I know there has to be a lot of other people in this situation, and I kind of just want to chat about it and collect my thoughts. Over a year ago, I bought tickets for my family to go to Disney in May. I bought the ticket package where you get four tickets to use one at each park for my family of five PLUS for my mother and in-laws. Then I bought an additional two day ticket just for my family of five, so we had four days of park time with grandparents, and two days to do the not-so-grandparent-friendly attractions while they vacationed at the resort. We were staying at my in-law’s time share resort, not on property, so this wasn’t a package and didn’t get refunded. The dates of the tickets were simply extended to September 26 2021. At the time it seemed like of COURSE we would be able to go there safely by September 2021. Even a couple months ago, this seemed like it was hands down going to happen. The five of us went in December to use our two-day tickets, so everyone in our party still has the four day tickets
Now, I’m really despondant that this won’t be possible. It really seems like it will be the same or similar in August or September as it is right now. We might all (the adults in our party) be able to get vaccinated, but now that seems uncertain. So what do I do? What are other people doing in this situation? Are you still banking on going before the tickets expire? Are you going to let them expire and put the money towards the purchase of new tickets in 2022?
My biggest concern is that off site hotels and resorts are really booking up fast, and it seems like if we are going in August we need to get something booked soon. But everything I find is “pay up front, no cancellation.” Which I get; they’ve lost a lot of money this year… We really prefer staying offsite to save $$$ but those rooms are going fast. Maybe I should book and my family of five should go regardless, leaving the poor grandparents at home? I really just want to open up the discussion to know what others are doing
I really think things are going to look very different in a few months. Maybe I’m just being optimistic? If I were you, I would book something that could be cancelled and wait to see how things unfold. I tend to use Hotels.com quite a bit and there are LOTS of hotels offering free cancellation. It might be different if you’re looking for a condo situation.
Tickets still have value after they expire. You can apply the value of the expired tickets toward the purchase of new tickets. So it isn’t a loss if they expire.
I have tickets that expire from my May 2020 trip. We are planning to use them November/December 2021. We are definitely not going before this. If anything, it will get pushed back again if major restrictions are still an issue. When my DH can get approval for his vacation days (he’s almost at his 90 days for his new job), I’m calling Disney to change the dates on the tickets and pay the difference. If we push it back, I’ll change them again.
We are staying onsite for one last hurrah for the Magical Express. We hate driving down there.
We are going whether we are vaccinated or not. We are pretty sure we already had it for numerous reasons and I’m not letting this crazy vaccine rollout keep us from the vacation that will have been put off for over 18 months.
This is partly why I’m wondering what others are doing: going later and paying the difference, or trying to go before they expire so they can avoid extra costs.
I’ll admit, I’ve become very pessimistic in the month of January Maybe it will be a non issue. We do have a specific two bedroom “townhouse” in mind (it’s called a townhouse, but it’s really like a fancy villa) but I’ve been looking a few other places as well. There are 8 of us so we might have to find a slightly creative solution.
I’m so glad you said this out loud! We have the same tickets snd I’m starting to wonder if we will actually be going as planned in June and if we don’t go then I doubt we will go in August.
What @ryan1 said. I got a remaining ticket balance applied to a new ticket. Only had to be on hold for 2-hours but Disney was very agreeable and helpful.
Lol I worked on my computer, repacked holiday decorations in the garage, and made a restroom break , washed some dishes… all while listening to Disney music. When the ticket tech answered ( my case had been escalated ) he got straight to work.
Call me a cockeyed optimist! I’ve been watching the numbers for both cases and vaccinations and I am very optimistic. Anyone who is at high risk should be vaccinated in the next 2-3 months at the most. Johnson and Johnson is coming soon and the others will be ramping up faster than they’ll commit to now. That amount of vaccination + prior infection will lead to plummeting cases (it already is - were down 33% from the peak already). Don’t give up hope that you can go to Disney this summer!
But even if you don’t go for whatever reason, the others are right that you can fairly easily apply the value to future tickets. Don’t sweat it.
Yes this is exactly what I had a person do for me on Sunday. They take the total cost of the ticket divided by the four days take the value of that one leftover day and apply it to the cost of a new ticket. At least that’s what they did for me. It was a two hour wait time on hold. Call at 7 EST when they open to shorten your wait
I’m really only sweating it from a planning perspective. I know the tickets cost can be applied for future tickets, I’m just stumped on making the decision and wanted to know what others are doing I don’t want to wait too late and then decide we are going, then not be able to find a good hotel etc. And I also don’t want to make the choice to plan as if we are going and then have to go through the heartbreaking (and costly) process of cancelling.
There is also the thought that I worked an entire extra job to be able to buy these tickets. I taught classes at the university where I was also getting my masters, but then I also took a job as an after school caregiver at a local day care- by the way, treat your day care providers nicely if you use day care; I was treated sub-human most days! And all that and I still have to pay more. I’d rather not LOL
Maybe it will be a non issue. We do have a specific two bedroom “townhouse” in mind (it’s called a townhouse, but it’s really like a fancy villa) but I’ve been looking a few other places as well. There are 8 of us so we might have to find a slightly creative solution.
but Disney was very agreeable and helpful.
, washed some dishes… all while listening to Disney music. When the ticket tech answered ( my case had been escalated ) he got straight to work.
I don’t want to wait too late and then decide we are going, then not be able to find a good hotel etc. And I also don’t want to make the choice to plan as if we are going and then have to go through the heartbreaking (and costly) process of cancelling.