Tell me why you love ABD

[WebmasterPete]

Hey Folks,

I need some feedback for an article I'm writing about ABD. Please tell me why you love ABD and what sets it apart from other vacations and / or tour companies. Also, if there's something you don't like about ABD or you feel could be done better, I'd like to hear that as well.

Thanks!

Pete

 

[Tozzie]

Hey Folks,

I need some feedback for an article I'm writing about ABD. Please tell me why you love ABD and what sets it apart from other vacations and / or tour companies. Also, if there's something you don't like about ABD or you feel could be done better, I'd like to hear that as well.

Thanks!

Pete

The Good:The Service

Two guides, having the two guides means one is always around to ask questions or help if you need it.

The small touches, the picture postcards, the things the guides remember and make sure you have, for example, I am a soda junkie, at one meal on my last trip the only beverages that were served was water and I think iced tea and fruit punch, all of a sudden I am eating and a bottle of soda appeared, that may seem like nothing to some but I enjoyed my meal better because of the soda, not just the soda but the gude remembered. The guides also look out for you and make sure everything is ok. The guides are familiar with the region and able to help you out with things to do in your free time.

The VIP access so you don't have to wait in long lines.

The fact I don't have to think!!! Seriously I have a high stress job and being told to just show up somewhere and for the 7,8 or 9 days I just have to show up and have a great time.

The Bad:

The Food, this is an area ABD needs to improve in, some of the food is fastastic and then some of it well lets just say leaves a lot to be desired. I got a survey after my trip last year and there were a lot of questions about the food. I was lucky the last night last year we had to order ahead and I ordered the kids meal because I didn't like the two choices for the adult meal. One lunch there were no choices and I really didn't eat. The breakfast buffets were hit or miss, mainly the eggs were undercooked and so was the bacon, and I realize that is not ABD's fault but it isn't a great way to start the day either.

The incentives they offer, 2 years in a row I booked my trip early and then three months later they come out with a great incentive that I am not elegible for. They need to re think how they treat their loyal customers because I will not be booking early this year due to what they did this year.

I wil probably think of more things but that is it for now

 

[minnie74]

I am eagerly awaiting my first ABD (Germany) in July. I already appreciate ABD for several reasons. 1) I do not need to be concerned about how my luggage will be transported throughout my trip - this means less stress and less $, as tips for luggage service is included 2) Their willingness to make stops at destinations that other tour groups do not - I spent a lot of time researching the best way to travel along the Fairytale Route, and ABD was the only one that spent days instead of hours in some of the best towns (i.e. Rothenburg). 3)VIP service - I'm looking forward to not having to spend hours researching where to go, how to obtain tickets, ticket prices, etc. for attractions

I really feel like I can just show up at the appropriate airport by the specified arrival time, and ABD will take care of the rest! I also feel an added sense of security/safety with a reputable company such as Disney involved.

 

[sayhello]

OK, I may repeat some of what Tozzie says, but I just wanted to start out by saying I agree with everything she said!

Good:

First and foremost are the Adventure Guides. They really, REALLY know what it takes to make a trip seamless and effortless (for us) and special and just plain enjoyable. When I think about the ABD's I've taken (3 so far!) besides the wonderful places I've seen, one of the first things I think about is how fabulous the Guides were. I agree that having 2 of them is a serious plus. During hikes one can lead, the other can follow up behind with the slow folks. One can go inside with folks, and the other can stay outside for a bit taking folks' pictures. Plus, the interaction between the 2 Guides just adds to the atmosphere, because they are friendly & happy & joke with each other, etc. The one trip where the Guides didn't quite have the best interaction, I really missed it.

The Guides will also go above & beyond some times, helping to arrange extra activities or dinner reservations. I have some serious dietary issues (diabetic, reflux) and the Guides are FABULOUS about making sure that there is food that fits my diet. I can't do tomatoes or barbeque sauce. On SWS, one meal was, basically, a barbeque, and all the meats were slathered in barbeque sauce. Our guide went & talked to the servers, and out came a platter of all of the meats with no sauce on them. My doctor has me eating a cup of plain yogurt a day. In Alaska, the Guides bought yogurt & kept it refrigerated for me, so I had it every day. On SWS, they made sure each hotel had the yogurt for me at breakfast. Red Cliffs Lodge did not until the last day, and the Guides felt so bad about it, they bought me a bottle of wine as an apology! I knew it wasn't their fault, but they felt responsible. It's nice to have someone looking out for you (ESPECIALLY because I travel solo). I was amazed at how the Guides in the Med managed to get me food at every port that didn't have tomatoes in it (no mean trick in the Med!).

