has anyone left a trip early?

[alohaguy]

Has anyone out there left in the middle of their trip due to a death in the family, or other such reason?

I am asking because my wife's grandmother has been given a relatively short time to live, but she wishes for us to go on our Disney trip at the end of this month.

My question is, has anyone had to leave for a reason such as this -after they've already checked-in - and does Disney offer any form of refund?

My instinct is to cancel the trip - for many reasons ... but any info would be helpfull.

Thanks

 

[lovmy2girls]

Well, it was not a death. My daughter did get sick on our next to last day. She was running to the potty, stomach, headache, throwing up, that kind of thing, then my other daughter started showing the same signs, then husband and me, you get the picture. We only live 7 hours away so I decided to just pack it up. No use spending that kind of money just to spend our last day in our room sick. It was 11:30 a.m. and they said to be out by 1:00 and gave me a refund for the last night. No problem. Didn't even tell them my daughter was sick, just that I needed to check out early. Glad it was the end of our trip, took her 3 days to get back to normal.

Sorry to hear about your wifes grandmother.

 

[alohaguy]

lovmy2girls -

Thanks for your info. Sounds like you had a pretty bad experience. In all the time that I've travelled I have never left early from any hotel. Guess I've just been lucky.

Thanks again for the help ...
we'll have to keep thinking about it.

 

[fitzperry]

Not at Disney, but I left a Westin in Chicago because of a personal emergency. I paid for the nights I had stayed, and they did not charge me for anything else.

 

[Taja]

I've stuck it out every time I've gotten sick on a trip, but that's primarily because I fly and my ears usually are affected early on. After a couple of days, the ears are fine, but the rest of me is miserable!

Last year I notified WDW Travel two months prior to my visit that I was lopping two days off the end of the trip. When I checked in, they hadn't adjusted it. It was a room-only ressie, so no real issue. They just adjusted it to my actual departure date.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Have you called and asked what the guidelines are in case of family emergency? If not a full refund, ask for a credit of what is left on the account. Disney actually did this for us after we spent about a day and a half there and got "official word" that the army was calling us home. I realize that it's different because we are military but it never hurts to ask.

I'm sorry about your grandmother.

 

[lovmy2girls]

Alohaguy
We were lucky. It was our last day which was to be our favorite rides day. Forgot to tell you too, my FIL went in November. Had booked 7 nights at CBR. He said "they had done everything", and checked out 2 nights early, no problem there either, they just credited back his card.

Hope this gives you a little insight in what to do, good luck.

 

[alohaguy]

Thank you everyone for your input and help.

It sounds like as long as you check out at a reasonable time, they will credit you back a refund for unused nights. I'll call tomorrow when they're open and verify.

My wife's grandmother is insisting that we take this vacation despite her health ... she says she would feel guilty - what a tough situation.

Sorry for such a downer of a topic ... but not everything can be magical, I suppose.

 

[Luv2trav]

We had the situation last year with my DH's grandmother... We choose to cancel and wait... DH just couldn't enjoy himself knowing his grandmother was dying. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

If I were you I would cancel. Disney will always be there she will not.

 

[Nolcrest]

Once when we went the weather was terrible. However due to lousy weather the crowds were also non-existent and my DH and I were able to see all that we had wanted to. We were going to drive to the in-laws after our Disney vacation so we decided to leave a couple days early and spend more time with the in-laws.

No problem. We were credited our days and off we went.

 

[DisnyMama]

Luckily we have not had to cancel a trip but we almost did. Our Thanksgiving trip at POR AB, almost did not happen. My Grandmother gave this trip to me and my DS in June. She became terminally ill the middle of October and I told my sister that if she was still in the hospital that we were not going to WDW. Well, she died the weekend before Halloween. It was a tough trip at times because it was a special gift from her because she new how much Disney and WDW meant to me and I couldn't share it with her. (I still get teary eyed to this day). But---it was our 1st time at POR and they had just put up the Christmas tree in the lobby and when we walked in at 7:15 a.m. after a red eye flight from LAX and my DS and I were just blown away. They even had our room ready for us in building 16. We still talk about this trip being the best trip we have ever taken to WDW. Grandmother was sprinkling pixie dust on us the whole week.

 

[rt2dz]

Left two days early last year due to Hurricane Jeanne. A little different situation, but we had no problem with them crediting the remaining nights to our cc.

 

[Ms. Belle]

My cousin died while I was at AKL in June 2004 and I left to attend her funeral. I expained the situation to the front desk and they refunded my remaining nights without a problem.

 

[beebles]

I went through the same thing with my mother who was battling cancer. We were supposed to go the first week in may this year, BUT I did not feel comfortable knowing that she had only months to live. Turns out that we never would have made it, she died 2 weeks before our date to leave. I had it planned out but did not book it. Yes, there is a chance that you COULD make it ok and back But my theory was if she only had weeks left to live, how could i take myself and her precious grandchildren away for that week? If your grandmom is just old and chronically ill, than you could do it but get trip insurance through an agent (i never go anywhere without it) in case there is a death or emergency you are covered.

My mother also wanted us to go badly, but deep down in her heart she was saddened to think about us leaving. Now, we are going in December, we seriously need this vacation as I have been putting it off for 1 1/2 years thinking that I could not leave her. Disney will always be there...there will be a right time so don't miss those days with grandmom. You won't regret it one bit....

 

[Disney Spaz]

This past march both my husband and I got sick. I was ill at the beginning of the trip and Disney credited me one day since we arrived late then my DH got ill toward the end of the trip and we left early and again disney let us check out early without question. I am pretty sure there policey states that you are charged a noght but i have never had a problem with getting a full refund.

 

[*Fantasia*]

We had the situation last year with my DH's grandmother... We choose to cancel and wait... DH just couldn't enjoy himself knowing his grandmother was dying. He wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.

If I were you I would cancel. Disney will always be there she will not.

Sorry to hear about your grandmother (it's your grandmother too). I agree with the Luv2trav. I would reschedule the trip. I can't see myself enjoying Disney knowing that someone dear is terminally ill. Disney will always be there but she won't.

 

[JulyGirl]

I wouldn't go. Looking at your extensive trips to Disney, I don't think this will impact you much. I was very close to my grandma and I could not go on vacation if she were near death and I am lucky if I can go to Disney once a year. I know everyone has different experiences though.

 

[daisy_77]

Sorry about your situation~
I don't see why Disney would not refund your trip. Last year, when I found out I was pregnant, my due date was 4 days after we were to leave for our trip. We had paid for the trip except for the airfare. Disney refunded every last dime and they were SOOOO nice about it, too.

 

[The Edge]

Let's see......Take my FIFTH trip to Disney this year, or spend the last few moments of my grandma's life with her? This is obviously not a once in a lifetime trip for you.

I know when my grandmother was alive, she would have said the same thing..."Go, have fun.", "Don't worry about me." There's no way I would have done it. If you and your wife are comfortable knowing that you may get that "call" during your trip, then go.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

alohaguy did not ask for our opinions about whether he should go or not. He only needs to know how Disney handles refunds in the event of an emergency. Some of the posters have been a bit too harsh.

((HUGS)) to you and your wife. I think Disney will be understanding in the event of a death in your family.