Bit of advice about changing a booking needed

[tracipierce]

Hi everyone,

We are booked into OKW next August, which I booked the day that the free dining offer came out, so I qualified for the $200 gift card.

Now something crazy has happened and my headteacher has announced that next year we are going to be returning to school the second week in Sep rather than the 1st Anyhow, for whatever reason she has decided to do this, it is great news as far as money is concerned. Being able to return now the first week in September definitely makes the holiday cheaper (and fingers crossed the flights too)

So I was playing around doing dummy bookings and found that our trip would be £200 cheaper if I moved the dates... then saw that AKL would a similar price to the trip we have booked already. Now AKL has always been our dream trip (but we haven't been able to afford it before now) so I am thinking of changing from OKW to AKL, changing the dates to return in September.

I have never changed or altered a holiday before, so I am unsure firstly of how to go about it I think that I read somewhere that it costs £50 to amend a booking but I'm not sure of this.. secondly will I have to make the change whilst the current free dining offer is on or risk losing free dining? If I do make the change, will I lose the $200 gift card as that offer is no longer on?

Sorry for so many Q's, just need to be really sure of the implications before I make a decision.

TIA!

 

[rex008]

Who did you book through? If it was WDTC it's pretty easy - just ring them up and talk through the options - they'll tell you if they charge the amendment fee (only if new price is cheaper) or if you'll lose dining (probably not, but depends). I shifted our booking (only by a day mind you) and kept the dining, the $200 card and didn't pay a fee, but the price was the same.

If not WDTC, then I guess you'll need to speak to your TA or whoever it was. If it was Virgin Holidays, I'd be very careful - I've read some horror stories on here about people losing dining, etc.

 

[Sencybil]

Oooh, staying at AKL is an amazing opportunity, definitely worth investigating!

I also believe that you should be bale to keep the free dining and gift card if you booked through Disney. However, if you ring up and get an answer you don't like, it might be worth trying again to see if you get a different answer from a different CM.

Let us know how you get on!

Sencybil x

 

[tracipierce]

Thanks so much for the replies,

yes it is WDTC that I have booked with, so from your experience rex008, it sounds like I might be ok!!!! fingers crossed

Sencybil, I couldn't agree more, every time we have been to WDW and have gone to eat at AKL we always wish we could be staying there, I doubt I will ever get the chance to return in September again so I think I will give them a ring and see what they say. Thanks for the tip about trying out more than on CM if necessary

 

[flortlebap]

AKL is well worth changing to if you can manage it. It's my absolute favourite resort so far!

Fingers crossed for you

 

[stba2006]

Another thumbs up for AKL.

We stayed there the first time we stayed on Disney property and loved it. I really don't know how we got the price we did as it has been so much more expensive since so I think I would change even if it meant losing the $200 card but fingers crossed they can just swap it all for you.

good luck

 

[scoobydooby]

Just back from AKL a couple of months ago. It is a beautiful resort you'll love it. TBH I personally prefer Beach Club and POR more, but am half I experienced it once it's very unique. Good food court for a deluxe resort as well. Lots of choice and a big indoor seating area. And a posh sitting room with TV next to the laundry which I really liked!!!! I'd have to say the pool is somewhat dull. It's big though.

 

[scoobydooby]

Glad not half!

 

[DLPDreams]

Afaik you will keep your free dining as it is still being offered for that date, albeit on a slightly different offer. Not sure about the $200 gift card as that offer has now ended.

I think the best thing you can do is give them a call to find out how it would work.

I think it will be brilliant having the first week of September next year, as with a late Labor Day, the US children will mostly go back to school a week later than normal, meaning most of August will still be busy. I had hoped we'd have the same start date but our council has decided 7 week summer holidays are too long and so are sticking with a first week return. A tiny part (the practical bit) of me is happy with this because it means we don't have to look at trying to cancel/change flights which would have been costly I am sure, as we booked with Thomsons and had to pay in full at booking! It also means we still come back on the bank holiday weekend, so we all have longer to recover before back to work/kids starting school which is a bonus!

Hope you manage to get sorted. AKL looks fab, although its not for us as a family of 4 or 6. If DH and I were on our own, I'd love it I'm sure .

 

[joolz1910]

Afaik you will keep your free dining as it is still being offered for that date, albeit on a slightly different offer. Not sure about the $200 gift card as that offer has now ended.

I think the best thing you can do is give them a call to find out how it would work.

