Is ABD really that GOOD?

[campbyers]

Just returned from the Germany trip last night, but really needed to find out what others thought too about their Germany trip/and or their ABD experience. We had a good time - my daughter loved it- but the rest of us were not so enthusiastic.

Actually our first trip was K&L and our 2nd was South Africa and the 3rd was Germany. Our 2nd trip SA, was fabuous!!! absolutely amazing - i really do think the guides are instrumental to the experience and if your family clicks with them, it is even better. But, the group compostion is important too.

To us, the K&L as well as the Germany adventures were very similar - as someone mentioned it was a "touring" adventure. However, Disney does try to make it a "doing" adventure with the biking and archery and such. In retrospect, the type of trip may be the difference for us - European tour vs. more exotic, like South Africa.

We were debating amongst our family, what was the difference? and can't really put our finger on it. We had considered Egypt next year with Disney, but will certainly check out other tours.

 

[Pakey]

I was just reading in my newest Travel & Leisure magazine last night the article regarding "10 Best" in various categories. One of these categories was Tour Operators. AbD did not make the top 10; Tauck was number 8 or 9 on the list.

I had nothing to do last night so I looked up each of these tour operators online. Actually, I only looked up 8 because I'd already researched A&K (ranked 6th) and Lindblad (I'm taking a Lindblad in 3 months, which was ranked 5th).

We did an AbD in 08 and will be doing another next year (have to use up DVC points, lol). While I enjoyed our AbD, I was not "blown away". I do think that for the price, they offer a nice tour.

 

[sayhello]

I was just reading in my newest Travel & Leisure magazine last night the article regarding "10 Best" in various categories. One of these categories was Tour Operators. AbD did not make the top 10; Tauck was number 8 or 9 on the list.

I had nothing to do last night so I looked up each of these tour operators online. Actually, I only looked up 8 because I'd already researched A&K (ranked 6th) and Lindblad (I'm taking a Lindblad in 3 months, which was ranked 5th).

We did an AbD in 08 and will be doing another next year (have to use up DVC points, lol). While I enjoyed our AbD, I was not "blown away". I do think that for the price, they offer a nice tour.

So what *were* the other 8 companies?

Sayhello

 

[Pakey]

So what *were* the other 8 companies?

Sayhello

1. Micato (they only do African tours and they have been number 1 for 6 years straight.

Austin-Lehman, Butterfield & Robinson, VCT Bicycle & Walking Tours, Lindblad, Abercrombie & Kent, Ker & Downey, International Expeditions, Tauck, and Classic Journeys make up the rest of the top 10.

 

[Bobo912]

I saw the T&L article too and started looking up the companies I hadn't already heard of. A couple of them catered to older travelers. I already receive brochures and e-mail newsletters from several of the companies, but there were a few I'm not familiar with at all. I ordered brochures from Wilderness Travel and Ker & Downey, two companies in the top 20 that I hadn't heard of. I received them both already and they have a lot of lovely photos and both companies offer a lot of destinations. I do wonder why ABD never makes the T&L list and the one thing I could think of was that it is a reader's poll and maybe ABD just isn't big enough and hasn't had enough guests to allow them to come out on top. Compared to a lot of these companies, they don't offer many intineraries and they haven't been around for very long.

 

[ennuiphobe]

Did your K&L have any of these type surprises or extras?

Marcemch,
We got the backpacks of course and a tote bag containing wipes and one kid's binoculars. Twice the guides handed out pictures they had taken. We got pins every day except the last day. For some reason we didn't receive the Belle 'Au Revoir' departure pin. At intermission of the Lion King, we received copies of the program, but it would have been nice to have received them before the play because some people purchase them going in (and speaking of the play, most of the group were seated in the middle of the orchestra section, the best seats in the house as promised in the itinerary. Some of us however were seated upstairs in the balcony).

Compare with K&L tours in previous years, we didn't receive meal vouchers, tickets to the London Eye, umbrellas, cast recording of the play, or evening cookies. Didn't encounter anything unexpected like ghosts or Brothers Grimm either.

My impression is that Disney is getting back on the amenities and extras that used to surprise and delight the guests. And of course that's what differentiated the ABD tours from the other upper tier companies offering family tours.

I'm also wondering if the guides are overworked. If I recall correctly, our guides last year had a day or two break between tours, but this year at least one of our guides was doing back-to-back tours.

 

[kristilew]

My impression is that Disney is getting back on the amenities and extras that used to surprise and delight the guests. And of course that's what differentiated the ABD tours from the other upper tier companies offering family tours.

I'm also wondering if the guides are overworked. If I recall correctly, our guides last year had a day or two break between tours, but this year at least one of our guides was doing back-to-back tours.

Thank you for sharing these impressions. That's exactly how we felt after our 2009 trip, but I hadn't heard any feedback on this year's trips. I was wondering if 09 was just an off year, and hoping that things were back on the upswing for this year.

It seems odd, but a little tiny thing like havnig pictures waiting in our room vs. handing out envelopes with pictures in them at dinner makes a huge difference in how magical it felt to get the pictures. Putting them in the rooms doesn't cost Disney any more money, but if the guides are overworked and exhausted, I guess it's just a little too much for them to do. And it seems strange to have the success of a vacation that costs upwards of 20k hinge on little things like that, but for us, it kind of does. When we spend that kind of money, we want to feel special.

 

[marcemch]

Thank you for sharing these impressions. That's exactly how we felt after our 2009 trip, but I hadn't heard any feedback on this year's trips. I was wondering if 09 was just an off year, and hoping that things were back on the upswing for this year.

