"Is ABD worth the $$$?" Discussion thread

For sure a full time guide(s) is part of what makes ABD what it is, but even assuming you have one that twice as expensive as the standard guide, the cost divided by number of participants does not come out to an extra $5,000+ per person. I'm just saying that paying for a full time guide is not what justifies the price increase. The intangibles of what they can do for a person who doesn't want to worry about the details day to day, or for ABD to plan the entire thing so you can just pack your suitcase and go, that is what the extra money is paying for, by and large. And there's really no way to quantify that. But it's nice to see ABD vs DIY cost comparisons to see what I'd have to pay to get those intangibles.

And darn, when I add it up for a family of 6, I still can't justify the cost. Bums me out, because I think I'd like to try it. I'm working on seeing if dh would do an adult only Oktoberfest river cruise, but that would have to be in 3 years. Too much college to pay for before then to justify a pricey no kids trip. We enjoy traveling as a family, and I'll be lucky if I can get another big family trip in when dd3 graduates HS in 2 years. We'll have 3 in college that next fall, and boy howdy that's a lot of money flowing out of my excel budget spreadsheet!
 
From my research, a private guide seems to add $1000/day to a trip. That's substantial for a family. That's practically nothing divided between 15-20 people (assuming 2 guides on a max filled ABD.) Now, there's the fact that the guide can do all the things you don't want to worry about that may be worth more (and makes "worth it" impossible to calculate) to you, but for bottom line cost, it shouldn't factor that much into it.

If you are on your own and want a guide, your choices are either a private guide or booking a separate group tour for each location. I think that the second option is more comparable to ABD -- although obviously not precise, so that is the number I used. It came to about $200 per day for my party of 3.

It does figure in if you're looking to compare apples to apples. And having some sort of a guide is definitely required to make the trips equivalent

Sayhello

Don't forget to add in the guide gratuities to the calculation! I wonder what ABD pays them versus what they get from tips. I suspect most of their pay is gratuities.

Just as a comparison, I've used private blue badge driver guides for a few different trips to Scotland over the last ten years--the most recent was about 4 years ago. The cost included their car and gas and their accommodations and it was about £320 pounds a day for a 10 day tour in 2010. In 2012 it was £400 for a one-day trip only. I can't find my bill from 2016 but it was a few days so less than the £400 a day. This was for two people so I would personally calculate the ABD guides at much less/day. I like the $200/day figure, but I'd subtract the gratuities off that. It's so hard to value all this, but I'm just going off what I've paid previously.
 
Does anyone know why cost the ABD South Africa itineraries have increased so dramatically? Adult price at the end of December 2018 is $8799 then increases slightly until December 2019 through March 2019 when it is increases to $12,499 (original published rate, not dynamic price change)? I don't think the itinerary has changed much. This trip was never really on my radar until Cousin Orville's trip report. That is over a 40% increase in one year which effectively prices us out of that trip.
 
On the tip thing (and don't flame me, we are planning on tipping at least the recommended amount on our trip). However, when I run the math on a trip, I do really wonder what they are being paid by ABD.

For example, assume a trip of 32, basically 8 families of 4. For a weeklong trip, that is $350ish a guide, for each family of 4. Times 8 = $2,800 a week in tips. Now, I realize that they don't work each week of the year, and not everyone will tip the recommended amount, and not each trip will be 32 people. But annualized, that is $145,000 in tips a year. But even if they only work a third of the year, still about $50,000 in tips, plus what they are actually being paid (and food on trips, and benefits, I'm assuming).
 


South Africa is experiencing some political upheaval and does not look like things will calm down in the future. Currency conversion speculation I would suspect.
 


Does anyone know why cost the ABD South Africa itineraries have increased so dramatically? Adult price at the end of December 2018 is $8799 then increases slightly until December 2019 through March 2019 when it is increases to $12,499 (original published rate, not dynamic price change)? I don't think the itinerary has changed much. This trip was never really on my radar until Cousin Orville's trip report. That is over a 40% increase in one year which effectively prices us out of that trip.

