Travel Changes?

My TA at dreams is planning on moving the danube deposit to something in 2021, maybe Egypt. From my understanding you can only move it once, but given everything that's happened I'm not sure if they will revisit that policy.

Yes I believe DVC always gets opening day pricing.

That policy has us kind of stuck unless we just choose to forfeit our deposit by canceling by final payment in May. Our September Rhine ABD was booked using a deposit moved from an Egypt trip we decided to cancel. You would think they would at least consider relaxing the "move only once" policy for a short time. At least, that way many of us would move to other dates and/or itineraries. With the way things are looking I would be surprised if the an early September Rhine cruise happens. So I'm going to just wait it out at least until final payment and decide whether to cancel.
 
Be careful when they cancel your trip and move the deposit (or PIF) about what they promise - even if it is in writing (especially pre-trips).

We watched the first episode of "The Imagineering Story" directed by Leslie Iwerks (Granddaughter of Ub Iwerks who worked with Walt Disney really from the beginning) on Disney + last night. As we heard Walt talk about values, keeping promises and doing the right thing as a long term business model, and how the money they needed always just came about (barely but it did) We usually move on things pretty carefully and thoughtfully but the more I look at this the more I don't like what I see with current management. It's time to vote with the wallet and pocketbook.
 
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So now WDW and DL are closed until further notice and CA is under stay-at-home orders until further notice. My SoCal/DL PIF is in late April, a little more than 3 weeks from now. Is ABD really going to make me PIF if DL is still closed and CA is still under a stay-at-home order?! Ugh. I guess I can always move the deposit, but then I won't qualify for discounts.
 
I don't have any trips with ABD though I did have $1,800 worth of parked deposit we had to forfeit a year ago. I have never put any money down with a variety of other travel companies, though have requested info from them in the past, so they have my email. Now I'm getting emails daily from these companies discussing their updated cancelation policies, webinars about travel and interesting places, good websites to fix the travel itch, even movie recommendations about travel and interesting travel backgrounds to use for Zoom conferences. Nothing from ABD. Not that I was expecting it, but I'm impressed with what these other companies have put out. It looks less and less like I'll ever use ABD due to it's conspicuous absence of customer service.

I'll admit at this point I just like this board since it's full of likeminded travelers.
 


I don't have any trips with ABD though I did have $1,800 worth of parked deposit we had to forfeit a year ago. I have never put any money down with a variety of other travel companies, though have requested info from them in the past, so they have my email. Now I'm getting emails daily from these companies discussing their updated cancelation policies, webinars about travel and interesting places, good websites to fix the travel itch, even movie recommendations about travel and interesting travel backgrounds to use for Zoom conferences. Nothing from ABD. Not that I was expecting it, but I'm impressed with what these other companies have put out. It looks less and less like I'll ever use ABD due to it's conspicuous absence of customer service.

I'll admit at this point I just like this board since it's full of likeminded travelers.

I was thinking the same thing!! I have received e-mails from Tauck and Lindblad with beautiful videos and my DS12 participated in an Austin Adventures program (thanks to a post on these boards!) which was, basically, an hour-long, in-depth lesson about Yellowstone, which was excellent and completely convinced both of us to very seriously consider booking a trip with them (great marketing!) Literally, crickets from ABD. The folks at Disney are masters of creating content and marketing their products. I am shocked they haven't done anything. They are certainly blowing an opportunity to keep people interested in traveling with them.
 
So now WDW and DL are closed until further notice and CA is under stay-at-home orders until further notice. My SoCal/DL PIF is in late April, a little more than 3 weeks from now. Is ABD really going to make me PIF if DL is still closed and CA is still under a stay-at-home order?! Ugh. I guess I can always move the deposit, but then I won't qualify for discounts.

When is your trip? I'm in CA and I don't see any CA travel until August earliest. It's getting bad, especially down South.
 


Yet another update on our trip scheduled for May with Scott Dunn. They sent out a general e-mail yesterday updating customers about the situation and I decided to respond. Within 30 minutes I had a call from a gentleman who purported himself to be a senior executive at the company. He said he wanted to field a call to see what his staff has been dealing with. After explaining our plight to him and having a conversation about this unprecedented situation, he told me that they won't be issuing a refund. He explained the reasons to me and I feel that they are valid. He agreed that he will allow us to use the deposit for another trip (doesn't have to be Russia and Norway, though it most likely will be, but without the cruise) that they offer before the end of next summer. This is fine by me. I now have to attempt to reach my travel insurance company and have them place our insurance on "hold" (they are letting people move the insurance they purchased to another trip) until we book something (likely in January). The gentleman sent me an e-mail re-capping our conversation so I have everything in writing. He also said that we should consider our trip cancelled at this point (not that I thought there was any chance that it was going to go). Interestingly I went on their website and noticed that they offer New Zealand, which could be a contender. Ultimately it is up to dd to decide the destination and at this point she really wants to see Russia. Maybe we'll add Moscow to the itinerary and take the train from Moscow to St. Petersburg, then hop over to Norway. One thing is for certain -- I have plenty of time to plan.
 
