Disney Parks Around the World - A Private Jet Adventure

[The Expert]

Oh wow, very impressive! What was your best decision and what was your biggest mistake with this trip?

Thanks! Best decision was to pack in carry-on luggage. It made all the transiting so much easier. Had a checked bag not made a flight, it never would have caught up with us at the pace we were moving!

Biggest mistake was the extra day in Paris. It was too early in the trip and we just didn't need it. We'd only done two parks and we were just getting ramped up, so we were just impatient to move on.

 

[sayhello]

Thanks! Best decision was to pack in carry-on luggage. It made all the transiting so much easier. Had a checked bag not made a flight, it never would have caught up with us at the pace we were moving!

Biggest mistake was the extra day in Paris. It was too early in the trip and we just didn't need it. We'd only done two parks and we were just getting ramped up, so we were just impatient to move on.

So how much did the trip end up costing you?

Sayhello

 

[The Expert]

So how much did the trip end up costing you?

Sayhello

I'd have to dig up the spreadsheet to be sure, but our budget was around $20K. I think it ended up costing a little less as we used miles to purchase or upgrade many of our flights.

 

[Jess_VacayMode]

For that amount of money, I am not going on a trip with 74 strangers.

 

[sayhello]

For that amount of money, I am not going on a trip with 74 strangers.

How many strangers *would* you be willing to travel with for that amount of money?

Sayhello

 

[Karin1984]

For that amount of money, I am not going on a trip with 74 strangers.

If I had that money, I would book it myself and upscale it as much as I could. If you can pay this, paying for first class tickets shouldn't be much of a problem.

 

[Bellecruiser]

Just as a comparison point, these are the costs of the top private jet tours over the next year. They are all 23/24 day trips. Most have 48 people, and some fly with a physician and chef.

TCS World Travel “Around the World” tour: $125,950 pp
Abercombie and Kent “Wildlife Safari” world tour: $159,950 pp.
Four Seasons World of Adventures tour :$205,000 pp
Aman Jet Expedition tour $159,950 pp

At $109,000 the ABD trip looks reasonable. (Not that we can afford to go on it, but just saying it looks reasonable in that market)

 

[North of Mouse]

I just finished the Southern California tour and my ONLY complaint was that there was little time to sleep or just relax…by day 6, all I wanted to do was sleep in until 9am. While this sounds amazing, it sounds absolutely exhausting.

I need a vacation after being at WDW for 10 days of non stop activities, this wouldn't appeal to me at all - not to mention having to get an equity loan from my home! Nope, no way, no how.

 

[Jess_VacayMode]

How many strangers *would* you be willing to travel with for that amount of money?

Sayhello

Honestly, none. LOL. I am not an ABD person for sure. I am very blessed to have experienced a different style of travel than I can afford today when I was a live in nanny and also touring in the music industry. I just got back from a solo weekend in NYC and I had a friend that mentioned coming along and I shut that down quick. I just like to do my own thing. I also have PTSD and that throws a wrench into plans so having a large group would be hard for me. If I needed to step away to self soothe before moving on to next activity, that would be difficult with multiple travel partners.

 

[Jess_VacayMode]

Just as a comparison point, these are the costs of the top private jet tours over the next year. They are all 23/24 day trips. Most have 48 people, and some fly with a physician and chef.

TCS World Travel “Around the World” tour: $125,950 pp
Abercombie and Kent “Wildlife Safari” world tour: $159,950 pp.
Four Seasons World of Adventures tour :$205,000 pp
Aman Jet Expedition tour $159,950 pp

At $109,000 the ABD trip looks reasonable.

I agree with this. I think it is reasonable. Outside of my budget for sure but along lines of industry standards. I have signed hotel bills larger than this when I was a live in nanny. Not my style of spending for sure but to each their own.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I think that if I had the money to throw around like this - which to be clear I do not - I would want to know how much DIS would charge for a private version of this. Real first class airplane seats (not necessarily on their private jet), DVC villas instead of hotel rooms in Cali and WDW, and potentially customizing the itinerary a bit more. Basically how much would it cost to have the kind if unfettered access to Disney they AbD is offering, but on my own terms?