Thanks for asking this. I had the same question. We actually did a Europe ABD this year to see if we liked the product enough to book Africa and Africa is now out of our price range. It is very frustrating.
 
So after a long hiatus, which includes getting a new job and a 2 week tour of Europe (not with ABD), I thought it would be fun to price out Disney's newest trip, Japan! I remember when they were announced, and I experienced some sticker shock despite not planning to go. But apparently that feeling wasn't mutual, because all but two trips between now and the end of 2019 have sold out. Not surprising considering how popular visiting Japan is. Anyway, enough with that, here's the breakdown. I listed both the initial price and current price, which is quite a large gap because this trip is almost full.

ABD Japan
June 30 - July 10, 2019
$9,499 - $10,699 pp x2 = $18,998-$21,398 for 2 people, 1 room

Hotels:

All hotels assume 1 Queen/King or 2 doubles, whichever is cheaper, and double occupancy.

Hyatt Regency, Kyoto, King Bed Room for 4 nights = $1,115

Hotel Associa Takayama Resort, Twin Room incl. breakfast for 2 nights = $372

Hilton Odawara Resort, Twin room for 1 night = $262

The Peninsula Tokyo, King Bed Room for 3 nights = $1,698

Hotel Total = $3,447

Transportation:

Bus from Osaka Airport to Kyoto Train + Taxi to Hotel: $50

Unlimited Kyoto Subway and Bus Pass: $62

Bullet Train to Hiroshima: $395

Transportation in Hiroshima and to Miyajima Island: $17

Train Tickets to Nara and Takayama: $189

Takayama Taxis: $50

Train from Takayama to Hilton Odawara: $321

Taxi in Odawara: $100

Tickets to Kamakura and Tokyo: $32

Subway and Taxis in Tokyo: $200

Transfer to Tokyo Airport: $50

Transportation Total = $1,466

Meals (all prices are for 2):

Day 1
Lunch on your own
Dinner at the Hotel: $117

Day 2
Breakfast at hotel: $63
Lunch at Yoshiya Restaurant: $50
Dinner at The Sodoh: $110

Day 3
Breakfast at hotel: $63
Lunch on your own
Dinner at Okonomiyaki: $30

Day 4
Breakfast at hotel: $63
Bento Box Lunch
Dinner on your own

Day 5
Breakfast at hotel: $63
Lunch on your own
Dinner at hotel: $80

Day 6:
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch at Irori: $30
Dinner at Suzuya: $60

Day 7
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch on your own
Dinner on your own

Day 8
Breakfast at hotel: $60
Lunch in Kamakura: $50
Dinner at Gonpachi: $90

Day 9
Breakfast at hotel: $55
Lunch at sushi class
Dinner on your own

Day 10
Breakfast at hotel: $55
Lunch on your own
Dinner at Happo-En: $162

Day 11
Breakfast at hotel: $55

Total for all meals = $1,376

Activities:

Day 1
On your own

Day 2
Kyoto rickshaw and walking tour: $157
Pure Water Temple tour: $8

Day 3
Shinto Shrine and Buddhist Temple Tour: $9
Hiroshima Peace Park: $4
Hiroshima WWII Museum: $4

Day 4
Temple Visit: $9
Taiko Drum Lessons: $108
Bento Box Class and Lunch: $140
Food Tour: $74
Hozen-ji Temple: Free

Day 5
Fushimi Inari Shrine: Free
Mochi Class: $102
Sumo Museum and Demonstration: $95

Day 6
Shirakawa-go tour: $120
Bike Ride: $20
Onsen: $20

Day 7
Takayama Food Tour: $90
Calligraphy Class: $27

Day 8
Hakone Open Air Museum: $29
Cup Noodles Muiseum: $9
Tokyo Walking Tour: Free, $10 Tip

Day 9
Hamarikyu Gardens and Tea Ceremony: $120
Sumida River Cruise: $14
Senso-ji Temple: Free
Asakusa Walking Tour: Free, $10 tip
Sushi Class and Lunch: $97

