Germany trip cancelled

[Woodview]

You can do the German trip or variations of it by yourself . You can stay for as many nights at hotels as you like

you are not hurried to be at this meeting place at a specific time ..... you can relax and depart when you wish .

You do get the tour guides that are just as good . You can take day tour coach tours.

Trains are not sightseeing friendly ....... Hire your own car & go at your pace .... it is easy. They even drive on the same side of road

as you do.

Go and visit places that are " Off the beaten track " ...... that is the way to do it.

Give it a go .......... if a 65 + like me can do it so can you .

 

[kristilew]

Rapunzelllover, I'm so sorry! It's so frustrating to have a plan in place - and especially one that saves money! - and then to have everything up in the air again.

Woodview, I know you always push the "go on your own" thing. I think that must be in part because Europe is your area. Just like I would never pay to do an ABD in the US. It's too easy to do things on my own here. And I do travel to Europe quite a bit on my own as well. But for many of us, "do it on your own" is an entirely different vacation than "book an Adventure by Disney."

When I am on vacation, I do not want to drive, on any side of the road. Nor do I want my husband to drive while I try to figure out if we are taking the right exit. I do not want to be the one in my family who has to figure out where to eat before everyone gets hangry, and then always worry that the place down the street would have been better. I do not want to have comb through trip adviser reviews trying to figure out if a tour coach tour is legit and worth the money, wondering if the bad reviews are flukes or if I'm going to be stranded somewhere with my kid. I do not want to choose between a big tourist attraction that I will be sorry to miss and and off-the-beaten track sight that will eat up a day or half day, and that I won't know ahead of time if it is worth it. I don't want to worry about my luggage or snacks or admission tickets or translators. I don't want to back track, waste my steps, or lose time.

When we want to take it easy and we don't care how much we see or do, for instance if we've been to a foreign city before, or know we'll be back again, I'm often fine with doing things on our own. When we are retired (65+) and not trying to show our child the world, or fit as much as possible into limited time off, I imagine we'll feel this way more often. But for now, I feel Rapunzelllover's pain. Replanning, rescheduling, and using up precious free time to organize a trip when you thought you'd already gotten one organized and ready to go, is not a good experience. No amount of urging to "do it on your own" can change that.

 

[Cousin Orville]

I think it's also why the most recent trip releases were domestic.

That would make sense.

Still, ABD, you've got to figure out a way to push these trips through with minimal guests. Competitors apparently do it. It would give potential guests more faith that trips won't be cancelled which would increase in bookings. The higher downpayment requirment will also perpetuate this issue. It will cause many people to book last minute.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Still, ABD, you've got to figure out a way to push these trips through with minimal guests. Competitors apparently do it. It would give potential guests more faith that trips won't be cancelled which would increase in bookings. The higher downpayment requirment will also perpetuate this issue. It will cause many people to book last minute.

Abercrombie and Kent is guaranteed once you put a down payment on a trip (they will go with just one family).

I really hope your plans work out. The cancellation is made much worse by the fact that you had planned B2B trips. Let us know what you decide and good luck with everything.

 

[Cousin Orville]

You can do the German trip or variations of it by yourself . You can stay for as many nights at hotels as you like

you are not hurried to be at this meeting place at a specific time ..... you can relax and depart when you wish .

You do get the tour guides that are just as good . You can take day tour coach tours.

Trains are not sightseeing friendly ....... Hire your own car & go at your pace .... it is easy. They even drive on the same side of road

as you do.

Go and visit places that are " Off the beaten track " ...... that is the way to do it.

Give it a go .......... if a 65 + like me can do it so can you .

