Episode #191:What Happens When You Have to Cancel a Disney Trip Last Minute!

Navigating the emotional landscape of canceling a Disney trip last minute highlights the value of family, flexibility, and a great travel planner. With unexpected obstacles arising, we explored our feelings and learned practical lessons about adjusting plans and cherishing family moments. 

• Discussing the latest Disney merch and Cinderella's anniversary 
• Sharing emotions experienced during the trip cancellation 
• Importance of a travel planner in handling cancellations 
• Transitioning trip plans to future dates 
• Overview of refunds and travel credits 
• Emphasizing the value of family time amidst cancellations 
• Plans for future episodes and revisiting old favorites

Transcript

Last Minute Disney Trip Cancellation Response

Speaker 1 0:21

Hello and welcome to Circular Parks podcast episode number 191 . Today we are talking about what happens when you have to cancel your Disney trip last minute . There is far too much to see and do . We are here to help guide you through , but before we do that , we must talk Disney merch . So I still want to do Disney merch because , with it being Cinderella's 75th anniversary year , they are releasing lots of new items , and one that caught my attention today is the Cinderella 75th anniversaryiversary Magic Band Plus . It's a limited release for $54.99 and it is very detailed with all things Cinderella . You've got classic Cinderella with a star-dusted design presenting Cinderella , jack and Gus on a glittering band , plus the glass slipper on coordinating tappable icon . And again , this is a limited release . I really love all the details of it and if I were a really big Cinderella fan I love Cinderella , don't get me wrong . It's just not one of my favorites , but if it was , this would probably be a band that I would get . So that is currently on DisneyStorecom and that is this week's Disney merch .

Speaker 2 1:48

I don't see how you can be so chippy right now .

Speaker 1 1:51

I mean , it is what it is , I don't I just . I did not wake up that way . I thought about where we could be heading .

Speaker 2 2:00

when I woke up , yeah , I mean right now . We're supposed to be at Flame Tree Barbecue .

Speaker 1 2:08

Yes , or shortly arriving there anyway .

Speaker 2 2:11

Yes , yeah .

Speaker 1 2:14

Yeah , so you know , last episode that we recorded just a few days ago was our trip planning episode and we had told you guys , next time you hear from us we would be doing a live dining review from Animal Kingdom at Flame Tree Barbecue . And , as I stated at the intro of this episode , we have now found out what happens when you have to cancel your Disney trip last minute .

Speaker 2 2:41

So instead we're sitting here in Nashville , Tennessee , there's snow on the ground and it's 19 degrees outside .

Speaker 1 2:51

Oh yeah , but this morning it was like nine degrees .

Speaker 2 2:54

Whereas Orlando right now is sunny , with a high of 63 .

Speaker 1 2:58

Yeah , yep .

Speaker 2 3:00

Still with no snow on the ground .

Speaker 1 3:03

Yes , still with no snow on the ground . Yes , so literally , we find we literally found out after recording our trip planning episode , like literally right after recording , that we were going to have to cancel our trip . There was some issues with family being able to help watch the boys . Illness hit and yeah , yeah .

Speaker 2 3:28

So we decided to leave that episode up because we wanted . We thought this would be a good opportunity and , yes , I did get sick . I'm doing much better but we wanted to compare and contrast the episodes and talk about what it's like canceling a Disney trip last minute .

Speaker 1 3:48

yes , and it's not good no , and but I mean the way , once we get into all the details , you know , think things worked out the best they could . So but uh , yeah , you know , a big thing was we were going to have family help watch the boys and they're going through some health issues . Right now . Our backup to that is going through some health issues as well , some other family members , and you know it's not just the boys , we also have two dogs and everything too . So you know , we definitely went through a lot of emotions at first . You know , like first it was denial , like oh , this isn't happening .

Speaker 2 4:27

And not like denial on Jungle Cruise .

Speaker 1 4:29

Right , no . And then it was anger , but not like at anyone , just the overall situation .

