In all this craziness I forgot to make my FastPass plans for our upcoming trip.
I. Forgot.
Me!
That is unprecedented. Unheard of.
I’m still reeling from the shock.
As soon as I remembered (3 days late) I quickly logged onto the My Disney Experience App and got busy. Only to find (no surprise) that Slinky Dog Dash, Flight of Passage, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, etc. were all booked on the days we wanted them. In fact, completely booked for the first 5 days of our 7-day trip. After some finagling, I managed to squeeze in Slinky Dog and Flight of Passage – but not without giving up some coveted dining reservations that would have to wait until next trip.
And when they canceled school for the rest of the school year? I really panicked.
What if Disney isn’t back in operation in time for our trip? Then my self-employed husband said, “I just can’t justify me going. Business is practically at a standstill. I need to work as soon as this thing settles.” Should WE not go? I asked. But the trip is practically paid for. And, to save money, I pay in Disney gift cards. It’s either go as planned or reschedule. Because it’s not like we’re getting cash back if we cancel. So my husband said, If Disney is open, I think you and the kids should still go. (I love this man!)
My head has been spinning these past few weeks. As many heads have. With big problems and small. We haven’t weathered an emergency such as this in my lifetime. My heart goes out to all who are suffering. And my heart goes out to all who are struggling. We are all coping in our own way. We are doing the best we can under the circumstances. These are unprecedented times.
Here’s what you need to know about your Disney vacation when there is an emergency.
Contact Your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
As soon as I knew our plans may be changing I contacted Debbie. She helped me problem solve our options. She gave me great advice about our dining reservations. She commiserated with me on my FastPass debacle. And SHE waited on hold for forever to change our plans with my husband not going. As she will (These aren’t the droids you’re looking for!) if we have to cancel.
Your Authorized Disney Vacation Planner has Disney on speed dial. They know who to call in an emergency. They know when to call to get the best results for you. They know what the best options are. And this time around, cancelation policies are changing daily. Your Disney planner knows all of the changes and how they apply to YOUR vacation.
Trust me. I’m an uber-planner and I STILL take advantage of what a Disney vacation specialist has to offer.
Save Those Disney Gift Cards
I have paid for our Disney vacations with Disney gift cards ever since I got my Target Redcard. In fact, it’s the reason I got a Target Redcard. Five percent adds up over time. It’s one of the many ways I save for Disney. We make payments as we go so that paying for the balance when the balance is due is a little easier on our wallet.
The drawback? If you have to cancel your trip you don’t get your money back in the form of cash or refund on your credit card. You get your money back on the actual Disney gift cards you’ve already applied to your trip.
I keep them in an envelope and I scrambled to find the exact ones. You see, I combine my gift cards on the Manage My Disney Gift Card site – so there are over 100 gift cards in that envelope. Luckily, I had been naming our maxed our gift cards with silly names and writing on them with a Sharpie. So they were easy to find. Phew.
Make Those Dining And FastPass Reservations Anyway
After I made our late FastPass reservations I thought, what’s the point? We’re probably not going anyway. (It was one of those defeated days.) But having those plans in place is good for you. Both practically and psychologically.
Fingers crossed we will all be getting back to a new normal soon. And everyone’s plans can still go on. Having your plans in place will put your mind at ease once this emergency has passed. But making plans and dreaming of Disney is good for my soul. It perks me up. It keeps me focused on the endgame, flattening the curve and keeping everyone safe. Impending Disney trip keeps me positive. And right now, I’m going to focus on taking care of my attitude.
Know The Policies Of Your Other Reservations
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the cancellation policies of your airline tickets, car rentals, wheelchair or stroller rentals, etc. Especially with a national emergency such as this, favorable cancellation policies should be in place. But having all of that information in one place will make adjustments easier.
My prayers and thoughts go out to all of you struggling at this time. I am so thankful for our healthcare workers on the front lines battling this disease. May we see an end to the craziness soon.
And thanks to all of you who peek in here each day for a Disney distraction. We are all in this together.
Can’t wait to see you at Disney!
