Adventures by Disney offers fantastic trips around the globe. While it's likely too late to book a trip for 2023, you can secure a 2024 adventure. As I spend most of my time adding clients to waitlists, you should plan as far ahead as possible. The most coveted destinations during times when kids are off school go first. Choosing an adventure for my own family became a bit of a challenge. When I think of Disney, I think of vacations for kids. As I explored the options, I realized that an adventure with my newly 2-year-old daughter would have to wait at least three more years. The lowest age requirement for any Adventures by Disney vacations is 5 years old. Eager to explore the world, I figured I could go with my son, who will turn 5 in 2024. However, this only opened some itineraries. Each trip has a minimum age allowed to travel and a suggested age, which Disney feels will be best to get the whole trip experience. The lowest suggested age Disney recommends is 6 years old. Multiple destinations I looked into had a higher age requirement. In addition, I noted that a trip where a child meets the minimum age requirement may have activities he can not do based on age, weight, or height restrictions. Disney notes that this is not all disclosed on the official sites, which means a phone call is needed for clarification. It's worth looking at the itinerary to see if any links under activities tell you about such restrictions.
One of my main frustrations with the official site was the inability to see a complete list of available trips by age or our available travel dates. As a travel agent and blogger, I wanted to fix this problem for my clients and readers. You can access the complete list of 2024 trips at the bottom of my Guide to Adventures by Disney. This spreadsheet contains multiple sheets you can select at the bottom tabs to see the trips sorted by destination (default), dates, and age requirement. Furthermore, if you are looking for one of the adult-exclusive options, use the age tab. I know not everyone is traveling with children or wants to.
Third-party travel sites do not sell Adventures by Disney, so discount options are limited. The exception is Costco Travel, which offers Adventures by Disney with a rebate card for Costco. The most obvious way to get a discount is to check for Disney's special offers on the official site. Currently, Adventures by Disney has two special offers. The Fall & Winter Offer: Save on Select Land & Sea Adventures - up to $500 off per person on select adventures booked by December 29, 2023, for travel from September 17, 2023, through March 11, 2024. For details, click here. The second offer is Save on Your Next Adventure. For a limited time, returning Adventurers can save up to $750 per person on trips booked by January 6, 2024, or within 45 days of returning from an Adventures by Disney trip—whichever is sooner. I hope to see this become a long-standing offer like the placeholder reservations you can book while on a Disney Cruise. For the full details on the returning customer offer, click here.
As these trips are pricey, you may be wondering if there are any additional ways to save on Adventures by Disney. You can purchase DVC points from a DVC member. Rent through a company that acts as an intermediary or directly from a DVC member. I recommend using a vetted company unless you can rent from someone you trust. You can book with a travel agent, like Adventures by Mama Doc, who can match any discount from Disney and request a rebate from the agent. You can purchase discounted Disney Gift Cards, an accepted payment form. You can purchase Disney Gift Cards to earn cash back or travel points. The plethora of Disney bloggers have exhausted both topics- search for it. You can save on the components not included in the price, such as airfare. If Adventures by Disney still doesn't fit your budget, you can book with another tour operator or create your own tour. One option is National Geographic Expeditions, under the Disney umbrella, and we also reserve. Nat Geo Expeditions aren't cheap but tend to run less than Disney. Adventures by Disney lists accommodations and itineraries on the official site, and you can try to recreate the trip.
For me, the best use of Adventures by Disney is for the destinations that are hardest to plan for reasons of isolation or security. I don't intend to take the Adventures by Disney trip to the Grand Canyon, but I plan to take everyone on the South African Safari trip when the kids are both old enough. Antarctica is on the list too. Don't get me wrong, I'd take all the trips if I had the means.
Adventures by Disney lists 7 Destination categories: Africa, Asia Pacific (Australia & New Zealand), Central & South America, Europe, North America, Polar Regions, and Around the World. If you are wondering where you can go with Adventures by Disney, it might be better to ask where you can't go. Most notably, ABD does not offer any expeditions to the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland. You'll need Nat Geo Expeditions for those. However, ABD does go to Iceland and Norway. ABD does not go to the Caribbean or Mexico, but Disney Cruise Line covers those locations.
For a complete list of trips, available dates, and need-to-know information, check out our Guide.
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