Had to share a chuckle...

[kristilew]

with people who will get it.

A friend of mine whom I'm only in touch with on Facebook just got back from her second ABD. Of course they had a wonderful time on the Viva Italia trip and posted some great pictures.

One of the comments she got was from another friend who said "Great pictures! We are going to Italy in two weeks, but with no tour group or guides. What do you think would be the best for two teenagers? The private after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel looks like it would be a winner!"

If i knew this woman, I might not be able to resist commenting. So it's probably a good thing I don't, as the snark factor might go too high. Why do people who look down their noses at guided tours then want to do all the tour-exclusive stuff?

 

[sayhello]

with people who will get it.

A friend of mine whom I'm only in touch with on Facebook just got back from her second ABD. Of course they had a wonderful time on the Viva Italia trip and posted some great pictures.

One of the comments she got was from another friend who said "Great pictures! We are going to Italy in two weeks, but with no tour group or guides. What do you think would be the best for two teenagers? The private after hours tour of the Sistine Chapel looks like it would be a winner!"

If i knew this woman, I might not be able to resist commenting. So it's probably a good thing I don't, as the snark factor might go too high. Why do people who look down their noses at guided tours then want to do all the tour-exclusive stuff?

Because we know something they don't?

Sayhello

 

[k5jm]

Only the "Mouse" gets to come out at night in the Sistine Chapel.

 

[TXTransplant]

There is at least one other tour company that offers evening/night tours of the Sistine Chapel.

 

[Skatetigger]

Did your friend comment back and say well only if you book a tour do you get access

 

[Rapunzellover]

Viator Has after hours tours of vatican and sistine chapel. Walks of Italy and livitaly do too. It's possible to go without ABD.

 

[TXTransplant]

Viator Has after hours tours of vatican and sistine chapel. Walks of Italy and livitaly do too. It's possible to go without ABD.

The Walks of Italy tour was the one I was thinking of. I actually think Rome is pretty easy to do "on your own", by booking with tour companies like these. All of the major Rome monuments are so much more accessible than they were 16 years ago when I first visited. Also, these attractions are SO popular that ABD (and the other tour companies) don't always get good access. Our guide at the Vatican was telling us that the Vatican isn't doing a particularly good job at managing the tour groups - meaning they are letting too many people in at once, which means lots of crowds and long lines, even for the "special access" tour companies. Even with ABD, we had to wait in line to get into the Accademia and the Uffizi (granted, our local guides probably got us in with less waiting, but we still had to wait). There are so many companies offering "early entry", "skip the lines", and "after hours access" that it's more like visiting Magic Kingdom during EMHs rather than any sort of private tour.

IMO, where ABD really shines is in the destinations that are harder to reach - for example, the Amalfi Coast. The time and effort and cost that goes into coordinating bus rides, ferry rides, funicular rides, private boat rides, etc., is not insignificant. In comparison, a city like Rome (or even Florence) is very easy to navigate on foot. Our experiences with Walks of Italy were fantastic, and from a cost standpoint, I can see why these 1/2 day tours are so popular. Our Sunday-Monday visit to Rome, including the Airbnb apartment and the four WoI "excursions" was right around $1000. Our experience at the Sistine Chapel was excellent (the Basilica, not so much), and for what it cost, I feel like we got a great value. We weren't the only ones in the Chapel, but I wouldn't have described it as crowded. Personally, I get more bang for my buck with the excursions that are more "logistically challenging" - like Positano, Amalfi, Capri, and the trips to the Tuscan countryside and farms. I think that is where ABD really shines.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

There are a great many companies that offer private after hour tours of the Sistine Chapel. My family did it with a tour company 5 years ago. We had our pick of many different tour companies and picked the cheapest one. It was fabulous. There were about 15 others in the group and no others in the room except security.

 

[pjacobi]

Even with ABD, we even had to wait in line to get into the Accademia and the Uffizi

Not me! I called ahead, bypassed the line stretching around the corner. I didn't wait at the Eiffel Tower - I just showed my QR code on my iPad with pre-purchased ticket. Sorry, no tour groups are admitted to Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.

Of course, it took a lot of advance planning! I had to learn to use an Italian public phone, navigate a website in French and send overseas mail addressed to the Tower of London.

I enjoy this process, while other prefer to leave it to a tour operator. Sometime I can do better than ABD, sometimes ABD can get better access than an individual. Sometimes Disney "magic" is just a lot of hard work. Pay your money and take your choice!


-Paul

 

[TXTransplant]

Not me! I called ahead, bypassed the line stretching around the corner. I didn't wait at the Eiffel Tower - I just showed my QR code on my iPad with pre-purchased ticket. Sorry, no tour groups are admitted to Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.

Of course, it took a lot of advance planning! I had to learn to use an Italian public phone, navigate a website in French and send overseas mail addressed to the Tower of London.

