Help me through my free dining sadness

[all4disney98]

Hi - I am so upset right now.

I have been planning and planning the last couple of months in hopes of free dining. I was on hold last Monday morning for 122 minutes and got the resort of choice, all of my ADRs including CRT 8:20 breakfast for my little princess. Everything went so well, until this morning...

My husband called and said his boss has to now deny our vacation because a woman he works with just announced she is due in August and he wants him in the office. There is no rescheduling because she is going to take a few months off and free dining was the only way we could afford to go.

I can't believe this. I know there are horrible things that have happened in this world and I am very happy to have my family and a roof over my head etc. But the disappointment is horrible. :sad2

I told my husband he has to be the one to cancel everything because I just can't do it.

 

[Disney Ron]

I'm so sorry to hear that especially for your princess, but hopefully free dining will be offered again next year, and your family will be able to take advantage of it.

 

[canwegosoon]

So sorry that is happening to you(you can't go in September?) I had to cancel 2 years ago and was so bummed too.

 

[Disney Fans]

What would happend if you DH told his boss that this trip was already paid for? And your DH already had the dates app. from boss, then why isn't the boss making up the time off needed?
Yes I can understand also needing off for baby, but that ment that she knew the baby was coming last Dec/earlyJan for an Aug due date? I know this because I also have a Aug. baby. This just goes to show you there are more and more companies that want you to be faithful to them but not Visa versa?
I have been a manager for many years and I hate bosses like this that aren't considering everyones views before making thinking about all ways of making everyone happy. That is one of the main points of being a good boss.
I really feel for you!!!

 

[angeleigh]

I am so sorry that you have to cancel. here's hoping next year they have free dining again.

 

[TheRatPack]

I'm sorry you have to cancel. We had to do this last year during free dining. We booked it based on the previous years calendar of schools and it turned out that their fall break was actually a week later I was so bummed....it was paid for and all our ADRs were made. We only had to buy MNSSHP tickets

Maybe you can put the money from your current ressie towards a later vacation? It may not have free dining but you could still book one or two of your favorite meals that you really wanted and then take snacks for breakfast...etc.

 

[CanadianGuy]

Perhaps -- and I'm just thinking out side the box here .. you should keep the reservation till the 47 or 46 day mark and if the boss is still saying the same thing at that time -- then cancel at that point.

Keep the hope alive and maybe some pixie dust will come your way between now and that 45 day mark?

Knox

 

[NHWX]

That really reeks! There's no hope on the work front, I take it? The work can't be put off or a temp hired or anything else? What would have happened if you'd already paid for the vacation? Can he save some of the vacation time for next year so you can have longer trip?

Can he take one day off and make a four day trip over Labor Day? We've flown out on a Friday night and back on a Monday or Tuesday night. You and your husband will be mighty tired but it's doable.

If you won't need some of the money for a different trip, how about putting it in a 9 month CD? That way it'll be saved and ready for next year.

I feel for you - I'm currently trying to get my highly focused husband to forecast his workload for the next couple of months. His work is unlikely to say "No, you can't go" but they could very well say "You'll still have to work from the road." Which, btw, we've done also. Is your husband's job one that with a laptop, a cell phone and a bunch of cables, he can work on the road?

NHWX

 

[ZephyrHawk]

#1- What is the vacation policy at your DH's work. Get his contract out. If it's not in there, check an employee handbook (if he has one). If its not in there, have him ask HR directly.

#2- Isn't there anyone else who can cover for this woman for 1 week?

#3- Did he already put in for the time and, if so, was it granted. This is probably a no-go, but it's a thought.

Never assume that what your employer tells you is policy is actually policy.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

All the above posts were great please keep us informed and sending you some Be hopeful

 

[gonemousin']

So let me get this straight...his boss initially approved the vacation time, but is now denying it? Because he doesn't have backup for when an employee is out on maternity leave?? How can the boss expect your DH to not be in the office that entire coworker's "few months" of maternity leave?? He's being unreasonable in my opinion. I don't blame you for being frustrated and disappointed. I'd gently push back on the boss to see if he changes his mind...maybe he's really stressed out by the short notice announcement of this employee. We've had folks in our office hold off announcing their pregnancies until they're no longer able to hide it, giving us about 3 months to prepare for their absence - very stressful. So it's possible that he's making rash decisions right now. Don't cancel yet...

 

[CarolA]

Folks while the HR policy may say something different some of you seem to think that a DISNEY vacation is worth screwing up your job for. I mean if the Husband's boss is FORCED to allow him to take the week off by the "tactics" on here there will be payback. Plan on no promotions etc. After all, priorities were made clear. Disney vacation vs job....

I would not push it as much as most posters on here seem to think you should!

