Montana & Alberta, Canada: Roaming the Rockies Meets Thread

I actually checked the hotel in Banff to get an idea about post-nights, and they had no availability for that time period. So I imagine you are correct about having to plan a trip like this well out.

carpenta, did they do pre-days in the Kalispell area when you did the trip? I seem to remember they didn't offer pre-days when I signed up for the trip in 2009, but it's hard to remember at this point since I never took the trip. I wonder how much post-days would cost?

Bobo912, where did you stay in Whitefish?

Sayhello

We flew in the day of the trip so I was not aware of the pre-day situation. As far as Kalispell it was a very small town with a small airport so I don't know how much they offer but then again good 'ole Google. We did stay another day in Calgary and glad we did. We stayed at the airport hotel and took a bus then a subway surface train to the Calgary Zoo. Calgary had a good public transportation as for as busses and trains. It is a spread out city and still growing I am told. It was a real nice zoo. I will get you the hotel name when I go through my papers but it was not too much and the hotel was nice as well as the food inside the same hotel.
 
I actually checked the hotel in Banff to get an idea about post-nights, and they had no availability for that time period. So I imagine you are correct about having to plan a trip like this well out.

carpenta, did they do pre-days in the Kalispell area when you did the trip? I seem to remember they didn't offer pre-days when I signed up for the trip in 2009, but it's hard to remember at this point since I never took the trip. I wonder how much post-days would cost?

Bobo912, where did you stay in Whitefish?

Sayhello

We stayed in two hotels in Whitefish - one at the beginning and one at the end of the trip. The first hotel was The Grouse Mountian Lodge, which is one of the national park lodges (although it's not in the park). It's very nice and the rooms appear to be newly redecorated. Housekeeping needs some training. There were supposed to be robes in the room, but there were none, and no wash cloths and the previous guest's grounds were still in the coffee maker. We also stayed at the Best Western Rocky Mountain Lodge, which I booked just to be near the airport for the trip home. Nice rooms, very friendly and helpful staff, free breakfast buffet and it was only $158 per night. Wifi is free and it was by far the fastest we had on the trip. If ABD doesn't offer pre-days, you might be able to find a hotel in Whitefish with a shuttle to the airport and just go back and meet up with the guides. It's a 10 minute drive from Whitefish to the Kallispell airport.

Are you looking at the Fairmont Banff Springs for 2014 and there is no availability? I booked our rooms in April for the Fairmonts in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper and there was availability for every category of room. That was only 3 months in advance. The hotel in Banff is huge. I can't imagine they are sold out that far in advance. We were there on the week of Canada Day and US Independence day and the hotel wasn't full. Are you looking at the hotel's website? Maybe your dates are too far in the future. I think I had the same experience when I started planning our trip, but later there were rooms available.

I booked the hotels in the park in Oct. 2012 and I was able to get lakeview rooms at both Lake McDonalad and Many Glacier.

I totally agree with you about the driving. I don't even mind the time spent on the bus, because for once I get to look around at the scenery rather than focusing on the road. Fortunately, there was so little traffic it was an easy drive. The only place with traffic was Going to the Sun Road and we were on the Red Bus for that.
 
My sister and I are doing the September 1st adults only trip.

Anyone else on here on that trip?
I'm looking forward to hearing about your trip! We haven't had a report on this ABD in a while, and I'm *THIS* close to signing up for next year's Adults Only trip!

Sayhello
 


Leaving tomorrow on this trip with my sister! Woohoo! Can't wait. I'm looking so forward to something different.

Sayhello-I'll keep you posted!
 
Leaving tomorrow on this trip with my sister! Woohoo! Can't wait. I'm looking so forward to something different.

Sayhello-I'll keep you posted!
Cool! Have a *fabulous* time! I'm looking forward to what you have to say; I still haven't made my mind up yet for 2014!

