Extending a trip worth it even with airline re-booking fees???

[javaj]

Our Christmas trip is scheduled 12/15 to 12/25 because I thought 12/15 would be the earliest we could get away for vacation. Well, turns out we can leave as early as 12/11 or 12/12, and it would be great to have those 3 extra days with less crowds. Hotel would be covered because we still have 3 kellogg kash hotel vouchers for the All-Stars (really don't like the values but for 3 nights before the CR, we're ok with it LOL).

The problem is, airline plus orbitz re-booking fees would be $130 per person. Yikes! We jumped on a $183 great rate last July, thinking it wouldn't last. Wouldn't you know it but that rate is still available now. Paying an extra 390 (130 per ticket) just ruins the great airfare rate though. It's cheaper to get 1-way tickets, ATA shows $117 for a 1 way ticket. But if we didn't show up for our outbound flight, I think there's a possibility of losing our return flight too. So is 3 extra wonderful less-crowded days at WDW worth $390 more?!?!

Thanks!

 

[*Belle*]

If it were me,..............YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CarnotaurDad]

We faced a similar dilemma and here's how we looked at it:

Add up all the costs of extending a vacation:

* Change Fee
* Food
* Hotel
* Rental car (if applicable)
* Park Tickets (if applicable)
* Souveniers

After adding everything up, we realize it was as much money as if we went again at a different time. We decided to go again in May rather then extend in December. So we ended up with two vacations (quite a justification, huh?).

Not sure if this helped, but that was how we looked at the decision.

 

[safetymom]

You are correct. If you don't show up for the first flight all the rest will cancel.

 

[seashoreCM]

Try to stand by early by actually reporting to the airport. But don't rebook hotels, etc. so as to run into cancellation fees or loss of the original ressie if you don't succeed in standing by without a considerable extra charge.

You may end up having to rent a different car for the first 3 days and sending someone back to the airport to exchange it for the other originally reserved car.

If you use Unlimited Magic (ultimate park hopper; length of stay pass) two separate vacations cost more than one continuous vacation.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[CarolA]

Stand by is generally for the day of your original flight (not three days in advance) Verify with your airline before you try this. Not to mention that you will then be paying walk up rates for your rental car and hotel!

 

[seashoreCM]

I would make a second cancellable car reservation with a different company without cutting it (plane arrival vs. car pickup) close. If I succeeded in standing by I would try first to pick up the first car early if the extra days weren't too exorbitant, and cancel the second car.

There are budget motels around WDW, many on Rte. 192. You can try to use vouchers at the moment of arrival/check in (some WDW discounds require that you use the phone instead of the check in desk) and there is a chance WDW will honor the discount rather than have an empty room.

Always reserve cars in advance. Otherwise you are sure to find only expensive full size cars with non-unlimited mileage.

 

[safetymom]

It's not a wise decision to show up at WDW and expect to get a discounted rate. Plan ahead of time and you will save yourself some money.

 

[Tink03477]

Hummm, I'm with CarnotaurDad on this one! $130 is way too much to pay for rebooking fees. I had the same happy "problem" on my last trip. I used Jet Blue though and they only charged me $25 rebooking fees, and that came out of the $115 credit that I already had with them for rebooking these same flights without changing the day,time or flight 4 times previously. Jetblue will let you re-book for the lower internet cost without paying a fee if you don't change anything. I did that 4 times last time and ended up with that credit to apply when I added the day later. It worked out well for me. When I rebooked the car to add a day, it did cost me about $25 more for that 1 additional day and I added a day at the BCV which cost me some more weekday points. All in all, very well worth it financially; otherwise I would not have done it. It's a good thing I did though, we got stuck there (at the end) because of H. Frances and were in room lock-down for 24hrs. and then resort lock-down for a total of 48 hrs. It was not fun and we didn't get to do even half the stuff we wanted to do. I was bummed. But, hey; that's why I'm going again in 3 weeks. Yea!!!
Off subject, sorry about that.
I'd do another trip later, whatever you decide; have a great time!
Kim