Must Call to Cancel? I am deaf

[jamescanuck2001]

A few times in the past I have canceled Disney resort reservations online without issue. I have a yacht club reservation that can be refunded in full if canceled by Jan 25. So today I logged on to cancel as my dad who is 84 is unwell.

What a surprise to find that the online cancelation feature is unavailable and I must call to cancel.

But I am deaf and cannot use the phone!

I have messaged disabilityservices, no response so far and they may not act in time or may not be able to cancel on my behalf.

Shame on Disney for not allowing online cancelation up to the free cancelation date (8 days prior)

 

[Minnie1222]

Have you tried the Live Chat function?

 

[Psymonds]

A few times in the past I have canceled Disney resort reservations online without issue. I have a yacht club reservation that can be refunded in full if canceled by Jan 25. So today I logged on to cancel as my dad who is 84 is unwell.

What a surprise to find that the online cancelation feature is unavailable and I must call to cancel.

But I am deaf and cannot use the phone!

I have messaged disabilityservices, no response so far and they may not act in time or may not be able to cancel on my behalf.

Shame on Disney for not allowing online cancelation up to the free cancelation date (8 days prior)

beyond the accessibility issues, I also find it generally disrespectful to me and my time. I just cancelled a reservation because of a change in our plans and I had to call, wait on hold for 10 minutes and wait for the person to cancel what I can cancel online anywhere else. She did make a show of making sure I didn't need anything moved over from one reservation to another, but frankly I was 9 months out and shouldn't need my hand held to cancel a hotel.

 

[Mle8308]

beyond the accessibility issues, I also find it generally disrespectful to me and my time. I just cancelled a reservation because of a change in our plans and I had to call, wait on hold for 10 minutes and wait for the person to cancel what I can cancel online anywhere else. She did make a show of making sure I didn't need anything moved over from one reservation to another, but frankly I was 9 months out and shouldn't need my hand held to cancel a hotel.

Sounds like the CM was offering good customer service to me.....

 

[Psymonds]

Sounds like the CM was offering good customer service to me.....

they definitely were and I even stayed on to give them high marks.. it's not their fault.

I just should not need to call to cancel in this situation, I should be able to cancel on the website I booked on. In making me call to cancel, Disney's making the decision that my 15 minutes is not valuable to them because it took 15 minutes longer to do it their way.

It's a poorly structured system, probably intentionally aimed at making it harder to cancel.

Not the end of the world but my 2 cents.

 

[Psymonds]

also I don't want to hijack OP's thread, I agree there should be a workaround for OP and others for whom the phone is not easily used.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Well, after telling WDW disability services I cannot use the phone to cancel the reservation, the below is what they responded with:

Dear Dale‍,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida!

While we would love to be able to assist you, our email department does not have the ability to access the reservation system.

For assistance with reservations booked directly with the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, please call Disney Travel Operations at 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639) and one of our Cast Members would be happy to assist you from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time, seven days a week.

For security purposes, we will ask for verification on all reservations that you wish to modify. Please have the following information available for each booking: First and last name of the lead Guest, physical address, and reservation number.

If your reservation was booked via a Travel Agent or other third-party company, you will want to contact them directly for these changes.

Kindest regards,

At this point, maybe I should knock on a neighbour's door, see if they can call for me?

 

[Karin1984]

Well, after telling WDW disability services I cannot use the phone to cancel the reservation, the below is what they responded with:

Dear Dale‍,

Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida!

While we would love to be able to assist you, our email department does not have the ability to access the reservation system.

For assistance with reservations booked directly with the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, please call Disney Travel Operations at 407-W-DISNEY (407-934-7639) and one of our Cast Members would be happy to assist you from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., Eastern Time, seven days a week.

For security purposes, we will ask for verification on all reservations that you wish to modify. Please have the following information available for each booking: First and last name of the lead Guest, physical address, and reservation number.

If your reservation was booked via a Travel Agent or other third-party company, you will want to contact them directly for these changes.

Kindest regards,

At this point, maybe I should knock on a neighbour's door, see if they can call for me?

This is the sign that the agent didn't read your request, understand it or it was AI.

