England & France 2023

[Mathmagicland]

@Peach026 -- I'm sorry for your frustration. That's disappointing. :-( We also just got our quote for the add-on, and it was astronomical ($$$). We booked it on our own and are saving a couple thousand dollars for the same hotel and number of days. It almost seems like they don't want to be bothered coordinating this add-on for ABD folks.

I do have a question (@ anyone) for the ABD trip itself. We are arriving a day early (early morning), so we'll have nearly two full days on our own in London before the welcome dinner. We're trying to take it easy on arrival day in case we aren't able to sleep on the plane, so we're planning The British Museum and a show on the West End in the evening. For the second day, we were thinking of taking a Westminster Abbey / Parliament / Downing Street / Whitehall / Buckingham Palace walking tour (with entrance to Westminster Abbey). I know we'll be seeing some of this on ABD Day 2, but is the overlap minimal enough that this tour would be worth it? We also considered doing the Warner Bros./Harry Potter excursion, but that's a full day, and our 10 year old is not as big of a fan as we are (despite our attempts to make her one!)

Any recommendations?

If your daughter likes horses, check out the Royal Mews stables which are behind Buckingham Palace, left side as you face the palace. You can see some of the Royal horses, and the Royal carriages including the all-gold one. The carriages are fascinating to see up close! It doesn’t take long, and isn’t too crowded. With the recent Royal weddings and the King’s coronation coming up in May, she might connect seeing the carriages in person that she saw on TV. It is all self-guided, and has a palace gift shop as you exit.

https://www.rct.uk/visit/the-royal-mews-buckingham-palace

 

[Jiminy's Girl]

We're going with our 10 year old daughter on our first ABD to England and France in August. We're also hoping to add on DLP but have been told they're still working out their contracts with them before we can finalize those plans. We've never been to either country, so this will be a big trip for us!

We are going in August as well. We arrive on the 4th! Celebrating our anniversary, just DH and myself! so excited, though!! This is our first ABD!

 

[Jiminy's Girl]

Ahoy Ahoy

Doing our first ABD and couldn't find a 2023 thread for this one, so adding. Anyone else going?
Looking for recs on MUST do's pre-trip in London. Already got our Warner Bros tour london tix! Travelers include kids ages 10 & 8. We are so excited we can hardly stand it!
Waiting for the DLP extension to get released so we can book that for our post trip. I'm getting impatient!

When to the DLP extensions usually get released? how do you find out about them?

 

[Eree418]

I can only speak to my experience (this is our first ABD). I'm not sure if there are official release dates for the DLP add-on, but when we tried to add it when we first booked our ABD (back in August), they said they wouldn't be able to book it until the new year because DLP wasn't selling any dates beyond March 2023 at that point.

I checked in again after the new year (Jan '23) and was told they were "trying to work out their contract" with DLP to be able to offer the add-on again. It just came back online a week or two ago. My travel agent was watching it for us and periodically checked in with ABD to get status updates, so that is how we found out.

 

[Trixieandboots]

Hello All!
I’m wondering if there’s a night with the group that is considered “more dressy” than others? It seems there won’t be an adults only night on my trip but is there a dinner that you would put on slightly better attire?

 

[Steven G]

Day 3 has an adult only dinner (children do movie night). Isn't that happening for you? Please note that this night, you are all eating at the same restaurant (for us, it was at the hotel), but not together.

Other than that, I don't specifically remember a night with the group that was more dressy, although people were free to do so.

 

[sayhello]

Hello All!
I’m wondering if there’s a night with the group that is considered “more dressy” than others? It seems there won’t be an adults only night on my trip but is there a dinner that you would put on slightly better attire?

Some people will dress up a bit (no more than business casual usually) for the welcome dinner and/or the farewell dinner. But it's not required.

Sayhello

 

[Trixieandboots]

Day 3 has an adult only dinner (children do movie night). Isn't that happening for you? Please note that this night, you are all eating at the same restaurant (for us, it was at the hotel), but not together.

Other than that, I don't specifically remember a night with the group that was more dressy, although people were free to do so.

This didn’t show up on our schedule. Our day three schedule is a “dinner at your leisure in hotel”. I’m not sure why other than that day I think is Easter? Maybe that’s why we aren’t doing it.