Any guesses?

 

[jimmymc]

Even if I had the money, I would not do this trip. 24 days is way too short. With all the travel days, how intense these days are... You are exhausted by day three and then plowing through the others.
We did all Asian parks in about 2 weeks and by the time we got to the third park I was so tired. And to do it in Summer heat? No thank you.

I once did price out what it would cost me to do all the parks in the world in about a span of 6-8 weeks, including a stop at Aulani and taking the transatlantic cruise back to Europe, I think I priced it out at half the price.

My general thought. Spending one day in some of these cities is just a waste.

 

[jimmymc]

I think that if I had the money to throw around like this - which to be clear I do not - I would want to know how much DIS would charge for a private version of this. Real first class airplane seats (not necessarily on their private jet), DVC villas instead of hotel rooms in Cali and WDW, and potentially customizing the itinerary a bit more. Basically how much would it cost to have the kind if unfettered access to Disney they AbD is offering, but on my own terms?

Any guesses?

I'm working on it. Some things like the Skywalker Ranch may be out of reach, but I think you'll be able to fly in luxury for much less.

 

[sayhello]

Honestly, none. LOL. I am not an ABD person for sure. I am very blessed to have experienced a different style of travel than I can afford today when I was a live in nanny and also touring in the music industry. I just got back from a solo weekend in NYC and I had a friend that mentioned coming along and I shut that down quick. I just like to do my own thing. I also have PTSD and that throws a wrench into plans so having a large group would be hard for me. If I needed to step away to self soothe before moving on to next activity, that would be difficult with multiple travel partners.

OK, so please take this as intended, as an honest question and not snark, but then doesn't that make your comment "For that amount of money, I am not going on a trip with 74 strangers" kind of irrelevant to the discussion, as it sounds like you wouldn't do it for $10,000 or maybe even $1000, either. Nor would you do it with 74 friends. Or 1 friend.

Sayhello

 

[Karin1984]

I am looking at the itinerary, some things I noticed.

- You can also skip the Asian parks several times and go into the city.
- the flight from San Francisco to Tokyo has a stop in Anchorage
- In Tokyo you have some sort front of line passes and reserved seating for fireworks, bur you are on your on in the parks.
- breakfast on your way to the airport in Tokyo (by bus?)
- different use of words. From Tokyo to Shanghai you have a private jet, from Shanghai to Hong Kong it is a charter.
- In Hong Kong you only have an afternoon tour in the park. Should be enough, as it is the smallest park, but still. The rest of the time you are on your own.
- I find the stops at the Taj Mahal and the pyramids a bit random, I would have chosen locations on route that have some meaning to Disney. I guess the charter cannot do long distance flights? Or maybe to break down the jetlag?
- In Paris you stay at the Marvel hotel, not the Disneyland Hotel (currently being refurbished, but it shouldnt take a year before they are done?)
- lunch on the 2nd day in Paris is at a resort hotel (your choice) and not one of park restaurants.
- From Paris to Orlando a stop in Nova Scotia.
- No VIP tour in Orlando. Special events or on your own.

 

[Jess_VacayMode]

OK, so please take this as intended, as an honest question and not snark, but then doesn't that make your comment "For that amount of money, I am not going on a trip with 74 strangers" kind of irrelevant to the discussion, as it sounds like you wouldn't do it for $10,000 or maybe even $1000, either. Nor would you do it with 74 friends. Or 1 friend.

Sayhello

For $10,000, I would go on this trip with 74 friends. : ) I travel with friends often. The difference is, I travel with close friends. The friend who wanted to come to NYC with me is a newer friend. The difference being...my friends who have been around awhile understand my PTSD and its a non issue between us.

 

[sayhello]

I am looking at the itinerary, some things I noticed.