Not having to worry (or in some cases, even think much). I'm with Tozzie. I have to think & plan & worry at work every day, and it is just so relaxing NOT HAVING TO while on vacation. The logistics are all taken care of for you. The biggest decision is "where am I going to eat during our free time?" And the Guides can help you with that, too! Transportation is all taken care of. Show up when you're supposed to, and you will be taken where you need to go. Get there, and a local guide is waiting there for you. Don't worry about tickets to get into places, any sort of admission, tips for local guides, etc, etc. Oh, and it's MAGIC!, but your luggage shows up at your hotel without you having to shlep it!

VIP Access. Not having to wait & stand in line is a tremendous bonus. Plus, ABD gets you into places & doing things that you just couldn't arrange on your own. Meals on small farms. The Alaska SeaLife museum after hours for a pizza party. Early entrance onto the boat for our Kenai penninsula tour, so that we got choice seats. The Disney name does carry weight.

All the little touches. I love the boxes ABD sends out 45 days before your trip. I know it's silly, but I adore the little countdown calendar they send out. I tack it up in my cubicle at work, and cross off each day of the last month leading up to my trip. It really helps with the excitement. The Theme that each day has. It's really a great way to start up the discussion of where we're headed for the day. And the daily pins that match the theme. What a great touch! The ABD logo stuff they give you (I still wish they did T-shirts!)

OK, this may not be a big deal for everyone, but I love that the Guides already know where all the bathrooms are throughout the day, and make sure you get a chance to use them. It's built into the travel time. This was especially important in the Med. I've wasted a lot of time on vacation hunting down bathrooms. It's one less thing to worry about.

The activities. I really love the mix of things that ABD has set up for you to do. There's a lot of walking around/sightseeing, time to look around museums, active things, restful things, just a really nice mix. I can't think of a single activity on an ABD that I didn't like. And they are flexible enough to find alternatives if there is something you don't want (or can't) participate in.



The Bad:

Gotta agree with Tozzie again. The food. The meals seem aimed at the lowest common denominator. More on the bland side. A bit generic rather than truly the food of the region. If I'm traveling somewhere, I'd rather have local food than stuff that looks like what I eat back in Ohio. I realize they have to cater to a lot of folks from a lot of places (and probably some picky kids), but I wish there was an option to get something more authentic. I think a few of the trips do this (like Peru and the Med cruise add-on) but I think most do not.

And the lack of a loyalty program kind of bites. They really seem to not care if people come back or not, as far as their booking & pricing seems concerned. I'm going on my 4th ABD, and as far as booking goes, there's no difference between me and a first-timer. You get an extra pin, but that's about it.

There's really very little advantage to booking early. As Tozzie said, a lot of the incentives & special offers come out months after the trips are announced, and if you've already booked, you're out of luck. With the non-refundable deposit, you're kind of stuck if better pricing or great incentives come out.

Some people would say that the price is a Bad, but I believe you get what you pay for. Yes, of course it would be nice to get an ABD for less, but I believe that they are worth the price. You really get that extra service, inventive itineraries and just Disney quality that you wouldn't get with a cheaper company. I'm willing to pay a bit more to get a seamless, engaging trip. And while I can, I will.

If I think of more, I'll be back!

Sayhello

 

[Pakey]

We have gone with AbD and another higher end tour operator. We are adults only so I cannot address the child-friendly factor that I'm sure AbD does better than anyone else.

Both had 2 guides. Both sent pre-packages. Both had little touches throughout the trip. Both had VIP access. Neither had a rewards/loyalty program.

Since both trips were 2 very different locations it's hard to compare but in our experience, AbD guides were not as good as the other operator's. With both companies, the guides would do anything and everything to please the guests but the knowledge of the country we were visiting was definitely stronger with the other operator.

What AbD had that was better was the pictures and the DVD at the end. And being a Disney freak, I did love the pins.

Where AbD really lacked was the food. It's the only reason I am hesitant to book another and why I'm staying with the other operator. With the other operator, we were definitely eating local foods, nothing was bland. While they were willing to cater to individual needs (in my case, no meat), the food choices at every meal were better than any one meal we had on our AbD trip.

 

[Bobo912]

We have gone with AbD and another higher end tour operator. We are adults only so I cannot address the child-friendly factor that I'm sure AbD does better than anyone else.

Both had 2 guides. Both sent pre-packages. Both had little touches throughout the trip. Both had VIP access. Neither had a rewards/loyalty program.

Since both trips were 2 very different locations it's hard to compare but in our experience, AbD guides were not as good as the other operator's. With both companies, the guides would do anything and everything to please the guests but the knowledge of the country we were visiting was definitely stronger with the other operator.

What AbD had that was better was the pictures and the DVD at the end. And being a Disney freak, I did love the pins.

Where AbD really lacked was the food. It's the only reason I am hesitant to book another and why I'm staying with the other operator. With the other operator, we were definitely eating local foods, nothing was bland. While they were willing to cater to individual needs (in my case, no meat), the food choices at every meal were better than any one meal we had on our AbD trip.

