Anyone Else Thinking Of Cancelling ?

[UKPhil]

... in the wake of recent events ?

I've got until next weekend to decide whether to go ahead with our trip in October or not. If I cancel now I lose only a few hundred pounds deposit, so no big deal.

Don't care about the hand luggage ban/restrictions. Can live without food or fun for 9 hours if neccesary (I do it most days at work anyway !). Personally I fully expect draconian measures to remain in force where hand luggage is concerned because it is a big problem for airlines even with no heightened security in place and they will use any excuse to reduce or remove it.

Heard all the arguments about not letting the scumbags win so we should all get on with life as usual, but I'm not putting a point of principle ahead of the safety of my family.

Safest time to travel? Maybe, maybe not. We all have opinions but nobody knows for sure.

We travelled a few days after 9/11 and had out worst ever holiday in Florida. You might think empty theme parks would be great. After all, we all strive to avoid queues don't we, but it was just the most miserable time. OK so this plot was foiled and nobody lost their life ... yet.

Also I'm geting increasingly fed up with the US authorities attitude towards anyone who is not a US citizen. They are making entry into their country more and more difficult even for us law abiding people and it is starting to look very unwelcoming. Terrorists won't care whether it is unwelcoming or not though will they ?

I'll continue to watch the situation and make a decision over the next few days. One thing I have decided though is that I was going to book this week for next year and I won't now be doing that. Center Parcs is suddenly looking very inviting.

 

[jen_uk]

I think it would be a real shame to let this put you off your holiday. You have more chance of being hit by a bus than being in a plane crash etc!! The parks may have had a depressing feel after 9/11 but its not going to be like that now as the plot was foiled and the country isnt in mourning.

 

[mickg7dyd]

Hi,
Well as your no doubt aware the bottom line is only you and your family can decide whats right for you. As far as I'm concerned I am a fatilist and what will be will be. The decision is easier for me as I don't have any children so it's just me and the other half to worry about. The mind does play tricks on people and your unlikely to see a post on these boards how people are frightened or worried about the journey TO the airport in their own vehicle which statistically is far more dangerous. Am I concerned about the current situation? Yes of course I am but not enough to prevent me travelling. As regards the USA's authorities attituude to visitors to their country it dosen't surprise me as they always tend to be somewhat insular in their approach and I have also been told by visitors to this country that things are not as easy as we may assume.
Hope you make the descion you are all happy with.

Mick.

 

[carolfoy]

I think its a shame you're thinking of cancelling, personally I wouldn't consider it a huge risk going now any more than any other time. I don't think US immigration are any worse than many other countries and its a very small part of your holiday.

 

[Goofyish]

Only you can weigh up all the risks and make the decision to cancel or not.

Travelling to Orlando, even at the moment with the higher security is still much safer than driving to work or crossing the road!

We also flew to Orlando 4 weeks after 9/11. We were all worried about the flights and the risks to my family, but I was determined that no terrorist would change the way I live!
Although the park crowds were low we found the atmosphere just the same and we had so many Americans come up and thank us for coming over and not letting the terrorists win!

Whose to say that if you did cancel that next time you plan a trip some other event occurs and you have to make the same painful decision!

I would go and have a great time!

 

[lorapinky]

It is totally your choice, I do get where you are coming from in the fact that your family and their safety have to come first. But like others have said you are more likely to have an accident in your car and you wont stop taking your family in that will you?

I am also a little worried about it all and I am going next year, but I wont let that that stop me. The terrorist blew up out tube stations last year, so any public transport isnt safe anymore which is shame.

You can have lovely holidays in england so if you decide thats best for you and your family that go for it and I hope you have a lovely time.

I think the threat of terrosism wont go away, I think its something we will have to live with now, so its up to us to make the best of it and not let it effect our lives too much, or they have won.

If you and your family had your heart set on going to WDW then I say you should go, the security will be at its best right now.

I dont think the parks will be depressing as the terrorists didn't manage to create the horror that they had wanted.

As for USA airports I prefer them to be strict etc, I only wish our airports were more like them. Its such a short time of your holiday, and after 911 you can totally understand why they are so careful.

Please let us know what you decide, and have a fab holiday no matter what you do.

Have you thought about maybe Disney in Paris? You will still get the disney buzz and the travel there is safer, you could combine this with a holiday to center parks?

Just an idea?

 

[AndRu]

Cancel?

I'm chomping at the bit to book! I know it's not until August '07 but as soon as I can book flights (in September) I'll be onto Virgin and handing over my credit card number. The villa is booked and we're looking for a car as well as pricing up ticket deals. Even if our holiday had been this year or if there are scares next year, we'd still be going. I'm not going to let a bunch of religious nutters ruin something we've saved and planned for.

Their faith may be with Allah, mine is with our security forces and if it comes to it, my own bare hands.

 

[Laurafoster]

Personally i wouldnt cancel my holiday/wedding in december - noway am i going to let these people make me live my life in fear, but thats just me. I think that there is always going to be a threat with terrorism no matter where you go or what you do.

Travelling by plane is one of the safest forms of transport - just look at any stats.

At the end of the day do what is right for you - you and your families health and safety is far more important! do whatever makes you feel comfortable!

 

[vicky1bfc]

If i had a trip booked i wouldn't cancel.

Though DH said that he wouldn't travel at the moment.

