Dis Exclusive Once Upon a Fairytale Germany Trip 9/20 - 9/28/2013

[DisneyKevin]

Originally Posted by rkdahl

Interesting tidbit from ABD for those arriving via train into Frankfurt at the start of this trip. ABD will pick up guests at the main Franfurt train station downtown and shuttle you to the hotel in Heidelberg, about 50 miles. I checked into this since we were not planning to fly into Frankfurt at the start of our adventure. We will be traveling from Paris Disneyland via train to Frankfurt. After talking to ABD they said they would offer the option to pick us up there rather than at the Frankfurt airport. They just needed the time and train number of our arrival.

So that worked out pretty cool. Just though I would pass that along in case anyone else was considering the rail option when traveling in..

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Something to keep in mind....

If you make arrangements through ABD and I am out of the loop, I wont be able to be much help should you need assistance while abroad.

If any of our Adventures makes plans through ABD, please let me know what the plans are...just in case.

Thanks.

[MinnieGarden]

Originally Posted by rkdahl

Interesting tidbit from ABD for those arriving via train into Frankfurt at the start of this trip. ABD will pick up guests at the main Franfurt train station downtown and shuttle you to the hotel in Heidelberg, about 50 miles. I checked into this since we were not planning to fly into Frankfurt at the start of our adventure. We will be traveling from Paris Disneyland via train to Frankfurt. After talking to ABD they said they would offer the option to pick us up there rather than at the Frankfurt airport. They just needed the time and train number of our arrival.

So that worked out pretty cool. Just though I would pass that along in case anyone else was considering the rail option when traveling in..

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Disneyland Paris is awesome! Mike and I are actually planning to spend a couple of days in Paris before the adventure. We fell in love with Paris and DLP on our DIS Knights and Lights adventure last year. Our tentative plan for getting from Paris to Heidelberg is to take the train as well, however into Heidelberg. The main train station appears to be a short walk to our hotel and wouldn't involve the ABD transfers. We haven't done anything definitive, however it's something else to consider. And our #1 travel tip is to let Kevin know what we are doing.

[jmccormick]

Originally Posted by rkdahl

Interesting tidbit from ABD for those arriving via train into Frankfurt at the start of this trip. ABD will pick up guests at the main Franfurt train station downtown and shuttle you to the hotel in Heidelberg, about 50 miles. I checked into this since we were not planning to fly into Frankfurt at the start of our adventure. We will be traveling from Paris Disneyland via train to Frankfurt. After talking to ABD they said they would offer the option to pick us up there rather than at the Frankfurt airport. They just needed the time and train number of our arrival.

So that worked out pretty cool. Just though I would pass that along in case anyone else was considering the rail option when traveling in..

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Thanks for this, we're just in process of figuring out where to go for the few days before the start of our adventure. This is an option that will help with that.

If Kevin is watching, are there pre-adventure days at the first hotel?

[Flossbolna]

For those considering taking the train from Paris to Germany, a tip from your resident German here on the thread : You would save a lot of time going directly to Heidelberg. You can take the train from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to Mannheim and then 16 minutes on a local train from there to Heidelberg. It should be really easy!

Also, the German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) usually offer special prices (39 € per person in second class, 69 € per person in first class, that's about 1/3 of the regular fare!) if you book a specific train and book in advance - one can book three months in advance at the earliest. I booked a similar trip last spring and for whatever reason the French Railways did not offer a price at the same level.

If anyone needs any help figuring out German trains, I am happy to help!

[DisneyKevin]

Originally Posted by Flossbolna

For those considering taking the train from Paris to Germany, a tip from your resident German here on the thread : You would save a lot of time going directly to Heidelberg. You can take the train from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to Mannheim and then 16 minutes on a local train from there to Heidelberg. It should be really easy!

Also, the German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) usually offer special prices (39 € per person in second class, 69 € per person in first class, that's about 1/3 of the regular fare!) if you book a specific train and book in advance - one can book three months in advance at the earliest. I booked a similar trip last spring and for whatever reason the French Railways did not offer a price at the same level.

I anyone needs any help figuring out German trains, I am happy to help!

This is awesome and so are you for offering such great advice!

Thank you!

[DisneyKevin]

Originally Posted by jmccormick

Thanks for this, we're just in process of figuring out where to go for the few days before the start of our adventure. This is an option that will help with that.

If Kevin is watching, are there pre-adventure days at the first hotel?

Pre-nights are $339.77 (based on availability) and post nights are an astounding $1050.36 (based on availability).

If you want to stay in Munich during Oktoberfest....it's gonna cost you.

John and I have talked about going to Salzburg after our Adventure.

We have also talked about going to Venice. We always talk about going back to Venice.

Not sure what will happen.

[Flossbolna]

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

This is awesome and so are you for offering such great advice!

Thank you!

I am happy to do it - it's one of the fun side effects of the DISboards that I enjoy. There are quite a few DISers whom I have helped with advice about travelling in Germany.

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

Pre-nights are $339.77 (based on availability) and post nights are an astounding $1050.36 (based on availability).

If you want to stay in Munich during Oktoberfest....it's gonna cost you.

John and I have talked about going to Salzburg after our Adventure.

We have also talked about going to Venice. We always talk about going back to Venice.

Not sure what will happen.

Yes, Munich during Oktoberfest is expensive, but there ought to be rooms (at simpler hotels) that would be considerably below $1000 per night. However, any hotel books up early during that time.

