CHELSEY'S ADVENTURE
The tour began in San Jose, where we had an opportunity to meet our Adventure Guides at a welcome briefing and then had dinner with everyone in the group that evening.
The next day we went on our whitewater rafting adventure.
There was a safety briefing and they also had someone take photos during the adventure, so people didn’t have to carry cell phones with them. They got some great shots of everyone!
Lunch was included at the Aventuras del Sarapiqui, with local cuisine and a beautiful location. Later that day we arrived at our next hotel at the base of the Arenal Volcano. The views were incredible.
We did a private Guaro sour-making class and dance lessons after dinner.
The Jungle Cruise
The next day we did the jungle cruise and had an opportunity to see so many different animals (three species of monkeys, crocodile, birds, iguanas) and finished with lunch at the Hacienda Cano Negro (a buffet) overlooking the riverside.
Back at the hotel we did a ceviche cooking class and a beer tasting event. We also had some time to relax on our own.
Our Ziplining Adventure
The next day we went on our ziplining adventure. We took the sky tram gondola through the rainforest canopy to 1,250 metres. We did a safety briefing and got to take photos with the volcano in the background. We did seven ziplines above the treetops with view of Arenal Lake and the volcano. It was a thrilling experience for everyone!
That evening we went to Ecothermales Fortuna Hot Springs which was such a nice way to end our busy day. The hot springs are heated by the volcano (soothing mineral pools). We also had a hosted buffet dinner here.
Guanacaste region and the Chocolate Rainforest Experience
The next day we drove to the Guanacaste region, but before that we stopped at the Chocolate Rainforest Experience. We learned about the secrets and origins of the Cacao tree and how to make chocolate (with tasting included!) then we arrived at our next hotel.
The process for moving hotels was seamless – there was always someone that delivered our luggage from the room to the coach, and then the coach to our next room. They called it the Tinkerbell service!
Catamaran
Our last day on the tour included a catamaran where we had the opportunity to snorkel, swim and sunbathe. Snacks and drinks were included. Then we had time to enjoy the beach at our resort. We finished the evening with a farewell dinner and a slideshow featuring photos our Adventure Guides took throughout the week (they took over 1,400 photos, which we are able to access on a website).
Almost all meals were included on this tour, except for one lunch in La Fortuna, but we had an opportunity to experience a local restaurant (with suggestions provided by our Adventure Guides) and it was great. Accommodations are all 4-star properties and were in great locations.
Our Adventure Guides provided lots of great “Magical Moments” including fun games on the motorcoach. They also provided bags for wet clothes after our zip lining experience, washed our shoes for us after the catamaran, and had snacks and bottled water on the coach any time we needed it.
Getting There
Air Canada (outbound)
Travelled from Charlottetown to San Jose via Montreal. Security in YYG took a long time, with three flights going out within an hour of each other. Highly recommend arriving at any airport 3 hours prior to departure. I had a 6-hour layover in YUL and had a purchased AC Maple Leaf lounge pass which was excellent. Great meal service and a comfortable place to sit away from the crowds. The airport was VERY busy. Our flight to SJO was delayed two hours but staff kept us well informed. I paid to upgrade to business class on the 6-hour flight and was really happy with the service, meals and comfortable seat.
WestJet (return)
Travelled back from Liberia to Toronto (paid to upgrade to Premium). Flights with WestJet were all on time. Premium service was just OK. Meals weren’t my favourite and there was no personal TV. Legroom was nice. There was a customs hold in YYZ and we had to stay on the aircraft for an additional hour after landing, unless you had a connecting flight (I was staying overnight). Customs was unbelievably busy in T3 and it took an hour to get through.
Disney provided complimentary transfers in SJO and LIR, even though I was arriving a day early and staying one extra day at the end. Great service. On time and very friendly drivers.
Who should go?
- Past guests that have travelled with Disney in any capacity
- Families looking for hassle-free travel
- Those looking for VIP experiences with Magical Moments
- Those looking for fun activities for the entire family
Know before you go
This is a very active tour (white water rafting, ziplining) but for those that are unable to participate (mobility issues, fears, etc.) Disney does provide alternative activities that you can do.
Depending on the time of year it can be difficult to find flights that will work well for this itinerary because you begin in San Jose and end in Liberia. I ended up having to spend an additional night on both ends of the tour for my connections to work. Many people had the same issue or had to do multiple connections and travel via the United States. During the peak season there will be direct flights from Toronto or Montreal which should allow for more seamless connections.
