Andiamo Adventurer's: A 2014 Viva Italia Trip Report - Complete!

[mare1203]

Buongiorno e Benvenuto! My sister, Kathy (kanadar), and I have just returned from the Adventures by Disney Viva Italia trip and are excited to begin our trip report. It is our first time doing a full trip report of any kind, though we have contributed to the Disney Dining Live Thread before.

While we saw there was just a trip report done for Viva Italia, we did experience a few differences from the previous poster and we had been planning on doing our own report for a while. I’m sure you won’t mind another one! Most notably was the change in hotel in Venice and a very different last night activity, so we hope you find it enjoyable to read. I believe that most adventure groups will begin doing our Venice experience in the coming weeks.

This was our first Adventures by Disney trip and we had an amazing time. We were in Italy from June 18-27 (we added a pre-day in Rome).

First, let’s have some introductions:

​

My name is Mary. I am 29 and I live in Arizona. I am a fan of Disney culture and tradition, though I am quite bad at Disney music and movie trivia. Before moving to Arizona I worked as a cast member in Disney’s Animal Kingdom where I was a paleontologist at the Dino Institute, so Disney is in my blood. I also did a college program. Although I loved my time at Disney, I decided to move on and now work in higher education. I have always wanted to go to Italy and love to travel. I most looked forward to seeing all the history and sampling the wonderful food and drink.





Part two of this tag-team is Kathy. She is 26 and lives in central Illinois. Kathy has just finished her studies to teach English as a Second Language and is looking for a teaching position. She also just got engaged to her Prince Charming, Jeff. So, after completing this trip she will dive head first into planning a Disney Fairytale Wedding (yep, we aren’t loyal to the brand at all…). Kathy loves ice cream, so I know she looked forward to gelato and seeing the sights.

​

The main man and person for whom the trip is for is Bob. Bob also lives in central Illinois, about 45 minutes from Kathy, and he owns a meat distribution company. He will also be turning 60 in a few weeks. He started us on the Disney vacation love in 1994 and his favorites are resorting at the Polynesian and visiting during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. Our family enjoys indulging in food & wine, so that was something we were very much looking forward to during the trip. He was most excited for the entire trip, spending time with his girls (he is a Dad, after all), and enjoying Italy.

So, benvenuto and andiamo adventurer’s as we explore all that Rome, Tuscany, Florence, and Venice have to offer, and maybe get a few surprises along the way!

 

[sayhello]

Looking forward to your report, Mary! We can never have too many Trip Reports! Each report gives us a unique perspective on the trips. You find there are as many experiences as there are Adventurers!

My only thing is, I already can't tell you and Kathy apart! You definitely look like sisters! I guess there will be a lot of confusion there going forward!

Sayhello

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

I am very excited to read your trip report!!! Please include any delicious dining you found for your on your own time.

Laurie

 

[BrennaM]

Yes the more trip reports the better in my opinion!! Everyone experiences things differently and has a different eye. I'm hopefully going to be doing a report for my upcoming Ireland trip. First time for me so I gotta remember to journal every day. heheh

 

[mare1203]

Looking forward to your report, Mary! We can never have too many Trip Reports! Each report gives us a unique perspective on the trips. You find there are as many experiences as there are Adventurers!

My only thing is, I already can't tell you and Kathy apart! You definitely look like sisters! I guess there will be a lot of confusion there going forward!

Sayhello

I agree! I love reading the trip reports! And I figure there are about a gazillion for WDW, so the more the merrier! Don't worry, I will do my best to keep it clear who is who! Thanks for joining in.

I am very excited to read your trip report!!! Please include any delicious dining you found for your on your own time.

Laurie

Glad to have you on board! I will definitely be reporting on all the delicious dining we did, both included and on our own. I think we made some pretty good decisions (though I'm not sure we would have known otherwise!)

Yes the more trip reports the better in my opinion!! Everyone experiences things differently and has a different eye. I'm hopefully going to be doing a report for my upcoming Ireland trip. First time for me so I gotta remember to journal every day. heheh

I agree! I would love to read your Ireland one; I hear it's a great trip!! Good luck on the journal-ling, I tried my best to journal and didn't get very far. I'm still working on completing mine and then transferring it here.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Excellent! Looking forward to following your trip report. Did you eat out on your own in Venice? Any recommendations? How was the weather? We'll be there next week.

 

[tgeorge]

I, too, am very excited to read your report. I'm was thinking about doing Italy in 2016, but now seriously contemplating 2015 so looking forward to reading about all go your adventures! Thanks for taking the time to write a report and sharing your experiences with us

 

[mare1203]

Okay Adventurer's here is our table of contents. I will link to the page(s) once I've completed the entry for easy viewing later on and edit as I am sure some of these will end up as multiple posts.