 

[MEK]

Do you have a mom, sister, or friend to go with? I know it's not the same, but it seems such a shame to cancel. I hope you get a little picky dust in the near future. I couldn't bring myself to cancel either.

Good lucK!

 

[rlduvall]

Folks while the HR policy may say something different some of you seem to think that a DISNEY vacation is worth screwing up your job for. I mean if the Husband's boss is FORCED to allow him to take the week off by the "tactics" on here there will be payback. Plan on no promotions etc. After all, priorities were made clear. Disney vacation vs job....

I would not push it as much as most posters on here seem to think you should!

I totally agree. While I would be very upset if this happened to me, I would never jeopardize my job for a Disney trip; whether the company was right or wrong.

 

[CarolA]

I totally agree. While I would be very upset if this happened to me, I would never jeopardize my job for a Disney trip; whether the company was right or wrong.

I have had to cancel a vacation because of work. I didn't like it, but I understood. Long term being a team player has paid off. Short term vs long term goals....

 

[all4disney98]

Thanks everyone for making me feel better.

I just feel like if I had known this a week earlier it would have saved so much heartache. I had some really good reservations (Le Cellier, CRT, Ohana, etc) and really good times so maybe I will have him let me know when he cancels so that I can post it here. If there is a possiblity for someone here to enjoy them (all are ADRs for 4), it will make me feel better.

I am hoping he will wait until June because we have nothing to lose until then. I believe we get our entire deposit back up until 45 days before? Like previous posters said, you never know and maybe that pixie dust will work!!

We talked about it tonight and he feels really, really bad but says there is nothing he can do. Whenever he takes a vacation he already needs to take the beeper, cell phone and laptop with him. So at this point there is no negotiating anything more than that. Believe me, I have so many scenarios in my head of what I will say the next time they call and wake my family up at 3:00 in the morning...but knowing me it is going to come out "Oh no, you didn't wake us up. Let me get him". I guess I feel bad for any company that depends on one employee so much. They are a big, international company yet he is the only one that knows what he knows and they have never made any plans to try to change that.

He said that we can start saving again for another vacation and by May we may be able to go again. It isn't the same but, there is at least hope.

Thanks again for listening to me. I feel like such a whiner and baby but I knew you guys would understand the disappointment I am feeling. I love this place!

 

[rentayenta]

I am so sorry and know just how you feel. We had to cancel our annual Disneyland holiday trip last year. We finished building our beautiful new home in November and it made no sense to go on a pricey vacation a month after moving in. I felt whiny too knowing that people suffer real heartaches but still couldn't help to be disappointed.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I believe we get our entire deposit back up until 45 days before? Like previous posters said, you never know and maybe that pixie dust will work!!

That is correct. You can cancel up to 45 days prior to check-in and recover all of your deposit. And you're right about the pixie dust -- sometimes it shows up in the most unusual ways ... when you never expect it. Who knows.. maybe hubby will be sent to a conference in Orlando? (Well we can dream right?)

I feel your pain. I'm in a similar situation to your husband. I'm heavily relied on at work and even on a most recent trip to WDW, I still burned up a lot of cell phone minutes answering work calls 'How do I do this..or that?'

A friend said to me 'Why do you answer those?'

And I replied, "So when I go home I have a job to go home TO!?"

Knox

 

[DonaldTDuck]

He's THAT indispensible yet the only way you can afford to go is with free dining? Seems to me he should be saying, ok, pay me what I'm worth.

 

[palmickey2005]

This past November I won a trip to WDW from a local radio station. There were 10 winners that each one a trip for four (so 40 people in total) to join the radio station broadcast live from Disney World as part of the Year of a Million Dreams promo.

This was a dream prize and a blessing that yes not even my work would stop me. I even told my husband that if the managers were in my shoes and they had won something like this that they wouldn't even think twice about it...but if they would, then that's their problem. I don't work for a hospital or a school or even a company that would seriously fall apart because of one person being away for one week. It's a big company and for me this was BIGGER...this was a $6,500 trip and I wasn't going to throw it away. I would be crazy to.

Well after getting a very cold face from my supervisor...she then said she would need to ask the team leader but that it didn't look good.... Luckily the Team Leader had heard everything on the radio the day before and said "yes, she can go". I then thanked the Team Leader for understanding. She replied, "I would never expect you to give up the trip" and also "take lots of pictures". She also said that as a business they can accomodate for these things, people do get sick and the unexpected happens too.

I know my situation was a little different as I couldn't change the dates at all...and also eveyone's job is different.

I do like my job for now, but I also can't say that I'll work there forever ??? Honestly I really don't know that. But I do know that that my family and I will have memories from that one week that will last forever.

I'm still working there, the week came and went and the company survived....who knew ?

Good Luck! I hope everything works out for you and your family.