I 100% agree with you that traveling around Europe on your own is very doable, and I think it's important to preach that. However, renting a car and navigating around does not sound enjoyable to me personally. I avoid that in Europe as much as I do on trips in the US. (Just got back from a trip to Cali where I Uber'd all over Orange County.) I have in the past hired private drivers to take my family from city to city in Europe. It's a much easier way to travel with kids, but certainly it's expensive. Traveling in Europe on your own (especially with kids) also requires a lot of planning and prep work from what to see, to where to stay, to what to eat. I'm fortunate enough to take a few trips a year. I just don't have time to plan all of them to that degree. My wife would absolutely kill me. (I already spend too much time planning.) The OP had 2 big trips B2B. That's a lot to coordinate. It's definitely doable, but requires time and that's what you're paying ABD to do. It's not that you can't do it, or are afraid to do it, it's a luxury not to have to.

 

[Theta]

So what happens if you purchase your air and then the adventure is cancelled by Disney?

 

[TXTransplant]

That would make sense.

Still, ABD, you've got to figure out a way to push these trips through with minimal guests. Competitors apparently do it. It would give potential guests more faith that trips won't be cancelled which would increase in bookings. The higher downpayment requirment will also perpetuate this issue. It will cause many people to book last minute.

This! I can't believe a year later, we are still talking about this! ABD is just not listening. The fact that other tour groups can make it happen (and offer other perks like guaranteed air fare and price adjustments that are tied to the value of the Euro) makes ABD's lack of response that much more maddening.

It seems clear to me that ABD is being directed by the same mentality that's been driving the most recent changes to the parks...and that mentality is not in favor of loyal, repeat customers. They are catering to the families that are willing to give carte blanche and pay whatever it takes to give their family that "once in a lifetime" experience. If they never come back, fine, because there are more people in line behind them willing to do the same. They are placing no value on those of us who are/were repeat customers, because we *gasp* dare to question when we feel like we aren't getting top value for our dollar.

Our ABD last year was entirely comprised of first-time guests. Many of them had never even heard of ABD prior to booking the trip. And as I posted earlier, at least half of them booked well after the 90 day payment date...meaning they paid top-dollar for that trip. Call me a pessimist, but I just don't think Disney cares if those guests return because they've already paid such a premium for the first trip. From a financial standpoint, I guess it is better to continue to recruit the first time guests who don't know any better and who don't have expectations that need to be met. I feel the exact same way about the parks, and it's unlikely we will be returning to WDW for a vacation. There are just too many other interesting places to visit.

 

[TXTransplant]

I 100% agree with you that traveling around Europe on your own is very doable, and I think it's important to preach that. However, renting a car and navigating around does not sound enjoyable to me personally. I avoid that in Europe as much as I do on trips in the US. (Just got back from a trip to Cali where I Uber'd all over Orange County.) I have in the past hired private drivers to take my family from city to city in Europe. It's a much easier way to travel with kids, but certainly it's expensive. Traveling in Europe on your own (especially with kids) also requires a lot of planning and prep work from what to see, to where to stay, to what to eat. I'm fortunate enough to take a few trips a year. I just don't have time to plan all of them to that degree. My wife would absolutely kill me. (I already spend too much time planning.) The OP had 2 big trips B2B. That's a lot to coordinate. It's definitely doable, but requires time and that's what you're paying ABD to do. It's not that you can't do it, or are afraid to do it, it's a luxury not to have to.

No kidding...I've already spent WAY TOO MUCH time planning 2.5 pre-days in Rome! 2.5 days!!! Just thinking about trying to plan a multi-city, 7-8 day trip exhausts me!

 

[Calfan]

Bummer about the cancellation, especially with your B2B plans and having gotten a great deal on air!

My husband and I are signed up for the NatGeo Hiking the Emerald Isle trip this September. The NatGeo adventure trips have a stated minimum of 8 (and a max. of 16), and NatGeo lets you know when your trip is a go, so you can go ahead and buy air, etc. I got the official word a couple of days ago that our hiking trip is a go, and with only 7 signed up so far! Makes me love NatGeo that much more.

 

[TXTransplant]

So what happens if you purchase your air and then the adventure is cancelled by Disney?

