Over a fifth of parents have let their school-aged child plan 100% of a family vacation, according to new research.
The survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children found 22% have let their child plan the entire vacation — every last detail.
And parents might be encouraging this, as 82% of parents surveyed said their best trips happened when the kids had a say.
When children are involved, parents usually have them help with activities (89%) and restaurants (54%) — which makes sense, as the top reason parents ask for input on a trip is to ensure the vacation will have elements their child will enjoy (76%).
Commissioned by Visit Anaheim for their “Imaginagency” campaign and conducted by Talker Research, the survey also polled kids and found that most are all in.
Eighty-six percent of kids surveyed want to be more involved in planning family trips — and 53% want to plan as much of the trip as possible.
What exactly would a kid-planned “dream vacation” look like? Having a meet-and-greet with their favorite celebrity (34%) was at the top of the charts for once-in-a-lifetime experiences, followed by sitting in the front row at a concert for their favorite artist (29%) — or having backstage access at the same show (27%).
About a quarter would like to ride on an amusement park parade float (26%) or have a meet-and-greet with their favorite cartoon characters (24%), while a fifth would like to sit in the front row at a professional sports game.
“Kids aren’t just passengers — they’re the planners, the dreamers, the imagination of the trip,” said Scott Oklin, Chief Marketing Officer at Visit Anaheim. “We want to help give parents fun, easy ways to turn those big kid dreams into memory-making moments — whether it’s catching a thrilling hockey game or zooming around on roller coasters.”
There were more “everyday” activities that kids said needed to be included, too, to make it a dream trip — like going to the beach (55%) and an amusement park (54%).
This was especially true for one kid, who said their dream trip would be: “Amusement parks, amusement parks, amusement parks, lol.”
Kids also said they needed to go to fun restaurants (54%), have a chance to swim (51%) and participate in outdoor activities (49%) to turn a regular trip into their dream vacation.
And just swimming might not be enough, as one kid said they wanted to “go swimming with the dolphins.”
For the ultimate “dream trip,” kids imagine something pretty epic: A 13-day journey across six states and five countries, traveling via a road trip (60%), a flight (57%) and even a cruise (33%).
But not every dream requires a passport — 40% of kids would prefer to stay right here in the U.S., and their top picks include Florida, California, Hawaii, New York, Alaska and Colorado.
But regardless of whether or not their child is helping to plan a trip, 84% of parents try to take inspiration from their child’s imagination when setting up a vacation.
More than that, 73% of parents surveyed know of a “dream trip” their child would like to take — and 88% have plans to make some, or all, of that trip happen in the future.
“Imagination is the spark,” added Oklin. “But then you need a destination that has everything parents need to bring it to life, from iconic theme parks and drool-worthy food to unexpected gems. Through the Imaginagency, we’re helping families bring their kids’ wildest imaginations to life.”
WHAT ARE KIDS’ DREAM TRIPS?*
- Amusement parks, amusement parks, amusement parks, lol
- I would like to surprise my dad with a trip to Ireland, so we can see the town his grandparents came from
- I would want to fit as many places and activities into the time frame as possible. Like two weeks of different places and things to do.
- I would want to go to the beach, I would want to go swimming with the dolphins
- Theme parks, national parks, concerts, beaches
- American Museum of Natural History, Central Park Zoo, Space Club
- My dream trip would start with traveling to Legoland, that’s where I’ve wanted to go for a while now and I can’t wait to finally make it there. I’d love to see some of the Disneylands and visit my aunt in Florida. And play on the beach. Play Legos and swimming at the beach for nineteen days and I would be happy forever.
- I’d start in Japan during cherry blossom season.
- I want to go see my cousins in North Carolina. I haven’t seen them in a while! Mom said there’s beaches in Carolina. I’ve always wanted to go to the beach. We would need sunscreen. Mom burns!
- I want to go to California so bad. I want to go to the NBA stadium where the Lakers play and Disneyland of course.
- My dream trip would be to New York, where I’d explore Central Park, see a Broadway show, visit the museums, and enjoy the city’s vibrant food scene.
- I’d like to go to both coasts and after sightseeing, go to the marina, board a boat and go on a cruise in the Caribbean
* Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American parents of school-aged children (aged 6–17); the survey was commissioned by Visit Anaheim and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 7–15, 2025.
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