 

[sayhello]

This didn’t show up on our schedule. Our day three schedule is a “dinner at your leisure in hotel”. I’m not sure why other than that day I think is Easter? Maybe that’s why we aren’t doing it.

Is your trip an Adults Only departure? Basically, for the adults, it's the same thing, "dinner at your leisure at the hotel" (whenever you want to eat you just go eat at the hotel restaurant, but it's included in the cost of the ABD.) If there are kids, they will usually have their "Junior Adventurers" night that same night, while the adults get to Adult. If yours is a family departure, and it doesn't list the Jr. Adventurers night, you are probably right that it's because it's Easter. (Although it's all run by the Adventure Guides, but maybe they think families will want to eat together for the Holiday.)

Sayhello

 

[Trixieandboots]

Is your trip an Adults Only departure? Basically, for the adults, it's the same thing, "dinner at your leisure at the hotel" (whenever you want to eat you just go eat at the hotel restaurant, but it's included in the cost of the ABD.) If there are kids, they will usually have their "Junior Adventurers" night that same night, while the adults get to Adult. If yours is a family departure, and it doesn't list the Jr. Adventurers night, you are probably right that it's because it's Easter. (Although it's all run by the Adventure Guides, but maybe they think families will want to eat together for the Holiday.)

Sayhello

No it’s a family one, just not listed.

 

[sayhello]

No it’s a family one, just not listed.

Then I think you're right, it's probably because it's Easter.

Sayhello

 

[rhinodadz]

Anyone on the March 24th departure?

 

[Trixieandboots]

Quick recommendation for anyone trying to work on their French or just put yourself in the mood. There are several amazing playlists on Spotify of Disney songs in French. Currently listening to one by Y3LLOWQween that’s really great.

 

[Trixieandboots]

Ahoy Ahoy

Doing our first ABD and couldn't find a 2023 thread for this one, so adding. Anyone else going?
Looking for recs on MUST do's pre-trip in London. Already got our Warner Bros tour london tix! Travelers include kids ages 10 & 8. We are so excited we can hardly stand it!
Waiting for the DLP extension to get released so we can book that for our post trip. I'm getting impatient!

I don’t suppose anyone is on this thread that was on the April 7th tour? I’m looking for a copy of the farewell video!

 

[sayhello]

I don’t suppose anyone is on this thread that was on the April 7th tour? I’m looking for a copy of the farewell video!

If you contact ABD, they should be able to get you a copy. I'm surprised you didn't get one from your Adventure Guides.

Sayhello

 

[Trixieandboots]

If you contact ABD, they should be able to get you a copy. I'm surprised you didn't get one from your Adventure Guides.

Sayhello

They did, but the link expired because it took me forever to deal with it. Pure lazy on my part!

 

[Peach026]

Quick recommendation for anyone trying to work on their French or just put yourself in the mood. There are several amazing playlists on Spotify of Disney songs in French. Currently listening to one by Y3LLOWQween that’s really great.

This sounds lovely!

 

[Peach026]

If you can believe it our trip is ALMOST HERE! Two weeks away ish (plus a couple days).
I booked the WB tour, a bus tour with tea (looked fun!), and... yes DLP (shhhh its a secret ). Luz from dreams unlimited booked the trip for me and I'm so eternally grateful for her! I'm having a heck of a time finding info for DLP and she is my savior!
I am feeling like i need to find something to do on our free nights in Paris and coming up completely empty handed. The whole point of me booking the ABD was to avoid being the master planner like I always have to be at WDW - look at me looking for something to plan! I'm considering just letting it be. Its so hard when your used to being in control!!!!

I'm terrrible at finishing trip reports... maybe I'll actually do this one. I have an infinite number started and never completed!

 

[Mathmagicland]

I am feeling like i need to find something to do on our free nights in Paris and coming up completely empty handed.

Have you looked into L’Arc de Triomphe? It is open until 10:30pm each evening. The French Tomb of fhe Unknown Soldier is at the base, and each evening at 06:30pm there is a small ceremony with a veterans group to rekindle the flame and pay respects.

https://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/visit/visits-and-activities

 

[aggiedog]

Our night time Paris activities:
a ballet at the Opera Garnier
a dinner cruise on the Seine