Sayhello
 


One of our guides on the NYC Dreams ABD trip also does this trip. Anyone going on it please say hi from Judy and Chipp to Whitney if she's one of your guides. She's very good and loves this trip.
 
I certainly will tell Whitney that you said hi! We're so excited- Dean and Whitney are wonderful. Tomorrow we are whitewater rafting!
 
This is a long shot since no one has posted here in 2 years.....but here goes. We (me, DH and DD x2) just booked this trip for July 2016. We are very excited - it is our first ABD trip. Any advice is appreciated.
 
This is a long shot since no one has posted here in 2 years.....but here goes. We (me, DH and DD x2) just booked this trip for July 2016. We are very excited - it is our first ABD trip. Any advice is appreciated.

I've never been on this trip before but I live in Alberta. The summers are very warm. If you are use to more humid conditions, I suggest you bring some good lotion. We have a very dry climate.
 
Allaboutthemouse,
Thanks for posting - i have been looking for a Montana trip and the we liked (not disney) is no longer offered. It is on the expensive side but alot included and I would be more comfortable with someone else doing the itinerary. Thinking about the Aug 2016 adults only trip. Hope we can get some recent feedback.
Thanks!
 
This is a long shot since no one has posted here in 2 years.....but here goes. We (me, DH and DD x2) just booked this trip for July 2016. We are very excited - it is our first ABD trip. Any advice is appreciated.
I was wondering if you ended up taking this trip? I am about to book it for July 2017 for our family of 4 (2 sons ages 9 and 12) and would love any feedback! Thank you!
 
I was wondering if you ended up taking this trip? I am about to book it for July 2017 for our family of 4 (2 sons ages 9 and 12) and would love any feedback! Thank you!


We did and we LOVED it!! Our girls were 9 and 12 as well on this trip. I am not a trip report kind of person but I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

Here is a brief summary of what we did: (I will skip the hotel and itinerary details since you can find those on the ABD day-by-day trip descriptions)

We flew into Kalispell about 3 days early, rented a car and stayed in Whitefish. There are several large superstores (Target, Walmart, etc) in Kalispell which made it very easy to pick up supplies. We packed a soft sided cooler in our luggage and bought drinks and snacks for our trips into Glacier National Park. We spent every day of our free days in Glacier. We hiked various trails and drove the entire Going to the Sun road and absolutely loved it. We also went horseback riding and took the boat tour at Many Glacier hotel. We deliberately picked things that the ABD tour would miss. Our last morning before we met up with the ABD group was spent at Whitefish Resort. We did not have enough time to enjoy everything there. We met up with the ABD tour at the airport where we returned our car. (all very easy)

From there on out, the ABD guides (Byron and Benji) took care of EVERYTHING. It was so easy to sit back and just enjoy. The first day was really a transportation day and meet your fellow Adventurers. We stayed at Glacier Park Lodge which was beautiful very quaint but not very comfortable. The weather was very warm for us in mid July and there was no AC in the hotel. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the history behind the lodge and the scenery. The highlight was the river rafting trip. Be forewarned that the ABD tour does not leave anytime for hiking in Glacier National Park. We headed for a brief much stop at the Prince of Wales Hotel in the Waterton Lakes National Park. That was incredibly scenic and beautiful. Too short a stop for sure. We then headed to Lake Louise where we stayed at the Fairmont. Dinner that night was phenomenal and the scenery was absolutely incredible. The girls loved the canoeing on Lake Moraine. Our 9 year old was pretty tired so she and I skipped the hike to the teahouse. DH and DD12 hiked up with the ABD group and DH said that it was a pretty strenuous hike. I think the words, "death march", came out of his mouth a couple of times! There were a couple of other families who chose to go horseback riding but that had to be arranged ahead of time and there is an age/ weight minimum. Check with the ABD guides if you are interested in the alternate activities to the teahouse hike. There was also a Junior Adventurers night where Byron and Benji entertained the kids while the adults had a relaxing dinner. The dinner venues were all in the Fairmont Lake Louise and prearranged dinner times were reserved by ABD for our group. We had a choice of German, French, Italian and each couple was paired with at least one other couple from the ABD group. It was a nice way to really get to know the other travelers. We then headed on to Banff which was a great place to end our trip. There were several times during this stay that families could explore on their own. The town was an easy walk from the hotel which was fabulous. We saw an elk right along the river on our way into town. The bike ride along the Bow River was so much fun. The farewell dinner was incredible. Words cannot describe how close the group became during this trip. There were tears shed amongst many of the parents at the airport.

