ABD China 2017

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Which FastPasses does Disney give us for HK Disneyland?

Aw, gee whiz! Thanks!

So you're Canadian. I have *NO* clue how that works then. Don't know how getting a Visa in Canada works vs. in the US. I hope it's not too much of a hassle!

Vaccinations? I didn't think there were any vaccinations for China. Either I am very mistaken or this is different for Canada, too. Guess I should go figure that out!

Looking forward to meeting you! Are you doing any pre- or post-days?

Sayhello

We didn't get any vaccinations for our China trip. We made sure to never drink anything but bottled water and even brushed our teeth with bottled water. Mind you dd did have a drink from Starbucks on our arrival at the airport and she had finished it before it clicked with me (jet lag) that it might not have been a good idea. But she was totally fine.

 

[sayhello]

We didn't get any vaccinations for our China trip. We made sure to never drink anything but bottled water and even brushed our teeth with bottled water. Mind you dd did have a drink from Starbucks on our arrival at the airport and she had finished it before it clicked with me (jet lag) that it might not have been a good idea. But she was totally fine.

No Coffee?? Or just cold drinks? This is going to be hard for me to remember. I drink a TON of water, all the time. Guess it's a good thing I'm traveling with a couple of Adventure Guides...

Sayhello

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Thank you for the welcome. In my eyes, you gals are legendary on the DIS boards so I am thrilled to meet you and have you in my group! Yes, I will be scrambling to get my Visas. I'm on northern Vancouver Island and Michael is in Orange. I have my vaccinations well under way (Twinrix and typhoid) but don't know if Michael will get those in time. I am VERY EXCITED

Uh oh, better be on my best behavior, but definitely lower your expectations LOL. But seriously, that's nice to hear although I think SayHello is alone in her legendary status around here. I'm super excited to meet her in person even though I feel like I've "known" her for years.

Yes, We're from Campbell River, B.C. Michael goes to Chapman University in Orange (finishing junior year).

My physician told me to get the Hep A and B shot, which is done now and again in one month to give me immunity during the trip. For lifetime immunity, there's a third booster in six months. I am encouraging Michael to go Monday to a travel vaccination clinic to get the Twinrix vaccine covering both of these, with his second shot on May 31st or June 1st.

My doctor also advised me to get the typhoid vaccine because we're going to some smaller places like Yangshao. That vaccination is a real pain and I don't know if Michael will bother with it. You have to keep it in the fridge and take it orally on an empty stomach (one hour no food before, two hours no food after) four times, every second day, over eight days. I have one more dose to go tomorrow. As long as you complete the cycle one week prior to departure, i.e., May 28th, you are immune.

I booked us into the new Explorer Lodge for June 3rd so we can tour the park a bit the next morning before meeting the group. At the end of the trip, we're staying at the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel June 15th so we can have a full day in the park and go home the next day.

How about you?

Oh my goodness!!! I hadn't even thought of vaccinations. If ABD mentioned them, I didn't see it. But it sounds like we might have just enough time to get them in. I'm pretty sure my kids have had Hep A and B, but DH and I haven't. Walgreens does immunizations so I might sign us up to do the joint HepA&B shot tomorrow. The typhoid sounds like a huge pain. Not sure how I'd be able to schedule that with the kids because of school. Hmmm. I'll shoot an email to their doc and see what she says.

Very funny about Chapman! We are from Northern California and my DD17 is graduating from High School. At least one--possibly two--of her good friends is going to Chapman. My son is close to your son's age, but he's special needs and in a different program

We didn't get any vaccinations for our China trip. We made sure to never drink anything but bottled water and even brushed our teeth with bottled water. Mind you dd did have a drink from Starbucks on our arrival at the airport and she had finished it before it clicked with me (jet lag) that it might not have been a good idea. But she was totally fine.

Phew! That's good to hear. I've been in a mild panic since I read the post above. If we don't get everything done in time, I'll make sure to watch everything--including the water. Starbucks wouldn't have occurred to me even without jetlag!

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

No Coffee?? Or just cold drinks? This is going to be hard for me to remember. I drink a TON of water, all the time. Guess it's a good thing I'm traveling with a couple of Adventure Guides...

