Just Back from Costa Rica - our first ABD

vikequeen

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 4, 2015
I'm hoping to post at least a quick trip report sometime this week, but in the meantime, let me know if anyone has any questions. You all were very helpful leading up to our trip (it was amazing) so happy to repay the favor if I can.
 
Welcome back. Wondering who were your guides? What did you like about the trip? What didn't you like? How was the weather? How was the food and lodging. Also, what was the makeup of the group (young/old/kids, etc)?
 
Our guides were Summer-Rose and Greivin. I thought they were fantastic.

I think we got very lucky on this trip in a couple of ways. First, it was a small group. 33 people booked, but 4 cancelled at the last minute. So only 29 people, which was really nice. There was a good mix of kids that happened to pair up pretty well. 2 young boys (about 7 years old). 3 young girls (7 -8), and one slightly older (about 12). 4 kids who were 13 -14 years old and had a good time together. 1 older kid (about 17) who stuck with his family. One 11 year old boy who was pretty independent or hung with his older brother (he was mine, and he didn't seem to mind not having a playmate the way almost everyone else did). we had 8 only children, and only 2 pairs of siblings. 2 single moms and 1 grandmother with her grandson. We liked the group. Everyone seemed to get along pretty well.

Also got very lucky with the weather. It was really good. The only day it really rained was a bit in the morning of our chocolate rainforest tour. Even that wasn't bad. We got some sprinkles other times (including at the very end of the ziplining and very briefly on the river cruise). But never even really needed our rain gear, which I consider extremely lucky. And it was very hot at the beach. 95 and sunny. I loved that, but some might find it too hot.

I honestly liked almost everything about the trip. The things I didn't like were pretty unavoidable. The bus rides were obviously not ideal. But I preferred it to a plane. And I liked the varied itinerary. So nothing that I think could really be done about it. They handled them as well as possible. Also don't think the early mornings are ideal. But again, I don't see a viable alternative that wouldn't adversely impact the itinerary. So I wouldn't change it.

We found the food to mostly be very good. A couple of kids with allergies on the trip, and they did a fantastic job accommodating them. 2 people (including one of my kids) got food poisoning one night. But we could never figure out what caused it. Seemed very random since they didn't necessarily eat the same things and no one else was sick. The breakfast buffets were all very good (Kioro Arenal was the best to us, because they made the best omelettes). Lunch after the jungle cruise was the worst for us. And although the food at El Mangroove was generally good, if you don't eat seafood (and I don't) your options are extremely limited. I am looking for good recipes for the arroz con pollo and rice and black beans. I miss that already.

Lodging was all fine, if a bit quirky. If you are used to (or expecting) American 5 star accommodations, you would be disappointed. But they were clean and spacious and comfortable and very nice. The San Jose Marriott screwed up our connecting room request, and failed to give us our welcome packet (so we had no idea we needed to find our guides the afternoon of our first day). So not particularly a fan of the service at that hotel. Kioro is quirky (shower never functioned very well and the layout is bizarre), but the views and hot springs are amazing. El Mangroove was the nicest of the three.

Overall, I went from being a very nervous skeptic at the start of the trip, to a big fan who has another trip booked for this summer and will almost certainly do another one at some point before my kids leave the nest.
 
Thanks for your report vikequeen! We head to Costa Rica on our first ABD in July. Sounds like our group will be a mix of older kids 11-18 - which will be perfect for my 13 and 15 year olds. But your comment about early mornings worries me with teenagers! Are they all early wake up calls? How early would they need to be up to have the breakfast buffet?
 


Congrats on the first ABD! You are going to love it!

I'm sorry to tell you it is almost all pretty early. I have already forgotten exact times, but here is my general recollection:
Day 1: Travel Day
Day 2: Whitewater rafting/drive to Arenal. Luggage packed and out for pickup by 630 am; Bus departed at 730 am.
Day 3: Jungle Cruise. 730 am bus
Day 4 Zip lining. I think bus was a little later . . maybe 830? but not any later than that.
Day 5: Choc Rainforest tour/drive to Guanacaste. Luggage out by 630 am; Bus departed at 730 am.
Day 6: Catamaran. I believe meet up was about 830 for a 9am departure.
Day 7: Home

We had a pre and a post night on our trip which really helped take the sting out of the early mornings. I was very glad we did that. Also, as you probably now, the bus drives are on winding, sickness inducing roads. Almost everyone was taking preventative measures and no one got sick on our bus. The one girl who almost did wouldn't turn off her screen when she should have. I had bonine, dramamine, sea bands, and peppermint oil on hand because my family is very prone to it. One adult had the patch. Its important to prepare for it if an issue for your family.
 
Enjoyed reading about your experience on this Adventure!

Our guides were Summer-Rose and Greivin. I thought they were fantastic.
We love Summer-Rose. In our 8 ABD trips, we've been fortunate enough to have her as one of the guides in half of them. Have never encountered Greivin but I'm sure I will at some point.
 
