Anyone on the Knights and Lights 12/20 trip

[WeLoveABD]

Hi! We just counted the days for the packet (45 is about the time)--and then we'll count the days to the trip. I've been watching the exchange rate too--good trend! The weather, on the other hand, will definately be cooler than San Diego--but a nice change of pace. We are looking forward to meeting your family!

 

[SCFamily4]

We received our packet and bags on Thursday, 11/14!! We are so excited about the trip ... and can't wait for our departure! The itinerary is a bit different than what we had printed, but I knew things would be different due to the Christmas Holiday. Looks like most of the major sites are still included!!

Please remind me ... when do you all arrive into London? I think you are coming in from the west coast? We are departing from Atlanta into LHR, arriving ~12 noon local time on 12/20. I am trying to work on a "wish list" of possible places to see when we have some free time. My son (aged 10) is really into history and sircraft, and really wants to see the RAF museum. I am not sure that my 6-yr old daughter is interested in that, so I am looking for something more appropriate for us girls to visit. From the other posts, it sounds like the guides are super - so I am sure they will be able to provide some great recommendations for us!!

Hope you all are well! See you soon!!

 

[WeLoveABD]

We hadn't received our packet yet (our travel agent at AAA is on a trip this week)--so we called this AM and got the basics. Sounds like Xmas eve dinner at Disneyland Paris hotel (or at least seeing the tree lighting ceremony)--what does your itinerary show for xmas eve and xmas day? We are certainly gearing up--marking dates to get Euros and Pounds (we'll get most of that there--but thought we should have some at the start just in case), and will bring travelers checks for the guide tips at the end. We arrive on the 19th (from San Diego) and will stay at a hotel by the airport, and if up to it will try to take in Windsor that day. We'd like to take in the British Museum on a free afternoon (it is close to the hotel), and the London Eye. We have been on two other ABD trips, and the guides on both were great and very helpful in planning out free time activities--with maps, books to look at, subway info etc. Any info in the packet regarding the group size? Should be a great trip!

 

[SCFamily4]

The printed itinerary booklet is very impressive ... and also states that everything is "subject to change". So ... you may have received more updated info when you called ABD than we have in the booklet!

What we received lists "dinner on our own" following a Christmas Eve afternoon tour of the Louvre. Christmas Day (or the "Holiday Magic Day" is listed as Disneyland Paris, all day - with all meals included. Dec. 26th is our day to visit Versailles. The only major things different that I noticed (after a brief review!) was that our visit to the Eiffel Tower (morning 12/24) does not appear to include lunch at the Tower. Also, a tour of Notre Dame Cathedral was not specifically listed on the itinerary. Of course, that may be due to the fact that it is a major religious holiday for the church, and it might be crazy there. We are Catholic, and considering trying to attend mass there on 12/24 (evening) ... looks like midnight mass is out of the question - according to some blogs it is very crowded, "thousands" in line. So ... we may opt for a smalled local church if the timing works out!!

There appears to be some "free" time in London on 12/20 (before the group dinner) and on Day 3 (afternoon & evening on your own). The hotel appears to be pretty close to the British Museum -- so we will definitely be going there at some point during our short visit!!

There wasn't any information on the group size in the packet. I really wasn't able to get specifics when I last spoke with ABD, other than that the trip was "full" ... hope everyone is still able to make it!

Hopefully your packet will arrive soon! I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the plans!

Take care, and have a great week! The countdown begins!!

 

[KLondon]

SCFamily4 - Just thought I would confirm that the British Museum is, indeed, very close to the Chancery Court hotel. It's about a 10-minute walk, and admission is free. We went on this tour in 2007 and spent our 'arrival afternoon' in London at the British Museum. It's vast, so we concentrated our few hours on the Egyptian exhibits.

 

[SCFamily4]

KLondon - thank you for the information! We have never been to London before, so our knowledge of the area is limited to travel guides and maps.

My son (age 10) is already a history buff, and he is really looking forward to the Egyptian exhibit! Sounds awesome!

Thanks again for the information - any and all tips and recommendations about London and Paris are appreciated!

 

[sayhello]

There wasn't any information on the group size in the packet. I really wasn't able to get specifics when I last spoke with ABD, other than that the trip was "full" ... hope everyone is still able to make it!

"Full", according to ABD policy, is 40 people.

Well, actually, now that I was going to post a link to the quote on the site, I can't find it. I sure hope they didn't change that policy...

