Germany: joys and disasters

[nbell70]

First I would like to say that this trip we made with our seven year old son (who is completely wrapped up with knights and castles) and our nine year old daughter (who is a lover of fashion), was a trip of a lifetime and we just had a wonderful time--thanks especially to Steph and Jason --I just can't say enough about them as our guides! The castles were amazing and overwhelming, the characters you meet along the way are outstanding and knowledgable, the food is fantastic and the "surprises" included along the way are enough to bring a tear to your eye. We were able to go on this trip because my husbands mom left us a chunk of money that she deemed for us to use it on a stellar vacation--God bless her for this special gift..it has truly inspired us to work at doing another one. I have seen that some have done back to back trips or multiples and I just can't imagine having that kind of money (because we all know how expensive these trips are!) to spend every year on vacations--but, hey-good for you! As our first trip out overseas, we were naturally scared and nervous but, at the sight of our guide at the airport..all was calm and bright! Now, I tell you that our trip itself was fantastic..but I am also going to tell you some things that were not so great, but due to the excellent training and personal skills of our guides, was made bearable--at least for us!
On this trip, when we arrived at the first hotel, a family was on their own way there with other transportation and did call to say they were going to be late, so we waited a bit with some very fun activities and conversation amongst ourselves. Ultimately we started without them after about half an hour and about 15 more minutes into it, they arrived....a family of a middle aged mom, older husband, an ADHD 11yr old and a set of 4 yr old twins of a boy and a girl. Let me just tell you that this familymade our lives and the guides lives miserable for the first 6 days of our trip until they finally dropped out and hired a private nanny and guide. Unfortunatley, they had already caused us all to be late to every arrival, dumped their kids onto us other parents multiple times, used several of us for our professional services without saying thank you, yelled at our wonderful guides in front of our children several times in anger and rough language and ultimately took out their frustration on our vacation in the process. I have to say that Steph and Jason were INCREDIBLE under such pressure and difficulty! I definately will be telling Disney how they were able, at every turn, to handle the family in a professional and gentle manner, even when they were being yelled at and embarrassed for things they had no control over. The guides are NOT babysitters! Oh my goodness, I am jet lagged but very happy to have had this experience and we met some outstanding and fun people who we would love to vacation with again!

 

[redzinner]

Thank you for being so positive about your guides through what surely sounds like a nightmare family.

Too bad Disney can't 'screen' travelers before the tours.
Such dysfunctional parents have no business foisting their children on others.
Disney ought to make it loud and clear on their brochures the difference between entertainment of jr adventures and babysitting.

Glad you enjoyed the essence of the trip.

 

[SLK1]

I recently booked a trip to Italy for 2009...first trip overseas, first trip with just my teenage son. We are scared to death, and after reading your post, even more scared! Some people wrinkle their noses up at "tours", but I thought it would be the best way to go given my fears, and that it is "Disney". I guess you can hope for the best out of your group and hope that people get when their kids are being brats and ruining other people's time. It's too expensive of a trip for someone to ruin. I'm glad overall you had a good time - that is at least reassuring!

 

[eva]

How awful for those on your tour and those poor guides. We love children and really enjoy watching them at WDW. So we weren't too concerned when we couldn't get the adult only Viva Italia for next month. But now your post has me a bit concerned. I sure hope we do not have a family like that on our trip. It sounds like the adults would have been awful people to have on a tour period. But expecting others to watch your children is just crazy! Boy, those people should be glad they weren't on a tour with DH and me. Being a high school math teacher for a number of years has left me with the urge to correct others bad behavior. I know I would have had to say something to that couple way before day 6. I can't stand bullies. And that is exactly what those people are. I would think that Disney has to have some way to handle a situation like this. The guides should not have to just grin and bare it. A family should not be allowed to ruin the trip of a lifetime for everyone else.

 

[PatriciaH]

I have seen that some have done back to back trips or multiples and I just can't imagine having that kind of money (because we all know how expensive these trips are!) to spend every year on vacations--but, hey-good for you!

We are able to take some nice vactions due to no children (just DH and I), a small condo, 1 car, working extra during the year (programming, Expo-TV, etc.) and discounts like Travel Agent or Cast Member discounts. Travel is a priority for us!

