Dis Exclusive Once Upon a Fairytale Germany Trip 9/20 - 9/28/2013

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I'm so sorry to hear that. Thanks for letting us know. I will keep them in my prayers.

Laurie

 

[DisneyKevin]

This trip just got very real.

Airfare is now booked.

We're going to Germany!

 

[rkdahl]

Yep, we just booked our airfare two days ago so we are all set too. Lots of travel plans before and after the tour for us. It's good to see the plans coming together! Looking forward to some Europe rail travel on this trip too!

One thing I observed in airfares to Europe, one way tickets are as much or more than round trip tickets. We are doing multiple cities in and out if Europe and it was way cheaper doing a multi city booking on one airline rather than 2 one way tickets on that airline or multiple airlines! Stupid airline rules!

Can't wait for Sept!

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[HollyMac71]

DH and I are plotting.

<translation>

Holly is planning. DH is shaking his head.

I know it will be an ADVENTURE whatever we do.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I get thisclose to booking the airfare and then back off. I'm a little nervous about the idea of traveling somewhere on our own after the ABD is over. I am thinking we will leave for Salzburg the last morning, spend the day and night there, head to Vienna the next morning and run around like crazy people trying to see what we can of Vienna and fly back from there on Monday (since the flights back from Salzburg all seemed to go through Vienna or Frankfurt anyway), but I don't want to get on a train and end up in Siberia. I just need to bite the bullet and book it!

Laurie

 

[DisneyKevin]

We've decided to arrive a day early and come home at the end of the trip.

We realized after our October Knights and Lights that we got homesick and missed the dogs.

As we are flying through JFK, we might spend a couple nights in NYC before hand. Not sure yet. Booking a flight from Orlando to JFK is easy. We can make that decision closer to travel.

We are flying Delta to Frankfurt and KLM from Munich to NYC (via Amsterdam).

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

We've decided to arrive a day early and come home at the end of the trip.

I guess this means that Brian and I will have to reenact Do Re Mi on our own

Laurie

 

[rkdahl]

I get thisclose to booking the airfare and then back off. I'm a little nervous about the idea of traveling somewhere on our own after the ABD is over. I am thinking we will leave for Salzburg the last morning, spend the day and night there, head to Vienna the next morning and run around like crazy people trying to see what we can of Vienna and fly back from there on Monday (since the flights back from Salzburg all seemed to go through Vienna or Frankfurt anyway), but I don't want to get on a train and end up in Siberia. I just need to bite the bullet and book it!

Laurie

Go for it Laurie! If you have ever taken a subway anywhere, it's similar to the train system in Europe to me. Find where you want to go, see which train to get on going that way and away you go. We have found train travel their to be very easy. And your idea of Vienna is great! They have an excellent bus, trolley and subway system that can get you anywhere in town. Vienna is one of our favorite cities in the World. You can walk around for hours inside the RingStrasse and shop, eat, and just gaze at the architecture and history. We have taken a subway from a downtown hotel there to the train station. Then we took a train from their to Venice overnight. It was fun!

One suggestion, pack as light as possible. Once we laughed hysterically watching a couple trying to maneuver 6 bags and several carry on bags on and off the trains. I asked them how long they were traveling, 9 days! We had 2 bags and a carry on each for 6 weeks! And we never did laundry! Ha, just kidding.

We are taking a train from London to Paris on this trip. spending a few days there then taking a train to Heidelberg for the ABD trip. after that we are taking a train to Zurich and visiting family then flying home from there. Try and allow several days in Venice and Salzburg if you can! I think you will really enjoy the sights, food and the people! It is way easier than you might imagine to get around without a car.

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[DisneyKevin]

While I cant comment on Vienna.....I can tell you that no one ever has enough time in Venice.

Ask any of the folks that went on last year's Italy Adventure.

Venice is wonderous and as one of our great photographers (Heather) has noted, it might be the most photogenic city in the world.

 

[Flossbolna]

I once posted a picture guide on how to travel on a German ICE train (Intercity Express, i.e. high speed train) for a DISer who was travelling to Nuremberg. I thought it might be useful for some of you here as well:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=37438783&postcount=1139

If you take a regional train and don't have a reserved seat (reserving seat is never a requirement, but recommended for long distance trains) you don't have to worry about coach numbers etc.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Thanks for the votes of confidence! It sounds like Vienna is very compact, so we would at least get some of the flavor of the city in a short time. Any thoughts on where to stay in Vienna? I would love to add on even more days, but we're pushing the limits of my parents' endurance to babysit (not to mention my ability to be away from the kids for that long) as it is, so we've got to come back on the 30th. I will just have to plan another trip!

I have already laid the groundwork with Brian that the next ABD needs to be either Esprit de France or Viva Italia - but that one will be with the kids, although we might need to sell one of them to afford the trip for all of us.

Laurie

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

One other question for Keith - so when you take the train in Europe, do you carry your bags with you onto the train or is there a checking system like on an airplane? Sorry for my ignorance, but my only previous experience involved my bag magically disappearing from my London hotel room and magically reappearing in my room in Paris.

Laurie

 

[rkdahl]

A couple of points. First re the trains, did you see Flossbolna's excellent link a few posts back?. It has pictures of train luggage storage, signs and everything. You do not check your luggage, you bring it with you and store it onboard.

As far as Vienna being compact. Well, it's a huge spread out city of 2 million people. But our favorite area is the old city centered on Stephansplatz, a square located at the center of Vienna. Look for it on Google maps. You will see a couple of large road rings around the square, this is the RingStrasse that circles the center of the city. Try and stay as close to the RingStrasse so you can to catch transportation on the trolleys or busses or U-Bahn the underground subways. With those you can get anywhere easily.

We always stay at one of the Hilton's along the RingStrasse when we go.

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[Sarabi's Cubs]

I once posted a picture guide on how to travel on a German ICE train (Intercity Express, i.e. high speed train) for a DISer who was travelling to Nuremberg.

This is really helpful!! Somehow I missed it earlier! Thanks for pointing it out to me Keith. Public transportation is not widely available where I live, so I'm not used to it and it's nice to have such a detailed tutorial!


Laurie

 

[MinnieGarden]

Laurie, after our Knights and Lights adventure, Mike and I spent a couple of days in Paris. One day we went to Epernay in the Champagne region via train. We were able to purchase our tickets online and we received paper tickets via mail before our departure. There were ticket booths, and we did arrive early so we were able to find someone to ask about where we should be going. The luggage area was adequate, but not big enough for the huge suitcases that some of us brought.

My only other tip for adventures outside the adventure is to write down the address of your destination so you can show it to a taxi or ask for directions.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Please help me welcome Marilyn and Mark to our Adventure!!!!

 

[jmccormick]

Please help me welcome Marilyn and Mark to our Adventure!!!!

Welcome ............

 

[WebmasterMike]

Please help me welcome Marilyn and Mark to our Adventure!!!!

WooHoo!! Welcome Mark and Marilyn!!!

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Please help me welcome Marilyn and Mark to our Adventure!!!!

Willkommen!!!!!

Laurie

 

[DisneyKevin]

Please help me welcome John and Nora to our Adventure!