Pakey, didn't you receive the booking discount from Lindblad that was good for 3 years after your trip? We received a snail mail about a week after we returned. I have to agree the food was much better on our Lindblad trip, as well.

Sorry for getting a bit off topic.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I just wrote this yesterday in response to a question in a Peru thread, but I think it is responsive to your question too:

When our DS was in middle school, we decided to start traveling to show him and his younger sister the world--and went to Ireland with Insight. Nice tour, great guide--but they were the only kids on the trip and we were nervous the whole time that they would be disruptive; they were frequently bored (I did the "we didn't travel all this way for you to sleep on the bus and miss the scenery" lectures daily). Happily, they were very well behavied and at the end the guide noted that and the passengers applauded. Then we heard about a new Disney travel company--ABD.

We did ABD to Italy in 2007 (Rome, Tuscany and Venice) and just loved the experience--I actually relaxed on the trip, as the kids all hooked up and made fast friends (and took over the back of the bus), and the guides were great with them (two guides--one from the region, the other American). Details large and small were taken care of by the guides, and on our own time they were very helpful with maps, suggestions etc. And Disney has loads of surprises on each trip--as an example, at the Colliseum, a gladiator took the kids on a separate tour leaving the parents to walk about at their own leisure.
(We went ahead and then did the med cruise with Disney Cruise Line while there--also a great trip, but that was a long time to be traveling so I'm not sure I'd do that again)

We were hooked. Trip 2 was China--our favorite to date--in 2008, a month before the Olympics. As with our other trips, we got there a couple of days early to get over jet lag, see things on our own and get acclimated. If you do pre-days through Disney they arrange for the airport transfer to the hotel, and breakfasts are included. Highly recommended--and they have tweaked the trip to now include the terricotta warriors.

We killed our budget by then signing up (with then-in place early booking discounts) for Christmas 2008 on the Knights and Lights trip. We experienced a bit of a let down--had nothing to do with the guides or the sights--which others have noted on the boards. I think the first trip or two is filled with surprises, and you get used to it--so some of the magic from the surprises was just slightly diminished. (However, in retrospect, that was a great trip--London and Paris at Christmas, with Christmas day spent at Disneyland Paris!). My son will always remember being at the top of the Eiffel Tower, arms stretched out and the wind madly blowing--sorta Titanic King of the World sort of thing. (At the end of the trip we had planned on a couple of days at DLP, but since we went there Christmas Day our guides arranged for an evening hotel pickup--most left in the AM--so we stored our bags and had another day in Paris to take in more sights).

The holiday trip became a fond memory so we did that again, with Germany in 2009. It was the first time ABD went to Germany at Christmas--due to comments by past guests that they wanted to see the Christmas markets. So we did that--and had a lot of snow. Wunderbar! (My DD had a school friend who moved back to Germany, so we spent a day with them post-trip in Munich; our guides also helped us buy advance train tickets from Munich to Salzburg, which was a great day trip--Sound of Music in snow!)

Other guests had similar help/guidance from our guides--and they work very hard to make your experience full of stories, and as stress-free as possible.

 

[kjd469]

I agree that ABD is a very good family tour company. One of the good things that they do is, when dining, they often have entertainment or something special that happens...it's not just "a meal", it's an experience....however, the food that you are eating at that time is nothing great...they really need to improve the food offered, let people choose for themselves off of a real menu - that would be a huge improvement!

My biggest pet peeve with ABD, and mentioned by other posters, is the lack of a return-guest or loyalty program. They really need to come up with something that makes repeat guests feel valued and special. After our upcoming ABD this summer, we will have spent around $50,000 with ABD, and not so much as a thank-you is ever given...this is a real sore-point with my DH and makes us want to book with other company's that do value their past guests.

Please let us know when you write your article and where to find it...I'd love to read it

 

[Pakey]

Pakey, didn't you receive the booking discount from Lindblad that was good for 3 years after your trip? We received a snail mail about a week after we returned. I have to agree the food was much better on our Lindblad trip, as well.

Sorry for getting a bit off topic.

Bobo, no we did not. Perhaps they only offer it on certain expeditions. I have booked to go with them again to the Amazon and they know I'm a repeat but I was given no discount.

 

[Bobo912]

Bobo, no we did not. Perhaps they only offer it on certain expeditions. I have booked to go with them again to the Amazon and they know I'm a repeat but I was given no discount.

Hmmm...I wish you had known about it earlier so you could have asked before you booked. The discount is good on Amazon, Egypt, Costa Rica, Arctic Norway, Alaska, Galapagos, Pacific Northwest, Baja California, Antarctica, Europe, and Peru. That pretty much covers everywhere they go except Africa, Southeast Asia and New Zealand. The discount is $400 per person.

