Is there anything I can do?

[GoofyMomInOhio]

First of all, I apologize if this is in the wrong area. Long story short - We are scheduled to check in on Oct 20th and now 3 of us are sick (some virus) and my dog is really sick. I am out of town and do not have my papers with me so I was wondering if it is too late to change our trip dates. I didn't purchase the insurance this time, probably shoud have. Will we be able to change even if we have to pay a fee? I know we would lose our free dining. Has anyone ever had this happen? What would the fee be if this is possible? BTW - we are packed and ready to go. I don't think I can leave if my dog is going to die and we are sick. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[WDWHo]

I think as close as your trip is, you will lose $200 and thats it. I am pretty sure thats correct. I would suggest you cancel. Traveling sick is horrible. We went last feb and my 8ds got sick on the way down (drove) and it was heartbreaking to see him sick the whole trip. He didnt eat anything and just sat in a stroller because he was to weak to walk. I didnt have fun at all. I couldnt even enjoy eating because he wasnt eating. I would reschedule. Hope you all feel better and your dog gets well.

 

[Kellydelly]

Three years ago we were all set to drive down for a 2 wk trip to Orlando/the Gulf and a couple hours before we were supposed to start our overnight drive one of my kids vomited. We figured we could still go, what's one sick kid out of four? So we keep packing the van and leave. Get as far as the corner gas station to fill up and a second kid pukes . So we turned around and went back to our house. The other four of us proceeded to vomit ALL NIGHT LONG. It was a huge puke fest (no idea if it was a bug or food poisoning). We woke up the next morning and rested and had crackers and gingerale all day. After a few hours puke free we figured we could "mend" on our drive down. We drove straight through and managed to only lose a couple of hours at our rental home (we usually stop overnight on our drive down but this time did not). We were all fine tummy-wise by the time we got to our destination, thankfully. I guess what you do depends on how sick you all are and how many people you may infect on your travels. Are you driving? Do you have a friend caring for your dog or is it being boarded? I don't know if you could get a refund less than a week before you are supposed to check in. Did you call Disney and ask? I think we had already purchased our Universal tickets, but I'm not sure they would have expired since they were not yet activated.

 

[Dancemom03]

If you are sick, call wdw and ask to reschedule. Typically, as long as you reschedule, they'll waive the fee b/c you're not really cancelling - but it is a courtesy decision that could vary with each individual situation so the only way you'll know is if you call to ask. If the first CM can't help you, you might try asking to speak with guest services and explaining your situation to them. If it's any consolation, I'm pretty sure you'd have lost the insurance cost even if you had purchased it, so should you lose the $200 change fee, it isn't much worse than paying travel ins fees.

Given the swine flu risks, I'm sure they'd prefer to have you at home too so that you're not infecting other guests and CMs, affecting productivity. Whether or not you can rebook with free dining may depend on when you want to reschedule for and if there's availability. I've seen it happen in previous years but I've seen it go the other way too.

Here's hoping you all feel much better soon -- doggie included...

 

[GoofyMomInOhio]

Thanks for your responses. I think with everything going on that staying home would be our best bet. We are driving down so airline tickets are not a problem. Our dog is staying with my 84 yr old grandma. My gram is scared that because the dog is 13 that she is dying. We would reschedule our vacation if possible instead of cancelling. Four of us got sick on our last trip and we know that Disney when not feeling well is not a good thing.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Go to the drug store and buy a product called Oscullium. You will find it in the cold/ flu section. It is great for the flu. When ever one of us gets the flu we take this stuff and in 24 hours we are better.

 

[Pembo]

A few years back ds got sick just days before we were to drive to FL. I called WDW in a panic and was told that I could cancel or change the dates without any penalty. Like Dancemom said, I think they'd prefer you stay home then infect other guests. Feel better and I hope your dog is okay. We lost our golden retriever at 13 1/2. It was a tough time.