Sayhello

 

[WeLoveABD]

We picked up our bags, itineraries and other goodies today from our TA--the trip is as you describe it, although I note that Notre Dame is mentioned as part of a Paris walking tour on the first afternoon in Paris. I had heard that there was work being done on the Eiffel Tower which might explain why there is not a meal included there...but all in all a nice itinerary! We are planning to take in the British Museum and the London Eye on the free afternoon in London--but are leaving the rest pretty open. The day at Disneyland Paris sounds great--we have a two night add-on at the end of the trip to DP, so depending on crowds etc we may use one day to head back to Paris. Or...see if we can be taken to DP late in the day on Day 8 and walk around Paris a little more--then spend a couple of evening hours at DP that first night, and a full day the next. Whatever we do, it'll be an Adventure! See you all in a month! (Our two are 15 (DS) and 8 (DD)--Disney told our TA that there were 3 in the 12-18 age range and 9 in the 4 to 11 range.

 

[stenogoddess]

I know you all are getting ready to go. I'm so excited for you all! We had such a great time.

Our extras:

London:
Hampton Court Palace: we went out here and it was totally awesome. We could have spent the whole day there. If you do the hedge maze and want the secret to get through, just PM me. Some people want to do it on their own so I don't want to spoil. Also leaving the palace and on the way back to the train, we were starving. Across the street on the way back to the train you will see a Pizza Express. It's a chain there, but it's no Pizza Hut. It is really, really good. We also did the wax museam and had a blast. There's really not time to see it all.

Paris:
One of our free night we ate at the Impala Lounge, very close to hotel. Our guide Frasesc (sp?) told us about it. Our server did not speak English hardly, and we spoke very, very little French, but she was super nice and let us point away and worked with us. My DH had the steak medallions and says it was the best meal he ate the whole trip. We also went to the top of the Arc after dinner, also very close to hotel, and got great pictures of the fantastic views. If you wait until dark you can see the Eiffel Tower do it's light show. Other than that, in Paris we just sort of milled around.

DLP:
Very neat. We booked our extra days through ABD and stayed at New York Hotel. Very nice and very walkable to the parks. The park is very neat and pretty, beautiful. Here is my only however. However, the entire park is the smoking section. And these people smoked for sure. They apparently don't have cancer in France. Anywho, this caused a massive sinus infection for me. So if you're allergic to smoke, like I am, take your Sudafed, like I didn't, and avoid a nasty sinus infection, like I wish I had! LOL

We also got the VIP fastpasses that were awesome. Hardly any wait anywhere.

Also, ABD provided us transport from Paris to DLP and then a private car from the hotel to the airport. Which was a huge worry off my mind because my poor DH practically had to carry me home I was so spaced out on the meds I had in our bags. LOL Poor guy. He really deserves a cookie for working above and beyond husband duties.

Hope that helps and have a SUPER TIME! If you have Fransesc, Eddie, Andy or Damien tell them the Boxxes from Savannah on the May trip said hello! If you get any one of them, you will be in expert hands. They truely made the trip perfectly magical for us.

 

[Pakey]

I'll chime in with what we did with our free time (one of the things I loved about AbD was all of the free time we had).

In London, we did the British Museum. Loved it. We did it our first afternoon and hoped to go back before we left London to see more of it but we didn't make it. We also spent an afternoon at a Pub watching this wedding party celebrating. All of the ladies had those huge hats that only the British can get away with, each hat more amazing than the next. We had only planned to stop in for a bit but we had so much fun, the afternoon flew by.

In Paris, dang, there's so much to do. We went to the Orsai, the impressionist museum (I'm a lover of Degas). We did a river dinner cruise with some fellow adventurers and it was so nice and beautiful. We had also signed up on the second free night to do a Segway through Paris tour but I got sick and we had to cancel. The others who went on it said it was fantastic.

At DLRP, we did the Princess Lunch. Wow, WDW could take some lessons on how to do it right from this park. The food was amazing, high end food and service. Plenty of time with princesses and many of the princes were there too. Suzie and Perla were there too so there was always one character out through the course of the meal. It was well worth the money.

We also went to the Wild West Show one evening at the Disney Village. It was better than we thought it would be. Great family entertainment. The guys all loved it.

 

[WeLoveABD]

Thanks Stenogoddess and Pakey! We are arriving a day early and plan to stay at one of the airport hotels--will bus to Windsor, then the next AM meet up with Disney and head for the hotel. We'll do the British Museum that afternoon before the welcome reception and dinner--the tips on other things to do in the limited free time (reduced even more by the holidays--on Christmas we'll be at the Disneyland Paris park all day) are appreciated! I had Hampton Court written down as a possibility--but for a half day, or less, would it be worth the effort? (Sounds like a great place to see--but we will also have less daylight, so returning will be in the dark). Cold, maybe rainy days and nights--we look forward to the adventure, and have complete faith in our guides to make it all work!