OT - Won a Trip to Vegas and need some advice PLEASE :)

[mom2faith]

I posted my excitement earlier this week, but now some gliches have come up and I need some advice!

DH won a trip for 2 to Vegas on the Radio on Monday. It was for 17 hours though (ewww!!!) Supoosed to be a one night party trip with no hotel - you leave at 6pm one night and are home at 11 am the next morning.

Anyways, we asked if we could extend it at our cost and we told "yes" in an email. So, we used an airlines credit (that we would not have used before it expired otherwise) and extended the trip. Technically we are not out any money, but we are out a credit.

Not 10 minutes after we booked the non-refundable, non-transferable return flights, we got another e-mail stating that "for legal purposes" we have to leave Vegas with the group and we are unable to stay for the extended time.

Now, that big kicker is DH has not gotten the ACTUAL intinerary yet, so the only thing saying that we even have a flight there is an email. He is afraid to tell her that we have already decided to stay until Saturday for fear that she will say we forfeit the prize then.

We are thinking of just showing up at the airport and then not coming home with them - what does everyone else think?

What kind of advice do you all have?

Can they "force" us to come home with them?


(For those of you reading the "Financial Advice" thread - this trip will be paid for with extra money and not our debt repayment money or emergency money - LOL!! Just had to add that )

 

[10_Kyle_10]

Congrats on the trip! Im going in June...I remember a little while ago there was a Las Vegas section here on the Dis but I haven't been able to locate it over the last few months...any help?

 

[chalee94]

What kind of advice do you all have?

not really what you were asking but i was just reading an online article that suggested being wary of accepting travel prizes.

you are aware that you are responsible for taxes on the stated value of the prize - the IRS treats it as income - so check and make sure the value reported to the IRS by the radio station is reasonable.

- to poster number 2: it's a separate forum under disneyland: "california and the west."

 

[Thumper_Man]

I posted my excitement earlier this week, but now some gliches have come up and I need some advice!

DH won a trip for 2 to Vegas on the Radio on Monday. It was for 17 hours though (ewww!!!) Supoosed to be a one night party trip with no hotel - you leave at 6pm one night and are home at 11 am the next morning.

Anyways, we asked if we could extend it at our cost and we told "yes" in an email. So, we used an airlines credit (that we would not have used before it expired otherwise) and extended the trip. Technically we are not out any money, but we are out a credit.

Not 10 minutes after we booked the non-refundable, non-transferable return flights, we got another e-mail stating that "for legal purposes" we have to leave Vegas with the group and we are unable to stay for the extended time.

Now, that big kicker is DH has not gotten the ACTUAL intinerary yet, so the only thing saying that we even have a flight there is an email. He is afraid to tell her that we have already decided to stay until Saturday for fear that she will say we forfeit the prize then.

We are thinking of just showing up at the airport and then not coming home with them - what does everyone else think?

What kind of advice do you all have?

Can they "force" us to come home with them?


(For those of you reading the "Financial Advice" thread - this trip will be paid for with extra money and not our debt repayment money or emergency money - LOL!! Just had to add that )

Without knowing the terms and agreements of claiming the prize, it's hard to say.

I was a little confused about you using credits. If I understand this correctly, you used credits that you weren't going to use before the expiration date. Correct? If so, then it won't be a big loss if you have to cancel and lose the credits.

Can they force you to come back with them? No, but without knowing the terms and agreements, they can possibly say that by not returning with them; you forfeited your prize and they might charge you the cost for the of the flight going. As you stated, DH is afraid to tell her you've already extended the trip for fear of them forfeiting the trip. By not returning with them, you may automatically forfeit the trip anyways. I'm sure they will have some type of accounting system in place to verify that you did travel back with the group

My advice, I personally would not show up at the airport and travel with them in hopes they don't find out. It's possible they have actual tickets and will give them to you before each flight; just as way of knowing who actually made the trip each way.

Good luck on your decision.

 

[DVCBELLE]

I would contact them and say that based on the email you booked the flights and what do they suggest you do now. I would put it on them!

 

[disneylove69]

Tell them you have the email stating "yes" and now you are out of money. Can't be good publicity for them. No one can force you to go but read the documents and make sure you wouldn't forfit anything.

 

[librarygal]

That has got to be one of the worst prizes I have ever seen. One night no hotel. I am way too old for that. I would turn the prize down and go on my own longer trip. You will have to pay taxes on the inflated value.

 

[mom2faith]

That has got to be one of the worst prizes I have ever seen. One night no hotel. I am way too old for that. I would turn the prize down and go on my own longer trip. You will have to pay taxes on the inflated value.

I guess I should have clarified - I am from Canada and we do not pay taxes on prizes.

Yes, it is a horrible prize and yes I am too old for that!!

DH is going to try to get a copy of the "fine print". I appreciate all of the advice.

Thank you DISers!!

Amy

 

[everylastbreath]

Sounds like a scam to me, I would just go to Vegas myself- they aren't giving you anything...

You know the saying "if it's sounds too good to be true, it usually is", this didn't even sound good to begin with.

 

[grumpeeduck]

I do not understand the draw of "vegas". I would not go for free. I would not go if someone paid me to go. Just, ick!

 

[mom2faith]

Sounds like a scam to me, I would just go to Vegas myself- they aren't giving you anything...

You know the saying "if it's sounds too good to be true, it usually is", this didn't even sound good to begin with.

Since it is a popular radio station in our city, I do not feel it is a scam, but I do feel it is really disorganized.

We have not gotten the "Fine print" yet becuase they do not have it We won spending money too, but she does not know how much I am not sure how you can give a prize and not have a value or any information to provide the winners.

 

[mom2faith]

I do not understand the draw of "vegas". I would not go for free. I would not go if someone paid me to go. Just, ick!

I love Vegas, DH and I went there on our Honeymoon and two additional times after that (before I learned about budgetting - LOL).

I understand what you are saying though, there are places that I would NEVER go (And my brother says he would never go to Disneyworld )

 

[andrews_dad]

I do not understand the draw of "vegas". I would not go for free. I would not go if someone paid me to go. Just, ick!

Ick?? Oh my. Vegas is IT. I love me my Vegas. I used to go 4 times per year from teh East Coast, before kids. Now I have not been since Thanksgiving of 2007. I am in SUCH withdraw. I NEED my Vegas fix. As soon as the new baby is old enough to stay with Grammy, we're gone

 

[lecach]

We SAY we're not going to vegas every year. Then a deal comes along. This year we had Southwest points so we booked a free flight and got MGM for $55 a night. Cant beat that!

 

[MineMail]

Anyways, we asked if we could extend it at our cost and we told "yes" in an email.

Forward them back a copy and say you already have return reservations. Don't mention that you got it for free - it's irrelevant and TMI. Let them huddle with their lawyers since they gave you the go-ahead in the first place. Play up how the turnaround trip will be too tiring for you both. Since they're not paying for your return flight, maybe they'll put you up in a hotel, lol. (fat chance)

If they threaten to take back the prize, ask to speak with their management or legal advisors since you "don't understand" why you have to race back to Canada.

My guess is that they'll make a fuss, but you'll be allowed to go on your own in the end.