Booking a backup trip

[Scooley01]

Hi everyone! We have our honeymoon booked at WDW (First trip, staying at Pop!) for May 26th-June 1st, and it's looking more and more like that might not happen. I did some poking around on Disney's site, and it looks like we can book a trip that's actually two days LONGER toward the end of July for the same price! We did a the room itself, a dining plan, trip insurance, memory maker, park tickets, and park hopper. If I want to book this as a backup trip, which things should I go ahead and book now? I'm afraid of booking anything that's non-refundable. Has anyone here booked a backup trip like this? Thanks in advance!

 

[e_yerger]

Hi everyone! We have our honeymoon booked at WDW (First trip, staying at Pop!) for May 26th-June 1st, and it's looking more and more like that might not happen. I did some poking around on Disney's site, and it looks like we can book a trip that's actually two days LONGER toward the end of July for the same price! We did a the room itself, a dining plan, trip insurance, memory maker, park tickets, and park hopper. If I want to book this as a backup trip, which things should I go ahead and book now? I'm afraid of booking anything that's non-refundable. Has anyone here booked a backup trip like this? Thanks in advance!

Disney packages are fully refundable up to 30 days before check-in. So i would rebook for end of July and look at things end if June to make a final decision.
That’s what we’re doing

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It's very possible Disney will not be open during your dates. If you are considering going later in the summer, you may want to consider modifying the reservation you have. Your dates qualify for the special free dining promo that was released for guests who had trips booked between March 16 - May 31, so, the trip you priced out for July might price out even less with that promo. Here are the details:

"Eligible Guests can take advantage of a vacation package offer that includes accommodations at a select Disney Resort hotel, park admission and a Disney dining plan—valid for arrivals most nights June 1 through September 30, 2020 when you book through May 31, 2020.

This offer is valid only for Guests who previously booked a vacation package or room reservation to stay at a Disney Resort hotel at Walt Disney World Resort for travel dates March 16 to May 31, 2020. Offer not valid for reservations travelling these dates that were cancelled before March 1, 2020."

My only advice on purchasing the Disney travel insurance, if you are booking a new package - I wouldn't purchase it until any of your travel components are non-refundable. It only covers non-refundable components, so there is no reason to purchase it at a point in time when you can get all of your money back. Do you have travel insurance on the May package? If so, I would ask if that travel insurance would transfer to the July dates if you simply you modify your current reservation to July.

 

[Scooley01]

It's very possible Disney will not be open during your dates. If you are considering going later in the summer, you may want to consider modifying the reservation you have. Your dates qualify for the special free dining promo that was released for guests who had trips booked between March 16 - May 31, so, the trip you priced out for July might price out even less with that promo. Here are the details:

"Eligible Guests can take advantage of a vacation package offer that includes accommodations at a select Disney Resort hotel, park admission and a Disney dining plan—valid for arrivals most nights June 1 through September 30, 2020 when you book through May 31, 2020.

This offer is valid only for Guests who previously booked a vacation package or room reservation to stay at a Disney Resort hotel at Walt Disney World Resort for travel dates March 16 to May 31, 2020. Offer not valid for reservations travelling these dates that were cancelled before March 1, 2020."

My only advice on purchasing the Disney travel insurance, if you are booking a new package - I wouldn't purchase it until any of your travel components are non-refundable. It only covers non-refundable components, so there is no reason to purchase it at a point in time when you can get all of your money back. Do you have travel insurance on the May package? If so, I would ask if that travel insurance would transfer to the July dates if you simply you modify your current reservation to July.

I didn't realize we would qualify for the free dining deal! That's awesome! Do you know if it's possible to upgrade to a higher dining package than your free one (and pay the difference)? We're doing the DDP but we're staying at a value resort, and my understanding of Free Dining is that our resort would qualify us for the QS plan.

I tried to call Disney a few weeks ago to talk about our trip, and they told me it would be several hours to talk to whoever needed to handle the trip due to call volume, and said that since my trip wasn't in the next 3 days, I should call back closer to my dates. That's the only reason I didn't call them already

 

[Scubadaddy32]

I didn't realize we would qualify for the free dining deal! That's awesome! Do you know if it's possible to upgrade to a higher dining package than your free one (and pay the difference)? We're doing the DDP but we're staying at a value resort, and my understanding of Free Dining is that our resort would qualify us for the QS plan.