A family should not be allowed to ruin the trip of a lifetime for everyone else.

ITA! Did they drop out on their own or were they asked to leave?!

 

[KLondon]

We've done 2 ABD tours and *never* had an issue with unruly or rude behaviour (kids or adults). On our last tour 2 weeks ago, the kids outnumbered the adults(!), and there were no issues. Everyone had a great time and got along along famously! I've also done 1 non-ABD tour that had a few kids - and no issues. On top of all that, I've met other ABD veterans and have never heard anyone complain about this kind of situation.

I think there's always a possibility for 'disasters' in any situation where people are forced together for periods of time. From my experience, the 'disasters' described in this thread are the exception, not the rule.

Just my 2-cents.

 

[abbyjt]

I'm truly sorry for your experience. We have been on 3 ABD trips. All were wonderful, lots of well behaved kids and nice parents. We also did the Germany trip with Jason and Steph and they are fabulous and I am just glad they were able to save your vacation from a complete waste.
We have some friends that have very unruly children and we always worry about a family like that being on a tour with us. So far we have only had great experiences.
I hope that you will be able to enjoy a future trip as terrific as the ones we have had.

 

[nbell70]

I definately want everyone to know that I and my family had a wonderful time despite the behavior of that one particular family and really, it was all because fo the wonderful guides we had...they will make or break the trip I think and as far as the horrible family, once we figured their deal out, we tried to steer clear from them but in no way will this keep me from taking another trip if we can...they are the exception, not the norm I think. Go forth and be adventurous!!!

 

[mog]

I'm glad to hear that the Germany trip is great!!
Here is a question I've been wondering about - I noticed that with Germany, you fly into Heidelburg and out of Munich. Is that a problem getting airfare not flying into and out of the same airport? I don't know if that is just with the Germany trip or if they are all like that.

 

[krdisneybound]

The problem was not getting airfare out of Frankfurt.

The tour ends in Munich and the airport is actually about a 10 minute ride from the Hotel Kempinski, where we stay the last two nights.

 

[bavaria]

I'm glad to hear that the Germany trip is great!!
Here is a question I've been wondering about - I noticed that with Germany, you fly into Heidelburg and out of Munich. Is that a problem getting airfare not flying into and out of the same airport? I don't know if that is just with the Germany trip or if they are all like that.

I don't know to which airport you are referring, but there is no airport in Heidelberg. Close airports are of course FRA, STR, MHG, or FKB. FRA or STR are really the only ones where you will have a fare from the US, I expect. Also the A8 from STR to Karlsruhe is a nightmare right now and will be through 2010; a 2 hour drive takes me 5 quite often right now. To fly into FRA and out of MUC is usually the same cost on LH with the exception of the higher taxes/fees with MUC.

And MUC is a far better, newer, and easier to navigate airport than FRA. Otherwise you could take the train from MUC back to FRA, or pick up a 59 Euro LH one way fare. I either drive or take the low fare when I need to fly from FRA; I don't recommend the drive as it can be 4-7 hours in traffic and you really need to know how to drive the Autobahn on that stretch.

 

[mog]

I don't know to which airport you are referring, but there is no airport in Heidelberg. Close airports are of course FRA, STR, MHG, or FKB. FRA or STR are really the only ones where you will have a fare from the US, I expect. Also the A8 from STR to Karlsruhe is a nightmare right now and will be through 2010; a 2 hour drive takes me 5 quite often right now. To fly into FRA and out of MUC is usually the same cost on LH with the exception of the higher taxes/fees with MUC.

And MUC is a far better, newer, and easier to navigate airport than FRA. Otherwise you could take the train from MUC back to FRA, or pick up a 59 Euro LH one way fare. I either drive or take the low fare when I need to fly from FRA; I don't recommend the drive as it can be 4-7 hours in traffic and you really need to know how to drive the Autobahn on that stretch.

Sorry - I meant that the tour starts in Heidelburg, I understand that means flying into Frankfurt (probably). I'm glad to hear that it shouldn't be any more expensive to fly in there and out of Munich, though.

 

[krdisneybound]

Sorry - I meant that the tour starts in Heidelburg, I understand that means flying into Frankfurt (probably). I'm glad to hear that it shouldn't be any more expensive to fly in there and out of Munich, though.

yes, it is best to fly into Frankfurt. The ride is about 45 minutes. But they pick you up and you don't have to worry about the roads after arriving. ABD does it all after that.

