Monica at PMV | Pixie Dust Fan

What is Adventures by Disney?

With the recent excitement surrounding the 2019 Adventures by Disney itineraries here are the answers to the most common questions I have be asked in the last few weeks.

Adventures by Disney provides group guided family vacations to various domestic and international destinations with the Disney Difference, and is a fantastic way for families to travel throughout the world with ease. Unlike other tour companies, Adventures by Disney (ABD) specializes in family travel. From the moment your adventure begins all of the logistics of the trip are looked after so that you can be completely immersed in the culture of the destination and will travel in luxury. An ABD is more than just the places you visit…. there’s magic, friendships, and fun! Everything is so easy when you are on an Adventures by Disney vacation. It’s a true holiday, especially for parents!

Will my kids get bored?

My family has travelled to Australia, China, Italy and parts of Northern Europe with Adventures by Disney and I haven’t seen a bored kid yet! The Guides are all fabulous – establishing a rapport with the Junior Adventures almost immediately is priority for them. All the kids feel welcomed and included. Special Junior Adventurer experiences built into the tour ensure that the Junior Adventurers remain engaged throughout the tour – learning is fun! When were in Florence last summer touring the Uffizi Gallery, the children were offered the option to become Art Detectives while the adults enjoyed a privately guided tour. All of the kids in the group, even the teens, opted for this choice. It was a fun way for them to see and learn about the important pieces in the gallery in an interactive way. A year later, my daughters can still identify several of the paintings they learned about that day.

Learning how to throw a spear in Queensland, Australia

Learning to throw a spear in at the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Queensland, Australia.

Family travel is great, but we will have any alone time?

The Junior Adventurer activities give parents some space and on every adventure we’ve been on a Junior Adventurer movie night with a corresponding dinner for the adults was scheduled. When we were in Australia snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, our youngest decided she had had enough of it after only 5 minutes. Had we been travelling on our own, either my husband or I would have had to leave the reef to be with her. Not on this adventure! Glenn, one of our fabulous Guides, helped her out of the water, wrapped her in a blanket and got her an ice cream cone, which she happily ate, while the rest of the family happily continued exploring the reef.

Jumping into the Tyrrhenian Sea in Capri, Italy and the Amalfi Coast

Is it worth the money?

Absolutely! Adventures by Disney offers a great value for a unique premium product for families. From the moment you arrive at your destination, you are truly on holiday. The experiences are culturally authentic and immersive. The itinerary is meticulously planned. The hotel accommodations are outstanding and centrally located. The meals are at amazing, culturally representative restaurants (don’t worry, there are always options for picky eaters and those with dietary restrictions). Privately-guided tours, private events, admission tickets and more are all included in the price. And if that isn’t enough – all the logistics are looked after too! Luggage is magically transported for you. Internal flights, which are often such a hassle when travelling on your own, are a breeze. Everything that could go wrong doesn’t…and even if it does – the Guides have a back-up plan ready to go.

Our room at The Peninsula Shanghai, China

Is it just for families?

Not at all. Adventures by Disney offers several Adult Exclusive itineraries in addition to the family focused offerings. However, couples and singles are welcome on every Adventure and we have made some great friendships with couples travelling this way on all our Adventures. The adult demographics on this tour tend to skew towards middle age, which is a plus for many couples and single travellers who are interested in luxury group travel, but want to travel with people who are closer to their age.

All of the Adventures look amazing, which one should I start with?

All of the Adventures are indeed amazing, but they are not all the same. Some Adventures are very leisurely, some are very active. Some have a lot of very early start times or multiple internal flights, while others do not. Which one to choose depends on your travel style and interests. You can join this Facebook group of serious ABD travellers to help narrow down which one is for you. However, no matter which one you choose you are sure to have the Adventure of your life.

Hanging out with James, our wonderful Adventure Guide in Helsinki, Finland – 7-Night Magic of Northern Europe Cruise

This review was written by Monica Loberto, a travel agent with Pure Magic Vacations

Wild Africa Trek At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Review

by Monica at PMV | 0 comments

If you are interested in an in depth look at the wildlife at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you will not be disappointed by this experience! The Wild Africa Trek begins by the main entrance of the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride where you check in, meet your guides and the other guests on this VIP tour. Safety is always a priority with Disney and this tour is no exception. Bags, backpacks and hats are stored away in a locker and Trekkers are given a vest and harness to wear, along with a complimentary clip on water bottle which is yours to keep after tour. Sunglasses are put on a strap that is worn around your neck.

The first part of the tour starts with a gentle hike into the safari grounds. Along the way the guides will stop at various look out points and provide some interesting information about different plants and the safari in general. The hike ends at a rope bridge. Trekkers walk across the bridge one at a time and have the opportunity to get a very close view of the hippos and crocodiles.

This is the view from the bridge

Once each family has had the opportunity for a photograph, the entire group loads into a jeep. The jeep follows the normal Kilimanjaro Safaris road, but you get a much more personal view of the animals and stay for a lot longer at different spots than you would during the normal ride. This gives you plenty of time to take as many pictures of the various animals as you would like. Throughout the ride the guides provide interesting commentary on the animals and their personalities.

The trek ends at a lookout station over the savannah. Here each guest is given a beautifully presented snack and a chance to take a few more pictures. After about 30-45 minutes here, you are all taken back via jeep and it’s time take off the safety gear and say goodbye to the guides.

Our Snack

Our tour guides were Paola and Karen. They were both personable, perky and were especially good with children. They were very knowledgeable about the various animals and kept everyone interested and engaged throughout the trek. They happily answered questions and were a lot of fun. Throughout the trek, several trainers joined the group at different times and provided in-depth information about the hippos and crocodiles as well as some of the other animals.

Up close with the Hippos

The guides also took pictures, a lot of pictures – almost 150 of them to be exact. It was good mix of candid and staged shots. You are welcome to take your own pictures on the tour (be sure to have a neck strap for your camera) but it’s nice to be able to experience some parts of the tour without worrying about getting a great shot. As the family photographer, I was thrilled to be in the pictures too! These pictures are included in the cost of the trek and are accessible via an access code that is communicated to you at the end of the experience.

If you are interested in learning more about the safari animals, you will not be disappointed by the Wild Africa Trek. We paid full price for the tour, no discounts – these are all my opinions and I highly recommend it! If you have tried this tour – I’d love to hear what you thought! ~ Monica

This review was written by Monica Loberto, a travel agent who specializes in Disney destinations.

For more information or to book your WILD vacation, contact Monica today at Monica@puremagicvacations.ca