A few takeaway points:
1. Glacier National Park is an absolutely amazing place. ABD barely skims the park and the activities available there. Definitely go early and explore. It is a very easy place to explore and enjoy on your own.
2. Take some binoculars to look for wildlife.
3. Dress in layers - the hike we took to the Logan Peak Overlook was snowy and chilly. The lower elevations were much warmer.
4. The dress code at Glacier was very outdoorsy and very casual. The dress code at Lake Louise and Banff were decidedly much different - think ski lodge chic.
5. Take a nice dressy casual outfit for the adult dinner and for the farewell dinner the last night.
6. The touring days start early so be prepared. The ABD guides are great at knowing how to factor in some down time and some days that start a little later.
7. Do not bring a bunch of snacks on the trip since the ABD guides are ALWAYS feeding you!!!
8. Our ABD group was amazing because we met other families with children in the same age range and the kids all bonded and had a great time. There was no drama, fights or bickering. Truly magical.
9. The ABD guides are the most incredible people ever - they know when to encourage timid kids to face their fears, when to tease an preteen into smiles, and when to make grumpy adults turn into kids again. They are worth every penny you tip them and more.


We loved this trip so much that we looked at booking again next year. Unfortunately, there are too many other fabulous ABD trips to try. This was our first but not our last. Please let me know if you have any questions I can try to answer.
 
We did and we LOVED it!! Our girls were 9 and 12 as well on this trip. I am not a trip report kind of person but I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

Here is a brief summary of what we did: (I will skip the hotel and itinerary details since you can find those on the ABD day-by-day trip descriptions)

We flew into Kalispell about 3 days early, rented a car and stayed in Whitefish. There are several large superstores (Target, Walmart, etc) in Kalispell which made it very easy to pick up supplies. We packed a soft sided cooler in our luggage and bought drinks and snacks for our trips into Glacier National Park. We spent every day of our free days in Glacier. We hiked various trails and drove the entire Going to the Sun road and absolutely loved it. We also went horseback riding and took the boat tour at Many Glacier hotel. We deliberately picked things that the ABD tour would miss. Our last morning before we met up with the ABD group was spent at Whitefish Resort. We did not have enough time to enjoy everything there. We met up with the ABD tour at the airport where we returned our car. (all very easy)

From there on out, the ABD guides (Byron and Benji) took care of EVERYTHING. It was so easy to sit back and just enjoy. The first day was really a transportation day and meet your fellow Adventurers. We stayed at Glacier Park Lodge which was beautiful very quaint but not very comfortable. The weather was very warm for us in mid July and there was no AC in the hotel. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the history behind the lodge and the scenery. The highlight was the river rafting trip. Be forewarned that the ABD tour does not leave anytime for hiking in Glacier National Park. We headed for a brief much stop at the Prince of Wales Hotel in the Waterton Lakes National Park. That was incredibly scenic and beautiful. Too short a stop for sure. We then headed to Lake Louise where we stayed at the Fairmont. Dinner that night was phenomenal and the scenery was absolutely incredible. The girls loved the canoeing on Lake Moraine. Our 9 year old was pretty tired so she and I skipped the hike to the teahouse. DH and DD12 hiked up with the ABD group and DH said that it was a pretty strenuous hike. I think the words, "death march", came out of his mouth a couple of times! There were a couple of other families who chose to go horseback riding but that had to be arranged ahead of time and there is an age/ weight minimum. Check with the ABD guides if you are interested in the alternate activities to the teahouse hike. There was also a Junior Adventurers night where Byron and Benji entertained the kids while the adults had a relaxing dinner. The dinner venues were all in the Fairmont Lake Louise and prearranged dinner times were reserved by ABD for our group. We had a choice of German, French, Italian and each couple was paired with at least one other couple from the ABD group. It was a nice way to really get to know the other travelers. We then headed on to Banff which was a great place to end our trip. There were several times during this stay that families could explore on their own. The town was an easy walk from the hotel which was fabulous. We saw an elk right along the river on our way into town. The bike ride along the Bow River was so much fun. The farewell dinner was incredible. Words cannot describe how close the group became during this trip. There were tears shed amongst many of the parents at the airport.