I think it will be brilliant having the first week of September next year, as with a late Labor Day, the US children will mostly go back to school a week later than normal, meaning most of August will still be busy. I had hoped we'd have the same start date but our council has decided 7 week summer holidays are too long and so are sticking with a first week return. A tiny part (the practical bit) of me is happy with this because it means we don't have to look at trying to cancel/change flights which would have been costly I am sure, as we booked with Thomsons and had to pay in full at booking! It also means we still come back on the bank holiday weekend, so we all have longer to recover before back to work/kids starting school which is a bonus!

Hope you manage to get sorted. AKL looks fab, although its not for us as a family of 4 or 6. If DH and I were on our own, I'd love it I'm sure .

I hadn't realised you had booked! Did you get 3 weeks?

 

[tracipierce]

Hi everyone,

thanks again for the replies, it made me feel much more confident about ringing up and making the changes. I don't know why but I panic and worry about changing anything in case I mess something up, crazy I know. Anyhow for the update......

I just got off the phone with WDTC and it is all sorted, so easy! Spoke to a lovely CM who told me that if I had just changed the dates and remained at OKW then I would have had to pay the £50 amendment fee as the cost would be cheaper. However, as the cost of moving to AKL was slightly more expensive than my original trip, I didn't have to pay anything to make the change. I still kept my regular free dining plan and the $200 gift card.

She emailed my new invoice immediately and stayed on the phone until it came though so that I could check over it before the end of the call.

I cannot believe how excited I was to open up that invoice and see it there in black and white! I was excited about booking OKW and will try there one day, but AKL was just too big of a carrot to ignore

Thanks again for all of the advice


oops better change that ticker

 

[NatalieMT]

We're at AKL next August too, pretty sure we will be there the same time actually, really looking forward to it! Glad you've managed to sort the swap, now time to get excited.

 

[tracipierce]

We're at AKL next August too, pretty sure we will be there the same time actually, really looking forward to it! Glad you've managed to sort the swap, now time to get excited.

Hey maybe I'll see you at the pool! Got my lime green mickey head ready to go

 

[dixonsontour]

Glad you got sorted

Booking direct with disney seems to make things alot easier.

 

[DLPDreams]

I hadn't realised you had booked! Did you get 3 weeks?

Sorry Joolz - just seen this as haven't looked back on this thread.

Yes, sorry, thought you'd seen as I booked about the same time as you - think we even had a pm exchange about it?

Booked 3 weeks, 18 nts at OKW and have booked 4 nts at RPR but haven't quite decided where we'll stay for our 4th night - it depends on whether we feel we've done enough of US/IoA to move on to WDW?

Our schools go back first week September as I said earlier, so my trip works out well date wise (I'd have been kicking myself otherwise). However, have to say, if I were you, I think I'd be trying to either book a few more nts at the end or shunt my holiday to arrive a week later. It will be much quieter then with a late Labor Day next year, and probably cheaper flights too!

Traci - really pleased you got it changed with little hassle! I bet you are really looking forward to AKL!

 

[joolz1910]

Sorry Joolz - just seen this as haven't looked back on this thread.

Yes, sorry, thought you'd seen as I booked about the same time as you - think we even had a pm exchange about it?

Booked 3 weeks, 18 nts at OKW and have booked 4 nts at RPR but haven't quite decided where we'll stay for our 4th night - it depends on whether we feel we've done enough of US/IoA to move on to WDW?

Our schools go back first week September as I said earlier, so my trip works out well date wise (I'd have been kicking myself otherwise). However, have to say, if I were you, I think I'd be trying to either book a few more nts at the end or shunt my holiday to arrive a week later. It will be much quieter then with a late Labor Day next year, and probably cheaper flights too!

Traci - really pleased you got it changed with little hassle! I bet you are really looking forward to AKL!

Perhaps you did tell me - I have a terrible memory lol. I will phone up and try to change my dates - it can't hurt to try and I might strike lucky like Traci

 

[DLPDreams]

Perhaps you did tell me - I have a terrible memory lol. I will phone up and try to change my dates - it can't hurt to try and I might strike lucky like Traci

No worries .

I will keep my fingers crossed that you can amend dates and that it comes in cheaper for you - you never know, you might even be able to manage an extra night or two?

Let me know how you get on .

 

[joolz1910]

No worries .

I will keep my fingers crossed that you can amend dates and that it comes in cheaper for you - you never know, you might even be able to manage an extra night or two?

Let me know how you get on .

Will do.