Alaska Excursions--post your reviews here!

[son3disfan]

I'm subbing as I just booked the 8/19/13 Vancouver Alaskan cruise today. Here's the thread meet link.

The helicopter sounds like fun!

We just booked the week after you!
Our cruise meet thread hasn't been started yet.....

This thread has such great planning info!
We are a family of 5, so the excursions are pricey.
Almost as much as the price of the cruise!

 

[jilljill]

I'm subbing as I just booked the 8/19/13 Vancouver Alaskan cruise today. Here's the thread meet link.

The helicopter sounds like fun!

Now it's my turn to stalk you.

If you can do the helicopter to the mush camp. That was the best experience ever!
If they offer the ABD add-on package that includes the helicopter to the mush camp than I recommend that even more.

Have fun planning your cruise. You will love AK!

 

[staffieri]

How many passengers are in a helicopter? We are looking at the Glacier Trek in Juneau. Do all the seats have access to a window? I would hate to be in a back seat and not be able to see the complete views.

We did the Glacier Trek II booked direct with North Star Trekking. ( this is who Disney uses). If you go book direct with them. Smaller group and you go and see a lot more. We only had a total of five of us and a guide. There is a person who sits in middle and see less then those who have window seat. It was horrible weather, so we didn't see much flying anyways. It is a one time experience and we loved it but for the price I know wish we would have stayed together ( only me and my son went) and did a helicopter glacier landing and whale watching. If you book on your own you can do both. We could have all done this and it would have only cost $ 75 more for all four. The whale pictures I have seen from our same day out are amazing and the helicopter ride would be the same. Of course just a short time on the glacier but still cool. If you have any more detail questions about the hike, ask. the Disney group look not fun. 15 or more people together and not hiking around as cool stuff as we saw.

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[staffieri]

I searched this thread but have not got to read all 39 pages. Is there a review for the Liarsville Trail with Disney characters and the White Pass with youth activities? Did anyone do this? I am looking for experiences with both. Thank you!

I think someone also asked if there are more character then Donald. Yes. Chip and Dale come. My review a few pages back. Again its a nice place and a little silly. I would not pay these high prices Disney is asking to do this. You get so much time with the characters on the boat that it doesn't make the price worth it. They keep Donal in a place for pictures only and chip and Dale do walk around some. This place is worth booking on your own for a good meal with entertainment. We booked this and then did the dog musher camp. It made skagway great fun for the kids. We did hear a few of our cruise friends saw the train got long and the kids got restless or fell asleep.

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[staffieri]

As we can see I had time to give some response tonight. The dog musher camp. I think it was a great way to experience dog sledding at an affordable price. Booked on our own through Alsakaexcurisions. It cost $110 adults and $89 kids. I would tell your family that this is a short sight seeing tour of Skagway with dog sledding. You take a great bus that meets you at the docks. They take you for a short trip through town, pointing out stuff then up the mountain. We saw eagles,salmon and other wildlife. Then to Musher camp. You take a four wheel vehicle up to the dogs. They are so excited to see you. It was after the rain so muddy!! And its a fast ride. they dogs go fast. Very exciting. Then back to camp to hear about dog sledding, free drinks and cookies. Then you get to play with the puppies. So fun. On they way back a beautiful stop for one more look at Skagway. They will drop you back off at the ship or in town to shop. My kids loved this!!

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[staffieri]

Here the puppies

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[barbbarnes]

We are going on the 8/13/12 cruise and we think we have narrowed down what we would like to do.
Skagway: Liarsville with Disney
Juneau: On our own Mount Roberts tram and the shuttle bus to the glacier
Ketichican: the disney lumberjack show with the potlach totem poles for the kids.

I don't know if I've seen anyone write about the potlach totem pole experience. If anyone has information that would be great. Our cast includes 5 adults and my ds (10), dd (7) and ds (3).

Also I noticed on one post that she liked what she packed for the weather the different layers and waterproof sneakers. Does anyone have any feed back on what they liked or wish they had on the trip? Thanks for the help!
Barb

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

We just booked the week after you!
Our cruise meet thread hasn't been started yet.....

Ah, actually it has...it was started today: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2903640

How do I know? I started it! I may not be able to do it, and I might be nuts, but I booked it as a B2B. Will make my mind up later whether or not I can do both. So come on over and join me!

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Now it's my turn to stalk you.

You stalk me...I stalk you...,

I know. So many decisions. So many options. I did go ahead and book a B2B so I wouldn't lose that option as I was able to score the "secret veranda" for that one too. With an OBB, 10% off, and what I'd already had put down, it made it VERY attractive.

