Had to cancel the night before the trip!!!

[BuddyThomas]

Kind of beside myself.

My partner's 96 year old grandmother who had been, frankly, on the verge of passing for the past two years, finally decided that today was the day to do it.

We were supposed to leave tomorrow for a six day trip. Have been planning and saving for a full year.

After all that, we've had to cancel and instead of all the magic we expected, we get the magic of a funeral.

I feel like I'm upset for all the wrong reasons, to be honest, but has anyone been through this kind of thing before?

Disney was AWESOME by the way. They refunded everything. Can't say the same for Travelocity, even though we had trip insurance with the flights. They say I have to fill out all these claim forms and maybe I'll get a refund in 6?weeks.

One note to Disney----they were very nice and incredibly helpful, but every person I talked to told me to have a magical day at the end of the call. I get it. They have to say that or Mickey will burn them with an iron, but how am I supposed to have a magical say when my trip is cancelled for a funeral? It's just a very robotic response.

 

[rcraw45425]

Kind of beside myself.

My partner's 96 year old grandmother who had been, frankly, on the verge of passing for the past two years, finally decided that today was the day to do it.

We were supposed to leave tomorrow for a six day trip. Have been planning and saving for a full year.

After all that, we've had to cancel and instead of all the magic we expected, we get the magic of a funeral.

I feel like I'm upset for all the wrong reasons, to be honest, but has anyone been through this kind of thing before?

Disney was AWESOME by the way. They refunded everything. Can't say the same for Travelocity, even though we had trip insurance with the flights. They say I have to fill out all these claim forms and maybe I'll get a refund in 6?weeks.

One note to Disney----they were very nice and incredibly helpful, but every person I talked to told me to have a magical day at the end of the call. I get it. They have to say that or Mickey will burn them with an iron, but how am I supposed to have a magical say when my trip is cancelled for a funeral? It's just a very robotic response.

Glad that Disney treated you right. In October 2005 I found myself in the same situation, my father passed, unexpectedly, the evening before we were to check in at the CR. My first call was to my good friend/attorney, the next to my Disney Travel Agent. She went to work and everything was taken care of with that one phone call. Resort reservations cancelled and refunded, as were tickets and even MNSSHP tickets. We were able to have that weight off of our shoulders. We then rescheduled the trip for the next month at our leisure.

 

[mommytoxzande]

I just wanted to say sorry for your loss.

 

[poly princess]

I am sorry for your partner's loss.
Yes, it will take 6 weeks to get your airline refund. You will also have to provide a copy of the death certificate. Insurance companies are in the business of making $$. For every one person who is truthful about a death there are 10 who are not. I can understand your pain. My grandmother died on my honeymoon. I was married 2 weeks then my mother-in-law died. Life is too short to feel sorry for yourself. Stop your whining. You got a refund...rebook!

 

[BuddyThomas]

Thank you to both for the response. I guess Disney isn't going anywhere and we'll try to reschedule in the near future.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Poly, you would not whine a bit the night before a trip you'd been planning for a year got cancelled? Just asking.

 

[Marla1106]

I saw a woman at animal kingdom today get a phone call that someone died. She was hysterical. Two years ago I was at Disney when I got a call that my sister had brain cancer and was under going emergency surgery. So be glad you found out before you left.

I would be very upset though at having to cancel a trip like that.

 

[EpcotBill]

Kind of beside myself.

My partner's 96 year old grandmother who had been, frankly, on the verge of passing for the past two years, finally decided that today was the day to do it.

We were supposed to leave tomorrow for a six day trip. Have been planning and saving for a full year.

After all that, we've had to cancel and instead of all the magic we expected, we get the magic of a funeral.

I feel like I'm upset for all the wrong reasons, to be honest, but has anyone been through this kind of thing before?

Disney was AWESOME by the way. They refunded everything. Can't say the same for Travelocity, even though we had trip insurance with the flights. They say I have to fill out all these claim forms and maybe I'll get a refund in 6?weeks.

One note to Disney----they were very nice and incredibly helpful, but every person I talked to told me to have a magical day at the end of the call. I get it. They have to say that or Mickey will burn them with an iron, but how am I supposed to have a magical say when my trip is cancelled for a funeral? It's just a very robotic response.

Think about how this looks to the rest of the world. You're upset because someone's death has ruined your vacation. I'm so sorry that you were inconvienced.

 

[BuddyThomas]

You can roll your eyes all you want but the fact is that she was 96 and she has been on the edge of going (out of it......not here.......checked out) for the past two years. In any case, I would not expect anyone to understand these particular family dynamics, but of you think that you would not be disappointed to replace your trip with funeral activity you are nuts.

