China Trip Report 2014

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Is the multiple entry more expensive? Or just more paperwork?

Sayhello

I don't think so. Like Cousin Orville said I believe it's as easy as checking the box. However I did include my plane tickets for the flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai (after the ABD tour) and also a copy of our hotel reservation in Shanghai. I figured it's best to send paperwork for everything I have confirmed (and since they required the names and addresses of each hotel where we'd be staying on our trip -- including the ones with ABD).

Sayhello did you book a date for next year? I'm so excited for you!

 

[sayhello]

I don't think so. Like Cousin Orville said I believe it's as easy as checking the box. However I did include my plane tickets for the flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai (after the ABD tour) and also a copy of our hotel reservation in Shanghai. I figured it's best to send paperwork for everything I have confirmed (and since they required the names and addresses of each hotel where we'd be staying on our trip -- including the ones with ABD).

Sayhello did you book a date for next year? I'm so excited for you!

Yes! I've booked the June 4, 2017 trip (the same trip as CaliforniaGirl09 and her family!) I'm really looking forward to it! I've been eyeing that trip for a while now, and really thought it was about time!

That makes me think, though, I probably need to have finalized my pre- and post-day hotels before applying for the Visa. ABD wants a huge amount of money for those pre/post days, and I'm not sure yet if I'm willing to fork out that much for them. I think I also need to figure out if I can book the same hotels for less myself...

Sayhello

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Cousin Orville, do you recall if the Starbucks app works in China? I always have funds on my card (app) and find it's a much easier way to pay, especially when traveling!

Did you try any beverages in China? Did they taste the same? I tried a drink at a Starbucks in Sydney but it didn't quite taste the same even though the girls insisted they used the same ingredients.

 

[KashasMom]

Oh no! Got sidetracked this week and looks like I missed the Early Booking Discount. Trip is now $1,500 more than it was a week ago.

 

[sayhello]

Oh no! Got sidetracked this week and looks like I missed the Early Booking Discount. Trip is now $1,500 more than it was a week ago.

Sayhello

 

[Cousin Orville]

Cousin Orville, do you recall if the Starbucks app works in China? I always have funds on my card (app) and find it's a much easier way to pay, especially when traveling!

Did you try any beverages in China? Did they taste the same? I tried a drink at a Starbucks in Sydney but it didn't quite taste the same even though the girls insisted they used the same ingredients.

I didn't try the Starbucks app. I didn't notice a difference in the taste of the drinks, but I also didn't notice a difference in Australia either. I'm not a huge Starbucks drinker though. I like their mugs and tumblers more than their coffee. Btw, my wife accidentally dropped my Australia tumbler today and it broke. so sad. Had to order a new one on eBay.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I like their mugs and tumblers more than their coffee. Btw, my wife accidentally dropped my Australia tumbler today and it broke. so sad. Had to order a new one on eBay.

I'm glad that you got one on e-bay. I hope it's the same.

I don't let people drink out of my Starbucks destination mugs. They are taboo -- I keep them in a separate cupboard and dh knows not to use them! I am trying to decide how many to buy in China. It would weigh my bag down considerably if I bought one in each city. Maybe just Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

I should use the one I bought in Lexington, KY tomorrow in honor of the derby (it is one of my favorites!).

 

[Cousin Orville]

I'm glad that you got one on e-bay. I hope it's the same.

I don't let people drink out of my Starbucks destination mugs. They are taboo -- I keep them in a separate cupboard and dh knows not to use them! I am trying to decide how many to buy in China. It would weigh my bag down considerably if I bought one in each city. Maybe just Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

I should use the one I bought in Lexington, KY tomorrow in honor of the derby (it is one of my favorites!).

Haha... We use our mugs and tumblers quite a bit. They're actually quite durable. But it's definitely pricey to replace them. The Australia one I bought looks the same and it's sold by a guy in Sydney so hopefully it's not a Chinese knock off .

I bought Beijing, Chengdu (my favorite), and Hong Kong city mugs. I also bought a Starbucks Shanghai mug, but it's not the classic city design. It's a different Starbucks style. Not a big fan. I also bought tumbles from Hong Kong and Chengdu. And if that wasn't enough, I wanted to buy a Xian mug at the airport but there wasn't enough time.... So I order one on eBay the next day (while still in China). How's that for being obsessed?

 

[anonymousegirl]

So excited. DH and I are signed up for China October 9th, adult only, and I called today and it is a guaranteed departure!Interesting note, the rep said 21 adults and one 12 year old! I feel bad for the kid, no one to hang out with! Maybe they changed the departure from adult only and they;ll get some more families signed up.

 

[tgeorge]

So excited. DH and I are signed up for China October 9th, adult only, and I called today and it is a guaranteed departure!Interesting note, the rep said 21 adults and one 12 year old! I feel bad for the kid, no one to hang out with! Maybe they changed the departure from adult only and they;ll get some more families signed up.

Yay! Now you officially don't have to worry if it is a go or not. So, was it or listed as an adult only departure? I guess I was a little confused by your comment. Just wondering if this is something they are doing now to try to get more people signed up for certain dates.

Have a fantastic time ! It truly does look like an amazing trip.