A few takeaway points:
1. Glacier National Park is an absolutely amazing place. ABD barely skims the park and the activities available there. Definitely go early and explore. It is a very easy place to explore and enjoy on your own.
2. Take some binoculars to look for wildlife.
3. Dress in layers - the hike we took to the Logan Peak Overlook was snowy and chilly. The lower elevations were much warmer.
4. The dress code at Glacier was very outdoorsy and very casual. The dress code at Lake Louise and Banff were decidedly much different - think ski lodge chic.
5. Take a nice dressy casual outfit for the adult dinner and for the farewell dinner the last night.
6. The touring days start early so be prepared. The ABD guides are great at knowing how to factor in some down time and some days that start a little later.
7. Do not bring a bunch of snacks on the trip since the ABD guides are ALWAYS feeding you!!!
8. Our ABD group was amazing because we met other families with children in the same age range and the kids all bonded and had a great time. There was no drama, fights or bickering. Truly magical.
9. The ABD guides are the most incredible people ever - they know when to encourage timid kids to face their fears, when to tease an preteen into smiles, and when to make grumpy adults turn into kids again. They are worth every penny you tip them and more.


We loved this trip so much that we looked at booking again next year. Unfortunately, there are too many other fabulous ABD trips to try. This was our first but not our last. Please let me know if you have any questions I can try to answer.
We did and we LOVED it!! Our girls were 9 and 12 as well on this trip. I am not a trip report kind of person but I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

Here is a brief summary of what we did: (I will skip the hotel and itinerary details since you can find those on the ABD day-by-day trip descriptions)

We flew into Kalispell about 3 days early, rented a car and stayed in Whitefish. There are several large superstores (Target, Walmart, etc) in Kalispell which made it very easy to pick up supplies. We packed a soft sided cooler in our luggage and bought drinks and snacks for our trips into Glacier National Park. We spent every day of our free days in Glacier. We hiked various trails and drove the entire Going to the Sun road and absolutely loved it. We also went horseback riding and took the boat tour at Many Glacier hotel. We deliberately picked things that the ABD tour would miss. Our last morning before we met up with the ABD group was spent at Whitefish Resort. We did not have enough time to enjoy everything there. We met up with the ABD tour at the airport where we returned our car. (all very easy)

