How to Plan an Itinerary That Saves Money, Avoids Crowds, and Unlocks Hidden Gems
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Tess, what is your process like for planning trips?
You know, it's evolved over the years, but I'm mostly now a non-planner. Like, I'll get plane tickets, maybe a hotel, but other than that, it's all improv, and I avoid tours like the plane. But partly this is because I usually travel solo.
Oh, I love solo travel. I feel like it's oddly peaceful.
It is. Just you. You don't have to worry about when somebody else wants to get up or go to dinner or anything like that.
Amazing. But for those who like things a little more buttoned up, later in the show, Megan and I will be talking about how to plan better travel itineraries that are tailored specifically to your interests and budget. Welcome to Smart Travel, a deep dive into the tips, tools, and tactics to maximize your travel dollars. I'm Sally French.
And I'm Tess Vigeland, in for Megan Coyle for this first part of the show.
And we're the travel nerds, ready to help you plan your next big trip. Let's get to some news, Sally. But first, our disclaimer, and that's that we'll talk about a few credit card companies that are nerd wallet partners in this episode, but that does not influence how we discuss them. The benefits, terms, and fees mentioned were accurate at the time of posting, but things can change. Some offers may have expired by the time you're listening, so for the latest details, follow the links in the episode description. Let's start the news off with an acknowledgement that Memorial Day was just this past weekend, which means summer travel season is officially here.
Yeah, crowded airports, long TSA lines, all that ahead.
Oh, yes, and the Federal Aviation Administration put out a report last week saying that it's expecting flight numbers to only grow week by week throughout the summer, with the peak at the end of July. So Tess, I need to know, did you travel anywhere for Memorial Day?
I did. I went to Central Oregon, the lovely high desert town of Bend. It was beautiful. And I went to a Sting concert, the first one I've been to in about 30 years. And was it solo? It was not. It was with family and friends. So this is not a solo trip for me. How about you, Sally?
Well, I gotta say, you gotta do a concert with friends. That's the way.
Exactly, exactly.
So I used my Memorial Day weekend to actually catch up on a lot of sleep because last week I was at a media preview of Universal's Epic Universe new theme park in Orlando. Let me tell you, it lives up to the hype, and you will not get a lot of sleep if you go there. I spent two full days exploring the park before its official opening day. I did every ride, some I was lucky enough to do multiple times.
Oh, dear. Did any of them make you lose your lunch?
Yeah. You know, I have to say, there are not a lot of extreme rides in the park. The only really wild one is a coaster called Stardust Racers. That one does go 62 miles per hour. But speaking of losing your lunch, I ate so many lunches. I did the five lunches in one day thing because all the food was so good. I have to say, the mac and cheese cone that the internet won't stop talking about does live up to the hype. Mac and cheese cone?
Yeah. Mac and cheese cone? Yes. Sally, I'm on the next flight, and I would like an extra large bullhorn-sized cone, please.
I wish I could bring you one.
Well, we'll be getting a lot more details about your, shall we say, epic week?
Yes. Next week, we will hear from people who worked on the park, park guests. And Tess, I have to give you a spoiler. I said I didn't sleep a lot. The first day guests did not sleep a lot. I woke up at 4 a.m. to scout the most fanatic guests who wanted to be the first in line. Turns out the guy at the front of the line had been there since 1045 the night before. No!
So we established earlier that I am not a tour person. I am also not a line person. Basically, I have no patience. I've been working on that kind of my whole life. But Sally, I'm also guessing the park is not cheap.
No, it is not. Tickets start at $139, and that's before the optional upcharges that end up feeling pretty inevitable. I'm talking Harry Potter wands, Super Nintendo power-up bands, and of course, the food.
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