Alaska thoughts

[gayleaboone]

Hi, I am wondering specifically how the 4 year olds did- we are trying to decide how early we can take our kids. I know every kid is different, but I am specifically wondering what if anything they had to miss out on (like rafting) and how their parents handled it.

The four year olds did it all---including the rafting (it was fairly calm waters.) They did fall asleep with the Dramamine on the Kenai Fjords boat trip. But the only thing I remember the twins not doing that the rest of their family did was to go on the ATVing optional excursion at Denali.

So the twins were fun, darling and well-behaved. Their mom said she does not believe that they will remember much, if anything at all. The family was traveling with two grandparents, mom and dad, and their children ages 7, 9, and the two 4 yr old twins. So the mom was thinking that the trip would be remembered more by her other children, as well as her husband and in-laws, rather than by the 4 yr olds. Also, because the twins had a whole extended family with them, they had lots of familiar faces to keep them grounded and entertained.

 

[gayleaboone]

Hi gayleaboone,
I really enjoyed reading your post. The way you structured the information made it very easy to read.

Alaska is on the top of our list for 2010 vacations. I think reading your post may have just pushed it higher on the list! If we decide Alaska is the place I may be asking you some questions!

Thank you again for all the useful information and for sharing your experience with all of us.

Thank you for the compliment! I am new to posting on this site, so I am still learning the do's and don'ts of the trip reviews.

I'm happy to answer questions---as I told Sayhello, it helps me remember the fun we had!

Bobo has had great input on Alaska, and my friend who is there right now will post once she returns......

 

[hmkenn0]

The four year olds did it all---including the rafting (it was fairly calm waters.) They did fall asleep with the Dramamine on the Kenai Fjords boat trip. But the only thing I remember the twins not doing that the rest of their family did was to go on the ATVing optional excursion at Denali.

So the twins were fun, darling and well-behaved. Their mom said she does not believe that they will remember much, if anything at all. The family was traveling with two grandparents, mom and dad, and their children ages 7, 9, and the two 4 yr old twins. So the mom was thinking that the trip would be remembered more by her other children, as well as her husband and in-laws, rather than by the 4 yr olds. Also, because the twins had a whole extended family with them, they had lots of familiar faces to keep them grounded and entertained.

Thanks so much- this is exactly what we are looking to do- take our son when he is nine and our baby at four with grandparents- we may actually do another one, but it has been kindof hard to get info on what the youngest ones do/don't do.

 

[disneytraveler]

Wonderful information and trip report. I would like to take this tour someday.

 

[disneytraveler]

i am getting interested in the Alaska tour. I have been doing some looking around to see what the prices are and the details. I am not sure if i will go in 2010 or 2011. This trip report really helped.

I saw one company tour for single as 3800.00.but that was their 2009 price. I cant recall the tour details but compared to ABD 3599.00 . I might have to do more research .


gayleaboon,
How did you decide on ABD? There are so many companies. I am still a ABD fan so far.

 

[sayhello]

i am getting interested in the Alaska tour. I have been doing some looking around to see what the prices are and the details. I am not sure if i will go in 2010 or 2011. This trip report really helped.

I saw one company tour for single as 3800.00.but that was their 2009 price. I cant recall the tour details but compared to ABD 3599.00 . I might have to do more research .

heheheh! I should have a REALLY detailed report for you in a little under a month!!! Fingers & toes crossed!

Sayhello

 

[disneytraveler]

heheheh! I should have a REALLY detailed report for you in a little under a month!!! Fingers & toes crossed!

Sayhello

Great
So far the ABD hotels look fantastic! The 3800 price from one company was their 2009 single rate and i see other charge alot more.

 

[gayleaboone]

i am getting interested in the Alaska tour. I have been doing some looking around to see what the prices are and the details. I am not sure if i will go in 2010 or 2011. This trip report really helped.

I saw one company tour for single as 3800.00.but that was their 2009 price. I cant recall the tour details but compared to ABD 3599.00 . I might have to do more research .


gayleaboon,
How did you decide on ABD? There are so many companies. I am still a ABD fan so far.

I am a single mom and travel with my daughter, now 9 yrs old. We had done ABD Costa Rica in 2007, ABD Germany in 2008, and Alaska this year. I wanted to do some real travel beyond the florida beach trips with DD since I am a travel fanatic, but also wanted safety and other children for her. The first yr I booked quickly b/c the ABD costa rica trip was well priced and I was depending on the disney name for quality. After that, since I had all compliments and no complaints about ABD, I didn't even really look at other tour companies (I guess I did look a couple of times at A & K but they were soooo expensive that I didn't go any further with them for a family trip ---although I did travel with A&K twice over the yrs on adult trips to Egypt, Thailand, and India, and they were fabulous)

So I probably would have looked no further for 2010 until the price hikes and the elimination of the early booking rates.