The policy is still the same. Your deposit is refundable for 14 days from your date of booking. Up to 90 days before your departure date you lose the $300per person deposit and then the amount goes up the closer you get to your departure date. Between 60-89 days it's 25% of the land package cost, 30-59 it's 50% and anything less than 30 days there is no refund at all.
You've got to be kidding me! Just received our paperwork.
- Thread starter abdmom
- Start date
The policy is still the same. Your deposit is refundable for 14 days from your date of booking. Up to 90 days before your departure date you lose the $300per person deposit and then the amount goes up the closer you get to your departure date. Between 60-89 days it's 25% of the land package cost, 30-59 it's 50% and anything less than 30 days there is no refund at all.
Momof3greatkids
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
I think that the cancellation policy is typical Disney. We have loved our 2 ABD trips and thought the guides where great. However, I have not found their corporate/booking department to be very helpful.
We have had several concerns. First, is their cancellation policy. After 2 weeks you loose your deposit, no matter how far in advance you book. This was not as bad when offered their EBD and $100 pp return guest policy. Currently, you get nothing, but a supposed best price offer for early booking. They do not guarantee departures, as has been noted in this thread. They have a history of major cancellations in 2009. They claim the earlier you book the better the price, which was not true last year. Special pins to get discounts on select trips where sent to some of us, a 3 night cruise offered, and a decrease in the Yosemite trip price, all after claiming the best prices where given for early booking. The discount they offered us on our first trip was 10% off another trip, but only if we used it in the same year on select trips. We had been told we would get a discount offer, but where not told of the restrictions. I don't believe anyond on our trip could take advantage of that offer. We where offered nothing on our second trip. There is also no discount for anyone over 12, which for a family oriented company is pretty bad.
We also had an issue with some shirts my husband left at a hotel in Costa Rica. We told them we would pay to have the hotel ship them to our house. However, they told us they would handle it, which would have been great if they did. They where supposed to show up at the airport when we left, and they didn't. They where going to have them shipped, and then they changed their mind, saying it was to expensive. We had to wait for a guide to fly them home. They then sent them to California, and then to Texas, and then back to California. It took 6 weeks to get them back. The shirts where not the end of the world to us, but the incompetent way they handled it was an eye opener.
ABD trips have been excellent, but in the end Disney is a big company who wants to make a nice profit. So,you need a buyer beware attitude when you book. I have been researching other tour companies and they seem to me to be trying harder to get my business with better cancellation policies, guaranteed departures (unless of course there is a natural disaster or it becomes unsafe), better discounts for children, and loyalty programs. I think in the end I will probably take another ABD someday, but I won't be in any rush to book early, and will really shop around with other companies.
We have had several concerns. First, is their cancellation policy. After 2 weeks you loose your deposit, no matter how far in advance you book. This was not as bad when offered their EBD and $100 pp return guest policy. Currently, you get nothing, but a supposed best price offer for early booking. They do not guarantee departures, as has been noted in this thread. They have a history of major cancellations in 2009. They claim the earlier you book the better the price, which was not true last year. Special pins to get discounts on select trips where sent to some of us, a 3 night cruise offered, and a decrease in the Yosemite trip price, all after claiming the best prices where given for early booking. The discount they offered us on our first trip was 10% off another trip, but only if we used it in the same year on select trips. We had been told we would get a discount offer, but where not told of the restrictions. I don't believe anyond on our trip could take advantage of that offer. We where offered nothing on our second trip. There is also no discount for anyone over 12, which for a family oriented company is pretty bad.
We also had an issue with some shirts my husband left at a hotel in Costa Rica. We told them we would pay to have the hotel ship them to our house. However, they told us they would handle it, which would have been great if they did. They where supposed to show up at the airport when we left, and they didn't. They where going to have them shipped, and then they changed their mind, saying it was to expensive. We had to wait for a guide to fly them home. They then sent them to California, and then to Texas, and then back to California. It took 6 weeks to get them back. The shirts where not the end of the world to us, but the incompetent way they handled it was an eye opener.
ABD trips have been excellent, but in the end Disney is a big company who wants to make a nice profit. So,you need a buyer beware attitude when you book. I have been researching other tour companies and they seem to me to be trying harder to get my business with better cancellation policies, guaranteed departures (unless of course there is a natural disaster or it becomes unsafe), better discounts for children, and loyalty programs. I think in the end I will probably take another ABD someday, but I won't be in any rush to book early, and will really shop around with other companies.