 

[Marsheliz]

Aww no! I'm sorry! I would be down too.. Totally don't blame you!

 

[lynn46356]

I was in your shoes a year and a half ago. My Mom was in a nursing home and dying. It was a Monday and I was to leave on Saturday for a girls trip to Disney. I had been connected to my Mom by the hip for 8+ years since my Dad had passed. She was handicapped and I was her life line. I had to make the decision to postpone the trip. Two days later she passed. things work out for a reason. Two weeks later we made our trip. I was able to breathe, morn and remember my Mom with joy. I know I could have never made the trip if she was still alive.

 

[OurBigTrip]

You can roll your eyes all you want but the fact is that she was 96 and she has been on the edge of going (out of it......not here.......checked out) for the past two years. In any case, I would not expect anyone to understand these particular family dynamics, but of you think that you would not be disappointed to replace your trip with funeral activity you are nuts.

I would be very disappointed, no doubt. But more than my disappointment, I would feel sad for my partner's loss.

I wouldn't post something like "finally decided that today was the day to do it", like she died on purpose to ruin your trip.

I hope you are able to get all of your refunds and reschedule your trip.

 

[EpcotBill]

You can roll your eyes all you want but the fact is that she was 96 and she has been on the edge of going (out of it......not here.......checked out) for the past two years. In any case, I would not expect anyone to understand these particular family dynamics, but of you think that you would not be disappointed to replace your trip with funeral activity you are nuts.

Then I must be nuts. The last thing I would be thinking about is myself and my vacation. Hopefully when you're old your grandchild's partner won't be impatiently waiting 2 years for you to die and hoping that you don't ruin their vacation. Thank you for allowing me to roll my eyes all I want.

 

[StephyDee]

I can understand both sides. You're upset because an occasion you were saving up for, getting excited for and looking so forward to was suddenly replaced with a complete 180 involving a funeral, tears, and loads of unhappy moments. I would be pretty bummed too tbh. However I also understand how this can look selfish and disrespectful, caring more about a vacation than the passing of your partner's relative. That may not be your intentions, but there are some people who will see it that way. It's just how the world works, I'm afraid.

Yes, the timing sucks, but all things happen for a reason. I highly doubt she planned to die today, so there's no use on continuing the hate on it happening. Doesn't mean you have to like it scared, but at least accept it. Probably the best thing to do atm. I am sorry for the loss, though. How does your partner feel about it? If they're upset, I think the best thing would be to focus on being there for them, and when the time is right, focus on planning your redo-trip. This situation is pretty tricky, so when in doubt, just be supportive.

Hope everything works out for you (with the funeral, travelocity, eventual replanning, etc)! Sad to say the only thing you can do is just shrug and bear it (because grin-and-bear-it would be pretty wrong )

 

[BuddyThomas]

Really? I plan on having a clause in my will and also stated previously that anyone with a vacation planned or anything else planned when I go is required to do it and have an amazing time. But that's just me. In the meantime, as previously stated, Disney is not going anywhere and we will reschedule.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Thanks Stephy. Appreciated.

 

[JenCin78]

I'm so sorry for your loss and that you had to cancel your trip. I can't imagine the disappointment

 

[aVASTGrl]

I'm very sorry for your loss...it's very hard to lose somebody close to you, or to somebody you love, even if the death is expected

As for the negative reactions here, yes, it may have been the way you worded the post, but there are just some people on these boards who will take any opportunity to find fault with anything anybody posts. Not saying this is the case here, but just ignore the Debbie Downers when you come across them

I'm glad that Disney took care of everything so fast. I had trouble getting a refund from Travelocity recently (a missing reservation that was their fault) so just keep hounding them and they will eventually come through.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Clearly, attending the funeral is important to the OP's partner and he has cancelled the trip accordingly. However, if I was in a similar situation, I know that I would feel disappointed as well. I would feel sad that someone had died, sad that my partner has lost a family member, but also sad by the unfortunate timing. One minute you're on cloud nine because after a year of counting down days and saving pennies, you're down to one last sleep. Then the next minute your canceling everything you were excited about and planning to go to a funeral instead.

Whether people consider the OPs feelings selfish or not, a sudden, dramatic shift in emotions is not the easiest thing for our brains to cope with. If a person was even slightly susceptible to depression going from such highs to such lows so very quickly can be particularly hard to cope with. I'm not for a second suggesting that this is the case with the OP, I'm just saying that this is one of those situations where one really can't pass judgement unless they've walked a day in the OP's shoes.

OP, sorry for your loss and for the cancellation of your trip. I hope when you rebook, the vacation you take is even bigger and better.

 

[BuddyThomas]

Thanks Wanderlust. You stated it perfectly. Much appreciated.