I tried to call Disney a few weeks ago to talk about our trip, and they told me it would be several hours to talk to whoever needed to handle the trip due to call volume, and said that since my trip wasn't in the next 3 days, I should call back closer to my dates. That's the only reason I didn't call them already

Yes you can pay the difference to upgrade to a higher DP.
I called Disney on the 10th (we sere scheduled for May 10th ourselves) and they answered within 2 minutes and handled my new reservations.
I'd call now, we actually had to change resorts because our previous resort was already booked for those dates. You may have to ask about the Free DP, I did.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I was thinking of booking a backup for July (for our June trip), but since I am going the AP route, I don’t think I can book fastpasses. I wonder if I called if they might let me.

 

[e_yerger]

I was thinking of booking a backup for July (for our June trip), but since I am going the AP route, I don’t think I can book fastpasses. I wonder if I called if they might let me.

They should! I have an AP that is set to expire May 16th, with no intentions of renewing.

I originally rescheduled for MDW when they announced the closure/AP extensions. Since MDW is after my expiration date, I had to call passholder services and they had to put these Fastpass cards on my MDE account. This allowed me to make Fastpasses.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

They should! I have an AP that is set to expire May 16th, with no intentions of renewing.

I originally rescheduled for MDW when they announced the closure/AP extensions. Since MDW is after my expiration date, I had to call passholder services and they had to put these Fastpass cards on my MDE account. This allowed me to make Fastpasses.

It is a little different issue with booking two trips within two months. They generally won't let you hold more than 7 days (or length of stay) fastpasses within a 30 day period. So that makes it to where I can't book July fastpasses 60 days in advance. I'd have to wait until I have used my fastpasses in June, or until they were cancelled. That would negate the value of fastpasses since they are releasing so few fastpasses for this summer. Maybe they would let me if I were to call and if I had two trips onsite booked.

 

[e_yerger]

It is a little different issue with booking two trips within two months. They generally won't let you hold more than 7 days (or length of stay) fastpasses within a 30 day period. So that makes it to where I can't book July fastpasses 60 days in advance. I'd have to wait until I have used my fastpasses in June, or until they were cancelled. That would negate the value of fastpasses since they are releasing so few fastpasses for this summer. Maybe they would let me if I were to call and if I had two trips onsite booked.

I’m confused by your comment - can you elaborate more?

I have trips planned onsite, so i was entitled to 60 day fastpass window. My FP date was March 23 (after parks were closed, extension was in place) for my MDW trip. I called that day, they added the FP card, and i was able to book my fast passes.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I’m confused by your comment - can you elaborate more?

I have trips planned onsite, so i was entitled to 60 day fastpass window. My FP date was March 23 (after parks were closed, extension was in place) for my MDW trip. I called that day, they added the FP card, and i was able to book my fast passes.

In the past when I have had an AP and booked two trips that were really close in proximity (like one trip in February and one in April) I could not book fastpasses for my second trip until I had used the fastpasses for my first trip. I have 11 days of fastpasses booked in June because I have a ten night trip, and AP holders can only have 7 (or 11 with a 10 night stay) fastpasses at a time within a 30 day period. So if I were to book a trip in July and my fastpass window were May 2nd, I couldn’t book any more fastpasses because I already hold 11 fastpasses for my June trip.

That’s how they’ve done it in the past. I’ve experienced that issue several times in the past. Unless anything has changed with this, the system won’t let me book fastpasses for July on May 2nd because I already hold the max number of fastpasses allowed for an AP holder. Sometimes a CM can override the system, but I can’t just use the normal system.
You cancelled your March trip, so they were able to give you a fastpass credit, essentially. I won’t be cancelling June until they make me, and they probably won’t make me until at least mid-May- well after the best fastpasses for my backup July trip would be gone.

 

[e_yerger]

In the past when I have had an AP and booked two trips that were really close in proximity (like one trip in February and one in April) I could not book fastpasses for my second trip until I had used the fastpasses for my first trip. I have 11 days of fastpasses booked in June because I have a ten night trip, and AP holders can only have 7 (or 11 with a 10 night stay) fastpasses at a time within a 30 day period. So if I were to book a trip in July and my fastpass window were May 2nd, I couldn’t book any more fastpasses because I already hold 11 fastpasses for my June trip.

That’s how they’ve done it in the past. I’ve experienced that issue several times in the past. Unless anything has changed with this, the system won’t let me book fastpasses for July on May 2nd because I already hold the max number of fastpasses allowed for an AP holder. Sometimes a CM can override the system, but I can’t just use the normal system.

OH i didn’t even know that was a thing thank’s for the explanation!

 

[Octoberbaby]

We were booked in May for the same dates at the YC with the deluxe dining plan. We felt that we should move to July, and took advantage of the free dining they offered. We are now staying at the YC club level with free dining for the same price as we were paying to go in May.