I am leaving on this trip in one week! Is there anything that should be packed that is not on the packing list? I noticed on the packing list that it says your sunscreen and bug spray should be non-aerosol. Was that really true? Cream sunscreen takes so much longer to put on, and we are all pale in my family! How many pairs of pants would you bring, or is it so hot that shorts are fine everywhere? Thanks in advance for your help!
 


I am jealous, even though we just got back. You are going to love it. A few thoughts:
  • I made a point of seeking out the non-aerosol sunscreen and bug spray. I forgot my bug spray for every outing. We were fine. The guides always had it, but I really didn't need it (except barely for dinner in the evening the last night). There were a lot of aerosols. It was not a big deal. But There are times when it is hard to find a place to use an aerosol without annoying everyone around you though.
  • We all bought the pants that convert from shorts to pants (zip off at knees). Highly recommend it. That was the only pair of pants anyone really needed. Shorts are fine almost all of the time. It was cooler than I expected until we got to the beach (70s), so shorts and a sweater/light sweatshirt. My kids were annoyed that we had not packed sweatshirts for them (because I thought it would be too hot to need them). Jeans would be too hot. It was 95 and HOT once we got to the beach.
  • The guide says a wide brimmed hat with a tie, and we were glad we listened to that. There were times when it was very windy and we needed the string.
  • I packed two polo shirts for each of my kids for dinner. they didn't really need them. One at most would have been fine. Its very casual.
  • Make sure you have keens or other good sturdy water shoes for the rafting. Its very slippery. Flips will not work. Even normal water shoes would be tough.
  • I forgot to pack our aloe vera. We needed it, because my 14 year old was terrible with the sunscreen at the beach and got fried. It was available by the pool but the gift shop was very limited and it was not available there. The sun is obviously very strong there, so I was glad our entire family had long sleeved swim shirts.
  • I dont think there was charging on the bus, so we had an extra battery pack for the long rides.
  • If you are prone to motion sickness, bring meds. Roads are very windy . . .
  • Access to laundry is tricky, but seemed to be available everywhere (for a high price). We packed enough to get us through the trip without relying on it.
  • You need at least 2 swimsuits per person. Its humid and things don't dry well.
Let me know if you have any other questions.

(PS, not sure if you are a lawyer and a mommy, or a mom to a lawyer. But I am the former, and there were 4 attorneys on our trip).
 
Thanks for the report back. Costa Rica is a wonderful country. We found the weather more temperate than we believed BUT we agree you can really get "fried" by the sun quickly.
 
Thank you so much, Vikequeen! That is awesome advice, and I will follow it. I am a lawyer and a mommy -- just like you. Honestly, ABD caters to folks like us. I don't have time to plan a trip, and I love just showing up and having everything taken care of. Your advice is super well timed. I'm doing last minute shopping for stuff this weekend.
 
Thanks for the report back. Costa Rica is a wonderful country. We found the weather more temperate than we believed BUT we agree you can really get "fried" by the sun quickly.
My teenage didn't think he needed help with the sunscreen anymore. tough lesson learned.
 
Thank you so much, Vikequeen! That is awesome advice, and I will follow it. I am a lawyer and a mommy -- just like you. Honestly, ABD caters to folks like us. I don't have time to plan a trip, and I love just showing up and having everything taken care of. Your advice is super well timed. I'm doing last minute shopping for stuff this weekend.
Yes, we did that last minute stuff too. When you get back, I'd love a quick report. I wonder if you will have the same guides? I know Summer-Rose and Greivin did a second week right after hours, so hoping they got at least a little break.
 
Thanks for your report vikequeen! We head to Costa Rica on our first ABD in July. Sounds like our group will be a mix of older kids 11-18 - which will be perfect for my 13 and 15 year olds. But your comment about early mornings worries me with teenagers! Are they all early wake up calls? How early would they need to be up to have the breakfast buffet?

Thinking of going in July as well. Family of three with 15 yr old daughter. Not sure about the early mornings either! What week are you going?
 
Thinking of going in July as well. Family of three with 15 yr old daughter. Not sure about the early mornings either! What week are you going?
We are on the July 13 departure. If you do come, your daughter will be in good company - lots of 15 and 16 year old girls on this trip last time I checked. We will survive the early mornings - and we have 4 days booked at Tamarindo beach after the ABD portion to recover and really relax!
 
We are on the July 13 departure. If you do come, your daughter will be in good company - lots of 15 and 16 year old girls on this trip last time I checked. We will survive the early mornings - and we have 4 days booked at Tamarindo beach after the ABD portion to recover and really relax!

We'll be there the week after you. Have a great trip and Pura Vida!
 
We are on the July 13 departure. If you do come, your daughter will be in good company - lots of 15 and 16 year old girls on this trip last time I checked. We will survive the early mornings - and we have 4 days booked at Tamarindo beach after the ABD portion to recover and really relax!
We are on the July 13th departure as well with our 2 granddaughters (both 15 years old - not twins - cousins). Both are really looking forward to the trip. We are coming from just south of the Canadian boarder in Rochester and will be spending 4 days in Disneyworld before Costa Rica.
 

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