2015 Trips

[RSM]

OK, so in a very un-like-me move, I've actually booked the Sep 4, 2015 Adults Only Central Europe trip!!!! Not only haven't we had any reports back on the trip yet, but I'm not even close to having taken this year's ABD yet. But I really like the itinerary, and there are no May-timeframe Adult Only departures for it. It's a little freaky, but I really am not feeling much in the way of qualms about it (at this point! ). My only concern right now is the trip insurance, because I know there have been some changes to ABD's policy, and I may not want to get it. We shall see!

Sayhello

Congrats on booking, Sayhello. We leave for this trip on 6/18 with a pre-day in Prague and return on 7/3 (we are going to Munich for 4 days after the ABD). We'll try and do a mini-trip report and post some photos.

 

[sayhello]

Congrats on booking, Sayhello. We leave for this trip on 6/18 with a pre-day in Prague and return on 7/3 (we are going to Munich for 4 days after the ABD). We'll try and do a mini-trip report and post some photos.

Cool! Thanks, RSM. I'm really looking forward to your reports. I guess now I need to think about pre- and post- days. But I'm still planning my Scotland trip, so it will need to wait a bit!

Are you doing your pre-day through ABD?

Sayhello

 

[RSM]

Cool! Thanks, RSM. I'm really looking forward to your reports. I guess now I need to think about pre- and post- days. But I'm still planning my Scotland trip, so it will need to wait a bit!

Are you doing your pre-day through ABD?

Sayhello

Not doing the pre-day through ABD. They quoted ~$600 for the 3 of us. I used Marriott rewards points for the hotel, and the got a private car for the airport transfer (which was only ~$30-$40). So, we may have to check out, then check back in, but it is worth it for the savings.

 

[nunzia]

Just a reminder that if you are a DVC member, you are guaranteed opening day pricing.

Really? I did not know this! I think the cost for Napa is really outrageous for such a short trip.

 

[lawboy2001]

Looks like the 2015 trips are out. I see there is an Amazon river boat cruise as part of a new South American itinerary!

 

[sayhello]

Looks like the 2015 trips are out. I see there is an Amazon river boat cruise as part of a new South American itinerary!

Hi, lawboy2001! We already have 2 threads discussing the new itineraries, so I merged your new thread in with one of them. Please join in on the conversation!

Sayhello

 

[ABDGurl]

Quote: Congrats on booking, Sayhello. We leave for this trip on 6/18 with a pre-day in Prague and return on 7/3 (we are going to Munich for 4 days after the ABD). We'll try and do a mini-trip report and post some photos.


You are going to love your guide for this trip...Stephanie. She was our Germany guide last year and switched to the Central Europe adventure this year. Got to spend some extra time with her after our Germany adventure as we both found ourselves going to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden (she was prepping for the new trip...we were on vacation). Have a great time!

 

[ABDGurl]

Has anyone gone on this adventure before? If so, am wondering if you got altitude sickness when you arrived in Quito (about 9300 feet above sea level).

 

[DisneyKevin]

You are going to love your guide for this trip...Stephanie. She was our Germany guide last year and switched to the Central Europe adventure this year. Got to spend some extra time with her after our Germany adventure as we both found ourselves going to Salzburg and Berchtesgaden (she was prepping for the new trip...we were on vacation). Have a great time!

I will second this!

Stephanie is WONDERFUL and I envy anyone who has her as a guide.

Above and beyond in all ways.

 

[ABDGurl]

I'm also traveling, which is why I'm glad I don't need to book this year, I'll be at a hotel without free wifi,and needing to use my cell, not the easiest for researching trips, with all the graphics!

Good luck to this of you booking trips this spring, can't wait to hear everyone's plans! Especially interested in the Amazon, when we did the Andes and Galapagos, the guides all said its phenomenal! I bet they are going to the river where the ph of the water prevents significant mosquitos, which makes it safer. Can't remember, but thought it was a color name, like red or yellow maybe? I'd love it if the Amazon was combined with Machu Pichu as we have not done that trip yet.
Happy shopping!

Hi...when you did the Ecuador and Galapagos trip, did you or anyone on the trip get altitude sickness in Quito? Just curious as we are planning an ABD there next year and am wondering if altitude sickness is pretty common there, especially since the ascent is so quick by airplane with no time for acclimation. Thanks.

 

[familygoboston]

Yes, that is nice for DVC members, but it's too bad ABD doesn't extend the same offer to their return guests. Their pricing policy (along with a few other disappointments) is one of the reasons that our 5th ABD in July will be our last.

I hear you BoBo, we are thinking Italy, but aren't taking kids, much as I love ABD, we are looking at Tauck.

OK, so in a very un-like-me move, I've actually booked the Sep 4, 2015 Adults Only Central Europe trip!!!! Not only haven't we had any reports back on the trip yet, but I'm not even close to having taken this year's ABD yet. But I really like the itinerary, and there are no May-timeframe Adult Only departures for it. It's a little freaky, but I really am not feeling much in the way of qualms about it (at this point! ). My only concern right now is the trip insurance, because I know there have been some changes to ABD's policy, and I may not want to get it. We shall see!

Sayhello

This is wonderful! We are doing a river cruise in the area this fall! I will have a report for sure under this screen name somewhere! But I'm sure your trip will be wonderful!

 

[familygoboston]

Hi...when you did the Ecuador and Galapagos trip, did you or anyone on the trip get altitude sickness in Quito? Just curious as we are planning an ABD there next year and am wondering if altitude sickness is pretty common there, especially since the ascent is so quick by airplane with no time for acclimation. Thanks.

