First International Trip

Networth

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 2, 2013
Hey guys,

Planning on doing our first international trip next year. We have done one prior ABD, the SoCal Disneyland weekdend adventure last May. This will be our first trip overseas and last trip before children. We are celebrating me earning my Doctorate and her obtaining her Masters, than on with kids lol. We know we want to do an ABD trip to Europe and have really narrowed it down to London/Paris vs. Rome/Florence/Venice.

If we do London we would fly in 3-4 days earlier and tour some of the English countryside and possibly do DLP after the ABD. If we do Italy we would most likely fly in just a day or two before and explore Rome.

My wife is nervous about going overseas so I really want to blow this trip out of the water, so she is keen on doing another international trip in the future. I am in my early 30’s and she is in her late 20s.

Any opinions on one trip or the other? Advice on what may be better for us?
 
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No advice but wanted to say ABD is a great choice for a first time visit to Europe. That's what we did and it made so much easier.

Glad to hear you enjoyed using them to Europe. Which trip did you take?
 


I vote for the trip including Rome and Florence and for me not even close. The staggering history there includes the period when Paris and London were unimportant rural settlements while Rome and Florence were the center of western civilization. Spectacular and humbling to see the Vatican, de Medici tomb, etc,etc,etc without end. Santa Croce cathedral in Florence has the tombs of so many of the greatest contributors to the Renaissance and western civilization in general.

On the other hand if you like fish and chips and Guinness then London isn’t too bad. They no longer have sheep dog trials on London TV on Fridays.
 
I vote for the trip including Rome and Florence and for me not even close. The staggering history there includes the period when Paris and London were unimportant rural settlements while Rome and Florence were the center of western civilization. Spectacular and humbling to see the Vatican, de Medici tomb, etc,etc,etc without end. Santa Croce cathedral in Florence has the tombs of so many of the greatest contributors to the Renaissance and western civilization in general.

On the other hand if you like fish and chips and Guinness then London isn’t too bad. They no longer have sheep dog trials on London TV on Fridays.
Boy, I barely know how to reply to a comment like that. First off, you totally didn't mention Michelangelo's David, which is the total highlight of Italy in my opinion. But beyond that, to infer that London and Paris aren't worth visiting because they aren't as old as Rome seems pretty narrow-minded. I think London is an amazing city, with some phenomenal history, and totally worth visiting, multiple times. It is *SO* much more than "fish and chips and Guinness". And Paris is also extremely special. But I guess that's your loss.

Sayhello
 
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I've just signed up for my very first ABD, so I can't comment on either of the two you've mentioned, but I will say that part of what makes Europe so special for me is the small towns and villages, the high mountains, the countryside and people who, in many ways, continue to live a very old-world, traditional life. London, Paris, Rome, etc., are large cities that have a longer history than cities in the US and have some very wonderful sites, but they still feel very much like typical big cities (IMHO). I recommend you find an itinerary (or time before or after) that gives you and your wife an opportunity to spend some real time outside the cities - that's where the magic lives.
 
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Echoing that London is my favorite city in the world.

I picked London/Paris for my husband's first trip to Europe. I thought that England would be very accessible for him. We traveled on our own and it went great.

He picked Rome/Florence/Venice for our first ABD, this coming summer. It will be our girls' first trips to Europe and I'm very excited to avoid having to deal with the logistics of a multi-city tour (at least until we head to Paris at the end of the ABD to visit DLP).

I don't think that you can go wrong. Which trip/cities/sites/food are more appealing to you? Go with that. You will have a good time and see amazing things.
 
I have to say, I've been to several European cities in England, Scotland, France, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. And although I did enjoy what I saw and did in Italy, none of my favorite European cities are in Italy. [In case you wonder, it's Edinburgh, London, Budapest and Crete (which I know technically isn't a city, but there you go! :) ). Barcelona might get added to that list if I ever get a chance to spend more time there.] I've been to Edinburgh and London multiple times, and *will* go back, and I'm hoping to visit Budapest again next summer before my Rhone River cruise).

Sayhello
 
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we did Rome/Florence/Venice June of 2018. It was amazing! We took a day trip to Pompeii the day before and wished we had booked extra time in Venice as it would have been great to wonder for a few days.

To me, since I speak english, London seems very doable on our own. I have also been to Paris with some girlfriends and know a little French so again doable on our own.

The reality is that you can't go wrong with either with Disney. I guess you need to decide which bit of history you would like to see.
 
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Either trip is great. We did the ABD Italy trip that included Florence, Sorrento, Tuscany, Pisa, Capri, Positano, Pompeii...I'm sure there was more. It was wonderful!
 
Thank you guys. This is tougher than anticipated. We won’t be able to go back for quite a few years so we feel like we need to “make it count”.
 
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Jet lag flying east to Europe is a serious issue. Make sure you read up on how to best handle jet lag. If you surrender to jet lag, it only prolongs the effects and can result in a bad trip.


-Paul
 
My wife is nervous about going overseas so I really want to blow this trip out of the water, so she is keen on doing another international trip in the future.

Could you be more specific on what your wife is nervous about going overseas? That might help us give suggestions.
 
Could you be more specific on what your wife is nervous about going overseas? That might help us give suggestions.

The idea of of leaving the U.S. and being on a different Continent & countries for the first time.
 
I vote for the trip including Rome and Florence and for me not even close. The staggering history there includes the period when Paris and London were unimportant rural settlements while Rome and Florence were the center of western civilization. Spectacular and humbling to see the Vatican, de Medici tomb, etc,etc,etc without end. Santa Croce cathedral in Florence has the tombs of so many of the greatest contributors to the Renaissance and western civilization in general.

On the other hand if you like fish and chips and Guinness then London isn’t too bad. They no longer have sheep dog trials on London TV on Fridays.


NOTE Guinness is an Irish Co. & started in Dublin

London has ..... far more to eat than Fish & chips

As for TV ...... BBC has NO ADD Breaks . Football ( NOT USA TYPE ) is played for 45 min a half. without interruption
 
Jet lag flying east to Europe is a serious issue. Make sure you read up on how to best handle jet lag. If you surrender to jet lag, it only prolongs the effects and can result in a bad trip.


-Paul

Have done a bit of reading. We also know a couple that swears taking daytime flights to the UK helps.
 
The idea of of leaving the U.S. and being on a different Continent & countries for the first time.


Go for it ... Have no worries or fears . See how the rest of the world gets on .... she will be fine.

.............................

Money ......... The Euro is just like $ UK money is different

..........................................

AFTER 29th March 2019 UK may have left the European Union . But that will not upset your plans.
 

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