Three new short adventure ABD trips announced

[sayhello]

Sounds as if ABD is trying to suck every sheckel out of your pocket and return a half baked tour. Instead of mini tours it should be called “ABD On Your Own Tours”.....

That's kind of an anti-semitic term you know.

Sayhello

 

[carpenta]

Happy New Year (belated) Sayhello.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

I thought the same thing. The Vancouver or Boston Escapes looked fun but not at $10,000 for the family for a weekend.

Most ABD's that I've done have been between $600-$900 per person per day. The only ones higher are Japan and S Africa with Joe Rohde. And those all include transfers (some even flights) between cities and are generally more complex trips. These Escapes that are running $900-$1000 per night (except Boston at $740) seem pretty high. And the morning on your own in Boston and afternoon on your own in London doesn't help support that price.

We ran the numbers and Boston falls below that average per day... right?

 

[CrazyZeus1]

I calculate the Boston trip at $554.75/pp/per day. That's in line with other ABDs isn't it? Alaska comes in about $675/pp/per day. Amalfi Coast runs about $737/pp/per day. Costa Rica is about $515/pp/per day. Vietnam is about $533/pp/per day. So these prices don't seem anything out of the ordinary for an ABD per day cost. What am I missing?

 

[Cousin Orville]

We ran the numbers and Boston falls below that average per day... right?

2219/3 nights =740pp per night?

I see. I miswrote the numbers as "per day". I calculated everything as per night since IMO the last day doesn't really count on either the Escapes or Regular ABDs. London and Vancouver are $1000/night. Rome is $900. Most of the ABD's that I've checked (other than Japan and SA with Joe are $600-900.)

Yes Boston within the average of the regular ABDs, but considering there's no transfers or multiple hotels or logistical challenge it seems priced high. Boston is certainly better than the other Escapes, but still quite high for a family getaway.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

We are always excited for any new ABD iteneraries and are game to try anything! We are tossing around Boston or Vancouver depending on which ones friends want to do with us. We've done SanFran and NYC short weekends/escapes/whatever and SF didn't have bfast included, NYC didn't either as far as I remember. I remember we had some lunch time on our own on both trips and it was fun to have a bit of time to explore a city however you wanted to.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

2219/3 nights =740pp per night?

I'm counting the days Because that's how ABD calculates the tip suggestions. If you compare trips across the board by night then you'll still get a similar average cost... I don't understand why people are saying the short escapes are so much more per day? They're not.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

2219/3 nights =740pp per night?

I see. I miss wrote the numbers as per day. I calculated everything as per night since IMO the last day doesn't really count on either the Escapes or Regular ABDs.

My husband agrees about the last day part! hahah...

 

[Cousin Orville]

@CrazyZeus1, I agree with you on the tipping per day, but for calculating value, I looked at a per night cost. If for no other reason, if the 3rd day on a 2N/3D ABD was included, it would reduce the avg per day cost by 30%. For a 7 night trip, including the last day would reduce it 12%. For an 11 night ABD, 8 %.

Here's what I'm looking at per night:
Germany 6200/8 = $775
N Italy 6200/7 = $885
Spain 6400/8 = $800
London/Paris = $914
Australia 8600/10 = $860
China 9800/11 = $890
Vietnam 6800/11 = $618
Backstage Magic 3600/5 = $720

Boston 2220/3 = $740
London 2000/2 = $1000
Rome 2710/3 = $900
Vancouver 2000/2 = $1000

Certainly part of the increased cost per night is due to hotel costs in large cities. My hesitation is based primarily on the fact that I am willing to pay more per night on a 1-2 week family vacation than on a weekend trip with kids. Now, Kate and I have paid more per night for weekend trips when it's just the two of us in Napa, New York, etc. So, for 2 people, it's pricey, but I could see it. But for a family of 5, I just can't justify it in the same way I can a 1 wk+ ABD. I'd be looking at $10,000 for 2 nights in Vancouver. Probably not entirely logical, but that's where I'm coming from.

 

[BluesTraveler]

LOL - @CrazyZeus1 I love your Disney enthusiasm and I hope there are a ton more of you to fill these slots. ABD doing well is a tide that lifts all boats in the guided family travel industry!

These are not a good enough value for us but I think ABD probably has strong research behind their offerings, so will be interesting to see how they do.

 

[jimmymc]

Looks like the London and Vancouver dates all line up with a DCL sailing, so I believe they are designed solely for cruise passengers who want to add prenights.

