? about shopping on ABD trips

[disneysteve]

We have not yet been on an ABD trip but it is definitely on our Disney bucket list. I always listen to the podcast episodes that review the trips like the one just done on the Italy trip and they just make me want to travel on one even more.

I wonder about one thing though. There always seems to be a big focus on shopping in the different locales. My wife and I are not big shoppers. Had we been on the Italy trip, we wouldn't have spent a dime on leather or jewelry or pottery or cologne or cameras like Pete and others talked about. Sure, we would have picked up a few little somethings as souvenirs of our trip but if we would spend $200 or $300 the entire trip it would be a lot.

What do the non-shoppers do during the time when the shoppers are off spending thousands of Euros? Just wander around town? Hang out at a cafe? Go to a bar (also not our thing)? I'd love to hear from some of our fellow non-shoppers about how they spent their free time.

 

[DisneyKevin]

Shopping is done when you have time on your own.

Some found a cafe.

Some went to museums.

Some visited churches.

Some did wine tastings.

I think you get the idea.

You have time to do whatever pleases you.

You should read the Italy trip report on the ABD board by kHertz.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3346785

Great trip report with AMAZING photos and not a store in sight.

 

[k5jm]

What do the non-shoppers do during the time when the shoppers are off spending thousands of Euros? Just wander around town? Hang out at a cafe? Go to a bar (also not our thing)? I'd love to hear from some of our fellow non-shoppers about how they spent their free time.

My wife is the shopper, I am not. On almost every trip, I have not spent much money on shopping other than stuff for DS. I choose to spend my time taking pictures and exploring the cities and trying to capture it. I think the only thing, outside of food, I purchased on this last trip to Italy was a new monopod. Pete, Dustin, and I would go out late at night and take pictures and people watch. We had a blast doing that.

The one ABD where I purchased more than my wife was on Backstage Magic. I was a bad boy at Imagineering, the Disney Studio store, and at Disneyland.

We also go and check out local cuisine, see the museums, any local sites that are not covered in the tour (like the London Eye in London, Griffith observatory in LA, the Farmers Market in LA, Music stores in Munich, Unique French Cafes in Paris, or exploring Hollywood)

 

[mikelan6]

I am not a huge shopper myself, but I do enjoy looking around and browsing.

I remember in Venice there was a small shop that sold unique tzochkes. I bought a mini Vespa that will always remind me of Italy.

 

[disneysteve]

The one ABD where I purchased more than my wife was on Backstage Magic. I was a bad boy at Imagineering, the Disney Studio store, and at Disneyland.

Yep. That would be a dangerous place for me too.

Thank you both for the replies.

One of these days hopefully we will get to join you on a trip. It sounds fantastic.

 

[GAN]

My wife is more of a shopper, but I like to browse and go into shops and greet the owner/employee -possibly to strike up a conversation. I like the feeling of a warm Ciao or Bonjour.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'll chime in here as well. We were some of the heavy shoppers on the ABD Italy trip but really that was a very small portion of the whole adventure. I would doubt that our shopping took more than 2-3 hours out of the whole 9-day trip.

As Kevin mentioned there was also a lot of hanging with fellow adventurers (AKA "Family"), sharing stories, food, wine, taking in the sites/sights. One could easily go on an ABD trip and not shop.

 

[disneysteve]

I finished listening to the episode this morning. Wish I could leave tomorrow. Florence sounds incredible. Definitely on my bucket list!

Thanks everyone.

 

[GAN]

I finished listening to the episode this morning. Wish I could leave tomorrow. Florence sounds incredible. Definitely on my bucket list! Thanks everyone.

It is amazing, and the way Kevin described it is so true -you can feel the renaissance surround you. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Botticelli, Machiavelli, Dante ...you could go on and on. Did I mention Ribollita! OMG ...simple, delicious.