because I am just on a two hour flight. When I take my 10 hour flights I may want to splurge a bit, but at least I would understand what exactly I am paying for what services to expect for on my flight. Understanding your rights as the consumer is always important, especially when you are traveling.

Have a Great Week!

Travel Agent Scams Local Families

Liz Hough on

For the past couple of weeks I have been writing about reasons one would use a travel agent and to watch out for hidden fees with those large Online Travel Agencies (OTA) like Travelocity. I recently learned that in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, a lady who was a travel agent had been scamming people out of their hard earned money. She had a brick and mortar office, was a member of the local chamber of commerce, was “licensed” according to the news station (but there was no elaboration on what they meant by being licensed), and even generated invoices for booked vacations. Unfortunately it appears that she had her own debts to pay before her client’s vacations bills. I am sure after reading this you are reconsidering using a travel agent, right? Don’t be! I am going to give you some tips on how to make sure that your travel agent is legitimate and how to avoid being scammed out of your hard earned money.

Tip #1: Check their credentials. Ask them if they have taken any course work related to travel and tourism. Do they have certifications in the travel industry, are they rated on Angie’s list, the Better Business Bureau, or another reputable business rating website? Are they part of any networking works like chamber of commerce, Business Network International (BNI), or the Women’s Business Network (WBN)? And you should always ask for references! Asking for a past client’s phone number or email address to give them a referral should be easy.

Tip #2: When booking with a new travel agent, only give the deposit amount required to secure your booking, payment for any trip insurance, and any service fees your travel agent charges. Service fee amounts should be clearly stated on anything you sign. Unless you are booking within a 90 day window of departure, you should not have to put down the full amount. If your travel agent is requiring you put the full amount down, ask to see the supplier’s brochure and look in the very back for their deposit requirements. If you feel uncomfortable about booking at that time, politely say “it was more than you were looking to put down at this time so you will have to get back with you later.” Then get up and walk out!

Tip #3: In a world where credit cards are so easily used and they seem to be like potato chips where we all don’t just have one, please always use your credit card. There is built in fraud protection on most, if not all credit cards nowadays. Use this card to make your deposits and final payments. I would recommend against using a debit card unless you have been working with this person for years. Please be aware of any travel agent who ONLY takes checks as their form of payment as it is very easy to set up an account to take credit cards. Always check your credit card statements to ensure that the charges discussed are the exact charges on your bill. And don’t be afraid to ask questions if you find an error. An honest agent will review everything to find any mistakes.

Tip #4: Once you have made your reservation, your travel agent should give you an invoice with a reservation number of the supplier being used. If they have not, please ask them for this information. This gives you the opportunity to call the supplier directly or go on the supplier’s website to verify your booking. Now this sounds easy enough, but if you are part of a tour group that the travel agent has put together you will not have supplier reservation numbers. The best way to double check your tour is legitimate is to call one of the hotels you will be staying at and ask them if your group is booked.

Tip #5: Always listen to your instincts. If you don’t click with your travel agent then please don’t feel like you have to stick with them. Find someone who works well with you and your family. If you feel like something is wrong, ask a lot of questions or just leave. You have the right to ask questions. My mother has always told me that “if it sounds too good to be true then it is too good to be true.” There are deals out there that are really good, but do some research. Before talking with your travel get an idea of the cost of the vacation you want to take but remember that your travel agent can sometimes get you the same price or lower with added amenities.

Now you are prepared to work with any travel agent!

Hotel Rooms, how to tell if they are clean

Mary Yohannan on

What is REALLY in your hotel room?

5 Places You NEED to be Checking

Recently I have been traveling a lot which means I have been staying in a lot of hotel rooms. Some of the hotels received not so good reviews, so I was cautious as to what to expect in staying there. For one of the hotels, the reviews consistently said that it wasn’t the cleanest. I understand everyone has different perspectives as what is clean, but I always like to be prepared. After seeing several shows on what actually gets cleaned in hotels, I have started a cleaning and checking routine when I walk into any hotel room. Here is what I do:

1. Check the bed/mattress for bed bugs. I look for reddish coloration, tiny black marks, and yellowish small dots around the edges where the mattress is sewn. You can also move the mattress back from the wall to see if anything starts to move up the wall. Needless to say, if I see any of this, I immediately ask for another room.

