New trips for 2016!! On Feb. 16th

[emilymad]

I am interested to see what they do for the DC/Philly trip. We are from the Philly area and go to DC almost once a year. So many of the attractions in these two cities are free that I wonder how they will plus the experience. I am sure ABD can come up with something great.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

The problem we had with the DC/Philly trip in the past, and why we never booked it even though I was interested in taking it, was the fact that it 1) didn't have adult only trips and 2) stayed at Great Wolf Lodge.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I didn't get a letter either. Or at least, not yet. I've lived in Florida since the age of 5 and am now 47. I have never been air-boating even though we live near the Everglades. I keep saying we are going to do it some day and then never get around to it. Somehow I find it funny that the first time I go air-boating might be with ABD

DVC members are supposed to get opening day pricing on ABD trips. I remember talking to someone once who said they were considering buying a small contract on resale in order to get that perk. I explained that "perks" as DVC owners are never guaranteed and can come and go so that was risky unless they planned to use it. Then again, small contracts are easy to sell and go quickly. I can see how that would be an advantage for any new trip like the Scotland one the first year that went up in price by nearly $1000 in days. A 25 point contract can be had on the resale market for under $3,000 with closing costs for a family of 4. A jump in price like that one justifies the cost of the contract. If we didn't already own DVC and couldn't plan things as early as we do, we'd probably do something like that since we clearly are addicted to ABD Hopefully, they will keep that perk. Even though we tend to plan well before dates and rates are released it's nice to know that we "could" do something last minute.

No letter for me either. The DVC perk for the ABD bookings is probably one of the best perks Disney has, although with the current mentality of Disney leadership I'm not holding my breath on it being there long. It's kind of a quiet perk though so maybe not a lot of people take advantage of it, and it isn't costing them much. We tend to plan way ahead, too, but one year we did 2 ABDs only because of the DVC perk for backstage magic. We booked a month or two before and prices were maybe $1200 pp higher. Don't remember exactly but it was significant.

 

[Rapunzellover]

The problem we had with the DC/Philly trip in the past, and why we never booked it even though I was interested in taking it, was the fact that it 1) didn't
have adult only trips and 2) stayed
at Great Wolf Lodge.

What exactly is wrong with this Great Wolf Lodge?

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

What exactly is wrong with this Great Wolf Lodge?

I'm not a fan of indoor or outdoor water parks. Don't really want to stay at a hotel that has one. Even if I was, after seeing it on Undercover Boss a few years ago, I wouldn't stay there. I'm not into swimming areas that are not properly cleaned after a kid takes a dump in it. They just scoop it out and keep going. Check out the episode for yourself.

 

[Rapunzellover]

Oh my! Interesting Cinderella's Slipper. I see your concerns.

 

[emilymad]

And Great Wolf Lodge is not actually in Philly or DC. For the money ABD charges I would want to stay in the cities you are visiting.

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

Oh my! Interesting Cinderella's Slipper. I see your concerns.

Accidents happen, especially at public pools and that's fine. Usually when it happens though they shut the pool down and let it cycle through the cleaning process for 24 hours before letting people back in. Not there. They showed on TV one of the lifeguards scoop the poop out of the pool and just continue on as if nothing happened. There were people not 20 ft away in the pool itself

 

[Cinderella's Slipper 2015]

And Great Wolf Lodge is not actually in Philly or DC. For the money ABD charges I would want to stay in the cities you are visiting.

The trip used to finish off in Richmond. Hence the Great Wolf Lodge.

 

[carpenta]

...............all I can picture in my mind is the scene from "Caddy Shack" where they frantically jump out of the pool when someone spots a floating 'duty" and the subsequent cleaning revels a "Baby Ruth" candy bar then eaten by Bill Murray......a classic.

 

[tgeorge]

I saw that episode when it aired...AFR...accidental fecal release. My husband and I joke about it whenever someone tells us that they are staying at an indoor water park.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I didn't receive a letter or the last gift.

I called ABD because I didn't get the gift and was told one would be sent in a week or two. It's been almost 4 weeks and nothing yet.

I didn't get a letter either. Or at least, not yet. I've lived in Florida since the age of 5 and am now 47. I have never been air-boating even though we live near the Everglades. I keep saying we are going to do it some day and then never get around to it. Somehow I find it funny that the first time I go air-boating might be with ABD

I've been airboating in the everglades and believe me when I tell you that you aren't missing much. Aside from learning where aspirin originated (supposedly), why birds sit with their wings out (to dry them) and seeing one or two gators it was not exciting. I don't see how anything ABD does could make that ride through the swamps interesting -- at least for me.

 

[calypso726]

I've been airboating in the everglades and believe me when I tell you that you aren't missing much. Aside from learning where aspirin originated (supposedly), why birds sit with their wings out (to dry them) and seeing one or two gators it was not exciting. I don't see how anything ABD does could make that ride through the swamps interesting -- at least for me.

Well airboating won't be what tips the scale for me booking the trip. I just find the irony amusing. Dinner at V&A which someone mentioned up-thread would be nice only because we do enjoy dining there but that won't tip the scale. We've experienced the main dining room, the Queen Victoria Room and the Chef's table so that wouldn't be a reason to book for us. They'd have to have some pretty amazing backstage experiences at WDW that I haven't already done numerous times. I really hope they do and so does DH. We love WDW (east coast bias) and we visit 10 -15 times a year. We enjoy the backstage tours and we enjoy special events and will go just to experience something new or just to get away for the weekend. So, if ABD has a really unique experience set up for Backstage Magic at WDW it will be something we would definitely want to do.

