I'm so upset, I could cry :(

[TDC Nala]

You can't cancel her tickets or DDP. Those have to be the same for everyone registered on a package. But you can get tickets for everyone to match hers, and just upgrade the rest of the party to longer tickets. Or you can just eat the cost of her last day on the tickets. And the rest of the party can use her extra DDP credits.

I would just leave the package the way it is, and if she needs DME arrange an earlier pickup just for her. Depending on the airline, there will most likely be some kind of charge to change her flight.

 

[disney debi]

Hope everything works out for you

 

[buzzrelly]

So I just talked to my mom, and.................the lady who makes the decision isn't in the office today! Ack! It's going to be a looooooonnnngggggg day .


I REALLY appreciate everybody's advice though! Definitely helps to know that we won't be out too much money if she has to leave early. My one main concern about that now is just that my mom is 69, and has only flown once...with me to WDW in 2010. I can't imagine her navigating MCO by herself, and I'd be very worried about her doing that. I guess I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I don't think I'd want to change my and the kids plane tickets to come back on Wednesday either, but we shall see. I'm still hoping they just give her the whole time!

 

[chartle]

My one main concern about that now is just that my mom is 69, and has only flown once...with me to WDW in 2010. I can't imagine her navigating MCO by herself, and I'd be very worried about her doing that.

I'm assuming she will be flying in with you so its not like she has never seen MCO or know how security works. She just has to do it in reverse.

Though I think you are already there, you just have to get past this little bump and realize not all is lost. It only looks that way right now.

 

[letsgoreds]

It WILL be approved, and all of this will be for not. I can feel it!

 

[graceesmom]

I have a lot of respect for your mother that she is 69 and still working hard. It's unfortunate that at her age she still has to wait for someone to approve if she gets to take a vacation with her family.

Prayers that it all gets approved.

So I just talked to my mom, and.................the lady who makes the decision isn't in the office today! Ack! It's going to be a looooooonnnngggggg day .


I REALLY appreciate everybody's advice though! Definitely helps to know that we won't be out too much money if she has to leave early. My one main concern about that now is just that my mom is 69, and has only flown once...with me to WDW in 2010. I can't imagine her navigating MCO by herself, and I'd be very worried about her doing that. I guess I'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I don't think I'd want to change my and the kids plane tickets to come back on Wednesday either, but we shall see. I'm still hoping they just give her the whole time!

 

[buzzrelly]

I'm assuming she will be flying in with you so its not like she has never seen MCO or know how security works. She just has to do it in reverse.

Though I think you are already there, you just have to get past this little bump and realize not all is lost. It only looks that way right now.

I know...I'm definitely trying to look on the bright side! And if she has to leave early, that's much better than her not being able to go at all! I just worry about my mom, you'd have to know her to understand, but she isn't the most worldly person. And I think the terminal train would scare her to figure out by herself. I would just make sure when we arrive that she pays close attention to it, instead of just following me around. We fly into Bradley so that would be a cinch, even for her.

 

[bumbershoot]

I would just make sure when we arrive that she pays close attention to it, instead of just following me around.

FWIW, there's nowhere else to go, other than onto the subway/train/monorail. You get through security and that's all there is to do.

 

[buzzrelly]

It WILL be approved, and all of this will be for not. I can feel it!

Yes!!! I LOVE the way you think!!

 

[buzzrelly]

I have a lot of respect for your mother that she is 69 and still working hard. It's unfortunate that at her age she still has to wait for someone to approve if she gets to take a vacation with her family.

Prayers that it all gets approved.

Aw! That's sweet...you just brought tears to my eyes. This is so true. I wish she could have retired a long time ago,,but it just wasn't in the cards for her. Her life has been far from easy, so if there is anyone who deserves this vacation, it's her ! Thanks for the prayers.

 

[theEncode]

haha, I looked my boss right in the eyes when I gave him my request for May and told him I am going, if this is not approved, expect me to be sick during this time frame. It was approved immediately!

I feel for you though, I hope it will all work out! If she does have to leave a day early, i know you said you were concerned about her at the Airport. I know the airlines have people that will assist her and make sure she gets to her gate and on the plane just fine. I would talk to them and get it set up ahead of your departure to Orlando. I used to work for the airlines so I KNOW they do this!!

Anyway, good luck, I have a good feeling about it!

 

[ZoZo]

I sure hope things work out for you. Pixie dust coming your way!

PS - I had a trip planned with a friend in 2009 - just us two "girls." About two weeks before the trip, she sprained her ankle and decided she couldn't go. I was faced with the dilemma of whether to go by myself or not. She encouraged me to go without her, and although it cost me several hundred dollars more than it would have originally (because I had to pay the entire cost of the resort room myself, instead of splitting the cost with her), I ended up having a really good time. It was my first solo trip, but I live by myself and am pretty comfortable doing things by myself. I'm so glad I did go, rather than postpone or cancel the trip altogether. I hope your trip works out for you!!!!

 

[angierae]

We took my husband off our package less than a week before our trip (On Monday, and we arrived Saturday) and they didn't charge me anything and all of my money was refunded by the weekend (some to Disney gift cards, some to my credit card.)