It seems odd, but a little tiny thing like havnig pictures waiting in our room vs. handing out envelopes with pictures in them at dinner makes a huge difference in how magical it felt to get the pictures. Putting them in the rooms doesn't cost Disney any more money, but if the guides are overworked and exhausted, I guess it's just a little too much for them to do. And it seems strange to have the success of a vacation that costs upwards of 20k hinge on little things like that, but for us, it kind of does. When we spend that kind of money, we want to feel special.

SO TRUE - I couldn't agree more! Little things mean a lot - we want to feel special and who doesn't want a little magic in their lives? I wonder if they just leave it up the guides as to how they distribute the photos, and some guides are just more creative? Or don't have the energy as you say.

All of this makes ABD more on equal footing with other high quality travel vendors in my mind, and makes me question spending the premium price that ABD is now charging. I HOPE THEY READ THIS THREAD!

 

[Diskidatheart]

Our guides handed us pictures in envelopes on the bus going from city to city. I would have trusted Marco and Heidi with our lives, but I'm wondering if their is a liability issue.

What if something gets stolen from a room? The guides probably don't want to put themselves in that situation. Maybe Disney doesn't want to put their guides in that situation.

 

[Bobo912]

We didn't go with ABD this year but for both trips in the 2008 and 2009 we had photos left in our room. But maybe they aren't doing that anymore.

 

[Pakey]

On our 2008 AbD, our pictures were handed to us; not left in the room. The only surprise we had in our room was the very bad cookies left on the first night.

 

[Momof3greatkids]

Our pictures in Costa Rica where left in our rooms. Our pictures on Q4W where handed out, for what that is worth. Loved our guides in both places.

 

[Icemann]

In 2009 when we went out on the tours and they checked us in to are rooms when we got back are pictures were on the bed waiting for us.We opt'ed out on one of the trips and did are own thing,when we got back the guides asked if they could look at the pictures I took and could they have a couple for the photo disk.They bought us a magnet for are fridge. they were the best,This year some of the trinkets were missing from are Alaska trip it seems like they are cutting corners and we booked early to make sure we got the date we wanted.Thanks to this board and all the other reviews about different companys I think Disney will have to earn my business because now I know their are companies out their that are just as good as Disney or maybe better I will have to take a trip with whoever and see for my self.When you pay that high dollar you expect a little magic and it was missing on the Alaska trip.Will I use Disney again yea but on a limited base.They have at least one trip that I will take with them.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I've mentioned this before but it might be worth repeating...we felt a bit of a drag on our third ABD trip (the first blew us away--Italy, all of the surprises new to us etc) and the second (China) was great--just being there, all magic. The third, K&L, was actually a great trip but nonetheless we felt less "magic" that time around--due mostly to the fact, I believe, that we already knew what to expect.

 

[Momof3greatkids]

I think it is very true we may be looking for something different than ABD, since we have had that experience. It was an excellent one, but we want something new. I am loving Thompson Family Adventures. Kids get pen pals whom they then meet on the trip, special trips for teens, multiple discounts, very very personalized service, guaranteed departures, program to match groups by age of children, and community service opportunites while on vacations. All of those are new and different than ABD, so maybe that is why I am so impressed with them. I love the idea of my son getting to have a pen pal and then a chance to meet the other child. That to me is special. To really have a chance to meet and get to know someone, although briefly, from another part of the world.

 

[Siddhartha]

This is great, I'm going to be looking into ABD for my next trip!

 

[ennuiphobe]

In the interest of fairness, I should mention that the 'Au Revoir' pins we did not receive on our departure day arrived today via UPS. Kudos to ABD for quickly following up on that.

 

[sayhello]

This is great, I'm going to be looking into ABD for my next trip!

Welcome, Siddhartha! A lot of people here are big fans of ABD. We've been agonizing over some things, like the cost of an ABD vs other, similar companies, but I think most of us still agree it's a great company, with great trips! Let us know if you have any questions!

In the interest of fairness, I should mention that the 'Au Revoir' pins we did not receive on our departure day arrived today via UPS. Kudos to ABD for quickly following up on that.

I'm glad they took care of that, ennuiphobe. I'm not surprised, but happy! (I have to assume the pins were not shipped to the Guides by mistake, so they had to send them to you separately).

Sayhello

 

[ennuiphobe]

I'm glad they took care of that, ennuiphobe. I'm not surprised, but happy! (I have to assume the pins were not shipped to the Guides by mistake, so they had to send them to you separately).

Well, the guides never said anything about the missing pins and if I hadn't learned about them after our return and called ABD asking about them I'm not sure we would have received them. Still, I give them credit for sending them out promptly upon my request.

 

[campbyers]

One reason that I think Disney isn't up there in the top 10 is that they really target families. The other tour groups cater to many different groups and actually have different categories such as family, adventure, extreme, etc.

I do think that there is not longer the surprise factor - with pins, etc. And Disney will need to continue to reinvent their tours to differentiate themselves. As far as the postcard pictures, I think it is a timing thing bc I know that the guides have to work on these whenever they are not dealing with us!

We have done 3 ABD and one was better than the others (the second) - but I really think that is partially the guides doing (also, it was a Signature trip). On the other hand, we have done a National Geographic expedition to Costa Rica. While we enjoyed the experience, it was not geared towards kids and there were no surprises like pins, photos, knicknacks. However, we wil be considering NG for Egypt next year because of their long experience there.