Here are some pointers I picked up along the way.  Be sure to let me know if you’d like to add anything to this list!

Sunblock, hats, and water are a must.  It’s hot, so make sure you protect your skin from the Florida sun by applying (and re-applying) sunblock.  Keep drinking fluids all day to stay hydrated too.

There are no bags allowed on any of the big thrill rides.  This means you need to find a locker for your things while you ride, or leave them with a non-rider.  The latter is easier if you’re traveling with small kids, because the little ones can’t ride anyways, so whoever stays with the kids gets to keep the bags too!  However, if you’re not traveling with non-thrill-riders, I think that it would be annoying to have to get a locker to stow your things each time.

The Quick Queue pass is great.  This is a bracelet that lets you by-pass the long lines, very similar to a Disney FastPass.  However, they can cost between $15 and $30, and they are only valid on a handful of rides. We also found it tricky to find where the Quick Queue lines are for the rides.  Quick tip: stay at a neighboring Marriott or Hilton property, and you can pick up a Quick Queue pass for free at your hotel lobby!  (Though passes are limited, we didn’t have any trouble.)

The big thrill rides really are “thrilling”!  Even though my daughter (“The Tween”) was tall enough to ride Manta and Kraken, it would have been much too overwhelming for her.  So it’s really important know your kids, and their comfort levels on rides.  Just because they’re tall enough to ride doesn’t mean that it’s a “good” ride for them.

The ride area for smaller children is a bit separated from the rest of the park.  At Disney, the little ones can ride all but a handful of rides.  At SeaWorld, they couldn’t do any rides except in Shamu’s Happy Harbor.  And since we saved that half of the park for later in the day, the little ones fell asleep in the stroller by the time we got there, so it was lost on them.

Strollers are not allowed in most of the aquarium areas.  This is tricky if you have a little one napping in the stroller.  Even though many of the aquarium and animal viewing areas are stroller-accessible, you have to park outside and carry your little one.  I suppose I can understand this – if the aquarium areas are packed, the last thing you want is strollers blocking more space.  But still, it’s not particularly convenient.

When they say, “Arrive at least 45 minutes prior to a show to get a seat”, they’re not kidding.  We showed up to One Ocean about 15-20 minutes prior to the 2:30pm show, and we were in the nosebleed section!

Take advantage of the “2nd Visit Free” option.  This allows you to return to SeaWorld at no additional charge for an extra day within a week of your first visit.  Florida Residents also sometimes have a “Pay for a Day, Play for the rest of the year” option.  This allows you to return to do your favorite things or things you missed the first day.  Or better yet, you can return to take part in special activities, such as the Marine Mammal Keeper Experience or Beluga Interaction Program (additional fee).  Please note that ticket promotions vary, and Sunshine Travel can help you choose the ticket that’s best for you.

Many people ignore the importance of travel insurance.  After all, once you’ve paid all the money for your vacation, who wants to spend MORE on something you may not ever use? 

Well, the answer is simple: you’ve paid a lot of money for your vacation, and in most cases, it’s non-refundable.  It only makes sense to protect your investment, and compared to what you pay for your vacation, the cost of insurance is minimal…and oftentimes, priceless! 

Let’s take a look at 4 main ways that Travel Insurance can protect you:

1.    Trip Cancellation.  Suppose you paid thousands for your dream cruise, and then one week before the trip, you become too ill to travel, or your doctor orders important surgery? What if your destination has just faced a terrorist act or a natural disaster, and the trip is no longer feasible?  What if your tour company goes out of business?  What if a close family member dies just before you’re scheduled to leave, and you need to attend to family matters instead of take a vacation? As long as you cancel for a covered reason (be sure to read your policy carefully – you probably just can’t cancel because of a bad hair day!), the insurance will reimburse you for all non-refundable expenses.

2.    Trip Delay.  This coverage applies when your trip is delayed by strikes, natural disasters, or even stolen passports.  What if you get into a car accident on the way to the airport?  What if your airline goes on strike and stops flying temporarily?  Suppose a major snowstorm causes your airport to close, and your flight is postponed to the next day.  Did you know that your insurance could reimburse you for reasonable overnight accommodations and other traveling expenses until you are able to resume your trip?

3.    Medical and Dental Expenses.  If you become sick or injured while traveling, your normal health insurance will generally not cover you if you are traveling outside the United States.  Some people are also surprised to learn that once you set foot on a cruise ship you are on foreign soil, as most cruise ships are generally registered to other countries.  Travel insurance is added peace of mind while you are away, and you can be confident knowing that you’re covered if you get sick or hurt.  And most importantly, if something major happens and you need emergency evacuation to a suitable medical facility, the insurance will cover that hefty bill as well.

4.    Baggage and Personal Effects.  Generally, if your baggage is lost, damaged, or stolen while traveling, insurance will cover you up to a certain amount (again, be sure to check your policy).  If your bags are lost or delayed for a certain amount of time, your insurance provider may also reimburse you for the purchase of essential items until your bags catch up with you.

Also be sure to check your policy’s coverage of Pre-Existing conditions.  Some policies will not cover any cancellations or delays due to a condition you already have (for example: if you have a heart condition, and then have a heart attack before your trip, you may not be covered).  Some policies will cover any pre-existing conditions as long as you purchase the policy within a certain range of your deposit date.  The policy I prefer allows you to purchase insurance at the time of final payment, and all pre-existing conditions will be covered.

Insurance policies differ, so be sure to request a copy of the policy you’re considering, and review it carefully.  Obviously, there are a lot of “what ifs” to think about.  But I can guarantee you that if you don’t have insurance and run into one of these issues while traveling (and they are all surprisingly common), you will be wishing that you had just spent a few extra dollars for the insurance!

So think twice before declining Travel Insurance on your next vacation; it could turn out to be money well spent.  Feel free to contact Sunshine Travel with any questions about travel insurance, and we can work together to make sure that you choose a policy that best suits your travel needs.