From there on out, the ABD guides (Byron and Benji) took care of EVERYTHING. It was so easy to sit back and just enjoy. The first day was really a transportation day and meet your fellow Adventurers. We stayed at Glacier Park Lodge which was beautiful very quaint but not very comfortable. The weather was very warm for us in mid July and there was no AC in the hotel. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the history behind the lodge and the scenery. The highlight was the river rafting trip. Be forewarned that the ABD tour does not leave anytime for hiking in Glacier National Park. We headed for a brief much stop at the Prince of Wales Hotel in the Waterton Lakes National Park. That was incredibly scenic and beautiful. Too short a stop for sure. We then headed to Lake Louise where we stayed at the Fairmont. Dinner that night was phenomenal and the scenery was absolutely incredible. The girls loved the canoeing on Lake Moraine. Our 9 year old was pretty tired so she and I skipped the hike to the teahouse. DH and DD12 hiked up with the ABD group and DH said that it was a pretty strenuous hike. I think the words, "death march", came out of his mouth a couple of times! There were a couple of other families who chose to go horseback riding but that had to be arranged ahead of time and there is an age/ weight minimum. Check with the ABD guides if you are interested in the alternate activities to the teahouse hike. There was also a Junior Adventurers night where Byron and Benji entertained the kids while the adults had a relaxing dinner. The dinner venues were all in the Fairmont Lake Louise and prearranged dinner times were reserved by ABD for our group. We had a choice of German, French, Italian and each couple was paired with at least one other couple from the ABD group. It was a nice way to really get to know the other travelers. We then headed on to Banff which was a great place to end our trip. There were several times during this stay that families could explore on their own. The town was an easy walk from the hotel which was fabulous. We saw an elk right along the river on our way into town. The bike ride along the Bow River was so much fun. The farewell dinner was incredible. Words cannot describe how close the group became during this trip. There were tears shed amongst many of the parents at the airport.

A few takeaway points:
1. Glacier National Park is an absolutely amazing place. ABD barely skims the park and the activities available there. Definitely go early and explore. It is a very easy place to explore and enjoy on your own.
2. Take some binoculars to look for wildlife.
3. Dress in layers - the hike we took to the Logan Peak Overlook was snowy and chilly. The lower elevations were much warmer.
4. The dress code at Glacier was very outdoorsy and very casual. The dress code at Lake Louise and Banff were decidedly much different - think ski lodge chic.
5. Take a nice dressy casual outfit for the adult dinner and for the farewell dinner the last night.
6. The touring days start early so be prepared. The ABD guides are great at knowing how to factor in some down time and some days that start a little later.
7. Do not bring a bunch of snacks on the trip since the ABD guides are ALWAYS feeding you!!!
8. Our ABD group was amazing because we met other families with children in the same age range and the kids all bonded and had a great time. There was no drama, fights or bickering. Truly magical.
9. The ABD guides are the most incredible people ever - they know when to encourage timid kids to face their fears, when to tease an preteen into smiles, and when to make grumpy adults turn into kids again. They are worth every penny you tip them and more.


We loved this trip so much that we looked at booking again next year. Unfortunately, there are too many other fabulous ABD trips to try. This was our first but not our last. Please let me know if you have any questions I can try to answer.

Thank you so much for your reply. This is so helpful! We have taken similar trips to Yellowstone and Costa Rica, but with a different, smaller, high-end tour company. This would be our first time with Disney. Our Yellowstone trip sounds a lot like yours and we bonded so much with the other families that we all booked a trip the following year together to Costa Rica :) My biggest concern with Disney is the number of people on the tour. They say max of 40, but I was wondering how many were on your trip, and if it was that many if that was too large of a group? The tour company we went with before had a max of 18 and we had only 11 on both of our trips, which was awesome! I'm sure I will have more questions, but I wanted to address the number of people before we booked. Thanks again!
 
Thank you so much for your reply. This is so helpful! We have taken similar trips to Yellowstone and Costa Rica, but with a different, smaller, high-end tour company. This would be our first time with Disney. Our Yellowstone trip sounds a lot like yours and we bonded so much with the other families that we all booked a trip the following year together to Costa Rica :) My biggest concern with Disney is the number of people on the tour. They say max of 40, but I was wondering how many were on your trip, and if it was that many if that was too large of a group? The tour company we went with before had a max of 18 and we had only 11 on both of our trips, which was awesome! I'm sure I will have more questions, but I wanted to address the number of people before we booked. Thanks again!

Does the ABD website say the maximum number of guests is 40? It did several years ago, but then they removed that and there was no indication of the maximum. One of my ABDs had 44 guests. Other posters have had as many as 49. IMO 40 is too many for the price ABD charges. Even somewhat lower-end companies like G Adventures only allow 18-24 depending on the itinerary.
 

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