Adventures By Disney--Touring the World With Disney

A package arrived in the mail recently addressed to Williams Family; it was from Adventures By Disney.  This was our third package since December.  Inside was a beautiful brochure highlighting all of the Adventures By Disney tours for 2014.

Why do we keep getting packages, even gifts, from Adventures By Disney?  In the summer of 2009, we took our first Adventures By Disney tour—click here to read more.  I say “first” as we would love to take more!

You may not be familiar with Adventures By Disney as advertising is very limited—a small portion of the Magical Express return trip video is dedicated to Adventures By Disney, and a channel on the TV in your resort room or stateroom on a Disney ship is dedicated to Adventures By Disney.  Somehow, Adventures By Disney gets lumped in with Disney Vacation Club membership advertising so guests make the assumption that Adventures By Disney is only for members—NOT TRUE!

I would describe Adventures By Disney as a concierge-level way to see the world—Disney style.  There are 24 world-wide tours for 2014 including all the continents except Antarctica.  Want to see Machu Picchu?  Galapagos Islands?  Adventures By Disney can get you there.  And, they can also give you a world-class experience at Disneyland or be added to your Disney Cruise if sailing the Mediterranean in 2014.

Here is what you get with an Adventures By Disney tour:

• A group of up to 40 guests and 2 Adventure Guides.
• A nice balance of planned entertainment, experiences, and meals with opportunities to explore on your own.
• Some of the finest and exclusive accommodations included—without you making the reservations.  Most of the time, you don’t even have to “check in” as you give a key by your Adventure Guide.
• A welcome and greeting at the destination airport, luggage handling throughout the tour, and transfers throughout the trip once you have arrived.
• Adult only and kids only activities—the Adventure Guides typically arrange activities for the kids for at least one night of the tour.
• VIP access to locations, to experts, and to events.
• And, of course, that Disney service that is known world-wide!

What impressed me most, in addition to our amazing accommodations and incredible experiences, was the service.  Our Adventure Guides were able to anticipate what we would need before we needed it and had it waiting for us.  As mom, a.k.a. vacation planner, I didn’t have to worry or plan for anything.  Just pack and show up.  No trying to reserve a room on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon 1-2 years ahead.

Adventures By Disney is great for families and yet also offers whole tours that are reserved just for adults.  On our tour, we had a couple celebrating their anniversary.  They were happy to be with other families.  There was a mom traveling with her three kids and another mom traveling with her daughter and two moms with their daughter.  And, there was a dad traveling with his adult son who had a mobility disability that was well accommodated for.  So families of all shapes and sizes made up our tour group.  We became an extended family of sorts sharing a wonderful experience.  Just as a note—everyone on our Adventures By Disney had been to one or more Disney parks AND had sailed at least once on a Disney cruise ship.

An Adventures By Disney trip must be paid in full within 14 days of booking the tour.  This is different than paid in full expectations for theme park/resort stays and Disney Cruise Line sailings.  Costs for the tours vary based on number in the party, ages, and time of travel; costs are per person. 

If you would like more information, I recommend contacting your travel agent or Adventures By Disney.

And, while an Adventures By Disney tour is most likely not in the cards for us for 2014, it very well may be in the years to come.  I have already told our travel agent that if anyone is looking for “testers” for tours to sign us up!  The husband and boy told me Scotland was on their wish list.  Got it!