Every new year brings up a lot of goals and resolutions - things we want to change, things we want to do more or less of, and things we want to do better. While resolutions for travel may not be the first thing you think of when you start writing your resolution list for 2019, at Modern Travel Professionals we know what a wonderful and important thing travel can be to learning, family, memories, and, well... life! If you haven't included any resolutions about travel, we're going to kick off the new year with several travel resolutions that you need in 2019.
Resolution #1: Make Memories and Connections
Travel for me is tied up in memories. When I think about certain trips I've taken in the past, I remember more than just the trip itself - I remember who I traveled with, where I was in my life at the time, the feelings that the travel experiences brought with them, and how the trip changed my perspective on the world.
For my family, a place that ties a lot of memories together is Disneyland. It was the first Disney theme park I went to as a child when my parents took my sister and I, and we revisited Disneyland late this year for the holidays. While my sister and I have memories of visiting, my parents also have the memories of taking us as children. Also, the memories go even further back - my dad remembers coming to Disneyland with his family when he was a child, and my parents remember going as adults with uncle and my aunt. My aunt died when I was young, and she loved visiting Disneyland, so it always brings back fond memories of her for my dad when we visit, and he gets to share those memories with my sister and I.
There's something incredibly special about having a travel tradition that allows you to relive memories and keep creating new ones that will also be remembered and passed on. Even if you don't yet have a travel tradition, it's never too late to start one!
For my sister and I, our travel tradition has recently become Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights. My sister has always been a fan of horror films, and several years ago I surprised her with the suggestion that we should give it a try. I hadn't really done any haunted house events before that and wasn't sure how I would react. Thankfully, I ended up loving it (spoiler alert: so did my sister), and it's become our yearly trip together ever since. We love planning for it and getting excited for it together. We always follow the announcements for the event and watch or re-watch the movies being featured for each year. When we're at home, if we can never think of anything else to talk about together, we can always talk about Halloween Horror Nights.
So what travel resolutions should you make in 2019? Resolve to make memories. Make the kind of memories that transcend generations, that bring your family together, that create stories you'll tell and re-tell for years to come. Resolve to make connections with the people you care about, and to let your experiences together bring you closer. Memories are one of the most precious gifts we can give or receive - make this year one to remember.