Live in the U.S. but booked a package with my adult children who live in the U.K.

[Belle5]

I have a question for those of you who usually book packages through disneyholidays.co.uk. Always desperate to see our little grand daughter, our son and DIL, we agreed to let our U.K. family book a package for a week with free dining, tickets, etc. at Saratoga Springs resort. It was a very good deal. We have had some terrible medical expenses since that time and think that my DH needs total knee replacement. Our expected portion of that surgery is the same amount we are paying for the Disney trip. We have not mentioned it yet to our kids, but DH is thinking we will need to back out of the trip. There would be four of us backing out (DH, DS20, DS14 and me). If I remember correctly, the fee for backing out is a penalty of about $200 (U.S.) per person. That is something we have never had to pay when booking through the U.S. Disney site, so it stunned me when my DIL mentioned it. Here is my area of concern. We booked a 2 bedroom unit. If we back out (and pay our $800 to do so), would my son and DIL have to pay the extra themselves to stay in that 2 bedroom unit if they didn't also want to be penalized with change fees? The way we agreed to divide up the package was the package total divided by 6 (our grand daughter is not charged). We would pay for 4/6 of the package, they would pay for 2/6. I am concerned that their cost would go way up if they are left in a two bedroom that they don't need. DIL paid cash for the package and agreed we would pay them in October. Even if we pay our penalty, that still leaves the large room cost all on them. I am really hoping we don't have to back out but wanted to get your thoughts based on experience with these packages before mentioning it to our DIL and son. Would Disney move them to a studio or one bedroom? Would they need to just pay their own $400 (we would pay, of course) and re-book a new package which would now have no free dining? Or pay the $400 to change to a smaller room and keep the same package? This is all a terrible thought! I hope it doesn't come to this but I am worried...

 

[Woodview]

Hang in there ... do not give up .

I have had a left knee replacement done 3 weeks ago , 5th September ,

Out of hospital on Saturday 9th ...... staples 25 out on Thursday 21st ( My age 70+ )

Cost .......... Total cost covered by Irish Health Insurance .

..................

Now Depending on When the Knee Replacement is done walking with

2 crutches will be for 6 weeks & NO Driving for that time .

....................

Why not stick with your vacation & use a Wheelchair or Mobility Scooter ( First in Q )

Money will come from somewhere ....

Think Positive

 

[disneyholic family]

Woodview, it sounds like their problem is the cost of the surgery, not the timing of it and mobility...
they live in the US where medical expenses can be astronomical....(unlike the situation for those of us living under socialized medicine)..

Belle5 - if you mean that all 6 of you are in one two bedroom unit, then i assume you are all under one reservation.
If you are all under one reservation, and if there is only that two bedroom unit available - then i guess they would either have to try to switch to a studio, instead of the 2 bedroom....and if that isn't available for the free dining, they'll either have to cancel entirely or pay for the entire 2 bedroom...

i have to go read the terms and conditions - as i don't remember (we were there on the same package this past august)..

yes you're right that the disneyUk packages are extremely draconian in their cancellation rules....that was one of the reasons i was very hesitant to book with them..

i don't know how much wiggle room they have when it's a medical issue...

.

 

[Belle5]

yes you're right that the disneyUk packages are extremely draconian in their cancellation rules....that was one of the reasons i was very hesitant to book with them..


.

I wonder why that is? I can understand the policy difference if you are traveling to a different Disney park outside the US, but why should any guest traveling to a US park have such severe penalties (penalties US vacationers do not have to pay on a WDW package)? I will say, the UK prices for a WDW package are far more reasonable than the prices US citizens are given. I guess it's a trade-off!

