To go or not to go…

[SwanVT2]

We are struggling with the same decision. We were scheduled for 8/12-8/21. We hope we won't lose $1,000 on the DVC points we used to get Beach Club. It's rough.

Does anyone know if my park tickets will expire if they're not used? Or do they remain in hibernation until you activate them?

I thought DVC Rental Store's new cancellation policy lets you rebook and not lose money?

 

[katyjeka]

Update: We had a family meeting, and we decided to cancel. I spent sooo many hours planning this trip, and we are sad to let it all unravel. To add insult to injury, DVC Rental Store won't refund us anything, not even a partial refund even though Orlando is in a state of emergency. Ugh! But the parents of the other family we were treating to a first Disney trip could not bring themselves to bring unvaccinated kids to Orlando right now. The virus is really spiking there, and even kids are hospitalized! Prayers for Florida.

Thanks to everyone here for talking this over, pros and cons, and for feeling our pain. Sniff!

Cancelling a trip is horrible!!! I feel your pain. It's even harder to explain to kids without putting a scare into them. We've cancelled a cruise and a trip out west in the last year. Looking forward to brighter days for the world...

 

[yaya74]

Update: We had a family meeting, and we decided to cancel. I spent sooo many hours planning this trip, and we are sad to let it all unravel. To add insult to injury, DVC Rental Store won't refund us anything, not even a partial refund even though Orlando is in a state of emergency. Ugh! But the parents of the other family we were treating to a first Disney trip could not bring themselves to bring unvaccinated kids to Orlando right now. The virus is really spiking there, and even kids are hospitalized! Prayers for Florida.

Thanks to everyone here for talking this over, pros and cons, and for feeling our pain. Sniff!

I am so sorry that not only you had to cancel your trip but you cannt even get a partial refund on DVC rental. That’s once again confirm my belief that DVC rental is not right for my family because of bad refund policy. I would rather pay more to book directly through Disney.

 

[bakerworld]

Our next planned vacation with young is February 2022. But we've a planned vacation for September that includes non-vax adults (stupid!) and I have to say I'm praying CV numbers start dropping.

 

[Jen81NYC]

Update: We had a family meeting, and we decided to cancel. I spent sooo many hours planning this trip, and we are sad to let it all unravel. To add insult to injury, DVC Rental Store won't refund us anything, not even a partial refund even though Orlando is in a state of emergency. Ugh! But the parents of the other family we were treating to a first Disney trip could not bring themselves to bring unvaccinated kids to Orlando right now. The virus is really spiking there, and even kids are hospitalized! Prayers for Florida.

Thanks to everyone here for talking this over, pros and cons, and for feeling our pain. Sniff!

I’m so sorry—I’m sure that must feel awful, I think you made the right choice. It won’t be that enjoyable to be worrying about your kids getting sick while you’re there and even though kids do generally get a mild version, I’m guessing the 3yo in particular hasn’t been exposed to too many germs since COVID has been half their life (ugh!) so who knows how their immune system will react. And if somebody were to get sick, I’d definitely not want to take my chances with the overburdened Florida hospital system tbh. So sorry again!!

 

[bsmcneil]

I thought DVC Rental Store's new cancellation policy lets you rebook and not lose money?

It's largely based on how many days are left before the trip. It's:

Cancellation Window	Credit Received
> 120 Days	100% of funds paid
120-61 Days	75% of total reservation price*
60-16 Days	50% of total reservation price
15-4 Days	25% of total reservation price
	0*

*of any funds that were paid above the initial payment of 25%

 

[SwanVT2]

It's largely based on how many days are left before the trip. It's:

Cancellation Window	Credit Received
> 120 Days	100% of funds paid
120-61 Days	75% of total reservation price*
60-16 Days	50% of total reservation price
15-4 Days	25% of total reservation price
	0*

*of any funds that were paid above the initial payment of 25%

Oh, right! Thanks!

 

[myhoney]

We are scheduled to go down 8/24-9/1. My husband and I are vaccinated as are our two teens, but our 8 and 9 year old are not. I even signed them up for a vaccine trial in a nearby city! DH and I are going to talk more tonight. My 9 year old and I spent a weekend quarantined at the hospital back in March 2020. We had just come back from a cruise and 2 weeks later she had breathing issues. It was the weekend everything in NY started shutting down. She didn't have COVID but I don't want to experience that again. But I also know the kids will be heartbroken.

