Possibly needing to cancel - advice please

[amystevekai&bump]

hi all

I'm in a bit of a panic right now and unable to access my DVC account online (there's been a mix up with my password but that's another story!)

My youngest son is in the process of recovering from chicken pox and whilst we think my eldest son had it when he was small, it was so mild that I have been told he could well catch it again

We are due to fly to Florida on Dec 27th, which is the day after the chicken pox are likely to hit him if he indeed gets them!! And our DVC reservations begin on Dec 30th through to Jan 10th.

Can anyone tell me whether I will totally lose my points if I have to cancel at the last minute like this please? (If it makes any difference, I have a Dec UY and have used banked, current and borrowed points for this trip)

Many thanks for any advice - I really appreciate it

 

[twinsouvenirs]

i believe if you cancel before check in your points go into holding, meaning you have to use ALL of those points in the next 60 days. So pick a new trip date for an early spring break

 

[Dean]

hi all

I'm in a bit of a panic right now and unable to access my DVC account online (there's been a mix up with my password but that's another story!)

My youngest son is in the process of recovering from chicken pox and whilst we think my eldest son had it when he was small, it was so mild that I have been told he could well catch it again

We are due to fly to Florida on Dec 27th, which is the day after the chicken pox are likely to hit him if he indeed gets them!! And our DVC reservations begin on Dec 30th through to Jan 10th.

Can anyone tell me whether I will totally lose my points if I have to cancel at the last minute like this please? (If it makes any difference, I have a Dec UY and have used banked, current and borrowed points for this trip)

Many thanks for any advice - I really appreciate it

You could get a blood test to see if he's susceptible and then you'd know for sure what your risks were. If he's susceptible, you could get a prescription for the acyclovir or valcyclovir (depending on 12 y/o vs under). Then if he started to break out or even developer a fever, you could start that medication. They tend to do quite well when you have this opportunity to plan and if needed, start the meds very early. Then cancelation should be a non issue.

 

[jekjones1558]

i believe if you cancel before check in your points go into holding, meaning you have to use ALL of those points in the next 60 days. So pick a new trip date for an early spring break

This is not correct.
OP, it is true that points will become holding points. You will have until Nov. 30, 2014 to use the holding points but you may only book rooms 60 days or less from checkin. Sometimes MS can use a once-in-a-lifetime exception to help but even then you would need to use all of the points by Nov. 30.
Here"s hoping that your sons will both be healthy and you have no worries! Good luck!

 

[CarolMN]

This is not correct.
OP, it is true that points will become holding points. You will have until Nov. 30, 2014 to use the holding points but you may only book rooms 60 days or less from checkin. Sometimes MS can use a once-in-a-lifetime exception to help but even then you would need to use all of the points by Nov. 30.
Here"s hoping that your sons will both be healthy and you have no worries! Good luck!

I agree - hope your son recovers quickly and your eldest escapes a repeat. FWIW, Dean is a pediatrician and IMO, you should consider taking his advice to your pediatrician. Good luck!

 

[twinsouvenirs]

This is not correct. OP, it is true that points will become holding points. You will have until Nov. 30, 2014 to use the holding points but you may only book rooms 60 days or less from checkin. Sometimes MS can use a once-in-a-lifetime exception to help but even then you would need to use all of the points by Nov. 30. Here"s hoping that your sons will both be healthy and you have no worries! Good luck!

Thank you for the clarification!

 

[disneynutz]

This is not correct.
OP, it is true that points will become holding points. You will have until Nov. 30, 2014 to use the holding points but you may only book rooms 60 days or less from checkin. Sometimes MS can use a once-in-a-lifetime exception to help but even then you would need to use all of the points by Nov. 30.
Here"s hoping that your sons will both be healthy and you have no worries! Good luck!

What I can't get an answer to is at 60 days before any given date, DVC can turn unbooked rooms over to Disney. Members with holding points can't book before 60 days, how does this affect a member chance of getting a room?

Bill

 

[Chuck S]

60 day rooms turned over to cash (Breakage inventory) can be recalled for member use if needed. It is sort of a "shared inventory" for those particular rooms. But there still may be "cash only" DVC rooms available at 60 days that can not be recalled for point usage. It depends upon why the room was turned over to cash. For instance, rooms turned to cash because of a member trading to a non-DVC venue can not be recalled. At least that is how it is supposed to work.

 

[automaticsoap]

What I can't get an answer to is at 60 days before any given date, DVC can turn unbooked rooms over to Disney. Members with holding points can't book before 60 days, how does this affect a member chance of getting a room?