They were actually really nice about it since I was so upset that DH couldn't go.

 

[Arielle22]

haha, I looked my boss right in the eyes when I gave him my request for May and told him I am going, if this is not approved, expect me to be sick during this time frame. It was approved immediately!

I feel for you though, I hope it will all work out! If she does have to leave a day early, i know you said you were concerned about her at the Airport. I know the airlines have people that will assist her and make sure she gets to her gate and on the plane just fine. I would talk to them and get it set up ahead of your departure to Orlando. I used to work for the airlines so I KNOW they do this!!

Anyway, good luck, I have a good feeling about it!

In a lot of businesses you would be written up or fired. Being "sick" doesn't excuse you from following policy. Companies don't like it when employees try to twist the rules to suit them.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Call the airline. With SW, you can suaully change your flight, you maybe just have to pay the differnece in price- but that works in reverse, too.

Also with SWA- you are allowed to cancel a flight - evne on a nonrefundable airfare. You won't get your money back- but you don't really lose the money either. You get a voucher that is good for one year-I think, from the date you bought the tickets. For me, it's not be a problem to use a voucher on another flight. This is just one of the reasons why I love SWA, and why THEY get my business. Whenever I have the option of another airline, I almost always pick SWA- even if the price is slightly higher, because there policies are SO much better than most carriers!

Also talk to Disney. Tell them your situation and make sure you understand your options. There has been some misinformation in this thread. Read the fine print on your agreement, but talk to Disney and see what they think is your best bet.

Last, did you buy travel insurance? If you did, you may be covered. Sometimes- Disney adds it almost automatically if you booked over the phone. I've actually had to tell them not to add it.

I don't know your mom's situation or where she works...but she might have other resources as well. Even if she can't get the time off officially- most places I know about will allow her to negotiate with another employee. She might be able to swap with another employee. (though she may have to give up a prized date near a holiday to get it, work weekends, or offer to take that person out to dinner or something. )

There's almost always a way to negotiate, if you are polite.

 

[chartle]

I just worry about my mom, you'd have to know her to understand, but she isn't the most worldly person. And I think the terminal train would scare her to figure out by herself. I would just make sure when we arrive that she pays close attention to it, instead of just following me around.

Just make sure at key points you look back at where you came from. It will look different, you know left is right and right is left.

My wife has no sense of direction. We will be shopping at Walmart and want to leave (she never wants to stay ) and she will have no idea where the checkout is.

 

[BrerNashville]

When you say "r.package" most people are assuming that you booked a vacation package through Disney. Is that what you did? Because the rules are completely different if you booked a room only, and arranged your own tickets and aren't on the meal plan (you can cancel all the way up to three days (I think) prior with no penalty). If you do, in fact, have a package, and your mother can come for most of the days, I would second, or third, or whatever PPs advice to not sweat it, eat the $10 extra charge for her extra day at the park, and put her extra meals on the meal plan to good use.

Also, SW is running a sale right now, and if you bought your tickets way back in September, the fares may actually be cheaper now. I'd go on their website and check. If they are cheaper, you can rebook everybody at the lower fare, and use the difference as a credit if you fly again before September (one year from the date you made the reservation).

 

[pbrim]

If your mom has to go back by herself, and you are concerned about her navigating the airport solo, talk to the airlines. It may be possible to get a pass to allow you to accompany her to her gate, or for an airline employee to do so. If she has to make a connection, they may be able to meet her at her arrival gate and escort her to her departure gate (or even take her in one of those carts that whiz around the airport).

I have a friend with mobility problems sometimes. When requested the airlines have been willing to have someone meet her and push her in their manual wheelchair to her gate, including at connections. Your mother is not handicapped, but it's worth asking about if you think she might get confused or lost.

 

[buzzrelly]

When you say "r.package" most people are assuming that you booked a vacation package through Disney. Is that what you did? Because the rules are completely different if you booked a room only, and arranged your own tickets and aren't on the meal plan (you can cancel all the way up to three days (I think) prior with no penalty).

Sorry, that's a weird thing my iPad did when I was typing on it, and it doesn't give me the option to edit! We do indeed have a package, room, tickets with PH, DDP, the whole shebang!

I didn't realize the airlines would send someone to help. She's definitely able to walk, but she just needs to know where to go!

 

[cruisingkat]

I had that happen to me 2007 when I requested vacation time for a trip to Disney with my daughter and grandchildren. She had two girls ages 8 and 3 and a 10 month old son at the time and really needed my help as she couldn't be waiting with the littlest one and letting both or one ride alone.
My boss told me that I couldn't get the time off as I had just taken vacation time the previous Nov and it was too soon and wasn't fair to other employees who had to cover for me.
Well my answer to them was to move my retirement up a little early. I had planned to retire that Nov. after I turned 60 as hubby was retiring in April and we were planning a 28 day cruise to celebrate. When I came home and told him what my employer had said, he told me that we would just switch retirement months. So I retired just before going to Disney and he retired just before our cruise which actually worked out better as he hit his 40th anniversary with the company just days before he retired.
I hope everything works out as well for you and your mother as our little "hitch" ending up working out great for us.