Chalk up one more nail hammered into the decaying trend of the Great American Roadtrip. This one courtesy of Adventures by Disney (http://abd.disney.go.com), which is fast becoming the provider of choice for family vacations (read family adventures). They recently announced the addition of 8 new destinations, giving family travelers a total of 23 destinations worldwide to choose from in 2009.

Of the new additions, three are within the U.S. - an outdoors exploration of Northern California, one on the East Coast and one in the vast frozen wilderness of Alaska.

• Beantown & The Big Apple — Boston, Newport, New York City
• Golden Path to Yosemite — Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco
• Taming the Last Frontier — Alaska: Fairbanks, Denali National Park and Kenai Peninsula

If you’re wondering what’s so special about these adventure vacations, well… First, and most importantly, considering that the Walt Disney Company is putting its brand on the line here by offering a signature ’Disney’ magical experience outside its sphere of influence (theme parks, resorts, cruises, etc.), it means that they the planning for the trips is meticulous and detailed enough to make sure that everything goes off exactly as planned and promised.

These vacations are small group tours, escorted and guided by two trained Adventure guides, along with a host of local experts who allow the guests to explore the destinations and the local culture without any hassles. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, you won’t be seeing any Disney characters popping out of a box or greeting you in the parking lot at Yosemite. Thankfully, Disney is maintaining the spirit of the outdoors by keeping it essentially real.

Some of the tours (where winter weather is a concern) run from May to September (see full schedule for 2008), while the rest are available all year. And they’re not cheap, by any standards - Prices run in the vicinity of $3000 per person, with discounts for children, and are inclusive of most everything on the 7-9 day trips, except for airfare to and from the destination.

Take for instance the 8 days/7 nights Northern California trip which (if you book at least 90 days prior to departure) costs $2,899 per adult and $2,569 per child. If you book closer to the departure date, the price could vary anywhere between $3,299 - $4,319 for adults and $2,969 - $3,889 for children. These prices include the cost of the hotels, meals, the services of the two adventure guides, family activities with kids, luggage service, local transport, cultural entertainment in the company of local experts, and VIP access to local attractions. Airfare not included.

For more details and a free brochure and video, visit the Adventures by Disney home page, or call (877) 728-7282. Photo copyrights - Adventure by Disney Travel Services, Inc.

Posted on August 25th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Family Vacations