Sayhello

No coffee (though I would have felt safe in the hotels we stayed in drinking coffee since they were all *very* nice). No cold drinks. I did however drink a bit of tea (one private tea ceremony arranged by the concierge at the Waldorf Astoria in Beijing and one quick one with ABD following the Great Wall) and didn't have any issues. However when we were eating at regular restaurants I exclusively had bottled water. After a a day or two I was eating the fruit from the buffets and in the room -- again no issues at all. I didn't hear of anyone on our trip having any issues.

You are going to have the BEST time. I am going to relive our trip through your trip report.

 

[Calfan]

There is also an option for a Typhoid shot. I did that because the oral vaccine has to be kept refrigerated, and I got my vaccinations when I was in between CA and ID. I'd moved to ID but was still covered under my medical insurance in CA. I got the shot in CA because I wasn't going to be able to keep the oral vaccine at the proper temp traveling back to ID. Warning that the Typhoid shot HURTS! Not the shot itself, but the aftermath. Holy aching arm!! In terms of food and drink, we had Starbucks and non-bottled water served at restaurants where our guides advised it was safe. No one in our group got sick with any stomach ailments, although we were armed with prescription meds that we brought with us and thankfully didn't need.

 

[sayhello]

Oi vey! I mean, I'm sure I heard this about not drinking the water, brushing my teeth with bottled water, etc, at some point, but it just didn't *stick*!! I think the brushing my teeth one is going to be the one I'm most likely to forget... I hope there's tons of bottled water in our hotel rooms! Sigh! I'm such a spoiled American, but I so don't want to get sick!

Guess I need to call my doctor tomorrow morning & grill him on the vaccinations...

Sayhello

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

There is also an option for a Typhoid shot. I did that because the oral vaccine has to be kept refrigerated, and I got my vaccinations when I was in between CA and ID. I'd moved to ID but was still covered under my medical insurance in CA. I got the shot in CA because I wasn't going to be able to keep the oral vaccine at the proper temp traveling back to ID. Warning that the Typhoid shot HURTS! Not the shot itself, but the aftermath. Holy aching arm!! In terms of food and drink, we had Starbucks and non-bottled water served at restaurants where our guides advised it was safe. No one in our group got sick with any stomach ailments, although we were armed with prescription meds that we brought with us and thankfully didn't need.

Thanks for the head's up. That doesn't sound fun. I'll ask when I go to Walgreens about the possibility of a shot. DS is not going to be happy though. He *hates* shots.

 

[Calfan]

Oi vey! I mean, I'm sure I heard this about not drinking the water, brushing my teeth with bottled water, etc, at some point, but it just didn't *stick*!! I think the brushing my teeth one is going to be the one I'm most likely to forget... I hope there's tons of bottled water in our hotel rooms! Sigh! I'm such a spoiled American, but I so don't want to get sick!

Guess I need to call my doctor tomorrow morning & grill him on the vaccinations...

Sayhello

We brushed our teeth in all of our hotels (similar in caliber to the ABD hotels and in some cases the same ones), and we had no issue whatsoever. Everyone needs to decide for themselves, of course, but from my experience, you don't need to mess with bottled water to brush your teeth.

 

[sayhello]

We brushed our teeth in all of our hotels (similar in caliber to the ABD hotels and in some cases the same ones), and we had no issue whatsoever. Everyone needs to decide for themselves, of course, but from my experience, you don't need to mess with bottled water to brush your teeth.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that. Because I did stay in a hotel once (a lovely place) where the hotel itself warned you not to drink the tap water or use it to brush your teeth. (They had signs up!) But I guess it was because the water was so mineral rich it was too much for people who weren't used to it. But that was just for a couple of days. I was afraid I was going to have to worry about it for two weeks.

I'm not normally squeamish about stuff like that. I drink tap water all the time, so I was just really worried if it was a problem, that I'd forget.

Sayhello

 

[RSM]

I've never had issues with water from western based hotels in China. I'd also say to only take bottled water from your guides. Not all, but many street vendors and even some smaller shops more on the outskirts of the main cities, will simply fill used empty plastic bottles with tapwater, apply a few drops of clear glue and put the cap back on. So, when you twist it open you get that snapping sound and feel so that you think it is a new bottle, but it is not.

