What would you guys do? and how to make the change?

[beldred]

Okay, I'm in a bind with a tough decision and I'm hoping all the great folks here at TPAS can help me.

Due to my crazy BIL abruptly scheduling his (3rd!) wedding for our current trip date, we are thinking of rescheduling it (yes, we're only debating the change...we've actually been planning this trip longer than he's been dating this girl and after all, it's number 3. LOL).

So right now, we are scheduled for late September, we are traveling with another family but our reservations are completely separate. We were planning on MNSSHP and scored the FD deal. It's looking like it may be pretty darn crowded though and definitely will be very hot. Plus, the whole missing the wedding thing. Trip is fully booked including ADRs but not paid off yet. Plan tickets non-refundable but I believe we can change to another flight or get a credit with the airline.

If we reschedule, I *think* we can just switch our dates with no penalty, correct? If so, we could take the opportunity to travel in February with our preferred travel buddies. February would also be nice and cool and I think a lot less crowded. But no fun seasonal events and no telling if/what any discounts might be offered.

Any objective thoughts on my dilemma?

Also, the most important part of my post.... if I decide to reschedule, HOW does this have to be done? Can I do the change online with "modify" like I did when I added Free Dining? Or do I have to call? Will there be any trouble scheduling for next year at this point? I think it's too far out to reschedule the ADRs (haven't done the math), so those I would just have to cancel and start over I assume. Any other tips for making such a change?

Oh, and has anyone changed their Southwest tickets before? If so, how much of a pain was it?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[ArmyVet80]

I can't help you with changing your reservations for the room, tickets, etc...

I can help you with Southwest though.. All you have to do is log into your account and go to "change flight" on the right side of the screen. It will/should take you to your current reservations. You can click on the flights you would like to change and just put in the new dates. It will ask you a few "security" type questions and if you are "sure" you want to change the flights. I just changed my flights from later in the day flights to earlier in the day flights for our trip in Mid/Late September (19 thru the 26th). It was fairly simple. Make sure that if you save money changing your flights to check the "refund" box. I did not do that for the flight to MCO and now I have a $300 credit for the next time we fly on Southwest. I did however check the "refund" box for the flight home (later cheaper flight) and got a $450 refund that was reimbursed to my credit card that I used to book the flight. Now I have a credit on my credit card for $450. It's always nice having the credit card company owing me money for a change..

 

[mom2rtk]

I would not be changing my trip plans for a 3rd wedding to someone he's been dating for less time than you have been planning your trip. No need to comment on the wedding because it's his life, not yours and who knows, this one might stick. Just explain that you have prior plans and send a gift. If you want to avoid any sticky family issues, just tell them your flights are non-refundable.

Change it if you want to because of heat or crowds or whatever, but I wouldn't change it for the wedding. YMMV.

Changing flights on Southwest is easy peasy. Just click "change" and go choose what you want instead.

 

[Tomh]

Yup, sounds cold I guess, but I would make my apologies, explain that I had reservations I couldn't get refunded, plans with another family that were long standing, and just send a gift. Heck, to be honest, for a 3rd wedding, I might just send a card, and not bother with the gift, but that is a whole different topic lol.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

The changes are easy since you were flying Southwest, so it really comes down to doing what you want to do. Not sure if the MNSSHP tickets are refundable (if you have already purchased them).

Good luck!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

You can cancel your September package since it is before your 45 day mark and get a full refund (minus the MNSSHP tickets which are non-refundable). Once 2016 packages become available to book (later this summer) you can just book again online from scratch. Very easy to do. Just call Disney, give them your confirmation #, and they'll process the refund back to your credit card. If you used any gift cards towards your package make sure you saved the cards because the refund will go back on those.

 

[samsteele]

I would agree to disagree and recognize that family comes first. A third wedding it may be but its a family wedding. OP mentioned BIL . . . so brother-in-law? That's husband's brother? Attendance is pretty much obligatory. Two days into my vacation last fall, my best friend's sister died. I couldn't get back for the wake & funeral and felt terrible about it. I still regret not being there for her. It made me feel bad to be enjoying WDW when others were grieving. It's had an impact on my friendship and I didn't enjoy my vacation as much as I had planned. In terms of rescheduling, February isn't a bad choice for WDW but do everything possible to avoid Presidents Day Weekend. Significantly higher prices for resorts and sometimes price hikes for restaurants (buffets, I'm looking at you). High crowds. If you can go in the weeks before (late January) it is a much better scenario. The temps can be a lot colder than the fall so you will need to factor that in. Will your family be comfortable touring in jeans, coats and possibly mitts and hats? The cold can put a damper on swimming in pools. Free Dining has not traditionally been offered in Winter, but there can be some decent room discounts to balance this out. Just watch your vacation doesn't include that holiday weekend. Good luck with this. You & your family are in a tough situation. The nightmare would be if you rescheduled everything, just to have the wedding called off. Perhaps your husband can have a heart to heart with BIL to suss this out?

 

[johnsonet]

How does the other family you're traveling with feel about changing?

How certain are you that the wedding will actually take place?

I do tend to agree that family comes first. I guess I'd let your husband decide, if it's his brother Sadly, the fact that it's a third marriage, does seem to make it debatable...

Good luck.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree with previous posters, I would not change your trip for the wedding. For the other reasons, sure. Honestly, it sounds like you have a great trip planned, with free dining as well, and it seems easier to me to leave it than to postpone it for 5 months.

If you do decide to change it, I would just cancel it all and start over.