Day 10
Meiji Jingu Shrine and Kagura Ceremony: $90
Takeshita Street: Free

Day 11
Departure

Total for all activities = $1,366

Summary:
Hotels: $3,447
Transportation: $1,466
Meals: $1,376
Activities: $1,366

Grand Total: $7,655

Price Difference: $11,343 from minimum price

Things you get with ABD that you can't on your own:
2 Guides familiar with the area acting as your personal concierge
Luggage service at all hotels and the airport
Private transportation that does not involve driving yourself or public transit (minus the bullet train)
Several private meals at the restaurants mentioned above
Separate activities for children
Dinner at Happo-En is not normally open for individuals, only groups. You can visit the gardens on your own

So I believe this is the largest gap between doing it on your own and going yourself I've seen so far. I would guess some of that is because the trip is new, they don't have to worry as much about competitive pricing. Transportation is also very expensive in Japan. Most highways are toll roads, and a 4 hour drive could cost upwards of $80 for just a regular sedan. Disney did actually choose reasonably priced hotels for the first 3 cities, so the lodging bill for 10 nights is not as high as I thought it would be. This trip also includes a TON of guided activities and not too much time on your own. While most of the temples and museums only require a small admission charge, having your own tour group does greatly enhance the experience.

Now with that being said, would I go on this trip? At this price, that is a definite no. In my last post, I talked about how China was one of the more worth it trips because of things like the internal flights and language barrier. While I don't find flying particularly challenging, it does take up a lot of time and energy. The Japan trip replaces all those flights with trains (or motorcoaches if you use ABD), and Japan has probably the smoothest running train system in the world. Even in the countryside, the train map and ticket machines are easy to navigate if you speak English. In addition to transportation, Japan in general is just easier and more familiar for most western travelers without experience in Asia. While shrines in Japan are beautiful, I'm not sure all the activities ABD does are what I would be most interested in. I would probably stay for 5 days in Osaka, a week in Tokyo, and maybe 3 days in Sendai or Yamagata. I think that staying mostly south of Tokyo, you end up missing many of the older, more historical small towns in Japan. That being said, this trip still gives you an amazing 10 day overview of the country, and if it's in your budget I'm sure it would be an amazing trip.

If you're interested in seeing Tokyo Disneyland, it is available as an add-on to this trip. That included transfer from the Peninsula hotel to the resort, your hotel stay, park tickets, extra fastpasses, a dining plan, and transfers from the parks to the airport on your last day. If you just happen to be in Tokyo and not planning on staying on property, the parks can be easily accessed using the subway system.

Let me know your thoughts on this very expensive but popular trip!

(In an unrelated note, I think ABD's next new destination should be the Ukraine. Not a lot of people outside of Eastern Europe really know about it, but it's one of the most interesting places I've ever been.)

This is one of the big reasons why I could not justify this trip. I looked at it because I was planning a trip to Japan next year, but I've ended up booking a national geographic comfort level trip with an adventure tour company instead. I got a bit of a discount for being a very repeat customer (and a promo code with no expiration date...)and was able to book it for $5600 CAD. 12 days, awesome activities and a full time guide. They also book no more than 15 in a group, which is nice.

I keep looking at ABD, but the more I look at them, the more I start to think they just aren't for me - for more reasons than just my thinking they are a tad bit over priced. I LOVE Disney and I love travelling, but I think my style of world travel wants a little bit more in the unique local experiences than ABD offers. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they are amazing and the exact right fit for some people, just as the trips I choose wouldn't be picked by every traveller. I'm just starting to think they might not be worth it for me in particular.

Plus, since it's half the cost, I'm going to do Morocco too next year and still save a few $$ for my 2020 plans.... Antarctica! :banana:
 
While I love jimmymc's cost comparisons, one thing to keep in mind is that he is not including the cost of guides in any of his calculations. I did my own calculation on the Scotland trip including the cost of 1 guide per day of actual touring (i.e. not arrival or departure day), and the cost differential versus on my own was only about 30%. I acknowledge that is still a big premium, but it is much less than 50%.

