A ? for adult only Adventurers

[dare2dream]

DH and I are empty nesters. Raised three and now have 2 grandkids. Kids - been there - done that. I would really LOVE to go to Australia with ABD but my only concern (besides the cost) is the kid factor.

I would love to have opinions from adults who have done any ABD WITHOUT kids. I realize every adventure will have families with kids. What was the approximate make up of your group kids/adults? How was your experience? Was the adventure all you hoped it would be?

I would imagine Disney keeps all the kids entertained and happy so meltdowns are few and far between. I also imagine that the families that can afford this type of travel have generally well behaved kids. (I am editing here to apologize for this statement. This may or may not be true, let's not debate, just give me your opinions on traveling on adventures with children.) I also realize each adventure does have a minimum kids age to ensure the child has the stamina to enjoy the adventure.

Tell me like it really was for you and the kid factor.

Thanks and happy travels to us all.

 

[redzinner]

The Australia tour has several dates for Adults Only.
Adults Only are * Look in the Rates and Dates Section
This has been discussed in other threads and from what other posters have said the children have had no impact on the enjoyment level of their trips.
Just as an aside and I'm not being nasty or critical, just my opinion, but I truly don't believe economic status necessarily has anything to do with the behavior of children or adults for that matter.

 

[eva]

DH and I are empty nesters. Raised three and now have 2 grandkids. Kids - been there - done that. I would really LOVE to go to Australia with ABD but my only concern (besides the cost) is the kid factor.

I would love to have opinions from adults who have done any ABD WITHOUT kids. I realize every adventure will have families with kids. What was the approximate make up of your group kids/adults? How was your experience? Was the adventure all you hoped it would be?

I would imagine Disney keeps all the kids entertained and happy so meltdowns are few and far between. I also imagine that the families that can afford this type of travel have generally well behaved kids. I also realize each adventure does have a minimum kids age to ensure the child has the stamina to enjoy the adventure.

Tell me like it really was for you and the kid factor.

Thanks and happy travels to us all.

Well, I'm not so sure the statement bolded above is correct. I used to be a teacher and I have seen bad behavior on all economic levels. I've never notice it worse one way or the other. But I feel that Disney has done such a great job of keeping things at the right pace with the right activities that meltdowns are less likely. But you should also know that there are adult only trips for most every itinerary. In 2009 ABD has a number of them going to Australia. They are on May 16, September 5, October 12, and November 7. They also have them scheduled for January 16 and March 6 for 2010. Word of warning, if you are looking to schedule an adults’ only trip call ASAP. They book up fast, especially if you are counting on an early booking discount.

 

[dare2dream]

I did not notice the * at the website indicating adults only adventures. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[ironz]

I just wanted to chime in, because I didn't know there were adults only trips! I'm psyched!
As a single/childless woman, travel in this type of group appeals to me--high quality (I assume, being Disney), and wonderful adventures!

Have done several Backroads trips, and am thinking about an active safari (hiking, biking), but ABD may be an option I'll have to look into! Wasn't even really considering it due to the kid factor.

 

[Skylarr29]

When we did our France trip we had amazing families and wonderful children with us. We loved hanging out with them!

Our Austria trip was not the same and we said never again, next time we do adults only...unless we hooked up with the travellers from our France trip!

 

[bonnielynn]

They also have them scheduled for January 16 and March 6 for 2010.

I wish the other trips went into 2010...

 

[eva]

When we did our France trip we had amazing families and wonderful children with us. We loved hanging out with them!

Our Austria trip was not the same and we said never again, next time we do adults only...unless we hooked up with the travellers from our France trip!

How did the Austria trip differ? We tried booking the adult only Viva Italia trip for this September. But the EBD was gone after just a couple days. So we booked the trip right after it. We figured that we love going to WDW and DCL as empty nesters. So with such a small group and everyone being at least 6, it couldn't be too bad. And I assumed that most people are like us and love most everything Disney. But maybe I shouldn't assume that. We have had tablemates on DCL that sure didn't seem very Disney.

 

[Skylarr29]

How did the Austria trip differ? We tried booking the adult only Viva Italia trip for this September. But the EBD was gone after just a couple days. So we booked the trip right after it. We figured that we love going to WDW and DCL as empty nesters. So with such a small group and everyone being at least 6, it couldn't be too bad. And I assumed that most people are like us and love most everything Disney. But maybe I shouldn't assume that. We have had tablemates on DCL that sure didn't seem very Disney.

