I booked ressie, friend backed out!#$%^&*(+_

ThruTheEyesOfMyChild

Character is moral & ethical strength; it's the ab
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
!@#$%^&*)_+UGH!!!!!!!!!:eek: :scared1: :sick: :confused3 :mad: :guilty: :idea: :scared:

That's right!

This is our (DD's & me) 3rd summer trip to WDW. My friend decided she wanted to bring her DD (my DD's best friend) to WDW...so it was going to be a girls's week! We have been planning it since before Christmas! Well, I am the planner, and she is not! She counts on me to handle everything, and I am happy to do it. I plan all our cheerleading trips (our kids cheer together), o we have been traveling together for 3 years. To be honest, i have better credt than she does, so my credit cards are used and she pays me back in cash for everything. It has always worked out okay...until now.

In February, I booked our trip to WDW on the WDW website (including airfare), so I had to pay the $200 deposit PLUS the airfare upfront (total $1976), with a balance of $1967 left over, due by July 6. She was going to pay that off...and then off we were going to WDW on 8/23 to 9/1. We were going to tell the kids the night before we left, so they don't know yet!

She just told me she cant afford to go! Are you kidding me!? What do I do now. I already received the NONREFUNDABLE airline tickets from AirTran. Her share of the airline tickets is more than $800, that I wont get back from the airlines, just a credit, and probably just a partial credit to use at a later date within 1 year. So, I cant even use that $800 towards the vacation cost to WDW now. I am sure it is easy enough to modify the ressie to remove them and change the MYW tix, but room will stay the stay...right! :eek:
 
I'm really sorry you got stuck footing the airline bill :( Hopefully your friend can reimburse you since she backed out.
 
OMG you poor thing. Talk about a great way to end a friendship. I would call the WDW travel number and explain the situation. See what they say. Then maybe tell your friend you are STUCK with this package and can she borrow the money to at least reimburse you for the airfare? This is why I NEVER book packages anymore, let alone float somebody over $800. In today's economy people are hurting. But to do that to you is so bad I can't even imagine.

You can definitely modify the room and tickets, but the airfare you are probably going to have to eat.

I am so sorry.
 
Oh my goodness!! That is sooooooo wrong!! She's had nearly 6 months to save up for this...I am so sorry about that. Things like this can ruin a friendship. She is gonna have to pay you for the portion that she would have used that is non-refundable...I'd demand it...and don't feel guilty...she's the one who has caused this all to crumble...not you!
 


sorry, that is a stinky situation. Lesson learned right. I would first of all insist that she pay you in full for her part of the airfare and also any expenses you incur when you change the ressie. You should be able to change the ressie without to much of a problem, not sure about the tix. I would call WDW asap and explain the situation and find out what you can alter and if there is a fee assessed hold your friend responsible for it.

I hope it all works out. I would add her to your short list if I were you ;)
 
I'm so sorry for your problem! Not that you wouldn't have already thought of this already, but is there anyone else you can ask to go in her place? Someone other mother/daughter from cheerleading or school or your neighborhood? A relative? Maybe give that a LOT of thought before cancelling the air tix - you're right AirTran only gives a credit - we're using an AirTran credit for our summer trip instead of driving because we didn't have anything else to do with it before it expired.

I guess you won't be pre-paying for any of her trips in the future.

PS - I used to be from Hamburg too! (until 2004). PM me if you want to talk about that.
 
I agree with the others that I would insist she pay anything that you can't recover. Is there anyone else you could take? Are airline tickets even transferable? What a horrible position to be in especially since the girls are friends. Good luck getting it all worked out.
 


I have a friend like this...always bailing on me at the last minute. I am reluctantly planning a trip for us to WDW next year, but separate ressies. If I were you I would tell her she HAS to pay for her airfare because it is non-refundable.

I'm sorry this happened to you. I hope you guys get to enjoy the rest of your trip.
 
First of all I want to say as everyone else I am sorry this happened to you.But if I may offer a little bit of a different view?
I just want to say, you mentioned that trips have always been booked by you and she always came through. As awful as this is, maybe something is really wrong financially. Take a breather and then just talk to her, find out what the deal is. I think that you did this because there is a certain amount of trust, friendship and a history between you.
Do what you have to do, add up you losses and if she can't pay you in full, maybe a payment plan to cover all your losses and have the agreement in writing ( you never know if she does try to pull a fast one, court would be next and you need your proof).
I just don't think you would have floated her for so much if you didn't trust her to some extent and take it from someone who has been there, maybe she has a really good reason why she suddenly can't go.
I say experience because this happened to me a few years back...my friend owed me money and always paid faithfully...all of a sudden no call no show. After a few missed payments I was so mad, I went to her house ready to have it out, come to find out she was using the cash to help a very sick sister. She was ashamed to talk to me because she knew she owed me money.(I personally would have been upfront but people are weird like that!) I gave her a payment plan and all went well and a good frienship was salvaged.
Please don't be angry, I just wanted to give you some perpective though as others have said the situation is awful.
 
ok...I will be ready with my DD. Just swing by the Louisville airport & pick us up.
 
