Is anyone else disappointed?

[tickledtink33]

I have traveled with ABD within the past 2 years and did not receive the email about the $100 off for past guests. It sounds like some other people didn't either.

 

[kjd469]

I have traveled with ABD within the past 2 years and did not receive the email about the $100 off for past guests. It sounds like some other people didn't either.

I've also done 2 ABD's and have not received the email either...I know they have my email address, because I got the survey after each trip...so what's up with that??

 

[Bobo912]

I've also done 2 ABD's and have not received the email either...I know they have my email address, because I got the survey after each trip...so what's up with that??

I'm still waiting too. I've taken ABD trips the last two summers. Just got back from #2 a month ago. Filled out the surverys for both trips. No email yet. I checked the spam folder...nothing there either.

 

[Tozzie]

I'm still waiting too. I've taken ABD trips the last two summers. Just got back from #2 a month ago. Filled out the surverys for both trips. No email yet. I checked the spam folder...nothing there either.

I have also not recieved the email with the discount.

 

[carolinadj]

Add me to the list of former ABD travelers who was looking forward to signing up for another trip today.

 

[pipch]

From our recent trip and recent posts you can see that we were surprised by the changes on our quest to the west trip that where we felt Disney were starting to Nickle and Dime.
I also wrote that as an exhoteliers we had discussed with the suppliers how disney had been negotiating with them for lower rates and in the climate had been successful as suppliers felt they had no choice.

So now we have disney who have made cutbacks on the quality we expect, increased their margin as they have contracted lower rates , they have put up the rates to us the consumer and to top it off they removed the discount which incentivises us all to book in advance and remain loyal!!! It just seems like a corporate suicide mission.

To be honest I expected fewer dates (after all the cancellations), I anticipated no new itineraries (as that comes at a cost!) I was even prepared to pay a small increase but what I was not prepared for was the removal of the EBD!

On our recent trip 70% of our group were like ourselves repeat customers - and like myself they have been walking billboards for this company for the last 18 months...I have raved about it to whoever will listen. So who in their right mind in this economic climate would do this to us the "free marketeers" and loyal followers.

Whilst I truly respect the Director of Marketing to write and give us the corporate line and I appreciate you doing your job, the repsonse on this board with so many posts should speak volumes. - Maybe the positive feedback in the past has made you think that we will remain loyal reguardless of the service and price.

I read a post recently where someone defended ABD as fledgling company but come on folks - this is Disney, with all the expertise and power that it wields. How can they be getting it so wrong?
I only read and write on two sites this one and trip advisor so I am not someone who spends hours and days on such websites, however I enjoy this one because in the past it has been very honest, extremely positive and very informative. I find it so sad that the loyal ABD adventurers are now looking elsewhere because someone in a corporate headoffice made this decision. As a hotelier you spend thousands of dollars trying to capture what we call "life timers" or repeat customers....Come on disney you had us in the palm of your hand and have seemed to throw it away....

 

[brewcrew]

Okay, I'm bummed! I'll look into doing Yellowstone on my own! I still like Disney though!

 

[TDC Nala]

Past Guests – You should be receiving an email today from us with details. There is definitely a loyalty offer for you. It is $100 off per person (valid through Nov 30).

I took an ABD trip this year with a friend. She was the primary name on the reservation. I am guessing that although we both are past guests, she will receive that offer and I won't. I wonder if it can be had without actually getting the e-mail.

Also interested in the fact that a number of the ABD tours no longer have adults-only dates.

 

[Bobo912]

I took an ABD trip this year with a friend. She was the primary name on the reservation. I am guessing that although we both are past guests, she will receive that offer and I won't. I wonder if it can be had without actually getting the e-mail.

Also interested in the fact that a number of the ABD tours no longer have adults-only dates.

Don't know for sure about the discount this year, but I got the loyalty discount last year and I didn't get an email. As far as I know, there were no emails last year. ABD has all your travel information from your previous trip, so they know your a returning guest.

 

[TDC Nala]

I do have an interest in possibly booking the adults only Peru trip. If they tell me I can't get the past customer discount for no other reason than I was not the primary name on the reservation and I was not traveling with a family, I will have a very difficult time keeping that interest. Will see what happens when the e-mails get distributed.

 

[sayhello]

I do have an interest in possibly booking the adults only Peru trip. If they tell me I can't get the past customer discount for no other reason than I was not the primary name on the reservation and I was not traveling with a family, I will have a very difficult time keeping that interest. Will see what happens when the e-mails get distributed.

There's a code listed on the email; just give them the code from your friend's email, and see what happens... I would certainly protest & escalate it to a supervisor if they refused to give it to you for such a ridiculous reason as not being the primary name on the reservation.

Sayhello

 

[WeLoveABD]

We got our loyalty discount by asking about it when we made our reservation, so be sure to ask! Since we have been using AAA, I wonder if my AAA agent is getting the email rather than one sent directly to me? TAs on this Disboard, do you know? Thanks!

 

[kristilew]

Don't know for sure about the discount this year, but I got the loyalty discount last year and I didn't get an email. As far as I know, there were no emails last year. ABD has all your travel information from your previous trip, so they know your a returning guest.

