Bucket List: Costa Rica with Adventures by Disney

When guests ask me if Adventures by Disney trips are worth the hype (and the money!), my answer is a resounding YES!  I've traveled to many different countries before - Australia, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand and others, but the Adventure portion of THIS trip had me a little nervous as it was a tiny bit outside my comfort zone, but I'm SO glad I didn't skip out.  Let me share some of the highlights of this trip with you, and share the Adventures by Disney Difference.

When my husband, Brian, and I arrived in Costa Rica, we headed through customs and easily found the Adventures by Disney sign and person to assist us.  She sent us straight to a porter and he grabbed our luggage and took us out to a waiting car.  Tipping is included for all of the drivers, servers, and staff encountered through the adventure, so Brian and I were able to relax and go along for the ride, enjoying our first views of the country.

We arrived at our hotel late - the last of our group.  One of our guides, Fico, was waiting outside of the hotel when we arrived to give us our welcome packet and answer any questions we had.  We didn't realize that he would become a good friend by the end of the week.  Our luggage was being taken directly to our room, so we had some dinner on our own, and toured the hotel a bit before heading to bed - our Adventure would begin tomorrow morning!

The next morning, we enjoyed a buffet breakfast at the hotel and had an information session about the country with our guides.  We met Summer Rose, our second guide, and the other members of our group.  Each group is kept to 40 people or less.  Our luggage had been loaded for us, as we would change hotels that night. 

We headed to our first big adventure - the one I was MOST excited about - White Water Rafting!  On the bus, Summer Rose and Fico were great about sharing information about the area, and what to expect from our tour.  They pointed out different photo spots, and made sure we had snacks and drinks.  We were well informed, which was different than some others.  As we arrived, there was a gentleman from another group that was trying to buy someone's water shoes as he had flip flops and closed toes were required.  Not a problem for the ABD group - we all knew WELL in advance what we needed. 

We suited up, and had a grand adventure with just the right mixture of floating and rapids, and splashing. Another great Disney Difference is the option for an alternate activity.  If you're not feeling up for rapids, you can do an easy river float.  For all high adventure options, there is a less adventurous option as well. 




After rafting for most of the morning, we had showers with towels provided by our Adventure Guides, followed by lunch.  Then we were back on the road to our next destination.  One other mention of a Disney Difference - guess which of these was our bus?  And how do you think the other tour group felt parked next to us? 



Our second hotel was near the Arenal Volcano - we had an AMAZING room with this view!  Our room had a king bed, sitting area, twin bed area, hot tub, balcony and a large bath.  The resort had restaurants, hot springs, several pools, and a lounge area.  We learned to make Guaro Sours, a popular drink in Costa Rica.

Now for the day I had been dreading... I  was worried about the Zip Line.  We geared up and I expressed concerns to Fico.  He assured me all would be well, but he did ask them to add a strap so I felt more secure in the harness - an extra clip.  We did a "bunny run" zip line where we learned what to do.  The staff was amazing at putting us at ease.  What I had originally thought was one zipline turned out to be a series - yep, I was going to have to do it several times!  One of our group was very nervous.  One of the crew strapped in with her and so she didn't have to go alone.  By the end of the lines, she was going by herself.  It's really a strange sensation - you have to lift your legs, and then they release you.  For a few seconds, you forget to be scared and just are in awe of the landscape and the beauty of the mountains and water around you.  Then, after about 30 seconds, you reach the other side.  You're instructed how to come in safely, but it is still a thrill to realize that you DID it!  The staff seriously put me at ease with humor and confidence.  I couldn't wait to tell my kids that I had done it!
 




We had a real life "Jungle Cruise" today - so beautiful as we floated down the river and the guides pointed out animals - birds, three types of monkeys and more.  Then we had lunch at a Bed and Breakfast before our motorcoach picked us up. 

Next up was the El Mangroove Resort - this is the final and most luxurious of the resorts.  While here, Brian and I enjoyed a private dinner, massages in outdoor cabanas (listening to the monkeys while having a massage is REALLY amazing).  Our group had a catamaran sail with snorkeling and lunch on the boat.  Which boat do you think was ours?







What I didn't share was the magical moments - the trivia on the bus, getting to know others on our trip and making friends that we'll travel with again.  Stopping to take pictures of a real sloth in a real tree.  The farewell dinner with our friends and the slideshow of all of our photos taken by the guides.  Cultural performances and experiences, and enough time on our own to explore if we wanted.  We also visited a hot springs and had a delicious dinner, and celebrated those with birthdays.  Every need, every concern, and every question was handled by our guides.  THEY are the Disney Difference, and the reason that my family will continue to travel with Adventures by Disney.

If you're interested in planning your OWN adventure, contact me today for dates in 2020 and 2021.  Locations all over the world are waiting for you.

Katie@HiHoVacations.com