Pre-Trip:
Introductions
Our Viva Italia Backstory
The Surprise Reveal

Rome:
Travel Day and Arrival, Part 1
Travel Day and Arrival, Part 2
Wait, I think the map says this way, Part 1
Wait, I think the map says this way, Part 2
The Adventure begins
Rome is like a lasagna, part 1
Rome is like a lasagna, part 2
They pillaged the marble...Recycling!, Part 1
They pillaged the marble...Recycling! Part 2
A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum
A Roman Dinner

Vatican City
Who are those guys in the funny looking outfits? Part 1
Who are those guys in the funny looking outfits? Part 2
A view from the top...of the Castel Sant'Angel
Maybe we should try a different gelato shop...nah!
It's just us and the guards
Dinner in Trastevere

Tuscany:
We lost Chris!
Is that the parade again?
The Feast of Corpus Christi Orvieto
Lunch at Relais Gli Ulivi
The Fastest Wine Tasting Ever
Oh no! My pasta volcano is overflowing!
Marco, is Sarah your girlfriend?
Dinner and a show at the Monastery

Florence:
Thank goodness Troy was there to catch us
Walking tour of Florence
Tuscan T-Bone

Venice:
Are they laughing at us riding in these gondolas?
We knew Venice might be wet, but not this wet!
Dinner with friends in Venice
Doges Palace
Maybe they can save my mask with the glitter magic
Jolly Roger Dinner Cruise
Did we just stop to let on a DJ??
Arrivederci, Italia

Final Thoughts
Packing List

 

[mare1203]

Excellent! Looking forward to following your trip report. Did you eat out on your own in Venice? Any recommendations? How was the weather? We'll be there next week.

Welcome! We did eat out on our own in Venice. Ate at a little place about a 7 minute walk from Piazza San Marco called Ai Barbacani. It was one of our favorites of the trip, wonderful seafood and pasta dishes. We just had pizza for lunch the next day, but it wasn't anything special.

When we arrived it was rainy, but the evening and next day were gorgeous. A little warm, high 80's I would say. Enjoy your cruise!

I, too, am very excited to read your report. I'm was thinking about doing Italy in 2016, but now seriously contemplating 2015 so looking forward to reading about all go your adventures! Thanks for taking the time to write a report and sharing your experiences with us

Glad to have you! I would highly recommend the trip. We found it a wonderful way to be introduced to Italy!

 

[Cousin Orville]

A table of contents? That's awesome! So organized.

Thanks for the recommendation on Ai Barbacani. I'm going to map that out tonight.

 

[kanadar]

Excellent! Looking forward to following your trip report. Did you eat out on your own in Venice? Any recommendations? How was the weather? We'll be there next week.

Our Italy guide made us the reservations at Ai Barbacani, we ended up eating with 3 of our fellow Adventurers! It was a very small place so reservations might be a good idea, plus when your seated you get a small glass of Prosecco!!

 

[mare1203]

In just a few weeks our dad will turn 60. We have always been close as a family, going on vacations and especially enjoying yearly trips to Disney. In 2003 we lost our mom to cancer and have been even closer ever since. We have done lots of different things with Disney throughout the years, but whenever my Dad saw an ad for the Adventures by Disney he casually mentioned it might be fun. This always stuck in my head. He also mentioned a number of times that he’'d really like to see Italy. We have traveled all over the U.S., but only been abroad once, to London & Paris while Kathy was studying abroad in 2009. I knew I wanted to do something special for his 60th birthday and decided to see if Adventures by Disney might be an option. I began to look into the trips they offered and doing some initial research. The price tag was definitely a bit of a shock, as I think it is for everyone, but the reviews were also stellar. I ordered the viewbook and (im)patiently waited for it to arrive. In October of 2012 I told Kathy about my idea while she was nursing me back to health after I got my wisdom teeth out (I’m not sure she believed me at first...would you, haha?!).


I distinctly remember running Princess Half Marathon in 2013, not only because it was our first half marathon and you cannot forget that pain and excitement, but also because it was the weekend that we made the decision to take the plunge and book a trip to Italy with ABD.

From late March on, Kathy and I got very excited about Italy. We knew the 2014 dates wouldn'’t come out for another couple of months, so we had some waiting to do. In 2013, Viva Italia was still split between the 2 trips; initially we were deciding between the regular and the signature trips. When the 2014 dates came out we were actually on a family vacation in Hawaii, so it was hard to not get super excited and blow the surprise.


Thanks to Adventure Insiders we learned that in 2014 there would only be one Italy option, so it made our decision pretty easy. Kathy and I decided we were going to tell him for his 59th birthday while I was in town for a wedding over the 4th of July. Time to begin our plan about how to tell him. This was half the fun! And all I'm going to give you for now...until next time adventurers
​

 

[west&east]

How did you become Adventure Insiders before you took your first ABD?
Look forward to reading more in your trip report!

