Vacation Packages directly through Disney

[E.Jane]

Still not sure where we want to stay for our upcoming trip at the end of August but I'm wondering about booking through Disney and the whole deposit/full payment thing. I understand if I book now through the Disney site, I pay $200 deposit, with the balance due 30 days before check-in. However, as we are travelling from Canada, and given the frequently changing rules on international travel thanks to covid, I'm wondering what happens if we have paid the balance, but have to cancel, say, a week before check-in. Does anyone know what the penalty is? Or do I lose everything? I can't find the answer on their site, and am trying to avoid a 5-hour on hold phone call!

 

[Lisa24jks]

This is directly from the e-mail on the package I purchased for a December trip (this does not include the Travel Protection Plan which has its own set of rules if you add that on):

• For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to Guest arrival, amounts paid (minus cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed) will be refunded.
• For cancellations made 5 days to 29 days prior to Guest arrival, amounts paid (minus a cancellation fee of $200 per package and minus any cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed) will be refunded.
• For cancellations made 4 days or less prior to Guest arrival or for no-shows, the full price of the package (including Disneyland® Resort admission tickets and all other components of the package) is non-refundable.
• No refunds will be made for early departure from hotel or for unused or partially used admission tickets, options, components, or features.
• Any refunds allowed by WDTC in its sole discretion after arrival must be requested in writing within 90 days after departure and may be assessed a $25 processing fee. WDTC reserves the right to make refunds in accordance with the method that payment was received. All appropriate refunds will be made through the Guest's travel agent if payment was made by the travel agent. WDTC is not responsible for the receipt of refund monies by Guests from their travel agents.

You only lose EVERYTHING if you cancel with 4 days or less, but you do lose part of it if you cancel in the 5 to 29 day window.

 

[E.Jane]

This is directly from the e-mail on the package I purchased for a December trip (this does not include the Travel Protection Plan which has its own set of rules if you add that on):

• For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to Guest arrival, amounts paid (minus cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed) will be refunded.
• For cancellations made 5 days to 29 days prior to Guest arrival, amounts paid (minus a cancellation fee of $200 per package and minus any cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed) will be refunded.
• For cancellations made 4 days or less prior to Guest arrival or for no-shows, the full price of the package (including Disneyland® Resort admission tickets and all other components of the package) is non-refundable.
• No refunds will be made for early departure from hotel or for unused or partially used admission tickets, options, components, or features.
• Any refunds allowed by WDTC in its sole discretion after arrival must be requested in writing within 90 days after departure and may be assessed a $25 processing fee. WDTC reserves the right to make refunds in accordance with the method that payment was received. All appropriate refunds will be made through the Guest's travel agent if payment was made by the travel agent. WDTC is not responsible for the receipt of refund monies by Guests from their travel agents.

You only lose EVERYTHING if you cancel with 4 days or less, but you do lose part of it if you cancel in the 5 to 29 day window.

Thank you so much!!

 

[SeaDis]

Thank you so much!!

If you book room & tickets separately you may save some money compared to a package, but also you get more flexible cancellation options.

For room-only reservations, you can cancel 5+ days out for a refund. And, some 3rd party ticket vendors offer a ticket refund option for a nominal fee. Tickets direct from Disney are technically non-refundable. Although even if they expire, they still hold the value paid (to exchange into then-current tickets). Some recent info on current authorized resellers in this thread:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/what’s-the-best-affiliate-to-buy-disneyland-tickets.3867338/
Some thoughts:
You can book room-only direct through Disney, or some of the 3rd-party ticket sellers also have rooms available and may be a hair cheaper. Generally I favor room-only going direct, which I think can help with room requests (but no proof of that).

You can wait to buy your tickets until later, but you may risk a price increase. Those are announced quickly on this board, or if you follow some Disney Insta/Twitter accounts they will pop-up there quickly. You usually have a period of time (~a week or so) to buy "old" tickets from the resellers while they still have stock. The resellers have gotten good at updating the last date to buy those tickets, usually on their front pages. Disney, however, typically increases their prices online immediately.

Good luck, hope you can make your trip

 

[gelatoni fan]

If you aren't booking a Disney hotel, you can get much more favorable refund policies such as full refunds up to 11:59PM the day before check-in. You will have to buy tickets separately and do the math to see how the pricing works out. Vacation Packages are often not the cheapest way to book, especially if you don't plan to go into the parks the exact number of days the vacation package dictates.