 

[nbell70]

It was very busy and confusing at the Frankfurt airport, many signs are in German or chinese so it was hard to figure out where baggage was and then you really had to wind your way around but then, we met up with jason our guide who knew us right off and from then on out it wasn't hard at all. When we left from Munich, we actually stayed a couple days extra at a Holiday Inn in the Schwabing district and had to pay 50 euro to get to the airport. I think that knowing head of time to ask for all the tax forms and putting all your shopping/declaration items in one suitcase is really helpful in your process too, although the tax/export officer was a jerk to us. Customs really does suck but, really it wasn't that long of a wait--just don't have a short connection or you definately will miss it!!

 

[bavaria]

Er, I have never noticed signs in FRA in chinese script, but pretty much everything is in English or in pictograph signs. I must remember to look for chinese signage this weekend. Sorry if you had a hard time but FRA is a major connection point to Asia as well as other points in Europe and they do try and make it as easy as possible.

I do however have to take exception to the American tourists shouting the F word over and over in a regional German airport last week, complaining that not everything was in English. Normally I am happy to assist and regularly use 'handy talky' with people who don't speak English/French/German/Italian/Spanish, but I was not about to help these people who were making great idiots of themselves.

Just look up at the signs and read the pictures and you should be fine at FRA. MUC is even easier.

50 Euros from Schwabing is about right, by the way. The other option is to take the LH bus (even if you are not flying from LH) It stops in Schwabing as well as the main train station, but if you are more than two people the 50 Euros is a better option.

 

[bavaria]

to make it easy, here is the signage at FRA

All directions. You will go through passport control for non-EU residents unless you hold an EU passport. For EU residents it takes seconds; I cannot comment on non-residents

Baggage claim and exit

You will then pass under the green 'nothing to declare' unless you have something to declare to customs, and will be in the exit/greeting area

 

[bavaria]

It was very busy and confusing at the Frankfurt airport, many signs are in German or chinese

I am posting this from FRA right now. In fact, after this post I took the time in MUC and FRA last week and this week to check the signage. The signs are all in German and English as I posted above. In fact, there is more English signage in FRA than German, if one counts the advertising, directions to flights to/from the USA, etc. Thirty minutes ago I walked past gates with flights to Asia and still only saw German and English.

If you have a connecting flight, when you get off the jetway look up to the monitor, which should show your connecting gate as well as an arrow indicating if you need to turn left or right. Then look up for the letters to get to the A, B, C gates.

crashbb is still completing the marathon I believe and is not here to translate tone for me; I do hope that this was as crashbb thinks a very serious case of jetlag which made you interpret German for Chinese characters. If not, then I think that it is either a poor attempt at humour or worse - there have been a lot of anti-foreigner threads on this website lately, and I will admit to being somewhat sensitive to them.

Be reminded that you are a guest in our country - we do speak English for the most part, and signage in major areas IS in English. But we also ask that you show a little respect for us and not mock us in English in front of us, or make fun of our culture and language as I had to endure this week. I will admit to being more cranky than usual today after a long summer in tourist destinations in Europe and from being in more pain than usual, but I can assure readers here that they will be able to navigate FRA easily if they read the English signage.

 

[abbyjt]

Hi Bavaria
We did the Germany trip in June. We found Germany to be an incredibly beautiful country. The people were friendly and helpful. Almost everyone we met spoke English. We learned a little German before we went and that was helpful too. Everything was incredibly clean too. And as you said, most signs were in English and German. The airport was very easy to navigate.

 

[bavaria]

I didn't mean to sound cranky; glad that you liked it! But it sounds like you did some homework first; I agree that knowing how to say 'hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and Do you speak English?' definitely help!

I will admit that I like the cleanliness and notice that other countries in Europe are not always quite as clean. We pay to pee for a reason!

 

[redzinner]

Sorry this is off-topic: Bavaria do you know if other towns (cities), other than Munich in Germany celebrate Oktoberfest? We'll be on the Rhine later this month and I know we stop in some cities along the way. I would love to experience the Oktoberfest celebration even if it is on a smaller scale compared to Munich's.