Is anyone else disappointed?

[Bobo912]

If by chance I research other tour groups and still feel like ABD is my best choice... What would all you experts say is the best trip to go on? I was planning Italy next summer until they stopped the EBD. I finally talked my husband into a tour group vacation and now he's appalled by the price hike and lack of discounts for early bookers compared to the 2009 catalogue.

My only ABD vac was Backstage Magic with my son last year. I came home and couldn't say enough about the quality and ease. I've talked two other couples into wanting to go with us next year but now I don't know if Italy is worth the price. I told them it was worth the extra cost (that was 2009 prices) now if I talk them into this I want the best trip for the money. I'm looking for fun, active, as little crowds as poss and Disney ease. Please give me your expert opinions.

I've been on two ABD trips - Costa Rica and Alaska. They are both great if you like a lot of outdoor activities. I have a young son and I specifically chose these two trips because they were very active. I haven't done any of the European trips yet because many of them are museum heavy and I don't think DS is ready for that yet. But I'm sure they are wonderful too. I think the Alpine Magic trip looks great. I'm hoping to do that one within the next couple of years. As far a crowds go, I didn't experience any on either of my trips. I can sympathize with you, because I know how hard it is to choose when they all sound so fantastic.

 

[Tozzie]

If by chance I research other tour groups and still feel like ABD is my best choice... What would all you experts say is the best trip to go on? I was planning Italy next summer until they stopped the EBD. I finally talked my husband into a tour group vacation and now he's appalled by the price hike and lack of discounts for early bookers compared to the 2009 catalogue.

My only ABD vac was Backstage Magic with my son last year. I came home and couldn't say enough about the quality and ease. I've talked two other couples into wanting to go with us next year but now I don't know if Italy is worth the price. I told them it was worth the extra cost (that was 2009 prices) now if I talk them into this I want the best trip for the money. I'm looking for fun, active, as little crowds as poss and Disney ease. Please give me your expert opinions.

I have not done the italy tour but several people have and Viva italia gets rave reviews all the time. Check out the sticky at the top and see if there is a link to a trip report, otherwise I suggest starting a new thread as this post is likely to get buried and you won't get the information you are looking for.

 

[aspen37]

I went to the ABD site and under the contact us area let them know how I felt about the decisions they made for the 2010 trips. If a lot of this do it maybe they will listen and change things. I figure it couldn't hurt.

 

[Happy99]

Since they got rid of EBD (which i'm totally heart broken...i really planned and saved my vacation club points for a trip this year)...do you think that they may offer a discount through the travel agencies? I mean, there were no discounts available through any agents last year...maybe with charging people an arm and leg, maybe they'll give the discount through other outlets.
Is disney out of their minds? I understand that they pay more with hotel rates, salaries, etc., but why would they do this?
Are there any disney agents that can shed any light on this?

My TA gives Visa gift cards if you book with her. I had priced 3 and the gift varied based on the price of the ABD.
She said she chose Visa gift cards so that people can use them wherever they want.

I have been reading these posts and would like to ask that whatever vacation everyone decides to take in 2010, ABD on their own or another Tour company, it would be nice to hear about your experience when you return so it may help others with their decision in the future.

 

[beansf]

They may have taken out the camel ride for valid reasons but they didn't add anything but they reaised the costs. So you end up getting even less for more money not a good trade off.

I agree. It is particularly bad when you consider how little there is to do out there in the middle of nowhere. For me, with no camels, I would rather skip Uluru altogether and go somewhere else.

 

[3guysandagal]

I have been lurking on this thread for a few days now as DW and I are also on the April 13-18 ABD BSM tour. (Hi Aspen37 and SpokaneMom! )
Although it looks like a fantastic trip from what I have read on some of the TR's. even last years pricing for this tour made my eyebrows go up.
But the fact of 40 DISers going, some of which we already know from the Podcast Cruise, and some members of the podcast team joining us, more than made up for the price.
That said, if the current practices stick around, I feel it will be our last ABD trip.
Way to go Disney....

PS....this issue, and this thread, is discussed on this weeks podcast...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/#

Direct link
http://www.wdwinfo.com/podcast/roundtable149-081209.mp3

 

[aspen37]

I have been lurking on this thread for a few days now as DW and I are also on the April 13-18 ABD BSM tour. (Hi Aspen37 and SpokaneMom! )
Although it looks like a fantastic trip from what I have read on some of the TR's. even last years pricing for this tour made my eyebrows go up.
But the fact of 40 DISers going, some of which we already know from the Podcast Cruise, and some members of the podcast team joining us, more than made up for the price.
That said, if the current practices stick around, I feel it will be our last ABD trip.
Way to go Disney....

PS....this issue, and this thread, is discussed on this weeks podcast...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/#

Direct link
http://www.wdwinfo.com/podcast/roundtable149-081209.mp3

Oh and the best part about the ABD trip is we can't get our deposits in because they locked out the trip and can't figure out how to unlock it.

 

[Bobo912]

I have been lurking on this thread for a few days now as DW and I are also on the April 13-18 ABD BSM tour. (Hi Aspen37 and SpokaneMom! )
Although it looks like a fantastic trip from what I have read on some of the TR's. even last years pricing for this tour made my eyebrows go up.
But the fact of 40 DISers going, some of which we already know from the Podcast Cruise, and some members of the podcast team joining us, more than made up for the price.
That said, if the current practices stick around, I feel it will be our last ABD trip.
Way to go Disney....

PS....this issue, and this thread, is discussed on this weeks podcast...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/#

Direct link
http://www.wdwinfo.com/podcast/roundtable149-081209.mp3

Thanks for the heads up on the podcast! I just finished listening it and all I can say is "Amen".

