Scotland Meets Thread (formerly Scotland: A Brave Adventure)

[SingingMom]

Wow. I am really surprised about the reports regarding this trip! I feel terribly for the people that had less than a perfectly magical trip!

Our experience last year was beyond amazing, which made it very easy to decide to take another adventure this year. We leave tomorrow for Germany. We had considered Scotland, but decided on Germany. I hope we enjoy it as much as London and Paris last year.

I am sorry to hear some of the guides were not up to par with guests' expectations. We adored our guides, including the two that were "in training" and keep in touch with all four of them.

I hope future Scotland trips go more smoothly for all traveling soon!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[tufbuf]

When you pay $5000 or more per person for a trip, the kinks should already be worked out. Sometimes there are unexpected and unavoidable issues, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. I don't know what has happened to ABD this year, but they need to get their act together.

Could it be the change in management? They have a new VP earlier this year, I wonder?....

 

[Calfan]

On a more pleasant note, our box arrived!

Exciting! We did not get ours. Maybe tomorrow.

 

[calypso726]

Are there any whisky aficionados here? I'd like to bring back a couple of bottles of whisky made in Scotland that cannot be obtained here in the US as a souvenir for my dad and brother. Any recommendations on brands that would fill the bill?

 

[Miss SD]

Are there any whisky aficionados here? I'd like to bring back a couple of bottles of whisky made in Scotland that cannot be obtained here in the US as a souvenir for my dad and brother. Any recommendations on brands that would fill the bill?

Hi, calypso,

I'm not a whisky drinker, but my husband is and he enjoyed the whisky tasting at the hotel in Portree. The man who conducted the tasting would probably be able to offer up some suggestions. Ask you dad and brother which type of whisky they prefer (peaty vs. lightly smoked, etc.), and I think he'd be able to help you.

 

[Roo's Kanga]

Hello, for those of you who have been on this trip already, can you please tell me how the day at Loch Ness went? I am taking my son on this trip in June 2014 (he will be 7). I have already called and talked to ABD about his age and I know that he will be too young to go canoeing on Loch Ness (kids have to be 8). We will have to take the boat tour instead (which is fine because I'm not into canoes all that much). Did any of you take the boat tour? And how was lunch and the visitor's center? Was there a good view of the Loch from Urquhart Castle? My son is completely fascinated with finding the Loch Ness monster.

Also, on how many occasions did you get to see any type of animal? He loves all furry critters, great and small. Sheep dogs, horses, etc.

Thanks!

 

[calypso726]

Update:

Bruce returned my call today and had also read the e-mail I sent. He is just the nicest man and so passionate about ABD that I really hated being the bearer of concerns on such negative feedback. I was so hoping my next communication to him would be, “This trip was AWESOME!” Suffice it to say he addressed my concerns regarding the feedback here and once again I am looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. I will share some of what we discussed here, going by memory as I generally don’t take notes when chatting on the phone

Apparently not every international trip has an ABD guide from that country as one of the two ABD guides. I did not know this. However, our local guides are from the areas we will be visiting and include a blue badge guide which is the cream of the crop, an expert on Lochness and Nessie, guides who were born and raised on the isles we will be visiting, etc. The local guides are great story tellers and happy to answer questions or discuss history, local stories etc. Bruce told me a bit about each of the local guides we will get to meet and while I don’t remember which detail goes with which guide I was most enchanted throughout the telling and hearing about them and am quite excited to meet them. I must say Bruce is quite gifted when it comes to painting a picture for you with his words. I apologize that I lack the same talent.

One of the ABD guides on our August 4th trip is also Disneyland VIP guide to the high profile celebrities when they bring their families. The other I have seen mentioned as an excellent ABD guide here on the DIS. I am assured that both are committed to excellence we have all come to expect regarding the overall amazing reputation that ABD guides as a general rule have earned for themselves.

During one of the previous ABD trips a guest slipped during the Staffin Beach stroll. Due to the tide moving in and out at times some of the rocks one is walking upon may be covered in slippery slime since those rock are normally submerged and now are exposed. It was decided not to be very safe. I noticed it was removed from next year’s itinerary. The stroll was swapped for a much nicer area and view that we will get to experience. I forgot exactly where but the view sounds breathtaking.

Changes made on the itinerary with regards to lunch in various locations were for a much better in terms of quality and comfort experience. What was on the itinerary was laid for me in detail and compared to the new change. Part of it had me LOL but I am glad to know the change was made and it sounds truly for the better.

Those of us who do not get to have our farewell dinner in Edinburgh castle will be getting a 90 minute tour of Edinburgh castle, during the late afternoon of day 2. If memory serves correctly that tour will be with a blue badge guide but don’t hold me to that I may be remembering that part wrong. The guide not the length of the tour. So, now I don’t have to go book a separate private tour for Edinburgh Castle on my pre-trip. I already cancelled the Hairy Coo tour I had planned but maybe I will go to Stirling Castle instead.

