I'm so glad you posted this, as the combinations of multiple threads into this one has really frustrated me. It's simply too much information in one place. I get the moderator's post above that people don't talk extensively about Sea World, Universal, LEGOLAND, etc. on the other Disney threads, but those attractions have their OWN forums within Disboards. That's not an option in this ABD forum. And considering what kind of travel ABD customers are looking for, the community board is absolutely NOT the right place to have these discussions!
Also, I've been posting here for a couple of years, and what I've found is that the group is relatively small and very loyal to ABD, even if they may book some trips with other tour companies. The best description I can give is all of us here are very travel savvy and we want the best experience that our budgets can provide...sometimes ABD simply can't provide that, based on itineraries and specific travel dates. I for one appreciate a forum where instead of hearing "Well, ABD doesn't offer that so you're out of luck," being able to receive feedback that says "Here are some other options for you."
Also, for those of us who have experienced ABD, I think it has fundamentally changed the way we travel. I really like being able to take the ABD model and customize my own trips when ABD isn't an option, much like many of us do on our pre- and post-ABD tour days. Without feedback from the wonderful posters here, I wouldn't have known about Walks of Italy or Walks of New York, which are two fantastic options for achieving an ABD-like experience. That has made this forum invaluable to me, and I very much wish there was a better way to post information and trip reports that are not specific to ABD itineraries. The travel experiences that we have all come to appreciate and want to replicate are part of a very niche portion of the industry, but information is not easy to come by (at least not all in one place) - when we can share those experiences here, it just enriches our travel that much more (and hopefully gives ABD feedback on what they can and should do differently).
While I realize this board is sponsored by a group who has a vested interest in people booking ABD trips, I hope they realize that posting non-ABD information will not drive people away from ABD. Those of us who understand and appreciate the ABD experience will keep coming back to ABD for our travel experiences. However, limiting the discussion will only keep people out of this forum - and I say that from experience because I am trying to plan a non-ABD trip right now, and I know that I can't really post extensively about it here.
and welcome you on your first post. I do hope you post about your experience with your China trip. We are hoping to book that one next year for 2018 adventure so I look forward to reading trip reports that goes to China.