To decide if ABD is worth the money, I think you need to decide if you will enjoy having guides versus being on your own. And you also need to decide how much you value having someone take the stress out of your trip. Having someone else in charge of logistics is undoubtedly less stressful than DIY. However, some people either don't mind that stress that much or are not willing to give up flexibility and control in order to avoid stress. For those people I think there is less of a value proposition.

In summary, after actually doing an ABD, it is clear to me that you are getting something for your premium -- but the question is whether you are someone who values the something you are getting.

That is very true. I haven't considered doing the price of a private guide for an entire trip, or comparing it to other guided tours. Mine are specifically for doing this as 2 people by themselves, which is usually the way I travel. I also do mainly solo trips, but ABD adds so much in price to the solo trips that the gap would be even larger.

I try to frame it as if the intangibles listed after the review are worth the price difference. While I personally don't need a guide, for some people this greatly enhances their vacation. For me personally, the largest value added is the luggage service and transportation. I just got back from a trip that involved dragging a large suitcase through the Paris metro system, and that was definitely not a highlight of my trip. I also used public transit as my main mode of transport for most of the trip, so all the additional walking took a toll on my feet.

As a young solo traveler I rarely think the value added by ABD is worth it, but if I were older and made a bit more money, then I would seriously consider one. Right now I'm really only considering the Backstage magic, because of all the exclusive places you get to see and the ability to extend the Disneyland portion.
 
This is one of the big reasons why I could not justify this trip. I looked at it because I was planning a trip to Japan next year, but I've ended up booking a national geographic comfort level trip with an adventure tour company instead. I got a bit of a discount for being a very repeat customer (and a promo code with no expiration date...)and was able to book it for $5600 CAD. 12 days, awesome activities and a full time guide. They also book no more than 15 in a group, which is nice.

I keep looking at ABD, but the more I look at them, the more I start to think they just aren't for me - for more reasons than just my thinking they are a tad bit over priced. I LOVE Disney and I love travelling, but I think my style of world travel wants a little bit more in the unique local experiences than ABD offers. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they are amazing and the exact right fit for some people, just as the trips I choose wouldn't be picked by every traveller. I'm just starting to think they might not be worth it for me in particular.

Plus, since it's half the cost, I'm going to do Morocco too next year and still save a few $$ for my 2020 plans.... Antarctica! :banana:

That's a pretty good deal for 12 days in Japan. Do you know how many meals and other things are included?

ABD is truly a luxury vacation. You always stay at very expensive hotels, never wait in line, take private luxury motorcoaches everywhere, and dine at some expensive restaurants. They food prices weren't too bad in the Japan trip, but I've seen meals that cost $150 per person. If I were going to be staying in those places anyway and eating expensive meals, then I would consider ABD, but at this point I usually go for lower budget accommodations.
 
I love the price break down of the Japan tour. I've done this sort of analysis myself for past trips. Regarding the price of the guides and how it effects overall pricing, we are doing a DIY France/Disneyland Paris trip this August. We have a total of 3 days of full time tour guides (2 days from a local company and 1 day with a Disney VIP CM) for a total of $3700. Add up the cost of two full time guides for the length of the trip and you can close the gap of ABD and DIY pretty quick.
 
That's a pretty good deal for 12 days in Japan. Do you know how many meals and other things are included?

ABD is truly a luxury vacation. You always stay at very expensive hotels, never wait in line, take private luxury motorcoaches everywhere, and dine at some expensive restaurants. They food prices weren't too bad in the Japan trip, but I've seen meals that cost $150 per person. If I were going to be staying in those places anyway and eating expensive meals, then I would consider ABD, but at this point I usually go for lower budget accommodations.

This is what they say on my tour page:

MEALS
11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Allow USD475-620 for meals not included

DAY 1TOKYO
Arrive at any time.

