Need help evaluating China trip $$$

[lacole]

We're planning a trip to China in Summer 2013. We're in DVC and enjoy DCL so we are very familiar with the Disney touch. However, the ABD China trips appear to be about 2X the cost of what other travel agencies are charging. My preference would be to go Disney but for a family of four this is a significant extra amount of $$$.

I've not been able to find any discussion about how ABD China trips compare to other travel companies so I'm stuck with the nagging question... what makes ABD worth the extra $$$?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[InfinityPointZero]

Wow. No one can give a reason why ABD is better than other tours? I would not think the question would be that hard.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I've not done other tours so I can't tell you.

I will tell you that for China, they took a lot of care to make sure the food we were eating was prepared in a clean and safe kitchen. If they didin't think the food somewhere was not ok, they supplied a boxed lunch from the hotel.

If you're comparing ABD with other expensive tours like Tauck, you're probably comparing oranges with oranges. I think the quality is the same...and the prices also.

The difference between ABD and the cheaper tours (the ones that are $2000 and includes airfare) is that some of the hotels won't be as posh, you may be taken on a factory tour so you can buy the goods (some may enjoy that). I'm not sure they have the advance team that ABD has to make sure the places you're eating at are safe.

And the biggest difference are the amazing guides. We lucked out and had 4 guides with us (2 shadowing). We loved them all.

 

[Kez250]

we too are DVC members and love DCL - and although we haven't done any other group tours we are going on the august 12th ABD to China. one of the main factors is that we thought that the Disney touch would make the trip more attractive for the kids - we have 2 kids age 9 and 10 not sure if this is any where similar to yours but i'll be more than happy to give you feedback from our point of view on our return

not long now we're getting excited

 

[abbyjt]

We have been on 6 ABD trips including China. We have been on one Tauck tour (without our kids) and one tour arranged by a local group. I can only tell you, we keep going back because it is so well done. When we went on the tour with a local group (to a foreign location) there were many times that we said, wow, that wouldn't have happened on a Disney trip. The trip was good, just not as good as Disney (cost nearly as much).

 

[CBEB]

We're on the ABD China right now - just went to see the amazing pandas today. I would be worried on a lot of levels if we weren't with Disney. They have truly checked every detail and kept us healthy and safe while giving us an amazing experience. Tons of little extra surprises along the way so far and we arent half through yet! Just cannot imagine risking this experience with a lesser travel group.

 

[pxlbarrel]

We're on the ABD China right now - just went to see the amazing pandas today. I would be worried on a lot of levels if we weren't with Disney. They have truly checked every detail and kept us healthy and safe while giving us an amazing experience. Tons of little extra surprises along the way so far and we arent half through yet! Just cannot imagine risking this experience with a lesser travel group.

Ooooh.... who are your guides?

That's one thing about ABD ... there are little surprises along the way and a lot of us who have gone don't want to say what they are because, well, they're no longer surprises. We don't want to spoil it.

I'm going to emphasize again how amazing the hotels are ... they are magnificent. And again, the guides make sure we're ok.

I'll give you an example of how amazing the guides are... when I got "lost" on the Great Wall, I had to climb what had to be the steepest incline that I have ever climbed in my life to get back to the rendezvous point. I headed up with a bit of steam but lost most of that steam within minutes. LOL As I struggled up, I looked up and saw one of the guides (Daisy) waving at me. That was soooo resassuring. As I got closer, she was snapping photos of my climb. LOL When I got back to the group, there was no scolding for holding up the group, no sour looks ... just relief that they had found me. Jennae, the other guide, made me drink some water and when I jokingly said I needed a Coke, not water, she said she'd buy me one. NEVER did I think she actually would!!! As we got off the cable car at the bottom of the hill, she bought me a bottle of Coke and then a little pin to commemorate my adventure. THAT's the Disney touch. You can talk up the hotels, the pandas, and such but the difference is the guides who have that special pixie dust.

 

[sayhello]

I haven't done the China trip (YET. It is *definitely* on my bucket list!) but I wanted to agree with everyone who is saying that the real difference is a) the vetting of everything ahead of time so that things go smoothly & safely and b) The Adventure Guides!!!! They are just phenomenal. I've heard people say good things & bad things about their trips, but I have never heard anyone say anything besides their Guides were wonderful. Pretty much everyone says their Guides were the best, so that gives you an idea of the quality & consistency of that quality across the boards.

Sayhello

 

[CBEB]

we too are DVC members and love DCL - and although we haven't done any other group tours we are going on the august 12th ABD to China. one of the main factors is that we thought that the Disney touch would make the trip more attractive for the kids - we have 2 kids age 9 and 10 not sure if this is any where similar to yours but i'll be more than happy to give you feedback from our point of view on our return

not long now we're getting excited

Your kids will love it! We're on it now (Shanghai today!) and have several kids in the group around those ages. It's HOT as can be but a really great trip so far. Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong. Our guides are James and Steven. You'll have James but probably not Steven. AWESOME guides!

 

[pxlbarrel]

Your kids will love it! We're on it now (Shanghai today!) and have several kids in the group around those ages. It's HOT as can be but a really great trip so far. Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong. Our guides are James and Steven. You'll have James but probably not Steven. AWESOME guides!

Steven!!! He helped me walk down a steep part of the Great Wall. If you get a chance to read this before the tour ends, say "hi" to Steven from the sister of the guy who kept going to the Chinese Hooters. My brother, aided by the guides (!) was intent on going to the Hooters in Beijing and Shanghai (no time in Chengdu). When he returned from such trips, including one where the ABD bus dropped him off at the Shanghai Hooters, he showed his photos to Steven (and Joe). LOL

Another example of how awesome the guides. are.

 

[Kez250]

Your kids will love it! We're on it now (Shanghai today!) and have several kids in the group around those ages. It's HOT as can be but a really great trip so far. Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong. Our guides are James and Steven. You'll have James but probably not Steven. AWESOME guides!

can't wait - hope you have a safe journey to Hong Kong, saw the weather is looking pretty rough there right now

 

[CBEB]

Steven!!! He helped me walk down a steep part of the Great Wall. If you get a chance to read this before the tour ends, say "hi" to Steven from the sister of the guy who kept going to the Chinese Hooters. My brother, aided by the guides (!) was intent on going to the Hooters in Beijing and Shanghai (no time in Chengdu). When he returned from such trips, including one where the ABD bus dropped him off at the Shanghai Hooters, he showed his photos to Steven (and Joe). LOL

Another example of how awesome the guides. are.

Steven remembers you and your brother well! He was puzzled though how I heard from you - just now introduced him to the DISboards!

Watching the weather now as the guides work out how/when we go to Hong Kong today

 

[pxlbarrel]

Steven remembers you and your brother well! He was puzzled though how I heard from you - just now introduced him to the DISboards!

Watching the weather now as the guides work out how/when we go to Hong Kong today

re: Steven. Some guys on the tour joked that Jackie Chan was travelling with us.

The weather in China and Hong Kong has been brutal these past few weeks. I look at the news about the flooding and wonder if you guys are ok. The footage of the flooding in Beijing makes me sad. I look at the temperatures right now and melt just thinking of it. You guys are made of tougher stuff than I!!!

Have fun in Hong Kong. And enjoy the ice cream on the airplane.

I'm looking forward to seeing your photos.

 

[CBEB]

The weather in China and Hong Kong has been brutal these past few weeks. I look at the news about the flooding and wonder if you guys are ok.

So far, we've managed to sprinkle lots of pixie dust and have had no rain anywhere along the way. We arrived to very little rain in Hong Kong tonight - TRULY must be because of pixie dust! We'll see what tomorrow brings!