When do you realistically think ABD will start operating again?

[disneyholic family]

May - Central Europe (Poland, Czech, Austria)
October- New Zealand

great trips!!
it really is hard to say whether those trips will be a go or not....
just so difficult to know where the vaccine will be in different countries..
and new zealand has been so covid fundamentalist that it's really hard to predict where they'll be in october.

 

[CaliKris]

My PIF date for my May departure is next month. I’ve got about six weeks to see how far into 2021 the AbD cancellations continue or where things are at with the virus in Europe as well as vaccines here. Based on the vaccine priority hierarchy in my county, I won’t have received or started the vaccine process soon enough in order to feel comfortable & be able to go unless supplies increase. I’ve always given it approx 50% chance of going, and it gets a bit less for me with each passing week. I’ve gone from cautiously optimistic to likely won’t be happening this year for that one. I’m still very hopeful for the October trip.

I agree with you and feel your pain. We are scheduled for a May 2021 Egypt ABD. While a few months ago we were 85% sure it would be a go, now we are just waiting for it to be cancelled and have already decided on a date in 2022. We also have a September 2021 Portugal/Spain ABD and are very hopeful it will be a go. It looks like Europe is further along with the vaccine than Egypt (Africa). We are assuming we will be vacinated by then as well.

 

[Hannah nz]

May - Central Europe (Poland, Czech, Austria)
October- New Zealand

At the moment our borders are still closed to all but returning NZers and they have to book & pay for 2 weeks hotel quarantine that is enforced by police. We have limited spots for quarantine and I think these are all booked out till end of March. With the situation worsening in the UK (new variant) we now require negative tests before travelling from there, but you still have to quarantine. There is a good chance new countries will have the same requirement if the new strain is picked up there.

In terms of travel NZ has been open to travel bubbles for places where there is no community spread of covid. This will be local places like Australia and the Pacific Islands before it extends further afield. When we even have a few cases if covid in the community we have moved fast to regional lockdowns in order to contain the spread. We are so small with limited healthcare beds we have no chance but to be very vigilant. NZ is also waiting for further testing and seeing how the vaccines go before they are given out in NZ.

I don't mean to be a Debbie downer, just want to provide some context into how we currently are and the requirements we currently have for travel. It is so hard to say what will happen as things change rapidly but as we are now I would say NZ will not be open for travel until other countries can demonstrate there is no spread in the community consistently.

Locally thought, most are great and we have very few restrictions. The only thing is to wear a mask on public transport and you are strongly encouraged to keep a diary of your movements for contact tracing if needed. We can travel domestically and have concerts, events, weddings etc, all stores and restaurants are open we can dine in, and most people are very pleased with how the country has handled it.

I hope you can complete your trip here as NZ is a great place to travel!

 

[Mathmagicland]

I don't mean to be a Debbie downer, just want to provide some context into how we currently are and the requirements we currently have for travel. It is so hard to say what will happen as things change rapidly but as we are now I would say NZ will not be open for travel until other countries can demonstrate there is no spread in the community consistently.

Locally thought, most are great and we have very few restrictions. The only thing is to wear a mask on public transport and you are strongly encouraged to keep a diary of your movements for contact tracing if needed. We can travel domestically and have concerts, events, weddings etc, all stores and restaurants are open we can dine in, and most people are very pleased with how the country has handled it.

I hope you can complete your trip here as NZ is a great place to travel!

Please - no worries, and thank you for all of your great insight! I appreciate it very much. NZ has handled things very well, we could learn from your country. I realize things will have to be a lot better before we can travel there, to keep NZ safe. I need something travel related to look forward to, and right now NZ is it! I have been before, many years ago, and am looking forward to going back. It is one of my favorite travel memories, so beautiful and the people are wonderful! If it doesn’t work this year, I’ll try for next year.

 

[ImprovGal]

When the ABD tours do resume, I would expect to see a lot of modifications to itineraries. Tourism everywhere has taken such a huge hit, and many tourist attractions may not be able to reopen. Over the weekend I learned of two stops in the Australian ABD that had announced permanent closure (Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park and Tobruk Sheep Farm).

 

[sayhello]

When the ABD tours do resume, I would expect to see a lot of modifications to itineraries. Tourism everywhere has taken such a huge hit, and many tourist attractions may not be able to reopen. Over the weekend I learned of two stops in the Australian ABD that had announced permanent closure (Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park and Tobruk Sheep Farm).

