Is Vacation Movie Based on a True Story?

By Robert Palmer

Are you a fan of the comedy movie Vacation? Have you ever wondered if it is based on a true story? Well, let’s dive in and find out!

The Plot of Vacation

Vacation is a 2015 comedy film that follows the misadventures of the Griswold family as they embark on a road trip to Walley World, a fictional amusement park in California. Rusty Griswold, played by Ed Helms, decides to recreate the same trip he took with his parents and sister back in 1983.

Along the way, the family encounters numerous obstacles and hilarious mishaps, including getting lost in Texas, accidentally stealing a police car, and encountering Rusty’s sister Audrey’s former flame. The movie concludes with the Griswolds finally reaching Walley World.

Is Vacation Based on a True Story?

The short answer is no. Vacation is not based on a true story. It is purely a work of fiction created by screenwriters John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein.

However, the movie is actually a continuation of the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise that began in 1983 with the release of National Lampoon’s Vacation. All subsequent movies in this franchise follow different vacations taken by members of the Griswold family.

The Inspiration Behind Vacation

While Vacation may not be based on a true story, it was inspired by John Hughes’ own experiences taking road trips with his family as a child. Hughes wrote and directed National Lampoon’s Vacation and served as an executive producer for all subsequent films in the franchise.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine back in 1985, Hughes revealed that many of the events portrayed in National Lampoon’s Vacation were based on his own experiences traveling with his family. He also shared that he had always wanted to make a movie about a family going on vacation, and the success of National Lampoon’s Vacation paved the way for the creation of subsequent films in the franchise.

In Conclusion

While Vacation may not be based on a true story, it is still a hilarious and entertaining comedy that has become a favorite among fans of the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise. Its inspiration from John Hughes’ own experiences adds a touch of realism to the story and highlights the importance of family vacations.

So there you have it! Even though Vacation is not based on a true story, it still manages to capture the spirit of family vacations and provide plenty of laughs along the way.