It's official... one of us isn't going and not sure what to do with ticket!!

[moopdog]

I've been posting here and there about stepDD13 possibly not going. It's now official she has decided not to go, and her mother and father both agree with it so it's final. LONG story that I won't go into... just know that it's best she stays and that it was HER (dd13) idea to stay, etc. We're not evil parents - I personally wish she was going but I have no say in this as I'm "just the STEPmother

Anyway - on to my multiple questions... I called Delta last night and they confirmed that I'm out of luck as far as her airfare is concerned. Non transferable/non refundable. So right there - we're taking a $220 loss.

When we arrive to WDW and explain that one of us isn't there, we will be charged a $60 "change" fee and then get the rest of her ticket money back not sure exactly how much but we bought her a 7-day base ticket.

I feel like I'm missing something here though. There must be a way to avoid this loss of money at the park or to "benefit" from a bad situation (her not going). I know that we COULD just take her ticket and not use it, therefore it would still be good for anytime she went in the future, right? If we did that we'd actually have more meal credits to use during our trip (free dining plan) but WAY TOO many credits for us to use - we'd give lots away.

Or we COULD ask my SIL to join us down there for all or part of the trip and she could use my DD13's meal credits and ticket right? How would that work... how would they know or not know who's who (in other words that it's not our DD)? Not trying to beat a system - just trying to get what we paid for so to speak... make the best of it and maybe have a sitter on hand for part of the trip. Haven't mentioned it to SIL because we think we might just want to be alone & enjoy the kids. But she flies for free (my brother works for Delta) and her trip would basically be paid for if she could use the ticket/meal plan that was intended for DD.

Sorry for the rambling... what would YOU DO??

 

[kaytieeldr]

Either way - accept her ticket, DON'T use it for park admission but DO use it for meals, that way you can maybe get a couple of Signature Dining meals (California Grill, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Jiko, etc) outside the parks, and save her ticket for use another time.
Or, if you think your SIL would be interested and able to come, AND willing to babysit on occasion, go ahead and invite her! Um, you do have enough hotel space for all of you, right?

 

[SnackyStacky]

A couple of things to think about:

If you sister-in-law can go: You STILL would have to make a change to your reservation. Disney charges $10 at the value resorts, $15 at the moderate resorts, and $25 at the deluxe resorts per 3rd and 4th adult in the room per night. So while your ticketing and dining price would remain unchanged, your room rate would increase depending on how many nights you're staying and which level of resort you're staying at. I *THINK* (but I'm not positive) the change fee is waived if your package rate goes up. So you would simply pay for the extra person, and possibly not the change fee.

If you remove your step daughter, you still have to pay the change fee, but that may be cheaper than changing your step daughter's spot from a junior rate to an adult rate.

All of this is moot if you're more than 21 days from arrival. If you're more than 21 days from arrival, there shouldn't be a change fee.

 

[moopdog]

We leave in 3 days! We're staying at POP for 3 nights then OKW for 5 nights....so we'd probably invite SIL for the nights at OKW since there's more room and that way we'd have a few days of alone time with kids... then we'd be ready for a couple of nights "out".

 

[Hopefully]

What size room do you have at OKW? Are any of your children under 3 and need a crib. IF you have a one bedroom at OKW, I think you would have lots of room, but if you have a studio, it might be an issue of exceeding the maximum # of guests per room, plus it could be crowded.

 

[moopdog]

On the phone with WDW right now... they say if we want credit back for ticket we have to call and do it over phone prior to trip not in person (too late then).

They also said that we CAN change the ticket/meal to an adult if we want for a $10/night fee - no change fee.

She said we CAN'T pick the ticket up upon arrival and then arrival and then just hold it in our wallet for next year to use for our DD13 then because "it's a package" she kept saying. Telling me that it was hard to describe but said there would be no actual ticket to put away...they're all together as a package. It was hard to understand too! So I said "so you're telling me that I can't wait and use her ticket in a year when we go again?!" And she said "no, I don't THINK so!".... so in other words she has no clue. This was after being on hold twice while she conferred with guest services.

I guess our options are:

Cancel in the next 2 days and get some money back or
Have SIL go and pay the $10 per night fee....

Anyone see another way??

 

[Lewisc]

OF COURSE YOU CAN use the ticket in the future. Technically only your DD can use it but a finger scan won't be done until it's first used. You'll get a room key with her name on it. That room key is her ticket. You just have to remember not to throw the room key out. Guest services will actually give you a park pass sleeve you can put the room key in so you'll remember it's also park admission.

 

[jann1033]

i've been reading your unfortunate saga and wondered if they would let you keep the ticket since you have the dining( in other words it's all on the room key which had dates on them as to when they were good last time we went . i am guessing it would be like you would be using some of her part of the package) it would seem like it you use any of it it would all expire after 14 days when the other parts of the package do ( assuming you have expiring passes).. if kind of stinks either way.

