Worried - What if we have to cancel last minute?!?

[jewelsb]

Thanks so much! At least I'm feeling like I have options now. Thinking about it at first put me in so much of a panic. It's been such a long planning process, it's hard to imagine changing it all now and doing it on short notice besides. Hopefully I'll hear back from our TA tomorrow and she'll be able to help me out with some options too.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I didn't say it earlier, but I am truly sorry you are going through this. It can't be easy even without a planned vacation coming up.

 

[jewelsb]

Thank you! It's hard. I actually tried to even take down this thread after starting it because I feel so selfish even worrying about the vacation. I just think about how long the kids have been waiting for this and they will be crushed if we can't go. Especially if it's on top of losing their grandpa. Thank you for all of your help. I truly appreciate it.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Thank you for the suggestion. My husband is a teacher and high school baseball coach, so we can't actually go any sooner, as it's baseball season for him. If we reschedule and move it back, we do lose the deposit, correct? I haven't been able to reach my travel agent yet to ask anything. Since this thread has begun, they have actually decided to discontinue treatment and begin hospice. So now I wouldn't even be so sure about moving the dates forward either.

I am so sorry that you are going through this. We went through this right before our Nov. 2011 trip. We bought trip insurance when we booked, but were worried about coverage, as my FIL had been ill for a while. We never found out if it would cover or not, as he wound up passing away after just 3 days in Hospice, about a month before our trip. He told us to go ahead and go, so we did. In our case, it was healing for the kids.

As other posters have said, don't worry about the Disney Deposit, just pick any random date in the future to move it to, so you won't lose your deposit. As for Air Tran, you will have a year to use your credit. I was also advised that if we had to cancel to let them know the situation..apparently in some cases, if the death happens close to the time of the trip they will waive the change fee. Another option is to look for "cancel for any reason" trip insurance. You can find these at insuremytrip. Just weigh costs carefully....the policy may well end up being more than the $500-$600 you would pay in fees to the airline.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

Thank you! It's hard. I actually tried to even take down this thread after starting it because I feel so selfish even worrying about the vacation. I just think about how long the kids have been waiting for this and they will be crushed if we can't go. Especially if it's on top of losing their grandpa. Thank you for all of your help. I truly appreciate it.

Don't feel selfish!!! The trip is something you have all been looking forward to, and it is a lot of money you have been saving for it. If there is any time that people need a vacation, it is times like this. Yes, things could always be worse, but don't feel selfish for worrying about it. Hang in there!

 

[jewelsb]

I am so sorry that you are going through this. We went through this right before our Nov. 2011 trip. We bought trip insurance when we booked, but were worried about coverage, as my FIL had been ill for a while. We never found out if it would cover or not, as he wound up passing away after just 3 days in Hospice, about a month before our trip. He told us to go ahead and go, so we did. In our case, it was healing for the kids.

As other posters have said, don't worry about the Disney Deposit, just pick any random date in the future to move it to, so you won't lose your deposit. As for Air Tran, you will have a year to use your credit. I was also advised that if we had to cancel to let them know the situation..apparently in some cases, if the death happens close to the time of the trip they will waive the change fee. Another option is to look for "cancel for any reason" trip insurance. You can find these at insuremytrip. Just weigh costs carefully....the policy may well end up being more than the $500-$600 you would pay in fees to the airline.

Don't feel selfish!!! The trip is something you have all been looking forward to, and it is a lot of money you have been saving for it. If there is any time that people need a vacation, it is times like this. Yes, things could always be worse, but don't feel selfish for worrying about it. Hang in there!

Aw thanks. You're making me feel so much better about this. It is something we all need so much! I've thought too, that this will be healing for us. We actually did not expect my FIL to make it as long as he has already and that's why we booked the trip as far out as we did.

I was thinking that we would lose the Disney deposit no matter what, but that makes me feel better too. I want to make sure we go sometime this summer, especially for the kids' sake, so we would definitely just move the date out. And really, the cost to change our flights wouldn't be much more than the trip insurance was going to cost. I'm so glad I posted - you have all helped so much!

 

[DizBelle]

Have you talked to FIL to see if he would want you to cancel your trip?

To any of my family or friends, if I die, DO NOT CANCEL ANY OF YOUR PLANS. You can mourn me later. I would HATE for someone to give up their trip to Disney World because of my death. I'll be just as dead after your trip...*

*sorry if that sounds harsh but I refuse to allow my death to mess up anyone else's life.

 

[jewelsb]

Have you talked to FIL to see if he would want you to cancel your trip?

To any of my family or friends, if I die, DO NOT CANCEL ANY OF YOUR PLANS. You can mourn me later. I would HATE for someone to give up their trip to Disney World because of my death. I'll be just as dead after your trip...*

*sorry if that sounds harsh but I refuse to allow my death to mess up anyone else's life.

LOL - this made me chuckle a little! Thank you! Actually we haven't. Alzheimers has also recently set in along with the Leukemia so he's confused a lot of time now and wouldn't understand. My husband is one of 7 kids in a VERY close family. He would want to make sure that we were here. My biggest fear is something happening right before we leave or right when we get there (we'll be gone for 10 days) and having to cancel the rest of the trip (or all of it) to get back for the funeral and services. If we were only going for 3 or 4 days I maybe wouldn't be quite as worried.

 

[palmbeachmom]

Have you talked to FIL to see if he would want you to cancel your trip?

To any of my family or friends, if I die, DO NOT CANCEL ANY OF YOUR PLANS. You can mourn me later. I would HATE for someone to give up their trip to Disney World because of my death. I'll be just as dead after your trip...*

*sorry if that sounds harsh but I refuse to allow my death to mess up anyone else's life.

