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Summary: – All-inclusive vacations are popular for budgeting and convenience. – Europe and Mediterranean cruises among top destinations. – Last-minute bookings are trending due to shifting prices and promos.

OKLAHOMA CITY — More Oklahoma travelers this summer have opted for all-inclusive vacations due to factors like rising travel costs and the desire for a more curated experience in locations suitable for social media posts.

All-inclusive trips can simplify the planning process and eliminate the need to book individual activities or worry about budgets for meals and entertainment. These getaways are experiencing a resurgence in popularity nationwide and in Oklahoma.

Amber Brune, independent travel agent with Vincent Vacations in Oklahoma City, said all-inclusive vacations are more popular than ever.

“The majority of my summer trips are all-inclusive, and that includes families, couples and friends,” Brune said. “And there’s a lot of reasons why people go. We do destination weddings, and we’re continuing to see those happening at all-inclusive (places) as well.”

Brune said many Oklahomans have booked all-inclusive trips to Europe this year.

“I’ve seen an uptick in requests for Mediterranean cruises, and I definitely think over the last couple of years, Greece has become very Instagramable,” Brune said. “It gets a lot of social media fanfare. I had one that started in Venice and then ended in Barcelona. That has been a popular request recently.”

The main reason for a post-pandemic increase in all-inclusive getaways, according to Brune and other experts, is the ability to more accurately plan a budget with fewer out-of-pocket expenses upon arrival to a destination. According to TravelAge West, 77% of travel advisors report that most or some of their clients have opted for an all-inclusive vacation to better manage costs.

Disney trips also remain popular vacation destinations, Brune said, but the company doesn’t offer traditional all-inclusive packages. The closest option to that is one of the Disney Vacation Packages that include a Disney Dining Plan and Theme Park tickets.

Disney ticket prices have significantly increased in recent years. A recent study by MickeyVisit found that the lowest-priced one-day ticket at Disney World has increased by 26.6%, from $94 to $119, between 2014 and 2025, and the one-day adult ticket has increased by a staggering 101.01%, from $99 to $199.

Walt Disney World Resort is experiencing its slowest summer in years after the price increase, with wait times in June averaging about half what they were in 2017, according to DisneyFanatic.

Brune said Disney sales may be down in 2025 overall, but it’s not necessarily because of the ticket prices, and she’s actually seen an increase in theme park bookings.

“A lot of times people will just end up getting a one-day ticket, and we don’t sell those, and then they’re staying off property,” Brune said.

Some families are only spending a couple of days at Disney before going to Universal Studios, and others this year have chosen to completely forego the experience in the house that Mickey built to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or “How to Train Your Dragon” land at Universal’s Epic Universe.

Brune has noticed that no matter the destination, more people are booking last-minute vacations this year. She suspects economic uncertainty is a factor. The decision to delay booking that trip can pay off, however.

According to MarketWatch, as booking windows draw near, airlines, hotels and cruise lines that aren’t meeting their expected demand will oftentimes offer deals or lower prices to fill seats and rooms.

“They’re kind of waiting until the last minute because Disney has done all these room promotions and whatnot, and there’s still opportunities to get a decent price at that time,” Brune said.