Agree with the packing light advice.
We took DS to Thailand for 6 weeks when he was in elementary school and packed accordingly. Upon return we realized that we really did not wear many of the things we packed.
Now we pack very lightly and do laundry while travelling and it is much better. The only downside is we tend to be wearing the same thing in many photos…
I was recently upgraded to a HUGE suite when a friend of mine and I asked for adjoining rooms. We went from a $150 a night room to a $2000 a night room. No change in cost.
I always ask at the gate regarding upgrades. I’ve gotten upgraded to economy plus for free when they have empty seats. And I have gotten first class for domestic flights for $50. You know…it’s easier and cheaper for airlines to sell my cheap seats at the last minute than a first class one.
Rental cars…I always ask! And I’ve gotten some nice upgrades at no additional cost when I pick up my car. I also ask if there are any less expensive options, and very often there are.
Wowser on the room! You must have been floored!
Yes! It was two huge rooms connected by a HUGE sitting room that had its own entrance and a 1/2 bath for company, I guess. Clearly set up for entertaining.
TSA pre check or Global Entry
Join a rental car program so you can skip the line and go straight to your car.
This goes without saying ; )
I don’t even do them. I like to keep my life simple.
Dear wife insisted on using 2 gallon zip-loks for packing–I hated them, as the rounded edges did not allow efficient stacking of them. Got her to try some free packing cubes we got for renewing AARP membership----SHE BECAME A CHANGED PERSON!!! Now loves them!! Because they are rectangular solids, they stack without wasting suitcase space.
She packs them by complete outfits, I pack mine by “all socks” “all shirts”, etc. Both methods work. They also make it easy to keep an outfit in each others’ carry-on, in case luggage is delayed.
Yes, I always do that too!
On that note, always wear shoes in an airplane lavatory. NEVER go in there barefoot or wearing just socks! A flight attendant told me that if the floor is wet…it’s not always water!
Yes! And it never hurts to ask for an earlier check in or later check out! I like to extend the vacation!
One of my must do travel things is to wear closed shoes with socks, usually athletic shoes - I do not want my feet exposed to airport/plane debris!!!
Tripit is the best.Easy way to get things organized.
And though it sounds basic, but I’ve been using Google Maps to pin restaurants and Hotels that I liked on trips (as a new list) or to plot places I’d like to visit.
I usually wear sneakers on the plane as they’re usually my heaviest shoes and I like to wear my heaviest shoes on the plane. And in reference to airplane bathrooms, they protect you even more from what’s on the floor…
I thought of some more.
I am female and have always found it useful to pack a large but very lightweight scarf/sarong with me on every trip. We often vacation at Disneyland or WDW and it’s come in handy a million times. When you’re cold in the evening, it’ll keep you warm. If you’re soaking wet after a water ride, use it as a towel. Also can be used as something to sit on when waiting for a parade to start. I bought a couple at the ABC Store in Hawaii about 12 years ago for $8 each and I still use them every trip. I’ve also used them on a trip to Europe.
These tips are WDW specific:
Also, generally speaking, if you’re like me and live in an area with very low humidity, you should just expect that you will sweat wherever you go when you travel elsewhere. Even when it’s only 65 degrees F elsewhere (it’s because of the increased humidity). 
Therefore, pack clothes that give you options for layers and be prepared to shed layers as needed.
If I can’t bring an actual pillow (ie not a road trip) I bring a pillow case, colored so that I remember it’s mine since hotels usually have white linens. Having something that smells familiar makes it easier for me to sleep in a hotel bed. If it’s a road trip, I also bring a small fan and my white noise machine. I’m a notoriously poor sleeper especially in away from home situations and hate ruining the fun by being tired and cranky.
$ saving - we usually make a late lunch our main meal of the day when we travel. We also ask locals for suggestions about where they like to eat.
If you like zoos or botanical gardens, there are often reciprocal admissions for memberships throughout the country. Check out the website of your local one.
They have free white noise apps for your phone now.
These tips are awesome!!!
Yes, I have saved a bundle by buying reciprocal admissions army local zoo/museum before we go on trips.
We do that too because lunch is often cheaper then dinner! I love to ask locals where they like to eat, by doing that you usually get a more authentic place and you save money. I hate going to the restaurants that proclaim “we speak English and accept all major credit cards!” they usually end up being overpriced with mediocre food. And the only locals are the people who work there, who are grumpy because they deal with tourists all day! I like going where the locals do, it’s just a better and more genuine experience.
That is a great tip about zoos and botanical gardens. My co worker has some sort of membership that gets her free admission to zoos all over the country, I wonder if it works in foreign countries?
Also, don’t forget to ask about senior discounts at attractions!
And lastly, if you’re a light sleeper, make sure to bring ear plugs with you! And ask for a room that doesn’t face the main street or the main town square. That said, in Europe we stayed in a hotel on the main drag. We asked for a quiet room that didn’t face the main street. They put us in a room that faced the alleyway behind the hotel. It was quiet except on the first morning when the garbage truck showed up (the dumpsters were out there). Our window was open so we heard the “beep beep beep” as the truck backed up, some mechanical rattling and what sounded like glass braking and a huge “thud” as the dumpster was emptied into the truck. Luckily, the garbage is only picked up once a week, so the room was very quiet otherwise. And we left before the next trash pickup!
We tend to always requests rooms on the top floors of hotels, away from elevators and ice machines. I don’t mind climbing steps in small European hotels if there is no elevator to get a quieter room.
The only time that failed us was when we were directly below a penthouse banquette room that was in use for a huge party that went on until past 2 am. There were so many noise complaints from everyone on that top floor that we got a full refund on that night.
In terms of food, unless we have breakfast included in the room cost, we’ll find a nice bakery the evening before and pick up something to have for breakfast the next morning so we don’t have to leave the hotel in search of it when we are hungry. We do the reverse of big lunch, and tend to find a grocery store and do sandwich stuff and fruit and then do a calorie splurge for dinner when we have more time to sit, linger, relax, and debrief about the day.
Read this and think it’s a good idea.
What happens if you lose your phone? (A disaster especially if you’ve kept everything digitally.)
The suggestion is to hope/pray someone nice finds it (rather than stolen you probably left it at store counter, restaurant, hotel). So change your home screen to include someway for them to contact you. “If found call/ email/message…(whomever you’re traveling with is good).”