It was not as worrisome as we expected! I did a complete "write up" in my review, which is linked in my signature below. I have a whole little "section" on it in the beginning!

The short hand version is we did have a our doctor provide us with Diamoxx, just in case, and no one needed it. My DH had a head ache the first night, but he's prone to migraines and has a variety of triggers, any one of which could have been in play on a travel day. My 70 yo parents felt a little breathless dragging their bags (my one knock on that trip, the transfer guide did not take the luggage - even from the seniors, and RAN us through the airport at midnight)
Other than that no one had any ill effects! We even went up on the Teleferico (a gondola to the top of the volcano) on our first full day and though being a little winded while hiking, we had no trouble with sickness of any sort!

One thing I did do, was take ibuprofen. I had read it can help with preventing altitude sickness, and I often take it after long flights (for stiffness and soreness) and while touring around (for foot and back aches) and so it seemed like no problem to try, and I had no troubles at all!

 

[sayhello]

This is wonderful! We are doing a river cruise in the area this fall! I will have a report for sure under this screen name somewhere! But I'm sure your trip will be wonderful!

I've heard from a couple of Adventure Guides that they really loved the itinerary, and are glad it's back. That's definitely a good recommendation! Thanks, I'm banking on wonderful!

I'll look forward to your report. Things to do in OYO time, maybe pre/post day stuff!

Sayhello

 

[ABDGurl]

It was not as worrisome as we expected! I did a complete "write up" in my review, which is linked in my signature below. I have a whole little "section" on it in the beginning!

The short hand version is we did have a our doctor provide us with Diamoxx, just in case, and no one needed it. My DH had a head ache the first night, but he's prone to migraines and has a variety of triggers, any one of which could have been in play on a travel day. My 70 yo parents felt a little breathless dragging their bags (my one knock on that trip, the transfer guide did not take the luggage - even from the seniors, and RAN us through the airport at midnight)
Other than that no one had any ill effects! We even went up on the Teleferico (a gondola to the top of the volcano) on our first full day and though being a little winded while hiking, we had no trouble with sickness of any sort!

One thing I did do, was take ibuprofen. I had read it can help with preventing altitude sickness, and I often take it after long flights (for stiffness and soreness) and while touring around (for foot and back aches) and so it seemed like no problem to try, and I had no troubles at all!

Thanks so much...very helpful, and I will definitely read your trip report. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated. I was getting very close to canceling due to this issue. Some scary stuff out there on the internet, which I don't usually freak out about as I travel a lot. But for some reason, this got me worried.

 

[Bobo912]

When we went to Peru last year, I was worried about the altitude too. It affects people differently, and you really can't predict how your body is going to react if you haven't experienced that altitude before. On the first day we went up to 12,500 feet and I felt a little light headed and slighly short of breath. But I got over it quickly and never experienced that feeling again. We went to lower altitudes (around 9000 feet, I believe) for a few days and then back to Cusco which is over 11,000. We did a lot of walking and climbing in Cusco and I felt completely normal. We had a big group (44) about half and half, adults and kids. I didn't notice any of the kids suffering any ill effects from the altitude. Some of the adults were slightly affected on the first day, like I was, but I think everyone adjusted pretty well. There were a few people who bought canned oxygen at the Cusco airport and used it on the first day. I didn't see anyone using it later in the trip. I did notice someone (not with our group) using the oxygen provided in the hotel lobby in Cusco. Like familygoboston, I had read that ibuprofen can help too, so I took some on our first day at high altitudes, but I'm not sure if it helped or if I just adjusted. Either way, I was fine after that and didn't need to take anymore. After everything I had read, I thought we would have a some people who were visibily affected by the altitude, but that wasn't the case, so maybe it's not as prevalent as one would think from reading the information on the internet. I hope you make it okay and enjoy your trip. The Galapagos Islands are awesome!

 

[cedricandsophie]

I have been to Peru before but not with Disney. My husband and I took altitude sickness medication...can't remember the name...that we got from our local travel med clinic. We were not sick at all.

 

[ABDGurl]

I have been to Peru before but not with Disney. My husband and I took altitude sickness medication...can't remember the name...that we got from our local travel med clinic. We were not sick at all.

Thank you so much. That's very helpful and good to know.

 

[ABDGurl]

When we went to Peru last year, I was worried about the altitude too. It affects people differently, and you really can't predict how your body is going to react if you haven't experienced that altitude before. On the first day we went up to 12,500 feet and I felt a little light headed and slighly short of breath. But I got over it quickly and never experienced that feeling again. We went to lower altitudes (around 9000 feet, I believe) for a few days and then back to Cusco which is over 11,000. We did a lot of walking and climbing in Cusco and I felt completely normal. We had a big group (44) about half and half, adults and kids. I didn't notice any of the kids suffering any ill effects from the altitude. Some of the adults were slightly affected on the first day, like I was, but I think everyone adjusted pretty well. There were a few people who bought canned oxygen at the Cusco airport and used it on the first day. I didn't see anyone using it later in the trip. I did notice someone (not with our group) using the oxygen provided in the hotel lobby in Cusco. Like familygoboston, I had read that ibuprofen can help too, so I took some on our first day at high altitudes, but I'm not sure if it helped or if I just adjusted. Either way, I was fine after that and didn't need to take anymore. After everything I had read, I thought we would have a some people who were visibily affected by the altitude, but that wasn't the case, so maybe it's not as prevalent as one would think from reading the information on the internet. I hope you make it okay and enjoy your trip. The Galapagos Islands are awesome!

Thank you so much, BoBo, for relating your experience. Much appreciated and very helpful. Who know you could buy canned oxygen at the airport!!! I just learned something that might be very helpful.