So angry with ABD right now

[Rapunzellover]

Okay, so i have to rant.

I booked rome short escape and Italy amalfi for 2019. But due to my back acting up, i couldn't do my Tauck Portugal trip, so I'm making that my Europe trip and will go back to Italy in 2020. I call ABD to change ressies to the Boston and New York short escapes. I tell vacationista i want the free pre night early booking promo. Am told it's only good on new ressies. I ask for supervisor, because this is nonsense. Supervisor says he'll check and let me know, but that promo spaces are limited. Wouldn't i rather make a new ressie? I say nope, let me speak to your supervisor. He says they aren't in. During open hours, on the first day of ressies for new trips. I have to wait. Plus, these supervisors don't talk to customers, and he has to go to them for me. ***?

So i tell him this is {profanity removed by admin} customer service. He threatens to hang up. I'm now frustrated to the point of tears. I tell him if I'm treating him poorly it's cause I'm getting treated poorly. I have spent 10s of thousands of dollars and deserve not to be nickel and dimed like this.

I think that once I'm done with these ressies, I might be done with ABD. This is not premium customer service or product. So disappointed.

 

[lpm23]

I tried to fight the same fight over getting early bird pricing when I was using a placeholder. i went several rounds on this and never got anywhere. unfortunately it is written into all the fine print that a placeholder is not a new reservation. good luck!

 

[Rapunzellover]

It's absurd. These short escapes came out after main 2019 openings. Naturally, folks might want to change if you open other trips for 2019. It's horrible treatment. I'll be damned if I'll pay for a new ressie. That's bunk, as I would've originally booked these in the first place if they and the promo had been there. If they don't budge on this, I'm done. I'll switch to 2020 Rome and Amalfi and that's it.

 

[sayhello]

Unfortunately, I've heard of multiple people who were told exactly this. A placeholder is not a new reservation, so any promotions that say "new reservations only" are not available to folks with a placeholder. It seems petty to me. But I'm assuming they're trying to discourage people from doing a lot of placeholders like they do for DCL.

Sayhello

 

[Rapunzellover]

Yeah, I've been told it before too, when i transferred my london/paris and france adventures from 2017 to 2018. But these are trips for the same year, that should've already been out. As i said above,if these itineraries and promotion had been out with the other 2019 dates, i would've booked them to start with.

I'm not gonna get shafted cause ABD didn't have their stuff together to roll all 2019 out at once. I'll stop giving my dollars if they care that little about me.

 

[carpenta]

With Tauck you usually get "the gift of time" which ensures a free pre or post night hotel stay. Look elsewhere.

 

[Rapunzellover]

With Tauck you usually get "the gift of time" which ensures a free pre or post night hotel stay. Look elsewhere.

is that just bridges trips? or all?

 

[kristilew]

is that just bridges trips? or all?

All Tauck, once you’ve done one

We are also about done with ABD, after our Iceland trip. We have a Tauck river cruise booked for next year, our second, and very happy to be using our gift of time prenight. This was automatically added for us, because unlike Disney, Tauck remembers that we have traveled with them before. Every one of my ABDs has resulted in a “welcome to ABD, now you’re an Insider!” email.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

I so feel your pain. I had to change the date for our ABD China due to my dd's school schedule (which hadn't been posted when ABD released the tour dates). Due to their dynamic pricing the trip had gone up another $1,500.00pp when I needed to change the dates. I pleaded with them to waive this charge but they wouldn't budge. Not the same situation, but another example of how they don't seem to value their repeat customers.

In contrast when I cancelled our A&K Antarctica cruise last year (not for a valid reason -- I didn't want to miss the holidays with my family), A&K's policy stated that I would lose $1,000.00pp. However they refunded the full amount and said "we hope that you will travel with us again". Now THAT'S customer service! And I am travelling with them this year!

I have mentioned this before -- my interest in ABD is waning. I am very excited for the Japan trip (I think the itinerary is amazing) and I also booked Machu Picchu with them for December, 2019. Not sure what, if anything, I will book with ABD after that. We want to go to Morocco and we are going back to Africa in 2020 -- which I much prefer to do on my own.

 

[laceltris3]

Stories like these are why I only consider ABD when there are no other options, or I am *really* certain we will be taking the trip. And I can get day 1 pricing with the early booking "discount". Otherwise I won't even consider it.

I am pretty sure they won't cancel our river cruise sailing, they are probably just more likely to drop it back down to opening day prices a few months out to fill the ship. And I would do BSM, but I just find their policies and service to be lacking relative to their competition.

 

[Calfan]

I also feel a little bit of your pain. When we originally booked BSM, it was with an early booking discount. Lost that when we had to switch dates. No amount of *suggesting* to ABD that this was still a new booking would budge them. We finally did BSM last month, and it was fantastic, but barring something very unexpected, that was also our last ABD (of 4 total). Aside from strongly preferring a smaller group size, I just find ABD's loyalty program to be far inferior to those from Nat Geo, Thomson, Austin Adventures, Nat Hab, you name it. And seeing more and more meals not included in ABD itineraries and a lot of OYO time is just reinforcing that ABD is not the best fit for us anymore...

