What if!!! What if a trip is interupted by a family death at home?

[MarkerMouse]

So, daughter and I are scheduled to leave for WDW on Sunday morning.

My step mom is not well, and hasn't been for a long, long time. We've been on watchful duty for like 4 or 5 weeks now. She will not likely be getting better, and honestly it'll be a blessing when her time finally comes.

However, in spite of the uncertainty, or because of it, we've decided we're going ahead as planned This could end in a matter of hours, or could stretch on for days, weeks, months.

So, here's my question. What if our trip is cut short by the need to return home for a family death. Or for that matter, the start could be delayed. How does Disney handle this? Everything is paid for 8 nights at CSR, 8 park hoppers w/o the non-expiring option, ADRs for free dining. Do they allow any credit for the paid for, but left unused portion. Or, should the start of vacation be delayed, do they allow the unused days to perhaps be tacked on to the end assuming resort availability.

Then there's the issue of airfare. We're flying down on Southwest, and returning on AirTran.

Just trying to get a handle on what I may expect should circumstances dictate.

Thanks.

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

Just my opinion but I would be on the phone with Disney asking them. They can give you definite answers where here you are probably only going to get guesses or what may or may not have happened to someone else. Hope that helps...

 

[Goofy_Dad_24]

I hope you bought trip insurance.

 

[okeydokey]

Is ti too late for trip insurance. Otherwise you may be out of luck.

 

[soulmates]

I agree, Trip Insurance is the way to go. Good luck

 

[TagsMissy]

without trip insurance I don't know what you will get. Disney *may* be understanding and allow you to rebook out of kindness (but not refund) depending on your timing -- the airlines are a whole other story -- without trip cancellation insurance you may be out of pocket there unless you get a compassionate agent on the phone who can pull strings.

 

[TimandTanya]

Definitely a call to Disney would be the best answer. Trip insurance would cover you i'm sure, but if it is too late, and something does happen, and Disney won't honor your remaining balance, I for one would never go back to Disney. I would tend to think that "The Happiest Place on Earth" would honor any remaining balance, and be completely sympathetic to your situation. I hope all is well, and that your trip goes off without a hitch.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

We were in a similar circumstance last year before our trip to Disney. Luckily, we were able to purchase trip insurance. You can add it onto your trip anytime before the final payment is due, I think.

 

[eyor44]

For Southwest you can postpone the flights and receive credit for what you paid to be put towards a future flight. Don't know about AirTran.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I'm not sure what trip insurance can do for you. The way they explained the trip insurance to me (from insuremy) was that it cover US (only) if something happened. Not if a relative. So not sure, but I would call DIsney and your trip insurance if you bought that. I will be calling mine tomorrow bc I think that is a great thing to know (just in case)

 

[PebblesMK]

Airtran has policies in place for medical emergencies...which I believe include death of family members. My parents were going to fly to Orlando the day after Memorial Day but my dad detached his retina. My mom had to cancel their flight and because they paid, and explained the situation, their tickets are good for a year. If the flight they want at a later date is more, they pay the difference but they aren't refunded for a price drop.

 

[msmayor]

I agree, Trip Insurance is the way to go. Good luck

At this point it is WAY too late for trip insurance to cover what would clearly be a pre-existing condition of a family member.

As other posters have said, its possible that Disney will work with you as far as the cost of the room. Tickets? You'd need to add the non-expiration option to them to ensure you get full value and be able to use them on a future trip. No credit to use free dining in the future, since you're not out-of-pocket any cost there. That leaves the room cost which again, they may be willing to work with you on that.

Airlines? Southwest will provide a credit for the value of any unused flight (not a refund under most fare conditions) and you must use that credit withing on year of making the original reservation (example: if you reserved your flight for this month back in June 2009, then you'd have until June 2010 to fly again and use the credit generated from this cancelled flight).

Not sure what AirTran's rules are for canceling a flight.

 

[Cleocat]

I agree with Missmayor. My DW had gall bladder surgery a couple of weeks before our trip a couple of years back. The day we were supposed to leave she had a complication related to the surgery. I called Disney and explained the situation I was told pick a new date. She changed the res date, told me once we get our new dates call back and give them the dates.
We went through the comp. for about a week. At that time we got our new date. We had to pay a bit of a diff. and lost our free DP . I don't know if it has changed, but I was told you won't lose your money or res until one year from your original check in date if you have to change dates.
As for the airlines you'll need to pay tranfer fees if not lose your tickets and have to rebook them.
Think it through. I'd hate to see you go and have to leave then not only lose your vaca, but deal with all the stress of losing a loved one and needing to travel on short notice.
I hope all goes well. I know the diffulcuty of having a sick family member so just hang in there it will all work out.

 

[DLW8]

I'm not sure what trip insurance can do for you. The way they explained the trip insurance to me (from insuremy) was that it cover US (only) if something happened. Not if a relative. So not sure, but I would call DIsney and your trip insurance if you bought that. I will be calling mine tomorrow bc I think that is a great thing to know (just in case)

It depends on what typ of insurance you buy.

When I was looking for insurance for our upcoming December trip, I wanted it to cover us for cancelling if something happened to my grandmother (who is NOT going on the trip). She is 95 and her health has been declining. I called Insure My Trip Dot Com and the agent helped me find a plan that would cover us if we had to cancel for something that happened to my grandmother.

However, I think from what OP said, it is too late for them to get insurance (but OP, I'd still call and see what the insurance company says for sure!)

I hope all works out....

 

[seashoreCM]

A funeral can be postponed within limits, at least that is what some of my relatives did when my uncle passed away. The 3 week delay was so that more family members, some of whom were doing college final exams, could attend.

 

[dancin Disney style]

There have been many posts on such a topic. The general response is that Disney is pretty sympathic and will postpone the trip for you. However, you will most likely lose the free dining.

Southwest will give you a credit without any problems. It is their standard cancelation policy. AirTran charges $75 per ticket to make changes. If the need arises you can always call them and ask if there is anything they can do. It never hurts to ask.

 

[Britgirlus]

This happened to me. My Dad (who lived in England - I live in the US) had been suffering with cancer for a couple of years, and when we took our trip, he wasn't doing well at all. I had talked to him on many occasions about our upcoming vacation and he told me over and over, that whatever happened, he did not want us to miss our vacation on his behalf. The last time I spoke to him was Friday, the day before we left for Florida. On Sunday morning, we were at POFQ, and my sister called to tell me he had just passed away. She and my mom were very adamant that we were to stay - they arranged his funeral for the following week, so that we could stay the week, then fly to England in time for the funeral. Of course, being there at Disney was very surreal, but we stayed, and celebrated his life in the most magical place on earth I honestly don't know what we would have done if he had passed away a couple of days earlier, before we left for vacation, though - that would have been a harder decision (though I know my dad would have told us to go anyway)

 

[MarkerMouse]

Just to update, we did in fact get to complete our trip. We had a wonderful time.

However, after arriving home at about 10:30 pm Monday evening, about an hour later at 11:30 we got the word that my stepmom had just passed away. Guess she waited til we got back.

While obviously sad, it is also very much a relief for us all, including my dad. She's been in a bad way for a long time, and is now in a much better place.

 

[dogodisney]

Sorry for your loss but glad that you were able to enjoy your trip.

God Bless you all.

 

[TillyDe]

My thoughts are with you at this time.
When my mother was in Hospice, we were told that a lot of times the person will hold on until they see a certain person or that person visits. I believe she held on so that you could have your trip and return.
May God bless you.