Golden Path to Yosemite

[steelydad]

Just returned from this exceptional trip. From the storybook travel itinerary based on the 1849 gold rush (what happened to the 2010 trip themes again?), to the pacing of the activities to the way the guides handled the unexpected, have to say ABD exceeded expectations. This was the last Golden Path trip this summer but for anyone thinking about next year, just know that Squaw Valley, Tahoe, Yosemite and San Fran are each world class places right out of Soarin'. The benefit of the 2 guides became clear at times when one guide was with the group and the other was working the phones and laptop to plan contingencies like when a rockslide closed the Awahnee hotel or when wild fires threatened to close more roads out of the park or when the astronomy night sky gazing looked iffy. These acts of nature had pretty minimal impact on the trip but they could have.

Whatever kinks must have been worked out earlier in the summer.

Two things though: 1) as this board has made clear, the EBD must be restored and if truely gone, the Costco discount as well and; 2) and this costs Disney nothing, the trip themes should be restored as well. If you ask most Disney fans what Disney is known for, the answer is customer service (which this trip had in so many big and small ways) and story telling.

Back to the grind.

 

[Aunt Cawa]

Thanks for your thoughts on this trip. It sounds like a great adventure. I am sorry to hear the rockslide affected your trip. I was wondering if ABD had a tour going on when the rockslide happened. Where did you end up?

Thanks again for your comments.

 

[sayhello]

steelydad, glad you had such a great time. This was one of the trips I was seriously considering, but they didn't have a trip that fit when I could go. I'm glad to hear it was so great.

I hadn't heard about the rockslide closing the Awahnee. Man, I just have to think about people who reserved those rooms months, maybe over a year in advance, and spent a pretty penny on their reservations. This time of year, it must have been hard to find places to put them. I guess it's a good thing yours wasn't a signature trip! I think the guides are fabulous, and it's amazing how they deal with the unexpected. I'm looking forward to a report about this trip, and what the guides did to accommodate nature.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by ABD getting rid of the trip themes?? I hadn't heard this. Can you explain?

Sayhello

 

[steelydad]

Yes, turns out we were better off not staying in the Ahwahnee so we just missed a dinner there. ABD reserved the Mountain Room Restaurant for us that night which worked fine - don't think non adventurers can even make reserves in that restaurant. Poor folks from the Ahwahnee ended up just outside the Park and then the next day in heavy smoke from the controlled fire that ended up uncontrolled in Toulumne Meadows section. Point is, guides were all over both the fire and the slide so we went about biking, swimming, hiking enjoying the valley without much worry. This trip is a nice blend of nature and city and its in the US. Re: theming, next year this is just the No. Calf trip, not a "Golden Path" leading from panning for gold, to natures gold to the Golden Gate bridge with a neat little pin everyday connecting the dots.

 

[sayhello]

Yes, turns out we were better off not staying in the Ahwahnee so we just missed a dinner there. ABD reserved the Mountain Room Restaurant for us that night which worked fine - don't think non adventurers can even make reserves in that restaurant. Poor folks from the Ahwahnee ended up just outside the Park and then the next day in heavy smoke from the controlled fire that ended up uncontrolled in Toulumne Meadows section. Point is, guides were all over both the fire and the slide so we went about biking, swimming, hiking enjoying the valley without much worry. This trip is a nice blend of nature and city and its in the US. Re: theming, next year this is just the No. Calf trip, not a "Golden Path" leading from panning for gold, to natures gold to the Golden Gate bridge with a neat little pin everyday connecting the dots.

Oh, see, when I was MUCH younger and poor (ie, cheap) I stayed outside the park, at Cedar Lodge in El Portal. Took forever to get into the Park every day. One of the appeals of this trip is staying *in* the park. Those poor folks. Nature happens. I'm so totally not surprised the guides were so on top of that. The guides are really what makes ABD stand out from the others.

Where did you hear that the Themes & the pins were gone for 2010? If you go to the overview web page where it lists all the North America tours, the "themes" are still there. The Northern California trip is still subtitled "Golden Path to Yosemite". They weren't on the individual web pages in 2009, either.

http://abd.disney.go.com/abd/en_US/region?name=NorthAmericaOverviewPage

And I hadn't heard anyone say the pins were going away. That would be a HUGE mistake. Did one of the guides tell you this?

Thanks,
Sayhello

 

[steelydad]

Sorry but when I toggle over to the ABD website, I only see Northern California Family Vacation, no Golden Path. Same with Wyoming Family Vacation instead of Quest for the West, Grand Canyon Family Vacation instead of Southwest Splendors and down the line.