BUT...I did see the Adventures by Disney that they've done before, and that could be a consideration instead. My concerns there are that I have slight mobility problems and sometimes use a cane. (although I may actually get better the more I work at it) If I did that, then I would DEFIINTELY not be doing the B2B as that costs as much as a cruise. But....

 

[jilljill]

You stalk me...I stalk you...,

I know. So many decisions. So many options. I did go ahead and book a B2B so I wouldn't lose that option as I was able to score the "secret veranda" for that one too. With an OBB, 10% off, and what I'd already had put down, it made it VERY attractive.

BUT...I did see the Adventures by Disney that they've done before, and that could be a consideration instead. My concerns there are that I have slight mobility problems and sometimes use a cane. (although I may actually get better the more I work at it) If I did that, then I would DEFIINTELY not be doing the B2B as that costs as much as a cruise. But....

One of the ladies on our ABD had slight mobility issues and used a cane and a scooter onboard and had no problems on our tours. The ABD Guides were great with her and so were the local guides. She even did the canopy tour in Ketchikan at the rain forest. She stayed at the back of the group and a couple of us were with her as well, plus we had a local guide and an ABD guide with us bringing up the rear. She even walked across the suspension bridge and back. So it's doable and you wouldn't be the first.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

One of the ladies on our ABD had slight mobility issues and used a cane and a scooter onboard and had no problems on our tours.

Would love to hear more about the ABD add on for the cruise that you did then. I did a search and read some of the reports that I could find on the ABD Board as it did sound interesting. Did you do a trip report? (as I know it's not a simple, oh just tell us about it type of thing)

I know it's very expensive, but the folks that did the cruises in Vancouver said it was well worth it. Guess they did lower the price for the Seattle cruises, as they'd taken out some excursions.

Oh, decisions, decisions. Of course they've not even announced it yet, but bet they will do one.

 

[jilljill]

Would love to hear more about the ABD add on for the cruise that you did then. I did a search and read some of the reports that I could find on the ABD Board as it did sound interesting. Did you do a trip report? (as I know it's not a simple, oh just tell us about it type of thing)

I know it's very expensive, but the folks that did the cruises in Vancouver said it was well worth it. Guess they did lower the price for the Seattle cruises, as they'd taken out some excursions.

Oh, decisions, decisions. Of course they've not even announced it yet, but bet they will do one.

No trip report from me. It was money well spent and we came away with great memories and great friends.
Yes, they did lower the price a bit for this year's cruises only after people started writing to them wondering why they were charging the same price and gettin much less than last year's add-on.
The info was released Dec. 2010 for the 2011 sailings. I booked it right away knowing I had the same cancellation policy as for the cruise. We had about 21 in our group.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Okay, thank you! This will definitely be under consideration for me, especially since I am traveling solo.

It would be nice to have the people in the group to bond with! And to be able to get the bookings taken care of as well as the logistics. I still have plenty of time to decide since it'll likely be awhile before they release the info.

 

[gojulia]

New here. So many pages of excellent information and still so many questions!

Can anyone explain to me the difference between the 3 different helicopter/dog sled trips they seem to offer? They are all different prices and I can't tell if there is a real difference. Has anyone done this excursion with a 5 year old? She is a real animal lover and I think this would be the highlight of the trip for her, but I'm trying to decide if it's worth the cost or at that age if one of the summer camps would suffice.

My 8 year old son really wants to do the seaplane Misty Fjords trip. Any advice on this one? And has anyone split up to do different excursions with different kids? Will we regret this. Definitely can't afford for the whole family of 4 to do both of these.

 

[DisneyGirl8]

Hi,

Has anyone done the Alaska Coastal Expedition?

 

[Disnylvr77]

Deb and anyone else that's already done check in for their Alaska Cruise:

Do you have to pick a port arrival time like we do at Port Canaveral?

We are on the 8/13/12 cruise and we check in on May 15 but wanted to know what to expect.

Thanks!

Stephanie

 

[Disnylvr77]

Stephanie

 

[trimix]

Stephanie - yes, you have to choose a time slot. But so far nobody has reported any efforts at enforcement at ports other than Port Canaveral, so I doubt they will enforce arrival times in Seattle.

 

[Toocoolmom]

Do you actually get to walk on the Glaciers on any of the DCL Excursions? We are looking at the whale watching with a trip to the glaciers.

 

[mkladypink]

Has anyone done the horseback riding adventure in Skagway? My DD (12) and I have that booked during our 5/21 cruise.