DAY 2TOKYO
Spend the day exploring vibrant Tokyo by public transit. As a city of extreme contrasts, we experience the ancient and traditional with visits to Meiji Jingu Shrine and the old town of Asakusa. We then see Tokyo's quirky and modern side with a walk through the pop culture-obsessed Harajuku district — a great place to sit back and people-watch.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 3TOKYO
This morning, insiders of Tsukiji Fish Market take us on a tour to learn about the fishing industry in Japan, ending with a class led by sushi masters. Learn how to identify the freshest fish, to prepare and fillet, and the fine art of sushi-making and presentation. After, try your hand at making your own sushi and enjoy a taste of your creation. This afternoon is free to explore Tokyo on your own.

Exclusive Inclusions:
National Geographic Journeys Exclusives Tsukiji Sushi Experience
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch
DAY 4TOKYO/TSUMAGO
Depart Tokyo by train. Disembark at Nagiso and continue to our local ryokan accommodation. Enjoy a walk through the countryside, passing farms and hamlets into Tsumago, a traditional village. After, feast on a kaiseki meal, learn about Japanese customs, and sleep on a futon.

Meals included:
Breakfast | Dinner
DAY 5TSUMAGO/KANAZAWA-SHI
Continue by train to the historic city of Kanazawa. Explore the ancient Samurai culture with a walk through the well-preserved Nagamachi Samurai district and visit to the Nomura Samurai family residence.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 6KANAZAWA-SHI
Continue exploring Kanazawa, visiting the Myoryuji Ninja Temple and walking through the Higashi Geisha district. The city is also renowned as a centre of traditional arts and crafts. We delve into these traditions with a chopstick and gold leaf painting experience. Opt to visit the stunning gardens or original castles.

Exclusive Inclusions:
Hands-On Chopstick and Gold Leaf Painting Experience
Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 7KANAZAWA-SHI/HIROSHIMA
Continue by bullet train train to Hiroshima and visit the park and Memorial Museum to learn more about the tragic history of this city.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 8HIROSHIMA
Catch a ferry over to the sacred island of Miyajima to see the famous floating Torii Gate, considered one of Japan's most beautiful and sacred shrines. This afternoon is at your leisure. Opt to catch the ferry to other islands and explore on your own.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 9HIROSHIMA/KYOTO
This morning we visit Himeji Castle, considered the best preserved and most stunning castle in all of Japan. After, continue by train to Kyoto, the former Imperial Capital and home of the country's most treasured remnants of Japanese imperial life. This afternoon, take a stroll around the Gion Geisha district.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 10KYOTO
Visit the stunning Fushimi Inari, an ancient shrine at the base of the mountain of the same name. After, spend the day exploring sites around Nara, visiting the impressive Todaiji Buddhist Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.

Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 11KYOTO
This morning, visit a local temple to learn about the history and practice of Zen Buddhism in Japan. Here we meet with a local monk who will talk about Buddhism and instruct us in Zen meditation and calligraphy. Enjoy a traditional bowl of matcha tea before visiting the famous Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion. After, we learn about the etiquette of the samurai as well as the practice of basic kembu, and take a lesson on how to use the Japanese sword. Then, enjoy a performance by kembu masters which includes short poems, which were traditionally written by samurai about major events in their life. Later, take some time to explore on your own. Opt to visit museums, temples, or zen gardens.

Exclusive Inclusions:
National Geographic Journeys Exclusives Zen Buddhist Meditation and Calligraphy|National Geographic Journeys Exclusives Kembu Masters
Meals included:
Breakfast
DAY 12KYOTO
Depart at any time.

Meals included:
Breakfast


Also should mention that tour price was in CAD

The hotels on the comfort level are nice, probably not as fancy as ABD, but quite nice. If you book a more classic style adventure tour, the accommodation is more basic, but you can also get it even cheaper. I prefer the comfort tours in general, but I’ve done all styles

Like I said, I’m sure ABD is lovely, just not my style I’m starting to think
 
That's a pretty good deal for 12 days in Japan. Do you know how many meals and other things are included?