Speaker 2 4:36

This situation .

Speaker 1 4:37

Yes . And then sadness , because you know we'd been looking forward to it . You can hear our excitement on the last episode . You know we'd been looking forward to it . You can hear our excitement on the last episode . And then disappointment , you know , because we , even though we've been several times before , you know you still kind of plan things out . You know your day to day , like we were talking about on the last episode , what we're looking forward to doing , where we're eating , the order of how we plan to do the rides , all of that . And then we were trying to figure out a way to still make it happen . Like , well , if we did this and if we did this , or you know , but we ended up , you know , defeat , hit and , yeah , acceptance that it's just not going to happen .

Speaker 2 5:19

Yeah , so I have a saying , not a saying , but it's lessons I've learned through life , and and I'm not saying this in every situation , but when the universe , or God , or whoever you want to say , starts throwing up roadblocks to something that you're looking forward to , maybe you listen to those and not in every situation . Right to maybe you listen to those and not in every situation , right , but when our plan A and plan B did not work out , and then you start having to figure out ways , to piecemeal it together .

Speaker 2 5:57

Maybe it's not meant to happen .

Speaker 1 5:59

Yeah .

Speaker 2 5:59

You know , like the big things in our lives us getting married , us buying the house , jobs , everything like that just happened . There was no forcing it to happen , there was no making it going out of our way to make it happen .

Speaker 1 6:20

It just happened . It just kind of fell into place .

Speaker 2 6:23

Correct , yeah , it just happened and it just kind of fell into place . Yeah , correct . And so when , when the universe starts throwing up these roadblocks in certain situations ?

Speaker 1 6:29

I'm not saying , don't always work hard for stuff , that's not what I know , because I learned that a couple of years ago and you know I fought through some obstacles and got to where I am now .

Speaker 2 6:39

Me as well , but when , when stuff like this happens , you might want to listen to them , and I did get sick . Our boys were sick last week , I got sick this week . I've been doing pretty well staying on top of it and usually what happens in this situation ? Brittany is next .

Speaker 1 6:54

Yeah , so we're just waiting .

Speaker 2 6:56

Or maybe she won't , I don't know .

Speaker 1 6:57

Maybe I won't . I mean , I haven't been like completely 100% , but I wouldn't say I'm sick either . No , and being sick in disney is not fun either .

Speaker 2 7:10

No , I've done it before and I've I felt myself getting sick before , earlier this week , but I was like I'll be fine , we'll push through .

Speaker 1 7:16

And then this came up , and then that was the sign telling us like okay not just that getting sick , but just not being able to have anyone watch the boys and the dogs yeah , and so what do you do when you must cancel last minute ?

Speaker 2 7:31

now , this is when a great not a good , a great travel planner is worth their weight in gold . Now , we haven't talked about her because we're not affiliated with anybody anymore . We we're not sponsored by anybody , but we still use Travel Planner Erica . Yes , and she is just amazing . We're not saying this because we're friends with her . We're not saying this because we used to be affiliated with her . She is amazing .

Speaker 1 7:58

Yes .

Speaker 2 7:59

Her attention to detail and her wealth of knowledge as a trainer travel planner made this so easy for us .

Speaker 1 8:06

Sorry , I got you yeah , no well , I mean she really does go above and beyond , like I mean , she's done so many things for us through our trips and added nice little surprises here and there . You know , um , sometimes just letting cast members know ahead of our arrival that we are celebrating a special occasion , you know that we maybe failed to mention , um , you know she's , she's had little , like when it was the boys birthdays and stuff . Like she's had little surprises for them waiting at , like bill services when we've arrived and things like that yeah .

Speaker 2 8:38

So she is great . Um , check her out . If you want not a good , I'm talking a great travel planner . Go check her out wwwtravelplannerericacom . We're not just saying this , it is the truth . She really is great . Again , we're not affiliated with her whatsoever right now , but we still use her for all of our trip planning . She is amazing . She truly truly is . So she was still trying to figure out ways we could do it too . You know , throwing out suggestions , ideas and all this stuff . She didn't want us to cancel it either .