I think this is the piece that a lot of folks talking about ABD or DCL are missing out on. Just because things might at some point in the near future be better here in the US, it doesn't mean things will be good or the same or even close to normal at the destinations.

Have you seen or heard anything about if they are replacing the stops, and if so, with what?

Sayhello

 

[TravelJunkieHubby]

When the ABD tours do resume, I would expect to see a lot of modifications to itineraries. Tourism everywhere has taken such a huge hit, and many tourist attractions may not be able to reopen. Over the weekend I learned of two stops in the Australian ABD that had announced permanent closure (Tjapukai Aboriginal Culture Park and Tobruk Sheep Farm).

While we definitely enjoyed Tjapukai and Tobruk - I wouldn’t consider either a deal breaker for Australia. Many of the ABD trips we have gone on feature a farm or country activity...Tobruk wasn’t that different from other farms.

Tjapukai was where we got to try throwing boomerangs and also got to paint our own boomerang to take home as a souvenir. Again a nice memory, but I would expect ABD to replace it with something comparable.

 

[Mathmagicland]

Sharing some news out of Australia today, Australia may not fully open its borders in 2021 -

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-55699581

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Sharing some news out of Australia today, Australia may not fully open its borders in 2021 -

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-55699581

This is understandable, but very concerning. I have read that NZ is the same -- they may not open their borders until mid-2022. Here I am looking at booking flights for our March, 2022 ABD (first class on Etihad with points -- have to book early) and now I don't even know if it will be able to go.

 

[AquaDame]

This is understandable, but very concerning. I have read that NZ is the same -- they may not open their borders until mid-2022. Here I am looking at booking flights for our March, 2022 ABD (first class on Etihad with points -- have to book early) and now I don't even know if it will be able to go.

Anecdotally my coworker who works from NZ was saying in December the plan was to only open their border to neighboring islands first. They also have not even started vaccinating their people and won't begin until later in 2021. They are watching how it goes with the rest of us first... personally I wouldn't book anything without knowing when it would be feasible unless you can easily get your points back.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work...9-response-planning/covid-19-vaccine-planning

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

Anecdotally my coworker who works from NZ was saying in December the plan was to only open their border to neighboring islands first. They also have not even started vaccinating their people and won't begin until later in 2021. They are watching how it goes with the rest of us first... personally I wouldn't book anything without knowing when it would be feasible unless you can easily get your points back.

https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work...9-response-planning/covid-19-vaccine-planning

Thank you. I am able to get my points back thankfully. I am trying to coming to grips with the fact that this trip may not happen for me as ds is planning on teaching overseas in 2023 .

 

[Mathmagicland]

I

This is understandable, but very concerning. I have read that NZ is the same -- they may not open their borders until mid-2022. Here I am looking at booking flights for our March, 2022 ABD (first class on Etihad with points -- have to book early) and now I don't even know if it will be able to go.

I’m in a similar situation as I’m booked on the October NZ AbD and have not yet booked my flights. Don’t intend to for a while longer, and guess I’ll have a decision to make when the PIF dates come up whether to pay or not. That’s still a few months away....lots can happen before then but I’m also realistic that the trip may have to get postponed a year or so.

 

[DCPhotoGal]

Thanks for all of the input on New Zealand. We are booked for the Dec 2021 trip, but from what I'm reading here it might be prudent to switch to another trip.

 

[lovetotravel]

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[Mathmagicland]

New Zealand borders likely closed for most of 2021 -

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/asia/new-zealand-covid-borders-shut-intl-hnk/index.html

 

[sayhello]

New Zealand borders likely closed for most of 2021 -

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/26/asia/new-zealand-covid-borders-shut-intl-hnk/index.html

Sad, but not unexpected.

Sayhello

 

[lovetotravel]

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[TarotFox]

Can't blame them. They've aced this whole pandemic and deserve to protect their whole population before letting tourists bring it and having it run rampant after all this time.

 

[AquaDame]

I just got the email warning me I have to PIF for May in the next 30 days... with April not even cancelled yet it looks like they stopped following their cancellation trend. Anyone know if I push my luck and PIF can I still move funds to another trip? Or is that impossible after PIF..?

 

[lovetotravel]

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