ABD China 2018 meets thread

[ILDisneyfan]

We are on our way now. I started a trip repor here. https://www.disboards.com/threads/china-trip-report-adults-only-may-2018.3683433/#post-59240838

Thanks for starting a trip report! I will be following along. I have enjoyed reading Sayhello's trip report also. Always nice to have a preview of what our days will be like. I am also hopeful it will help me figure out the "on your own" times. I see Kidoctr already has dinner reservations one day, I haven't even thought of anything like that yet! My husband and I are also on the Adults only trip in Sept, definitely looking forward to it.

 

[Uk Mouse]

Just booked the July 29 China ABD. We are a family of 4 and this will be our 2nd ABD trip. We did the Danube last summer with the Prague extension and I am now sold on ABD. We are so excited!

We are booked for this trip too July 2018. Also family of four. We received our travel boxes today. V excited!!

 

[sayhello]

We are booked for this trip too July 2018. Also family of four. We received our travel boxes today. V excited!!

The China trip is *amazing*!! Enjoy!!

Sayhello

 

[Jasrhon]

We are booked for this trip too July 2018. Also family of four. We received our travel boxes today. V excited!!

Very exciting! Can’t wait to meet everyone.

 

[Uk Mouse]

A quick question for any of you that have been on this adventure before. Can you explain the white elephant gift exchange. I’m not sure how this translates for us in the UK. Thank you

 

[sayhello]

A quick question for any of you that have been on this adventure before. Can you explain the white elephant gift exchange. I’m not sure how this translates for us in the UK. Thank you

The way it worked for us is:

The ABD guides give every person 20 yuan and a tote bag. After the Li River cruise, they turn you loose in a little town with a shopping district, and you have some free time to buy whatever you think would make a good or a funny gift for that 20 yuan. Some people bought one item for 20 yuan, others bought a few small items. But you can't spend more than the 20 yuan. You then put your gift(s) in the tote bag, and they all get put in the front of the room. Then you pick numbers from a hat. In the order of the numbers, the first person picks a bag (they're anonymous) and shows everyone what they got. The second person then can either steal the first person's gift, or pick a bag. As you go through the numbers, each person has that choice to either steal someone else's gift or pick a bag. Some items are hilarious, some really nice, and everywhere in between. Some items get stolen a lot. You keep going until everyone has a turn. It's a lot of fun!

Sayhello

 

[Jasrhon]

The way it worked for us is:

The ABD guides give every person 20 yuan and a tote bag. After the Li River cruise, they turn you loose in a little town with a shopping district, and you have some free time to buy whatever you think would make a good or a funny gift for that 20 yuan. Some people bought one item for 20 yuan, others bought a few small items. But you can't spend more than the 20 yuan. You then put your gift(s) in the tote bag, and they all get put in the front of the room. Then you pick numbers from a hat. In the order of the numbers, the first person picks a bag (they're anonymous) and shows everyone what they got. The second person then can either steal the first person's gift, or pick a bag. As you go through the numbers, each person has that choice to either steal someone else's gift or pick a bag. Some items are hilarious, some really nice, and everywhere in between. Some items get stolen a lot. You keep going until everyone has a turn. It's a lot of fun!

Sayhello

That sounds fun!

 

[Jasrhon]

I am getting so excited for our Jul 29 ABD China. This place is a block from my office and I often spend my dinner break there because the food is great and the service is fast. I thought this group would especially appreciate the theme and check out the font of “Great Wall”. The G is even an upside down Disney D.

 

[OhanaCuz]

I am getting so excited for our Jul 29 ABD China. This place is a block from my office and I often spend my dinner break there because the food is great and the service is fast. I thought this group would especially appreciate the theme and check out the font of “Great Wall”. The G is even an upside down Disney D.View attachment 327763

I saw that "W" and thought you were already on the trip!

 

[Uk Mouse]

The way it worked for us is:

The ABD guides give every person 20 yuan and a tote bag. After the Li River cruise, they turn you loose in a little town with a shopping district, and you have some free time to buy whatever you think would make a good or a funny gift for that 20 yuan. Some people bought one item for 20 yuan, others bought a few small items. But you can't spend more than the 20 yuan. You then put your gift(s) in the tote bag, and they all get put in the front of the room. Then you pick numbers from a hat. In the order of the numbers, the first person picks a bag (they're anonymous) and shows everyone what they got. The second person then can either steal the first person's gift, or pick a bag. As you go through the numbers, each person has that choice to either steal someone else's gift or pick a bag. Some items are hilarious, some really nice, and everywhere in between. Some items get stolen a lot. You keep going until everyone has a turn. It's a lot of fun!

Sayhello

Thank you that makes a lot of sense now!

 

[DollyM]

I’m booked on the October adventure and based on the great reviews on this board I’ve decided to book a water town tour with Miki on one of my post-days. I was deciding between “Miki’s Unique Tour” which sounds like what @Cousin Orville described in his trip report and the “One day Tongli ancient water village Tour”. When I inquired through her website (mikitours.net) I was told that the teahouse is only available on the weekend. They offered a somewhat similar alternative but it started later and included dinner. On TripAdvisor I found her “All Inclusive Tongli Water Town Private Day Tour with Boat Ride and Tea Tasting” which sounds like the “One day Tongli” tour but the availability starts on Jan 1 2019. I’ve never booked anything through TripAdvisor directly so I don’t know if that’s normal or if I’m missing something.