Speaker 1 9:11

Right , yeah , she was like well , what about this for the dogs or this for the kids ? Or like a day of doing this and then another day of doing this ?

Speaker 2 9:20

And it was like oh , it's just too much . It was too much to try to .

Speaker 2 9:23

But she was really trying to help , yeah , so instead of canceling everything , we were already planning on going for fall break . Right , she just moved our booking and tickets to that trip . We even got money refunded yeah , a little bit . So our original . We were supposed to stay at Port Orleans , French Quarter , and we were using an AP discount . I am not renewing my AP this year After May . After May , Since the book research will be done there is . I have planned , done the cost analysis . It is not worth it for me to keep the annual pass . So she rebooked it with a non-AP and we're staying at the Pop Century Resort in October . Even got a little money refunded . Moved Brittany's tickets to those dates .

Speaker 1 10:14

Yep .

Speaker 2 10:14

And now all we have to do is buy the boys tickets and that trip is booked .

Speaker 1 10:18

And yours now too .

Speaker 2 10:19

Well , I gotta get tickets for me too , because I don't have an AP anymore .

Speaker 1 10:22

For October For .

Speaker 2 10:23

October . But yeah , that trip the resort's booked . It was a seamless transition . The only thing we lost money on was the lightning link single passes , and even erica then was on the phone with disney trying to get those refunded . Uh , with no luck . So we were out 100 bucks .

Speaker 1 10:38

Right , but yeah , but other than that , I mean , it definitely could have been much worse . You know , like she , she was able to to do all those things zach just mentioned . You know , and yes , we're not staying at the same resort , but this was the next best option and at one at some point in time we were wanting to stay at pop and you know , pop is one of those that is on the skyliner route and everything too . So you know it .

Speaker 2 11:04

It worked out it did , um , but yeah , she was on the phone with Disney the whole time . She did all of that . We just told her hey , this is what we want to do on these dates , and she took care of everything . It was so easy . This is why we recommend travel planners , especially travel planner Erica . She's going to do this work for you .

Speaker 2 11:23

They're going to do that work for you . It was literally no work on our part . The only thing we had to cancel or change was our flights which on southwest . You don't get refunds , you just get travel credits to use in a certain time . Well , they don't expire I thought they did no , they don't . And um make sure you or your travel planner cancels your dining reservations or they will charge you $10 per person if you don't .

Speaker 1 11:49

Right , yes , make sure those dining reservations get canceled , which you can easily do on the my Disney app . Yeah , or again , travel planners can do that for you as well , but definitely don't let that slip your mind .

Speaker 2 12:06

No , we were also able to get refunds on the car services we had booked and already paid for . Make sure you check their cancellation policies . Ours were 48 hours , so we were able to get that back , excuse me , and um , yeah , so , um , the this whole experience has taught us just the value of a great travel agent . It really truly did , erica , you really are great , you are amazing , thank you .

Speaker 1 12:33

Thank you . Thank you , you know , and they help just talk you through things too , when stuff like this happens .

Speaker 2 12:40

Calm you down .

Speaker 1 12:41

You know , because initially we were in all those emotions mentioned earlier and got her on the phone and , you know , after her throwing some suggestions out of well , what if , what if you do this or this ? Then she was like , well , let me see what I can do for October .

Speaker 2 12:57

So yeah , and so going in fall break .

Speaker 1 13:01

But we are still going in in May June .

Speaker 2 13:05

That's definitely .

Speaker 1 13:06

But in fall break man southwest knows when fall breaks are yes , because those plane tickets I like I think my mouth like legit dropped open thirty seven hundred dollars for four round trip so even with our travel credits .

Speaker 2 13:23

That is yeah ridiculous .

Speaker 1 13:25

So we're hoping we're not purchasing those anytime soon . We're hoping they will go down .

Speaker 2 13:30

That's ridiculous .