2. Check the sheets. If there are hairs, discoloration, or any visible stains this to me is a clear indication that the sheets have not been changed since the last person occupied that room. It has been known for years that the top spread does not get changed between guests, but the sheets must be changed for me to stay in that room.

3. Check bathroom. There are several things in the bathroom that need to checked.

a. The shower/bathtub needs to be looked at closely. Is there hair in the drain still? Is there mold anywhere including on the shower curtain? Are the last person’s shower items still there?

b. I also lift the toilet set to see if there are any stains under the seat and also to see if the toilet bowl has been cleaned. There are many times I have walked into someone else’s “stuff” still in the toilet.

c. I check the towels to see if they are damp. They may not have been used by the last person, but were in there when they showered and got ready.

d. Is the sink area clean? Is there a new soap dish or is it a re-usable one? I also bring my own toiletries so I don’t have to worry about the ones they provide, but you should check them to see if they have been used by someone else.

4. Make sure the locks on the doors work. This sounds simple but I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a hotel room and the dead bolt to the door doesn’t work, or the lock on the patio door doesn’t work. I don’t take those things lightly, as anyone can easily get into my room when I am not there or when I am sleeping.

5. Clean all touchable items in the room. Once most of my checks have passed and I have decided it is a good room to stay in, I get out my antibacterial wipes or a nice cleaning wipe and start to wipe down all things that people touch. The remote control, the phone, any light switches, all door handles, mini-refrigerators, coffee-makers, etc. I try to wipe down as many things as I can especially when the kids are in the room because they tend to touch everything!

6. Check under the bed! Some beds you can’t check under, but the ones that you can you will find the most interesting things people leave behind. I check under the bed because I want to make sure there are no cleaning products stored under there or anything like old food. This can turn into a bad situation when you have kids who like to play on the floor.

These are a just a few things that I do to make sure that I have a pleasant stay at any hotels, and to make sure that my family and I are safe.

Photos by Mary Yohannan

I use a Travel Agent for the same reasons you do…

Mary Yohannan on

I use a Travel Agent for the same reasons you do…

I have not always been a travel agent. Before I was a travel agent, I used a travel agent to book my vacations. I needed help, support, and understanding of the “W’s.” Where, What, and WOW. I always wanted to make the most of my time while I was on the vacation, but for me the problem was that I didn’t have the time to do all the research.

I always knew where I wanted to go whether it was a region, country, or city, but I didn’t know the logistics of the best routes to get there, where to stay, what to see, and what was one thing that was going to WOW me while I was there. Now, when I say WOW me I don’t mean that I needed my adrenaline at the highest level. I just wanted one thing while on the vacation that for me to look at it, taste it, or feel it and I would say WOW. Something that would leave such an impression on me that every time I would think about it I would experience that same feeling over and over again. Even with all the guide books that I purchased, there was always one suggestion from our travel agent that gave us the WOW.

Today, I will still use a travel agent to book a vacation for me if it is a place that I have never been to and want to make sure I get the full experience. How do I find a good travel agent? If I don’t personally know someone who I met at a professional development conference, then I go online. A survey done in 2016 found that of those asked how they found a good travel agent, 47% of the people said online and 31% said through word of mouth. So how did they find a good travel agent online? There are many websites where you can put in your zip code and find travel agents in your area and who specialize in the area where you want to take your vacation. You may still get a long list of agents to weed through, but the best way to determine who is the best to work with is by their reviews.

Travel Leaders has a really good site where you can find travel agents in your area and the agents will list their specialties including European vacations, Australia, etc. It will also show you if they have any reviews. The reviews are posted by actual clients of those agents who have used them to plan their vacations. Another good place to look for honest reviews from clients is on a travel agency’s Facebook page. These reviews are posted by actual clients as you can see their avatars next to their reviews.

