Okay, it's May....when will ABD 2018 dates be available?!

[ngl]

I think someone said ABD told them they would release dates in May. I know it is only the 2nd but just hoping as soon as someone sees the release date they will let us know. Thanks!!

 

[sayhello]

I think someone said ABD told them they would release dates in May. I know it is only the 2nd but just hoping as soon as someone sees the release date they will let us know. Thanks!!

Oh, you can be sure that as soon as someone knows, it will be announced here!

Sayhello

 

[AquaDame]

Looks like the 2017 thread was started May 14th 2016 so... before that? Maybe? Its frustrating being so far into 2017 and not having them out. I have trips after we'd go to Africa already in motion and the other groups had their dates out long ago.

 

[sayhello]

Looks like the 2017 thread was started May 14th 2016 so... before that? Maybe? Its frustrating being so far into 2017 and not having them out. I have trips after we'd go to Africa already in motion and the other groups had their dates out long ago.

Just to put this in perspective, when I first started taking ABD's in 2008, they announced the new trips in *AUGUST*!! I don't recall when they moved it to June, and then to May (I think we had one year where it was April). But I'm just glad it's not August!

Sayhello

 

[CaliKris]

We booked our 2017 China ABD on April 24, 2016, so they were out by this time last year! I have been checking every day since April

 

[carpenta]

A good way to figure out when ABD will release their dates is to check all the other family travel companies, look at their dates of release and add 3 weeks and then yogurt ABD's release date. They areaways the latest.

 

[calypso726]

Can't wait! We have a number of tentative plans on hold for next year as we wait for the new dates to be released. I am crossing my fingers for new destinations but haven't seen any teasers or hints on their FB page. Then again, if they come out with something exciting, shiny and new I will likely put putting China on the back burner again.

 

[sayhello]

We did Yellowstone with NatGeo and it was fabulous. It was so good we are leaving with NatGeo to tour Iceland next month. 1st rate and great. great great.....

Please tell me all about your Iceland tour when you get back!! If ABD doesn't add something really great this year (like Iceland) I would be *really* interested in looking into NatGeo for Iceland next year!

Sayhello

 

[tiger04]

Now I have no idea when the 2018 dates will be available or if there are any new trips. I was just on the Inaugural Rhine River Cruise ABD and we had some ABD executives on the trip with us. They were always asking us our thoughts on current trips and where we would like to travel in the future. When we told one exec that we keep waiting for Japan, she hinted that we wouldn't need to wait much longer. But I have no idea if she meant next year or within the next five years!

Also, one other tidbit is that they planned out a ABD trip to visit all the Disney theme parks. But it would be so expensive and such a niche market that it never got beyond the planning stages.

 

[calypso726]

Now I have no idea when the 2018 dates will be available or if there are any new trips. I was just on the Inaugural Rhine River Cruise ABD and we had some ABD executives on the trip with us. They were always asking us our thoughts on current trips and where we would like to travel in the future. When we told one exec that we keep waiting for Japan, she hinted that we wouldn't need to wait much longer. But I have no idea if she meant next year or within the next five years!

Also, one other tidbit is that they planned out a ABD trip to visit all the Disney theme parks. But it would be so expensive and such a niche market that it never got beyond the planning stages.

Oh wow that would be amazing! Japan would totally put China on the back burner again! I've also been saying I'd love an ABD that does all the Asia Disney Parks. Hopefully they will consider doing something like that. I think that would be awesome!

 

[AquamarineSteph]

We heard Japan mentioned as a possible destination by our guide on our last ABD which was over a year ago. I'm sure that Disney would do a wonderful job with that trip.

 

[sayhello]

Oh, man, I would *LOVE* Japan!! But I'm not sure my bank account could handle Japan after what China has taken out of it this year! I'm not sure there's enough time for it to have recovered! (Who am I kidding? I *KNOW* I will sign up for Japan if they offer it!)

Sayhello

 

[DizMagic]

Ha. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay for Winter in Wyoming AND Arizona/Utah. I know I wouldn't be able to do Japan. Though I do love it there.

