Who is and who's not booking with ABD for 2010

[ga9497]

We did the the $100 per person loyalty credit. And you can be sure that I'll keep an eye on the rates (as I do with the cruises) to see if the rate goes down before final payment is due.

Ande although they don't advertise it, they do offer deep discounts to fill up trips that aren't fully booked.

yes but with ABD they won't adjust your rate if the price is dropped later on. It would be considered a cancellation and rebooking. With the cancellation policy that is in place. Even if you cancel before final payment you will lose your deposit.

Just an FYI as ABD tours do not work like WDW and DCL discounts

 

[gayleaboone]

Who do they offer the discounts to, how deep are they, and how do you find out about them? In 2008 I got an email from Disney Visa offering EBD rates in May on 5 of the itineraries and that is what prompted me to book in the first place. They sent out a similar offer this year for $500 off airfare for certain trips. But that was advertised and neither was what I would call deep. I booked our 2009 trip the first week after the dates were released so I'm sure I wouldn't have been notified of any discounts.

I have seen discounts on ABD trips and disney cruises on www.vacationstogo.com

 

[Bobo912]

I have seen discounts on ABD trips and disney cruises on www.vacationstogo.com

Thanks Gayle! I subscribe to their newsletter but had never noticed that they offered ABD trips. I'll keep an eye out for anything interesting.

 

[gayleaboone]

Thanks Gayle! I subscribe to their newsletter but had never noticed that they offered ABD trips. I'll keep an eye out for anything interesting.

To see the ABD trips on www.vacationstogo.com, you have to click on the icon at the top right of the home page entitled "Escorted Tours". Then just use the search function to narrow the search to ABD. The tours that are discounted (rather than simply at regular price) say "Save" in the last column. These usually don't come in the newsletter for some reason.....

I have not booked an ABD trip through Vacations to Go, having always used the early booking rates directly through ABD, so I don't know anything beyond what the Vacations to Go website says.

 

[JsMom2]

We booked the Peru trip over Christmas 2010. The price was higher than the 2009 rate, but to be honest I was surprised at how low the holiday rate was for this year.

QUOTE]

I think the Peru trip is the one still reasonably priced trip. We booked the first week the itineraries were announced last summer. We are in a wait and see mode.

Yes, I agree.

 

[sayhello]

I have not booked an ABD trip through Vacations to Go, having always used the early booking rates directly through ABD, so I don't know anything beyond what the Vacations to Go website says.

I haven't booked ABD through Vacations to Go, but I did book a cruise through them, and they were great. You don't actually book through the website, it's a portal to their travel agency, and a real TA returns your phone call. That's been a few years ago, but it was my first cruise & I knew nothing about it, and they worked with me & explained everything really well. They were excellent at returning my phone calls promptly.

Sayhello

 

[Alaura]

We've taken two trips. This year's "magic" was not quite as good as last years. We were planning on booking but with no early booking discount, HUGE penalties if you cancel, and dramatic price increases, we are going with Tauck Bridges for next year. We've just signed up, and instead of just our immediate family, we are taking the whole group - 18 family members. Should be fun!

We've lurked on this site for some time but never posted. Just wanted to drop in and say thanks to those who've posted advice and thoughts, and bye - we're now priced out of ABD.

 

[jenbadeaux]

As I've posted before, 3 families from my Quest for the West adventure this summer have booked Costa Rica next year through Tauck Bridges because of the ABD price increase and lack of EBD. Just want to note that another family of 4 from our Southwest Splendors trip in 2008 just booked that trip with us as well. They had wanted to do Italy with ABD this year, but when you crunch the numbers, this just made better financial sense. So, for the record, that makes 20 people on our trip and that's 20 loyal ABD customers gone. The Tauck Bridges Costa Rica trip has a 35 person max according to the agent I talked with on the phone, so we are quickly filling it up!

 

[ennuiphobe]

As I've posted before, 3 families from my Quest for the West adventure this summer have booked Costa Rica next year through Tauck Bridges because of the ABD price increase and lack of EBD. Just want to note that another family of 4 from our Southwest Splendors trip in 2008 just booked that trip with us as well. They had wanted to do Italy with ABD this year, but when you crunch the numbers, this just made better financial sense. So, for the record, that makes 20 people on our trip and that's 20 loyal ABD customers gone. The Tauck Bridges Costa Rica trip has a 35 person max according to the agent I talked with on the phone, so we are quickly filling it up!

We also did Q4TW this year and are also looking at Tauck Bridges for Costa Rica next year. What date are you going?

 

[Tracie Wallace]

Without the EBD, we decided not to book the Germany trip for next year; HOWEVER, we decided to take a Mediteranean cruise. Princess and Celebrity have some cruises that stay mainly in the Greek Isles, which sounds fabulous. I can do the 12 day cruise cheaper than the week in Germany. I'll be sitting on my balcony and thinking, "Disney, you could have had me."

 

[jenbadeaux]

We also did Q4TW this year and are also looking at Tauck Bridges for Costa Rica next year. What date are you going?

We are going on the July 11th Tauck Bridges Costa Rica trip and really looking forward to it! In addition to the 20 of us, there was already a family booked on that trip. Max is 35 for that itinerary, so it's filling up fast!

 

[Mikekim]

Like Alaura - I have read and benefitted from comments on this site. I went to book our second spring break trip with ABD and was really taken aback at the new rates and dates. If I had unlimited funds, I don't think what Disney provides is worth the now extremely high premium charged. We have travelled with many different companies over the years and I liked the Disney trip this year and was headed back. But it wasn't really all that special compared to other well run guided trips, and at this price, I would expect far far far more than is provided. This price should limit the group to 20, a minimum of two guides plus a specialty guide, open bar, more meals, etc.

