Are people really buying the Adventures By Disney trips?

[DodgerGirl]

I often wonder if Adventures By Disney is making a lot of money from people buying a lot of their trips? Because when they first debuted I would see TV commercials claiming that Adventures By Disney was the next best travel agency next to Disney's theme parks and cruise line. Did they originally do theme trips when they first began? Because the commercials for Adventures By Disney would show an African safari inspired by The Lion King the wonders of China inspired by Mulan and a Norway trip inspired by Frozen. Did Disney really think that starting a travel agency would bring big bucks to the table. I also noticed that Adventures By Disney is also focusing on American tours such as a tour of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles a Hollywood movie tour and a New York City Christmas themed tour every December. Is this because Adventures By Disney wants to focus more on guided tours of American landmarks in addition to trips to Europe Asia and Africa?

 

[Lewisc]

Which tours were you and your Mom considering booking?

 

[abdgeek]

ABD has trips that visit all the continents. They ran a trip to Antarctica one year which sold out, but wasn’t offered after that for a variety of reasons. Since they now own National Geographic, there are even more tours to do. ABD always polls their guests to see what trips people want and then they add a couple new itineraries every year. Itineraries are always adjusted based on customer feedback and safety of the region, among other things. Antarctica is the only continent I haven’t traveled to with them. Those who normally travel with them, myself included, are currently waiting for the 2026 land itineraries to drop so that we can book our trips. While ABD has started doing slightly more advertising, they really haven’t needed to. Land tours are normally capped at 40 people. Whenever you have a tour that has slightly less than that, you count yourself lucky. Of course, some of the itineraries have been inspired by their films, but not the majority. Only you can determine, based on your research, whether ABD is for you. Given the number of trips for each itinerary that are offered, they are doing very well.

 

[Donalyn]

ABD has been around for quite some time now. They keep developing new itineraries. Many on this board have been on many trips. They must be doing ok.

 

[jimmymc]

ABD has been around almost 20 years now. While it's a relatively small portion of the company's overall business, it gets amazing reviews and seems to have high profit margins. Just check the website to see how many trips are sold out.

They've always done tours in the US in addition to Europe, Asia, and everywhere else. The ballpark tour was a special collaboration with ESPN that I think only ran once. But they've had trips to the Grand Canyon and Utah, Wyoming, and Hollywood and Disneyland for a long time.

 

[AquaDame]

They do target marketing for ABD instead of broad. Their target clientele is not everyone so there is no reason for them to pay a lot of money reaching the wrong people. They have brand recognition working on their side, same as national geographic which made it a good fit.

 

[Eastridge]

I don't think Disney treats ABD as a loss leader... if it wasn't making money over the long run, I doubt the Mouse would keep offering these trips.

The number of guests is small compared to the parks and cruise ships. This difference is also apparent on the DISboards, where this channel is much less active than the WDW, Disneyland and DCL channels.

I've never tried estimating the total number of ABD guests per year but it is probably over 10,000. The ABD river cruises by themselves probably have a couple of thousand guests. With an average cost per trip of $7000, that implies annual revenue over $70M.

 

[Mle8308]

Well, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary, so I think they are doing okay.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Well, they are celebrating their 20th anniversary, so I think they are doing okay.

we've certainly enjoyed a couple of them over the years, and are looking at another next year...... they do a really good job (at least the trips we've done have been great).

 

[Mle8308]

we've certainly enjoyed a couple of them over the years, and are looking at another next year...... they do a really good job (at least the trips we've done have been great).

I almost booked one a few years ago and then, covid hit.... Still something I'm considering in the future.

 

[DjmNash]

We have been on 4 trips and are booked for Norway this summer and Australia for winter break. I don't think they'd continue to offer trips if they didn't make money. They are more expensive than going to a Park or a cruise, but we think they are worth it.

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

Think of their DL trips. Except staying in Hollywood and the attractions there, everything is basically "free" to Disney.

 

[calypso726]

I often wonder if Adventures By Disney is making a lot of money from people buying a lot of their trips? Because when they first debuted I would see TV commercials claiming that Adventures By Disney was the next best travel agency next to Disney's theme parks and cruise line. Did they originally do theme trips when they first began? Because the commercials for Adventures By Disney would show an African safari inspired by The Lion King the wonders of China inspired by Mulan and a Norway trip inspired by Frozen. Did Disney really think that starting a travel agency would bring big bucks to the table. I also noticed that Adventures By Disney is also focusing on American tours such as a tour of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles a Hollywood movie tour and a New York City Christmas themed tour every December. Is this because Adventures By Disney wants to focus more on guided tours of American landmarks in addition to trips to Europe Asia and Africa?

Adventures by Disney is not a travel agency. A travel agency will book you on any type of trip which can include WDW, DLR, USO, Royal Caribbean, ABD, DCL, and their competitors. A Disney TA will specialize in all aspects of Disney travel, parks, cruises, hotels and ABD. ABD is not that. ABD is a branch that offers group travel experiences. Think something similar to Tauck.

Many of their itineraries have been themed and then evolved with time. Our first ABD was Scotland and it was themed after Brave the movie. With time, ABD will tweak existing itineraries and sometimes the theme goes away (like the Scotland Brave trip) but the destination remains.

I am sure they are making money. When Disney isn't making money, they will either change the itinerary to something different that costs them less, like Scotland or will get rid of entirely if the juice isn't worth the squeeze for them as they have numerous trips that we have done and are no longer available. Just look at what happened with the Star Wars Galactic Cruiser 2 night experience. This was by far one of the most amazing experiences (and I am not a Star Wars fan girl) and yet it only lasted 18 months. They weren't making the money they projected, the overhead was too high or the cost to the guests was not something sustainable to attract the numbers they needed.

I haven't seen a focus on any American based tours. There are only 4 trips in the USA with ABD. The Dodger stadium and NY Christmas themed tour are not on their website. Meanwhile, there are 31 trips to Europe, 6 to Asia/Oceana, 5 to Central and South America. So if anything I would say there is less of a focus on USA trips. Some years ago they did have other USA options like a New York short trip which we did and was outstanding. They also had one to San Francisco that we did and while not as good as the NY one was definitely memorable. My favorite one for the USA we did was a Winter in Wyoming short escape and I am sad that it is no longer an option. I would have actually repeated that one.

 

[Dennis Jay]

Yes, people are definitely buying Adventures By Disney trips. Despite some skepticism, Disney's reputation for quality and unique experiences draws travelers interested in family-friendly, themed adventures. Their offerings are diverse, covering global destinations as well as notable American landmarks, which seems to be an effort to cater to various interests and travel preferences. The themed trips, like those inspired by Disney movies, add a unique appeal. Disney saw an opportunity to expand their brand beyond parks and cruises into the adventure travel market, which has proven successful for them. These guided tours also assure a certain level of quality and Disney magic, attracting repeat customers. Overall, it's a strategic extension of their brand in travel.