When I am reading reviews, there are a few key things that I look for. Do the reviews talk about making the planning stage easy or effortless. Do the reviews say that the person will work with them again. Do the reviews explain what the travel agent did for them. Do the reviews include any WOW’s that occurred while they were on the vacation.

As I always say, if you find a good travel agent DON’T let them go!

P.S. I would love for you to check out my reviews from all of my amazing clients…CLICK HERE

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling team, you are supporting local families and business. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

All inclusive resort, what does it mean?

Mary Yohannan on

What does it REALLY mean to an “all-inclusive” resort?

You found an amazing deal on a travel website for an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, so you decide to go for it. You get to the resort and it is as beautiful as the pictures. After settling
into the room you decide to head down to the pool for a nice refreshing cocktail. You order your favorite drink over the rocks and the bartender asks you if you want to charge it to the room. With a confused look on your face, you say you have the all-inclusive package, but the bartender tells you that it doesn’t include top shelf liquor. With the drink in your hand, you agree to charge it to the room.

You start to wonder what you booked with this deal vacation you are on. Is it just the top shelf alcohol that is not included? What other items, activities, food, drinks, etc will you have to pay for? Often when someone books an all-inclusive resort, they truly believe that they are paying for everything upfront including premium alcohol, food, activities, transfers, and resort sharing to name a few. Unfortunately, the term all-inclusive can sometimes mean more exclusive. All of this is usually explained in the fine print when booking the vacation, but when you think you are getting an amazing deal who reads the fine print! I know I don’t.

The truth is, if you want an all-inclusive resort then you really do want to pay for everything upfront. You have set your budget, and you want the food, drinks, transfers, activities, and resort sharing to all be included in that cost. You don’t want to have to pull out your credit card for any extras. But how do you know that everything is TRULY included in the pricing? Besides reading the fine print, look for key words when a resort is advertising. Sometimes you will read alcohol is included but that doesn’t mean premium alcohol. When it comes to food, the advertisement may say that the resort is a la carte, but if you wanted to eat at one of the specialty dining restaurants at the resort it may not be included in the all-inclusive pricing. Many resorts boast about their onsite activities including water activities, but have you ever noticed that they do no specifically say “motorized” water activities or games such as bingo. Be cautious when the wording says “some” activities “may be included.” Many times when you book your vacation you forget that you will need transportation to and from the resort. Transfers can be very expensive once you get to the destination, so getting them included in the package pricing upfront will help save you money.

Trying to find the best all-inclusive resort for your next family vacation, one where you won’t have to pay more out of pocket when you get there, can become overwhelming and exhausting. The good news is I am going to give you 4 nuggets of advice to help you make it easier:

1. Give up on the deal. The saying “you get what you pay for” is always TRUE and when it comes to all-inclusive resorts it holds VERY TRUE!

2. Sit down and figure out a budget like you would for any other vacation. When you have a budget to work with you will find many more resorts that are going to fit your needs, without having to get out the credit card on vacation.

3. Look for key words on the resort’s website that would indicate what is NOT included in the all-inclusive pricing. These words include: some, limited, a la carte, minimal fee, varying, typically

4. Call a travel agent. Why make it harder on yourself than you have to. Pick the destination and then let a good travel agent do the research on which resorts will fit your needs.

Don’t forget to tell your travel agent at Life is Better Traveling to give you a quote for travel protection when planning your next vacation.

P.S. Call me this year to plan your AMAZING All-Inclusive vacation. I guarantee we will plan the perfect vacation for you!

Are the Disney Dining Plans Worth Your Money?

Mary Yohannan on

Disney easily comes up in conversations with random people I meet, but when they find out I am a travel consultant they always ask me if the Disney Dining Plan is worth the money. I have read so many different opinions on various Disney blogs, Facebook pages, and travel agent outlets about people’s views on this subject matter. It seems like people are split, some love it and some say it is a waste of money. Well, we recently went to Disney and I decided to add the Disney Dining Plan to our package so I could see if it is worth it.

