1. How do I book my Adventures by Disney vacation?
If you are in the United States, please call (866) 972-6244 to speak
to our Adventure Concierge Team or click
here to submit a request for an email quote.
2.
Do I need a passport, visa or other documents?
If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need
a valid passport to enter South Africa and return to the United
States. If you do not have a valid passport, please visit our "Trip
Tips" section to find out how to apply.
U.S. passport holders traveling to the Republic of South Africa for
90 days or less for tourism or business purposes do not need visas.
Your passport must be valid six months beyond your intended stay and
must contain at least two blank (unstamped) visa pages each time
entry into the country is sought in addition to the
endorsement/amendment pages at the back of the passport. Please be
advised that if you do not comply with this regulation, you run the
risk of being forced to return to your previous destination at your
expense. Also be sure to allow yourself sufficient time to have your
application processed if you are applying for a new passport or
renewing an expired passport. Refer to
www.state.gov
for further details.
In addition, guests 17 years of age or younger may be required to
show additional documentation when traveling with a single parent.
If you are not a U. S. citizen, please check with the South African
Embassy or Consulate at
www.saembassy.org for information on documentation requirements.
Passport Services
You can apply for a passport through CIBT, Inc., a third party
travel document company servicing the travel industry (not
affiliated with the Walt Disney Company).
Click here for more information or call CIBT at
(800) 406-1523. Be sure to mention Adventures by Disney,
account #55134, for special pricing options.
PLEASE NOTE: ADDITIONAL CHARGES WILL APPLY FOR TELEPHONE
CALLS made to access CIBT specialists.
3. Do I need vaccinations to travel
to this country?
If you are coming from the U.S., you are
advised to consult
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel. Your doctor or health-care provider
will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your
health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be
visiting, and planned activities. If you are not a U.S. citizen,
please check your local requirements for vaccinations for travel to
South Africa.
4. What airport do I fly into and out
of?
You will fly into Cape Town
International Airport (CPT). International flights into Cape Town
generally arrive midday if the flight is routed through a European
gateway such as London or Frankfurt. Flights departing East Coast
gateways such as Atlanta, Dulles or New York typically arrive in the
evening hours in Cape Town. Some flights departing the USA may
include a changeover in Johannesburg en route to Cape Town.
Regardless of your flight's arrival time you will be met at the Cape
Town airport and transferred to your hotel.
On the final day of the adventure, an early afternoon flight will
bring you from Hoedspruit to O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)
in Johannesburg for your return flight home. To ensure a comfortable
connection in Johannesburg, your evening flight should not be
scheduled any time prior to 6PM.
5. Are transfers included if I arrive
or depart from different locations or at different times from the
itinerary?
No. Transfers are only included from the
specified arrival/departure airports and hotels. For South Africa,
transfers are included from the Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
to the Cape Town hotel on your arrival day. On your departure day,
you will be flown to the Johannesburg airport with a mid-afternoon
arrival time that comfortably allows connections to departing
evening international flights.
6. Can I extend my vacation beyond
the Adventures by Disney itinerary?
Yes, you may stay in South Africa before
or after our itinerary. Pre-night stays in the Cape Town hotel are
available at special rates if booked through Adventures by Disney
Travel Services, Inc. in conjunction with a land package and cannot
be combined with any other offer. To extend your trip after our
itinerary please contact a Concierge Agent for further information.
7. How will our group travel between
destinations?
Travel from your hotels to sites in and
near Cape Town and within the Garden Route region will be by motor
coach. You will fly from George to Hoedspruit on Day 9 of the trip,
and on the final day you will fly from Hoedspruit to Johannesburg.
8. What is the climate like?
Since South Africa is situated in the
southern hemisphere, its seasons are the reverse of those in North
America, with midwinter in June and July and midsummer in December
and January. In general the country enjoys a sunny climate all year
round. Cape Town and the southernmost part of the Western Cape have
a mild, changeable winter— the time most rainfall occurs, and a warm
to hot summer. The winters in the interior regions of the country,
including the Kapama Game Reserve, are dry and warm, although
sometimes chilly at night. Summers are hot with more frequent rain.
9. How strenuous are the activities?
This is an active trip with all
activities being easy, and you may always choose to opt in or out as
you wish. There are swimming pools at all four hotels, however none
are heated. There may be up to two hours of casual walking during a
full day of activity in Cape Town and along the Garden Route. There
is a short, easy bike ride in the Winelands area on Day 4. Game
viewing on Days 9-12 is enjoyed while riding in 4x4 vehicles. While
nearly all of the trip's featured activities are gentle if enjoyed
separately, the full range of activities requires a moderate amount
of stamina in order to get the most of your vacation.
10. What ages are appropriate for
this adventure?
We recommend that children be at least 8
years old at the time of travel on our Safari to South Africa trip.
