Adventure in Ireland: Disney Group Travel Myths Debunked!
Whether you dream of taking your kids to Europe for the first time or want to go back again with all the perks and none of the hassle, an Adventures by Disney Vacation may be a perfect choice for your family.
But would a tour be too boring or scheduled for your family? Would you feel like you are "stuck” with the group and have a lack of freedom? Would it be authentic? These are all questions I asked myself before I had the pleasure of traveling to Ireland with Adventures by Disney.
The Disney Difference
To say the experience lived up to Disney standards is an understatement. The combination of first-class service, incredibly immersive experiences, and family-friendly itineraries is what puts Adventures by Disney at the top of my list when it comes to recommending an unforgettable family vacation.
When we arrived in Dublin and our adventure guides Kelly & Jackie greeted us with a smile after our long flight, we weren’t surprised. We felt right at home! Snacks were waiting, maps were dispersed and our Adventure guides were there to provide tips on how to spend our day until the welcome dinner later that evening.
Disney has a perfect formula for their guides, aiming to have one local guide and one American guide on each tour. As we traveled through the countryside of Ireland, Kelly from Nashville often told jokes and reviewed logistics while Jackie from Dublin shared the county’s history woven with her personal experience of being raised in Ireland. They managed this flawlessly while working quietly behind the scenes to ensure that we never had an inconvenience the entire trip and were treated to unexpected moments throughout.
That's the Disney difference! This service was consistent whether at Guinness Storehouse for the private lunch, arriving at each hotel with priority expedited check-in, sitting down to dinner, or visiting many sites along the way. We had VIP access, experiences, and service from our guides at every turn.
Carefully Curated Experiences
Having traveled independently throughout Europe for the past 20 years, I was skeptical that Adventures by Disney could deliver an immersive itinerary. If you have visions of characters greeting you at the Cliffs of Moher, rest assured that is not the case. This is a well done cultural itinerary and Disney had some shining experiential moments on this tour. It’s the hands-on moments that guests will remember; the scone making at an Irish cottage, the sheep shearing demonstration at the farm, and even the awesome and adventurous bike riding in the rain outside Killarney.
For families or multi-generational families who want to take their children beyond the USA, they will find carefully planned itineraries that deliver a perfect combination of culture, education, fun, and relaxation. Adventures by Disney allows you to see more than you would ever see on your own and because of this it’s a busy pace some days. But they also build in time on your own and time to relax too.
On the Ireland itinerary, it was so wonderful that Disney made sure that our last three nights were at Dromoland Castle where we could relax, hit the spa, enjoy falconry, skeet shooting, or just take a nap!
The highlight of the tour was arriving at this real Irish castle to a horse & hound welcome and the entire staff standing outside “Downton Abbey” style, just waiting for our arrival. It was one of the most “magical” travel moments of my life; people were literally in tears! How often does travel move people to tears? That’s a memory of a lifetime.
On our first night at Dromoland Castle parents appreciated the “adult” evening for sure. This featured adults enjoying dinner on their own, while junior adventures had dinner in a separate palatial dining room complete with personalized children’s menus, violin lessons from Irish musicians, and a Disney movie to end the evening.
Our guides even made sure the teens were happy by offering them the option to join the junior adventurers or dine with the adults. It’s those little touches that transform this itinerary from pages in a brochure to an unforgettable family vacation.
From Dromoland Castle, there was a trip to The Cliffs of Moher, one of the most iconic and stunning spots in Ireland.
Our trip concluded with a farewell dinner complete with Irish musicians!
Can you do all of this all on your own or is better to travel with a group? Having traveled on multiple Adventures by Disney itineraries and also independently throughout Europe, we can help you decide. Ireland is an amazing family destination and a lifetime of memories awaits!
Want to learn more about our custom curated Ireland itineraries? Let’s Get Started!