 

[scottmel]

yep! I ranted about this maybe 6 months ago? There I was booked on San Fran Long weekend, debated cancelling and was told by ABD no problem at all to halt it until next summer. NEVER was it told to me about the nonsense of new vs old booking. Heck I would have taken it then and I lost my ABD insider discount too. So fast forward a year I am ready to take another trip nope so sorry you can't have the early booking discount b/c you already preexist.

The guy then tells me he finds it hard to believe I am allowing 600.00 to come between me and a dream ABD trip. I tell him no actually that is Disney doing that not me.

That was it. NEver looked back. New dates don't work. I am ok losing that 600considering I am saving THOUSANDs but not going and doing another trip entirely that is of more interest to me.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I have mentioned this before -- my interest in ABD is waning. I am very excited for the Japan trip (I think the itinerary is amazing) and I also booked Machu Picchu with them for December, 2019. Not sure what, if anything, I will book with ABD after that. We want to go to Morocco and we are going back to Africa in 2020 -- which I much prefer to do on my own.

Stories like these are why I only consider ABD when there are no other options, or I am *really* certain we will be taking the trip. And I can get day 1 pricing with the early booking "discount". Otherwise I won't even consider it.

Aside from strongly preferring a smaller group size, I just find ABD's loyalty program to be far inferior to those from Nat Geo, Thomson, Austin Adventures, Nat Hab, you name it. And seeing more and more meals not included in ABD itineraries and a lot of OYO time is just reinforcing that ABD is not the best fit for us anymore...

You guys have summed it up so well for me as well. My interest in ABD has definitely wanted. Some of the reports of the large group issues on the Iceland trip sound horribly reminiscent of @Calfan and our ABD Baltic Add on "experience" with 49. Shudder! I'm still traumatized by that, LOL. I think there was also a recent add-on or extended weekend trip with 47 that I read about. That's just unacceptable and an absolutely crime at the prices we are paying for these trips. My recent experiences with other operators have reinforced my belief that ABD does not have a lock on excellent guides, "tinker bell" luggage service, and extra touches that I've come to love so much in our trips. We've had some excellent ABD trips (China and the original Scotland), and I'm hoping Japan is like those. Otherwise I suspect it will be our last. I really wish ABD would listen to their former travelers, but they seem not to care too much about fostering repeat customers and good word of mouth. I used to be a huge cheerleader for them to anyone who would listen, but now my enthusiasm is much more tempered and filled with all kinds of advisories about their unfriendly policies, group sizes, etc.

 

[sayhello]

You guys have summed it up so well for me as well. My interest in ABD has definitely wanted. Some of the reports of the large group issues on the Iceland trip sound horribly reminiscent of @Calfan and our ABD Baltic Add on "experience" with 49. Shudder! I'm still traumatized by that, LOL. I think there was also a recent add-on or extended weekend trip with 47 that I read about. That's just unacceptable and an absolutely crime at the prices we are paying for these trips. My recent experiences with other operators have reinforced my belief that ABD does not have a lock on excellent guides, "tinker bell" luggage service, and extra touches that I've come to love so much in our trips. We've had some excellent ABD trips (China and the original Scotland), and I'm hoping Japan is like those. Otherwise I suspect it will be our last. I really wish ABD would listen to their former travelers, but they seem not to care too much about fostering repeat customers and good word of mouth. I used to be a huge cheerleader for them to anyone who would listen, but now my enthusiasm is much more tempered and filled with all kinds of advisories about their unfriendly policies, group sizes, etc.

I'm not quite there yet (my last ABD) but I'm heading in that direction. If I didn't already have Japan booked for next year, I would be seriously considering Hawaii or some other vacation for 2019. And you know me. I was a cheerleader extraordinaire for ABD. But Iceland is coming close to being the last straw. It was a fabulous itinerary (as far as the activities were concerned) and Iceland itself is amazing, but first and foremost, we had too many people on this trip. And unlike the weather, that *IS* something that Disney can control. The infrastructure just was not there for a group of our size. It made for a huge waste of time throughout the trip and affected the camaraderie of the group. For a while, I was seriously considering canceling the Japan trip, because I know it's got a full 40 people. I'm just hoping Japan is more compatible with a group of 40 than Iceland was. I was thinking to do something else in 2019, and then do Japan in 2020, but while there might be less people, chances are good that there would also be less meals included and more OYO time. That's been the pattern with ABD for a while. And I don't like that pattern. I still haven't quite committed to Japan. I haven't purchased my flights yet, and I normally would have by now. It really makes me sad to have to contemplate these kinds of things with ABD, but I do now. I don't jump on posts anymore where people ask if ABD is worth it and praise ABD to the skies. Because there are a lot of things wrong with their business model right now. I still think it's a great product, but it's being diluted more and more. And that makes me SO sad.

Sayhello

 

[Rake 08]

We feel the same way, ABD appears to be in a charge more, provide less phase. Going forward we'll only consider Dis-exclusive trips, they still seem to be able to get more out of ABD.

 

[RSM]

I'm just hoping Japan is more compatible with a group of 40 than Iceland was.

