Need Some Advice on Possibly Canceling

[DisneyStarWisher]

I am so confused as to what to do! I need some advice, please.

I have had a Christmas trip booked since January for my DH and me. I was able to get 3 nights in an AKV value studio. Then when the segmented reservations disappeared, I waitlisted for a Boardwalk standard studio for the last night instead. It came through within a week. Exactly 30 days out from the trip, my father-in-law (who is an Alzheimer's patient) fell at home, and it wasn't until the next day that they discovered he had a bruising/bleeding on the brain. He stayed in the hospital for a week, then moved to a rehab center. After a week there, he contracted pneumonia, and he is back in the hospital. He still has bleeding on the brain and is now having seizures. The doctors feel like he will overcome this though. My mother-in-law has decided to bring him home as soon as he is released, and she will drive him to rehab each day. Because of all of this, my DH has decided not to go on the trip because he wants to be here to help with his father. He wants me to still go though. I think it will be safe to go, but I'm having trouble finding anyone to go with me. Everyone either already has plans or are out of money this close to the holidays.

So it looks like here are my options:
1. Go solo. I really don't think I can do this. Any other time of the year, sure. But this is my first Christmas trip, and I want to share it with someone I'm close to.
2. Take one of my kids. I have a CP package for 2 and this is one of the main reasons I was going on the trip, to see the CP. If I take both of my kids, I will have to cancel it. There are no reservations for 3 to be found. Plus I want this to be a stress-free trip, and I'm not sure it will be with both of my kids, even though they are 15 and 13! One wants to go; the other does not. But I'm still afraid there will some jealousy there.
3. I just talked to MS, and they said they could see about an exception and let me bank the points. I would get to bank 27 points and I would lose 1 borrowed point. I'm just afraid that this will be the only exception I will ever get, and then one day, when a much larger amount of points are on the line, I will lose them.

Does anyone have any suggestions???

 

[hakepb]

Sorry for DH's family.

Another option would be renting the reservation. I think Dis allows you to rent those reserved days within 30 days of arrival as those are "distressed" points.
($ only considered this may be your best option especially since you have a popular category/time)

I think you can rent or transfer holding points. You may want to check with Dave's rental..

 

[DebbieB]

I would talk to member services. There have been reports of them waiving the holding restrictions in cases like this.

 

[maburke]

I am so confused as to what to do! I need some advice, please.
...
2. Take one of my kids. I have a CP package for 2 and this is one of the main reasons I was going on the trip, to see the CP. If I take both of my kids, I will have to cancel it. There are no reservations for 3 to be found. Plus I want this to be a stress-free trip, and I'm not sure it will be with both of my kids, even though they are 15 and 13! One wants to go; the other does not. But I'm still afraid there will some jealousy there.
...
Does anyone have any suggestions???

I would think about taking the kid who does want to go. Plan something else for just you and the one who doesn't want to go, so they each get some special time with you.

And so sorry about your FIL.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I would talk to member services. There have been reports of them waiving the holding restrictions in cases like this.

Yes, I did call them. They acted like they could waive the points. I'm just afraid it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I don't know if I want to use my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on only 27 points.

 

[Song of the South]

I think it would be totally awesome to present it to your kids as, "Kiddo A you want to go on this trip with me and I love that idea. Kiddo B be thinking about the special trip you and I can take next year."

For Kiddo B would star wars weekend, food and wine, flower show, universal??? be appealing for a trip next year or in 2 years? If it is the older one who doesn't want to go maybe doing a special excursion while college hunting instead of DVC? Or something for when older kiddo is 24 and wants to be with Mom and Dad again? It can be fair for the special thing to be awhile down the road. Needs and wants change.

As for the jealousy, well, sure, but if the kiddo said he/she wasn't interested it is a life lesson, right?

All the best and while I'm sorry you are in the situation with your father-in-law I think it sounds like an awesome bonding opportunity with your kiddos.
I wish you all the best!
SotS

 

[disprincessatheart]

Yes, I did call them. They acted like they could waive the points. I'm just afraid it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and I don't know if I want to use my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on only 27 points.

I don't think it works that way. Yes, if you had something like this come up a lot I'm sure they would not keep helping, but I don't think if you had an issue in the future that warranted an exception they would refuse because you had an exception once before. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Well, here's an update. My FIL is in a rehab center and seems to be doing better right now. I'm not sure though if he will ever get to come home. My MIL has been having chest pains and went for a stress test today. She's had open-heart surgery before. We won't know the results until next Wednesday, which is when I am expected to return home. My DH is still insisting that I go, so right now, I am planning on taking my DS15. My DS13 still does not want to go since it's such a short trip with few opportunities to fish, which is all he wants to do at WDW. My older son loves to fish more, but he enjoys the attractions as well. I hope one day I can get my DS13 to go on a trip to WDW with me, but I will have to bribe him and allow more time to fish! I don't think the jealousy will be an issue since DS13 just got to go to Chicago a couple of months ago. We will see!

 

[dgaston]

I hope you and your son will have a very magical trip! Enjoy all the decorations, music, and the castle and Osborne lights for me!

And I hope your husband's family does well with their health challenges, too.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

Thanks for all the advice and well-wishes. My DS15 and I just returned home yesterday. We had a great trip! I'm glad I didn't end up canceling.

 

[thepops]

Glad to hear it worked out!

 

[maburke]

So glad to hear it! Continued good wishes with the family health issues.