 

[Daggyfamily]

We are struggling with the same decision! So tough right now!

 

[DJJimmy9]

Same here. We are schedule to be in Disney from 8/14 - 8/25. We have so many DVC points to use we have a 2-bedroom at GF for 8-nights and a Bungalow at Poly for 3-nights. We are in a use the points or lose them situation. My wife and I are both vaxed, but my 3 children (11,9,7) are not. We would have definitely been canceling if Disney didn’t reinstate the indoor mask mandate (including attraction lines) but now we are on the fence. We have canceled so many trips this past year and half and can’t bring ourselves to do it again.

Our plan right now is to go and be masked-up whenever near crowds, try to avoid crowds (as much as possible), eat only outdoors or in our room, and spend a lot less time at the parks then we usually do. We are trying to plan more outdoor, less-crowded activities - we booked a private fireworks Epcot cruise one night!

We know this trip is going to be different and I have tried to level set with my kids to prepare them.

I have been hoping that crowds would lessen after 8/15 when southerners go back to school. I also was hoping the Disney mask mandate would cause some anti-maskers to stay away. I watch the Florida cases daily and am hoping they start to trend down soon. That may be wishful thinking, I know. But if the cases get worse we may just pull the plug and eat the points.

It is such a tough decision. We have 1-week left to make it.

 

[Cadiewampus]

Go

 

[Crazy4DisneyandTink]

The 4 of us leave on Wednesday for our 8 day trip and I can honestly say that I'm glad the mask mandate is back for indoors. We all have been vaccinated and 3 of us have had COVID in the past so I feel like it's a double layer of protection, even though with the Delta variant it may not. We're going to mask up in crowds outside if need be.

 

[BeckyThatcher]

I thought DVC Rental Store's new cancellation policy lets you rebook and not lose money?

I thought so, too, but they are being stubborn. Our beloved agent quit after we made our reservation, so no one explained the new policy, which they say isn't applicable to our reservation. Really upsetting.

 

[BeckyThatcher]

It's largely based on how many days are left before the trip. It's:

Cancellation Window	Credit Received
> 120 Days	100% of funds paid
120-61 Days	75% of total reservation price*
60-16 Days	50% of total reservation price
15-4 Days	25% of total reservation price
	0*

*of any funds that were paid above the initial payment of 25%

I was within the 60-16 day window. They are saying that because I booked it before the new policy, I can't get any money back at all.

 

[bsmcneil]

I was within the 60-16 day window. They are saying that because I booked it before the new policy, I can't get any money back at all.

That really, really stinks. I'm so sorry!

 

[helenm29]

I personally WOULD NOT bring children under 12 who are not vaccinated to Florida in 2021! It must be SO hard to have to tell them that they are not going this year but if you are lucky they are of an age where they understand and you can include them in planning for next year. My DH and I are the only ones going....we will be masking up INSIDE for sure and OUTSIDE if I'm any where near people. Hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, extra masks, mask holders....all will be packed in my park bag. We will distance as much as we possibly can also. We are within 56 days of our trip and can't help to be excited.
I wish all of you out there having to cancel your trips all the best and to those who've decided to go....stay healthy and stay safe!

 

[maxiesmom]

We are struggling with the same decision. A trip that has been a year and a half in the making. A stay starting at the Contemporary for Magic Kingdom's 50th (tower no less!). We need to cancel by this weekend to get a refund. I honestly don't know if we should go or stay home.

 

[helenm29]

We are struggling with the same decision. A trip that has been a year and a half in the making. A stay starting at the Contemporary for Magic Kingdom's 50th (tower no less!). We need to cancel by this weekend to get a refund. I honestly don't know if we should go or stay home.

Do you have small kiddos going with you? sounds like a fantastic vacation but you are going to have to make that decision by tomorrow.....Good luck in what ever you choose to do.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do you have small kiddos going with you? sounds like a fantastic vacation but you are going to have to make that decision by tomorrow.....Good luck in what ever you choose to do.

No small kids. All over the age of 30. However I live with my 80 something parents, so that is a concern. We have all been vaccinated, but still...

 

[helenm29]

Yeah, pretty hard decision. I have a neighbor who's 33 and caught it....NOT vaccinated and is on a ventilator. SO sad. I have Diabetes so I will have to watch more then some but otherwise internally good lol