How To Save Money When Booking A Family Resort Vacation
Vacationing at a family resort destination—such as with locations such as the Edge of the Wilderness Lodging Association—can be great fun for everyone involved, but no family wants to spend more money than they have to while they're on vacation. If you're traveling with a spouse and multiple kids, here are some easy and effective ways to save money when booking a family resort vacation.
Find a Resort With a Free Shuttle
Assuming you're flying to the resort location, you'll have to find transportation between the airport and the family resort. You might also want to eat at restaurants that are near the resort but not on its property, or you may want to go to a nearby attraction. These activities likewise require transportation to and from the resort.
Find a resort that has a free shuttle service, and you won't have to worry about paying for everyone to go to/from the resort. Everyone can get from the airport to the resort, from the resort to nearby restaurants and attractions, and back from the resort to the airport without paying anything out of pocket.
The savings that a free shuttle provides add up if you're traveling with multiple people. Without complimentary transportation from the resort, you might have to rent a car, pay for a cab, or take a bus. None of those are cheap options if you need a larger car, or you have to buy multiple cab fares or bus tickets.
Make Sure the Stay Includes Free Breakfast
Many family resorts include free breakfast with any stay, and free breakfast can result in substantial savings for your family.
If you had to purchase breakfast eating out each morning, you'd spend a good amount over the course of your stay on this one meal. Getting a free breakfast eliminates this expense. You also don't have to pay anything beyond the room fee, regardless of how many people are eating breakfast.
Additionally, your family can fill up on the free breakfast so that they're less hungry at lunchtime. Eating a large breakfast allows you to have a smaller—and less expensive—lunch.
Skip Any Inclusive Drinks Add-On
Some resorts allow you to purchase an add-on feature that allows any adults who are of legal drinking age to enjoy as many alcoholic drinks as they want throughout their stay. The flat fee allows them to have adult beverages as much as they want, without paying for each one.
While an inclusive drink option isn't offered at every family resort, some do offer it. Paying for such an option doesn't make sense if you're traveling with children. Kids, obviously, can't take advantage of free alcoholic drinks. You also likely won't have a lot of free time to enjoy beverages, as you'll probably be chasing (and playing) with your kids throughout the day.
Instead of paying a flat fee for unlimited drinks, pay for each drink as you order it.