Someone doesn't want my family to go this year!

[MarkyMouse]

We are getting ready to head to WDW next weekend and things are unraveling quickly. First, we didn't realize that my sons HS golf team may be playing in the state tournament the same week as our trip. This, according to DW is all my fault. Long story short, I thought only one team from your region went to the State finals. We have very little chance of winning the region we are in but we have an excellent shot, in fact we may be favored to take second place. Apparently the top TWO teams go, and I was not aware of this. On the 28th we have the regional finals and if we finish in the top 2 then my son and I will not be able to go. Which is totally bumming my DW out and depressing me as well. I have considered cloning but apparently the technology just isn't there yet.

To make matters even worse, the transmission went out in our Disney Mobile ('03 Honda Odyssey)! Got the call from the transy man and it is going to be $3000. UGH!!! We can absorb this but I feel like maybe it would be best to just cancel the trip. Too much money, too fast. What if something else unexpected pops up!?! IDK, just in panic mode I guess.

My DW works very hard and her Disney trips mean soooo much to her. I will just be sick if we don't get to go. I will be ok (Especially if my son makes the state tournament) but she lives for her Disney trips!!

I don't see where cancelling will do any good. I mean we are way too close to the trip date to get our points back. So I have told her to quit worrying and go! No sense in worrying about the golf until it happens. As far as the van goes, we have saved many dollars by not buying new vehicles and we definitely get our moneys worth out of our cars. Besides the van is going to have to be fixed regardless in order to sell it otherwise it would just be scrap. We are getting a good warranty with the repairs and the mechanic says it will be good for 50 more trips to WDW!!

Any other advice I can tell her that I haven't thought of!

What would be the loss in dollars if we did cancel? We are getting a one bedroom for our family for 5 nights and a studio for FIL and MIL for three nights. That's a lot of points to lose, huh?

 

[Sunshine22]

Could your wife bring others on the trip if you and your son go to the tournament? If you decide to cancel the trip, just make sure you cancel at least 1 day before your check in date so your points will go into the holding account. You may then be able to plan another trip (with 60 day booking restriction) or possibly rent your points to someone else. Obviously, this isn't an ideal situation, especially if you are close to the end of your use year. Here's some pixie dust hoping you find an acceptable solution!

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I'm sure you want to be there to support him but perhaps you both take one-way flights and your wife heads out in the van w/ new tranie and you meet up. I'd hate to cancel on such short notice and lose those points, but in actuallity you wouldn't lose them. They would go into holding and then you would have to use them up before the use year ends. The other criteria is that you are only allowed to make the new reservation within 60 days of travel, which can make it a little difficult. It's doable. I don't know if the rest of your traveling party can still go and you just cancel part of the reservation?

Best of luck to you, I hope you manage to somehow make it work out for the best!

 

[n2mm]

Sorry to hear about your vacation curse. We experience these right before every trip. They are always something you never see coming. We generally hold our breath right before a trip to prepare ourselves. You are not alone.

 

[sweetdana]

So, I wouldn't go.

Try 1st to book different trip dates, with what you can 60 days out (as they will be in holding). If that isn't possible, go to rent board and try and rent ressie, if that doesn't work try and rent points.
You should get between 6.50 - 12$ per point depending on when ressie is and which resort it is at, and less if you just rent out points.

You will not enjoy going this trip, but will enjoy it 3 pay checks later, and without missing something for your son, you will never get back.

 

[thepops]

I'd go with the suggestion of one way flights for you and your son and meet your DW and others down there.

 

[MarkyMouse]

You all make great suggestions, thanks. I hadn't thought of cancelling and renting the points. That seems like a real possibility.

We had considered the flying idea but the state tourney wouldn't be until the end of the next week. We have also considered riding down and then flying back on Wednesday the day before the tourney.

But if my son does make it to the state tournament then I would rather limit the distractions and allow him to use the week to prepare for the tournament.

I think we will likely just wait and see if they actually finish in the top two. Then if they do, we may have to seriously consider canceling and renting our reservation or the points.

Or what's really likely to happen if they qualify is DW will grin and say "SEE YA!!"

 

[KiminChicago]

I don't know if this is a possibility, but if you don't want to rent the points, could you transfer them to RCI and use them to go somewhere else at a later date? I thought I read another thread here where someone was going to lose points and an RCI transfer was suggested as a way to use them. I know that there are folks here who would say that RCI trades aren't a good value, but it's better than losing the points.

 

[wdw1972]

Another option is if the team makes the state tournament your son simply misses it! This may sound harsh, but it's honest....in the grand scheme of thing high school golf means nothing. The family has a vacation planned - that's more important. Granted, it might be "the end of the world" to the son at the time, but once he's in college high school is forgotten, and once out of college that's forgotten too. The kid stuff is in the past, and real life begins.

I'd definitely keep the reservation, keep the plans in place, and then if they make the team decide (the ADULTS) whether the kid is yanked from the tournament or the kid & 1 parent (or kid alone) flies up for it during the trip. Surely there's another family on the team who could take him for those days? Besides, if DW is so upset by it, let HER be the one to accompany DS.

 

[kimberh]

Oh, I disagree with your son missing the Golf Tournament. Being part of a Team is a commitment. You are teaching him what commitment is all about. We had a cruise planned and our son's Highschool Basketball Team went to State and Won! How was I to know it was going to be that week? I had taken their schedule and booked according. He went to State, and it will NEVER be taken away from him. We went on the cruise, I could not get a refund. I worked it out for him to stay with another player. Could this be a possibility?

 

[MarkyMouse]

I thought I would give an update. My sons regional tournament was today. Alas the team did not qualify for the state tournament so we are all heading to Disney this weekend!!!!! However I am proud to report that my son played quite well and failed to qualify as an individual by just 2 strokes. So for the most part we are quite happy. Our son played well and yet we all get to go to Disney. He and I would rather he were playing in the state tourney but needless to say DW is THRILLED!!!

 

[Hunclemarco]

Glad to hear your son did well!, and despite not making the tournament, glad it worked out for the entire family to go see the mouse

 

[BEASLYBOO]

So, the transmission is repaired? and your son did well, and you're all off to a wonderful vacation! Alls well, that ends well!

Enjoy yourselves!

 

[MarkyMouse]

The transmission is supposed to be ready today. Should be able to pick it up tomorrow morning. Costly fix but the car certainly has been good to us. Probably should have replaced it about 30000 miles ago but we will just stick with it at this point. Needless to say i am getting very excited about getting the heck out of town!

 

[dbs1228]

Congrats to your son, and have a great trip!