2009 prices were fair and on par with the product delivered.

Thanks to those who provided comments and guidance. I actually liked a tour program that had an independent "blog" like this - and haven't run into this with other tour groups. Nevertheless, we'll move on to another tour company now.

 

[kjd469]

We are going on the July 11th Tauck Bridges Costa Rica trip and really looking forward to it! In addition to the 20 of us, there was already a family booked on that trip. Max is 35 for that itinerary, so it's filling up fast!

That sounds like a good option for us as well...we will be taking DD15 on this trip...do you know if any of the other families had kids in this age range? Also, I just checked the Tauck website, and could only find dates and pricing for 2009...if you could PM me with the info. for the 2010 dates that would be great...sounds like it could be a full house of former ABD customers!!

 

[Diskidatheart]

Like Alaura - I have read and benefitted from comments on this site. I went to book our second spring break trip with ABD and was really taken aback at the new rates and dates. If I had unlimited funds, I don't think what Disney provides is worth the now extremely high premium charged. We have travelled with many different companies over the years and I liked the Disney trip this year and was headed back. But it wasn't really all that special compared to other well run guided trips, and at this price, I would expect far far far more than is provided. This price should limit the group to 20, a minimum of two guides plus a specialty guide, open bar, more meals, etc.

2009 prices were fair and on par with the product delivered.

Thanks to those who provided comments and guidance. I actually liked a tour program that had an independent "blog" like this - and haven't run into this with other tour groups. Nevertheless, we'll move on to another tour company now.

Mikekim, I was wondering what other tour companies you've used in the past and how they may have compared to the ABD trip(s) that you've taken.

 

[Dawnywog]

We're going to postpone our Peru trip. We'll give it another year and see what happens with ABD. If they don't change we'll go with another tour company for 2011.

 

[Bobo912]

That sounds like a good option for us as well...we will be taking DD15 on this trip...do you know if any of the other families had kids in this age range? Also, I just checked the Tauck website, and could only find dates and pricing for 2009...if you could PM me with the info. for the 2010 dates that would be great...sounds like it could be a full house of former ABD customers!!

I had trouble finding the prices at first too, but they are there if you look hard enough. Go to this link: http://www.tauck.com/tours/latin-america/costa-rica-vacation-yo-2009?source=H4

When the page comes up, click on "Check Avaliable Dates" on the right hand side of the page. A smaller window opens up and there is a link that says "Please click here to view 2010 dates". Cick on that link and on the page with the 2010 dates there is a link for "prices page" and the 2010 prices are on that page.

 

[ennuiphobe]

Also, I just checked the Tauck website, and could only find dates and pricing for 2009...if you could PM me with the info. for the 2010 dates that would be great...sounds like it could be a full house of former ABD customers!!

If I'm reading the sites correctly:
ABD Jul 10, 2010 - Jul 16, 2010: Adult: $3,649 Child: $3,309
Tauck Bridges June-Aug: Adult: $2290 Child under 8: $2090

Pricing it out for me and my 9yr son, the costs would be:
ABD: $6958
TB: $4380

So I have to wonder if ABD's 2nd guide is worth $2600.

I've also looked at Thompson Family Adventures, which looks interesting because of their mentors and pen pals for kids in the group. Their price looks to fall between ABD and TB, but I'm waiting for the final numbers.

 

[Bobo912]

If I'm reading the sites correctly:
ABD Jul 10, 2010 - Jul 16, 2010: Adult: $3,649 Child: $3,309
Tauck Bridges June-Aug: Adult: $2290 Child under 8: $2090

Pricing it out for me and my 9yr son, the costs would be:
ABD: $6958
TB: $4380

So I have to wonder if ABD's 2nd guide is worth $2600.

I've also looked at Thompson Family Adventures, which looks interesting because of their mentors and pen pals for kids in the group. Their price looks to fall between ABD and TB, but I'm waiting for the final numbers.

Just FYI...if you take the survey on the Thomson website they will give you $500 off your trip if you book by Dec 31. I did this several days ago, and as I recall, I had to order the brochure to get the survey to come up.

 

[kjd469]

Thanks Bobo912 and ennuiphobe for the info. So here's what I found -

Costa Rica with ABD...2 adults and 15 yr. old - $10947...plus gratuities....6 nights, July 10-16, 2010

Costa Rica with Tauck Bridges....2 adults and 15 yr. old - $6297...gratuities included...7 nights, July 11-18

Similar itineraries, both use very good hotels. ABD has 2 guides w/ 40 guests, Tauck has 1 guide w/ 35 guests.

I've done 2 ABD's and both were wonderful - BUT - I'd have to have more money than brains to book with ABD for this trip! An extra guide and a few pins, snacks and bottles of water are not worth the $4656 plus gratuities more that I'd have to pay to do this trip with ABD. Tauck has been around since 1925 and always get rave reviews, so that's not a worry.

My advice to everyone is...do your homework, compare apples to apples, and then see what you end up with....I was really shocked at the difference in price! Sorry ABD - you lost us on this one!

 

[jenbadeaux]

That sounds like a good option for us as well...we will be taking DD15 on this trip...do you know if any of the other families had kids in this age range? Also, I just checked the Tauck website, and could only find dates and pricing for 2009...if you could PM me with the info. for the 2010 dates that would be great...sounds like it could be a full house of former ABD customers!!

Yes, there will definitely be girls her age. At present we have girls who are 21,20,14,16,8,7. Boys 18,13,12,11,7,7. We would love to have you!