 

[GoldenOldie]

...She said we CAN'T pick the ticket up upon arrival and then arrival and then just hold it in our wallet for next year to use for our DD13 then because "it's a package" she kept saying. Telling me that it was hard to describe but said there would be no actual ticket to put away...they're all together as a package. It was hard to understand too! So I said "so you're telling me that I can't wait and use her ticket in a year when we go again?!" And she said "no, I don't THINK so!".... so in other words she has no clue. This was after being on hold twice while she conferred with guest services...

The ticket doesn't physically exist until you check in. The ticket will be issued on the DD13's resort ID (or on your SIL's if you change). It is not a separate ticket. It can definitely be held and used on your next trip. The clock on the park admissions will not start ticking until first use of the ticket for an admission, even if it's next year. It works the exact same way as the one day tickets that folks put on the MYW free dining package when they have AP's and then do not use until next time.

The ticket portion is the only part you can save and use next time. You cannot save the meal credits. They will expire at midnight of your last trip day on the package.

 

[pamouselover]

so sorry...

 

[moopdog]

The ticket doesn't physically exist until you check in. The ticket will be issued on the DD13's resort ID (or on your SIL's if you change). It is not a separate ticket. It can definitely be held and used on your next trip. The clock on the park admissions will not start ticking until first use of the ticket for an admission, even if it's next year. It works the exact same way as the one day tickets that folks put on the MYW free dining package when they have AP's and then do not use until next time.

The ticket portion is the only part you can save and use next time. You cannot save the meal credits. They will expire at midnight of your last trip day on the package.

So are you saying the CM is wrong? Can I attempt this... (holding ticket until next year and keeping quiet that she's not with us, etc.) or will I burn my butt, lose our money and NOT have a ticket in the end?

 

[SnackyStacky]

So are you saying the CM is wrong? Can I attempt this... (holding ticket until next year and keeping quiet that she's not with us, etc.) or will I burn my butt, lose our money and NOT have a ticket in the end?

You can absolutely still use the ticket next year.

With Magic Your Way, the ticket is no longer tied to your resort stay. BEFORE Magic Your Way, tickets were inextricably linked to your resort stay, and expired at midnight on the day you checked out.

Now, it's just a ticket.

You will be fine.

GoldenOldie is the ticket queen. She would never steer you wrong!

 

[DisneyWisher]

My family has APs but we wanted to do the free dining. I was able to by buying 1 day tickets for each person in our room (myself, DD12, and DBF). Since we had forgotten on APs (Usually they are kept in my suitcase all the time but DD12 went to visit her father over the summer and I took them out and forgot to pack them oops) so we went to Guest Services to get new APs. While we were there I asked if the 1 day tickets would be good even if we didn't use them for a year. The CM said "Yes!". Now since she actually works at the park I'm guessing she would know better than the person taking reservations over the phone. Since we have also recently bought USO APs we will probably not be buying Disney APs for at least a year but we'll save our 1 day tickets for when they open the new ride at AK next year. Our current Disney APs expire in March.


Just make sure you put DStepDaughter's ticket safely away and that no one uses it by mistake.

 

[srfrgrl07]

The ticket can be used in the future but not the dining as previously mentioned. Taking your SIL would be ideal because then nothing "goes to waste" but it is going to cost more because of the extra adult charge.

1) the extra adult charge would be $25 x 5 nights= $125.00
2) the 7 day base ticket is $199 x .065 (sales tax)= $211.94
3) the dining is $34.99 per night. Not sure if you have it for all 8 nights, but it adds up.

You can cancel the extra person for $60. Or you can pay a little more and add a "babysitter" for part of the time as well as enjoy some extra time with your SIL. That decision is up to you.

Either way, I would remove or switch the name because by leaving the stepdaughter on there you are securing a 7 day ticket for $211.94 but losing the $34.99 per night on dining unless you use them yourselves this trip, and that's alot of food that I personally could not consume!

 

[MrsNick]

moopdog, i know you can't get a refund on the airfare, but you should get a credit for the amount, good for one year from the original purchase date. I know because DH and I had to cancel a trip at the last moment on Song Airline. The credit was good for Song or Delta. The ticket agent will give you a confirmation #, which you will need when you call back to reserve another ticket. So, if DSD is going on another trip, this airfare will be good towards the new trip. Even if you don't know when the next time DSD is going to travel, at least make them give you the credit. Why let a $220 credit go to waste? The only thing you will have to pay is a change fee, and you don't pay the change fee until you reserve a new ticket under her name.

Good luck!

 

[moopdog]

moopdog, i know you can't get a refund on the airfare, but you should get a credit for the amount, good for one year from the original purchase date. I know because DH and I had to cancel a trip at the last moment on Song Airline. The credit was good for Song or Delta. The ticket agent will give you a confirmation #, which you will need when you call back to reserve another ticket. So, if DSD is going on another trip, this airfare will be good towards the new trip. Even if you don't know when the next time DSD is going to travel, at least make them give you the credit. Why let a $220 credit go to waste? The only thing you will have to pay is a change fee, and you don't pay the change fee until you reserve a new ticket under her name.

Good luck!

Yep - I actually knew that. But to us it really is a waste because DD13 will never go for another plane trip within the next year
Thanks for the info though.... I will definitely get the credit "just in case".