For those that have booked on of Miki’s tours, have they booked through Miki directly? Has anyone been able to book the “Unique tour” on a weekday this year?

 

[Cousin Orville]

I’m booked on the October adventure and based on the great reviews on this board I’ve decided to book a water town tour with Miki on one of my post-days. I was deciding between “Miki’s Unique Tour” which sounds like what @Cousin Orville described in his trip report and the “One day Tongli ancient water village Tour”. When I inquired through her website (mikitours.net) I was told that the teahouse is only available on the weekend. They offered a somewhat similar alternative but it started later and included dinner. On TripAdvisor I found her “All Inclusive Tongli Water Town Private Day Tour with Boat Ride and Tea Tasting” which sounds like the “One day Tongli” tour but the availability starts on Jan 1 2019. I’ve never booked anything through TripAdvisor directly so I don’t know if that’s normal or if I’m missing something.

For those that have booked on of Miki’s tours, have they booked through Miki directly? Has anyone been able to book the “Unique tour” on a weekday this year?

I booked through Miki directly, but remember her saying she books most of her tours now through 3rd party sources like tripadvisor. We did our tour of Tongli and Jinze along with a tea ceremony on a Wed. It was a very long tour. Maybe she's moved it to only weekends only now. I'd just email her and let her know what you're looking for. She's a great guide and it was certainly a highlight.

 

[DollyM]

I booked through Miki directly, but remember her saying she books most of her tours now through 3rd party sources like tripadvisor. We did our tour of Tongli and Jinze along with a tea ceremony on a Wed. It was a very long tour. Maybe she's moved it to only weekends only now. I'd just email her and let her know what you're looking for. She's a great guide and it was certainly a highlight.

Thanks for the feedback. The reviews for all of Miki's tours are so positive that I'm sure I can't go wrong.

 

[Kidoctr]

Trip Report Enchanted China 9 - 21 Sep 2018
****Warning: Big Spoiler Alert****

We're back from China and I've somewhat finished my vacation blog posts (still need to get some pictures off my husband's camera and waiting on the pictures from ABD).

Here's the summary page which includes links to each day's post, to our uploaded pictures/videos, and my final thoughts: http://kidoctr.blogspot.com/2018/09/adventures-by-disney-enchanted-china.html

Trip of a lifetime is an understatement.

 

[DollyM]

****Warning: Big Spoiler Alert****

I’ll be on the Oct 21st Adventure and don’t know whether I should read this or not...

 

[Kidoctr]

You're going to have an incredible time either way! I'd suggest just reading the summary page then and not the individual daily posts....

 

[DollyM]

You're going to have an incredible time either way! I'd suggest just reading the summary page then and not the individual daily posts....

Thanks! I’ll try to do that and hope my curiosity doesn’t get the best of me.

 

[notaprincess]

I’m booked on the October adventure and based on the great reviews on this board I’ve decided to book a water town tour with Miki on one of my post-days. I was deciding between “Miki’s Unique Tour” which sounds like what @Cousin Orville described in his trip report and the “One day Tongli ancient water village Tour”. When I inquired through her website (mikitours.net) I was told that the teahouse is only available on the weekend. They offered a somewhat similar alternative but it started later and included dinner. On TripAdvisor I found her “All Inclusive Tongli Water Town Private Day Tour with Boat Ride and Tea Tasting” which sounds like the “One day Tongli” tour but the availability starts on Jan 1 2019. I’ve never booked anything through TripAdvisor directly so I don’t know if that’s normal or if I’m missing something.

For those that have booked on of Miki’s tours, have they booked through Miki directly? Has anyone been able to book the “Unique tour” on a weekday this year?

Oh, cool. Great to 'meet' a fellow traveller.
I'm also on the trip next month. Haven't seen anyone else on here or facebook.
Solo traveller, arriving early on Oct 19, staying at the Explorers Lodge and then a pre-night at the Peninsula. Also 2 post- nights in Shanghai. The only plan I have is to see 'Sleep no more'. Will decide on what to do for 1 day once there.

 

[DollyM]

Oh, cool. Great to 'meet' a fellow traveller.
I'm also on the trip next month. Haven't seen anyone else on here or facebook.
Solo traveller, arriving early on Oct 19, staying at the Explorers Lodge and then a pre-night at the Peninsula. Also 2 post- nights in Shanghai. The only plan I have is to see 'Sleep no more'. Will decide on what to do for 1 day once there.

I'm traveling with my sister. We're staying two nights at the Disneyland Hotel, then a pre-night at the Peninsula, and two post-nights in Shanghai. We're planning to go back to SDL on post-day 1 and have a watertown tour with Miki booked for post-day 2.

 

[DVC Doc]

Trip Report Enchanted China 9 - 21 Sep 2018
****Warning: Big Spoiler Alert****

We're back from China and I've somewhat finished my vacation blog posts (still need to get some pictures off my husband's camera and waiting on the pictures from ABD).

Here's the summary page which includes links to each day's post, to our uploaded pictures/videos, and my final thoughts: http://kidoctr.blogspot.com/2018/09/adventures-by-disney-enchanted-china.html

Trip of a lifetime is an understatement.

Thank you for sharing! We’ll be on the first ABD China for 2019 (also adults only) and you’ve made me very excited for the trip!!