Transfers policy confusion

[laceltris3]

I know that the policy changed in 2015 to provide for transfers for to the ABD hotel for pre-nights booked on your own. Can anyone explain why the ABD FAQ on the topic (copied below) says that transfers are only provided for extended stays booked with ABD? Basically, my parents are doing the Danube river cruise with us, and I am pretty sure they have points for the pre night at the Marriott in Budapest, but the ABD website seems to be inconsistent with what their policy is. In any case, If I booked the Marriott on my own, they'd still transfer us to the ship, right?



Can Adventures by Disney help reserve an extra night before or after the adventure dates?


If you wish, we can reserve an extra night either before or after most adventures at the first and last hotel included in your adventure, subject to availability. If available, this allows you to stay in the same room as on your adventure. For early arrivals or extended stays purchased through Adventures by Disney Travel Services, a transfer from/to the specified airports for the adventure will be provided; however, transfers are provided only for extended stays purchased through us. Please refer to the destination-specific FAQs and Trip Tips for each itinerary or contact a Vacationista for more information and exact availability on your adventure's departure date. Our special rates for these additional nights are subject to availability and are only available if booked through Adventures by Disney Travel Services in conjunction with a land package and cannot be combined with any other offer.

 

[Grifdog22]

I've also emailed ABD on this exact question twice now over 30 days and don't have either an answer or a quote for ABD pricing for the pre/post nights. There also seem to be longer waits on calls, which is why I thought I'd try the email. Email certainly worked with air travel - they put together options, priced way below what I could come up with, and asked for a time for them to call me back. We were on the phone no more than 2 minutes to complete the air travel.

 

[sayhello]

I don't know if it's still true, but when I did the Danube that first year, they had everyone meet with the Adventure Guides to select excursions at the Marriott before heading to the ship. They had 2 transfers, one around lunchtime, and one at 3pm, and I don't remember anyone checking to see if I'd stayed at the Marriott through ABD or not. I think anyone who showed at the Marriott got on the bus. Again, that was 2016, and I did book the pre-day through ABD.

I'd double-check with ABD to be sure, but my understanding of the transfers policy is the same as yours. As long as you're staying at the ABD pre-day hotel, transfers are included.

Sayhello

 

[carpenta]

The airport is pretty close to town Budapest and it cost about $20.00 or so if I remember correctly. I agree with Sayhello the transfer to the ship from the hotel would be included.

 

[OhanaCuz]

I don't know if it's still true, but when I did the Danube that first year, they had everyone meet with the Adventure Guides to select excursions at the Marriott before heading to the ship. They had 2 transfers, one around lunchtime, and one at 3pm, and I don't remember anyone checking to see if I'd stayed at the Marriott through ABD or not. I think anyone who showed at the Marriott got on the bus. Again, that was 2016, and I did book the pre-day through ABD.

This is exactly how it was for us summer 2017.

 

[Jess_S]

I would imagine there is some variation by itinerary, but ABD told our TA that they would be providing transfers for us even though we booked our flight and prestay on our own. Perhaps it is different for river cruises because of the larger number of travelers? I hope that my baseless speculation has been helpful.

 

[d2lane]

In December, I was worried as I had booked our 2 pre cruise nights at the Hotel Vier...... (translates to A TON OF MONEY) in Munich on my own for a few bucks less. However on embarkation day, no one asked how we got there or how we booked, they just checked us off the list and loaded us onto the buses to go to Vilshofen....

 

[sayhello]

I would imagine there is some variation by itinerary, but ABD told our TA that they would be providing transfers for us even though we booked our flight and prestay on our own. Perhaps it is different for river cruises because of the larger number of travelers? I hope that my baseless speculation has been helpful.

I think part of it is the fact that it's a mass transfer. Everyone on one big bus, so if they have some people who didn't book the hotel through them, it's not that big a deal, because they're running the transfer anyways. It was the same for the Arizona/Utah trip; I arrived on my own & spent a couple of days in Scottsdale that I booked myself, then headed back to the airport to catch the group motorcoach transfer to Sedona. There was no problem with that.

Most ABDs, they pick folks up as they arrive, and transfer them to the hotels in towncars or small vans. So they'd have to make sure a driver is available, and set up a separate transfer. I *believe* the current policy is they'll do that to the ABD hotel, even if you didn't book it through them. But they won't take you to any other hotels. They're doing that for me in Iceland, however I'm not sure if it's because it's still policy, or if it's because they couldn't book a second pre-day for me, and told me to book it myself, and they'd link it. I can understand not wanting to transport people to hotels all over the region (where do you draw the line?) but I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect them to transport you to the same hotel that the ABD starts at.

Sayhello