And since people start talking about where to go after Munich, may I suggest my hometown Nuremberg? Not that I am in any way working in the tourism business, but I feel like I ought to promote it a bit... It has lots to offer from a medieval castle towering over the city, which was a trade center in medieval times and the home to Albrecht Dürer - to it's role in modern German history as the location of the Nazi Party Rallies, so that on can today see the gigantic building intended for this (including a very good museum about this) and then as the location of the Nuremberg trials after WWII. And it is only a one hour train ride away from Munich.

[rkdahl]

Originally Posted by Flossbolna

For those considering taking the train from Paris to Germany, a tip from your resident German here on the thread : You would save a lot of time going directly to Heidelberg. You can take the train from Paris (Gare de l'Est) to Mannheim and then 16 minutes on a local train from there to Heidelberg. It should be really easy!

Excellent thought Flossbolna! I had looked at that option but was trying to minimize transfers. With our luggage, carry ons, etc. every transfer is a bit more work and chance of something going wrong. However, after thinking about this more I decided I like your idea and we will do as you suggest and train to Mannheim and transfer to Heidelberg.

Kevin, I would never book anything directly with ABD, I am just exploring ideas. The way I travel on these long trips is I plan, look at options, update my plan, look at more options, get opinions on options, update my plan and then and only then lock it down and communicate it. Believe me, I am in the early planning, more like exloring stages.

We are going to make this quite an adventure. Current plan is to fly from Orlando to London, visit a neice there, head via train and the Chunnel to Paris Disneyland, spend a few days there. Train to Heidelberg and do the wonderful ABD tour, spend a few extra nights (Not at the crazy $$$ ABD hotel) in Munich. Then train to Zurich, Switzerland to visit family a few days. And finally, if this works out, we might train to Venice and then cruise back to the USA via a trans-atlantic sailing from Venice to Ft Lauderdale. This will be our major travel trip for 2013, potentially a 6 week trip!

So I have a lot more planning to do. But all that will be on hold as we pack and get ready for PCC 4.0! Coming right up! Thanks again for the feedback!

[DisneyKevin]

Please help me welcome Laurie (Sarabi's Cub) and Brian to our Adventure!!

[k5jmh]

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

Please help me welcome Laurie (Sarabi's Cub) and Brian to our Adventure!!

WooHoo!!!

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Originally Posted by DisneyKevin

Please help me welcome Laurie (Sarabi's Cub) and Brian to our Adventure!!

Whoo-hoo!!! We are so excited! I've been lurking here jealously all along. I don't know alot about Germany, so it's time to start obsessing. I do know that we will definitely be adding a day at Salzburg on the end of the trip. There is no way I can be that close and not visit the birthplace of two musical icons - Mozart and the Sound of Music! Get ready to see me twirling in some mountain pasture singing "The hills are alive..."

Laurie

[JWren1234]

Originally Posted by Sarabi's Cubs

Whoo-hoo!!! We are so excited! I've been lurking here jealously all along. I don't know alot about Germany, so it's time to start obsessing. I do know that we will definitely be adding a day at Salzburg on the end of the trip. There is no way I can be that close and not visit the birthplace of two musical icons - Mozart and the Sound of Music! Get ready to see me twirling in some mountain pasture singing "The hills are alive..."

Laurie

Welcome aboard! I'm looking forward to travelling with you and Brian again!!

Jason

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Have you started to look at airfare? Just wondering if anyone has found anything good. We had such a mess coming back from Paris through Dulles on the last trip that I don't want to fly through there this time. Looking at maybe Philly or Detroit.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations for a hotel in Salzburg, I'd appreciate it. We want to add one (or two) nights there post trip. I was hoping maybe I could exchange some DVC points for that, but no such luck in Austria.

Thanks!

Laurie

[rkdahl]

Originally Posted by Sarabi's Cubs

Whoo-hoo!!! We are so excited! I've been lurking here jealously all along. I don't know alot about Germany, so it's time to start obsessing. I do know that we will definitely be adding a day at Salzburg on the end of the trip. There is no way I can be that close and not visit the birthplace of two musical icons - Mozart and the Sound of Music! Get ready to see me twirling in some mountain pasture singing "The hills are alive..."

Laurie

Laurie,

We took the ABD trip, no longer offered, that toured Prague, Salzburg and Vienna a couple of years ago. We can help direct you to a few of the highlight sites of the Sound of Music movie. If you can't find something or would like help in knowing a few inside spots to visit. Let me know. We can point in you in the direction of the things we saw when we were there. It was quite fun to be dancing in the gazebo or walking down the paths of the garden scene or seeing some of the buildings used many years ago. Feel free to drop me a PM and I will share what we know. We also did a salt mine tour which was super cool and ate in one of the oldest restaurants in Europe. It was a great trip!

Keith

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[JWren1234]

Originally Posted by Sarabi's Cubs

Have you started to look at airfare? Just wondering if anyone has found anything good. We had such a mess coming back from Paris through Dulles on the last trip that I don't want to fly through there this time. Looking at maybe Philly or Detroit.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations for a hotel in Salzburg, I'd appreciate it. We want to add one (or two) nights there post trip. I was hoping maybe I could exchange some DVC points for that, but no such luck in Austria.

Thanks!

Laurie

I've been watching airfares for a couple of months now, haven't found a great deal yet. About $1100-$1200 R/T on United and Lufthansa, flying non-stop to/from Newark. I want to see if the fares drop before I decide to buy.

Jason