Changing booking/upgrading from NPB - Sequoia - Advice needed please

[RoseBug]

(firstly apologies about any typos/dreadful typing. I burnt my right hand pretty badly yesterday and it's all bandaged up, waiting to be seen at the burns clinic tomorrow, and it's making typing difficult)

Right, some advice please!

We are booked for 3 nights at NPB, Admirals Floor, lake view. The 1st night we are staying offsite and this is paid for.

We booked during 40% off sale and paid £909 for the NPB booking.

However, I am increasingly beginning to regret this, partly because I worry NPB will be a disappointment, but mostly for the hassle of stayimg offsite on the first night.

On the Ireland site at the minute is 30% off, and we could change to SL, Montana room for £150 more, for an extra night.

We have already paid the balance of the holiday.

How likely is it that DLP would let us change our booking from NPB to SL under the current deal and not charging us a cancellation fee?

Would you change from NPB AF, LV to SL, Montana room? Are they the refurbed rooms?

We had really wanted the outdoor pool and loved the idea of the theme etc, but the extra night onsite is swaying us.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[A Small World]

Im not sure definitely but other people have changed bookings without being charged a cancellation fee as long as what they are booking is more - which yours would be

Theres also an outside pool at the SL - you can swim from inside to out

I also prefer SL to NPB

 

[micksn]

If you really want to change the uk site is also offering 30% off 4 nights at Sequoia I would try to do it by phone, they are usually fine about changing as long as you are paying more! We have NPB booked for next trip because it was cheaper than SL. The outside pool is lovely at NPB, but only open in good weather. SL is cosier and the refurbished rooms will be a higher standard than NPB although NPB rooms are bigger and with AF you will also get coffee and tea and complementary pool towels. However to avoid the hassle of changing hotels I would probably go with 4 nights at SL!

 

[RoseBug]

If you really want to change the uk site is also offering 30% off 4 nights at Sequoia I would try to do it by phone, they are usually fine about changing as long as you are paying more! We have NPB booked for next trip because it was cheaper than SL. The outside pool is lovely at NPB, but only open in good weather. SL is cosier and the refurbished rooms will be a higher standard than NPB although NPB rooms are bigger and with AF you will also get coffee and tea and complementary pool towels. However to avoid the hassle of changing hotels I would probably go with 4 nights at SL!

There is £100 difference between the UK site and the Irish site. I did the euro conversion on xe.com though.

UK site £1139
IE site 1311e (xe.com £1054)

I love the look of NPB, the Sequoia looks very dark for a summer holiday, but an extra night on site is pushing me (just wish I'd done that in the first place, and wouldn't have lost the 3100 for the offsite hotel!)

 

[micksn]

It may depend on what time you arrive and whether you are booking a package with all your tickets ie will you gain park time by booking an extra night onsite?

 

[RoseBug]

It may depend on what time you arrive and whether you are booking a package with all your tickets ie will you gain park time by booking an extra night onsite?

We won't gain any park time as arrive at 10pm on the first night, but will just book the whole package. I just don't fancy getting up at 6am at the Kyriad to get to NPB for 7am to drop bags off and get park tickets, to get into park for EMH. If we were there night before, we can get up at 7am and have no stress!

 

[micksn]

Very true! SL also has lovely slide into pool and an outdoor decking area which will be nice in the summer. I've only stayed there in February so I associate it with winter, but it has an outdoorsy feel which could be great in summer. Enjoy

 

[Himmin]

We were booked in Sequoia Lodge in July however when I next checked the website the NPB was cheeper, So i phoned up and said we were intrested in changing hotel and how much was it?

I was told that it wouldn't cost anything and so we changed our hotel to the NPB and got a refund for the difference.

Therefore im sure that they would change yours!

 

[jothp]

I think the only way to know for definate is to phone and ask. You could also keep trying if the first person won't do it for you as I have read of plenty of people have got what they wanted on the second/third/fourth attempt.

Hope your burn clears up quickly.

 

[TheTizardFamily:0)]

I'm pretty sure they will do it, we made changes to our booking last trip and it was fine

 

[RoseBug]

I will give them a ring tomorrow. I know they are funny about upgrading during flashsales etc. but wasn't sure what they would do when the deal is actually less than when I initially booked.

So would you all pay the extra £150 just for the first night on site, swapping to SL from NPB admiral/lake view?

 

[lush]

We were booked in Sequoia Lodge in July however when I next checked the website the NPB was cheeper, So i phoned up and said we were intrested in changing hotel and how much was it?

I was told that it wouldn't cost anything and so we changed our hotel to the NPB and got a refund for the difference.

Therefore im sure that they would change yours!

I'm really surprised they did this because in the terms and conditions that come with the booking it says that if you want to change your booking to a cheaper package you will have to effectively cancel the booking (losing your 10%) and then book again. Sort of wish I'd asked about that now, wouldn't have minded getting some money back!

I upgraded our SL booking to HNY during the 40% off and had no problem adding the extra on. It says in the t&c that if the package you are changing to (or whatever you are adding) mean you are paying more then there are no fees involved. As I said I had no problems adding it on.

I love the SL, although I too have only ever stayed in it during the winter. I have always liked the NPB too but it's been a long time since I stayed there (8 years) so things may have changed!