 

[apurplebrat]

Our Italy guide made us the reservations at Ai Barbacani, we ended up eating with 3 of our fellow Adventurers! It was a very small place so reservations might be a good idea, plus when your seated you get a small glass of Prosecco!!

Love Prosecco. Sounds like this is a place to check out

 

[carman754]

What an incredible trip, one of the best trips I have been on and such a surprise from my girls, I'm sure the posts ahead will be great and we will be going on more ABD trips in the future, the best way to tour countries especially with a language barrier. Want to thank my girls for the great surprise.

 

[mare1203]

How did you become Adventure Insiders before you took your first ABD?
Look forward to reading more in your trip report!

There is a link on the Adventures by Disney website under "special offers and programs". I just filled out the form and they started sending me the information. I don't know if I would have been able to book on that day because we didn't try, but at least they sent the free gifts and info out!

 

[mare1203]

Kathy and I made the decision to make a day of clues leading up to the big reveal. Since were were doing an Adventures by Disney Italy trip, we decided to do something that related to either the trip or ABD. It took some thought, but we ultimately decided to make a day of it.


We started off the day with some “Italian” coffee for breakfast and a postcard one of his employee’s picked up while in Italy a few weeks earlier.


Our first activity completed the “Adventure” piece of the Adventures by Disney reveal. Bob had never been horseback riding before, so we booked a horseback ride in a nearby nature preserve. It was a nice little ride and Bob had a good time.


For the Disney connection we went to see a Disney movie. Monsters University had come out a few weeks prior, and no one had yet seen it, so that was our pick.


Probably the easiest part of our day to plan was dinner at a local Italian restaurant.


Inside his birthday gift, we put an envelope that contained a letter telling him about the trip. I crafted a letter using descriptions from the Adventures by Disney Italy site and YouTube video as though it had been written from ABD to him and we also included a list of the dates. We got the Italy stickers and the travel stickers from Michael's, in case anyone is interested.


Coincidentally, our dad had asked for a new carry-on suitcase for his birthday, so that was his birthday gift. Needless to say, he was speechless when he opened up the letter at the end of the day!

Planning and executing the reveal day was one of the highlights of the entire experience for us and we had a great time doing it.

We talked about doing a number of weeks when we gave our dad the list. Since we are all adults we could have chosen an adults only trip, but we had a discussion and decided it would be fun to do the trip with kids. I somewhat assume the adults-only trips tend to draw an, how do I say, older crowd, but I’m not sure?? Since Kathy just finished school and is looking for teaching jobs, she wanted to do it after classes ended or over summer to ensure she could go.

We settled on the June 19-27 trip and decided to book through Dreams Unlimited travel. The nice thing is that since Disney takes care of so much, there isn’'t much else to do. Somewhat sad for the planner in me, but very nice not to have to worry about anything. We also decided to add on a pre-day in Rome. A friend had said it’s easier to start on your own than end, because by the end you are both tired and spoiled by Disney. I can say that I would agree. Although I would have loved an extra day in Venice, it was nice to have a full weekend to relax before heading back to work. I assume Disney would set up the water taxi so long you book your post days through them, but that was a highlight for us. We felt so fancy!

But, first, let the adventure begin! I promise the next post will begin with actual Italy info!​

 

[mare1203]

Welcome back, adventurer's. With the background out of the way, it's time to head to Italy!

We left for Rome on June 17, arriving on June 18. Our air travel ended up being based a little more on convenience than usual, since I live in AZ and Bob and Kathy live in IL.


We both flew to Charlotte where we met up and flew to Rome together. We did the same thing on the way back, this time flying from Venice to Philadelphia together and then moving on. We flew US Airways/American Airlines and they included a free glass of wine with the meal. This was a bit of a surprise since I had heard there was no free alcohol on US-based airlines across the Atlantic. The flight was fine, but long, and as usual it was hard to get any real sleep, though we did try.


We arrived around 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning and were met at the airport by Maria. She escorted us from the bag check to our driver who took us to the Gran Melia. It was really nice to not have to worry about transportation into Rome from the airport. The car was really nice as well; much better than the transports I usually take! When we got in the car the radio was playing “From the windows to the walls” which just made my sister and I laugh.


After about a 45 minute drive we arrived at the Gran Melia where we were greeted and checked-in. Our room was happily ready, and we were able to go check it out immediately. We thought it a nicely appointed room, but a bit cramped because as a family of 3 we had a King bed and a roll-out. You can see the roll-out placed right against the end of the King bed in the picture above. The Gran Melia was the only place we felt the roll-out was a real nuisance. Really, the only negative we had about the trip was that a party of 3 only has the option of booking 1-room . There isn’t a way or even an option to book a party of 3 with 2 rooms, which is what we probably would have done if we were doing the trip on our own. You would have to do a party of 2 and a party of 1, which seems silly when you are a full party of 3. The bathroom was cool and we had the fancy shower (apparently not all rooms have the double shower-head). I guess there is also a pillow menu, but we did not use or see it, however I think that’s cool and interesting.


