Disney Bucket List

[kiapepito]

We are addicted to Disney cruises and Adventures by Disney too. I can't tell you how thrilled we were when the next Maiden Voyage was announced for 2021 and 2023 because we were only panned out tentatively until 2020 LOL We did the Fantasy maiden voyage and it was amazing. We try to do one to two big trips a year and a few smaller ones scattered throughout. We live in Florida and are able to get in lots of weekend visits through DVC. We've been able to visit amazing countries and beautiful places with Disney. So far, we've been to Scotland, London, Paris, Disneyland Paris, New York, San Francisco and Copenhagen with Adventures by Disney. The Caribbean, Alaska, Norway, Iceland and another part of Scotland we have visited with Disney cruise line.

This summer we will be doing the Adventures by Disney's DVC exclusive riverboat cruise that goes to Budapest, Austria, Slovakia, Germany and the post cruise ABD in Prague. We were hoping to do a back to back ABD with Ireland on the front end but the dates didn't work out so we are doing Ireland on our own and copying the ABD itinerary. We've also got a coupe of 3 day cruises on the Dream to get our DCL fix in and then Adventure by Disney's Winter in Wyoming for New Year's.

2017 we are planning to visit Aulani and do either Backstage Magic on the way back with Adventures by Disney unless the dates don't work out. If that is the case then it will be an Italy ABD. We'll know once they release next year's itineraries.

2018 we are planning China with ABD and are hoping to do Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney while we are there.

2019 I am hoping to knock Africa of my bucket list for my 50th birthday with Adventures by Disney.

2020 is the only non Disney related trip we are thinking of doing which would be either Bora Bora or the Maldives, one of DH's bucket list items.

If ABD announces they will do a Japan trip then we will do that in a heartbeat and hit Tokyo Disney at that time. So, yeah, we know exactly how you feel

Is ABD similar to traveling groups like Cosmos where you go on the trip as a group tour and are lead by tour guides? I remember taking Cosmos years back when my dad and I went to Europe. I was not a big fan of them as they had us on such a tight schedule and the group we were a part of wasn't exactly around my age at the time...

Do the make ABD very Disney or is it quite subtle throughout the trip?

 

[calypso726]

My kids want to go to Universal's Nintendoland in Japan when it opens in 2020. I've got a pretty long bucket list. The first on my bucket list is Iceland. I'm waiting to see DCL's prices next year. I have a feeling it's going to end up being a land trip. I need to win the lotto, and then I could it all.

We loved Iceland when we visited last year on the Frozen cruise with DCL. So much so that we've decided to go back over Thanksgiving next year in the winter to see the Northern Lights, go ice caving and glacier hiking. It's a beautiful country. The port stops were a nice taste of Iceland and we are excited to go back and spend more time there.

Is ABD similar to traveling groups like Cosmos where you go on the trip as a group tour and are lead by tour guides? I remember taking Cosmos years back when my dad and I went to Europe. I was not a big fan of them as they had us on such a tight schedule and the group we were a part of wasn't exactly around my age at the time...

Do the make ABD very Disney or is it quite subtle throughout the trip?

Yes, the tour is led by 2 ABD guides which are absolutely amazing. Each trip we have been on has had some on your own time built into the itinerary so you can go off and explore on your own for an afternoon or evening. They are really good about dropping you off somewhere if nearby, for on your own time. In Scotland a few of us wanted to visit Culloden battlefield which wasn't on the itinerary and the tour bus dropped us off there on the way to take everyone else to the hotel. There was also a group that didn't want to go on a hike and found out there were highland games going on so the bust took them to the highland games while everyone else went on the hike. I almost didn't do the hike but it was honestly the best part of my trip! In San Francisco the tour bus dropped a group of us off at Pier 39 after dropping off the rest of the group at the hotel for an on your own afternoon. They also usually have an alternative activity if someone may find what is planned physically taxing.