I enjoy this process, while other prefer to leave it to a tour operator. Sometime I can do better than ABD, sometimes ABD can get better access than an individual. Sometimes Disney "magic" is just a lot of hard work. Pay your money and take your choice!


-Paul

You sort of reiterated my point...depending on where/what you are trying to visit, exactly when you are there, and what the specific crowd levels are on that day, you may or may not be able to "skip the lines" or gain early/late access with no crowds regardless of the tour operator you book with. And sometimes there is no correlation between how much you pay and how long you have to wait in line. That's why I personally would not depend on ABD to get me those types of perks when trying to visit the most popular attractions in the world. Where I value ABD is in the areas that I highlighted above (travel logistics, luggage handling, off-the-beaten path experiences, etc.).

 

[sayhello]

Not me! I called ahead, bypassed the line stretching around the corner. I didn't wait at the Eiffel Tower - I just showed my QR code on my iPad with pre-purchased ticket. Sorry, no tour groups are admitted to Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower of London.

Of course, it took a lot of advance planning! I had to learn to use an Italian public phone, navigate a website in French and send overseas mail addressed to the Tower of London.

I enjoy this process, while other prefer to leave it to a tour operator. Sometime I can do better than ABD, sometimes ABD can get better access than an individual. Sometimes Disney "magic" is just a lot of hard work. Pay your money and take your choice!


-Paul

I was at the Tower of London when a private tour group joined the rest of us standing and waiting for the ceremony to begin. So there *ARE* tour groups admitted. I'm not sure who they were with, but they weren't a part of the normal group, as they came down from one of the rooms up on the wall.

Sayhello

 

[TXTransplant]

I will say, I don't understand why some people look down their noses at organized tours (whether they be multi-day, all-inclusives like ABD or single- or half-day tour operators like Walks of Italy). To spend all that money to visit the most historical (not to mention crowded!) places on the planet and not do some sort of guided tour is very short-sighted. And I say that as someone who did exactly that in college. The first time I visited Rome, we just walked around and looked at stuff. Granted, it was pretty cool stuff, but with no guide to share the historical context or to even point out what different things were (like the various buildings in the Forum), we missed out on a lot. I am fortunate that I have the time and resources to go back and "do it right". For many people, these are once-in-a-lifetime trips, and it is definitely worth it to engage the assistance of an expert. And after talking with our local guides on the ABD, I have no doubt that tour guides (especially in Italy) are true experts! Our guide for the Colosseum tour had a master's degree in art history, and our guide at the Vatican had a PhD in archaeology. The ABD local guides were telling us about all of the tests they have to pass in order to become certified guides. I am definitely in awe of their knowledge, and having a guide just adds so much to the experience!

 

[sayhello]

I will say, I don't understand why some people look down their noses at organized tours (whether they be multi-day, all-inclusives like ABD or single- or half-day tour operators like Walks of Italy). To spend all that money to visit the most historical (not to mention crowded!) places on the planet and not do some sort of guided tour is very short-sighted. And I say that as someone who did exactly that in college. The first time I visited Rome, we just walked around and looked at stuff. Granted, it was pretty cool stuff, but with no guide to the historical context or to even point out what different things were (like the various buildings in the Forum), we missed out on a lot. I am fortunate that I have the time and resources to go back and "do it right". For many people, these are once-in-a-lifetime trips, and it is definitely worth it to engage the assistance of an expert. And after talking with our local guides on the ABD, I have no doubt that tour guides (especially in Italy) are true experts! Our guide for the Colosseum tour had a master's degree in art history, and our guide at the Vatican had a PhD in archaeology. The ABD local guides were telling us about all of the tests they have to pass in order to become certified guides. I am definitely in awe of their knowledge, and having a guide just adds so much to the experience!

I agree with you. Even for more local things. This weekend, I went with a friend to the Ohio State Reformatory, which has been turned into a museum (where Shawshank Redemption was filmed). For $5 you could rent a little audio tour that explained what it was you were actually looking at. So many people didn't bother, and just wandered around. There was a group, and one of them said "I don't understand how this is a prison." Well, the thing is, we were in the Administrative wing where the wardens lived and had their offices. You had to walk a ways and go into a different building to get to the actual cellblocks, but they had no idea because they were just walking around looking at things.

I think people who look down their noses at organized tours have never been on an organized tour. They think you go on a bus and drive through everywhere and occasionally get off the bus to get herded through a site like cattle. Which I suppose is what some of the really bad tour companies are like. But if you actually do your homework and read up on what's available, they *SO* enrich your experience. I like wandering around as much as the next person, but I much prefer a good Guide!

I think people also get this "I want to have the freedom to just do whatever I want whenever I want" mentality, which is well and good, but I really think you can miss out if you do everything that way. I think the "compromise" is worth it.