Speaker 1 13:32

And you know , if not , we might look at some other options of flying down there , flying into Tampa , is like three quarters cheaper . Yeah , and then getting a rental car and it's like a two hour drive .

Speaker 2 13:44

So hopefully it won't come to that , but you know it's when it gets that . A two hour drive , so hopefully it won't come to that , but you know when it gets that is outrageous . Yeah , you know we're not that price sensitive , but that is just crazy . Your airfare costs the same as your Disney trip .

Speaker 1 13:58

Yeah , or more Right , yeah , so yeah . So we'll be checking that off and on over the next couple of months .

Speaker 2 14:05

Yeah . So again , I just want to reiterate the importance of a great travel planner . We literally said this is what we're going to do , what we want to do , and she was on the phone with Disney , did everything for us . She just said , hey , check your my Disney experience app and everything was done .

Speaker 1 14:20

Taking care of yeah . So thank you , erica , do appreciate it . Thank you so much . And you know , guys , you know life just happens , you know , and so you know , yes , would we rather be in animal kingdom right now , of course , I mean it's nine degrees here , or 12 to whatever 20 but at the same time , you know , again , life happens and there's , you know , we're still spending time with our kids this weekend .

Speaker 1 14:48

I know it was supposed to be a kidless trip but you know , maybe it was just a way , before our busy season really ramps up , to get us to have this family time Relax , because next week soccer starts , work goes back to normal .

Speaker 2 15:04

It's going to be crazy through our next trip .

Speaker 1 15:08

Yeah , until until . Yeah , literally right before we go together as a family in may , like I think it ends like a week or two before so I didn't know the weekend before yeah , we have tournaments until the weekend before . Yep , yep .

Speaker 2 15:20

All over the state . So anyway .

Speaker 1 15:23

So again , maybe this was just a different way for us to slow down , instead of being in Disney and slowing down and relaxing . It was a different way for us to slow down as a family of four . This weekend .

Speaker 2 15:34

Yeah Well , you know , we've been getting caught up on Cobra Kai .

Planning Theme Park Podcast Episodes

Speaker 1 15:38

Yeah , I have never watched the show until just a few days ago .

Speaker 2 15:40

Yeah , so some big twist at the end of season four .

Speaker 1 15:44

Yeah , few days ago . Yeah , so some big twist at the end of season four yeah , wow , and there's what ?

Speaker 2 15:48

six seasons ? Yeah , I've got two more to go . Yeah , maybe we'll get done this weekend , maybe all right . So , uh , I'm sorry we won't be able to provide any new restaurant resort reviews in the coming weeks . I was really looking forward to doing those , but I think we need to go back to the past .

Speaker 1 16:05

Yeah , I think , like some of our older episodes , like early , early on , we need to revisit those because they were so early on and we've gone several more times since then . There's some new attractions , yeah , new lands and so you know , we may be doing some of some episodes that you've heard before , but with new information .

Speaker 2 16:26

Some over-under . Are they overrated or underrated ? Ranking lands and attractions I want to rank the coasters . I think we should do ranking the coasters . What do you think ?

Speaker 1 16:39

Talk that over with the boys .

Speaker 2 16:41

You want to have the boys on for this .

Speaker 1 16:42

Well , they're kind of hit and miss with whether they want to be on or not . But at least have them help you plan that episode , like because y'all love the coasters .

Speaker 1 16:53

But you like some of them , I like some of them too , but they can really like help you . Well , well , what about this on this one ? And then you might not have thought about that . Oh yeah , Well , maybe . And then you might not have thought about that and be like oh yeah , well , maybe let me change that number to this then , because I forgot about that part .

Speaker 2 17:06

Do we rank it just on coaster only or full experience ? Because that changes things right , that changes the rankings ?

Speaker 1 17:17

I don't know , that's something you'll have to decide , I don't know . Yeah , I just think , though , like with like Everest , for example , and Cosmic Rewind and stuff like they can help you more but they can help you more with those .

