Okay, this helps. Ask your questions and I'll answer. I still can't put things together on my own, but I can give you any info you ask for. That's easy.
So, here we go:
SECURITY - As with any vacation to a big city, you need to keep your eyes open regarding who's around you and where your stuff is. However, in Paris you need to keep a much closer eye on your personal belongings. Pickpockets are rife there. While you're with the tour group, you won't feel unsafe, but you should remain aware for any outsiders. When you're traveling on your own, you really need to be smart about what's happening around you. I was on my own one day, just taking pictures in the Place de l'Concorde (probably spelled that all wrong), near the hotel, and was about to cross the street to walk over to the Jardins Tulleries, which is across the street from the hotel, when a man started talking to me in French and following me. It felt very much like a set-up for a robbery and I tried to get into a more populated area (near some souvenir stands), but he wouldn't stop talking to me. Fortunately, there was a small bookstore at the entrance to the gardens, so I ducked in there for about 5 minutes and when I peeked out, he was gone. Just be aware for set-ups and scams. I'd recommend picking up a purse that has some security features. I bought one from Travelsmith.com that has a steel cable in the strap, so it can't be cut, plus it has a clip that goes through all the zippers, so they can't be opened. The clip broke at the end of the trip, but it was useful while it lasted. Men should be careful with wallets, too, and do not place them in back pockets. So, security-wise, just keep your eyes open and try not to make yourself an easy target. I never felt worried at all when I was with the tour group, though. Only when I was on my own (and most of the time I went out with a small group of fellow travelers).
WHAT TO PACK/WHAT NOT TO PACK: Tour-wise, for the London/Paris trip you'll want a nice outfit for the night you go to see "Mary Poppins" (wonderful, by the way!). You might want to bring a couple of other semi-dressy outfits, as well. I only had the one, but others also dressed up a bit for dinner at the Eiffel Tower (although it's okay to be casual there) and for the final evening's dinner. Other than that, you're good with whatever makes you comfortable. You'll be doing lots of walking, so bring good shoes! Bring your camera and lots of film or lots of memory cards. I took over 3000 photos during my trip (but, I tend to shoot more than most people). Bring an umbrella or hooded jacket, as it rained off-and-on every day of my trip. It tends to be colder over there than what I'm used to here in CA, so you might want a jacket and/or sweatshirt. I wasn't as cold as most of the other people on the tour, so I was fine with my windbreaker and, ocassionally, added my sweatshirt under it. Others had heavier jackets. You could always pick up a nice Parisian scarf, if you need it! Not sure what else to suggest here, so if you're wondering about packing something specific, just ask.
RELIABILITY: Not sure what that means. The Adventures by Disney staff was extremely reliable. Everything ran like clockwork. Some changes had already been made to the trip itinerary, based on the feedback of a previous tour group, which I think made our trip even better. But, all the big items were still in there (only thing that was removed was the dinner cruise on the River Seine, which gave us more time on our own). I never worried about a single thing on the tour. They took great care of us (even gave us a bottle of water each day to keep us hydrated) and tended to our every need. If you have a problem with your hotel room, or need help with anything, they'll be right there to make everything simple for you. They'll give you their cell phone numbers, so you can always reach them. From the moment I arrived at Heathrow, to the moment I left for
Disneyland Paris, everything was handled with extreme professionalism. Reliable, yes.
EVENTS PERTINENT TO ALL AGES: Yes, definitely. We only had 3 kids on our tour, but they were never bored. The dinners are great and there is usually some option for the kids to have something different (I even had the kids option for lunch once). At the Louvre, there's a special program for the kids, to keep them more interested in the place and also at Montmarte, when the adults do a wine tasting, the kids go off and have their silhouettes done (a couple adults took that option, too). In our group, the kids were very much a part of the whole group and were treated as such by all the travelers. The Adventure Guides always made sure to talk with them and be sure they were having fun. They really seemed to enjoy everything we did. No whining, no crying, nothing like that. Everyone was happy and having a great time, no matter their age!
Now, off the topics above, I'll say that I can't imagine a better way to travel than with Adventures by Disney. There were a number of special little touches (which I won't describe, so they'll be special for you, too) that really made the trip feel unique. You'll stay in five-star hotels and have superb meals. The Adventure Guides are the most terrific people you can imagine traveling with and feel like part of the group, instead of like "leaders". In each city, you'll have a local tour guide who will travel with you on the bus and at all the sites you visit. These guides are extraordinarily well-versed on the city and have every single piece of information you could ever want. They'll tell you everything about the places you visit, but if you throw a question at them that's totally off-topic, they'll have the answer for that, as well. They know EVERYTHING. They can help you with your plans for your free time and can answer any question you've ever dreamed of asking about London or Paris.
On a personal note, I highly recommend a visit to the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, just a short boat ride up the Thames from the Tower of London, where you'll start your free time in London. If you have any interest in the maritime history of England, it's a marvelous place. I only had time to run in and see Admiral Nelson's uniform from the battle of Trafalgar, but it moved me to tears. Also, I recommend a crepe sucre while you're in Paris, particularly in Montmarte. The chocolate-almond one is great and might make one of your tour guides jealous. On the day you visit Notre Dame, Montmarte and the Eiffel Tower, choose your stairs carefully. I opted to go up the belltower at Notre Dame, plus went up the stairs to Montmarte (there's a funiculla option) and then took the stairs from Level 1 to Level 2 of the Eiffel Tower. Don't do all 3 unless you're extremely fit or very insane (I fall into the latter category, apparently).
The Champs Elysee (bad spelling, again) is a nice walk on your free time. If you're a Formula 1 fan, keep an eye on the stores, as many of them have really cool F1 exhibits with cars and everything. That was a nice surprise for me! There's also a
Disney Store along the street. I picked up a rolling backpack there, since I'd purchased so many souvenir t-shirts and books that I didn't have enough room in my suitcase for everything. That's important - make sure you have room for your purchases!! As it was, I had to pay an overweight fee on my big suitcase to get it home. I knew that would happen, though, so it wasn't a big deal - only 20 Euros.
Okay, that's all I can think of right now. If you have questions, please ask them and I'll be sure to give you an answer as soon as I can!
anyone?