Bill

I used holding points for a September reservation. There was a lot of availability for AKV, SSR, and OKW when I booked at the 60-day mark. I'm sure it depends on the season though.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Thanks everyone

Dean, I'm especially grateful for your post. I'm in the Uk, and am taking my youngest to his doctor on Monday to check that we have the all clear for him to fly - I will talk to my doctor and see if that medication is something we have available over here. I believe our blood tests would take a few days to come back and we have the added complication of Christmas in the middle! Is this medication something they could prescribe 'just in case' or is it something he shouldn't take unless we know for certain he's at risk from chicken pox? I'm just worried that time is running out now as I won't get to see the physician until Monday now and then we travel to the airport the day after Christmas.

Many thanks for everyone's comments - I really do appreciate you all taking the time to reply

 

[Dean]

Thanks everyone

Dean, I'm especially grateful for your post. I'm in the Uk, and am taking my youngest to his doctor on Monday to check that we have the all clear for him to fly - I will talk to my doctor and see if that medication is something we have available over here. I believe our blood tests would take a few days to come back and we have the added complication of Christmas in the middle! Is this medication something they could prescribe 'just in case' or is it something he shouldn't take unless we know for certain he's at risk from chicken pox? I'm just worried that time is running out now as I won't get to see the physician until Monday now and then we travel to the airport the day after Christmas.

Many thanks for everyone's comments - I really do appreciate you all taking the time to reply

I'm pretty sure both are available in the UK. There may be others though the other one I'm familiar with (Gancyclovir) isn't normally used in this situation in the US at least for the routine patient. You should be able to get the test back in 1-2 regular work days. You could get the meds without it as well if your kids physician agrees or even get the meds and find out the results while you're traveling.

Aspirin and some say, ibuprofen, are contraindicated with chickenpox due to the association with Reye's Syndrome. Treatment isn't absolutely necessary but for this situation it would seem reasonable. Vaccines can prevent it most of the time. Some would say let them get chickenpox because it's a "normal benign childhood illness" but I'd disagree with it being benign for a number of reasons.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

One thing I don't see mentioned is that there is a big BIG difference in cancelling on 29 DEC versus waiting until 30 DEC, your check-in date. You're already within 30 days of check-in, so as others have indicated, the best case scenerio for cancelling at this point is that your points would go into holding. That's what would happen if you cancel on or before the 29th.

If you cancel on or after your check-in day, however, all points associated with the reservation are forfeited.

Another thing to consider is what happens if you're a no-show for a reservation. I know you didn't mention it as an alternative you're considering, but if you were to decide to postpone your arrival for a few days to see if the second child actually develops anything, be sure to coordinate that with member services in advance of the 30th. Otherwise, if you were to show up on 31 DEC or 1 JAN and try to check in for the last part of your trip, you'd find that your reservation was gone and the points with it.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I'm pretty sure both are available in the UK. There may be others though the other one I'm familiar with (Gancyclovir) isn't normally used in this situation in the US at least for the routine patient. You should be able to get the test back in 1-2 regular work days. You could get the meds without it as well if your kids physician agrees or even get the meds and find out the results while you're traveling.

Aspirin and some say, ibuprofen, are contraindicated with chickenpox due to the association with Reye's Syndrome. Treatment isn't absolutely necessary but for this situation it would seem reasonable. Vaccines can prevent it most of the time. Some would say let them get chickenpox because it's a "normal benign childhood illness" but I'd disagree with it being benign for a number of reasons.

Thank you so much Dean . I'm going to take this with me to the doctor on Monday & hopefully I can get him treated just incase - I'm so grateful

 

[amystevekai&bump]

One thing I don't see mentioned is that there is a big BIG difference in cancelling on 29 DEC versus waiting until 30 DEC, your check-in date. You're already within 30 days of check-in, so as others have indicated, the best case scenerio for cancelling at this point is that your points would go into holding. That's what would happen if you cancel on or before the 29th.

If you cancel on or after your check-in day, however, all points associated with the reservation are forfeited.

Another thing to consider is what happens if you're a no-show for a reservation. I know you didn't mention it as an alternative you're considering, but if you were to decide to postpone your arrival for a few days to see if the second child actually develops anything, be sure to coordinate that with member services in advance of the 30th. Otherwise, if you were to show up on 31 DEC or 1 JAN and try to check in for the last part of your trip, you'd find that your reservation was gone and the points with it.