 

[calypso726]

So excited. DH and I are signed up for China October 9th, adult only, and I called today and it is a guaranteed departure!Interesting note, the rep said 21 adults and one 12 year old! I feel bad for the kid, no one to hang out with! Maybe they changed the departure from adult only and they;ll get some more families signed up.

Glad to hear your trip is a go! So, they changed your adults only departure without telling you??? That's insane! I imagine some of those guests are going to be shocked and seriously pissed off if that is the case. We've done both adult only and family departures so I'd be irritated over the change but not enough to make a huge stink over it. I'd be upset about not being told or given the choice to cancel and re-book due to the change. I have met some folks though, that simply want no part of traveling with children. I can only imagine the firestorm they would cause if they were to use their precious vacation time, spend all that money for an adult only trip, secure flights and then fly halfway around the world only to discover they were traveling with children after making sure they booked an adult only departure. Wow! Color me stunned! We are hoping to do this trip for 2018 and adult only.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Glad to hear your trip is a go! So, they changed your adults only departure without telling you??? That's insane! I imagine some of those guests are going to be shocked and seriously pissed off if that is the case. We've done both adult only and family departures so I'd be irritated over the change but not enough to make a huge stink over it. I'd be upset about not being told or given the choice to cancel and re-book due to the change. I have met some folks though, that simply want no part of traveling with children. I can only imagine the firestorm they would cause if they were to use their precious vacation time, spend all that money for an adult only trip, secure flights and then fly halfway around the world only to discover they were traveling with children after making sure they booked an adult only departure. Wow! Color me stunned! We are hoping to do this trip for 2018 and adult only.

Yay! Now you officially don't have to worry if it is a go or not. So, was it or listed as an adult only departure? I guess I was a little confused by your comment. Just wondering if this is something they are doing now to try to get more people signed up for certain dates.

Have a fantastic time ! It truly does look like an amazing trip.

It was listed as adult only when we signed up. It is now not designated as such. I can live with the change although I was looking forward to seeing the difference between an adult only and a regular family trip. I sure hope they get more kids or that one kid is going to be lonely.

And I agree, we should have been notified of the change--just as a courtesy.

And we have the old itinerary that does not include Shanghai Disneyland, so we have to do that on our own post-tour.

 

[sayhello]

It was listed as adult only when we signed up. It is now not designated as such. I can live with the change although I was looking forward to seeing the difference between an adult only and a regular family trip. I sure hope they get more kids or that one kid is going to be lonely.

And I agree, we should have been notified of the change--just as a courtesy.

And we have the old itinerary that does not include Shanghai Disneyland, so we have to do that on our own post-tour.

If nothing else, I would assume that would be grounds for getting a refund on the trip if you wanted one, or switching to another Adults Only trip with no penalties. They changed the trip you signed up for. And didn't notify you. I wouldn't be happy about that whether I minded kids or not.

Sayhell

 

[anonymousegirl]

If nothing else, I would assume that would be grounds for getting a refund on the trip if you wanted one, or switching to another Adults Only trip with no penalties. They changed the trip you signed up for. And didn't notify you. I wouldn't be happy about that whether I minded kids or not.

Sayhello

Well to add insult to injury, I called today and asked about the "old itinerary" versus the "new Itinerary" that includes Shanghai Disneyland. I expected that we would have to do the new park on our own, but the 2017 itineraries offers multiple FastPasses for guests since time in HK Disneyland is so short (a few hours). Nothing for us peons doing 2016.

As for cancelling, we probably won't cancel as we already have a river cruise with friends booked for summer 2017, and already have our air, and the time booked off work for China.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Our ABD box arrived on Friday! We leave on June 22nd. We are very excited for this trip. It has been a long time coming. I just have to stay healthy for the next few weeks (I've been plagued with various sports injuries since January which is very unusual for me ).

 

[Big Boom]

Our ABD box arrived on Friday! We leave on June 22nd. We are very excited for this trip. It has been a long time coming. I just have to stay healthy for the next few weeks (I've been plagued with various sports injuries since January which is very unusual for me ).

Is your Welcome Dinner on Sunday, June 25, 2016 in Beijing?

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Is your Welcome Dinner on Sunday, June 25, 2016 in Beijing?

On the 26th; it sounds like it's at the Rosewood.

Any final recommendations? I have both YMB and HKD. Wondering if I should watch the Last Emperor....

 

[anonymousegirl]

If nothing else, I would assume that would be grounds for getting a refund on the trip if you wanted one, or switching to another Adults Only trip with no penalties. They changed the trip you signed up for. And didn't notify you. I wouldn't be happy about that whether I minded kids or not.

Sayhell

Well, either we have a nice small group with one 12 year old, or we have a nice big group with lots more kids--either way I am getting excited!!!!!

 

[Cousin Orville]

On the 26th; it sounds like it's at the Rosewood.

Any final recommendations? I have both YMB and HKD. Wondering if I should watch the Last Emperor....

LOL. I remember watching The Last Emperor before my trip. It's probably worth a watch. I actually enjoyed the Empire of the Sun quite a bit more. There's a number of scenes that take place on the Bund that you see in Shanghai. You can visit the hotel shown in the first part of the movie.

If you're interested in China's history I recommend this course on mp3 - http://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/fall-and-rise-of-china.html
Just make sure you buy it on sale. It touches on ancient history but primarily focuses on the 19th and 20th century which I liked.

 

[mongol]

Hello everyone, was interesting to read your post.