Please read the fine print before jumping to conclusions...

[lilyteen]

On the Michigan Tauck tour that I am currently on (this is Day 6 of 8 days), there were no snacks offered during the motorcoach rides. Each seat had a water holder and there were bottles of Deja Blue water (room temperature) for us. The motorcoach rides we've had were not too long, an hour and a half at the most. Our tour director told us that based on past guest comments, they did not like long motorcoach rides.

To answer the other questions, this was not a Tauck Bridges tour. There are 44 of us on the tour, almost all are senior citizens. There is one 16 year old boy who is travelling with his grandmother. Other than he, my brother and I (both over 50 years old) are the next youngest. There is one couple who is celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary on our tour.

Our tour director is pleasant enough but during the motorcoach rides, I found it a bit rude that while he was on the microphone talking to us, he sat in the stairwell area instead of standing and facing us. It's like listening to a radio instead of being on a tour. As for photo ops, we did one group shot while we were at Fort Mackinac. No other photos were done and surprisingly, only a handful of our fellow guests even had cameras. Compared to the 4 AbD's I've taken, this was definitely a different feel to the trip. Our AbD guides were very enthusiastic and friendly and it was the same when it came to taking pictures. They would offer to take your picture even before you had a chance to ask. And as a side note, when we sat in the motorcoach, we noticed that our tour director had a strong body odor. I tend to think that if there had been a second guide, that would have been pointed out to him.

Thanks so much for a very informative post, DisFan09! You have conveyed the message I was trying to get across by sharing your first-hand experiences with Tauck and Disney with us. I'm glad that you are sharing your honest opinions with us. I, too, have already decided to take a Disney trip this upcoming season -- I am now just having a hard time deciding which one to go on! One minute it is Costa Rica, then Southwest Splendors, then Quest for the West, and now we are looking at Spirit of America. They all seem to be so much fun! How does one ever decide which one to do first???

 

[figmentfan2009]

well... Rome-Tuscany-Venice for July 25 is ours for next year... if anyone else books that date... lemme know so we can compare planning notes!!!!

 

[Christyvoltron]

Furthermore, Tauck's does NOT provide two tour guides per group, as does Disney. They provide ONE 'tour director' per tour.

We only had one tour guide on our Backstage Magic ABD trip.

And also when we were on Knights and Lights the local guides sat in the "rumble" seat and did not stand and face us -- and the ABD guides did for the most part but they also occasionally sat down facing away from us.

I think that as with every company sometimes you are lucky and sometimes you are not and some people enjoy their tours and some do not. I do think that ABD is very expensive however I also feel that we get good value for that money and I would do it again. These are not budget tours. Unfortunately for us this year we most likely will not be taking any tours -- even ABD. At least until this economy picks up.

 

[HappyGrumpy]

well... Rome-Tuscany-Venice for July 25 is ours for next year... if anyone else books that date... lemme know so we can compare planning notes!!!!

Regular or Signature. Wont make a final decision until we come back from QFTW on Aug 31st.

 

[DisFan09]

Hello my China buddy DisFan09

How does the current Tauck tour that you're on compare with the one that you previously took?

Hi Kareau, my fellow panda lover!!!

Let me tell you....the corn fields of Michigan reminds me of the rolling Tuscan countryside and I almost mistook the Saginaw River for the Li River. This is just a fab trip.

 

[DisFan09]

Thanks so much for a very informative post, DisFan09! You have conveyed the message I was trying to get across by sharing your first-hand experiences with Tauck and Disney with us. I'm glad that you are sharing your honest opinions with us. I, too, have already decided to take a Disney trip this upcoming season -- I am now just having a hard time deciding which one to go on! One minute it is Costa Rica, then Southwest Splendors, then Quest for the West, and now we are looking at Spirit of America. They all seem to be so much fun! How does one ever decide which one to do first???

Lilyteen....you are very welcome. I know how it feels, it's so hard to decide on which AbD to go on next. I guess it depends on your date availability and your budget restraints. I've been on the SWS and Spirit and both are different, but both are fantastic. Of course, if you have all the time and money in the world, then you can do all of the AbD's.