Hi sorry I missed this earlier Thank you for this info - that's really helpful. We have three nights at universal before moving to Disney- so I guess if we don't make the flight then that will be when we'll need to cancel. Thank you for letting me know my options, as I was totally ignorant as to the cancellation policies - naively thinking we would never cancel!

 

[Dean]

Thank you so much Dean . I'm going to take this with me to the doctor on Monday & hopefully I can get him treated just incase - I'm so grateful

Of course you're very welcome. I hope you have a great and uneventful trip.

 

[disneynutz]

I would call MS, talk to a supervisor and explain your situation. They can tell you exactly what will happen to your reservation and points, get the name of the person that you talk to.

With that information, you will be able to make a better decision when the time comes.

Bill

 

[amystevekai&bump]

I would call MS, talk to a supervisor and explain your situation. They can tell you exactly what will happen to your reservation and points, get the name of the person that you talk to.

With that information, you will be able to make a better decision when the time comes.

Bill

Thank you Bill that's good advice, I will give them a call today

Of course you're very welcome. I hope you have a great and uneventful trip.

Thank you ever so much . One more question if I may - Would these meds mean that Kai wouldn't be contagious to other people as well? That is my overriding concern, as much as I want my son well, I'm concerned about infecting vulnerable people to what coud mean a serious illness for some.

 

[Dean]

Thank you ever so much . One more question if I may - Would these meds mean that Kai wouldn't be contagious to other people as well? That is my overriding concern, as much as I want my son well, I'm concerned about infecting vulnerable people to what coud mean a serious illness for some.

Historically that could have been a large issue, however, it's likely that most on an airplane from the UK would either be protected by nature of live disease if older or by vaccine. So the risk of spreading it is fairly low even if contagious. Though who may not have been vaccinated by choice have consciously taken that risk on their own. Still you wouldn't want to purposefully expose some chemotherapy or immune compromised person unnecessarily or an infant too young to be immunized yet. Normally varicella is contagious from onset of illness symptoms or before (1-2 days or so) and until around 3 days after the rash breaks out roughly. Historically I've allowed children to return to school once the rash was all crusted and there were no new lesions. One thing I didn't mention before because of the timing ("recovering from chicken pox") was that it's also possible to immunize them but you've really got to do that within the first few days of exposure which would have already passed by the time you posted if that's applicable in your situation.

It is possible to either prophylax chemically with the meds I mentioned before as well though that's not done very often except for special situations (medical or otherwise). This certainly could be looked on as such and thus one possible option would simply to be to treat him now as if he had it or might develop it. That could solve your contagiousness question. Generally I wouldn't make that recommendation in your situation if I were pretty confident they really did have it the first time because the chances of getting it this time are fairly remote. IF you did decide to treat now then if you later found out the lab test shows protection, you could stop the medication. What I'm not certain on is how long they're contagious after you start treatment. Extrapolating from other similar situations I"d guess it's around 24-48 hours after the medication were started IF they were showing signs of illness. Kids who are normal don't get chicken pox twice as a rule, the problem is that we may not always be certain and that a "mild case" may actually be something else.

Personally, I'd still recommend any of my patients in such a situation get the lab test so we don't go through this every time they get exposed if nothing else. Usually it's the parents I'm recommending get the test to see and then the vaccine as an adult if they're not protected. The odds of someone getting it as an adult who went through the live disease era is fairly low because many who "didn't get the disease" really did and either don't recall or no one knew. Generally we consider birth before 1980 or evidence of infection

One word of warning is that Doctors, as a group, don't tend to react well being told what to do. I'd suggest you take anything you've learned here or elsewhere with you but go in and discuss the matter or even just call. Personally this is a situation we could handle by phone if the child in question were not ill. I can tell you how I would handle this call with the situation of an older child who had had the disease previously with a clear exposure to a sibling with chickenpox who was about to go on a long plane ride to a place where they would be in close proximity to others like WDW. I'd first assess them for any current illness, their vaccine history and how sure we were they had the illness previously if applicable. For those that had had the vaccine or we were fairly certain, had the disease, I would generally not treat them but would offer the lab test. If we were less certain, I'd be OK with treating them until the test came back as a preventative OR giving them the medication to start with any evidence of the illness starting (not wait on the rash). For one I didn't think needed to be treated (were likely already protected), I wouldn't be averse to giving the meds to only start with illness if there wasn't enough time to get the test back (for me that's around 2-3 working days). IF I treated, it'd be for 5 days if we started due to any illness and 2-3 weeks if we decide to do so as a preventative. I'd usually use acyclovir because most of the data on treatment and prevention is using it but for 12 & over, valcyclovir is easier to give at 3 times a day for this situation compared to the other at 4-5 times a day.