If you purchase your air through ABD, you will get a full refund of your airfare. In fact, your airline tickets show up as a Disney Resort charge. If you don't book air through ABD, from what I understand from other posters, your results may vary significantly.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Abercrombie and Kent is guaranteed once you put a down payment on a trip (they will go with just one family).

I guess I didn't type it, but I was thinking about A&K when I mentioned that. There's really at this point no excuse to be cancelling trips due to low attendence. No need to reinvent the wheel or this case the luxury group tour business model. ABD, take what A&K does and duplicate it with you're own Disney spin. Done.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

The higher down payment requirement will also perpetuate this issue. It will cause many people to book last minute.

Actually when you really start looking you'll find that ABD's down payments are still low in comparison to other operators. All of the Active Adventures trips with Nat Geo have a down payment of $750 per person. If you upgrade to the Expeditions it's $1000 per person.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Actually when you really start looking you'll find that ABD's down payments are still low in comparison to other operators. All of the Active Adventures trips with Nat Geo have a down payment of $750 per person. If you upgrade to the Expeditions it's $1000 per person.

Haha! There goes that theory

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Haha! There goes that theory

Yep. We just put down $750 per person for the 2 of us to book the Nat Geo S.E. Asia Adventure for next year. What I like is that they post this on your trip page regarding flights.

"Check with us before purchasing airfare to confirm your departure is guaranteed to go."

 

[Rapunzellover]

Well, I'm happy. ABD says no matter when I rebook Germany, I won't have to pay extra! Yay!!

 

[Rapunzellover]

Re: do it yourself, I positively hate driving. Will not do it on vacation. Trains are cool, but not if I have to tote luggage. It's a pampered vacay or no vacay for me.

 

[tgeorge]

Re: do it yourself, I positively hate driving. Will not do it on vacation. Trains are cool, but not if I have to tote luggage. It's a pampered vacay or no vacay for me.

I'm with you on this one! . I'm glad to hear that they are going to honor pricing for whenever you choose to go. That's great news.

 

[2003Eeyore]

My 12 yr daughter and I are booked on the June 3 Germany trip. I have had our airline tickets since August and made my final payment yesterday. I have also been worrying myself sick that ABD will cancel. There are 15 people signed up so far. They told me yesterday that supposedly they will not cancel after the 60 day mark for low interest but I know I have read on hear otherwise.

As of now if they cancel the plan is to try and do something on our own but again that worries me to death. This just sucks! I have decided i will be going with a different company for all future travel.

 

[TXTransplant]

My 12 yr daughter and I are booked on the June 3 Germany trip. I have had our airline tickets since August and made my final payment yesterday. I have also been worrying myself sick that ABD will cancel. There are 15 people signed up so far. They told me yesterday that supposedly they will not cancel after the 60 day mark for low interest but I know I have read on hear otherwise.

As of now if they cancel the plan is to try and do something on our own but again that worries me to death. This just sucks! I have decided i will be going with a different company for all future travel.

I was in your same position last year. Except ABD never told me that they wouldn't cancel after the 60 day mark. They basically told me they could cancel at anytime.

Did you book your airfare through ABD? If you did, at least you will get all your money back. I understand your frustration, though. My son and I have a very limited window when we can travel, and if our trip last year had been cancelled, we probably wouldn't have been able to vacation at all.

But the GOOD news is, our trip wasn't cancelled! There is probably a good chance that a few families will join your tour between now and your departure date. I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Our trip with 24 was amazing...I bet a trip with only 15 would be even more wonderful! Try to relax about things that are out of your control...I bet you and your daughter are going to have a fantastic time!

 

[Rapunzellover]

Booking early inevitably means stress...not only can tours get cancelled, but stuff comes up. I had the Nashville ABD planned as well, but the airline changed my ticket booking, so I would not be able to make the flight. Fortunately, that worked out well too, as ABD is holding my deposit from that trip for 2017, and they got my non-refundable airfare refunded IN FULL! I think they are starting to see the light about certain issues.