Has anyone ever had an emergency during your trip

[airplane]

and you had to get back home? Will WDW resorts reimburse you for your nights that you left early? Can you make your park hopper tkt into non-expiring during you trip? Will you get reimbursed for any remaining dining plan credits?

 

[ParrotBill]

Some of what you ask is at the discretion of the resort front desk. If you explain what has happened they may be willing to shorten your package, including room and DDP, to eliminate unused days.

Tickets with an unused balance can always be upgraded but you will have to pay the full difference between the two types, including the difference for days already used.

Good luck and hope you don't need to ask!

 

[SetzKitten]

We had a room only reservation for our honeymoon. We had to leave early due to a family emergency and were reimbursed for the 7 nights we had to give up. We had annual passes so I can't answer the rest of your questions.

Edit to add: they did not ask for an explanation as to why we had to leave early.

 

[rwrocksme]

I never had to leave because of an emergency...but one night I did have a heart problem and we needed to go to the ER. Disney called an ambulance to the hotel (we stayed at Corranado) and took us to Celebration Hospital. Our ambulance ride was free because they fund it with their ticket profits at Disney. What could have been a very bad trip was made ok by Disney magic!!!

 

[LauraAnn630]

DS got an ear infection NYE 2006-07. We were at Epcot for the day and evening. We had to leave at 5:00pm. We went to the ER and didnt get out till 5:00am!! Happy New Year!

He was screaming and crying. It was terrible. We got antibiotics and he was fine.

 

[cab0899]

When our flight was cancelled due to bad weather, we had to leave for WDW one day later than planned. I phoned as soon as I knew we weren't flying out that day but we still had to pay for that night's hotel room. We were stuck in Toronto where we were supposed to change planes. Our trip insurance would not cover the night at WDW either as it was pre existing reservation.

 

[delilah]

In November, 2001, we had a package that included park hopper tickets that were included in our room rate, which I paid in full by August 31. We originally were going to fly, but, because of 9/11, my husband was afraid to fly, so we drove instead. Because of this, our trip was cut short by two days. We were refunded the discounted cost of the room, which was about $60. Now, I would never buy the room/ticket package because of my experience in this instance. I am glad I didn't buy the meal plan as well, as that likely wouldn't have been refunded, either. I buy my tickets on my own, and now we have DVC.

 

[miTunes75]

When our flight was cancelled due to bad weather, we had to leave for WDW one day later than planned. I phoned as soon as I knew we weren't flying out that day but we still had to pay for that night's hotel room. We were stuck in Toronto where we were supposed to change planes. Our trip insurance would not cover the night at WDW either as it was pre existing reservation.

I am a Director of Front Office at a hotel where I live. If you fuss, throw a fit, talk to 4-5 different managers, one above the other, usually, if it gets to the GM or AGM, the "noshow" charge will be waived.

 

[Amapola]

Jan 2006 we had to come home due to a canine emergency. We made the decision at 10 pm and our new flight was at 7 the next morning. I called the front desk to explain we had to leave at 5 am the next day, and we were credited back for all the unused nights. We didn't have DDP, so I can't speak to that. In all the confusion we forgot to ask about making our tickets non-expiring, though, so we lost that.

The big punch came from the airline. The only seats left the next day were business class, unless we wanted to wait until the last flight of the day (and we didn't; we really needed to get home ASAP) and we had to pay $610 each to change flights. Yikes. That was a lot more than the original tickets had been! So if you're flying on a restricted ticket, that's also something to consider.

 

[zaza]

We had to come home early in February 2006 because my mother-in-law was hit by a car and killed. (We're going back next month and it's a little hard--keep us in your prayers.) I had bought trip insurance so getting our money back for the resort room was easy. We managed to use up all the dining credits before we left (we left just a day early). I had booked our flight through Expedia and we never did get the fees back for changing the flight. (I was more than a little annoyed with the insurance about that--they wanted the used tickets, unused tickets, etc. etc. and you don't get all that with e-tickets). It only amounted to about $200 so it could have been worse. We did change our 2 remaining park days to non-expiring, but I think that probably wasn't a smart move financially. I think you're better off to forget it if you only have a day or two to go and start fresh next time. This time, I had our TA book the airfare through Disney. I'm not planning on any more emergencies (EVER) but I thought I might do better with the TA and Disney helping on that part if necessary.

