Options when death in the family?

[wrighter]

My story in a nutshell:

We leave on Sunday for our much-anticipated week down in WDW. I found out last night that my grandmother, who I am very close to, is in kidney failure. If her kidneys don't respond and improve, she will likely pass within the next few days.

We're trying to be proactive, and figure out some hypothetical ways to deal with our situation. You know - hope for the best but prepare for the worst? If she does pass there is no way I would skip her services - I need to pay my respects. I live in New Jersey, but grew up in Washington (the state, not D.C.) so it will not be an easy trek. (Dealing with our airlines tix will be a whole other issue.)

My question is this: Does anyone know if Disney allows people to change their trip dates? Or use their "already paid" funds toward another trip? For example, if our resort had availability the following week, could we ask them to simply switch our dates? At this late in the game? Obviously we don't want to skip our vacation, but like I said, we want to have all avenues explored just in case. And our room has already been paid in full.

If anyone has any insight or thoughts on this I'd appreciate them. Thanks so much.

 

[Puccaw]

I have no idea about any of it but I hope that you Grandmother responds and feels better soon.

 

[spiceycat]

call Disney and ask.

if you have travel insurance - then you shouldn't have a problem.

without it - just don't know.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I'll give you my story and then you can act how you feel you should.

Last Jan. my family and I booked a 10 day trip to CBR. We spent a good amount of money on it. Fast forward to July 13th, 2007; my father was diagnosed with inoperable liver and bile duct cancer, with no guess at how long he has to live. We tenderly avoided the subject, but we went on and added the travel insurance (which I realize may not be an option for you at this point), with the thought that we might have to cancel it. We didn't want to talk about it, because to me it sounded selfish that I wanted us to go, but my dad was dying and I wanted to be with him too. I really didn't know what to do.

In Oct. my dad came home from the hospital with hospice care, having declined any further radiation treatments. We knew the end was eminent, but we still avoided talking about the issue of the trip for the family. Finally, towards the end of Oct. I asked my mom and my dad what we should do, and surprisingly they told me to NOT cancel my trip, that my kids deserve it after what we had been thru this year. (DH's father died suddenly in July, the week after my dad was diagnosed, then they watched my father deteriorate to the bedridden state that he was in. My dad was a Methodist Minister and at 82 was still preaching twice every Sunday until he got sick, so to watch him become bedridden was devastating.)

But I said what if you take a turn for the worse, or worse what if you die while I'm gone. His response was, "your mother will wait and hold the service when you get home." But I knew in my heart I couldn't have gone.

My dad died Thanksgiving weekend (and I miss him terribly). But we had his service on Sunday and my family left for Disney on Friday, with my mom's blessing. I worried about her the whole time, but my kids needed the time away from sickness and dying, so it was good for them.

Talk to your family, get their advice and finally call your grandmother, if you can't get to see her and ask her what she wants. It's her opinion you want, no one else really matters, its between you and her. Good Luck, I will be praying for you to have peace in whatever decision you make.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Well my uncle died on a Friday and we were due to check in on Sunday with no insurance. I called and they did give me a credit. (I had 2 trips booked one in June and one big one in November) I added the credit to my November trip, BUT I remember reading that they did not have to refund my money. (The CM on the phone had to get her managers approval to credit me the money). Defiantely call and ask to speak to the manager and see what they suggest you do at this point. I would just go that route first. We changed our trip by a few weeks and kept both but it was nerve wracking thinking I might loose the money for my room only reservation.

 

[61disneyfan]

Check with Disney, but this shouldn't be a problem - except if you have airfare booked.

I've been looking into changing the dates of my President's Day Week visit to some other time when it won't be so busy, and Disney has had no problem with crediting what I've already paid towards a new package.

The only difference could airfare. If you have non-refundable tickets, then you'll have to pay the "change fee." For me it varied betwee $150 and $400 for two tickets, depending on the new flights that I chose.

Good luck.

 

[PlutoPony]

Assuming availability, Disney shouldn't be a problem given what's been posted on the boards over the last few years. Your airfare will likely be an entirely different story unfortunately. There are few bereavement fares anymore so you may well be paying a last minute price for travel to the West Coast (and I do hope your Grandmother recovers and this is not needed!). Plus finding availability on flights to Orlando in the next week, if you were to reschedule your trip for then, will be tough for a reasonable price (and change fees may apply depending on the airline) It may be more economical to push your trip out further if that's an option. Again, hopefully things improve and you're able to leave Sunday

 

[attackwithnorth]

My story in a nutshell:

We leave on Sunday for our much-anticipated week down in WDW. I found out last night that my grandmother, who I am very close to, is in kidney failure. If her kidneys don't respond and improve, she will likely pass within the next few days.

We're trying to be proactive, and figure out some hypothetical ways to deal with our situation. You know - hope for the best but prepare for the worst? If she does pass there is no way I would skip her services - I need to pay my respects. I live in New Jersey, but grew up in Washington (the state, not D.C.) so it will not be an easy trek. (Dealing with our airlines tix will be a whole other issue.)

My question is this: Does anyone know if Disney allows people to change their trip dates? Or use their "already paid" funds toward another trip? For example, if our resort had availability the following week, could we ask them to simply switch our dates? At this late in the game? Obviously we don't want to skip our vacation, but like I said, we want to have all avenues explored just in case. And our room has already been paid in full.

If anyone has any insight or thoughts on this I'd appreciate them. Thanks so much.

I don't have any advice for you but you and your family are in my prayers.