Ohhhh, don't get me wrong, we had an AMAZING trip!!! I definitely think it was the particular children on our group... or I should say two families children. It was more that the parent's of said children were not watching them. Mostly we only noticed this/had issue when on the bus. ABD would play movies etc. but the children were so loud in the back that you couldn't hear, they were being a little wild, one child spilled soda all over the other kids cause she was drinking it on the bus and not putting back on the lid etc. etc. Disney does a FANTASTIC job keeping everyone entertained and the children from our first trip were an absolute delight. It really is a toss of the coin.

Have a great trip,not trying to discourage, just saying that until we have children we will 'try' for adults only trips. We are booked on our next trip and it is adults only but we agreed that if there was no room we were going anyways!!!

 

[Tom and Sue]

We went on the Villa Italia adults only and are convinced that is the only way to go if you have problems with kids running around and getting tired.

 

[wdwsos]

Have a great trip,not trying to discourage, just saying that until we have children we will 'try' for adults only trips. We are booked on our next trip and it is adults only but we agreed that if there was no room we were going anyways!!!

So, where is your next one!?!? I'm hoping we can do a "reunion" trip some day with the people from Flavors of France -- it really was a great group, wasn't it? It's amazing how this happens, too, if you keep in touch. I have a Bella Italia group booked on June 5 with many of the folks from our Viva Italia trip in 2006! I'm not sure this happens with other tour companies -- at least I never hear about it.

We've been on one adult-only trip and two with children, and I have to say that the last one with Skylarr29 was just as good as the the adult-only one we did in 2006. There wasn't a thing I would have changed about it. Our Bella Italia group started out as an adult-only tour, but one of those coming asked about bringing her grandchildren (hi, Anne!), and not one of us has any objections. Some children act like adults; some adults act like children. I think the group dynamics are far more important than the age mix!

Dotti

 

[Skylarr29]

So, where is your next one!?!? I'm hoping we can do a "reunion" trip some day with the people from Flavors of France -- it really was a great group, wasn't it? It's amazing how this happens, too, if you keep in touch. I have a Bella Italia group booked on June 5 with many of the folks from our Viva Italia trip in 2006! I'm not sure this happens with other tour companies -- at least I never hear about it.

We've been on one adult-only trip and two with children, and I have to say that the last one with Skylarr29 was just as good as the the adult-only one we did in 2006. There wasn't a thing I would have changed about it. Our Bella Italia group started out as an adult-only tour, but one of those coming asked about bringing her grandchildren (hi, Anne!), and not one of us has any objections. Some children act like adults; some adults act like children. I think the group dynamics are far more important than the age mix!

Dotti

We would definitely be up for a reunion trip. We are booked on adults only Costa Rica on April 18th, Robert's wedding present to me! How exciting. Bella Italia sounds wonderful! Our group was so amazing, it definitely played a huge part of the experience. Everyone just looked out for each other. It wasn't that way on the Austria tour.

 

[Boardwalk III]

Am about to be an empty nester (next year), and had decided not to look into ABD becuase of the kid factor (At least for now, looking forward to a little R&R time without kids) Didn't know til I found this thread that there were adult-only ABD trips! Quick question - have the adult only trips included people travelling solo (for example, if my husband doesn't have interest in a trip, may try to go on my own, or with female friends) So just curious about the make-up of the adult only trips - ie was it all "couples"? Thanks!

 

[wdwsos]

Am about to be an empty nester (next year), and had decided not to look into ABD becuase of the kid factor (At least for now, looking forward to a little R&R time without kids) Didn't know til I found this thread that there were adult-only ABD trips! Quick question - have the adult only trips included people travelling solo (for example, if my husband doesn't have interest in a trip, may try to go on my own, or with female friends) So just curious about the make-up of the adult only trips - ie was it all "couples"? Thanks!

Our adult-only trip in 2006 had a mix of everything -- siblings, friends, couples and families with adult children. I have a Bella Italia group for June 5 of next year (which has only adults booked into it as of now), and so far have four couples, two parent/adult child pairs and the rest are singles traveling together.

Many of my clients are women friends, and I think that this is the ideal vacation for females traveling together. You're not lugging heavy bags on your own, trying to check into a hotel using a foreign language, or fighting off Italian suitors. (Okay, maybe nothing remotely close to the last one has happened to me in many, many years...) I've done three trips so far, and there's a wonderful mix of all ages, lifestyles, and types of traveling companions.

That was a very long-winded way to say, no, it's not all couples.

Dotti

 

[Boardwalk III]

Great to know - thanks for the information!