That is most of what I remember from our conversation. I can tell you with absolute honesty that I am no longer freaking out wondering if booking this might have been a mistake. I am once again super excited to go on this trip and I know we will have an amazing time!

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Thank you so much for posting, Calypso! That is so so great to hear. I'm bummed about the beach stroll, but hopefully the other place will be just as scenic. Glad to hear that the tour of Edinburgh Castle is 1.5 hours and presumably beyond just the jewels for those of us not having our Farewell dinner there. Great news about the guides as well. I'm crossing my fingers that this trip is everything I hoped it would be when I booked. Still no box here for us, but I'm watching the door We used a travel agent (dreams) so maybe it will be later . . .

 

[JLoane]

Wow! Count me among the disheartened to hear about the less-than-magical adventure that some have encountered. Our Enchanted China trip three years ago ran like clockwork and our guides were unbelievably warm, friendly, and incredibly professional. I completely agree that for the cost of an adventure, everyone has the right to expect that kind of service on every trip. That's why we book with Adventures by Disney! I feel horrible for those who experienced the issues mentioned in earlier posts, and sincerely hope that future Brave Adventures get back to ABD standards!

Edit--I just read Calypso's latest post and it seems that the concerns expressed are being addressed. Thank goodness!!

 

[Calfan]

Update:

Bruce returned my call today and had also read the e-mail I sent. He is just the nicest man and so passionate about ABD that I really hated being the bearer of concerns on such negative feedback. I was so hoping my next communication to him would be, “This trip was AWESOME!” Suffice it to say he addressed my concerns regarding the feedback here and once again I am looking forward to the trip of a lifetime. I will share some of what we discussed here, going by memory as I generally don’t take notes when chatting on the phone

Apparently not every international trip has an ABD guide from that country as one of the two ABD guides. I did not know this. However, our local guides are from the areas we will be visiting and include a blue badge guide which is the cream of the crop, an expert on Lochness and Nessie, guides who were born and raised on the isles we will be visiting, etc. The local guides are great story tellers and happy to answer questions or discuss history, local stories etc. Bruce told me a bit about each of the local guides we will get to meet and while I don’t remember which detail goes with which guide I was most enchanted throughout the telling and hearing about them and am quite excited to meet them. I must say Bruce is quite gifted when it comes to painting a picture for you with his words. I apologize that I lack the same talent.

One of the ABD guides on our August 4th trip is also Disneyland VIP guide to the high profile celebrities when they bring their families. The other I have seen mentioned as an excellent ABD guide here on the DIS. I am assured that both are committed to excellence we have all come to expect regarding the overall amazing reputation that ABD guides as a general rule have earned for themselves.

During one of the previous ABD trips a guest slipped during the Staffin Beach stroll. Due to the tide moving in and out at times some of the rocks one is walking upon may be covered in slippery slime since those rock are normally submerged and now are exposed. It was decided not to be very safe. I noticed it was removed from next year’s itinerary. The stroll was swapped for a much nicer area and view that we will get to experience. I forgot exactly where but the view sounds breathtaking.

Changes made on the itinerary with regards to lunch in various locations were for a much better in terms of quality and comfort experience. What was on the itinerary was laid for me in detail and compared to the new change. Part of it had me LOL but I am glad to know the change was made and it sounds truly for the better.

Those of us who do not get to have our farewell dinner in Edinburgh castle will be getting a 90 minute tour of Edinburgh castle, during the late afternoon of day 2. If memory serves correctly that tour will be with a blue badge guide but don’t hold me to that I may be remembering that part wrong. The guide not the length of the tour. So, now I don’t have to go book a separate private tour for Edinburgh Castle on my pre-trip. I already cancelled the Hairy Coo tour I had planned but maybe I will go to Stirling Castle instead.

That is most of what I remember from our conversation. I can tell you with absolute honesty that I am no longer freaking out wondering if booking this might have been a mistake. I am once again super excited to go on this trip and I know we will have an amazing time!

Thank you so much for reaching out to Bruce and for this feedback. Since I have gotten the sense that your standards are pretty high (in a good way, LOL), I am very comforted by the fact that you were reassured by your conversation and are back to full excitement mode for this trip. It also sounds like our guides will be top-notch (and I'm assuming not the same as those that received the less-than-stellar feedback from previous travelers), so that is also reassuring. I also appreciate the info about the length of our Day 2 tour of Edinburgh Castle, since I was also wondering if we needed to try to do a more fulsome tour of the castle during one of our pre-days. Sounds like we don't need to worry about that. Now just hoping my box arrives today

 

[Calfan]

Thank you so much for posting, Calypso! That is so so great to hear. I'm bummed about the beach stroll, but hopefully the other place will be just as scenic. Glad to hear that the tour of Edinburgh Castle is 1.5 hours and presumably beyond just the jewels for those of us not having our Farewell dinner there. Great news about the guides as well. I'm crossing my fingers that this trip is everything I hoped it would be when I booked. Still no box here for us, but I'm watching the door We used a travel agent (dreams) so maybe it will be later . . .