 

[DisFan09]

HappyGrumpy, hopefully I can do the convincing. I know DisFan09 personally, having had the great pleasure of traveling with her on Bella Italia, and I'll be with her again in June 2010 for Knights and Lights. I don't know why it looked suspicious -- it was a fair comparison of two tour companies with an opinion of which she prefers.

You guys all know me here (or most do!) so I thought I'd be a good character witness!

Dotti

Hey Dotti!!! Thanks for the kind words. I don't understand why some of those on this board is getting so paranoid with AbD "moles." I understand why all of us are angry and disappointed with the AbD rates, etc, but it's not necessary to get mean-spirited with each other.

I look at AbD as a "love-hate" relationship. I hate it when they appear to be so lacking in guest appreciation and focus on profit-making only, but yet, when I am finally on an AbD, I feel nothing but joy and happiness, just love every moment of the AbD. It's a weird contradiction....love/hate.

By the way, to everyone who is reading this post, I must vouch for Dotti as being the BEST travel agent you will find. Not only is she most pleasant and a hoot to travel with, but she is extremely efficient. So if you need someone to arrange/plan a trip with you, AbD or not, I highly recommend you contact Dotti. And no....you skeptical people....this is NOT Dotti posting.

 

[lilyteen]

Hey Dotti!!! Thanks for the kind words. I don't understand why some of those on this board is getting so paranoid with AbD "moles." I understand why all of us are angry and disappointed with the AbD rates, etc, but it's not necessary to get mean-spirited with each other.

I look at AbD as a "love-hate" relationship. I hate it when they appear to be so lacking in guest appreciation and focus on profit-making only, but yet, when I am finally on an AbD, I feel nothing but joy and happiness, just love every moment of the AbD. It's a weird contradiction....love/hate.

By the way, to everyone who is reading this post, I must vouch for Dotti as being the BEST travel agent you will find. Not only is she most pleasant and a hoot to travel with, but she is extremely efficient. So if you need someone to arrange/plan a trip with you, AbD or not, I highly recommend you contact Dotti. And no....you skeptical people....this is NOT Dotti posting.

You hit the nail on the head! Thanks for posting your adventures. You are absolutely right in saying that these boards are supposed to be for everyone to express their thoughts/feelings without reproach. I find it interesting to note that one must be 'vouched' for in order to gain acceptance on a public blog spot.

 

[Tozzie]

You hit the nail on the head! Thanks for posting your adventures. You are absolutely right in saying that these boards are supposed to be for everyone to express their thoughts/feelings without reproach. I find it interesting to note that one must be 'vouched' for in order to gain acceptance on a public blog spot.

No actually she didn't, I appreciated Disfan09's posts as she was giving facts based on personal experiences and is not trying to sway anyone from any company. Your posts are based on googling and you are trying your hardest to dissuade anyone from going with any company other than ABD. I appreaciate anyone who is posting from personal experience and will take Disfan posts into account when I make my decision. This isn't a blog spot it is a discussion board and people can post their opinions as well as you can and I still don't trust someone who, without taking any tours, thinks everyone should listen to them and their "research"

 

[WeLoveABD]

Couldn't agree more!

 

[sayhello]

No actually she didn't, I appreciated Disfan09's posts as she was giving facts based on personal experiences and is not trying to sway anyone from any company. Your posts are based on googling and you are trying your hardest to dissuade anyone from going with any company other than ABD. I appreaciate anyone who is posting from personal experience and will take Disfan posts into account when I make my decision. This isn't a blog spot it is a discussion board and people can post their opinions as well as you can and I still don't trust someone who, without taking any tours, thinks everyone should listen to them and their "research"

Amen!

Sayhello

 

[WeLoveABD]

You hit the nail on the head! Thanks for posting your adventures. You are absolutely right in saying that these boards are supposed to be for everyone to express their thoughts/feelings without reproach. I find it interesting to note that one must be 'vouched' for in order to gain acceptance on a public blog spot.

Actually, my "couldn't agree more" was with this one--!