IMHO the itinerary as a "storybook" was a nice touch; a subtle connection to the overall trip theme and to Disney. Each pin related to the day's locale and activities as set forth in the days' "storybook" schedule. Donald panning for gold in the Truckee River, Minnie and Daisy on a cable car, etc.. A little magic afterglow if you will. We tried to guess which character and what activitiy would be next. Did not mean to imply anyone said anything about no pins next year. It just worked well, so why change? Actually the guides said Disney is listening to its adventurers alumn and they generally implied things might continue to change or some aspects might come back. Its still a pretty new branch out for the company. Now that they own the Hulk and Ironman, the superheros will bring back the EBD right?

 

[Bobo912]

Just returned from this exceptional trip. From the storybook travel itinerary based on the 1849 gold rush (what happened to the 2010 trip themes again?), to the pacing of the activities to the way the guides handled the unexpected, have to say ABD exceeded expectations. This was the last Golden Path trip this summer but for anyone thinking about next year, just know that Squaw Valley, Tahoe, Yosemite and San Fran are each world class places right out of Soarin'. The benefit of the 2 guides became clear at times when one guide was with the group and the other was working the phones and laptop to plan contingencies like when a rockslide closed the Awahnee hotel or when wild fires threatened to close more roads out of the park or when the astronomy night sky gazing looked iffy. These acts of nature had pretty minimal impact on the trip but they could have.

Whatever kinks must have been worked out earlier in the summer.

Two things though: 1) as this board has made clear, the EBD must be restored and if truely gone, the Costco discount as well and; 2) and this costs Disney nothing, the trip themes should be restored as well. If you ask most Disney fans what Disney is known for, the answer is customer service (which this trip had in so many big and small ways) and story telling.

Back to the grind.

I'm glad you had a good trip. What I really want to say to you though is that "steelydad" is a great name! Welcome to the board!

 

[Turtlemom]

Hi Steelydad--
Glad to hear you had a fantastic time on the N.CA trip. This is one that our family is considering as well.

Just wanted to ask. . . are you sure they are doing away with the storybook and pins???? That would be terrible in my opinion! Our family has really enjoyed both on our past ABD's (incl. Quest for the West and SW Splendors).

I did look at the on-line brochure (you can get it by clicking at the bottom of the website), and the trips are still "named" in the 2010 brochure--i.e., Golden Path to Yosemite, Quest for the West, etc. . . . Just wondering if you heard about the change from an adventure guide, or if you were going by the website, which did not include the names anymore.

Turtlemom

 

[steelydad]

Have to apologize for leaving an impression about the pins. The guides did NOT say pins are going away at all and the only info I see on the trip name change droppng the theme is from the ABD website. If the same trip names are still out there somewhere, great. The storybook daily itinerary, the trip name/theme and the pins fit together well is all.

Anywho, if you do go on this trip expect to be struck by huge cliff faces, waterfalls, and Ponderosa trees that you will see on muleback, bike, kayak or hike. The Disney part actually helps the kids appreciate interacting with nature I would suggest. You might even get to hear your child tell the other kids "I saw a bear chasing a coyote today." Not too shabby.

 

[Tozzie]

Just returned from this exceptional trip. From the storybook travel itinerary based on the 1849 gold rush (what happened to the 2010 trip themes again?), to the pacing of the activities to the way the guides handled the unexpected, have to say ABD exceeded expectations. This was the last Golden Path trip this summer but for anyone thinking about next year, just know that Squaw Valley, Tahoe, Yosemite and San Fran are each world class places right out of Soarin'. The benefit of the 2 guides became clear at times when one guide was with the group and the other was working the phones and laptop to plan contingencies like when a rockslide closed the Awahnee hotel or when wild fires threatened to close more roads out of the park or when the astronomy night sky gazing looked iffy. These acts of nature had pretty minimal impact on the trip but they could have.

Whatever kinks must have been worked out earlier in the summer.

Two things though: 1) as this board has made clear, the EBD must be restored and if truely gone, the Costco discount as well and; 2) and this costs Disney nothing, the trip themes should be restored as well. If you ask most Disney fans what Disney is known for, the answer is customer service (which this trip had in so many big and small ways) and story telling.

Back to the grind.

I am so happy you had a great trip and ABD was able to work out the issues with the fires. I was supposed to go on this trip this year but it got canceled and I couldn't make a different date work for my schedule. I decided to go to Europe next year and if they still have this trip in 2011 I might go on it then.

They still have the "theme" names for the trips on the ABD website, at the top of the page if you click on the area of the world the trip takes place in for example North America the list comes up and the ABD name for the adventure is listed.