We are so excited to be getting back into international travel after a COVID hiatus! This spring break, we finally got to try our first Adventures By Disney experience in beautiful Costa Rica. It was an amazing experience, and I can’t recommend ABD enough to my friends and travel clients. The best summation of this experience is that from the moment you disembark at your destination the moment you embark your return transportation at the end of your vacation, Disney takes care of absolutely everything for you. While you are protected inside the Disney “bubble” on the move, the experiences are still very authentic and you get to meet amazing locals with tons of tastes of the local culture.
We kicked off our tour in San Jose
We landed in San Jose the night before our tour began. The first day was spent exploring the hotel grounds at Marriott Hacienda Belen and relaxing while we met our amazing Adventure Guides, Alica (America) and Fico (Costa Rica). Each tour provides a guide from the US and the local country so that you get an authentic and special experience. The hotel was awesome with a beautiful pool and lush grounds that were near a coffee plantation. The Costa Rica coffee and fresh fruit are incredible, and the local people are some of the kindest and most welcoming I’ve met in the world!
Marriott Hacienda Belen was a great place to start. We love Alica and Fico!
Our first night was a great welcome reception dinner at the hotel where we met the guides and our fellow adventurers. We put our luggage out that night/early the next morning as we did for every hotel change so Tinkerbell and her pixie dust could transport it to our next location. We got an early start on the coach the next morning and took off through a windy path over the Continental Divide while Fico told us a lot of Costa Rican history and science behind its geography, as well as great information about its people and local economy. We were able to spot beautiful waterfalls amidst the lush vegetation, and kicked off with our first adventure, whitewater rafting. The guides for this were amazing and made it so much fun. The kids got to swim a bit as well! Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch and saw some wildlife, including a Rhinoceros Beetle that the brave kiddos got to hold and learn about from Fico.
Rafting and wildlife were amazing at our first stop!
From rafting, it was off to our next hotel, Arenal Kioro, which sat right at the base of beautiful Arenal volcano. We were super lucky and able to see the cone with perfectly clear conditions upon our arrival! The next day the fog/rain rolled in and we were not so lucky! The kids loved swimming and relaxing in the various hot springs at the hotel. We had a nice dinner that night that included Guaro Sour making and local Costa Rican dancing.
Arenal was probably our favorite hotel and location of the trip!
Our second day from Arenal we took a long ride out almost to the border with Nicaragua, where we got to explore the jungle and see wildlife on a river cruise. It was like the Jungle Cruise from the theme parks but in real life! We saw caymans, sloth, many monkeys, birds, reptiles and more. The lunch afterwards was a real treat! That night we enjoyed a special dinner with our family at the hotel restaurant and enjoyed relaxing by the pool.
Costa Rica has their own famous Jungle Cruise!
Our final day in this area of the country was a hit. We started out with zip lining – some of the fastest and longest lines there are! The company did a great job prepping us and even letting everyone try a mini “practice” run to get a feel for things. We flew through the rainforest at top speeds. My 9yo rode on my back so she had enough weight to make it down and we came in pretty fast, but it was so much fun! For lunch, we walked around the town of La Fortuna and enjoyed local Costa Rican cuisine. We ended the day with relaxation at the local hot springs – which also have giant birds and wild life – and an amazing dinner as a group.
Zip Lining through the rainforest was a huge highlight in Costa Rica
The next morning on our way out of La Fortuna, we stopped off for a chocolate tour with the amazing Guapo Chapo as our guide. It was awesome to see the process of how how cacao is grown and made into chocolate. We got to taste the seeds at different points and then the good stuff – the chocolate samples themselves. Flavors were even added (spice, sweet, or adult additions like rum) which made for a heavenly end to our time in this part of Costa Rica. Chapo made it fun with lots of dancing and even some Mickey ears while competitions were held for the cacao grinding process. The wildlife in the area was amazing, too! This was an awesome tour that is an ABD exclusive hit – especially the guide!
The chocolate tour was so much fun! Great guide, entertainment, information and wildlife!
Our ride out to the coast was a bit windy, but thankfully nobody got sick and we did have some nice stops along the way for smoothies and fresh air. Once out toward the coast, the temperature changed dramatically and it was quite dry and warm. We enjoyed lunch at a local roadstop cafe that was lovely, set right on a river. At last, we arrived at our final hotel in Guanacaste on the beach. El Mangroove Hotel was a blast and this was a great relaxing spot to end our tour. We enjoyed a special “adults only” dinner that night at the hotel restaurant on the terrace. The service and cuisine and wine list were awesome! The Junior Adventurers were whisked off by Alica and Fico to watch Encanto and do fun games and crafts. A great night for all!
We had a fun bus ride out to the coast, and getting to the beach was a treat!
The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast on the terrace and then it was time to head onto the sea on a Catamaran. I think all were blown away by this excursion, which could have been very hokey but was in fact an absolute blast with the local Costa Rican crew. We spent hours on the water with an open bar and delicious buffet lunch, that culminated with time on a beach loaded with monkeys, coatis, and moon jellyfish you you could pick up! Science plus sunbathing plus great company made for an amazing day!
The morning out on the Catamaran was amazing! Seeing jellies and monkeys and caves up close was a blast!
The day wasn’t over… that evening, it was time for our farewell dinner on the hotel grounds. We kicked off the celebration with a special dance performance by a local group from Guanacaste featuring customary Costa Rican dress and dance. A few men from the group, including Mr. CT, got to do their best at the Guanacaste “yell” traditionally used crossing a neighbor’s farmland. He earned a special traditional hat from this that got a lot of attention at the pool later that week! The show ended with kids dancing and all of us getting in on the action, plus some amazing photos. From there we went out to dine by the beach on more local Costa Rican cuisine (food there was all so fresh and delicious) and spend time together commemorating the trip and great memories. We ended the night watching an amazing video put together by our guides, sharing stories, and exchanging contact information. Goodbyes were rough! Our daughter cried saying goodbye to precious Fico and Alica, not to mention the other kids and new friends she had met.
Goodbyes are rough but we have so many new friends around the country and world now!
We fortunately had the next morning at breakfast to finish visiting and saying goodbyes. We extended our stay for 4 more days with an all-inclusive package at El Mangroove, which allowed us to relax and enjoy the pool and rest after all of our adventures. We even got to meet the guides on the tour that came in behind ours! Next up – the Arctic Expedition ABD and Ireland! Can’t wait!
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