Is anyone else disappointed?

[sayhello]

I am sorely disappointed, also. If I wasn't already looking into booking a TA "private" trip for 2010 (don't know if I'm allowed to say more), I doubt I'd be booking with ABD this year, either. The price increases, along with the lack of EBD just push these trips into the realm of "too expensive". Add on a single supplement, and it's pretty damned hard to justify. Plus, most of the "fringe date" trips that I tend to take (May/Sep) are gone. I really prefer not to travel during the Summer...

There's really little to no advantage to booking early now, especially with ABD's unforgiving cancellation policy (no refund of the deposit past 14 days). Sure, there's a chance a particular date may be sold out, but that's a chance I'd be willing to take.

I have to wonder if ABD did this on purpose, to preclude the huge number of early bookings they had to cancel last year? If folks don't book early, they don't have to worry about re-booking/shuffling them. But it seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot by doing that. Gives people more time to consider other options...

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

I just went to check out the 2010 itinerary, dates and rates for China but only 2009 is on the website. How do I find it?

Try clearing your browser's cache (delete temporary files). The dates & rates for 2010 for China are right there on the normal China "Rates & Dates" page.

Sayhello

 

[kjd469]

I was just thinking...my family was willing to hand over about $25000 of our hard earned vacation money to ABD today...not gonna happen now....if that's just the amount for our family, think of the hundreds of thousands of dollars, just on this thread alone, that they may be sending to other tour companies....just a thought.

 

[nunzia]

Hi Everyone. I am the Director of Marketing for Adventures by Disney and want to help clarify some of the questions and concerns posted today. For those of you who have traveled with us in the past, you know how we at Adventures by Disney treat our Guests… you’ve sent us emails and letters and posted on this site about the personalized service and attention. We always want to make sure that you feel important and listened to. Please take a minute to read this and hopefully it will clear up some of the confusion. Thanks! Lilly

Website – The website with new dates and pricing is live today. For some of you, depending on browsers, you may need to refresh your browser to get the latest feeds as the site updates. This is probably why some of you are seeing different information. By this afternoon PST, the need to refresh will no longer be an issue. Thanks for your patience!

Regarding EBR: Early Booking Rates were actually confusing and a misnomer for a lot of our Guests… and some of you will remember (depending on the trip and departure date), they often sold out in the first day of booking. Our new pricing structure was created with Guests’ needs in mind: Book early for great rates (and best availability). This means that our 2010 introductory rates will be among the best we offer all year. In addition, we’ve added triple and quad rates so if you choose to have additional family members or a friend share one room, the rate per person, decreases (pending availability). This provides Guests more flexibility and better pricing options.

Also – Past Guests – You should be receiving an email today from us with details. There is definitely a loyalty offer for you. It is $100 off per person (valid through Nov 30).

Regarding pricing: While you may be able to find cheaper guided family tours out there, you will wind up spending a significant amount of incremental funds to supplement all of the items of that aren’t included.

With Adventures by Disney, we always want your vacation to be as stress free and hassle free as possible, so we don’t nickel and dime you. In fact, one thing we hear consistently from Guests during and post travel is that they couldn’t believe how much the trip included .. that it was worth every penny and then some. Below is a list of everything included in each adventure.

Immersive Events and Activities
• Disney-trained Adventure Guides
• Activities with local experts
• Special thrills for Junior Adventurers
• Interaction with historical characters
• Immersive activities for everyone

VIP Experiences
• Private events and privately guided tours
• Backstage access
• Entertainment and special performances
• Bypass the lines at popular museums and attractions
• Fun surprises and gifts throughout your vacation

Admission
• National and regional park entrance fees
• Tickets and admission to events and attractions
• Nature and wildlife educational programs

Hassle-Free Travel
• Airport meet and greet upon arrival
• Transfer to/from hotels
• Transportation within your trip (including flights, trains, etc.)
• Snacks and refreshments en route
• Luggage service
• Concierge service to help plan free time
• Travel taxes

Dining and Resorts
• Outstanding accommodations
• Scheduled meals
• Dinner or movie night especially for kids
• Adult dining experience with wine tasting
• Taxes and gratuities
•
Regarding new itineraries – Our focus for 2010 is on giving Guests new and unique trip types to choose from. We will be announcing these new trips throughout the season. There will be some really exciting and completely new concepts… as well as the official launch of our Gateway Collection. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for announcements.