So sorry to post something "off topic" here, but I just had to share a Feel Good moment. I just got the following text from the young couple who live next door: "Hey, Sayhello, we left dinner on your front porch. ... you can just pay it forward. Have a great night!" SO SWEET!! Amidst all the craziness, people do frequently renew my faith in Human Kind. :)

Quarantine Dinner for you 1.jpg

Quarantine Dinner for you 2.jpg

Sayhello
 
Yet another update on our trip scheduled for May with Scott Dunn. They sent out a general e-mail yesterday updating customers about the situation and I decided to respond. Within 30 minutes I had a call from a gentleman who purported himself to be a senior executive at the company. He said he wanted to field a call to see what his staff has been dealing with. After explaining our plight to him and having a conversation about this unprecedented situation, he told me that they won't be issuing a refund. He explained the reasons to me and I feel that they are valid. He agreed that he will allow us to use the deposit for another trip (doesn't have to be Russia and Norway, though it most likely will be, but without the cruise) that they offer before the end of next summer. This is fine by me. I now have to attempt to reach my travel insurance company and have them place our insurance on "hold" (they are letting people move the insurance they purchased to another trip) until we book something (likely in January). The gentleman sent me an e-mail re-capping our conversation so I have everything in writing. He also said that we should consider our trip cancelled at this point (not that I thought there was any chance that it was going to go). Interestingly I went on their website and noticed that they offer New Zealand, which could be a contender. Ultimately it is up to dd to decide the destination and at this point she really wants to see Russia. Maybe we'll add Moscow to the itinerary and take the train from Moscow to St. Petersburg, then hop over to Norway. One thing is for certain -- I have plenty of time to plan.

So you are not out any money? That's about the best to hope for at this point.
 
They will apply my deposit to our trip next year, so not out any money. If they end up going bankrupt my travel insurance would cover the lost deposit (as long as this clause still applies once I 'move' the insurance).

Glad to hear this, and hope you still have that clause once you move insurance. This company sounds horrid to deal with though, and I'd definitely never book with them again.
 
Glad to hear this, and hope you still have that clause once you move insurance. This company sounds horrid to deal with though, and I'd definitely never book with them again.
I agree with you. Their terms and conditions clearly say that if they cancel the trip I get a full refund. They are canceling and are now saying they are only offering a postponement. The reason I was given is that they simply can't afford to refund money for canceled trips -- if they did they would go out of business. I don't feel that it is my responsibility to contribute to their liquidity to keep them afloat. However dd and I will definitely take a trip next year, so if I can apply my deposit with them to another trip then I don't lose the money. One thing I don't like is how cagey they are being -- I was told on the phone to consider my trip canceled, however the e-mail I received did not reference them canceling the trip (perhaps making it harder to file a claim with Chase if I change my mind and decide to file).

Thank you for taking my call today. Sorry to be talking to you for the first time, under such terrible circumstances.

To confirm for xxx Cc’d, I have explained that we will postpone your trip to a time when you can make the trip work. If you choose to go to Russia we are happy to amend the length or trip or whatever needs doing, to make it work and apply the monies already paid, toward the new balance cost. Ideally these new dates would be within 12 months, but we will push that out a little further to catch May / June 2021.

If you choose to travel somewhere else in the Scott Dunn portfolio, we will allow this amount to go toward that alternative trip.

We will reach out to you again, once we know travel is back to normal.
 
I agree with you. Their terms and conditions clearly say that if they cancel the trip I get a full refund. They are canceling and are now saying they are only offering a postponement. The reason I was given is that they simply can't afford to refund money for canceled trips -- if they did they would go out of business. I don't feel that it is my responsibility to contribute to their liquidity to keep them afloat. However dd and I will definitely take a trip next year, so if I can apply my deposit with them to another trip then I don't lose the money. One thing I don't like is how cagey they are being -- I was told on the phone to consider my trip canceled, however the e-mail I received did not reference them canceling the trip (perhaps making it harder to file a claim with Chase if I change my mind and decide to file).

Thank you for taking my call today. Sorry to be talking to you for the first time, under such terrible circumstances.

To confirm for xxx Cc’d, I have explained that we will postpone your trip to a time when you can make the trip work. If you choose to go to Russia we are happy to amend the length or trip or whatever needs doing, to make it work and apply the monies already paid, toward the new balance cost. Ideally these new dates would be within 12 months, but we will push that out a little further to catch May / June 2021.

If you choose to travel somewhere else in the Scott Dunn portfolio, we will allow this amount to go toward that alternative trip.

We will reach out to you again, once we know travel is back to normal.

omg. I would be afraid they are going to file for bankruptcy. No, it's not your responsibility to keep them afloat. wow.
 
omg. I would be afraid they are going to file for bankruptcy. No, it's not your responsibility to keep them afloat. wow.
Well, honestly, if they go out of business, she may be able to file a claim with her trip insurance, depending on the policy, because your trip provider going out of business *is* generally a covered reason.

Sayhello
 
Well, honestly, if they go out of business, she may be able to file a claim with her trip insurance, depending on the policy, because your trip provider going out of business *is* generally a covered reason.

Sayhello
Correct, if they go bankrupt my deposit is covered under my trip insurance. I made sure of that when I purchased the policy (which was shortly after Thomas Cook went under).
 
Looks like a temporary change in the deposit/refund policy for new bookings. I saw this on one of ABD FB groups posted by a TA. Ticks me off a bit since those of us who have trips already booked are not being offered any form of courtesy.

For all new Adventures by Disney bookings made between March 12, 2020 and June 30, 2020, the new reservation is eligible to be cancelled at any date prior to the established Final Payment date and if cancelled prior to this date, will receive a FULL refund INCLUDING the deposit. These NEW bookings made will not fall under the typical 14 day deposit policy.
 
Looks like a temporary change in the deposit/refund policy for new bookings. I saw this on one of ABD FB groups posted by a TA. Ticks me off a bit since those of us who have trips already booked are not being offered any form of courtesy.

For all new Adventures by Disney bookings made between March 12, 2020 and June 30, 2020, the new reservation is eligible to be cancelled at any date prior to the established Final Payment date and if cancelled prior to this date, will receive a FULL refund INCLUDING the deposit. These NEW bookings made will not fall under the typical 14 day deposit policy.
That's because they want *MORE* cash! They already have yours!

Sayhello
 

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