Telling a person to call when they hust explained to you that they can't... It would result in a complaint from me.

But I understand you want to have this handled, so maybe yeah, a neighbour/friend/family member etc might be a quicker solution.

 

[lanejudy]

Do you have a TTY phone? Or access to one? I found this number, though I'm not sure what department it is but maybe they can transfer you if necessary.

by calling Disney World Resort Information at:

• TTY: (407) 827-5141

If that isn't an option for you, I'd go back to the CHAT online and if you get a similar response as above reply immediately that you have a disability and cannot use the phone.

One other thought...is it possible you booked via a travel agent, even something like Costco, Expedia, etc. If so, that TA must do the cancellation for you.

 

[team bradfield]

Online chat is an AI bot, it will tell you to call

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Do you have a TTY phone? Or access to one? I found this number, though I'm not sure what department it is but maybe they can transfer you if necessary.

by calling Disney World Resort Information at:

• TTY: (407) 827-5141

If that isn't an option for you, I'd go back to the CHAT online and if you get a similar response as above reply immediately that you have a disability and cannot use the phone.

One other thought...is it possible you booked via a travel agent, even something like Costco, Expedia, etc. If so, that TA must do the cancellation for you.

No TTY. Hardly anyone has a home phone these days.

Booked directly through WDW website. Apparently the only way to cancel is by phone.

 

[lanejudy]

No TTY. Hardly anyone has a home phone these days.

Booked directly through WDW website. Apparently the only way to cancel is by phone.

Most cellphones today have ability to do TTY using a 711 relay.

 

[Let's Get Kronk]

No TTY. Hardly anyone has a home phone these days.

Booked directly through WDW website. Apparently the only way to cancel is by phone.

Is there somewhere for the general public to file a complaint with Disney about this? I am hearing myself, but I have several friends who are deaf and it infuriates me that in 2025 there is no video option with a CM who knows ASL to help for phone-in issues.

 

[Genie+]

Are you familiar with this?

https://srvcanadavrs.ca/en/resource... for Deaf,time interpretation for these calls.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Most cellphones today have ability to do TTY using a 711 relay.

trying this. i'm in canada, there might be a different system

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Are you familiar with this?

https://srvcanadavrs.ca/en/resources/resource-centre/faq/#:~:text=Canada VRS is for Deaf,time interpretation for these calls.

View attachment 932493

no but will give it a try. have never had a need until now, as anything i booked online, i could go back and cancel online. *** disney?

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Are you familiar with this?

https://srvcanadavrs.ca/en/resources/resource-centre/faq/#:~:text=Canada VRS is for Deaf,time interpretation for these calls.

View attachment 932493

doesnt work for me, i dont use ASL

 

[jamescanuck2001]

So I sent in a registration form to use IP Relay (Canadian service), says 24 to 48 hrs for processing, lol. Being Friday, I doubt someone gets around to adding me to the service before Monday. Would be too late.

I'm sorry, but Disney removing the option to cancel online, as the cancellation date gets closer, is simply predatory.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

Dear James Smith,

Thank you for Registering for the Virgin Plus IP Relay Service.

Your Request is under review.

An email notification will be sent to you once your request has been approved or denied.
If your registration is approved, your confirmation email will also contain your 9 digit IP Relay access number, which you will need to access the service.
Please allow 24 – 48 hours for processing.


Your IP Relay team

 

[lanejudy]

That must be a Canadian thing, or maybe the international call.

Try CHAT again. I just did and this is what I asked:

• How can a deaf person cancel a reservation?

The response was:

• I'll be happy to help!
• Please give me a moment to research that for you.

[pause about 5 minutes]​

• In order for me to further assist with your request, I will need some additional information. With your permission, I will send you a separate form for you to provide that information. Please provide the information only through the separate form and not in this chat window. The information you provide through the form will not be displayed in this chat window and will not be retained after this chat session ends. Would you like me to send you this form to proceed?

And then the form arrived via chat -- but I disconnected since I don't have a reservation to cancel.

Good luck!

(FYI...I had to cancel a ski resort reservation by phone, so it's not just Disney)