Speaker 2 17:28

Well , you know what ? I'm going to put a thing up to Instagram to see what the listeners think .

Speaker 1 17:31

Like overall experience . Overall experience versus just the coaster because that changes .

Speaker 2 17:38

Changes the rankings .

Speaker 1 17:39

Yeah , it can for even other rides as well . Drastically .

Speaker 2 17:43

So , yeah , yeah , Anything else you would like to talk about ?

Speaker 1 17:48

No , just you know , but be looking for that , not necessarily every week for the next several weeks , but here and there we will probably revisit some older episodes and update information . Or maybe it was something that you know we weren't so sure about before and the more we write it , we like it now , Because you just mentioned , for example , in the last episode , Ratatouille . You weren't real big on it the first time you rode it , but then now , the more you ride it , you like it .

Speaker 2 18:17

I thought it was a you and Nolan attraction and the more I ride it , the music I've been coming to like it more .

Speaker 1 18:25

Right .

Speaker 2 18:31

So I'm just saying , like , if we revisit that for several of the rides that we've talked about and stuff in the past , you know there may be some of that and we've got a lot of new listeners that maybe don't want to go back and search through hundreds of episodes to find something .

Speaker 1 18:39

Yeah .

Speaker 2 18:39

You know I get it . And plus , we were not saying we're great podcasters or even good podcasters .

Speaker 1 18:46

But I get it . And plus , we were not saying we're great podcasters or even good podcasters , but back then , like the audio , when you're just starting off , you're like oh , and then it was just so bad .

Speaker 2 18:51

Not that we're good now , but at least the audio is a lot better .

Speaker 1 18:55

So yeah , so we'll see , and I mean we'll still come up with some new ideas as well , but obviously once we go at the end of May , we'll have plenty to- .

Speaker 2 19:06

Lots to talk about , lots to talk about . We're even going to that one park . Well , ryan and I are going to that one park . We must not name Rounds of Smirnoversals .

Speaker 1 19:15

And then you might be wondering well , when you're doing that in May , what are Brittany and Nolan going to be doing ?

Speaker 2 19:21

Nothing .

Speaker 1 19:22

We will be doing plenty , but we won't share all that now all right , so anything else about this uh cancel . You know , like we do we might just have the disney blues a little bit a little bit um , but I'm holding back tears over here um , and in my last episode I had mentioned uh , bath and body works .

Speaker 1 19:43

Having like that new princess line , I have still yet to see it , so I am going there for sure today just to get a little bit of some disney magic so I know , I know , I know exactly where we're going when we get out today .

Speaker 2 19:55

Yes , yeah , I just want to say thank you , erica , you made this process so easy , seamless . Thank you again . Not affiliated with her professionally , but we do still use her and she is great . Thank you , erica .

Speaker 1 20:12

We really , really do appreciate everything you did for us on this she just makes everything very , very personable and you know , like I , like I said before , you know when it's been birthdays for the boys and stuff it it's . You know she does not have to go out of her way to have a surprise waiting for you , but she does . And you know she provides a lot of additional information that she doesn't have to but just to help help you with guiding you through your vacation .

Speaker 2 20:39

So again if you want to go check her out , wwwtravelplanetericacom . You won't regret it , you really won't .

Regretful Disney Trip Cancellation Discussion

Speaker 2 20:47

All right , well , thank everybody for joining us . Sorry , I feel bad . I still feel bad . We could be an animal kingdom right now .

Speaker 1 20:55

I know .

Speaker 2 20:56

Listen to the great music .

Speaker 1 20:57

Maybe we'll find some good barbecue place today to eat to make up for Flametree , I don't know .

Speaker 2 21:01

All right If you want to email us , circleofparks at gmailcom , wwwcircleofparkscom . Again , we're on Facebook , instagram and X , all at Circle of Parks .

Speaker 1 21:15

And you know if you have to cancel a trip . It just life happens sometimes it does , but we'll talk to you soon , thank you .