 

[zaza]

By the way, she wasn't killed in Florida but back home. . .

 

[txcynow]

Two years ago my husband had a gall bladder attack while standing in line for Stitch's great escape. We went immediately to the first aid station thinking he was having a heart attack. Needless to say, we had our own E-ticket ride in an ambulance to the hospital. Before leaving first aid, a rep from disney gave us four free tickets to make up for the day missed. Our plans were set to leave that evening, my DD and her girlfriend were with us and we had planned for a stretch limo for pickup back to the airport. My daughter and her friend went back to the hotel from the MK and waited for the stretch, all bags were previously packed, they dropped off our bags on the way to the airport and they went home. At 2:00 AM he was released from the hospital and we took a cab back to Disney. We used the tickets for the next two days. Gall bladder was removed the next month and I can't say enough about how well Disney treated us from this event. Kudos to Disney! What a way to end a Disney vacation!

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

We had to come home early in February 2006 because my mother-in-law was hit by a car and killed. (We're going back next month and it's a little hard--keep us in your prayers.) I had bought trip insurance so getting our money back for the resort room was easy. We managed to use up all the dining credits before we left (we left just a day early). I had booked our flight through Expedia and we never did get the fees back for changing the flight. (I was more than a little annoyed with the insurance about that--they wanted the used tickets, unused tickets, etc. etc. and you don't get all that with e-tickets). It only amounted to about $200 so it could have been worse. We did change our 2 remaining park days to non-expiring, but I think that probably wasn't a smart move financially. I think you're better off to forget it if you only have a day or two to go and start fresh next time. This time, I had our TA book the airfare through Disney. I'm not planning on any more emergencies (EVER) but I thought I might do better with the TA and Disney helping on that part if necessary.

OMG, how terrible!

 

[momamy]

last march about 4 days before our trip my dad passed away we called to cancel and the cm was nice enough to move the dates for us. she even connected me to someone to help move my adr's since i didnt have my list with me!
Amy

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

I think like OP said, much depends on who you are dealing with at the time you have to cancel or leave early-although I have never heard of anyone having a bad experience with Disney under these circumstances.

We had a trip where I was 7 months pregnant and passed out cold right as I got off the Maelstrom. This was at the very beginning of our first day in Epcot. DH couldn't get me out of the ride because the doors to the Norway movie were shut. My family couldn't believe how fast those back doors opened up and CMs whisked everyone in my party out the back of Epcot. I left Epcot in an ambulance and DH and the rest of the family were taken in private car right behind the ambulance-courtesy of Disney. When we reached Sand Lake hospital, the driver gave DH a card and said that no matter what time it was, to call the number on the card when any of us (or all of us) needed a ride back to our hotel (didn't even ask if we were staying on property or not). I had extreme dehydration, but was able to leave the hospital later that night after getting plenty of IV fluids. When bringing us back to our resort, our driver told us to go to guest services at any park and give our name and they would give us back the day we lost on our passes and then we also received a free wheelchair for me for the remainder of the week.

 

[Chloesmom]

I think if it is an emergency they are pretty flexible. My friend had to leave 5 days early last year because of a canine emergency adn they worked with her.
Not really the same thing but 2 years ago.. 5 days before we were scheduled to arrive in WDW my sweet DD was diagnosed with diabetes. She was rushed to the ER and was near comatose. The next moring when i got my wits about me I called CRO and explained.. and broke down crying during the process.. and they said if I needed to cancel it was not problem. She put a note on my ressie and said there would be no penalty if I decided to cancel. Thankfully my DD is a little miracle and she was able to get out of the hospital the day before we were supposed to leave and we were able to go anyway. It was nice to know that I would not lose a big chunk of cash if I had to cancel.