 

[calypso726]

Oh, man, I would *LOVE* Japan!! But I'm not sure my bank account could handle Japan after what China has taken out of it this year! I'm not sure there's enough time for it to have recovered! (Who am I kidding? I *KNOW* I will sign up for Japan if they offer it!)

Sayhello

Ha. I'm still trying to figure out how to pay for Winter in Wyoming AND Arizona/Utah. I know I wouldn't be able to do Japan. Though I do love it there.

Travel hacking is my method of choice for mitigating the expense! I combine it purchasing discounted Disney gift cards and load them on the DVA. It all adds up.

 

[Luv2trav]

Travel hacking is my method of choice for mitigating the expense! I combine it purchasing discounted Disney gift cards and load them on the DVA. It all adds up.

I didn't realize you can buy Disney gift cards and load them into DVA. I need to check this out. I am always afraid to buy large lumps sums in gift cards for fear that I will forget where I put them or worse yet that I even purchased them if I don't use them right away. I am too scattered brained for that. I would love the savings I would get by using my Disney Visa(Disney dollars) to purchase Disney gift cards and we get fuel perks when I buy gift cards.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

About the only itinerary that might make me jump on a 2018 reservation would be Japan--crossing my fingers!

 

[calypso726]

I didn't realize you can buy Disney gift cards and load them into DVA. I need to check this out. I am always afraid to buy large lumps sums in gift cards for fear that I will forget where I put them or worse yet that I even purchased them if I don't use them right away. I am too scattered brained for that. I would love the savings I would get by using my Disney Visa(Disney dollars) to purchase Disney gift cards and we get fuel perks when I buy gift cards.

I would say about 95% of our ABD, DCL, DVC, annual passes and special events are paid for out of the DVA with gift cards that we loaded there. I try to buy the Disney GCs at 5x/$ using a rewards credit card which will get me plenty of points and miles to use. If the savings on a discounted gift card is 10% or more then I will opt for the savings over the 5x points. Amex offers had get a $10 statement credit for spending $50 at Office Depot in 3 of my cards. I'll be buying Disney gift cards with that offer.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I didn't realize you can buy Disney gift cards and load them into DVA. I need to check this out. I am always afraid to buy large lumps sums in gift cards for fear that I will forget where I put them or worse yet that I even purchased them if I don't use them right away. I am too scattered brained for that. I would love the savings I would get by using my Disney Visa(Disney dollars) to purchase Disney gift cards and we get fuel perks when I buy gift cards.

You can store gift cards on disneygiftcard.com. If I recall correctly you can store up to $1,000.00 per card on there. I load individual gift cards and discard them. Of course I keep the "master" gift card with the funds on it. It's very simple and efficient.

I buy Disney gift cards at Target for a 5% discount with my RedCard (5% off an ABD adds up lol). I have also used the DVA but I have maxed out the $500.00 gift card for myself. So I am going to open up an account in my dh's name (if / when we book a 2018 trip). One thing with the DVA I seem to forget is that you have to make a Disney vacation purchase to "release" the DVA gift card. So you will need to make a payment well ahead of your trip to release the DVA gift card (if you plan on using it to apply to your ABD.

HTH!

Now come on ABD and release the itineraries for 2018 already!

@sayhello I remember when they released the trips in August as well.

 

[laceltris3]

I am looking forward to booking the holiday departure for Italy, so I hope they have it for 2018.

I had been planning the Danube river cruise, but the no Vienna Boys Choir was the deal breaker (plus the fact that it is still not really ideal for families of five price wise, given the limited rooms for 3).

 

[RebelHawk]

I actually can tell you guys the timeframe for the next ABD release dates. It will be sometime between 23 - 28 May because that is when we'll be on our ABD NYC trip. That way we'll have to stress out about getting our reservations in for our next trip while trying to enjoy the trip we're on. Murphy's Law.

Add to that if they do announce an ABD Japan trip for 2018 my wife and I are going to have to go back into negotiation mode for picking a trip. That would be at the top of my to do list.