 

[sayhello]

I've never had issues with water from western based hotels in China. I'd also say to only take bottled water from your guides. Not all, but many street vendors and even some smaller shops more on the outskirts of the main cities, will simply fill used empty plastic bottles with tapwater, apply a few drops of clear glue and put the cap back on. So, when you twist it open you get that snapping sound and feel so that you think it is a new bottle, but it is not.

Wow! Thanks for the warning. I would never have thought of that!

Sayhello

 

[Karen Stevan]

Very funny about Chapman! We are from Northern California and my DD17 is graduating from High School. At least one--possibly two--of her good friends is going to Chapman. My son is close to your son's age, but he's special needs and in a different program

How nice to have others Michael's age range traveling with us (he turned 21 February). This is our fourth adventure (Viva Italia, Southwest Splendors, Alaska cruise add-on) and the most epic by far!
Do you know how many people are in our group?

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

How nice to have others Michael's age range traveling with us (he turned 21 February). This is our fourth adventure (Viva Italia, Southwest Splendors, Alaska cruise add-on) and the most epic by far!
Do you know how many people are in our group?

Our son will be 21 in January and our daughter will be 18 in August--she'll be a young freshman next year. Looking forward to another older "kid." This is our fifth ABD vacation--Ireland (2007), Scotland (2013), BSM (2014), Baltics Add-on (2015), Greece (2016). I don't know anyone else in the group that I know of other than the three of us (you, me and SayHello). That's 7 of 28 though Can't wait!

 

[sayhello]

Yes, We're from Campbell River, B.C. Michael goes to Chapman University in Orange (finishing junior year).

I am going to get Michael an agent to help him with the Visa as a person living in the U.S. I believe I have fifteen business days to get mine here if I don't go into Vancouver.

My physician told me to get the Hep A and B shot, which is done now and again in one month to give me immunity during the trip. For lifetime immunity, there's a third booster in six months. I am encouraging Michael to go Monday to a travel vaccination clinic to get the Twinrix vaccine covering both of these, with his second shot on May 31st or June 1st.

My doctor also advised me to get the typhoid vaccine because we're going to some smaller places like Yangshao. That vaccination is a real pain and I don't know if Michael will bother with it. You have to keep it in the fridge and take it orally on an empty stomach (one hour no food before, two hours no food after) four times, every second day, over eight days. I have one more dose to go tomorrow. As long as you complete the cycle one week prior to departure, i.e., May 28th, you are immune.

I booked us into the new Explorer Lodge for June 3rd so we can tour the park a bit the next morning before meeting the group. At the end of the trip, we're staying at the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel June 15th so we can have a full day in the park and go home the next day.

How about you?

So I talked to my doctor, and he's recommended I get the Hep A & Hep B shots & the Typhoid one, also. I'm getting the Hep A & B ones from him; they were able to fit me in this afternoon, and I have another appointment for the 30th for the second Heb B shot. And he recommended I go to the Travel clinic for the Typhoid shot, as his office doesn't do that. The Travel clinic said they prefer the Typhoid shot, so I'm getting that on Saturday. So just squeaked in on getting them in time.

Both I & CaliforniaGirl09 are staying at the ABD hotels for a night pre- and post- ABD. I did it because I arrive in the evening on the 3rd, and really did not want to have to worry about getting myself wherever after I land. I'm not positive if I'm going to be up to HKDL on the 4th or not, but I've heard it's pretty easy to get to HKDL from the hotel, so it just made sense to go to the ABD hotel. And post-ABD, I guess I didn't want to move for one night and lose part of the post-day at Shanghai DL. It hurts to pay the price they're asking, but you can't beat it for convenience (except for the getting to the parks thing).

Sayhello

 

[Karen Stevan]

Sayhello, that's a good itinerary. We are arriving the evening of June 3rd and will subway it straight to Explorers Lodge. I planned to tour the park until 3:00 PM when ABD will transfer us to the Peninsula (by Rolls Royce LOL). For the end of trip, I don't want to miss any minute of our adventure either. I hoped to spend the last morning after breakfast touring Shanghai and then head over to Shanghai Disneyland courtesy of ABD instead of to the airport and to then spend the afternoon and evening at the park. We fly out the next day after lunch so our June 16th morning should be very relaxed and transitional.