Whiskers, it's the same policy. You have 14 days in which to cancel with no penalty, and then you would forfeit the deposit.
At the risk of always sounding like the AbD cheerleader, if I can come at this from a travel professional side:
1) At one point, I had booked more AbD trips individually than any one agent in the nation. This was, of course, before the DIS/Dreams Unlimited began selling AbD again.
I mention this only to say that I had a bit of experience with canceled trips in 2009. Yes, AbD was optimistic on growth. When the economy tanked, there were too many trips with too few guests spread among them. Yes, they did consolidate trips, and about 20% of mine were canceled. However, I don't only sell Disney -- I sell every other tour company, and I can honestly say that I had NO issues with how AbD handled these cancellations. The utmost consideration was given to guests, airfare was either refunded or rescheduled at AbD's expense, and different dates (and even more expensive itineraries) were offered in exchange for the ones canceled.
2) As a couple of my clients on this board will attest, Tauck also cancels tours. Theirs was also canceled in 2009.
3) In the back of the Tauck brochure, there is also small print: "Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate all cruises and tours as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, ports, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary...."
I'm not picking on Tauck as this applies to many other tour operators, but I don't see anywhere on the Tauck site or in their trip documents that there's a guaranteed date after which they won't cancel. I think that's a bonus with AbD, not a drawback.
I'm not saying that you don't have cause for concern; I only wanted to add that the concern should be with any tour company, not just AbD. Some companies will offer "guaranteed departures" but even those usually have their own unique small print.
Have fun on whatever trip you choose!
Dotti
At the risk of always sounding like the AbD cheerleader, if I can come at this from a travel professional side:
1) At one point, I had booked more AbD trips individually than any one agent in the nation. This was, of course, before the DIS/Dreams Unlimited began selling AbD again.
I mention this only to say that I had a bit of experience with canceled trips in 2009. Yes, AbD was optimistic on growth. When the economy tanked, there were too many trips with too few guests spread among them. Yes, they did consolidate trips, and about 20% of mine were canceled. However, I don't only sell Disney -- I sell every other tour company, and I can honestly say that I had NO issues with how AbD handled these cancellations. The utmost consideration was given to guests, airfare was either refunded or rescheduled at AbD's expense, and different dates (and even more expensive itineraries) were offered in exchange for the ones canceled. 2) As a couple of my clients on this board will attest, Tauck also cancels tours. Theirs was also canceled in 2009.
3) In the back of the Tauck brochure, there is also small print: "Tauck pledges to make every effort to operate all cruises and tours as advertised. Tauck reserves the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, ports, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary...."
I'm not picking on Tauck as this applies to many other tour operators, but I don't see anywhere on the Tauck site or in their trip documents that there's a guaranteed date after which they won't cancel. I think that's a bonus with AbD, not a drawback.
I'm not saying that you don't have cause for concern; I only wanted to add that the concern should be with any tour company, not just AbD. Some companies will offer "guaranteed departures" but even those usually have their own unique small print.
Have fun on whatever trip you choose!
Dotti
DisFan10
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
To be fair to AbD, we have taken six AbDs since 2007 and none of them were cancelled.
However, when we booked a Tauck trip to Philadelphia/Washington D.C/ Williamsburg in 2009 (the departure date was in August so we thought we were safe), they cancelled that departure due to low bookings!! They didn't have any other departure date that would work for us, so we ended up taking their "Lakes of Michigan & Mackinac Island" trip, which was actually quite interesting and enjoyable. So, I just wanted to give another view on this cancellation topic, but I totally agree with everyone's thoughts on AbD's stringent policies...
However, when we booked a Tauck trip to Philadelphia/Washington D.C/ Williamsburg in 2009 (the departure date was in August so we thought we were safe), they cancelled that departure due to low bookings!! They didn't have any other departure date that would work for us, so we ended up taking their "Lakes of Michigan & Mackinac Island" trip, which was actually quite interesting and enjoyable. So, I just wanted to give another view on this cancellation topic, but I totally agree with everyone's thoughts on AbD's stringent policies...
Momof3greatkids
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
DisFan10, Wow! I had been told by Tauck they did not cancel trips for low bookings. Very interesting to learn otherwise. Our trips with Disney have never been cancelled, but we traveled with several families who had to really scramble because they where shuffled around.
Momof3greatkids
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
DisFan10, Wow! I had been told by Tauck they did not cancel trips for low bookings. Very interesting to learn otherwise. Our trips with Disney have never been cancelled, but we traveled with several families who had to really scramble because they where shuffled around.