As others have mentioned, the Gran Melia is located across the bridge from central or downtown Rome. It is about a 5 minute walk across and then you can go from there. Before leaving I was thinking of getting up and going to a coffee bar, but that’s not really possible at this hotel, so you will want to take advantage of the breakfast. The hotel also offers a shuttle across, but I don’t think it would save much time if you are an adult who can walk with ease. There is a spa and nice pool if you would like to take advantage. We did spend a little time at the pool, but did not experience the spa.

After checking in we headed out in search of food and an ATM. Luckily, neither were far away. I had heard there are lots of food choices at the Piazza Navona, so we took the map and set out in search of it. We never made it. I am good with directions, but for some reason I couldn’t get Rome straight! Actually, we did end up quite close to the Piazza, but found a little place to eat a bit off the main drags as many others had recommended to us. There were lots of little shops and eateries that lined the street.


We found Gino e Pietro that looked like a little hole in the wall with an Italian family eating and some open tables, so we decided to stop there (we realized later it was actually quite large with a back room!). The waiter spoke some English and we didn’t have any trouble communicating our wants. I studied Italian for about 2 months before arriving, and although my Italian is terrible, I did give it a whirl. I used 2 apps, Duolingo (free) and Babbel (about $9 for a month), to study my Italian and I found them quite helpful to at least give me a foundation and I would recommend both highly. We found the waitstaff patient and willing to work with my terrible Italian and my families non-existant Italian throughout our trip.


For lunch we started with one of the antipasti I was most excited for in Italy: prosciutto e melone, or prosciutto wrapped canteloupe. It’s catching on here in the States, but it was even better since we were in Italy.


We also got a carafe of the house wine (I think at least 50% of the pictures I'm in involve a glass of wine or food...I regret nothing!). For our meals we each ordered a pasta dish.


I got the gnocchi special and thought it was very good. It was served traditionally, in a bolognese sauce and the gnocchi was firm, but melted in your mouth.


Kathy got the pasta carbonara. This is a popular dish and you will see it on most menu's. Olive oil, bacon, egg, and pasta...really, what's not to like?!? She enjoyed this.


Bob ordered the house ravioli. I'm not sure what it was filled with, spinach and cheese, I think. He enjoyed it.

We rated this a good first taste in Rome. Gino e Pietro is on a street with lots of other places to eat. I don't think this one stands out from any of them, but we also didn't feel as though we paid for overpriced tourist food, either. We liked that there wasn't anyone outside beckoning us to come in. While dining it had begun to rain and we were tired from our travels, so we decided to go back to the hotel for a nap when we were done.


This is getting kind of long, so I'm going to split it up. Next time: Do we force ourselves up from our nap or let jet lag take over?! Stay tuned to find out!

 

[sayhello]

Great report so far! Looking forward to more.

We talked about doing a number of weeks when we gave our dad the list. Since we are all adults we could have chosen an adults only trip, but we had a discussion and decided it would be fun to do the trip with kids. I somewhat assume the adults-only trips tend to draw an, how do I say, older crowd, but I’m not sure?? Since Kathy just finished school and is looking for teaching jobs, she wanted to do it after classes ended or over summer to ensure she could go.

Nope! In my experience, your assumption would be wrong. The Adults Only trips tend to get a wide range of people and ages. I've done 4 of them, and we've had young couples, folks taking their young-20's Adult children on special trips, older couples, middle-aged couples, singles of all ages, etc. I've only had one trip have an actual elderly couple, but they kept up really well.

We settled on the June 19-27 trip and decided to book through Dreams Unlimited travel. The nice thing is that since Disney takes care of so much, there isn’t much else to do. Somewhat sad for the planner in me, but very nice not to have to worry about anything. We also decided to add on a pre-day in Rome. A friend had said it’s easier to start on your own than end, because by the end you are both tired and spoiled by Disney. I can say that I would agree. Although I would have loved an extra day in Venice, it was nice to have a full weekend to relax before heading back to work. I assume Disney would set up the water taxi so long you book your post days through them, but that was a highlight for us. We felt so fancy!

Yes, if you book your post-day(s) through ABD, the transportation (water taxi) to the airport is included.

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

[/URL]
We also got a carafe of the house wine (I think at least 50% of the pictures I'm in involve a glass of wine or food...I regret nothing!). For our meals we each ordered a pasta dish.

Sounds like you did Italy right!