- You can also skip the Asian parks several times and go into the city.
- the flight from San Francisco to Tokyo has a stop in Anchorage
- In Tokyo you have some sort front of line passes and reserved seating for fireworks, bur you are on your on in the parks.
- breakfast on your way to the airport in Tokyo (by bus?)
- different use of words. From Tokyo to Shanghai you have a private jet, from Shanghai to Hong Kong it is a charter.
- In Hong Kong you only have an afternoon tour in the park. Should be enough, as it is the smallest park, but still. The rest of the time you are on your own.
- I find the stops at the Taj Mahal and the pyramids a bit random, I would have chosen locations on route that have some meaning to Disney. I guess the charter cannot do long distance flights? Or maybe to break down the jetlag?
- In Paris you stay at the Marvel hotel, not the Disneyland Hotel (currently being refurbished, but it shouldnt take a year before they are done?)
- lunch on the 2nd day in Paris is at a resort hotel (your choice) and not one of park restaurants.
- From Paris to Orlando a stop in Nova Scotia.
- No VIP tour in Orlando. Special events or on your own.

- You can also skip the Asian parks several times and go into the city. They have that for Disneyland Paris, also.
- the flight from San Francisco to Tokyo has a stop in Anchorage The funny thing is, they don't say if you'll be getting off the plane or anything. No activities mentioned.
- In Tokyo you have some sort front of line passes and reserved seating for fireworks, bur you are on your on in the parks.
- breakfast on your way to the airport in Tokyo (by bus?)
- different use of words. From Tokyo to Shanghai you have a private jet, from Shanghai to Hong Kong it is a charter. Interesting. I wonder if that's intentional or not.
- In Hong Kong you only have an afternoon tour in the park. Should be enough, as it is the smallest park, but still. The rest of the time you are on your own.
- I find the stops at the Taj Mahal and the pyramids a bit random, I would have chosen locations on route that have some meaning to Disney. I guess the charter cannot do long distance flights? Or maybe to break down the jetlag? What I heard speculation on, is that it's stops on Soarin' Around the World.
- In Paris you stay at the Marvel hotel, not the Disneyland Hotel (currently being refurbished, but it shouldnt take a year before they are done?) I'm assuming they don't want to chance it not being done?
- lunch on the 2nd day in Paris is at a resort hotel (your choice) and not one of park restaurants.
- From Paris to Orlando a stop in Nova Scotia. Same as Alaska. Is it literally just stopping there for some non-visiting reason?
- No VIP tour in Orlando. Special events or on your own. "Behind-the-Scenes Monorail Tour"

Sayhello

 

[Kit Jackson]

- I find the stops at the Taj Mahal and the pyramids a bit random, I would have chosen locations on route that have some meaning to Disney. I guess the charter cannot do long distance flights? Or maybe to break down the jetlag?

I agree. Not that I have the kind of money this trips requires, but if I were going to spend that kind of money for a once in a lifetime visit to all of the Disney Parks, I'd want to spend more time in the parks. I like that they offer day trips for the less Disney focused guests on park days, but it isn't at the expense of park time for everyone. People get to decide if they want to spend time in the parks or see the city, which is great. Having options is a smart way to do this.

The stops you mentioned are sort of related to Disney in that they are featured in Soarin' Around the World, but it's a tenuous connection. I would have made it a seperate tour. ABD Soarin' Around the World could work.

 

[Karin1984]

Is it literally just stopping there for some non-visiting reason?


Sayhello

I really think it is for refuelling. If it just fits 75 people + crew, it is a small plane. Small planes carry less fuel, and therefore cannot do long distances.

It would explain the stops in India and Egypt. If they wanted to recreate Soarin' there are a lot of scenes missing. Hong Kong - India - Egypt - Paris, I didn't check it, but sounds like sort of similar distances?

 

[jimmymc]

the flight from San Francisco to Tokyo has a stop in Anchorage The funny thing is, they don't say if you'll be getting off the plane or anything. No activities mentioned.

This stop is purely because the 757 can't fly non-stop from SF to Tokyo. I'm not sure if you can get off the plane, but you definitely can't leave the airport.