Destinations for Disney's guided tours include the U.S. (Southwest, D.C. area, Wyoming, and California), Europe (London and Paris, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and Germany), and other locations (China, Peru, and Australia).
Most of the tours are for seven or eight days, but they vary from six days up to thirteen days.
Fees include accommodations, ground transportation during the tour, most meals, attraction admissions, and the expertise of the Disney guides. Airfare is not included (but can be arranged).
As you might expect, the Adventures by Disney tours are ideally suited for families with children. Disney requires that participants be at least four years old, but suggests that six years old is a more appropriate minimum age. The tours include activities specifically for children. But, adults without children would enjoy the itineraries as well.
Fees vary according to destination, but generally range between $2000 and $3000 per person. Disney does offer a discount, which can be significant, for guests that book at least 120 days in advance.
Curiously, the Adventures by Disney Paris trip does not include a visit to Disneyland Paris. And there are no Florida or Japan itineraries, so there are no opportunities to go to the Disney parks in those locations. The China trip does include a stop at Hong Kong Disneyland, however. And the Hollywood and Disney Resort itinerary is a park enthusiast's fantasy vacation. It includes backstage tours of Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure. And, in an Adventures by Disney exclusive, guests can tour the hallowed Imagineering headquarters.
Sure, you could take an African river excursion, race down a Himalayan mountain, stroll along a quaint London side street, and visit Hollywood Boulevard, all without ever leaving the confines of Florida's Walt Disney World. Visiting actual destinations, as opposed to their theme park facsimiles, however, can be a bit trickier. That's why many folks opt to book all-inclusive guided tours. Starting in 2005, Disney took its vacation acumen beyond the confines of its theme parks and cruise ships and began offering Adventures by Disney itineraries.
Typically, two Disney guides shepherd each group of about two-dozen guests for the tours. As with most escorted tours, they take care of all the details and allow participants to enjoy a hassle-free trip in the company of other vacationers. Lest you think that costumed, oversized Mickey Mouse and Goofy characters accompany guests on, say, tours of the Louvre, the Disney aspects of the Adventures by Disney trips are relatively low-key. According to About.com's Family Vacations Guide, Teresa Plowright, her Italy trip with Disney rated five-stars and included plenty of well-coordinated sightseeing, wonderful activities, and unique Disney touches all presented with a distinct aura of quality.
If you are a theme park fan, and seek more than low-key Disney touches, you may want to consider the tour company's Hollywood and Disney Resort itinerary. In addition to going behind the scenes at the Disneyland Resort's theme parks, guests get to visit Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California. I believe this is the first time that Disney has allowed the general public to tour the place where the legendary Imagineers conjure their theme park magic. Among the highlights of the tour is a peek into Imagineering's sculpture studio, where characters for the Pirates of the Caribbean, the Hall of Presidents, and other audio-animatronic attractions are on display. I was fortunate to once visit the studio, and found the experience inspiring, if a bit creepy (all of those presidents and their steely stares!). The Hollywood and Disney Resort trip also includes stops at the Walt Disney Studios, the Jim Henson Company Studio, and backstage at Jimmy Kimmel Live.
