My Adventure to Costa Rica

OK, so I’m a city slicker…I live in Hoboken, NJ and usually fall asleep to the sound of fire trucks and horns blaring on a nightly basis. So, when I found out I was going to Costa Rica on an Adventures by Disney escorted tour, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. To be honest, I didn’t even know exactly where the country was located, and the idea of “roughing it” was not appealing at all. That hardly would seem like a vacation to me. Hanging out in a rain forest, swinging from the trees, and submerging myself in white water on a raft; where is the fun in that?

So what’s involved with an Adventures by Disney vacation anyway? Would Mickey Mouse be on the trip with me or would Goofy be jumping out from behind a tree?

When I arrived in Costa Rica, it was raining - guess they don’t call it a rain forest for nothing! Instead of waiting around for all passengers on our tour, I was whisked into a plush motor coach and taken to the hotel. This type of airport transfer is great for antsy children and adults alike!

While in route to the San Jose Marriott, I wondered if the famous song was about going to California or Costa Rica! Finally, I was going to be in the rain forest, and the roughing would start now. Right? WRONG! There was no “roughing it” here. Instead, I was greeted by my Adventures Guides, Mike and Fico, with tempting libations in hand. And no, they were not Disney characters, but they definitely added character to my trip. They were knowledgeable, helpful, fun and true Disney Cast Members. I do believe without them my trip would have been very different. Take note. There were two guides, which is a major difference from other escorted tours. And suddenly, I remembered two is always better than one!

This resort was once a coffee plantation and had beautiful common areas and a fabulous pool. But alas, this was only a quick stop on my journey. One dinner here and one good night’s sleep was all I was afforded at this respite.

Now I was off on my real adventure. The next morning I awoke to a delicious breakfast before heading to the motor coach. OK, so you thought driving in rush hour in New Jersey was scary. Try driving 40 people on a bus through the curvy turns and the non-paved roads of Costa Rica! This is something I definitely would not want to do on my own, never mind with children in the backseat asking “are we there yet?”

My adventure included the following activities:

-A visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens -Butterfly gardens, a hummingbird sanctuary and a walking trail through the rainforest alongside 5 breathtaking and beautiful waterfalls; not to mention a buffet lunch in an open air restaurant proved this activity had something for everyone. And, it’s good to know that most meals are included in every Adventures by Disney Vacation.

-Whitewater rafting - This was fun for the city slicker as well as the more adventurous type. The rafting guides were great at scoping out animals on the banks and it was comforting to know that they knew the river like the back of their hands.

-Trip to a pineapple plantation – Bet you don’t know how to pick a pineapple correctly? I learned how here, and more importantly learned how I can pick out a ripe one from the local Pathmark.
-The Arenal volcano - In one word, unbelievable! Here I had a view of an active volcano from the comfort and luxury of my hotel room. The Arenal Kioro Hotel has 53 guest suites, all with views of the volcano and not to mention, a hot tub in each room!

-Ziplining – What can you say when you’re 650 feet above the floor of the rainforest, traveling 40 mph along a series of cables (many more than half a mile in length), while zooming in and out of the rolling mountain mists? This ain’t Jersey! And, if your kids don’t think you are cool now, they definitely WILL after this.

-Natural Hot Springs – On the last evening of my Adventures by Disney vacation, I headed to private hot springs - better than any city spa – to relax and enjoy the company of the others sharing my experience in Costa Rica.


So why should you take an Adventures by Disney vacation? Really, anyone can go to Costa Rica, right? But whether you have children or teenagers, and on one hand be adventurous, while on the other hand, be well taken care of and pampered to the point of never having to plan a thing or lift a piece of luggage; an Adventures by Disney vacation is perfect for you. After all, where else could your entire family create lasting memories 650 feet above the rain forest? With Disney’s ability to make magic anywhere – even thousands of miles away from a Theme Park - an Adventures by Disney vacation to Costa Rica or to one of the other 11 destinations throughout the world, provides a perfect opportunity to reconnect as a family while forming lifelong memories. It turned this city slicker into a rain forest lover.