I second this. I'm own my on countdown with brain cancer, and if I dropped dead tomorrow and we had been scheduled to go on vacation next week, I would definitely want my husband and son to go away and take that time! We've been on a weird holding pattern for awhile with my prognosis, so I know we have a weird attitude probably, but as sad as death is, life goes on. That's our rule Big hugs OP, and I definitely don't think you are selfish... you are a mom with 2 young kids and even if they adore their grandpa, they are still kids who are too young to not want to still go to Disney.

 

[jewelsb]

I second this. I'm own my on countdown with brain cancer, and if I dropped dead tomorrow and we had been scheduled to go on vacation next week, I would definitely want my husband and son to go away and take that time! We've been on a weird holding pattern for awhile with my prognosis, so I know we have a weird attitude probably, but as sad as death is, life goes on. That's our rule Big hugs OP, and I definitely don't think you are selfish... you are a mom with 2 young kids and even if they adore their grandpa, they are still kids who are too young to not want to still go to Disney.

Thank you. I'm so sorry that you're having to go through this. I cannot imagine. Many prayers to you and your family. I hope that you get the best possible prognosis and can soon be on your way to a trip with your husband and son.

 

[palmbeachmom]

Thank you. I'm so sorry that you're having to go through this. I cannot imagine. Many prayers to you and your family. I hope that you get the best possible prognosis and can soon be on your way to a trip with your husband and son.

Thanks OP! Every day is a gift But don't feel guilty! Hope you get to enjoy an awesome trip

 

[GigglyFigment]

I'm in a similar situation - my mom can no longer undergo chemo because of other health problems and has been in hospice for a couple of months now. Since her primary issue is the brain tumor/cancer, there is no telling if she'll hang on for a year, months, or weeks from anytime someone asks me how she is doing.

I would go ahead and figure out when the latest date is that you can rearrange your plans. Then think long and hard about whether or not your family would feel like going. To be perfectly blunt, it sounds like if he is still living at that time, your thoughts would be on him and not your trip given his condition. If he passes away before that, would you still feel like going?

You have permission to think this way. It is necessary as you clearly can't afford to just leave things to chance - you wouldn't be here asking. And believe me it's OKAY. You're not here whining about how his illness is inconveniencing you - you are asking something that is perfectly understandable and valid. And please please PLEASE do not feel guilty about trying to plan some fun for your family - this is your window of availability and there is no shame in having a bit of fun and respite whether you're a caregiver or not.

The way I think about the tough things with my mom is this:

1.) How will I feel in 10 years?

2.) What would SHE want me to do?

For instance, I would LOVE to take a short trip to WDW while she is in respite care. SHE would want me to take the trip and be happy even though she can't go. I would have to live with my decision, however, and I just can't imagine going back to WDW without her while she's alive. Even if she's absolutely fine, I would still carry a bit of guilt with me that makes the trip not worth it. I haven't even done an overnight trip because of how I KNOW I would feel if the worst happened and I couldn't get there ASAP. But that is definitely a ME issue way more than it would be an issue for my mother - that's just the sort of person she is.

It might also help you to think of the fun things you could do instead that are close by if you have to cancel. I have found having an alternate plan or two really helps to calm my nerves. For example, in lieu of a trip to WDW, I'm planning to "play tourist" in my own area. I'm going to visit some historical sites that I haven't fully enjoyed since I was a child on field trips and I'm going to visit some sites that are commonly recommended to local tourists. There won't be Figment or Splash Mountain, but I also won't be sitting at home feeling bad about what might have been.

 

[Robbi]

OP, if you do have to cancel, tell Disney CM the reason for it. In the past, a CM told me the deposit could go towards a future trip if booked w/in the year. Don't know if that was pixie dust or if that was policy and ha now changed. Doesn't hurt to ask though.
So sorry for your pain.

 

[GigglyFigment]

OP, if you do have to cancel, tell Disney CM the reason for it. In the past, a CM told me the deposit could go towards a future trip if booked w/in the year. Don't know if that was pixie dust or if that was policy and ha now changed. Doesn't hurt to ask though.
So sorry for your pain.

This is just good advice to follow regardless of the reason. I've had dinner deposits waived because I said my mom decided she'd rather eat someplace else again - and I cancelled just 2 hours before the meal. It all depends on the CM. The one I talked to was sympathetic and told me to get her whatever I wanted with the money I just saved.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've been in your boat with a fully paid vacation. It worked out okay for us, but I spoke with 2 different CMs who assured me that for bereavement we could move our vacations around to a future date, then move it again when our plans finalized. You won't lose the money from their end because of the death of a family member unless you just don't ever go to Disney again. (Yeah, like that's going to happen, right?) And even then, I would wonder. (It's not something I even asked about, honestly. Just made sure I could move the trip if needed.)

As for AirTran, if it happens, call them and explain the situation. I've had airline change fees waived just because I was nice and the people ahead of me were rude. I suspect you may be able to get a reduction in the fees or get them eliminated. If not, you will still get the majority of your money back.

 

[jewelsb]

Thank you!! I just got off the phone with our TA and she told me that we can change our dates at the last minute and not be charged fees at all as long as we just re book for another date - which we would anyway. I can't let the kids miss this trip after everything! She told me also that if we let the airline (AirTran) know all the circumstances, that there is a chance that they will waive the fees for us too. I feel so relieved knowing that we at least have options that won't cost an arm and a leg and that one way or another this will all work out. Thank you so much to everyone for your posts and suggestions! You have no idea how much better you all made me feel!

 

[Disney Doll]

Cancelled a trip a week before we were supposed to leave in January.
I lost $100 per airline ticket and that was it.

The rest of the $$ for the airline is in a credit which I have a year to use.