The box arrived!

[AquamarineSteph]

I realize this isn't earthshaking news for all the other ABD-ers here, but it's exciting at my house! And for those people wondering when their boxes might arrive for their tours later this summer, our box arrived today (July 20) for our Alaska tour which begins August 17.

 

[Cousin Orville]

It's always exciting news. I'd love to hear about your Alaska trip. I don't think there's been a trip report on Alaska in a long time.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Thank you!! The itinerary has changed since we first purchased the trip, so this will be interesting. White water rafting!

 

[aggiemomx3]

I realize this isn't earthshaking news for all the other ABD-ers here, but it's exciting at my house! And for those people wondering when their boxes might arrive for their tours later this summer, our box arrived today (July 20) for our Alaska tour which begins August 17.

Aww so jealous!!! Our trip starts August 16 and we haven't gotten our box yet!!! Maybe tomorrow.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Aww so jealous!!! Our trip starts August 16 and we haven't gotten our box yet!!! Maybe tomorrow.

Fingers crossed!

 

[aggiemomx3]

Fingers crossed!

Your fingers must be lucky because my box did come today!!!​

 

[carpenta]

We did the Alaska trip a number of years ago before the changes. One tip I would like to pass on is to definitely do the bus trip into the Denali National Park offered by an outside vendor. We took off the daily ABD offering and did the trip into the park on our own. ABD dropped us off to get the bus and the Denali hotel sent a van (at 12:30 a.m.) to pick us up after the tour. It was the greatest aspect of our trip because you really travel deep into the park and see so much of wild Alaska as well as so much wildlife.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

We did the Alaska trip a number of years ago before the changes. One tip I would like to pass on is to definitely do the bus trip into the Denali National Park offered by an outside vendor. We took off the daily ABD offering and did the trip into the park on our own. ABD dropped us off to get the bus and the Denali hotel sent a van (at 12:30 a.m.) to pick us up after the tour. It was the greatest aspect of our trip because you really travel deep into the park and see so much of wild Alaska as well as so much wildlife.

Thanks for the suggestion! We're still planning for our free time/pre days, so ideas like this really help!

 

[preedymtnwest]

I'm so glad you posted this! I read it and started getting antsy that we hadn't received a box yet for our Barcelona pre-cruise which starts 8/19 and even started wondering if it might be cancelled - so I called today and the nice ABD Vacationista assured me that it was still "on" and both my Barcelona box and my Med cruise ABD box were going to arrive today! Luckily I was working from home, and about an hour later, they did! YAY! It does somehow make it more tangible to have them in the house... but now there's just more waiting!!

 

[AquamarineSteph]

I'm so glad you posted this! I read it and started getting antsy that we hadn't received a box yet for our Barcelona pre-cruise which starts 8/19 and even started wondering if it might be cancelled - so I called today and the nice ABD Vacationista assured me that it was still "on" and both my Barcelona box and my Med cruise ABD box were going to arrive today! Luckily I was working from home, and about an hour later, they did! YAY! It does somehow make it more tangible to have them in the house... but now there's just more waiting!!

There's just nothing like having your box, right? I feel like a little kid opening it.

 

[White Rose]

There's just nothing like having your box, right? I feel like a little kid opening it.

How often do the contents change? Our box is hopefully coming in about a month and a half, based on recent trends.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

How often do the contents change? Our box is hopefully coming in about a month and a half, based on recent trends.

I 'think' - but others can answer this better - that the box extras change each year? This box was different from our first ABD box which we received two years ago. I actually think the contents of this year's box are better, but my husband says he likes one of the items from the previous box better.

The little booklet that describes your trip is about the same, though. And I must say if anyone from Disney reads these things, I really like the tear-off page that you can give to your family. It's easier for me to hand this to our house sitter and say here we'll be, rather than saying, look it up online or - worse yet - having to write out all that information myself.

 

[SingingMom]

We've been on three ABD's in four years, and the boxes have had different items each time. The first box included three VERY sturdy backpacks. Hubby uses it on every trip we take! The second box had really flimsy backpacks; we only use it as an extra beach/pool bag. Very awkward style. This year's box had the best items, but they were an assortment and not three exact items for each of us like in the past. I like the colors this year too - black and bright blue!

 

[carpenta]

We also received the back packs and they are quite good quality. We just used one on our recent National Geographic trip. One year we received these brief case type bags that we use for computers and papers. Again very good quality. Every year they do seem to get a little less on the quality.

 

[KandAMom]

Thank you!! The itinerary has changed since we first purchased the trip, so this will be interesting. White water rafting!

You will love the whitewater rafting ! It was so much fun.

 

[AquamarineSteph]

You will love the whitewater rafting ! It was so much fun.

I am really looking forward to the whitewater rafting. The trip notes say something about a 'dry suit' that's provided? This will probably be a silly question, but is a dry suit what it sounds like?

 

[tami4gsd]

I realize this isn't earthshaking news for all the other ABD-ers here, but it's exciting at my house! And for those people wondering when their boxes might arrive for their tours later this summer, our box arrived today (July 20) for our Alaska tour which begins August 17.

Hi AquamarineSteph,
I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks! I am also taking the Alaska trip in a few weeks! I've never done a Disney Adventure trip before and Alaska is a bucket list trip for me. I'm so excited!
Tami4gsd

 

[AquamarineSteph]

Hi AquamarineSteph,
I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks! I am also taking the Alaska trip in a few weeks! I've never done a Disney Adventure trip before and Alaska is a bucket list trip for me. I'm so excited!
Tami4gsd

How exciting! Can't wait to meet you, too! You're going to love ABD. This is our second trip with them, and believe me - it will be magical! Are you arriving early or coming into Anchorage on the day the trip starts? We're coming in a couple of days early to get used to the time difference which is a big one for my other half who works some very odd hours.

 

[tami4gsd]

How exciting! Can't wait to meet you, too! You're going to love ABD. This is our second trip with them, and believe me - it will be magical! Are you arriving early or coming into Anchorage on the day the trip starts? We're coming in a couple of days early to get used to the time difference which is a big one for my other half who works some very odd hours.

I am arriving the same day, on the 17th. I never thought about the time difference causing a problem. That's a good point! Oh well, I'm a nurse & work some pretty wacky hours, so I'll probably adapt pretty well.
My concern is how well will I adapt to the elevational difference when we are in Denali.
I was happy to see they added rafting. I was hoping to be able to do that. I really wanted to ride in a dogsled too (it's a bucket list thing!) but Martin Buser doesn't allow that with his dogs. During some of our free time I may just have to see if I can do that at another kennel. We'll see! I was also looking for ziplining. Something else I may look into during free time.

 

[carpenta]

Denali is not much of a elevation difference. It is just hilly more than climbing mountains.