Definitely give them a call and talk to someone. Good luck!

 

[A Small World]

I will give them a ring tomorrow. I know they are funny about upgrading during flashsales etc. but wasn't sure what they would do when the deal is actually less than when I initially booked.

So would you all pay the extra £150 just for the first night on site, swapping to SL from NPB admiral/lake view?

An extra £150 seems an awful lot for 1 night especially when you arent going to benefit from any extra time in the park/use the ticket for the arrival day.
Your other option is to leave your booking as it is, dont check out of your hotel but go to NPB check in there and get your tickets, go to EMH then go back to check out and move your luggage to NPB - you could even get your DH to go and check in for you all and meet you at the gates or get him to go and check out and move the luggage for you all - just another option to think about

 

[tennisfan]

I will give them a ring tomorrow. I know they are funny about upgrading during flashsales etc. but wasn't sure what they would do when the deal is actually less than when I initially booked.

So would you all pay the extra £150 just for the first night on site, swapping to SL from NPB admiral/lake view?

Personally I wouldn't simply because you are arriving late the 1st night so not really getting any benefit for the 1st day except EMH the next day.

It's really down to you though as its your money The only problem you might encounter is that you are trying to change a booking made from one country to a deal from a different country. Only way to find out is to call.

Hope your hand heals quickly

 

[RoseBug]

An extra £150 seems an awful lot for 1 night especially when you arent going to benefit from any extra time in the park/use the ticket for the arrival day.
Your other option is to leave your booking as it is, dont check out of your hotel but go to NPB check in there and get your tickets, go to EMH then go back to check out and move your luggage to NPB - you could even get your DH to go and check in for you all and meet you at the gates or get him to go and check out and move the luggage for you all - just another option to think about

You see, I'd rather pay £150 to avoid all that, it seems so much hassle when we are only there 4 days! Maybe I am just lazy!

Not sure what to do, will ring them in the morning and find out what is possible. I would just much rather be onsite the first night, and hubby agrees too!

 

[RoseBug]

Personally I wouldn't simply because you are arriving late the 1st night so not really getting any benefit for the 1st day except EMH the next day.

It's really down to you though as its your money The only problem you might encounter is that you are trying to change a booking made from one country to a deal from a different country. Only way to find out is to call.

Hope your hand heals quickly

Will call them tomorrow. It is a lot of money but I am just not looking forward to the offsite stay and changing. Plus, we thought it might be more magical for DD to wake up first day at Disney (I'm so soft, and she blatantly wouldn't care!).

 

[Ware Bears]

So would you all pay the extra £150 just for the first night on site, swapping to SL from NPB admiral/lake view?

No! I am probably the lone dissenting voice here but the Sequoia Lodge just doesn't do it for me - sorry SL fans, I love Wilderness Lodge at WDW but the Sequoia Lodge just doesn't wow me the same way. Of course I may live to regret feeling like this if we're disappointed in our stay at NPB but when we went in there a few years ago I did actually like the look (inside and out) of there.

Also, Rosebug, haven't you already paid for your first night offsite? So in effect you'd be paying more than £150 with what you'd lose there too or can you cancel and get a refund?

I think I too am a little sceptical when the booking is with one country and the offer is with another - but as others have said, the only way to know is to phone and ask so good luck.

Hope all goes well at the clinic tomorrow and your hand heals quickly.

 

[DLPDreams]

Ouch re your hand - poor thing, hope it heals quickly .

I can't really help on the hotel front - I'm hopeless at that kind of thing but if you've already paid almost £100 for the offsite hotel and lose that then the first night at SL will be nearer £250 due to that will it not? Perhaps you can get a refund on the first night offsite and that is why you are considering it?

I haven't stayed in either hotel but I do prefer the look of the SL, the NPB just looks too big for me. I think the SL has a camping/outdoors type of feel to it so could be quite summery . I am seriously considering the SL for Christmas, just the walk (and bag check if long) puts me off if it is really cold.

Hope you have luck tomorrow!

 

[Carrie_Cat]

Hope your hand is ok sounds very nasty.

 

[RoseBug]

Thanks guys!

Yes, we will lose the money we paid for the offsite hotel, but we will only be paying £150 extra compared to what we have already paid. DH and I have sat and discussed it, and if we can change to SL when he calls tomorrow, we will. Simply because, as much as I love the look of NPB and our lake view room, that extra night onsite will be so much easier, and DD is so excited about Disney I can't imagine her disappointment when she thinks we are off to Disney and we rack up at an offsite non-Disney hotel (she is too young to understand that we'll be going tomorrow iykwim?) Although maybe she won't care, but I will?

SL looks nice, and the slide in the pool is a big plus too - so we'll see what they say. I am also slightly concerned about some of the reports for NPB about the state of repair, but not enough to be upset if we don't get the change. At least with SL, all rooms have been refurbed!

We'll see what tomorrow brings!

And thanks for asking about my hand - what a divvy I am! I went to the hospital on Monday to get the dressings removed, and it had healed really well, apart from my thumb which is still very sore and is covered in a huge, very painful blister and burn! But it'll heal soon enough! And for now I am banned from the kitchen because I am too accident prone!