ABD is truly a luxury vacation. You always stay at very expensive hotels, never wait in line, take private luxury motorcoaches everywhere, and dine at some expensive restaurants. They food prices weren't too bad in the Japan trip, but I've seen meals that cost $150 per person. If I were going to be staying in those places anyway and eating expensive meals, then I would consider ABD, but at this point I usually go for lower budget accommodations.

No offense, but I have to disagree with this statement a bit. The hotels are not always expensive luxury hotels, some are very average. Although there are definitely exceptions, I haven't found the food to be all that great and there are a lot of buffets, which I don't consider luxurious at all. The motor coaches, in general, are okay, but in Lima, we were picked up by a coach that was littered with the previous riders garbage. So I wouldn't use the word "always".
 
This Xmas my family are spending 12 nights in Costa Rica on a Gate 1 Tour.

I know some will be wondering why I would even consider comparing Gate 1 with ABD, but when doing my research and comparing the multitude of tour options out there, I found it interesting that (depending on dates and itineraries) the two companies sometimes use the same and/or similar hotels.

My tour is costing my family of 3 a total of US$330 p/n. The ABD tour, meanwhile costs over US$1600 p/n. That difference to me is massive!

Gate 1 has a lot of downtime compared to Disney and offers less lunches and dinners, but this to me was one of the selling points of Gate 1. I want the freedom to select some of our own restaurants and book some of our own tours, instead of doing rafting and a few activities that don’t really align with our interests and reasons for visiting that part of the world. We are instead booked on many private and small group wildlife day tours with some of the best rated naturalists on Trip Advisor.
Add the cost of these tours and meals to our $330p/n and we’re still not even getting to $600. This is $1000+ less per night for similar hotels and doing the exact activities we are interested in.

Yes, our buses might be a bit more crowded, the clientele a bit older and my son may have few, if any, other kids to play with. But we have kept the cost down to a level that we are also affording a week in Orlando before the tour and a 2 week cruise afterwards.


I would genuinely love to try ABD one day, but currently I just can’t see the value in it.
 
I would love to hear about this trip through them and how it all goes. We did our first ABD in June and it was even better than expected but I would love to do more trips at a lower cost as my daughter gets older.

This Xmas my family are spending 12 nights in Costa Rica on a Gate 1 Tour.

I know some will be wondering why I would even consider comparing Gate 1 with ABD, but when doing my research and comparing the multitude of tour options out there, I found it interesting that (depending on dates and itineraries) the two companies sometimes use the same and/or similar hotels.

My tour is costing my family of 3 a total of US$330 p/n. The ABD tour, meanwhile costs over US$1600 p/n. That difference to me is massive!

Gate 1 has a lot of downtime compared to Disney and offers less lunches and dinners, but this to me was one of the selling points of Gate 1. I want the freedom to select some of our own restaurants and book some of our own tours, instead of doing rafting and a few activities that don’t really align with our interests and reasons for visiting that part of the world. We are instead booked on many private and small group wildlife day tours with some of the best rated naturalists on Trip Advisor.
Add the cost of these tours and meals to our $330p/n and we’re still not even getting to $600. This is $1000+ less per night for similar hotels and doing the exact activities we are interested in.

Yes, our buses might be a bit more crowded, the clientele a bit older and my son may have few, if any, other kids to play with. But we have kept the cost down to a level that we are also affording a week in Orlando before the tour and a 2 week cruise afterwards.


I would genuinely love to try ABD one day, but currently I just can’t see the value in it.
 
I would love to hear about this trip through them and how it all goes. We did our first ABD in June and it was even better than expected but I would love to do more trips at a lower cost as my daughter gets older.

Sure thing. :goodvibes
We have done a Gate 1 tour before, but it was many years ago prior to having our son. It was a hectic 2 week tour of China.

I booked the tour because it was so cheap and went to all but one of the places in China that were on my bucket list. But, also because it was so cheap, I went in trying to keep my expectations in check. I ended up being really pleasantly surprised.

The food was delicious and showcased the different regions of China really well. The hotels were all pretty similar to China’s version of a 3.5-4 star Marriott; perfectly comfortable, if not somewhat forgettable. And the Yangtze River cruise they put us on would have been one of the nicest 5 star boats on the river at the time.

