Advantages to Discuss With Spouse

[tassma]

Hello - I have been wanting to do an ABD for quite a while. My DD is just turning 4, so I am planning it for when she is 5. I was looking at an European vacation and finally brought my DH in on the idea. He shut me down due to the sticker shock. When I did some quick cost comparison it doesn't look that expensive (relatively speaking). Any suggestions for justifying the cost?

Thank you,
Tassma

 

[Diskidatheart]

Sticker shock is definitely a problem area. I must preface my opinion by saying I have not yet been on a trip, but will be on my first at the beginning of May. With that being said, my DW and I chose Adventures by Disney for many reasons. The first is that we didn't have to do much research on the company since they are owned by Disney. That is a big plus for us. Another reason is that if you do it yourself, you can save some money (not a ton of it, but some), but you will have the headache of planning, researching, more planning, more researching, and more planning (get my point? ). There are other tour companies out there that have similar trips and they advertise to be cheaper. I found that once you start adding on their extra activities that are not part of the trip, the price becomes very close. ABD also stays in very nice hotels that are centrally located, which is a HUGE plus when traveling to a foreign country. I found that not to be the case with less expensive trips. One thing that I've heard on this site over and over again and makes a lot of sense is that you are provided with 2 guides rather than 1, which is what is supplied by other companies. ABD has a bunch of little perks that I've heard about too. They will have water for you on the bus, where other companies say, you can buy it over there. Little things like that make for a great experience. One of the big things that convinced me is all the reviews on this site. I was able to see pictures and get descriptions of tours, where I couldn't find that with other companies. Even though we don't have kids, ABD has many activities for the kids aside from the tours and activities, which is a plus for the kids because they will have others their own age to hang out with and it is also a plus for the adults because they will have other their own age to hang out with and have no worries about their kids. Another big thing that helped our decision is that it seems like you experience the area you are at rather than just touring it. For example, you learn how to make pasta in Italy, you bike ride and kayak in Switzerland, you stay at a castle in Germany. You don't just drive by all these place and snap a picture...you live it (and take pictures too). It is a lot of money, but it could be a once in a lifetime trip also. I'm sure you will get more feedback because there are so many reasons to overcome that sticker shock and go on your dream trip.

 

[airbear]

My husband had major sticker shock when we booked our Southwest Splendors trip. I was the one who really wanted to try an ABD so I had to do a lot of convincing. He liked the idea of someone taking care of our luggage and all the activities. We also booked at the time of the free cruise offer so he felt that we got a bonus vacation. I told him that we would try it once and if he didn't feel that it was worth the money then we would never do it again. He is pretty open minded and he'll try anything once so he agreed. Maybe you should have your hubbie read some of the trip reports on these boards. The pictures alone made me want to go on all the trips.

 

[Bobo912]

Just wanted to toss in a quick comment. I'm at work, so I can't go into all the details and I know there are so many on this board who can say it better anyway. Having taken two trips with ABD, this is the only way I will consider traveling for a major vacation, especially outside the country. I'm not talking about going to Orlando or DC or anything like that, but for a trip where I will be going from place to place in an unfamiliar location, there is nothing like an escorted trip. It is so much more relaxing and just plain fun for me not to have to worry about the luggage, hotel, transportation, etc. And you receive VIP treatment - there is no standing in line to visit attractions or waiting for a table at a restaurant. Also, I have an only child and he really enjoys the company of the other kids on the trips. There are other companies that provide similar trips and I'm sure they are quite good as well (I'm traveling with Tauck Bridges this summer so I'll have first hand experience), but their prices are equally expensive. Some of the less expensive companies are probably good too, but I don't think they provide a comparable experience.

Thanks for the little reminder of why I enjoy being single.

 

[carolinagirl121]

ABD is woth the extra cost, hands down. My hubs and I took Southwest Splendors two years ago and it was the best vacation we have ever taken. Yes, there is extra cost, but the ease of travel and the extra touches by Disney more than makes up for it. I took the time and tried to plan out the vacation by myself and it was brutal. We flew into the airport and didn't have another worry after that point. Disney literally took care of everything. One of the big things we enjoyed was the knowledge the cast members had of the area during our free time. They had tips for couples and for families about how to best spend your time. One of the guides even went out of her way to show my hubs and I a special view of the Grand Canyon since we were both adults. I know the cost is high, but in the long run, the ease of travel and special touches are more than worth it.

 

[sayhello]

Everybody else has pretty much said it all. Worth every penny for the lack of hassles and ease of travel.

I'm going to suggest you have your hubby read some of the Trip Reports listed in the sticky at the top of this Forum. (You can start with my 2, linked in my signature!) I really think the reports are the best argument there is!

Sayhello

 

[tigger_ttfn]

My comment is the same as everyone else's. It is definitely worth every penny. It is a truly a trip of a lifetime. I was amazed that everything was top-notch -- the bus, the guides, the hotels, the restaurants, the guided tours with local experts, the cultural activities that got you into the true mood of area.

Instead of there being things that you could add for an additional cost, there were actually freebies that we didn't expect (ie. the lanyards, the duffle bag, pictures, etc.).

We've done one ABD last summer (Ireland) and our second is this summer (Italy). If you can afford it, then you will definitely not be disappointed.

 

[tassma]

Thank you everyone and happy travels!