ABD 2009 Brochure

[sayhello]

Not surprisingly, I totally agree with what jenbadeaux and KLondon said. I took the Southwest Splendors tour, and was amazed at how well timed and paced everything was. I'm a late riser, and even I didn't feel rushed. The biggest thing I dislike about cruising is having to leave a place before I feel like I'm done. I totally did not experience that on my ABD. Totally satisfied with what we did, how long we did it. I think the *only* time I felt a little rushed was in Sedona, the day we left, we stopped at Tlaquepaque, a shopping area, for lunch. I would have liked more time to actually *shop* there, but I found out I could have gone there by shuttle the day before, so really, it wasn't a big deal. I was able to spend more money in Moab, so it was all good!

Honestly, I say don't worry about it. They really do know what they're doing, and have the itineraries fine tuned!

Sayhello

 

[MaddsMom]

They're in most Travel Agencies now. We picked one up in September from our agent befre we booked our trip. There's an 8 minute dvd in the back of the brochure.

 

[KLondon]

jenbadeux - Thanks so much for the kind words!

In answer to your question - I think you've hit the nail on the head.

Knights & Lights is, indeed, much more of a walking-and-sightseeing trip. Lots of guided tours, lots of history, lots of entertainment, some good opportunities to do stuff on your own, and very little time sitting on a bus. The physicality of the trip boils down to a LOT of walking and a bike of optional bike-riding. There are some amazing Disney touches throughout this tour, and the local Guides used by ABD made a huge difference in the quality of the trip.

Costa Rica was entirely different. It's a much more active trip: zip-lining, rafting, nature hikes, lolling about in volcano-fed hot springs sipping cool possibly-alcoholic beverages (pure hell, really), splashing about in the big, warm, foamy Pacific waves, etc. This trip is obviously oriented towards eco-tourism and adventure. That said, you do spend a lot more time on buses (and airplanes) getting around (vs. Knights & Lights). I think the longest stretch of bus-time is 2 hours, but the buses are very comfortable and the views are very scenic. On the day with the longest bus-time (pineapple plantation and rafting), the Guides popped in Disney movies for those inclined to watch. We found that all the kids (even my shy youngest one) took over the back of the bus to pool their Gameboys.

So.... If you're looking for 'active' and the thought of monkeys makes you smile, Costa Rica will deliver. If you're interested in history, art, famous landmarks, and eating meals in some truly remarkable settings, then Knights & Lights is for you. For myself, I absolutely adored both trips.