Any issues we had on that trip stemmed more from Chinese politics and the expectations the government have of their guides, rather than Gate 1.

I’m yet to try ABD, but I have cruised with Disney before and stayed at deluxe WDW resorts, so am aware of the high quality products and services Disney offer. However, I also think that paying top dollar makes your expectations higher and you are less forgiving of the things that aren’t so great.
For example, with the exception of Palo, we found the food of the Disney Fantasy to range from bland to good. Never terrible, but never exceptional either. Meanwhile, we found the food on the two cheapest and lowest rated cruise lines we have cruised with (Costa and P&O Australia) to be really good. It may have been because we were expecting something average and it was certainly more than this.

I would love to cruise Disney again; the ships are stunning and the entertainment exceptional. However, while their prices are so high, I’m also happy to try the competition.

Then there’s the whole area of itinerary options, of which Disney’s (both cruise and ABD) are limited. But that’s another story.
 
No offense, but I have to disagree with this statement a bit. The hotels are not always expensive luxury hotels, some are very average. Although there are definitely exceptions, I haven't found the food to be all that great and there are a lot of buffets, which I don't consider luxurious at all. The motor coaches, in general, are okay, but in Lima, we were picked up by a coach that was littered with the previous riders garbage. So I wouldn't use the word "always".

Interesting. I haven't really looked at the South America trips, so I can't comment. It seems like whenever they stay in large cities in Europe and Asia, they are always 4 and 5 star hotels right in the middle of town. I like the idea of breakfast buffets, but I can see it getting old for lunch and dinner, since buffet food is not always up to standard.

I think the good thing about a motorcoach is that it's private and goes right to where you need to go. No need to match your schedule with the public train and bus schedule. Obvously you could also get this renting a car, but in a place like Japan or France the gas and tolls add up quickly, and you have to drive it yourself. Leaving trash from the previous group is definitely not acceptable, but hopefully this is just a one-off problem and not a permanent issue.

What trips have you been on where the food wasn't good? Might be good feedback for ABD.
 
1) "Is it worth the cost?"
2) Depends upon your point of view.
3) EXAMPLES:
. . . a) We are taking two grown daughters and a friend each to Ireland for 15-days in just two weeks.
. . . b) We have a Private Driver guided tour, just for us six in the entire bus . . . very exclusive.
. . . c) The cost is less than ABD for all of us on one of the ABD "normal" ABD bus tours.
. . . d) Wife and I are doing Australia-NewZealand-Fiji next Mar-Apr for 35-days at 1/3 less than ABD.
. . . e) Both trips are lay-flat Biz Class seating, not CRAMPED tourist.


4) TO US, "ABD" IS JUST AN OVERPRICED TOUR PROVIDER, CAPITALIZING ON THE DISNEY NAME! THEY OFFER NOTHING - - - NOTHING - - - OTHER TOURS CANNOT PROVIDE AT LESS COST.
 
1) "Is it worth the cost?"
2) Depends upon your point of view.
3) EXAMPLES:
. . . a) We are taking two grown daughters and a friend each to Ireland for 15-days in just two weeks.
. . . b) We have a Private Driver guided tour, just for us six in the entire bus . . . very exclusive.
. . . c) The cost is less than ABD for all of us on one of the ABD "normal" ABD bus tours.
. . . d) Wife and I are doing Australia-NewZealand-Fiji next Mar-Apr for 35-days at 1/3 less than ABD.
. . . e) Both trips are lay-flat Biz Class seating, not CRAMPED tourist.


4) TO US, "ABD" IS JUST AN OVERPRICED TOUR PROVIDER, CAPITALIZING ON THE DISNEY NAME! THEY OFFER NOTHING - - - NOTHING - - - OTHER TOURS CANNOT PROVIDE AT LESS COST.


Name one tour that can provide the experience of launching a canoe right off Urquhart Castle onto Loch Ness.
AT. ANY. PRICE.

 

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