Last year, the loyalty discount offer came in the mail several weeks after the trips came out. I found out about it from Disboards, and just asked for it when I booked my trip. I did get the email this year, btw, late yesterday afternoon. But there's no reason why you can't just ask for it. They can verify in their system that you traveled with them in the past.

I'm surprised that ABD doesn't seem to recognize the contingent of travelers who would like to book on Day One. They seem to roll the trips and offers out in fits and starts. Considering most Disney lovers have been conditioned for years to be up at 7 am exactly 90 days out to make ADRs at the parks (and now, Lord, I had to get up at 6 am to do it online this year!), why is it hard to imagine that we'd be ready and willing to book a vacation if only they had their whole act together? Part of the incentive to book is the hype and the feeling that we are getting a reward (in the form of discounts) for being ready to go as soon as the trips are offered. I'm not getting why ABD wouldn't want to capitalize on that.

 

[jenbadeaux]

We will be announcing these new trips throughout the season. There will be some really exciting and completely new concepts… as well as the official launch of our Gateway Collection. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for announcements

Does anyone else find this quote from ABDLilly interesting? Why wouldn't they release the Gateway Collection at the beginning of the season with everything else? I wonder if they are going to lower the price for the Gateway back to 2009 prices and make everyone feel like they are "getting a deal". We are all aware that "Gateway" is billed as more free time to spend as a family(read less activities). So you pay less, but you get less. And with the amount they have increased the price of regular trips, I'm assuming you are going to pay less, but still dearly, to get this decrease in services/activities. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[nunzia]

I have also not recieved the email with the discount.

No email with a discount for me either...

 

[beansf]

We are all aware that "Gateway" is billed as more free time to spend as a family(read less activities). So you pay less, but you get less. And with the amount they have increased the price of regular trips, I'm assuming you are going to pay less, but still dearly, to get this decrease in services/activities. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

All I know is the Australia trip looks like "pay more, get less" I see two activities have been cut since I went in Oct. 2008, plus one dinner downgrade, but it now costs at least $1000 more per person. Glad I went when I did. I couldn't justify it anymore.

 

[wdwworld]

We were all set to book Backstage Magic for Spring Break in March 2010, but guess what, no dates for March at all. Now don't you think that a family tour like Backstage Magic would have dates when the kids are out of school?
This would have been our first ABD but with no EB and no dates that work for us, maybe next year or not. With the ABD it would have made up the cost of the airfare, but now just to much $$$.

 

[BriarRose59]

One of the benefits I found with ABD was that it was more moderately priced than the A&K family trips and other companies. I also found that the people who took these trips (and appreciated a more moderate price) were down to earth, wanted to spend time with their kids, and wanted a "real" experience that the whole family could enjoy, rather than a more elaborate A&K trip revolving around adult events and non-kid friendly hotels. I always bragged that the ABD group understood parents and grandparents who wanted to vacation WITH their kids, and the tours were well priced to match that philosophy.

I have been on an A&K tour that was just for families with children. We went to Alaska and the guests were all parents/grandparents with children. We had a wonderful time. Everyone was very down to earth and friendly. Please check out A&K family tours as well as Tauck Bridges. I have been on a regular Tauck tour of Italy. It was wonderful. This year they have added a nighttime after-hours tour of the Vatican Museum. Wow! We are talking about doing the Italy tour again since that has been added. I am planning on going to Japan in May 2010 with Tauck since ABD didn't add Japan as a destination. The only thing that ABD has over Tauck and A&K is the second tour guide. We did China this year with ABD and it was an unforgettable trip. We had 2 outstanding guides wherever we went AND a local guide in each city. Tauck and A&K only have 1 guide per group, unless that has changed recently. The hotels for both A&K and Tauck are top of the line. Whatever you choose, have a great time!

ETA: Tauck gave us a $350 per person discount for being repeat customers even though its been 5 years since we used them.

 

[Bobo912]

All I know is the Australia trip looks like "pay more, get less" I see two activities have been cut since I went in Oct. 2008, plus one dinner downgrade, but it now costs at least $1000 more per person. Glad I went when I did. I couldn't justify it anymore.

Which activities did they cut? We were booked for Australia this year and our date was cancelled and we ended up in Alaska. We decided on the Galapogos for 2010, but I was planning on Australia and Alpine Magic for the following two years. We'll probably book with somebody else this year and unless ABD offers some discounts next year, we probably won't be able to do Australia with them either.

 

[RSM]

Oh Well. So much for doing France with ABD. We really wanted to do Flavors of France with or son regardless of the price. It was a 10th anniversary thing (we got engaged on the Eiffel Tower). Unfortunately, Tauck Bridges or Austin Lehman do not do an equivalent tour. So, it looks like we will do something less structured like GoAhead or Trafalgar which are good, but less family oriented. So, if anyone else knows of any other tour operators that have a similar family oriented itinerary along the lines of Flavors of France, I'd certainly appreciate any input.

I am not that interested in the London/Paris itineraries. We've been to London several times and could do it much less expensively on our own.