Questions about Italy Signature ABD

[ryanshana]

Hi My family and I are thinking about doing an Italy Signature ABD? We have never been on an ABD! I'd love to know more about this from a traveler's perspective.

Why should I choose ABD? Is it geared more towards children (can't do an Adult's only but we don't have little children)? What are your thoughts on the Italy Signature.

I'd really appreciate people's opinions. Especially Pros and Cons of ABD and experiences from Italy Signature.

Thanks so much!

 

[sayhello]

Hi My family and I are thinking about doing an Italy Signature ABD? We have never been on an ABD! I'd love to know more about this from a traveler's perspective.

Why should I choose ABD? Is it geared more towards children (can't do an Adult's only but we don't have little children)? What are your thoughts on the Italy Signature.

I'd really appreciate people's opinions. Especially Pros and Cons of ABD and experiences from Italy Signature.

Thanks so much!

I haven't taken the Viva Italia trip, or the Signature version, but several of the activities from Viva Italia were included in the Med cruise ABD add-on I did. All I can really tell you is that Viva Italia is one of ABD's most popular itineraries, and the Signature version is the more "posh" version of it. I can't see how you could do wrong choosing that trip.

As for why choose ABD -- you'll find threads about this strewn throughout this Forum. We get asked this a lot! I would not say the trips are "geared more towards children". I'm single, and have no kids, and *LOVE* ABD. What ABD's are, is *inclusive* of children. So, if you do have kids, there are activities designed for them to participate in (sometimes separate from the Adult activities). And the Guides are well equipped in dealing with kids and keeping the kids engaged. The Adults Only trips are mostly the exact same itinerary & activities as the "normal" ABD's, just without the kid-specific separate activities (Junior Adventurer activities). And, occasionally, a more adult restaurant thrown in, or something like that.

A lot of the time, you get front-of-the-line access with ABD, bypassing some serious wait times. And you get access to some activities you just can't arrange on your own. The Disney name opens a lot of doors.

The ABD Guides are magnificent, and really are the piece that sets ABD above most other tour companies. You get 2 Guides per trip, and those Guides are amazingly well trained, and just are the cream of the crop personality & skill-wise. They really know how to make your trip special and go smoothly, but they're never more valuable than when things *don't* go right. Half the time, you'll never know when that is, because they are so great at making things happen seamlessly.

I say go for it!

Hopefully you'll hear more from folks who have actually taken the Signature trip.

Sayhello

 

[abdgeek]

I'm a DVC member and have done the ABD Mediterranean Cruise Add-on(7 day) and just finished the Greek ABD trip. ABD is concierge travel at its best and I travel with them for the following reasons:

1) I usually travel overseas alone and feel comfortable knowing that all I have to do is show up with ABD and everything is taken care of. I don't worry about my luggage, or anything else when I'm with them. All of the ABD trips I have been on have had kids and you really don't know they are there. ABD has activities that they do with them and the adults just naturally bond together and the kids bond together. Most of the kids on the trip are seasoned international travelers, so they are more mature than the average kid you meet.

2) ABD allows me to see all of the major sites in whatever city we are visiting and gives us front of the line access. When we went to the Vatican, the line wrapped around the block to St. Peter's Square. However, ABD walked to the front of the line and went right in. We were delayed getting to our hotel in Crete because they changed the ferry time on our Greek ABD. Not to worry, when we got to the hotel around midnight, they had welcome drinks for us and whisked us to our rooms right away. Our luggage arrived about 5 minutes later. Most people on the ferry trip got sick and the guides arranged for us to use clean bathrooms after we disembarked. I'm pretty sure they opened the ferry terminal just for us because we were the only one's there.

3) Disney has a very high expectation of its cast members and it shows in the level of service they provide. I never feel like an outsider when I travel with them even though I travel alone.

I know ABD seems expensive, but you have to look at what you're getting. Once you do one trip with ABD, you won't travel with anyone else!

 

[abdgeek]

I forgot to add before that ABD is about experiences. I haven't seen any other tour group that takes you to a destination and allows you to experience it the way ABD does.

In Naples, we made pizza--on the island of Capri, we swam in the Mediterranean Sea.

In Greece, we made cheese, the kids made tsaziki(sp?) and cheese pies, we learned how to do Greek dances, made worry beads, rode donkeys to the town of Oia, and swam in the Aegan and Mediterranean Seas just to name a few things. We not only learned the history of Greece, we learned about and me the people also. That's what makes ABD different.