Sayhello--IMHO, I couldn't imagine doing the bigger cities in Japan in a large group. When we were in Tokyo, our group took the metro everywhere as we were going from one side of the city to the other. It's doable in a small group, but not sure how a large group would handle it. If you tried to get across the city in a bus, it could take 60-75 minutes depending on traffic. It can just make for a long day sitting on a bus going from place to place. Of course, if timing is right you may miss the heavy traffic. Hopefully, ABD has that worked out. I'd also think in a number of places that you'll be told about the area, then set free to explore on your own with a time to meet back. Trying to lead a group of 35 or 40 through some of the smaller alley ways and even some the major sites that get crowded like the torii gates would be really difficult. It will probably work out fine, but after spending a couple of weeks in Japan (during the tourist season), it just would seem like it would not be efficient and frustrating in a large group.

 

[twentyco]

I have not done as many trips as most folks on here (just 1 ABD), but I think this is an issue not just with ABD, but with Disney in general. It feels like they are trying to squeeze every last dime out of every single experience, whether it is ABD, the theme parks, etc. For now I have stopped giving them my money. I was going to take a two week trip (either WDW or ABD) in 2019 to celebrate my birthday, and have now decided that someone else will get my 15k (or whatever). We are taking a big family trip next summer to celebrate DD’s high school graduation, and did not even consider a Disney product. It’s sad, because like so many here, I have been a die hard Disney fan for a very long time. But I don’t like to be nickel and dimed, or herded around in large groups, or ... They think they can get away with it because of the Disney name, and maybe they will, but they are losing lots of long time, loyal customers in the process.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

I'm not quite there yet (my last ABD) but I'm heading in that direction. If I didn't already have Japan booked for next year, I would be seriously considering Hawaii or some other vacation for 2019. And you know me. I was a cheerleader extraordinaire for ABD. But Iceland is coming close to being the last straw. It was a fabulous itinerary (as far as the activities were concerned) and Iceland itself is amazing, but first and foremost, we had too many people on this trip. And unlike the weather, that *IS* something that Disney can control. The infrastructure just was not there for a group of our size. It made for a huge waste of time throughout the trip and affected the camaraderie of the group. For a while, I was seriously considering canceling the Japan trip, because I know it's got a full 40 people. I'm just hoping Japan is more compatible with a group of 40 than Iceland was. I was thinking to do something else in 2019, and then do Japan in 2020, but while there might be less people, chances are good that there would also be less meals included and more OYO time. That's been the pattern with ABD for a while. And I don't like that pattern. I still haven't quite committed to Japan. I haven't purchased my flights yet, and I normally would have by now. It really makes me sad to have to contemplate these kinds of things with ABD, but I do now. I don't jump on posts anymore where people ask if ABD is worth it and praise ABD to the skies. Because there are a lot of things wrong with their business model right now. I still think it's a great product, but it's being diluted more and more. And that makes me SO sad.

Sayhello

I am right there with you in it making me sad. I think that ABD was special product in the early days, and it definitely still has its bright spots (i.e. China--and, I hope, Japan), but those bright spots seem to be the exception rather than the norm lately for me. I look at the itineraries very very carefully now, whereas I used to just assume that the trips would have enough specialness/value to be worth the high cost. The product is definitely being diluted more and more--the new long weekend trips are an example of that to me. The profit ABD must be making on trips like that is staggering, and the refusal to limit the group size is really frustrating. Other companies make money with far less people. It reeks of greed to me.

 

[sayhello]

Sayhello--IMHO, I couldn't imagine doing the bigger cities in Japan in a large group. When we were in Tokyo, our group took the metro everywhere as we were going from one side of the city to the other. It's doable in a small group, but not sure how a large group would handle it. If you tried to get across the city in a bus, it could take 60-75 minutes depending on traffic. It can just make for a long day sitting on a bus going from place to place. Of course, if timing is right you may miss the heavy traffic. Hopefully, ABD has that worked out. I'd also think in a number of places that you'll be told about the area, then set free to explore on your own with a time to meet back. Trying to lead a group of 35 or 40 through some of the smaller alley ways and even some the major sites that get crowded like the torii gates would be really difficult. It will probably work out fine, but after spending a couple of weeks in Japan (during the tourist season), it just would seem like it would not be efficient and frustrating in a large group.

Sayhello

 

[scottmel]

Here is what is ironic. For the last 21 years, I have visited DL and WDW FAITHULLY every year and sprinked in a few ABD's as of late. This past summer we visited Hawaii for the first time and stayed at the most luxurious resort - Halekalani in Waikiki. It was EVERYTHING a 600 a night resort should be. Made Disney pale. We went to Aulani the second half of the trip and it was SO NOT US.
This up and coming summer we are headed by to Halekalani and this is the FIRST VACATION in 20 years Disney is not getting 10 cents. It is the beginning of a whole new world for me honestly...It is like I was lulled into believing they were the best and OMG my eyes were opened. Having said THAT I am returning to WDW next month for a cheap/quick trip but not for my big 2 week summer trip that I go all out on. Nope that money is being diverted elsewhere.