Dotti, the one thing we where told about airfare, when we inquired, was that because we had FF, if our trip was canceled Disney would pay a change of fee, but any increase or lack of availabilty of FF was our problem. For us, we are always using FF in order to pay for trips, so that was a big deal. Had we been canceled we could have had a major airline problem.
Dotti, the one thing we where told about airfare, when we inquired, was that because we had FF, if our trip was canceled Disney would pay a change of fee, but any increase or lack of availabilty of FF was our problem. For us, we are always using FF in order to pay for trips, so that was a big deal. Had we been canceled we could have had a major airline problem.
DisFan10
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2009
Yes, we were totally shocked when we got "the call". If I remember correctly, they only had 2 departures in August!
But, to their credit, Tauck waived the price difference between the two trips and reimbursed our airline change fees even though we did not book the air through them.
MickeyWatch
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2010
If ABD cancels the trip wouldn't your out of pocket expenses be covered by travel insurance?
Your out of pocket expenses related to the actual tour may be (cancellation fees for flights or FF mile fees, for example, are covered by AbD) but you may have other costs that are not. I have a client right now in Italy on Bella Italia, and we added accommodations and excursions in Rome and also train tickets from Rome to Naples. AbD insurance normally covers you for costs related to the AbD trip - PERIOD. I booked her flights into Rome and back from Pisa (much less expensive than Florence) through AbD, and her flights and AbD tour are covered but NOT the train tickets and the accommodations in Rome. She also has no coverage if she needs medical attention for the Rome portion of the trip. If AbD cancels... I honestly have no idea if those would have been covered because I didn't have that scenario in 2009.
Unless there's a cancellation very close to the tour date, most hotels will refund the deposit, and even the operators of the excursions wouldn't usually bind you to your reservation if you were too far out. I do understand that those using FF miles for the trip have a very valid cause for concern, however.
I've gone on five AbD trips myself and haven't worried about cancellations -- for the most part, anyway. As Sayhello knows, this year was different because I had my own private Knights and Lights group, but that's another story and I talk too much already.
I'll leave it that it worked out wonderfully and we had an incredible time, albeit minus a few folks we would have liked to have with us! Dotti
There may be others, but so far the only company I've found that guarantees departures is Thomson Family Adventures. Once anyone books, they won't cancel due to low bookings. If you want to travel with other guests they will let you reschedule as long as you notify them 3 months in advance. I read one account of a grandmother and grandchild who were the only ones on the tour. That can't happen too often or how would they be able to stay in business. Their max group size is 25. I guess the minimum is one.
I actually would not put the blame on this one to Disney. My parents were going to to Peru in the spring, and they cancelled their trip as well (not through Disney, or another "high" end company. The reason was that the mudslides washed away the access to Machu Pichu. If you can't get to Machu Pichu, do you really want to go to Peru. My parents rescheduled their trip and are going in two weeks. They had to pay change in air fare. I have been comparing their trip to the ABD, and will have to see the feedback they give me. For 7 nights with air fare they are paying around 2500! I am wondering if Disney re-scheduled.
I actually would not put the blame on this one to Disney. My parents were going to to Peru in the spring, and they cancelled their trip as well (not through Disney, or another "high" end company. The reason was that the mudslides washed away the access to Machu Pichu. If you can't get to Machu Pichu, do you really want to go to Peru. My parents rescheduled their trip and are going in two weeks. They had to pay change in air fare. I have been comparing their trip to the ABD, and will have to see the feedback they give me. For 7 nights with air fare they are paying around 2500! I am wondering if Disney re-scheduled.
Momof3greatkids
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
I agree that natural disaster/weather related events are not Disney's fault. I don't think any company could do anything about the fact tourists where stranded at the top, and the train couldn't get up and down. I think most people are more concerned with Disney because there where significant cancellations in 2009, and there refund policy is so strict, coupled with the fact they have taken away all early and loyalty booking discounts.
sayhello
Have Camera, Will Travel
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
It should, if you buy the travel insurance on your own from an independent company. If you buy ABD's insurance, as Dotti says, it will only cover what you book through ABD.
Sayhello
Momof3greatkids
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2004
I agree that natural disaster/weather related events are not Disney's fault. I don't think any company could do anything about the fact tourists where stranded at the top, and the train couldn't get up and down. I think most people are more concerned with Disney because there where significant cancellations in 2009, and there refund policy is so strict, coupled with the fact they have taken away all early and loyalty booking discounts.
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