Ryan Hedstrom and Julie Shaffer
315 episodes listed below
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Listen in each week with Wonder and Beyond Travel Co-Owners and destination experts Ryan and Julie. He is your travel professor, teaching you everything you need to know to have a magical vacation. She is a Disney-loving, Maryland mom of 3 and a specialist in family travel. Whether they're discussing incredible destinations, top vacation tips, or sharing personal stories…it’s always All Things Travel.
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Ryan and Julie make complicated vacation choices legible through first-hand comparisons, family logistics, and unusually specific planning advice.
All Things Travel Podcast turns vacation planning into a conversation between Ryan and Julie, two travel advisors who test broad recommendations against trips they have taken and families they have helped.
A family cruise decision can come down to one tiny shower; your kids may have opinions.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A heritage-led travel conversation that stays practical about pacing, ancestry, and who the trip suits best.
The conversation treats travel as a form of personal discovery, with heritage guiding choices such as Italy and the Scandinavian region. It also keeps the planning grounded, moving through Brussels, Amsterdam, trains, and a river cruise without losing sight of the family-history…
A honeymoon reroute turns into a grounded look at whether club level is worth it.
This episode is a practical honeymoon debrief. It starts with a stressful change of plans, then settles into how the property actually worked once they got there.
The choice narrows fast once cabin layout and family needs take over.
This comparison treats Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line as a family-fit question, not a simple winner-and-loser contest. It stays on the parts that actually change a trip: how each line works with kids, what dining feels like, and how cabin layout affects sleep, showers,…
A practical guide to choosing the right Disney night plan for a trip.
Ryan and Julie frame Disney World after dark as a planning choice, not a checklist. They walk through Fantasmic, Tree of Life Awakening, extended evening hours, and the pull of a Magic Kingdom dessert party, but keep the question practical: what actually fits the trip, the…
A practical Walt Disney World shortlist that favors fit over hype.
The piece treats Walt Disney World less like a dream destination and more like a planning problem with two clear answers, one for families and one for adults.
Holiday Disney planning with practical crowd advice and an early-start tip.
The episode follows Julie's Walt Disney World holiday trip and lands on practical advice more than big-picture talk. Its strongest notes are simple ones: book a sit-down dinner, since some quick-service spots close or do not serve a full evening meal; arrive earlier than feels…
A grounded Europe primer that helps each traveler find the right trip shape.
This episode treats Europe as a set of trip choices instead of one giant checklist. First-time travelers get a clean starting point, families get practical routing ideas, and anyone drawn to Switzerland gets a convincing case for the train-heavy version of the trip.
A grounded Epcot food-and-drink guide with two clear highlights.
All Things Travel treats Epcot as a day built around food and drinks, following Ryan and Julie from a winter-break catch-up into a practical tour of snacks, meals, and cocktails at Walt Disney World.
Weekly multi-segment travel interviews pairing European destinations with historians and explorers.
Deep Disney parks talk, right down to the signage.
Everyday curiosities, explained with a sideways grin.
Real family routes, practical travel stories.
Ryan and Julie, co-owners of Wonder and Beyond Travel, share their top Caribbean shore excursions for cruise travelers, covering destinations like Cozumel, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman with activities ranging from submarine adventures to zip-lining and snorkeling.
This episode segment discusses cruise disembarkation, focusing on managing luggage, timing, and logistics to reduce stress for travelers.
This episode segment introduces diverse river cruise options beyond Europe, highlighting destinations like the Mekong and Nile, and features travel advisors discussing their experiences and the appeal of river cruising for unique travel.
This episode segment discusses embarkation strategies, including pre-cruise planning steps like booking accommodations, shore excursions, and dining times for a smooth start to a cruise vacation.
The hosts introduce a yearly roundup of popular travel episodes and share personal New Year's Eve traditions.
This episode segment introduces a discussion on common mistakes to avoid when planning multi-generational family trips, featuring travel experts Ryan and Julie.
This podcast segment introduces a discussion on top Alaskan shore excursions, emphasizing their importance for cruise experiences and uniqueness compared to other destinations like the Caribbean and Mediterranean.
This episode segment introduces a discussion on the best times to book vacations to Alaska, Ireland, and all-inclusive resorts, comparing real prices and savings.
Ryan and Julie wrap their best-of series with Europe.
Ryan and Julie talk through a recent family trip to Walt Disney World during the holidays.
Ryan and Julie kick off their Walt Disney World Best of series with a brisk, practical look at the destination.
Ryan’s honeymoon gets a careful debrief.
Ryan and Julie kick off the show’s 300th episode with a best-of cruising conversation.
Ryan and Julie start with a winter-break catch-up and a very Monday kind of reset.
Ryan and Julie open by pushing back on the promise of ultra-cheap travel ads.
Ryan and Julie sort out Disney World nights as a planning choice.
Hosts Ryan and Julie compare Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean for families, discussing entertainment, dining, staterooms, pools, kids clubs, and overall vibe.
Ryan and Julie discuss heritage journey programs with Kensington Tours, which use genealogical research from Ancestry.com to create customized travel experiences based on family history.
Travel advisors discuss their first Caribbean experiences and the variety of islands available for different travel styles.
The podcast discusses cozy winter travel ideas, including snowy cabins and sunny beaches, and features travel advisors planning a multi-generational Alaska cruise for 2027.
Travel experts share tips for handling extreme heat during a summer visit to Walt Disney World.
Ryan and Julie discuss lesser-known European cities as alternatives to crowded tourist spots, starting with Palermo.
Travel advisors Ryan and Julie discuss Julie's couple's trip to St.
Ryan and Julie share expert tips for planning a successful multi-generational trip to Disney World.
Travel advisors discuss using Viator to book tours and activities for vacations, sharing tips and favorite options.
Travel advisors Ryan and Julie interview a guest about her honeymoon trip to Thailand, discussing planning and experiences.