 

[Julia Ann]

We are booked for October too and no way would we cancel - we don't have children so don't know if that makes any difference ??? We also went 3 weeks after 9/11 but had a fab time (we did try to cancel but would have lost all our money and didn't want that) all the USA people were so grateful of us being there and the atmosphere was great. I agree that it's only a decision you can make - but also any time you travel now something could happen, even on the roads/big shopping centres etc.

What ever you decide - good luck

 

[susan1]

hi
no way, no how and we are booked to go for 7 weeks in jan/feb after these two weeks in sept.

 

[Booknut]

We're not cancelling, we leave in 5 weeks. I think security will be very very tight and that means a safe flight I hope! Personally I like the idea of the extra security. I'd like to see everyone strip searched and wearing airline issued garments on flights for extra security but that may be slightly over the top!!!

It's pointless to be scared to travel. I have to commute in London every day, even last year in July during the bombings and even then you just have to put it out of your mind and just get on with things.

It does worry me of course if I think about it too much so instead I put it out of my mind, sing a few Disney songs and think of yet another way to change my itinerary and dinner reservations!

 

[clairelovesorlando]

HI UKPHIL
I feel the same as you although we don't go till December. If it was just me and my husband I don't think i would let it get to me as much but we have 3 kids. I try to look at it and tell myself this is the world we live in get used to it unfortunately. We have already booked with virgin to go next year so we can't really move the holiday a bit later either.
Does this mean we will never get to the place that we all hold in our hearts so dear? I hope not. Hope you do the best for your family,my husband and 14 year old son still want to go although my husband says he doesn't want me to worry myself sick for the next 15 weeks and then worry all the way on the plane and worry when i'm there about coming back.
Its true we shouldn't let these people win and what quality of life will we have if we do. Good luck on your decison.
Claire

 

[traceycooper]

We are travelling in October too with DD, mum & dad, our balance is due Friday,
Am i going...yes
Am i worried...yes
I hate flying anyway so feeling like this is the norm for me, i have waited 18 months for this trip & am looking forward to showing my parents around wdw on their 1st trip.
I will have my fingers crossed the whole flight (i always do this - i even eat with them crossed!!) I will say a few prayers, i will not let my DD see how i feel!
Worst case....we go together!
Only you can decide whats best for you, & what you are comfortable with, it is a scary time.
Goodluck

 

[coinneach]

We flew out 10 days after 9/11 and although we had some reservations, we were determined that we would go and enjoy ourselves. Yes, the atmosphere was different, and it was a lot quieter but still very enjoyable.
If nothing else, last weeks events will have tightened security and it will not stop us going in 6 months.

 

[UKDEB]

The way I rationalise it to myself is that the events of the last week have brought the issue back into sharp focus, but the threat is always there whether or not we are told about it.

I'm a nervous flyer and I do have to work hard at stopping the disaster movie in my head. I will have to work harder when we fly in October, I'm sure, just as I did when we flew 2 months after 9/11.

I'm not a fatalist, but I did also ride the London Underground in the week following the attacks last year. I hardly ever need to visit London, but I did that week. I was sorely tempted to get a cab, but I couldn't help consider the possibility that I could still be in the wrong place at the wrong time. What if the cab was involved in a accident, or a bomb went off in an area as the cab was passing through?

You could cancel your Orlando trip only to be involved in a fatal accident on the motorway on the way to Center Parcs. That would be ironic, wouldn't it? For me, it isn't really about not letting terrorists rule my life, it's more to do with the fact that there are no certainties. If I choose never to fly again, I can be absolutely sure that I will never die in a plane crash. I can't be sure one will never land on my house. Or the pub I'm in. Or on the road I'm driving along. I can't be sure that a crazed gunman won't open fire whilst I'm eating at McDonald's. I don't know that I won't have a heart attack tomorrow. If planes were dropping out of the sky on a daily basis, then I would cancel my trip, and there are some things which I do consider too risky to contemplate, but flying isn't one of them.

 

[Cochise]

Well said Deb. We are off in October with our kids and my sisters family. Us as British has lived with the fear of terrorists for too long now. I aint going anywhere apart from Orlando on the 7th October.

 

[DebIreland]

Also I'm geting increasingly fed up with the US authorities attitude towards anyone who is not a US citizen. They are making entry into their country more and more difficult even for us law abiding people and it is starting to look very unwelcoming.

My mother feels exactly the same way. She is a well travelled woman but decided a year or so ago that she would never travel to the U.S. again because the last time she went she felt like she had done something wrong going through immigration. She got a very snotty, abrasive person at the immigration desk who made her feel bad for just, well, existing. She was very patronising and was snapping at my mother to the point where my aunt (who was also there) was almost in tears. My mother is a senior citizen and most definitely deserved more respect than she got. She also had a very unpleasant experience in Miami airport some time ago when, after their onward flight was ludicrously delayed, they were put in a holiding area for 8 hours with no access to restaurants or even a cup of coffee.

Now having said that, we didn't have those experiences, and I'm definitely not cancelling our holiday and we'll continue to go to the U.S. as often as we can (which isn't very often at all unfortunately). So it depends a lot on personal experiences. But I can certainly see both sides of this.

 

[pauldolling]

There is absolutely no way I will be cancelling our trip through choice. We go in 4 weeks time and can't wait. Life is too short to try and second guess and of these terrorist scumbags. For all you know, you could cancel this trip and get blown up next year, no one knows.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I am going in 32 days the holiday is paid up so yes I am going, and yes I am still looking forward to it. flight VS027 at 11:15 (hopefully they willl be ok by then!)