Good point about Dreams and the boxes. Wonder if they go Dreams first and then to us? I'm still hoping we get it today or tomorrow. Might call on Monday (or check with Kevin at Dreams) if we don't get it by then.

 

[Miss SD]

Hello, for those of you who have been on this trip already, can you please tell me how the day at Loch Ness went? I am taking my son on this trip in June 2014 (he will be 7). I have already called and talked to ABD about his age and I know that he will be too young to go canoeing on Loch Ness (kids have to be 8). We will have to take the boat tour instead (which is fine because I'm not into canoes all that much). Did any of you take the boat tour? And how was lunch and the visitor's center? Was there a good view of the Loch from Urquhart Castle? My son is completely fascinated with finding the Loch Ness monster.

Also, on how many occasions did you get to see any type of animal? He loves all furry critters, great and small. Sheep dogs, horses, etc.

Thanks!

The day at Loch Ness was a lot of fun and the food at the cafe was delicious. In general, the food on this tour was excellent. I think I have to up my swimming regime to lose the pounds I gained.

We canoed, but we heard the boat tour was wonderful! We heard the boat captain kept everyone entertained with stories. The castle is on the loch, so you'll have a fine view.

FYI, the founder of the museum we visited (attached to the cafe) had lunch with us. This gentleman explored the loch and he also has stories to tell. A fellow adventurer had seen this man in a documentary about Loch Ness in the 1970s! Your son will love it!

 

[calypso726]

Thank you so much for posting, Calypso! That is so so great to hear. I'm bummed about the beach stroll, but hopefully the other place will be just as scenic. Glad to hear that the tour of Edinburgh Castle is 1.5 hours and presumably beyond just the jewels for those of us not having our Farewell dinner there. Great news about the guides as well. I'm crossing my fingers that this trip is everything I hoped it would be when I booked. Still no box here for us, but I'm watching the door We used a travel agent (dreams) so maybe it will be later . . .

Yes. Bruce specifically said I do not have to book a separate pre-tour to see all of Edinburgh Castle as we will get to explore every nook and cranny

We used Dreams too. I imagine your box should get there soon. The return address is Orlando, Florida and we live in Florida? So that is probably why we got it already.

Wow! Count me among the disheartened to hear about the less-than-magical adventure that some have encountered. Our Enchanted China trip three years ago ran like clockwork and our guides were unbelievably warm, friendly, and incredibly professional. I completely agree that for the cost of an adventure, everyone has the right to expect that kind of service on every trip. That's why we book with Adventures by Disney! I feel horrible for those who experienced the issues mentioned in earlier posts, and sincerely hope that future Brave Adventures get back to ABD standards!

Edit--I just read Calypso's latest post and it seems that the concerns expressed are being addressed. Thank goodness!!

I expect our trip will be very much like the one you experienced. We booked with ABD for the same reason.

Thank you so much for reaching out to Bruce and for this feedback. Since I have gotten the sense that your standards are pretty high (in a good way, LOL), I am very comforted by the fact that you were reassured by your conversation and are back to full excitement mode for this trip. It also sounds like our guides will be top-notch (and I'm assuming not the same as those that received the less-than-stellar feedback from previous travelers), so that is also reassuring. I also appreciate the info about the length of our Day 2 tour of Edinburgh Castle, since I was also wondering if we needed to try to do a more fulsome tour of the castle during one of our pre-days. Sounds like we don't need to worry about that. Now just hoping my box arrives today

LOL Well I'm no stranger to slumming it either. I recall a week during Mardi Gras in my early 20's and our sleeping accommodations were the rented Dodge Caravan we drove in from Florida, parked in a hotel parking garage I am really excited about the 90 minute tour of the castle.

 

[Roo's Kanga]

Thanks for the info, Miss SD!

I am picturing that older gentlemen in "The Waterhorse" telling the tale over lunch.

 

[Tozzie]

I have been trying very hard not to read this thread because I didn't want to hear anything before my trip and after reading the posts recently at the God awful ABD guides and the itinerary changes I was not a happy camper.

I have been aprehensive about this trip since shortly after booking it and now even after what calypso posted i am not looking forward to this trip at all. I have gotten very used to basic lip service from ABD and I do not believe a word of any executive of the company. What bothers me more than anything is the guides that you get on the August 4th trip may not be the guides I get on my tour in September and if I get the guides that yell well for the first time in my life I am dreading a trip instead of looking forward to it and this will be my 4th ABD.