I appreciate ABD posting this and as a past ABD traveler I have to say I agree! I loved my trip, everything was smooth and handled without a hitch and I would not hesitate to travel with ABD again. Even if the cost is more, I would feel it was worth it. Almost all of our meals were included and we were fed so well that the ones that weren't turned into snacks since we were so full. The little surprises and asccess are amazing.

 

[CBEB]

Try clearing your browser's cache (delete temporary files). The dates & rates for 2010 for China are right there on the normal China "Rates & Dates" page.

Sayhello

The dates and rates are there for 2010, but the itinerary appears to be old. It refers to the past hotels and not the ones planned for 2010.

 

[HappyGrumpy]

I am sorely disappointed, also. If I wasn't already looking into booking a TA "private" trip for 2010 (don't know if I'm allowed to say more), I doubt I'd be booking with ABD this year, either. The price increases, along with the lack of EBD just push these trips into the realm of "too expensive". Add on a single supplement, and it's pretty damned hard to justify. Plus, most of the "fringe date" trips that I tend to take (May/Sep) are gone. I really prefer not to travel during the Summer...

There's really little to no advantage to booking early now, especially with ABD's unforgiving cancellation policy (no refund of the deposit past 14 days). Sure, there's a chance a particular date may be sold out, but that's a chance I'd be willing to take.

I have to wonder if ABD did this on purpose, to preclude the huge number of early bookings they had to cancel last year? If folks don't book early, they don't have to worry about re-booking/shuffling them. But it seems like they are shooting themselves in the foot by doing that. Gives people more time to consider other options...

Sayhello

I was super curious to know what you had to say! I had a feeling it was going to be in line with the majority. This is such a shame that ABD does not seem to respect their repeats. I work for..(lets just say the comapany I work for is a fruit and sells really cool computers and phones)

We take care of our customers. from the students to the military and small business owners. We build relationships with our customers. Its so much more than just providing a service or a product. I want them to come back and when they do I am going to catch up with them not just provide another service or product. It seems that ABD USED to have the same idea but somewhere along the way lost it's focus!

 

[Bobo912]

I appreciate ABD posting this and as a past ABD traveler I have to say I agree! I loved my trip, everything was smooth and handled without a hitch and I would not hesitate to travel with ABD again. Even if the cost is more, I would feel it was worth it. Almost all of our meals were included and we were fed so well that the ones that weren't turned into snacks since we were so full. The little surprises and asccess are amazing.

I don't think anybody disagrees with you. If we didn't love ABD we wouldn't keep coming back and we wouldn't be as disappointed as some of us are today. It's not so much that the cost is more than other touring companies, it's that the cost is so much more than the same trip with ABD was last year. At least that is the case with the trip I was planning to take. I was perfectly willing to pay a bit more than last year's EBD, but for the two of us the price for just the land package (no insurance, etc.) is $2640 more than it was last year with the EBD. And there are other Galapogos trip dates that are even higher than the one I was planning to book. Why such a difference? The itinerary is the same. I would never even have looked at any other touring company if ABD hadn't priced themselves out of the running. But now that I have, I don't see the big price increase from last year at the other companies. I guess I was foolish to set my expectations on what ABD has done in past years. If I hadn't been looking forward to this day and hadn't been so sure that I would be booking another awesome vacation today, I wouldn't be so disappointed.

 

[sayhello]

I don't think anybody disagrees with you. If we didn't love ABD we wouldn't keep coming back and we wouldn't be as disappointed as some of us are today. It's not so much that the cost is more than other touring companies, it's that the cost is so much more than the same trip with ABD was last year. At least that is the case with the trip I was planning to take. I was perfectly willing to pay a bit more than last year's EBD, but for the two of us the price for just the land package (no insurance, etc.) is $2640 more than it was last year with the EBD. And there are other Galapogos trip dates that are even higher than the one I was planning to book. Why such a difference? The itinerary is the same. I would never even have looked at any other touring company if ABD hadn't priced themselves out of the running. But now that I have, I don't see the big price increase from last year at the other companies. I guess I was foolish to set my expectations on what ABD has done in past years. If I hadn't been looking forward to this day and hadn't been so sure that I would be booking another awesome vacation today, I wouldn't be so disappointed.

Yep, I think you put that very well!