So glad you got your vaccines in time. I believe in worry-free travel. I bought tons of insurance today so I guess I put my money where my mouth is. Hope I don't need it but it's peace of mind. Boy I sound like a nervous nelly on this forum - smog masks, vaccinations, insurance - hahaha. I'm really not that bad, just practical.

 

[Karen Stevan]

Our son will be 21 in January and our daughter will be 18 in August--she'll be a young freshman next year. Looking forward to another older "kid." This is our fifth ABD vacation--Ireland (2007), Scotland (2013), BSM (2014), Baltics Add-on (2015), Greece (2016). I don't know anyone else in the group that I know of other than the three of us (you, me and SayHello). That's 7 of 28 though Can't wait!

Where is your daughter planning on going to college? Michael's at Dodge on a filmmaking scholarship. It's been a stressful three years so I'm glad we're getting this break together! It is going to be so much fun!! My husband and I were going to do Ireland a couple of years ago but he's had two unsuccessful hip surgeries since then so I decided to do China instead...solo and now with my son!!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Where is your daughter planning on going to college? Michael's at Dodge on a filmmaking scholarship. It's been a stressful three years so I'm glad we're getting this break together! It is going to be so much fun!! My husband and I were going to do Ireland a couple of years ago but he's had two unsuccessful hip surgeries since then so I decided to do China instead...solo and now with my son!!

Sorry to hear about your husband's surgeries! Bummer that he has to miss out on China but it will be great to have a mother/son trip like this. DD is going to Uni in England It's been her dream since she was in middle school--we are thrilled as if means even more UK trips that we usually take, LOL.

 

[Karen Stevan]

I changed the ending of my trip after reading through all the messages on this forum. I agree with sayhello that too much time would be spent in transit by moving on the last night instead of just staying put at the Peninsula, so I'm going to do the add-on there and forget about the second day at Shanghai Disneyland. With the Fastpasses, I think we can cover the highlights during our time at the park with ABD. I booked the Water Town Visit and Courtyard Life Style Experience at Jinze Water Village on Cousin Orville's recommendation for June 15th; the tour looks amazing! At night, I have reservations for the Old Jazz Bar at the Fairmont on the Bund, with lunch the next day at M before flying home. Can't wait!!

 

[Karen Stevan]

Sorry to hear about your husband's surgeries! Bummer that he has to miss out on China but it will be great to have a mother/son trip like this. DD is going to Uni in England It's been her dream since she was in middle school--we are thrilled as if means even more UK trips that we usually take, LOL.

Michael's dream was always to study internationally as well, which is why he chose a US school instead of one closer to home. And Chapman being only 12 minutes from Disneyland has accelerated my attendance rate at that happiest place! In fact I'm squeezing in a LA jaunt before China to help Michael get organized and to see his film showcase. It's a busy month getting ready for all this!

 

[sayhello]

Sayhello, that's a good itinerary. We are arriving the evening of June 3rd and will subway it straight to Explorers Lodge. I planned to tour the park until 3:00 PM when ABD will transfer us to the Peninsula (by Rolls Royce LOL). For the end of trip, I don't want to miss any minute of our adventure either. I hoped to spend the last morning after breakfast touring Shanghai and then head over to Shanghai Disneyland courtesy of ABD instead of to the airport and to then spend the afternoon and evening at the park. We fly out the next day after lunch so our June 16th morning should be very relaxed and transitional.

So glad you got your vaccines in time. I believe in worry-free travel. I bought tons of insurance today so I guess I put my money where my mouth is. Hope I don't need it but it's peace of mind. Boy I sound like a nervous nelly on this forum - smog masks, vaccinations, insurance - hahaha. I'm really not that bad, just practical.

You're not the only one. I have loaded up on insurance, also. I've had to use trip insurance a couple of times, and have known people who have had problems who didn't have it, so I'm very religious about buying it, especially for international trips. I like my travel to be as worry-free as possible, too.

Michael's dream was always to study internationally as well, which is why he chose a US school instead of one closer to home. And Chapman being only 12 minutes from Disneyland has accelerated my attendance rate at that happiest place! In fact I'm squeezing in a LA jaunt before China to help Michael get organized and to see his film showcase. It's a busy month getting ready for all this!

It's kind of funny thinking of Southern California as "International study", but, duh, for you guys, it is!

I'm having a busy enough month getting ready for our China trip. I can't imagine what you're up against!

Sayhello