This is based on several factors, such as flight time and jet lag,
time zone differences in the destination, duration of the vacation,
extended hours of daily activity programming, number of internal
transports between experiences, potential for extreme temperatures
in the summer months, and amount of physical activity involved. Last
but not least, the game viewing at Kapama for the final three days
of the trip involves close encounters with large wild animals such
as lions, leopards, buffalo, hippos and rhinoceroses. This requires
a level of maturity to understand that sitting still and staying
quiet is essential for fully enjoying this unique experience.
Therefore, children should be a minimum of 6 years old for the game
drives. Because each child is different, please call a Concierge
Agent to discuss whether this is the right trip for your kids.
11. What type of meals are served on
this Adventures by Disney Trip?
Typically, breakfast is served each
morning in buffet style and offers a variety of dishes. Dinners and
lunches usually include fish, meat, and pasta or rice entrées;
vegetables and salad; and desserts and fruit. Some included meals on
this trip are served buffet style while others offer a
limited-choice menu. Given the nature of group travel, we regret
that á la carte menu choices may not always be available.
Children-friendly choices are available at all meals. Menu items are
subject to change due to the availability and seasonality of foods.
In order to allow you and your family time to enjoy meals by
yourselves, there are a few meals that are not included in the
itinerary. These meals have been planned in locations where you have
many dining options available. If you have any questions or concerns
about dining at any time during your vacation, your Adventure Guides
will be happy to assist you.
12. Is alcohol included with meals?
Alcoholic beverages are typically not included with your scheduled
meals, however, you may purchase them at your own expense.
13. Can you accommodate special
dietary needs?
Adventures by Disney will make a reasonable effort to accommodate
some special dietary needs at no additional charge. Unfortunately,
we may not be able to accommodate all special dietary needs
requested. Please contact a Concierge Agent in advance of your
departure to advise us of your needs.
14. Is this itinerary appropriate for
travelers with special needs?
Please note that this vacation includes activities that present
certain challenges to Guests with special needs. It is strongly
recommended that persons requiring assistance be accompanied by a
companion who is capable of and totally responsible for providing
assistance. Neither Adventures by Disney nor its suppliers may
physically lift or assist Guests onto transportation vehicles.
Contact a Concierge Agent to discuss your needs.
15. What is the language and currency
of this destination?
There are 11 official languages, but
English and Afrikaans are widely spoken. The unit of monetary
currency is the South African rand. ATM machines are available in
most places to obtain cash in the local currency, and credit or
debit cards are widely accepted. However, cash, credit cards and
debit cards are suggested to settle most accounts. Your Adventure
Guides can help you with any currency issues or language barriers
you may have.
16. Are tips included?
Adventures by Disney has pre-paid
certain tips and gratuities for all included meals and activities
such as tips for porters, housekeepers, drivers, activity providers,
local experts, and dining room staff for included meals.
On Your Own Dining Gratuities: When eating at a restaurant, a
gratuity is usually included in the bill. If you feel you have
received exceptional service, you may leave an additional gratuity.
Many choose to simply "round up."
Adventure Guide Gratuities: Gratuities for your Adventures
Guides are not included. If you feel that your Adventure Guides have
provided excellent service, we suggest the following discretionary
gratuity: Per Guest/Per Adventure Guide/Per Day - $5-$8 USD.
For example:
• For a 12-day adventure, the Adventure Guide gratuity per Guest,
per Adventure Guide: $60-$96 USD.
• For a family of 4 for a 12-day adventure: $240-$384 USD per
Adventure Guide. For 2 Guides, this is a total of: $480-$768 USD.
Adventure Guides accept local currency and U.S. dollars.
17. What if Adventures by Disney
cancels the adventure prior to departure?
Adventures by Disney reserves the right to cancel or reschedule an
adventure at any time for any reason, such as if there are too few
Guests or if the quality of the trip or the safety of the Guests
would, in our opinion, be compromised, such as may result from
unforeseen circumstances (acts of God) or other circumstances beyond
Adventures by Disney's control.
If you purchase air travel through Adventures by Disney Travel
Services, Inc.: If you purchase air travel through us and we cancel
your adventure prior to its scheduled start date, we will attempt to
re-book you on another departure of the same adventure during the
same season, subject to availability, and we will bear any resulting
airline re-booking charges. If we are unable to re-book you on
another departure, we will issue a full refund of all monies paid by
you to us for the canceled adventure, including land package,
airfare and Vacation Protection Plan (unless you have filed a
claim), which refund shall constitute a full settlement.
If you do not purchase air travel through Adventures by Disney
Travel Services, Inc.: If you do not purchase air travel through us
and we cancel your adventure prior to its scheduled start date, we
will attempt to re-book you on another departure of the same
adventure during the same season, subject to availability; however,
you will bear any resulting airline re-booking charges. If we are
unable to re-book you on another departure, our sole obligation to
you is to refund your payment to us for the land portion and
Vacation Protection Plan (unless you have filed a claim), which
refund shall constitute a full settlement. We assume no
responsibility for any losses incurred by you on account of
non-refundable air tickets or otherwise.
