I’ve often called it Disney’s best kept secret – Adventures by Disney. It’s Disney’s way of delivering the magic of family experiences, superb customer service and sense of discovery on the road. When I say “on the road”, I mean destinations like the Grand Canyon, South Africa, Ireland, Costa Rica and Italy. Three years ago, my family went on our first Adventures by Disney vacation to Peru. We have traveled to four different continents together, but never been on any type of organized tour or vacation. We haven’t even been on a cruise together because the thought of being on someone else’s schedule turns our stomachs. However, if you ask my children, out of all the exotic vacations we’ve taken, to pick a favorite, they will unanimously select our Adventures by Disney vacation in Peru. I have to admit it was my favorite as well. I think my son summed it best as we gazed over Machu Picchu, “Mom this is the first vacation we’ve been on where I haven’t seen a map in your hand.” (Great memories from the Peru blog post: http://bluesuitmom.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/adventures-by-disney-in-peru-a-remarkable-experience-begins/)
It’s true, that’s one of the best aspects of an Adventures by Disney vacation. EVERYTHING is taken care of for you. You won’t even have to move your luggage to the next hotel, it magically appears at your next destination.
Recently, I was fortunate enough to be invited on an Adventures by Disney vacation to Wyoming. They call it Quest for the West. It’s a 7-day/6-night vacation that begins in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and takes you into the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park. Amazing barely describes the experience.
I invited my 13-year-old daughter, my sister and 10-year-old niece to travel with us. Also on my adventure was Kim Orlando of www.travelingmom.com, Amy Lupold Bair of www.resourcefulmommy.com and Colleen Padilla of www.classymom.com.
There were children of all ages yet everyone stayed engaged and entertained. In fact, pairing families with common age children is one of the attributes of Adventures by Disney. The families on the trip get to know each other and special Disney guides create activities specific to the different age children in your group. My teenagers still text with the kids they met in Peru.
This year Disney has added several new destinations including Thailand, Scotland (a Brave tour, which sounds fantastic) and two different ways to do see London.
I know what you are thinking, sounds wonderful so it must cost a lot. I will be honest it’s not inexpensive but after doing some quick math, I’ve estimated that it’s not much more than what a family of four would pay to visit Orlando for 7 days. So the good news is that now parents can create the memories they have grown to value from a trip to a Disney park in some of the most magificent and educational destinations in the world.
Quest for the West exceeded our expectations, with something for everyone. There is so much to write about, I’ll be adding more pictures and our itinerary in the next post.
For more information on Adventures by Disney you can click here or call 877.728.7282.
Thank you to Disney for inviting me and my family on Quest for the West. It was a magical combination of nature and Disney magic.
