Disney for the Holidays With Krystin Turner from Dreams Unlimited Travel
Fly with Chris and Di
What happens when you take the magic of Disney and the magic of Christmas and combine them? You get Disney for the holidays. Our friend and Disney travel expert Krystin Turner is here today to talk about some of the cool things that are available from Disney during the holiday and Christmas season. She has stayed at all of the resorts and has extensive knowledge about Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruises. We were lucky enough to have Krystin as our guest on season one of the podcast when we talked a
info_outline
Health and Wellness While Traveling
Fly with Chris and Di
We are joined by Jamie and Skylar from Explorcation on this episode of the podcast. They have a fantastic blog and vlog on YouTube. They share a ton of advice for staying healthy and well when you are traveling.
info_outline
Get to Know Chris
Fly with Chris and Di
It is finally time to get to know our other host better. Today we are going to dig deeper and get to know more about Chris and his travel adventures. He waits until the very end of the episode to share his special story about his favorite childhood travel experience and adds some special guests in on the discussion.
info_outline
Africa with Ashley
Fly with Chris and Di
Award-winning travel agent, Ashley Morris from Alpaca Your Bags, will be joining us to talk about AFRICA! Ashley joined us in Season 1 to tell us all the tips and tricks to planning an amazing destination wedding or vow renewal. Ashley is back and fresh off of a trip she recently took to East Africa. She is going to share all of the details of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. She shares how she was lucky enough to get to go on a safari and preparation including visas and vaccinations.
info_outline
Italy Quick Tips
Fly with Chris and Di
Hey, fly listeners, thanks for joining us for this quick tip Thursday. If you haven't checked out episode 41, be sure to do so. In that episode, Tanya Shelburne of the Traveling Tanya blog took us through all of the ins and outs of planning a trip to Italy. If you're thinking of taking a tip to this amazing company you will want all of that info. Today, Tanya gives us some top tips for how to make the most out of your Italian vacation. Some of the things we talk about include when to go to Italy.
info_outline
Italy with Traveling Tanya
Fly with Chris and Di
Tanya Shelburne, author of the Traveling Tanya blog is here with us. Tanya is on a mission to inspire busy people like you to make travel a priority by sharing her vacation adventures and travel tips. Like us, she has two teenagers and loves to travel the world. Today, Tanya is going to take us to Italy. Tanya shares all kinds of insights about going to Italy. She even shares a great tool for trip planning and creating your own itinerary. This episode will have you dreaming about visiting Italy and will giv
info_outline
Affording Travel with Danielle Desir (The Thought Card)
Fly with Chris and Di
Having the right mindset is a popular topic no matter what you’re trying to accomplish. When it comes to travel, the two main mindset issues people often have are lack of time and lack of money. Our guest today has developed strategies to make travel a priority. She talks about her techniques for intentional budgeting and saving for travel. We also talk about how to find the best flights and deals, the difference between a trip and a vacation, and why travel can be so rewarding.
info_outline
Budget Friendly National Parks with Michelle (The Wandering Queen)
Fly with Chris and Di
National parks are a great way to explore natural beauty close to home and in other countries. Today, we chat with Michelle Stelly who fell in love with hiking, backpacking, and camping. She runs the The Wandering Queen blog, where she talks about her adventures and shares tips and tricks for beginner and experienced hikers and campers. Michelle’s enthusiasm and love of nature is contagious as she talks about how she began, where she’s been, and her favorite places to go.
info_outline
What is Your Post-Quarantine Travel Destination?
Fly with Chris and Di
Hey Fly listeners, we are thrilled to have you with us today. We are your hosts Chris and Di, and if you are anything like us, you are ready to get out of the house and go somewhere, anywhere, as long as you can get the heck out of dodge and see something besides your four walls.
info_outline
How to Budget for Travel with Nikki Rue
Fly with Chris and Di
Our friend Nikki Rue from She Saves She Travels is back. Regular listeners may remember her tips on How to Book the Cheapest Flight Possible from episode 23. Nikki runs a travel and finance blog that specializes in helping people work with the income they have to go on the trips they want. Her blog is a wealth of tips and resources to save money, budget, and find the best travel deals. We loved all of her tips for finding cheap flights, and today we take it a step further by talking about how to plan and
info_outlineWe share a lot of tips and tricks for planning your own vacation, but when it comes to group trips or something as important as a destination wedding, there are a lot of advantages to turning to the help of a professional. This is why we are excited to have Ashley Morris on the show today. Ashley is the founder and owner of Alpaca Your Bags Travel which specializes in group trips and destination weddings.