Here is my ABD trip report for Scotland if you want to get an idea of what it is like
http://www.disboards.com/threads/our-scotland-brave-adventure.3150065

The main Disney aspects of the trips are the quality, safety, service and the price ;-) Other than those the Disney part of it is very subtle. Each day the guests receive a Disney pin for their lanyard representing the theme of the day but that is it. No characters or anything like that. I am 47 and DH is 43 and we have been doing ABD since 2013. On each of our trips there have been people our age, younger and older. The 20 somethings are a little rarer as are the 70 somethings. I'd say most fall between their 30's, 40's and 50's. We have found ABD to be even more addictive than DCL though. I didn;t think I'd be a group tour type of person but it seems like the people who go on ABD trips are very easy to get along with and make friends with so we always have a really great time.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We plan our trips out way in advance also; but as another post says we interrupt our Disney vacations with other outings. Such as in years past Alaska - land only, Costa Rica, and most recently Yosemite and Sacramento. We have had two vacations planned out for this year months in advance. A Celebrity cruise (yes not Disney) from Seward to Vancouver, spending two extra nights in Vancouver. And Finishing out the year with a 3 night WDW/4 night Disney Dream cruise
We LOVE Disney but can't imagine doing only Disney.

 

[Ofinn]

That is wonderful that both of you have traveled with your children since they are young. We have a family friend that told us last summer that the best decision he and his wife made was to take one big family trip together each year as their kids were growing up, because the moment they both left for college everyone's schedules and priorities change. He said that those were the best 18 summers he had with his children.

I know many people do not like to travel with their kids any place other than a theme park. They leave the kids with grandparents if they are going to some exotic place. I on the other hand love seeing the world through my kids eyes. Yeah sometimes they can be a pain, they complain, fight etc, but overall it's been a lot of fun. I figure when the kids are grown we can do it all over again...hopefully.

 

[dyson0715]

I agree with you because I love me traveling around the world and studying and learning about other cultures. That's what I study and teach! However, as we have two little girls at the moment, I feel like we have to take advantage of the Disney moments even if they love it when they are older because the bippity boppity boutique won't be the same feeling when they are in high school!

BBB when they are in high school will definitely not be the same... lol

 

[DnA2010]

Oh it's addicting
Last year the plan was DL in the fall and we ended up on the Fantasy in May and then a week straight DL and all it did was make us want to do more Disney...DD11 is now as in love with it as DH and I..
Our life is going yo change in the fall as we will have a new addition, so we don't have any set travel plans till we see how the finances work out (I'm the primary earner) but are hoping to get either a Cali or possibly WDW trip in at spring break of next year before I go back to work...after that it will whichever (DL or WDW) we didn't get to, and then hopefully the Canadian dollar will recover enough for another DCL cruise

 

[bcwife76]

I know many people do not like to travel with their kids any place other than a theme park. They leave the kids with grandparents if they are going to some exotic place. I on the other hand love seeing the world through my kids eyes. Yeah sometimes they can be a pain, they complain, fight etc, but overall it's been a lot of fun. I figure when the kids are grown we can do it all over again...hopefully.

This, like 100%!! While my 5 year old would be quite happy to do Disneyland every flippin' year, my 7 year old keeps asking "when are we going back to Mexico? And what about Alaska mom?"

 

[MunFam]

I'll move to Spain with you! That's wonderful! Spain has been on my bucket list for decades! What part of Spain will you be moving to? What a wonderful trip you have planned, enjoy!

Naval Base Rota

 

[kiapepito]

I know many people do not like to travel with their kids any place other than a theme park. They leave the kids with grandparents if they are going to some exotic place. I on the other hand love seeing the world through my kids eyes. Yeah sometimes they can be a pain, they complain, fight etc, but overall it's been a lot of fun. I figure when the kids are grown we can do it all over again...hopefully.

I feel the same way. My husband and I took our girl's to Europe two years ago. The youngest was 1 /2 years old and the eldest was 3. Navigating the streets of France with a double stroller was quite the adventure and we received many looks for it... but we had such a wonderful enriching experience.

 

[courtneydisney]

I was able to complete my current Disney bucket list on our honeymoon last year, by taking a cruise that stopped at both Hong Kong and Tokyo, so I have now been to every Disney park in the world! My expanded list now includes Aulani, and the other two ships, and Shanghai Disney when it opens. We're working on expanding our family, so that list might stay expanded for a very long time...

 

[kiapepito]

I think we have decided to go to Europe next summer and make one of our stops to Disney Paris as well as to Peppa Pig World in the UK. We shall see!