 

[Bobo912]

I have been trying very hard not to read this thread because I didn't want to hear anything before my trip and after reading the posts recently at the God awful ABD guides and the itinerary changes I was not a happy camper.

I have been aprehensive about this trip since shortly after booking it and now even after what calypso posted i am not looking forward to this trip at all. I have gotten very used to basic lip service from ABD and I do not believe a word of any executive of the company. What bothers me more than anything is the guides that you get on the August 4th trip may not be the guides I get on my tour in September and if I get the guides that yell well for the first time in my life I am dreading a trip instead of looking forward to it and this will be my 4th ABD.

I am so angry about my recent experience with ABD, I would cancel the 2014 trip I've booked if I could get my money back. Once that trip is over, I don't plan to travel with them again.

 

[2BNDisney]

I have been trying very hard not to read this thread because I didn't want to hear anything before my trip and after reading the posts recently at the God awful ABD guides and the itinerary changes I was not a happy camper.

I have been aprehensive about this trip since shortly after booking it and now even after what calypso posted i am not looking forward to this trip at all. I have gotten very used to basic lip service from ABD and I do not believe a word of any executive of the company. What bothers me more than anything is the guides that you get on the August 4th trip may not be the guides I get on my tour in September and if I get the guides that yell well for the first time in my life I am dreading a trip instead of looking forward to it and this will be my 4th ABD.

Just wanted to say I had a super time on my very first ABD trip to Scotland and would do it all over again if there were not so many other places I wanted to visit. Hope you have a great time too and anyone else traveling here soon.

 

[Miss SD]

Thanks for the info, Miss SD!

I am picturing that older gentlemen in "The Waterhorse" telling the tale over lunch.

Here is a link showing the founder of the center who spoke with us (and answered questions!)
http://www.lochnessproject.org/USA LECTURE/adrian_shine_lectures 2013 .html

 

[calypso726]

I have been trying very hard not to read this thread because I didn't want to hear anything before my trip and after reading the posts recently at the God awful ABD guides and the itinerary changes I was not a happy camper.

I have been aprehensive about this trip since shortly after booking it and now even after what calypso posted i am not looking forward to this trip at all. I have gotten very used to basic lip service from ABD and I do not believe a word of any executive of the company. What bothers me more than anything is the guides that you get on the August 4th trip may not be the guides I get on my tour in September and if I get the guides that yell well for the first time in my life I am dreading a trip instead of looking forward to it and this will be my 4th ABD.

Tozzie, I would probably feel the same way you do right now had I not spoken to Bruce. Generally speaking I am skeptical when talking to any company executive and my motto is I'll believe it when I see it so put your money where your mouth is. As a rule I am not very easily placated with patronizing lip service, platitudes and bull spit. I have a background in sales and can smell it a mile away. I am the antithesis of non-confrontational and will happily argue the color of the sky if the whim strikes. I honestly believe Bruce's commitment to guest satisfaction. Each of my concerns was addressed.

I copied every negative comment on here regarding itinerary changes, ABD guide behavior, etc. and so forth leaving out any identifying information of the OP and e-mailed it to him as a list of my concerns. I can only imagine how he must have felt receiving that list Nonetheless despite the fact that I was completely freaked and a flat out told him I am seriously wondering if I made a huge mistake booking this trip he did not patronize me in the least. I would bet my last dime that everything I wrote was also shared with the guides whether or not I had reached out to him. As has been written many times before, ABD does read this forum. I hope this helps

 

[Tozzie]

Tozzie, I would probably feel the same way you do right now had I not spoken to Bruce. Generally speaking I am skeptical when talking to any company executive and my motto is I'll believe it when I see it so put your money where your mouth is. As a rule I am not very easily placated with patronizing lip service, platitudes and bull spit. I have a background in sales and can smell it a mile away. I am the antithesis of non-confrontational and will happily argue the color of the sky if the whim strikes. I honestly believe Bruce's commitment to guest satisfaction. Each of my concerns was addressed.

I copied every negative comment on here regarding itinerary changes, ABD guide behavior, etc. and so forth leaving out any identifying information of the OP and e-mailed it to him as a list of my concerns. I can only imagine how he must have felt receiving that list Nonetheless despite the fact that I was completely freaked and a flat out told him I am seriously wondering if I made a huge mistake booking this trip he did not patronize me in the least. I would bet my last dime that everything I wrote was also shared with the guides whether or not I had reached out to him. As has been written many times before, ABD does read this forum. I hope this helps

Thank you, I know that I have to go with a positive attitude otherwise I will see fault if there is none and I appreciate you taking the time not only to address my post but to address the concerns of everyone. I have 2 months to get past this and I admittidly have been having a rotten week and that may also be contributing to my feelings. I also think they may have sent the Disneyland guide over there to straighten things out because maybe they did take the feedback to heart. I will work on getting past these feelings and have a positive attitude for the trip.