Sayhello

 

[sayhello]

I was super curious to know what you had to say! I had a feeling it was going to be in line with the majority. This is such a shame that ABD does not seem to respect their repeats. I work for..(lets just say the comapany I work for is a fruit and sells really cool computers and phones)

We take care of our customers. from the students to the military and small business owners. We build relationships with our customers. Its so much more than just providing a service or a product. I want them to come back and when they do I am going to catch up with them not just provide another service or product. It seems that ABD USED to have the same idea but somewhere along the way lost it's focus!

I have no problem with ABD's product. I *ADORE* the ABD trips and itineraries. I agree, however, that it appears to be the "customer service" that is lacking here. They seem to feel that they can just jack up the prices, and we'll roll over & pay, because it is such a great product.

Most other industries, if they plan on increasing prices for the next year, they add new features or new functionality. Very few places jack up the price on last year's model; if anything, they discount them the next year. ABD increased prices from 2008 to 2009, but made some changes & improvements to the itineraries, and offered new ones. This year, the itineraries appear to be virtually identical to 2009, but the price increase was, on many of the trips, a drastic one. Plus the elimination of the EBD... I don't know. I just don't feel very valued as a past & future customer at the moment. I may change my mind as things sink in, and maybe new details come out, but right now, I'm not overly impressed. Still a GREAT product, but over-priced based on last year's costs.

Just my opinion...

Sayhello

 

[glassslipper2004]

Wow. Not only am I disappointed with the prices and dates for next year, but Disney eliminated the two trips I was most interested in (Flavors of France and Spain) - and they aren't adding any new ones! I can't believe those two trips are gone.

The Disney rep's statement that announcements about other trips will be coming kind of misses the point, as so many posters have noted: we can't very well plan on trips that don't yet exist.

Oh well. My DD is dying to go to the new Harry Potter land in Universal next year, and while I thought I was ready to give up on theme parks and spend all our vacation time (and money) traveling elsewhere, maybe now is not the time!

 

[TheEvilQueen]

I know from speaking to some of my friends who were guides, that the Spain trip and the Flavors of France trip were not very popular.

I would be surprised though, if they came back in a few years ... but under a different name (like the Canadian Rockies and Northern California ones did).

As far as the prices going up ... I understand why people are upset about it, but the prices would have had to go up at some point, right? Maybe next year they won't go up. *Wishful thinking?*

 

[Ivory]

I have to agree with the general tone of this thread. After just coming back from a back to back London Paris, and Italy, I had my credit card all ready to book another one. But not at those prices. The 2009's where high but this is too much. Yes they are great tours and everythings looked after but we also book our trips 10 to 12 months in advance and I don't feel like looking back again and again to see whats coming out with nothing definate on the horizon and alot of secrecy.

Also we where one of the families that had to change our trip as it was cancelled and I don't know if I want to live through that again, it was very stressful and although it worked out, no EBB or returning customer only $100 I will take my $20,000, somewhere else. Sorry ABD you where fun while it lasted.

 

[kristilew]

We had about decided not to book anyway, as we felt that ABD maybe needed a year to regroup. As victims of the great cancellation this year, we are gun-shy about building our whole year around another ABD trip. Add to that the step down in service we experienced between our 2008 and 2009 trips, and it would have taken something special to make us book today. Not there.

We also have been looking into other tour providers, as well as considering an "on our own" trip. As a pp stated, it is fairly easy to book your own guides at many of these destinations. We did Paris on our own this summer, and booked a private guide one day. She was amazina, and at $400 it would have been easy to do this every day and still not spend what we spend on an ABD.

I think it's just reaching a breaking point where perceived value isn't lining up with cost. For us personally, that is going hand-in-hand with a lack of trust that ABD will keep their standards high.

I'll continue to monitor the boards and keep my fingers crossed that the 2010 trips get rave reviews. I'd love to hear that they are well worth the cost increase. (but not holding my breath)

 

[sayhello]

As far as the prices going up ... I understand why people are upset about it, but the prices would have had to go up at some point, right? Maybe next year they won't go up. *Wishful thinking?*

Um, they went up last year, also. I'm not thinking I'm buying that...

Sayhello

 

[Computer Magic]

We had about decided not to book anyway, as we felt that ABD maybe needed a year to regroup. As victims of the great cancellation this year, we are gun-shy about building our whole year around another ABD trip. Add to that the step down in service we experienced between our 2008 and 2009 trips, and it would have taken something special to make us book today. Not there.

