Frequently Asked Questions
Using the App
What is MyVacationPlans and how is it different from other travel sites?
MyVacationPlans is your personal travel organizer. Unlike booking sites, we don't sell travel. Instead, we provide a central place to store and manage all your travel documents, plans, and notes. Think of it as a digital hub for your entire vacation, keeping everything neatly organized in one place.
One of the really nice features is the ability to add your travel confirmations directly to your vacation so you can quickly find them. You can even take a picture or screenshot from your phone and upload it
to your vacation where you can see it right beside your travel.
How do I use MyVacationPlans? What's the "Magic Vacay Box"?
It's simple! You can add your travel plans by either typing them in plain English (e.g., "Flight from New York to London on July 10th") or by dragging and dropping your confirmation emails or files into the Magic Vacay Box. The box uses advanced technology to understand your text or documents and automatically organize your itinerary. It can recognize flights, hotel bookings, car rentals, and more.
Can I share my travel plans with friends and family?
Absolutely! Once you have created your vacation, you can use the built-in email feature to send a nicely formatted itinerary to any email address. In the future we're planning direct links to your plans so that others can view them on the MyVacationPlans site directly - without logging in or creating an account!
Do others need an account to view my itinerary?
No, recipients of shared itineraries do not need an account to view them. The email we send has all the info they need and it's organized like a timeline.
How do I add activities to my itinerary?
MyVacationPlans helps you discover and add activities to your itinerary. There is an integrated feature to find activities in your destination. You can also manually add any activity by providing the name, date, time, and location.
What if I need to make changes to my plans?
No problem! You can easily edit any aspect of your vacation, such as updating flight details, changing hotel reservations, or adding new activities. MyVacationPlans keeps everything in sync and organized.
Privacy and Security
How does MyVacationPlans protect my privacy?
Your privacy is a top priority. User passwords are not stored directly. Instead, they are converted into secure, one-way hashes using the industry-standard PBKDF2 algorithm with SHA256 and a 16-byte salt. This means that even if the database were compromised, your actual password would remain unreadable.
How is my data secured on MyVacationPlans?
Multiple layers of security are employed to protect your data. All sensitive information is encrypted both in transit (using HTTPS and TLS 1.2/1.3) and at rest. Advanced security measures like Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) protection and a strict Content Security Policy (CSP) are also utilized. Data is stored on secure servers with limited access and regular security audits.
What about the confirmation images and documents I upload?
Your uploaded confirmation files (images or PDFs) are stored securely in a private Amazon S3 bucket with restricted access. When you share your itinerary, temporary, pre-signed URLs are generated that expire after a short period, ensuring that only authorized users can view them. Additionally, rate limiting and bot detection are used to prevent unauthorized access.
I see you offer Google login. Is that secure?
Yes, Google login is a secure and convenient way to access MyVacationPlans. When you log in with Google, only your email address and basic profile information are received. There is no access to your Google password or any other sensitive data. Google's OAuth 2.0 protocol is used for secure authentication.
What happens to my data if I delete my vacation or account?
When you delete a vacation, all associated data, including any uploaded confirmation images, are permanently removed from the servers. Similarly, if you choose to delete your account, all your data is permanently erased from the systems.
Do you collect any personal data?
Only data that is necessary to provide the service is collected. This includes your email address (used for account management and communication), your username, and any travel details you provide. Your data is not sold to third parties. Please see the Privacy Policy for more details.
General Questions
Is MyVacationPlans free to use?
Yes, MyVacationPlans is currently free to use while in beta. A freemium model may be introduced in the future.
How can I provide feedback or suggest new features?
Feedback from users is valuable! You can email your thoughts, suggestions, or issues to support@myvacationplans.com.
How can I support MyVacationPlans?
If you find MyVacationPlans helpful, consider buying me a coffee! :) It helps cover the costs of running the site and developing new features. You can find a "Buy Me a Coffee" link on this page.
How do I reset my password?
You can request a password reset by clicking the "Forgot Password" link on the login page. You'll receive an email with instructions on how to reset your password.
Is there a mobile app?
Currently, MyVacationPlans is a web application accessible from any device with a browser. We are considering developing a mobile app in the future.
How do I get started?
Simply sign up for a free account and start adding your travel plans!
What other fun things do you offer?
You can visit our sister site Fazfinity for more things to do!
Enjoying Your Trip Planning?
MyVacationPlans is a passion project, crafted to make travel planning simpler and more enjoyable. If you find it helpful, consider supporting the journey!
Every coffee helps fuel new features and improvements. Thank you for your support!
Enjoying MyVacationPlans?
Support the project by buying me a coffee!