Before I go into if is it worth or not, I must explain that there are several dining plans available through Disney. Because of the variety, I am wondering if those who feel that the Dining Plan is not worth the money may have been talked into the wrong Dining Plan for their family, see chart below for quick reference. Why so many options? It is easy to understand, there are many cultures and different types of families that go to Disney so they are really catering to everyone. One family may say that a particular plan has too many meals for their family while another may say this is the perfect amount for us. I will tell you, that no matter which plan you choose for your family, it will be perfect.

For my family we choose the Disney Dining Plan which includes 1 quick service, 1 table service, and, new for 2017, 2 snacks per person per night of stay and 1 resort refillable mug. The refillable mug can be used at your resort. You cannot use this mug in the parks to get refills, but I will tell you that we did take our mugs along with us to the parks and asked for ice water, which is free. We then transferred our ice water into the mugs. With each table service meal, we were able to choose one entrée from the menu, one dessert, and one non-alcoholic beverage. When you choose an entrée you are not limited to a select menu specifically for those on the dining plan. You receive the same menu that everyone receives and get to choose any of the entrées including steak or salmon. Dessert at Disney is fantastic! It is gourmet and no matter what you choose it will not disappoint.

However, having dessert every day could be a lot for some people, as it was for me. There is a little known fact that isn’t shared by the wait staff, but some restaurants now allow you to substitute your dessert for an appetizer. You have to ask your server when you sit down if this is one of the participating restaurants and which appetizers are included, but you may have an option of a salad instead of the that rich chocolate cake.

Quick service meals are just like the combo meals that you get at any of your local fast food places, and snacks include a variety of foods including popcorn, cookies, cupcakes, a banana, or the famous Mickey Mouse ice cream bar.

When you purchase a dining plan that has several table services with it, you must make your reservations in advance. You can start to make your dining reservations up to 180 days prior to your arrival date for the entire length of your day, but not to exceed 10 days of stay. What this really means is on the 179th day you can call to make your reservations. I would recommend calling to make your reservations. It is much faster and you will also be able to make any additional reservations such as Pirate’s League or any tours, all with one phone call. If you don’t make a reservation in advance, you could be told that the restaurant is full for the day or you may have a two-hour wait. A two-hour wait with hungry children is not fun for anyone!

So are you ready to find out if the dining plan is worth the money? For a family of four going to Disney for seven nights, who elect the Disney Dining plan, it is a little over $1000. (Now that is just for the Dining plan, not including park tickets or resort stay.) For four people on this seven day Disney vacation, it comes to between $33 to $40 per person per day. One character meal is around this same cost, so if you do one character meal you have paid for your entire day right there! Even if you are doing non character meals, your meal cost with entrée, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverage can easily reach the $40 to $50 range per person. When you look at the numbers you really see that you are paying for table service but getting a quick service meal and snack for free. I, personally, find that the dining plan is worth the money and saves me time when we are there. My meals are planned out, they are paid for, and everyone is happy because the food is so good.

Now, one thing you must know is that tip/gratuity is not included. The suggested tip is based on your total meal cost prior to deducting your plan. It is up to you, how much you want to tip unless you are a party of six or more than 18% is automatically added to your bill. When you receive your bill it will tell you how many of that service you have left. So if you had six table services to start and just finished eating, then your bill will show that you have five remaining. You can always get your entire amount of allotted meals from the concierge or guest services area at your hotel. It is important to note that meals do not roll over after your stay. If you don’t use them up you will lose them so I highly recommend planning out your meals for each day you are at Disney. Also, the meals are to be used at your discretion. If you want two table service meals on one day and two quick service meals another day, it is up to you how you use them, but again, use them up!

P.S. Call me this year to plan your AMAZING Disney vacation. I always recommend to start planning your Walt Disney World vacation 8 to 12 months in advance so we can start planning everything out for you.

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