Unused Military Salute tickets that will expire?

[StarlitNight05]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. How awful with all the run around. It sort of baffles me that they don't have a canned solution for this since I imagine it in wouldn't be so uncommon that someone in the military had to defer a trip. Seems pretty rotten that the only solution is to upgrade to regular tickets.

I hope once this is all over (fingers crossed it's a short call for the last one) you can enjoy the rest of the planning and trip!

 

[twodogs]

Thank you all again so much for your kind remarks and understanding of this disappointing situation.

Another 35 minute call this morning (with my mom present because she was too worried to try to have me patch her into the call), and the tickets are purchased/upgraded to regular tickets for $1260. That call did start with the CM saying that they "could not do this over the phone, it will have to be at the ticket booths". She said she could see the notes from the two calls I had with DL Ticketing yesterday and that those CMs were just wrong. Yesterday, both CMs put me on hold for greater than 10 minutes to talk to a supervisor, and the CM today did agree to talk to a supervisor about it today. Thankfully, the supervisor must have said it was ok for me to give them the additional $1260 (they did also finally figure out how to see the paid price of $340 from 2022, but again today she said it was only $306, and I had to insist that she look at it further to come up with the correct value of the expired tickets, which she eventually did).

I am going to try to get on with the fun parts of this trip, but I will continue to try to reach out to Disney on behalf of other military families that may find themselves in this situation. While we feel very fortunate to be able to pay this amount and take our trip with regular tickets, many military families can likely only go to Disney if they can use the Salute/discounted military tickets. I think, as another poster mentioned above, that Disney should and can have a policy for this situation for military tickets, and they clearly do not. That is not in the very generous spirit with which Disney generally treats military families, and this is an area that I fully hope and expect that they will improve upon for the future. No one should have to go through all of this mess, particularly our military families!!

All of you here have been amazingly kind, sympathetic and helpful with suggestions and just plain understanding of my frustrations. You are what make these boards so magical!!

 

[irlandaise]

I am going to try to get on with the fun parts of this trip, but I will continue to try to reach out to Disney on behalf of other military families that may find themselves in this situation. While we feel very fortunate to be able to pay this amount and take our trip with regular tickets, many military families can likely only go to Disney if they can use the Salute/discounted military tickets. I think, as another poster mentioned above, that Disney should and can have a policy for this situation for military tickets, and they clearly do not. That is not in the very generous spirit with which Disney generally treats military families, and this is an area that I fully hope and expect that they will improve upon for the future. No one should have to go through all of this mess, particularly our military families!!

That's the real mystery to me. I get that Disney is a business, but these tickets are being sold expressly to people whose plans can change in an instant through no fault of their own—and people whom Disney usually shows such respect for. I just don't understand why they don't have procedures in place to provide some kind of accommodation when a military family has to trade in old tickets.

Twodogs, I completely understand your desire to move on and start planning your wonderful trip, but maybe after that, you'd be interested in writing a letter to the head of Disneyland or the Disney parks and describe what happened to you. It just seems so "un-Disney" and I wonder whether the higher-ups know it's happening.

 

[twodogs]

That's the real mystery to me. I get that Disney is a business, but these tickets are being sold expressly to people whose plans can change in an instant through no fault of their own—and people whom Disney usually shows such respect for. I just don't understand why they don't have procedures in place to provide some kind of accommodation when a military family has to trade in old tickets.

Twodogs, I completely understand your desire to move on and start planning your wonderful trip, but maybe after that, you'd be interested in writing a letter to the head of Disneyland or the Disney parks and describe what happened to you. It just seems so "un-Disney" and I wonder whether the higher-ups know it's happening.

I agree with you 100%. I would absolutely like to write a letter. I am not sure who to send it to (email?) to get it in front of someone who could make a difference in their policy for the future?

 

[irlandaise]

I agree with you 100%. I would absolutely like to write a letter. I am not sure who to send it to (email?) to get it in front of someone who could make a difference in their policy for the future?

When you're ready to write letters, you can confirm the current chairperson of Disney Experiences (which includes parks) and president of Disneyland here:

https://disneyconnect.com/about/leadership/

You could send the letters to Disney HQ, unless someone else here knows differently:

500 S Buena Vista St, Burbank, CA 91521

Hopefully if I've suggested anything not quite right, someone here will correct it.

 

[twodogs]

When you're ready to write letters, you can confirm the current chairperson of Disney Experiences (which includes parks) and president of Disneyland here:

https://disneyconnect.com/about/leadership/

You could send the letters to Disney HQ, unless someone else here knows differently:

500 S Buena Vista St, Burbank, CA 91521

Hopefully if I've suggested anything not quite right, someone here will correct it.

Thank you very much for this information. I am definitely going to write some emails/letters, and I hope some progress is made for other military families going through this.

 

[twodogs]

Updating things from this ticket saga. I have no update on the tickets, other than that I will be writing an email to help other military families in this situation.

But the happy update is that we are returning from our trip tonight. We had an amazing time! At check in at the GCH, they asked if we were celebrating; here came the tears…. The CM asked if my parents would be ok with their buttons saying “I’m Celebrating Being Cancer-FREE”. They said they would love that! They wore them every day, and I can’t tell you how many CMs at rides, at QS places, shops and even other guests stopped them to say congratulations and ask how they were doing! It was incredibly heartwarming to see this outpouring of support from everyone! I can’t tell you how much this meant to all of us!!

We took a much slower pace than our usual trip with our teenagers, but my girls got to ride all their favorites with the grandparents one last time, and we ate at BB lunch and Lamplight Brunch and did the Fantasmic package last night. Our rooms at the GCH were connecting, and we had a peaceful woods view right over the entrance to DCA (my favorite location in hotel since it is close to the Napa Rose elevator). It was busy but completely manageable with G+.

I am so glad that we decided to just go ahead and go on the trip and to let go of the ticket frustrations (for now)! Thanks to you all again for your support!!

 

[twodogs]

The Photopass photographer did some great photos! I don’t post family photos online but here is one that doesn’t show their faces. I love this!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Updating things from this ticket saga. I have no update on the tickets, other than that I will be writing an email to help other military families in this situation.

But the happy update is that we are returning from our trip tonight. We had an amazing time! At check in at the GCH, they asked if we were celebrating; here came the tears…. The CM asked if my parents would be ok with their buttons saying “I’m Celebrating Being Cancer-FREE”. They said they would love that! They wore them every day, and I can’t tell you how many CMs at rides, at QS places, shops and even other guests stopped them to say congratulations and ask how they were doing! It was incredibly heartwarming to see this outpouring of support from everyone! I can’t tell you how much this meant to all of us!!

We took a much slower pace than our usual trip with our teenagers, but my girls got to ride all their favorites with the grandparents one last time, and we ate at BB lunch and Lamplight Brunch and did the Fantasmic package last night. Our rooms at the GCH were connecting, and we had a peaceful woods view right over the entrance to DCA (my favorite location in hotel since it is close to the Napa Rose elevator). It was busy but completely manageable with G+.

I am so glad that we decided to just go ahead and go on the trip and to let go of the ticket frustrations (for now)! Thanks to you all again for your support!!

It makes me so happy to read this update!!! I'm so glad you had a special trip, you all deserved some magic after all you've been through!

 

[twodogs]

It makes me so happy to read this update!!! I'm so glad you had a special trip, you all deserved some magic after all you've been through!

Thank you SO much @SOCALMouseMommy !!!

 

[crystal1313]

I’ve been thinking about you all so much. I’m all teary eyed over here reading your update and seeing the photo of your parents. So happy you had ana amazing trip!!