 

[disneyholic family]

I wonder why that is? I can understand the policy difference if you are traveling to a different Disney park outside the US, but why should any guest traveling to a US park have such severe penalties (penalties US vacationers do not have to pay on a WDW package)? I will say, the UK prices for a WDW package are far more reasonable than the prices US citizens are given. I guess it's a trade-off!

i guess they don't want people making reservations and then cancelling as happens with the US reservations...

we're americans who live overseas (expats i guess, but i hate that term)...
i've looked at those packages over the years really wanting to do them, but planning a year in advance is usually very hard for us..
so i was terrified of those penalties..

this year i took the chance, though i worried..
in the end it worked out..

and saratoga springs is a wonderful resort....and yes, the disneyuk free dining package is a good bargain there...

but it is a trade off.....those penalties are tough..

i should say that i've seen people post here that they've been able to postpone a package to another date when there have been medical issues..

but i don't know if that was a special case, or if they do that..

it's something you might want to consider if it's possible...

maybe to allow you to save up some money to cover it...

i think you'll have to speak directly with disneyUK to see what the options are in the event you do have to cancel...
whether switching dates is possible...or switching rooms...etc...

.

 

[disneyholic family]

by the way, regarding the knee replacement - if you haven't, i strongly recommend you get a second and even a third opinion before you do anything.

Orthopedic surgery is notorious for having differing opinions among surgeons as to what the proper treatment is.

.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Disney UK will usually allow you to move your package to another date providing you give them enough notice (56 days I think but you'd need to check to be sure). They will usually charge a £50 administrative fee unless the new package is more expensive in which case they usually waive the fee. Best to speak to them and ask in person giving them the various scenarios in your case. Good luck

 

[disneyholic family]

I have a question for those of you who usually book packages through disneyholidays.co.uk. Always desperate to see our little grand daughter, our son and DIL, we agreed to let our U.K. family book a package for a week with free dining, tickets, etc. at Saratoga Springs resort. It was a very good deal. We have had some terrible medical expenses since that time and think that my DH needs total knee replacement. Our expected portion of that surgery is the same amount we are paying for the Disney trip. We have not mentioned it yet to our kids, but DH is thinking we will need to back out of the trip. There would be four of us backing out (DH, DS20, DS14 and me). If I remember correctly, the fee for backing out is a penalty of about $200 (U.S.) per person. That is something we have never had to pay when booking through the U.S. Disney site, so it stunned me when my DIL mentioned it. Here is my area of concern. We booked a 2 bedroom unit. If we back out (and pay our $800 to do so), would my son and DIL have to pay the extra themselves to stay in that 2 bedroom unit if they didn't also want to be penalized with change fees? The way we agreed to divide up the package was the package total divided by 6 (our grand daughter is not charged). We would pay for 4/6 of the package, they would pay for 2/6. I am concerned that their cost would go way up if they are left in a two bedroom that they don't need. DIL paid cash for the package and agreed we would pay them in October. Even if we pay our penalty, that still leaves the large room cost all on them. I am really hoping we don't have to back out but wanted to get your thoughts based on experience with these packages before mentioning it to our DIL and son. Would Disney move them to a studio or one bedroom? Would they need to just pay their own $400 (we would pay, of course) and re-book a new package which would now have no free dining? Or pay the $400 to change to a smaller room and keep the same package? This is all a terrible thought! I hope it doesn't come to this but I am worried...

i'm working on our holiday for next summer, so i've been crunching numbers (UK vs US packages).

Anyway, i've been reading through the UK terms and conditions and i'm not sure where you got the $200/person penalty if you back out.
Perhaps you read that on the US website?

again, i assume all 6 of you are on one reservation for 1 two bedroom villa at saratoga.

So since you are presumably on one reservation, if two of the six still go on the trip, then it would be an amendment, not a cancellation.
in the case of an amendment, there would be a penalty for the reduced value of the package - and they would have to see if there's a studio available for them instead of a two bedroom.
however, any amendments need to be made more than 2 months before the date of your trip, otherwise rather hefty penalties will also be incurred.
If it's more than 60 days away the penalties aren't that bad.

If there are no studios available, then presumably the 2 adults who are still going would either have to pay for the entire 2 bedroom, or cancel.