We also have been looking into other tour providers, as well as considering an "on our own" trip. As a pp stated, it is fairly easy to book your own guides at many of these destinations. We did Paris on our own this summer, and booked a private guide one day. She was amazina, and at $400 it would have been easy to do this every day and still not spend what we spend on an ABD.

I think it's just reaching a breaking point where perceived value isn't lining up with cost. For us personally, that is going hand-in-hand with a lack of trust that ABD will keep their standards high.

I'll continue to monitor the boards and keep my fingers crossed that the 2010 trips get rave reviews. I'd love to hear that they are well worth the cost increase. (but not holding my breath)

perfect post. In went in 2007. Then price increases has left me on the sidelines. Then the step down service I keep hearing. I already have high expectation from my wonderful 2007 trip, which seem to be the peak time for ABD. I was looking forward to some ideas today.

I appreciate ABD marketing dept trying to defuse the situation. This is their job. They try and spin the situation in Disney favor. However, the best marketing comes from its customers. I hope to return to ABD someday.

 

[Icemann]

I'm new to the boards here and ABD.We just took or first trip in May,Spirit Of America and had a great time.Was it worth the price I'll say yes this being or first one.Been doing Disney longer then I will admit too we are DVC members I have looked at other tour groups for Alaska and think Disney is a good fit.It seams like the European Tours are taking a beating.The US tour seem to be doing a little better.I look to these board for help and advice about trips and such.I haven't heard any bad things about Alaska except the price going up about 20% which seems a little high.I don't think I could put a trip together like they do.This was a promise made 25 years ago and I do plan on keeping it.We had planned on other trips after this but maybe not with Disney we will have to see.I like every one else will watch the boards and the EBD and 100 dollars off returning customers would have been nice but when I book it alot will depend on ABD customer service

 

[boundfordisney]

Never been on an ABD trip but was sooo interested to see what early booking was going to be. Guess thats not happening,I was very interested in the Vienna tour which seems is now removed.Germany was another that I was considering, but had hoped for a good deal, since that is not the case I will not be booking anything at this point in time and I will most likely shop around before making my choice to go with disney or another company. We are doing the 7 night western cruise November28th so might just book another cruise while onboard instead. Hopefully things change and they bring out some kind of deal. Keeping my fingers crossed for now!

 

[Tozzie]

As far as the prices going up ... I understand why people are upset about it, but the prices would have had to go up at some point, right? Maybe next year they won't go up. *Wishful thinking?*

Considering the economy and all it seems the only company that seems to be raising prices in the Travel Industry is Disney. There are people that actually thought they would get the early booking discount and now that is out the window so the increase in cost is considerable without increasing any activities on the trips. I am also very annoyed that many itineraries not only don't have an adults only trip but the trips that are offered are mostly summer dates. I am not sure I want to spend over $5000 (thanks single supplement) on a vacation where I have to settle for dates I don't want. After looking at other tour companies that are comparable I see disney's single supplement is very high compared to the others. I am still mulling over my options but I doubt I will be booking with ABD this year.

It is really a shame that there are so many people who had every intention of booking a trip today that aren't. I think disney would have done better to leave the early booking discount alone. I understood what it meant and if anyone were to read the fine print they would as well.

I also didn't get the email that ABDlily stated was forthcomming, has anyone else received it.

 

[JsMom2]

I also didn't get the email that ABDlily stated was forthcomming, has anyone else received it.

We've taken 2 ABD trips (most recent was in June) and haven't received any Email.

 

[gayleaboone]

Considering the economy and all it seems the only company that seems to be raising prices in the Travel Industry is Disney. There are people that actually thought they would get the early booking discount and now that is out the window so the increase in cost is considerable without increasing any activities on the trips. I am also very annoyed that many itineraries not only don't have an adults only trip but the trips that are offered are mostly summer dates. I am not sure I want to spend over $5000 (thanks single supplement) on a vacation where I have to settle for dates I don't want. After looking at other tour companies that are comparable I see disney's single supplement is very high compared to the others. I am still mulling over my options but I doubt I will be booking with ABD this year.

It is really a shame that there are so many people who had every intention of booking a trip today that aren't. I think disney would have done better to leave the early booking discount alone. I understood what it meant and if anyone were to read the fine print they would as well.

I also didn't get the email that ABDlily stated was forthcomming, has anyone else received it.

I received the $100 email offer for past guests at 4:38 CDT