Obviously this is simply information and not a formal medical recommendation. Let us know what happens.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

Historically that could have been a large issue, however, it's likely that most on an airplane from the UK would either be protected by nature of live disease if older or by vaccine. So the risk of spreading it is fairly low even if contagious. Though who may not have been vaccinated by choice have consciously taken that risk on their own. Still you wouldn't want to purposefully expose some chemotherapy or immune compromised person unnecessarily or an infant too young to be immunized yet. Normally varicella is contagious from onset of illness symptoms or before (1-2 days or so) and until around 3 days after the rash breaks out roughly. Historically I've allowed children to return to school once the rash was all crusted and there were no new lesions. One thing I didn't mention before because of the timing ("recovering from chicken pox") was that it's also possible to immunize them but you've really got to do that within the first few days of exposure which would have already passed by the time you posted if that's applicable in your situation.

It is possible to either prophylax chemically with the meds I mentioned before as well though that's not done very often except for special situations (medical or otherwise). This certainly could be looked on as such and thus one possible option would simply to be to treat him now as if he had it or might develop it. That could solve your contagiousness question. Generally I wouldn't make that recommendation in your situation if I were pretty confident they really did have it the first time because the chances of getting it this time are fairly remote. IF you did decide to treat now then if you later found out the lab test shows protection, you could stop the medication. What I'm not certain on is how long they're contagious after you start treatment. Extrapolating from other similar situations I"d guess it's around 24-48 hours after the medication were started IF they were showing signs of illness. Kids who are normal don't get chicken pox twice as a rule, the problem is that we may not always be certain and that a "mild case" may actually be something else.

Personally, I'd still recommend any of my patients in such a situation get the lab test so we don't go through this every time they get exposed if nothing else. Usually it's the parents I'm recommending get the test to see and then the vaccine as an adult if they're not protected. The odds of someone getting it as an adult who went through the live disease era is fairly low because many who "didn't get the disease" really did and either don't recall or no one knew. Generally we consider birth before 1980 or evidence of infection

One word of warning is that Doctors, as a group, don't tend to react well being told what to do. I'd suggest you take anything you've learned here or elsewhere with you but go in and discuss the matter or even just call. Personally this is a situation we could handle by phone if the child in question were not ill. I can tell you how I would handle this call with the situation of an older child who had had the disease previously with a clear exposure to a sibling with chickenpox who was about to go on a long plane ride to a place where they would be in close proximity to others like WDW. I'd first assess them for any current illness, their vaccine history and how sure we were thgey had the illness previously if applicable. For those that had had the vaccine or we were fairly certain, had the disease, I would generally not treat them but would offer the lab test. If we were less certain, I'd be OK with treating them until the test came back as a preventative OR giving them the medication to start with any evidence of the illness starting (not wait on the rash). For one I didn't think needed to be treated (were likely already protected), I wouldn't be averse to giving the meds to only start with illness if there wasn't enough time to get the test back (for me that's around 2-3 working days). IF I treated, it'd be for 5 days if we started due to any illness and 2-3 weeks if we decide to do so as a preventative. I'd usually use acyclovir because most of the data on treatment and prevention is using it but for 12 & over, valcyclovir is easier to give at 3 times a day for this situation compared to the other at 4-5 times a day.

Obviously this is simply information and not a formal medical recommendation. Let us know what happens.

Wow! Dean, thank you so so much for such a comprehensive response! I'm going to take this with me and just see whether our doctor will help me. As you say, I will approach him carefully and hope that he won't feel like I'm trying to tell him how to do his job! Kai is coming up to 10years old and even the dr wasn't sure whether he had the chicken pox when he was small as he only had 5-6 spots in total & I don't recall him being particularly unwell.

Thank you so much, I am so touched that you have gone to so much trouble to reply in this way x

 

[Dean]

Wow! Dean, thank you so so much for such a comprehensive response! I'm going to take this with me and just see whether our doctor will help me. As you say, I will approach him carefully and hope that he won't feel like I'm trying to tell him how to do his job! Kai is coming up to 10years old and even the dr wasn't sure whether he had the chicken pox when he was small as he only had 5-6 spots in total & I don't recall him being particularly unwell.

Thank you so much, I am so touched that you have gone to so much trouble to reply in this way x

I'm sure he'll do what he thinks best give the info and options available esp since he'll really have direct info rather than us having a theoretical discussion here. Enjoy your trip.