ABD China 2017

[GerriS]

I would price out your pre night hotels on your own. As Sayhello said, it's usually cheaper and you should be able to keep your transfer. If you choose a different hotel (like HKDL rather than Peninsula), you typically have to arrange your own transfer. I'm very surprised they gave a transfer option at all from HKDL. $135 is probably what you would pay if you arranged your own private transfer.

Thoughts on Hong Kong...

Option 1 - HKDL should be very easy to taxi to from the airport. Book it on your own and taxi there, and just taxi from HKDL to the Peninsula. Language barrier won't be a big issue in HK.

Option 2 - Just go straight to the Peninsula (depending on price) after you get off the plane and then take the subway down to DL. It's about a 30 min subway ride. It may be more convenient if you don't have to change hotels.

Thanks for the reply. The quoted hotel price included nothing; park tickets are less than $60US so that seemed like a bargain. Interesting the hotel is so high as it is not even peak season and I am spending little time in the room. I also don't understand Disney skimping on the transfer, after including the trip from the airport to the Penninsula in my package. I was only wanting to make my own way to the Resort and use my package transfer to meet up with ABD from there. It's little things like not accommodating my wanting to spend an extra day at the HK resort that makes me cringe. It's not like the trip is cheap to begin with and Disney saves money if I don't use the transfer and I am intending to spend bucks at the Resort just prior. I think $600 to stay for one night and then expecting me to get to the Penninsula on my own is petty. Ugh!

We are planning on staying at Pennisula through ABD for the extra night for between $600-700, and take metro to the park. That way transfers are included to hotel, so it sounds like a wash.

 

[Karen Stevan]

Can anyone tell me what time the group arrives at Shanghai Disneyland on Day 11 of the adventure?

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

The HK Peninsula is a lovely hotel. I'd highly recommend staying there as opposed to the DL hotel. Also be sure to book high tea in the lobby - it's world renowned. When we were there there was a line up for tables (hotel guests don't have to wait -- just people staying at other hotels). The concierge is top notch - I swear they'd probably take you to the park themselves, they are that good!

WRT to transfers, ABD wouldn't let us have our transfer from the HK Peninsula to the airport because we had to change our flight due to the pending typhoon (we gave them 12 hours notice, but apparently it wasn't enough). They didn't even try to make a phone call and change the time -- just said too bad, not enough notice, take a cab, have a nice day. I was not impressed. A cab wasn't expensive; it's the principle. One of the reasons I booked the post-nights with ABD was for the transfer!

 

[AdamEfimoff]

I have never stayed at the Pen or even been to China. Did stay at the Four Seasons HK though. Both would be way better than the Disney Hotel. I am waiting for the Aman Shanghai to open

 

[AdamEfimoff]

Hello anyone. I am trying to add-on one night at the start of my trip at HongKong Disneyland (September 2nd). My agent is quoting me $572US for one night! Can this be right? What are people without an add-on paying?! (It seems awfully steep to me.) I am also being told I have to forfeit my hotel transfer from the airport as Disney will not substitute a transport from Disneyland to my ABD hotel unless I schill out an extra $135! Really??
I am also curious, because I am booking an ABD for the first time from Canada and haven't received any of the usual Disney surprises for an adventure, such as a little welcome in the mail or anything to rev up the excitement factor. Has Disney just cut this part of the adventure out or is my travel agent missing something on my behalf?
Much appreciated, Karen

Yes that sounds very right for a luxury hotel. Very very right. The Four Seasons in Paris is 1300 dollars a night!

 

[AdamEfimoff]

We are planning on staying at Pennisula through ABD for the extra night for between $600-700, and take metro to the park. That way transfers are included to hotel, so it sounds like a wash.

I am not sure what you mean by that

 

[sayhello]

Can anyone tell me what time the group arrives at Shanghai Disneyland on Day 11 of the adventure?

This trip hasn't run yet with the new itinerary that includes Shanghai Disneyland, so no one here will be able to answer that question yet. ABD might have an idea if you call them. Otherwise, you'll need to wait until mid-June to find out.

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Can anyone tell me what time the group arrives at Shanghai Disneyland on Day 11 of the adventure?

We probably spent 2-3 hours at Old Shanghai and the Yu Gardens and it's a ~30min drive to SDL. So, I'll guess around noon.

 

[Cousin Orville]

The concierge is top notch - I swear they'd probably take you to the park themselves, they are that good!