 

[HappyGrumpy]

Thanks for the heads up on the podcast! I just finished listening it and all I can say is "Amen".

I second that Amen! I hope ABD is listening and still watching!

 

[tickledtink33]

Hi John

Hi Anna

And don't forget, not only is the tour locked and they can't figure out how to unlock it, but they also have a fax machine that doesn't work and the IT guy is out to lunch. Yup, that's what they told us.

 

[Tozzie]

Hi John

Hi Anna

And don't forget, not only is the tour locked and they can't figure out how to unlock it, but they also have a fax machine that doesn't work and the IT guy is out to lunch. Yup, that's what they told us.

The IT department for Disney on a whole needs to be drawn, quartered and fired then they need to start over with competent people.

 

[OSUChad]

I have been lurking on this thread for a few days now as DW and I are also on the April 13-18 ABD BSM tour. (Hi Aspen37 and SpokaneMom! )
Although it looks like a fantastic trip from what I have read on some of the TR's. even last years pricing for this tour made my eyebrows go up.
But the fact of 40 DISers going, some of which we already know from the Podcast Cruise, and some members of the podcast team joining us, more than made up for the price.
That said, if the current practices stick around, I feel it will be our last ABD trip.
Way to go Disney....

PS....this issue, and this thread, is discussed on this weeks podcast...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/#

Direct link
http://www.wdwinfo.com/podcast/roundtable149-081209.mp3

The podcast is fantastic. The ABD discussion starts in the 62nd minute or so. These folks doing the podcast are spot on. I'm so glad to hear someone discussing our frustrations. I completely agree with their discussion. Disney execs surely are listening to this. I wonder if they think they made a big mistake. My concern is that they don't think they did make a mistake.

 

[rkdahl]

Has anyone ever heard of Disney doing ABD focus groups on their business model and tours? I don't mean guest surveys after a tour. I am wondering if anyone on DIS has ever participated or knows someone that has participated in an ABD focus group or something similar. Do they do these?

In my business we have actual customers or prospects together for discussions on the products, pricing, review of ideas, etc. We'd have 10-12 customers and bounce ideas, listen to their feedback, hear their suggestions. This really guided our business.

If ABD did this, would they possibly be making these types of business decisions, no EBD, no overall incentive to book early, trivial loyalty discount, etc.

Something just doesn't seem right here from a business sense.

 

[sabrecmc]

I really want to go on an ABD trip with my daughter. I'd rather not have to worry about a canceled trip than get an EBD, but that's probably just me. The prices seem fairly reasonable to me for what you get, but I can understand that if you've done an ABD trip before and paid less for more activities the price increase coupled with fewer activities than before would be a bitter pill to swallow.

I have to wait for the 2011 dates though. My daughter is only 3 right now and we've already planned a Med cruise in 2010 plus a Disney reunion trip in July 2010. That's probably all the work I can miss in a year! I want you all to book ABD trips so they are still around in a few years when I can really use them, but I'm a Democrat, so like spending other people's money for my own benefit, lol.

 

[glassslipper2004]

As for Med cruises... does anyone know if there is a specific thread discussing them? I have been thinking about it as a possibility, since I like Europe but don't see an ABD I want to do there next year. There are so many options for European cruises, it is going to be hard to pick one, even if we do go that route.

 

[sabrecmc]

Glassslipper, in the cruise forum there are several threads on the Med cruises, including a general/trip report thread and several for the individual cruise dates (the meet & greet forum). We're doing the May 5, 2010 10-night. Kids sail free, so that helps. It was $9K-something for 4 of us in a cat 9, but for 10 nights accommodations, food, on-board entertainment, etc., I thought that was highly reasonable. Airfare for us is running around $1000 per person. It is only a day in each port, but with a young child (4 at the time), the on-board enterainment is a big plus for me. They haven't released the activity options just yet, but based on past cruises, there were a lot of choices. Its going to places like Tunisia and Malta that I've never been, so that was a plus too.

I swear I'm not a DCL rep! It just sounds like a lot of fun for a family.

 

[WeLoveABD]

The DIS board for the DCL is huge--within one day there can be hundreds of postings, discussing specific rooms, magnets for the doors, menu changes etc--and there are starting to pop up Med cruise threads.

 

[glassslipper2004]

Thanks! I wish I could do one of the kids free sailings - we need an August date, due to various scheduling issues. I just went and started reading some trip reports from Med cruises... sounds like a lot of fun!

 

[Bobo912]

I have another question that maybe someone can answer. On each itinerary, the prices are listed as from x to y. When you look at the dates and rates, neither x (the lowest) nor y (the highest) is listed on any date. That was true last year as well. What's the deal with that?

Also, last year, we booked immediately and got all the discounts. Several weeks later, the price of the week we had booked went up on the website, and all other weeks stayed the same. Just curious if anyone noticed similar changes on other trips.

Did anybody who called ABD happen to ask about the low to high range on the trips. Since none of quoted rates for any of the dates is either the high or low, just wondering what that is supposed to mean.

 

[Grifdog22]

I personally think the problems are based upon management issues driven by immediate results rather than long term business plans. Bonuses (which should not be a right) are based upon immediate performance, not a long term investment in the future. I understand that ABD is a small piece of the theme park division and perhaps someone is trying to "look good" for a move up.

I believe this mentality was rewarded by wall street and led to the Great Recession. While we have a good bit of money invested in Disney, the management has not been particularly responsive or interested in long term investment. I now believe that is part of the reason Wall Street investors have begun to punish the stock.

Management of ABD is one reason we are divesting of most of our Disney holdings.

Smart upper management would be watching, listening and responding. I vote with my wallet and will not be returning anytime soon to ABD as it is no longer a good buy. I don't pay for a label when it doesn't mean much.