Good luck deciding!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would not be changing my plans for a 3rd wedding
Either. Family does come first, but that expectation is ridiculous.

Comparing it to an unexpected death and missing a funeral is apples and oranges.

Plus, you planned this trip with another family? Cutting out to attend wedding number 3 won't go over well.

I agree that if you didn't want to go during that time for other reasons, that is one thing. But don't feel obligated to attend the wedding.

 

[wisblue]

I can't help you with changing your reservations for the room, tickets, etc...

I can help you with Southwest though.. All you have to do is log into your account and go to "change flight" on the right side of the screen. It will/should take you to your current reservations. You can click on the flights you would like to change and just put in the new dates. It will ask you a few "security" type questions and if you are "sure" you want to change the flights. I just changed my flights from later in the day flights to earlier in the day flights for our trip in Mid/Late September (19 thru the 26th). It was fairly simple. Make sure that if you save money changing your flights to check the "refund" box. I did not do that for the flight to MCO and now I have a $300 credit for the next time we fly on Southwest. I did however check the "refund" box for the flight home (later cheaper flight) and got a $450 refund that was reimbursed to my credit card that I used to book the flight. Now I have a credit on my credit card for $450. It's always nice having the credit card company owing me money for a change..

Point of clarification on Southwest policies.

I thought that you could only get a refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking, or if you purchased with a refundable fare, like the senior fare for people over 65 or one of the higher priced fares (not the lower "Wanna Get Away" fares). Otherwise your only option if the fare goes down is to take the credit for a future flight, which you have to use within a year of the original booking.

 

[robinb]

I would change my dates. IMO. he gave you plenty of time and he's your DH's brother. If they have a good relationship, that's worth more than any vacation to Disney.

Here is a list of historical discounts so you can see what kind of discount might be available for Feb:
http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#codetrends

 

[BigHeroKen]

It wouldn't be a tough decision for me, I'd apologize for not being able to attend and wish them the best. Doesn't he know the amount of planning that goes into a Disney trip is almost as much as if not more than many weddings!

 

[sharonabe]

Just in case you missed it in a PP's post, if you have already purchased your MNSSHP tickets, those are NON-REFUNDABLE! You will have to eat that money if you decide to change to February. Add in losing free dining, and that could be a substantial amount of money. February discounts in recent years have been limited. Also, Southwest will not have their Feb schedule up yet, so you can't change those flights until later. Perhaps that gives you some breathing room to make the decision. Just remember to make any changes before your 45-day mark to avoid change penalties from Disney.

 

[mshanson3121]

lol. Well we're contemplating similar issues (though mine is due to a job change). In your shoes, I would probably go on my trip as planned, since you are doing the MNSSHP. I'm assuming your BIL knew about your trip, knew you'd be gone, and went ahead and planned it that time anyways, so... yeah. I'd still go.

 

[sullyfam]

I think it's far enough away that you can cancel easily with little to no penalty. I would call Disney directly and see what you can work out and I think Southwest has no penalty for changing dates.

It's family and it's a wedding. If he had only given you a matter of weeks or a months notice, that would be different. But you're still way ahead of the 45 day mark. Disney will always be there but you won't get the opportunity to go to this wedding again.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[Lucius Best]

So right now, we are scheduled for late September, we are traveling with another family but our reservations are completely separate. We were planning on MNSSHP and scored the FD deal. It's looking like it may be pretty darn crowded though and definitely will be very hot. Plus, the whole missing the wedding thing.

No one knows your family dynamic but you, so skipping the wedding is up to you, given what you've said, it does not sound unreasonable, only you know how much drama your missing the wedding might cause.

I'm not sure that late September will be "pretty darn crowded", that's always one of the lighter crowd times. February is also a lighter time, but definitely would need to avoid Presidents Day, everything gets more crowded and expensive after that. Jan/Feb typically has room-only deals.

Is the wedding at the beginning/end of your trip, or smack dab in the middle? One option would be to move your trip a little earlier or later, to hit the wedding but still have your trip overlap with your friends and keep some of your ADRs? Another option, let the husband go to his brother's wedding, and he can get to Orlando a couple days late (or leave early).

 

[GrumpyDad1974]

SW is easy to change flights. I wouldn't change my trip though. Go and enjoy it without a second thought. Little back story on my opinion, I had two weddings to attend and take part in, in one day (close family). I had told them way in advance and they didn't care. I had a noon wedding in RI and a 5 pm wedding in NH and had to be at both, I wouldn't do it again. So then it came time for me to get married we picked the same day as my uncle (not on purpose), but we headed and let them have the date as not to make waves because my step-father needed to be at both. HUGE mistake, beautiful day for them, downpour for us... and I'm still hearing about it. So the moral of my story, go with your vacation. I yielded for people who could care less and I regret it all.

 

[JanaDee]

Point of clarification on Southwest policies.

I thought that you could only get a refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking, or if you purchased with a refundable fare, like the senior fare for people over 65 or one of the higher priced fares (not the lower "Wanna Get Away" fares). Otherwise your only option if the fare goes down is to take the credit for a future flight, which you have to use within a year of the original booking.

I believe you are correct. If you bought a Wanna Getaway fare (which most people do), you will receive credits for future flights, not a refund.

OP, is this your husband's brother? What does he want to do?

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

For wedding number 3 I'm actually surprised there is more than a trip down to the justice of the peace or a trip out to Vegas but I suppose that has more to do with his fiance than him. I would send a gift and a "third time is a charm" card and go enjoy my vacation.