Glad to hear it. We'll likely be staying there for a couple of days in the Fall and considering a couple of day trips and hard to get dinner reservations. I'll make a reminder to do the tea.

 

[GerriS]

I am not sure what you mean by that

I

I am not sure what you mean by that

Since we are staying at the ABD hotel transfers from airport to hotel are included even though we are coming in a day early, so the price is similar to staying at Disneyland hotel and then paying for the transfer.

 

[Karen Stevan]

The Peninsula looks amazing, but as a semi-completionist, I want to stay at both the HK and Shanghai Disneyland hotels and think these make perfect add-ons, even if self-created. ABD will do transport from HK Disney to Peninsula for start of adventure, and the MTR from the airport to the resort looks very easy. ABD will transfer me at adventure's end to Shanghai Disney, and getting from there to the airport home appears straightforward. I'll have 1.5 days each park, which should be adequate with lots of planning.
Resources I'm finding helpful: The Unauthorized Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland 2016, Definitive Disney - Shanghai Disneyland 2016-2017, Shanghai Disney Resort app

 

[CaliKris]

The Peninsula looks amazing, but as a semi-completionist, I want to stay at both the HK and Shanghai Disneyland hotels and think these make perfect add-ons, even if self-created. ABD will do transport from HK Disney to Peninsula for start of adventure, and the MTR from the airport to the resort looks very easy. ABD will transfer me at adventure's end to Shanghai Disney, and getting from there to the airport home appears straightforward. I'll have 1.5 days each park, which should be adequate with lots of planning.
Resources I'm finding helpful: The Unauthorized Guide to Hong Kong Disneyland 2016, Definitive Disney - Shanghai Disneyland 2016-2017, Shanghai Disney Resort app

Thanks for the book recommendations! We are on the China ABD this summer and I have just added both to my Kindle.

 

[sayhello]

Yay!! Just got my Visa for China!! I went through the company that ABD suggested (CIBT) and they did a really great job. Pretty easy overall.

That much closer to my ABD!!

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Yay!! Just got my Visa for China!! I went through the company that ABD suggested (CIBT) and they did a really great job. Pretty easy overall.

That much closer to my ABD!!

Sayhello

Good to know! I'll probably use them for mine as well.

 

[sayhello]

Good to know! I'll probably use them for mine as well.

I should mention, the only issue I had was that their instructions/checklist did not list my flight itinerary as something they needed (to verify when I'm actually leaving China). So I had to download it as a pdf, and upload it to their site for them to include it. It wasn't a huge problem, except for the fact that I was actually in Las Vegas at the time, so I tried to do it on my tablet, and the pdf came out blurry, so I had to wait until I got to my friend's house & do it on their computer. Not bad in the grand scheme of things.

Sayhello

 

[Karen Stevan]

I've been tracking the air quality in Beijing and am bringing a smog mask just in case. I ordered one from Vogmask and am extremely pleased with the product. Small would fit children. I ordered medium for my small-ish adult face. The mask is soft and comfortable and there are lots of nice patterns to choose from. It molds to my face, providing a good seal against environmental toxins, if needed. Maybe if I get the word out I won't be the only one in the group looking semi-silly (but safe)!

 

[sayhello]

I've been tracking the air quality in Beijing and am bringing a smog mask just in case. I ordered one from Vogmask and am extremely pleased with the product. Small would fit children. I ordered medium for my small-ish adult face. The mask is soft and comfortable and there are lots of nice patterns to choose from. It molds to my face, providing a good seal against environmental toxins, if needed. Maybe if I get the word out I won't be the only one in the group looking semi-silly (but safe)!

So could you provide more detail? What *is* going on with the air quality in Beijing? Is it only Beijing? How is Shanghai?

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

I found Xi'an to be the worst, but I'm sure it's random. I brought a few 3M masks in the summer but thankfully didn't need them.

 

[Karen Stevan]

I don't think the air is always a concern but I notice there are many days when an alert is issued for Beijing. According to Lonely Planet, between April 2008 and March 2014, there were only 25 "good" days. It has something to do with geography and a change in air currents, so that industrial output that used to blow away has become trapped.
I haven't heard anything cautionary about Shanghai.

 

[Calfan]

We were in China from July 2 - 18 last year (Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Yangshuo, Shanghai) and weren't bothered at all by air pollution. The sky was definitely not bright blue, so the pollution is visible, but it did not bother us to breathe the air (no respiratory issues or itchy eyes, etc.).