 

[WeLoveABD]

I've recommended in surveys etc before, but worth repeating IMHO:

1. Earn a pre or post night stay with ABD after a second tour--or some other sort of frequent user reward program

2. the Disney Cruise Line has various levels of membership based upon points earned (number of cruises). I don't fully agree with that as some people do a bunch of three day cruises and earn more points than someone doing a hugely expensive European 12 night cruise. So maybe points for trips would be weighted by cost or some other measurement.

3. Develop a directory of guides so we can see in advance a photo and bio of our expected guides.

I haven't had many issues with the food--you have to accommodate a lot of different tastes. On our free time we have ventured off into more exotic or "local" food (although in China I skipped the live scorpion on a stick). I agree that the local fare is part of the travel experience--but I disagree that the meals with ABD have been so-so or disappointing.

 

[cemb]

Thanks for these posts. We have not yet booked an ABD, but are comparing an ABD trip with other tour companies right now. This information is very helpful. I have to agree with others about the loyalty program benefits. One tour company we have been with does offer a "loyal customers" booking discount, which I had assumed ABD did, but after reading this, does not. Both ABD and the other one offer a very similar trip for similar pricing to where we want to go, but with the other one offering the loyal customer discount and ABD does not, this might be enough to keep us with the other one. Hope the upcoming webcast provides some incentive!

 

[Bobo912]

We'll be taking our third ABD this summer, but we have traveled with other companies as well and they offer incentives for returning customers. Unless ABD comes us with some amazing new itinerary that appeals to us and is unlike anything offered by anyone else, the lack of any loyalty incentives may be the deciding factor against ABD for next year's vacation(s). I agree with everything everyone has said about how wonderful ABD is (especially about the guides!), but I haven't found any differences that put them head-and-shoulders above the rest. Each of the companies we have traveled with have been great. I'm also seriously considering Thomson's new Thailand trip for next year. We haven't traveled with them before, but I like what I see and would like to give them a try. They are offering an early booking discount for 2012 and they give a $500 per family returning guest discount. And they go to some more exoctic places.

 

[WeLoveABD]

Thanks for these posts. We have not yet booked an ABD, but are comparing an ABD trip with other tour companies right now. This information is very helpful. I have to agree with others about the loyalty program benefits. One tour company we have been with does offer a "loyal customers" booking discount, which I had assumed ABD did, but after reading this, does not. Both ABD and the other one offer a very similar trip for similar pricing to where we want to go, but with the other one offering the loyal customer discount and ABD does not, this might be enough to keep us with the other one. Hope the upcoming webcast provides some incentive!

There are a lot of intangibles, though--so I wouldn't make the final decision based on a loyalty discount unless it truly made a difference financially between going or not. Having two guides is pretty huge--and the way Disney weaves in storytelling is also a big draw for us. (And for our kids, the Disney name attracts families which in turn attracts kids of all ages--so having our kids entertained in the back of the bus with other kids made a world of difference to my wife and me as we sat up in the front half and took in the sights, chatted with other parents and had interesting discussions with our guides and with the local guide of the day)

 

[marcemch]

We'll be taking our third ABD this summer, but we have traveled with other companies as well and they offer incentives for returning customers. Unless ABD comes us with some amazing new itinerary that appeals to us and is unlike anything offered by anyone else, the lack of any loyalty incentives may be the deciding factor against ABD for next year's vacation(s). I agree with everything everyone has said about how wonderful ABD is (especially about the guides!), but I haven't found any differences that put them head-and-shoulders above the rest. Each of the companies we have traveled with have been great. I'm also seriously considering Thomson's new Thailand trip for next year. We haven't traveled with them before, but I like what I see and would like to give them a try. They are offering an early booking discount for 2012 and they give a $500 per family returning guest discount. And they go to some more exoctic places.

Once again, I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with Bobo912. My daughter and I have done 2 ABDs and one Tauck Bridges trip (with the second booked for this coming summer). Although I agree with all the benefits listed by others of ABD, some are also offered by other companies, so for me, their INCREMENTAL value needs to justified by their INCREMENTAL price over their competition. What that "incremental value" is may vary between families, but in the last two years (since the overal price increases, the loss of EBD, and no loyalty discount), it hasn't been there for me.

One benefit of ABD (which is not really theirs), is this GREAT board to learn all the details of the trips and traveling in general!

 

[DisFan10]

We have taken 6 AbDs (2 domestic and 4 international) and the reason we love AbD is, without a doubt, their fantastic Adventure Guides!

However, AbD needs to improve their meal offerings. It is really disappointing!

When we were in Paris on the Knights & Lights trip, we had to go eat at a McDonald's and at a patisserie because the included meal offerings were so limited and unappetizing. Why can't AbD follow the example of Tauck and allow their guests to choose from the regular restaurant menus??? I mean, AbD's prices are not cheap, so we expect better!