Does it cost more to book a vacation with you compared to booking it myself? No. In most cases we can get the same price or a lower price than what you can find on your own. We are constantly monitoring vacation specials and we may suggest a special that you would not be aware of otherwise. The travel suppliers we work with pay us our commissions, not you.
Does Autism Friendly Vacations Charge Fees? We offer a free consultation where we sit down and get to know you and your family better. We feel it is important to know your needs, wants and expectations to give you a great vacation. If you wish to move forward, we do charge a planning fee. This allows us to provide you the individualized attention you deserve. You can see a complete list of our fee schedule below.
What services do you provide? Autism Friendly Vacations is a full service agency. We will meet with you at a time and place that is convenient for you. We will research and plan your vacation based on your wants, needs and budget. During your travel we will monitor your flights and offer 24/7 emergency service if there is an issue, be an advocate for your family.
Do I need to purchase travel insurance? We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance for your vacation. Medicaid, Medicare and most health insurance plans do not provide coverage outside the United States so be sure to check with your provider before traveling. Travel insurance will also help with travel related issues that may occur on a trip such as losing your luggage or having your flights delayed.
No one in my family has a formal diagnosis of ASD. Can you still help me? Yes, we can and we’ll do so with pleasure. We give you the same level of service and care whether your child has a formal diagnosis or not or if your child has some other disability or issue rather than ASD. In fact, many of the recommendations and tips we give work for any family.
How customized are your vacations? Will they be tailored to my family’s needs or is there just a list to choose from? Every family gets their own customized vacation. We like to get to know the families we work with so we can find the right vacation for them. We also have access to group travel but can still customize all aspects of the experience to work with your family’s needs.
When should I begin looking at vacations and make my booking? As soon as you are sure which dates you wish to travel, we would advise you to make your reservation. During traditionally busy periods (Christmas, Easter, Summer), we recommend you book your vacation as early as possible.
Do you help with any type of travel? Yes. We are a full service agency which means we plan just about any type of travel. This includes International travel, cruises, all inclusive resorts, and domestic travel. Whether you are planning a 2 week vacation or an overnight stay, we can help you.
I am nervous to travel with my child who is on the spectrum. What can you do to help us? If you have never traveled with your child, it can be overwhelming as to where to begin. We recommend that you start small and work your way up to a longer trip. We can help get you started and will be with you every step of the process.
Do you arrange group travel? Yes. We have booked groups on various cruise lines, for all inclusive resorts, and for other destinations.
I see Platinum Travel mentioned, who are they? Autism Friendly Vacations is a branch of Platinum Travel.
Research Fees
A benefit of working with Autism Friendly Vacations is receiving individualized attention to your specific travel priorities. This requires detailed research and planning. You will have access to recommendations and an itinerary crafted just for you, as I help you to determine what would make this trip special and unique for you and offer ideas and suggestions based on your goals and your budget. In addition, every effort will be made to provide the special accommodations your family may need. My research and coordination of all of the details, including providing a final itinerary with all components, will help ensure as smooth of a vacation as possible.
It is my promise to you to provide excellent service and value throughout your travel process, from the planning stages through booking and, finally, the welcome home as you return from your trip.
All-Inclusive Resort, Disney or Cruise Package - $200 per family *see below*
Hotel only reservations - $25 per room
Destination Weddings - $250 deposit
Group Travel - $250 deposit
Escorted Tours - $200 per family
Foreign Independent Travel (FIT) Trip Planning - $350 Deposit
Domestic Travel - $150 per family
Airfare Only - Domestic Flight - $25 per ticket
Airfare Only - International Flight * - $50 per ticket
Train / Rail Reservations Only -- $50 per family
Bus Tickets Only-- $50 per family
When booking a cruise or all-inclusive resort the following trip add-ons are included when booking a package.
Excursions Off Property / Ship - other fees may apply
On Board Activities - other fees may apply
On Property Activities - other fees may apply
Special Needs Equipment Rentals - rental fee may apply
Car rentals
Pre/Post Stay Hotel Accommodations
Park & Fly Hotel Accommodations
Round Trip Transfers
Spa Treatments Bookings
Tee Time Bookings
Travel Insurance
Other Travel Services
Split Reservations at All-Inclusive Resorts - A $50 per room reservation split fee is required when the request is made at the time of initial reservation. Additional splits or changes, after initial reservation are made subject to a separate $50 fee each change. Examples of split stays are as follow:
Person "A" staying 10 days, Person "B" staying 4 days at beginning of trip, Person "C" Staying 6 days at end of trip,
Couple “A” is staying 7 days, An additional guest will join them for the first 4 days of their vacation,
Trip Changes (after initial booking)-- 1st change: $25, each additional change; $50 each; additional fees from airlines, resorts, cruise lines may apply
Trip Cancellations -- $50 in addition to supplier cancellation costs
Prize Rewards/ Free Trip Cancellations -- $50 plus cost of any airfare booked.
Name Changes -- $25 per change
Mailing Documents -- Included
Help with Trip/Travel Issues – Autism Friendly Vacation Clients: Free, Non Autism Friendly Vacations clients - $100 for the first two hours, then $25 per hour until resolved or you ask us to stop.
Come Along Guide / Escort Service - Call
On site coordination - Call
Other - Call
Return Check Fee - $25.00