Sayhello

 

[pjacobi]

"We do not accept bookings by groups, schools or third parties, tour operators etc. Any bookings will be cancelled."

http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/#gs._DAoFKk


-Paul

 

[sayhello]

"We do not accept bookings by groups, schools or third parties, tour operators etc. Any bookings will be cancelled."

http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/whats-on/ceremony-of-the-keys/#gs._DAoFKk


-Paul

Through the website. I imagine they'd have to contact the Tower directly.

Sayhello

 

[kristilew]

Didn't mean to start a whole thing here. I just thought it was funny that she was disparaging the guide thing in one moment, then admiring what the tour got them into the next.

Personally, ABD has convinced me to seek out guides everywhere, whether on a tour or not. It's just a better experience. Plus, a guide will always have great suggestions for what to do next, and where to eat. True value to me! I've also decided it's always worth figuring out how to get early entry. We did a fun weekend in Chicago a few months ago, and it was totally worth buying a museum membership we will never use again to gain early entry and have the Van Gogh special exhibit to ourselves.

 

[tgeorge]

Didn't mean to start a whole thing here. I just thought it was funny that she was disparaging the guide thing in one moment, then admiring what the tour got them into the next.

Personally, ABD has convinced me to seek out guides everywhere, whether on a tour or not. It's just a better experience. Plus, a guide will always have great suggestions for what to do next, and where to eat. True value to me! I've also decided it's always worth figuring out how to get early entry. We did a fun weekend in Chicago a few months ago, and it was totally worth buying a museum membership we will never use again to gain early entry and have the Van Gogh special exhibit to ourselves.

I agree! I love having the wisdom of the guides to help navigate and to inform you of things you may not necessarily get otherwise. It may not be for everyone, and that okay, but it seems to me that a lot of people who don't like 'group' travel haven't tried it and they've made assumptions as to how it is. But, there are people who have tried it and don't like it. That's okay too. I think the most important thing is to travel however you feel most comfortable and explore the places you want to explore.

 

[SingingMom]

We have postponed our Italy ABD until next year, due to DD looking for a full time job with Disney... We decided to take a 7 night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Fantasy on Saturday.... While deciding which excursions to pick, when we want to go to Palo, do we want spa treatments, my DD said - "THIS is why I love ABD. They TELL ME what I'm doing!" After three ABD's, we've been spoiled!

 

[TXTransplant]

We have postponed our Italy ABD until next year, due to DD looking for a full time job with Disney... We decided to take a 7 night Eastern Caribbean Cruise on the Disney Fantasy on Saturday.... While deciding which excursions to pick, when we want to go to Palo, do we want spa treatments, my DD said - "THIS is why I love ABD. They TELL ME what I'm doing!" After three ABD's, we've been spoiled!

I made this exact statement on our trip last week, except it was regarding food! I'd much rather have ABD tell me where to eat than have to scope out a place on my own. Paying for bad food is one of my pet peeves, so if I have to pick, I always agonize over where to eat when we are on vacation!

I actually think this has been a really great thread for highlighting the value of tour guides, particularly the LOCAL tour guides, like those that ABD and WoI hire. I kind of wondered about who they are/their training/how ABD finds them when we did the Germany ABD last year. But, hearing from the Italian guides just how strict the qualifications are for becoming a tour guide there really opened my eyes. These aren't people who do this as a hobby. They are very highly educated, trained, and tested professionals who epitomize the meaning of the word "expert". Given the cost to travel to these locations (whether you go with ABD or not), you really are making a travel investment, and I just can't imagine spending this amount of money (on anything, not just travel) without engaging the services of experts!

 

[calypso726]

Didn't mean to start a whole thing here. I just thought it was funny that she was disparaging the guide thing in one moment, then admiring what the tour got them into the next.

Personally, ABD has convinced me to seek out guides everywhere, whether on a tour or not. It's just a better experience. Plus, a guide will always have great suggestions for what to do next, and where to eat. True value to me!

Absolutely! The quality of the guide is so important too and ABD excels at that. I am sitting in the airport lounge right now waiting for our flight to Ireland. I am simultaneously excited and nervous. I know with AbD my guides will be amazing no matter what. The ABD Ireland dates didn't work for us so I took it upon misled to make an itinerary of what I wanted to do and contacted no less than 10 tour companies in Ireland to see who can deliver what I wanted to do. DH and I are simply not going to drive on the left so we need a driver/guide. Part of my selection process was making the tour company understand that I am spoiled by ABD. I didn't just want a driver, I wanted a guide with knowledge and the ability to tell stories and keep me entertained and informed. I actually told them my guide/driver is more important than where I'm going or what I'm doing. I'm sure we will enjoy Ireland but I'm trying not to keep my expectations too high.