I don't think the on your own time is actually that much. On that day you watch the Changing of the Guard, get a tour of Westminster Abbey, have a private lunch, a tour of the Tower of London, and seeing the Crown Jewels. My guess is that you get a little bit of time after lunch to walk around, but it's a busy day overall. It's basically the same as the London day of the London and Paris tour except the boatride is moved to the previous day. Not saying I would do it, but you do get to see a lot of the big tourist attractions in London all in one day.

 

[Ava]

I just went to check out the Boston itinerary again and noticed they've added an early booking special offer for the Boston, New York, and San Francisco Short Escapes. Book by November 16, 2018 and get a complimentary pre-night hotel stay on departures from Jan 1-Dec 19, 2019.

All of these adventures begin with an included breakfast on Day 1, so you pretty much have to arrive the day before anyway. It makes sense that a pre-night should be included, so maybe if this offer increases bookings on these adventures Disney will revise it to include another hotel night (and probably raise the price accordingly, lol).

 

[CrazyZeus1]

Looks like the London and Vancouver dates all line up with a DCL sailing, so I believe they are designed solely for cruise passengers who want to add prenights.

You can do them either before a cruise or just to do them without the cruise

 

[sayhello]

You can do them either before a cruise or just to do them without the cruise

Yes, but they do seem to be *geared towards* being a pre-cruise activity.

Sayhello

 

[jimmymc]

You can do them either before a cruise or just to do them without the cruise

That's true, you can book one without a cruise, but I don't know how many people would travel far just for a 2 night adventure. It's similar to the short stay in Disneyland, where every date lines up with the start of a cruise from San Diego.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

We've booked the Disneyland short stay next year and we would go to Vancouver for a few days... but we are crazy. Hahha

 

[tink1970]

I just went to check out the Boston itinerary again and noticed they've added an early booking special offer for the Boston, New York, and San Francisco Short Escapes. Book by November 16, 2018 and get a complimentary pre-night hotel stay on departures from Jan 1-Dec 19, 2019.

All of these adventures begin with an included breakfast on Day 1, so you pretty much have to arrive the day before anyway. It makes sense that a pre-night should be included, so maybe if this offer increases bookings on these adventures Disney will revise it to include another hotel night (and probably raise the price accordingly, lol).

I really like the addition of a pre night even if it is on just a few itineraries. I took a very long ABD survey a couple of months ago and mentioned that was one of the factors that sometimes sways me to travel with Tauck v. ABD. Hopefully they'll throw more in on different adventures....crazy I know but a girl can dream

I don't know how many people would travel far just for a 2 night adventure

LOL-I flew to Vancouver last year for 2 days (from Florida) just to see whales. So some crazy people do...and I can see myself repeating that trip. The ABD is just a good excuse to do so for me

ETA- @CrazyZeus1 -- you and me both!

 

[jimmymc]

I really like the addition of a pre night even if it is on just a few itineraries. I took a very long ABD survey a couple of months ago and mentioned that was one of the factors that sometimes sways me to travel with Tauck v. ABD. Hopefully they'll throw more in on different adventures....crazy I know but a girl can dream



LOL-I flew to Vancouver last year for 2 days (from Florida) just to see whales. So some crazy people do...and I can see myself repeating that trip. The ABD is just a good excuse to do so for me

ETA- @CrazyZeus1 -- you and me both!

Haha that is a very long flight for 2 days. I've done 2 hour flights for long weekends but not much more than that. If that's the case or you can drive to the ABD then I guess it could be worth it for some people.

 

[oufpat]

We are actually on the September 8 British of Isles cruise, and for 1/2 a second considered booking the London ABD pre-cruise. This is only our second Disney Cruise and second time to Europe and my husband is a "reluctant traveler" so I thought it might work, but after reading all the negative comments I've re-considered. We have never done an ABD, thought they were too pricey for us, unless someone can convince me it's worth it!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We are actually on the September 8 British of Isles cruise, and for 1/2 a second considered booking the London ABD pre-cruise. This is only our second Disney Cruise and second time to Europe and my husband is a "reluctant traveler" so I thought it might work, but after reading all the negative comments I've re-considered. We have never done an ABD, thought they were too pricey for us, unless someone can convince me it's worth it!

I’m not the right person to convince you that ABD is worth it, but for what it’s worth, having lived in London for a few years, I can tell you that the public transport system in London makes getting to all the major tourist sites fairly easy.