 

[PenguinWaiters]

Yellowstone? That's not Montana. And I didn't receive a letter or the last gift.

I didn't receive the letter or the last gift either. I did get emailed for that recent focus group but ultimately was not picked. Wonder why I'm on one list but not the other(s).

I'm actually planning trips to both DC and WDW this year so I'm interested to see what they are proposing. I have actually been looking into the Ultimate Thrills VIP tour (just DH and I are going this time) to try to get some of that ABD feeling into the WDW trip. We did Keys to the Kingdom years ago (pre-kids) and really enjoyed it.

 

[tgeorge]

Calypso....I want to be like you WDW 10-15 times a year with numerous backstage opportunites, future travel planned and a DH who loves to travel as much as you do. I was able to talk my DH into the SF ABD in October to celebrate my 40th birthday. We thought we were going to have to cancel because he was going to get deployed, but it now looks like we may still be able to go. I just wish I could talk him into more travel. Although, everyone says how great ABD is with single travelers so maybe I can be like you!

 

[RhiannonGator]

Calypso....I want to be like you WDW 10-15 times a year with numerous backstage opportunites, future travel planned and a DH who loves to travel as much as you do. I was able to talk my DH into the SF ABD in October to celebrate my 40th birthday. We thought we were going to have to cancel because he was going to get deployed, but it now looks like we may still be able to go. I just wish I could talk him into more travel. Although, everyone says how great ABD is with single travelers so maybe I can be like you!

I was thinking about going on the DIS Backstage Magic in October by myself because my DH will be deployed. We had planned on going together next year but he doesn't seem too excited about it. He loved our last ABD but doesn't really care about the Disney history and backstage access. We currently live close and go to DL probably once a month so he's like, what's the point? He would much rather go to Australia or somewhere else outside the US.
But I'll wait to make any decisions now until I see the WDW details. Having spent many of my childhood/teen years in FL I grew up with WDW and am partial to it. I had been considering making a trip out there this year anyway as I haven't been in a several years.

 

[tgeorge]

DH has said he would go to Australia, but that is really the only place he is interested in going. I think his government sponsored trips overseas have turned him off of travel I never considered SF solo. I think because he said he would go. Hopefully the WDW will be something you're interested in. I know how hard it is with them being deployed. Hopefully you can do something fun for yourself!

 

[calypso726]

Calypso....I want to be like you WDW 10-15 times a year with numerous backstage opportunites, future travel planned and a DH who loves to travel as much as you do. I was able to talk my DH into the SF ABD in October to celebrate my 40th birthday. We thought we were going to have to cancel because he was going to get deployed, but it now looks like we may still be able to go. I just wish I could talk him into more travel. Although, everyone says how great ABD is with single travelers so maybe I can be like you!

There was a time DH hated going to WDW and refused to go for about 4 or 5 years. He now calls that period the "dark ages" LOL This was pre-DVC and pre DISboards for me. I was a stay off property, commando, rope drop 'til they kick you out kind of girl. We'd go during the middle of summer or Christmas to New Year's week with no reservations or plans at all One day a friend explained that I was doing it all wrong and she showed me the way. I learned about dining reservations, advantages to staying on property and the idea of planning some key things to do in the morning and then going back to the room and having a nap and going back in the evening with your second wind. The words "nap" and "dining reservations" were what got DH to try WDW again. The rest is history and he loves it as much as I do now. Him falling in love with WDW led to DVC which led to the Disney Cruise addiction we have and now the ABD addiction. My mom went on her own ABD trip to Peru by herself the year after my dad passed away. She said she never felt alone and had an amazing time. I would not hesitate to do ABD alone. The only thing that would give me pause is the single supplement. If DH wasn't interested I would be going it alone or trying to find a fellow solo traveler here on the DIS that was interested in sharing a reservation.

I was thinking about going on the DIS Backstage Magic in October by myself because my DH will be deployed. We had planned on going together next year but he doesn't seem too excited about it. He loved our last ABD but doesn't really care about the Disney history and backstage access. We currently live close and go to DL probably once a month so he's like, what's the point? He would much rather go to Australia or somewhere else outside the US.
But I'll wait to make any decisions now until I see the WDW details. Having spent many of my childhood/teen years in FL I grew up with WDW and am partial to it. I had been considering making a trip out there this year anyway as I haven't been in a several years.

Despite being at WDW all the time we really do enjoy the backstage stuff and history. Every time we do a Keys to the Kingdom tour DH toys with the idea of working at WDW. This has become the retirement plan for us. Retire, relocate to central FL and work for the mouse. Although we've been to Australia before, we would love to go back again so that ABD is on the radar. Then again, so is China, Africa and Italy. So many cool ABD trips. Wish I had more vacation time and winning powerball would not come amiss

 

[tgeorge]

I never even knew you could do backstage stuff at WDW. I got my letter today and I'll be excited to see what the WDW ABD will be like. I'll also be very interested to hear what those of you who've done a number of these things thinks about it.

I'm secretly hoping that he'll love the SF ABD and how seamless everything will go...and then *maybe* I can talk him into another. A girl can dream, right? Until then, I have all of you to feed my addiction and I know you all understand it

Oh, and China would be another amazing trip! We have a research facility in Shanghai and I'm trying to get there. If I do, I figure I'd have to plan an ABD around it since the air would already be paid for

 

[Rapunzellover]

Calypso..I second you on the powerball stuff. I'd be on vacay all the time if I had the money.