Ashley shares important tips that only a travel professional can provide. An experienced professional can make recommendations, get discounts to rooms and amenities, and be the go between who handles the group financial part. We also grill Ashley on her favorite destinations, how she ended up with such a fun business name, and why she got involved in the travel industry. Ashley’s knowledge and passion really shine through in this fun interview.
Show Notes
[02:55] Ashley Morris is the owner and founder of Alpaca Your Bags Travel. The name may be funny but they take travel very seriously.
[03:06] She's in her fifth year of business with Alpaca Your Bags. Prior to that, she worked in corporate marketing and advertising.
[03:19] One of the things she brings to her new career is all of her past experience in advertising. She used to help people make marketing decisions, now she cuts through the clutter and helps people make travel decisions.
[03:42] Ashley believes everyone’s style of travel is different, and there's something out there for everyone.
[03:51] 75% of Ashley's business is group travel mostly for destination weddings. She also specializes in celebration groups whether it's a birthday, a family reunion, or a family holiday.
[05:10] Ashley shares how she ended up with the name Alpaca Your Bags.
[05:44] Ashley and her future husband wanted a destination wedding where they could focus on each other and quality time with friends and family.
[06:22] The plan was to find an amazing tropical all-inclusive destination. They knew what they wanted, but not how to do it.
[07:01] Her first attempt with a travel agent didn't go smoothly. Technology in the travel industry is a bit outdated.
[07:40] They planned their wedding and had 60 people go to the Dominican Republic for their event.
[08:04] When they returned, Ashley was looking for a next career and went to travel agent school.
[08:36] It's her goal to make everything as easy as possible for her clients. She has a streamlined process where everything is done using technology.
[09:22] Clients often get overwhelmed going online and doing their own research.
[10:01] For something as important as a destination wedding having a travel adviser is really helpful. Ashley takes the time to get to know her clients, so she can plan the perfect event.
[11:28] There are nuances to group travel that make it very helpful to have a travel professional on your side. Group booking can be a challenge.
[13:12] Benefits of booking a group travel trip include travel professionals have relationships with the top resorts and hotels.
[14:30] When you work with an adviser, you can get free rooms, discounts, excursions, and more. Without the help of an expert, you are leaving money on the table.
[16:09] Ashley is constantly on the pulse of what is happening. She also travels to the destinations.
[17:01] It's not just about the resort, there are a lot of moving parts to a trip like transportation.
[17:34] A true travel expert will have actually been to the destination.
[18:10] Ashley asks questions to narrow down the destination. Do you want a legal or symbolic destination wedding?
[20:05] You do the legal part in the US, before you leave, then when you get to your destination you have a symbolic wedding.
[20:53] In a symbolic wedding, anyone can officiate that wedding.
[21:42] Legal destination weddings in Jamaica are very simple.
[22:15] Do you want an all-inclusive resort? These are concentrated in Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.
[24:18] What is the comfort level of your friends and family when traveling?
[26:12] Is it important to do what you want or accommodate as many people as possible?
[27:41] What do you want to do when you get there?
[28:59] Ashley's top three destinations are Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo. She also likes Ocho Rios in Jamaica.
[36:18] Fifty percent of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. The ideal amount of time to let your family and friends know that you are having a destination wedding is 11 to 12 months.
[37:03] The ideal time to contact Ashley would be 12 to 13 months before your event.
Links and Resources:
Get a Free Month of Audible and A Free Book
Book a Free Consultation with Ashley Morris
Call Ashley (212) 804-8956
15 Reasons to Go "all Inclusive" for Your Destination Wedding
For pictures, tips and more, be sure to check out our Fly with Chris and Di Facebook page and signup to download a copy of The Best City for You. Please take a moment and subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Become a Fly Insider and get the inside scoop, behind the scenes photos, and exclusive travel deals.