Favorite trip within United States

[BraveLittleToaster2]

What is your favorite ABD trip within the US? Thinking of planning our first trip and having a hard time deciding. We live in the Northeast if that matters.

 

[85glht]

Just doen two so far... Southern California and Alaska. Would do Southern California again.... Alaska I would do it on our own.... It was ok, just felt like we spent too much time on the bus.
Hope this helps.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Southern California is a must for Disney Fans.

 

[carpenta]

South west splendors. ( Grand Canyon and Red Rocks ) What ever they call this trip today.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Southern California is a must for Disney Fans.

Definitely agree with this. We also found this was a great introduction to group touring.

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

Thanks for all the feedback! Is the California one better with our kids or as an adult trip you think?

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

I think it depends on your kids and how much they are into Disney history and seeing how Disney magic is created. If they just want to go to Disneyland, then that's not the trip to take them on.

 

[Miss SD]

Another vote for Backstage Magic. Don't laugh but I've done the trip four times, and I'm going again with the DIS Unplugged next year. My daughter came with me all four times (she would have been 10, 11, 13 and 15 on those trips), and my husband came along twice. (Just DH and me next year.) If any ABD can be described as "reasonably priced," this is the one. And, for the most part, you wouldn't have access to the activities any other way. D23 had offered behind-the-scenes tours of Disneyland that included Club 33, etc., but I haven't seen those on the event schedule for years. And they sold out in like five minutes, so they were almost impossible to book.

I think it's a great trip for kids who are interested in history and technology, and can sit (and stand) still for more than five minutes. I agree that if your kid just wants to see Disneyland, I'd wait a few years before taking them on this one.

 

[85glht]

Southern California is a must for Disney Fans.

Agreed. To see the original park ,to me, was awesome! Although the tours itinerary has changed a little, we would definitely do it again.

Definitely agree with this. We also found this was a great introduction to group touring.

This is the reason why we did this ABD tour first. It was the least expensive and it gave us a chance to see how ABD is run. We were not disappointed on this trip.

Thanks for all the feedback! Is the California one better with our kids or as an adult trip you think?

Hmmm..... On our tour there were children of all ages. One was about 8 years old. We all could tell he was bored with the behind the scenes, non Disneyland areas. His patients was tested. When we finally got to Disneyland, he was in heaven. His family even broke off from the group near the end so they could enjoy more of the attractions instead of going backstage..... My wife and I gave them our fastpasses so they can enjoy more attractions in the little time that they had left. Totally understandable.
However, there was one girl, in her early teens with our group that was very interested in becoming an imagineer.
She was delighted when we went to all the non Disneyland areas. When we were at Disney's imagineering complex, we were escorted with an imagineer the whole time. This girl stuck like glue to him asking many questions..... It was hard for me to get my questions in, lol. So, it all depends on how your kids are.

 

[Trina Enmon]

Another vote for Backstage Magic. Don't laugh but I've done the trip four times, and I'm going again with the DIS Unplugged next year. My daughter came with me all four times (she would have been 10, 11, 13 and 15 on those trips), and my husband came along twice. (Just DH and me next year.) If any ABD can be described as "reasonably priced," this is the one. And, for the most part, you wouldn't have access to the activities any other way. D23 had offered behind-the-scenes tours of Disneyland that included Club 33, etc., but I haven't seen those on the event schedule for years. And they sold out in like five minutes, so they were almost impossible to book.

I think it's a great trip for kids who are interested in history and technology, and can sit (and stand) still for more than five minutes. I agree that if your kid just wants to see Disneyland, I'd wait a few years before taking them on this one.

Does the Backstage Magic include Club 33 I have seen a lot but not that yet.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Does the Backstage Magic include Club 33 I have seen a lot but not that yet.

Not Club 33. We did the private members club at DCA but not Club 33.

 

[Miss SD]

Does the Backstage Magic include Club 33 I have seen a lot but not that yet.

I don't think they've included Club 33 in the Backstage Magic tour since it was renovated a little while back. I also don't think it was ever listed on the official itinerary. If ABD could make it work, you went. If they couldn't, you ended up at Plaza Inn.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I don't think they've included Club 33 in the Backstage Magic tour since it was renovated a little while back. I also don't think it was ever listed on the official itinerary. If ABD could make it work, you went. If they couldn't, you ended up at Plaza Inn.

Yep, this is pretty much it. It used to be a "surprise" part of the itinerary that was always kind of luck of the draw. But after the changes in the club and the renovations, I haven't heard of any ABD tours getting in. That was the big draw for me when I signed up for BSM, but we hit right at the re-opening and were too late. I signed up for a VIP tour later to try to get in, and we were also shut out. I wish I knew someone who was a member, but I think guest passes are much more restricted than they used to be, too.

 

[sayhello]

I *HIGHLY* recommend the Arizona/Utah/Grand Canyon trip!! It's a fabulous itinerary, and you see some amazing things, and do some really fun activities. It's a wonderful mix of activities. Still high on my list of the 8 ABDs I've done.

Sayhello

 

[85glht]

I *HIGHLY* recommend the Arizona/Utah/Grand Canyon trip!! It's a fabulous itinerary, and you see some amazing things, and do some really fun activities. It's a wonderful mix of activities. Still high on my list of the 8 ABDs I've done.

Sayhello

Good to know! We have been contemplating doing this trip. My only reservation is, can any or all of this trip be done on your own? Or to put it another way... Is there anything that is exclusive to ABD that would make it worth it to book this tour?

 

[acndis]

Good to know! We have been contemplating doing this trip. My only reservation is, can any or all of this trip be done on your own? Or to put it another way... Is there anything that is exclusive to ABD that would make it worth it to book this tour?

There is a lot of travel on this trip. I would have HATED to coordinate all of that. Traveling as a group also makes it more fun. There are lots of activities where being part of the larger group just made it more enjoyable (rafting, jeep tour, Arches Hike, etc.) We loved this trip. We just were looking at our pictures the other day. It's excellent and you see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

 

[85glht]

Was there a lot of bus time? This was one of the downfalls of the Alaska trip we did last year. I do realize that the trip from the airport to the first hotel is far, so don't include that....

 

[Chirple]

Was there a lot of bus time? This was one of the downfalls of the Alaska trip we did last year. I do realize that the trip from the airport to the first hotel is far, so don't include that....

The drive between the Grand Canyon and Moab is about 6 hours. It's broken up by the stop in Monument Valley, but it is a long travel day.

 

[acndis]

The drive between the Grand Canyon and Moab is about 6 hours. It's broken up by the stop in Monument Valley, but it is a long travel day.

The scenery on the drive is also gorgeous and Monument Valley is a real treat. We have fun identifying it in half the movies we see.

 

[85glht]

The scenery on the drive is also gorgeous and Monument Valley is a real treat. We have fun identifying it in half the movies we see.

The drive between the Grand Canyon and Moab is about 6 hours. It's broken up by the stop in Monument Valley, but it is a long travel day.

Ok, thank you both for the response. It was helpful.