If all 6 of your cancel - that is, if the entire reservation is cancelled, the penalty will depend on how close to the date of the holiday the cancellation is made.

if it's more than 56 days away then it would be a penalty of £50 per person

if it's less than 56 days away from the holiday date the cancellation fees are as follows:

56 - 29 days away, the cancellation fee is 30% of the total price
28 - 15 days -- 40% of the total price
14 - 5 days --- 50% of the total price
less than 5 days --- 100%

but again, as has already been posted - you need to call disneyUK and explain the situation and see what can be done.

.

 

[Belle5]

i'm working on our holiday for next summer, so i've been crunching numbers (UK vs US packages).

Anyway, i've been reading through the UK terms and conditions and i'm not sure where you got the $200/person penalty if you back out.
Perhaps you read that on the US website?

again, i assume all 6 of you are on one reservation for 1 two bedroom villa at saratoga.

So since you are presumably on one reservation, if two of the six still go on the trip, then it would be an amendment, not a cancellation.
in the case of an amendment, there would be a penalty for the reduced value of the package - and they would have to see if there's a studio available for them instead of a two bedroom.
however, any amendments need to be made more than 2 months before the date of your trip, otherwise rather hefty penalties will also be incurred.
If it's more than 60 days away the penalties aren't that bad.

If there are no studios available, then presumably the 2 adults who are still going would either have to pay for the entire 2 bedroom, or cancel.

If all 6 of your cancel - that is, if the entire reservation is cancelled, the penalty will depend on how close to the date of the holiday the cancellation is made.

if it's more than 56 days away then it would be a penalty of £50 per person

if it's less than 56 days away from the holiday date the cancellation fees are as follows:

56 - 29 days away, the cancellation fee is 30% of the total price
28 - 15 days -- 40% of the total price
14 - 5 days --- 50% of the total price
less than 5 days --- 100%

but again, as has already been posted - you need to call disneyUK and explain the situation and see what can be done.

.

Is the £50 that you mentioned the penalty cost for the 2018 packages? I can't actually see the package as my DIL booked it and I'm not mentioning to her until I know more about our situation. I think she mentioned the number £150 when she was asking me if understood that would equate approximately US $200 per person. She made it sound like that would be what we would lose per person for any changes to the package. The good news is that it's looking like the knee replacement may not happen...yet. We have already paid our portion of the package so for now we are hoping all is well!

 

[disneyholic family]

Is the £50 that you mentioned the penalty cost for the 2018 packages? I can't actually see the package as my DIL booked it and I'm not mentioning to her until I know more about our situation. I think she mentioned the number £150 when she was asking me if understood that would equate approximately US $200 per person. She made it sound like that would be what we would lose per person for any changes to the package. The good news is that it's looking like the knee replacement may not happen...yet. We have already paid our portion of the package so for now we are hoping all is well!

yes, i was reading the 2018 rules as that was the package i'm currently looking at.
but it sounds much like 2017

that's GREAT that his knee is looking up.
as i said before, be very very very suspicious of any surgical recommendations when it comes to any orthopedic procedures.
Get a second, third, fourth opinion.
There are many ways to skin a cat when it comes to orthopedics, and surgery should be the last resort because the outcomes are not at all guaranteed.

i hope it works out and you all get to go on your holiday together!! i know you're going to enjoy saratoga springs!!

.

 

[Jon84]

I wonder why that is? I can understand the policy difference if you are traveling to a different Disney park outside the US, but why should any guest traveling to a US park have such severe penalties (penalties US vacationers do not have to pay on a WDW package)? I will say, the UK prices for a WDW package are far more reasonable than the prices US citizens are given. I guess it's a trade-off!

i guess they don't want people making reservations and then cancelling as happens with the US reservations...

The reason for the penalties is because it's completely standard across the industry in the UK. And it would put them in a right mess if they didn't have fees.

They don't want people to book with them just because there are no penalties and they can cancel at the drop of a hat if they find a cheaper deal elsewhere.

 

[DisneyFlora]

I think the room & tickets is £50 per person as luvpoohandcompany mentioned, and the other £100 per person is for the flights. When I had to move my package, I lost the £100 pp for flights but transferred the £50pp to the new (more expensive) reservation. So that makes the £150 per person. Hope that helps.