She owes you for the airline tickets. How awful!

Do you have another friend with DD or a relative who could go in her place? That might help somewhat.

I'm really sorry for your unfortunate experience. Let's use this as a learning experience for all of us. Do NOT purchase airline tickets for someone else. Once purchased, you're stuck with them. What was she thinking? She knew you were planning and paying for everything up front.

:headache: :headache: :headache: :headache: :headache: :headache:
 
Ditto! Surely she won't stiff you for that! She will have to give you that money since she agreed to it, even if she has to pay it over time at least you'll get your money back. I think I would hold off allowing anyone to borrow that much money from you again, there was a reason her credit is bad and I think you just learned the hard way why. I'm so sorry she felt she needed to do this, but in the end if she's a real friend she will pay you back, you know she will. And if you think she won't, then you know not to do this again, ever!

Oh my goodness!! That is sooooooo wrong!! She's had nearly 6 months to save up for this...I am so sorry about that. Things like this can ruin a friendship. She is gonna have to pay you for the portion that she would have used that is non-refundable...I'd demand it...and don't feel guilty...she's the one who has caused this all to crumble...not you!
 
I'm not sure that you will be able to use the airline credit at a later date. Usually non refundable tickets are also non transferable. I would check into that.

I wouldn't jump to cancel anything. You have quite a bit of time before you would have to cancel the airfare and down grade your package. You never know if in that time her situation changes.

If not I think she owes you for the airfare (which you then would turn the credit over to her) and the cost of down grading the package.

I'm sorry you have been put in this situation. Hopefully things will work out and the friendship can survive this.

Take Care
 
Talk to your friend; you may find out that the problem is something that you can help her with - if not, explain that the airfare is non-refundable and offer to let her pay it out. She may be planning to offer just not able to do it in the immediate future.

Regina
 
Ask her if she's sure she can't come, since she's already bought the airline tickets and they're not refundable. Dont' talk about the money YOU'VE spent-- talk about what SHE has bought. Those tickets have her name on them, not yours.

You may never get your money (or your friend) back, but give it a good shot.

You should not be left holding the bag on this one!!
 
is there anyway possible you can pay the remainder and have her pay you with a payment plan? let her know since she already purchased airfare, even though she didn't reimburse you yet, she has too so she may as well still use it. but if you do a payment plan, make sure it is in writing when and what she will pay and you sign and have it notarized.

are you doing the dining plan? free dining starts the day after you arrive, can you do room only th first night then check back in for free dining? it means no ticket the first day...but a big savings if you were doing dining anyway.
 
Same thing happened to me last year. However my inlaws bailed out before I reserved the package. I had already purchased the airline ticks and they paid for them upfront. I had them write me a check before I reserved them. Remember the disney portion should be 100% refundable before the 45 day mark. So if she does not pay you for the airline ticket, then get your credit and change your vacation to maybe a less expensive resort etc. and then if you are offered a bounce back from Disney while you are there, book it for you and your DD and use your airline credit for your next trip.:thumbsup2
 
is there anyway possible you can pay the remainder and have her pay you with a payment plan? let her know since she already purchased airfare, even though she didn't reimburse you yet, she has too so she may as well still use it. but if you do a payment plan, make sure it is in writing when and what she will pay and you sign and have it notarized.

are you doing the dining plan? free dining starts the day after you arrive, can you do room only th first night then check back in for free dining? it means no ticket the first day...but a big savings if you were doing dining anyway.


YES! I am already booked for room only res on 8/23 and then the rest of the package (8/24 thru 9/1 included free dining)! The balance of $1900+ was too be paid by her, since I paid the first $1900+ up front ($1600 airfare, $200 package deposit & $167 room only ressie). I guess that if she doesnt come up with some sort of plan prior to July 1 (due date for balance is July 6), I can modify ressie for DD & me...right!? No penalty!? Package price will just come down because it will only have 2 MYW tix, not 4! Dining is free, so that wont affect the package cost! The room rate is the same, whether there is 4 people or 2! I truly hope I dont have to eat the cost the airfare! I mean, I can use the airfare credits for other cheerleading trips to Nationals this upcoming season! :cheer2: But, would have been nice to have that $800 to pay towards the WDW trip instead. I always fundraise for cheerleading trips! Now, I will have to pay off the Am Ex bill first! Guess I will have to start saving some money now! Maybe I can get another job! :laundy: Thanks for all the supportive words everyone! :grouphug:
 

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