Vacationing at Walt Disney World? Expect the Unexpected!
The trip has been planned for months, the dining reservations were made weeks ago, Fastpass+ are in place, and all you have to do is pack and set off on that great vacation. “All you need is Faith, Trust and a little Pixie Dust”. Does this sound too good to be true? Why yes, sometimes it can be and learning the hard way is not fun. Ready for an important lesson in planning? Lets continue.
Background: I am sitting on a plane on my way to Disney World and all has been well for the past few weeks. A week ago my five-year-old cousin ended up catching the flu. We optimistically thought, “Oh she will be better by next Friday for Mickey’s Verry Merry Christmas Party. There is no need to worry.” Fast forward to now and she is still sick with a major fever. Here is an important part of the planning process that I am sure you have been asked before….”Would you like to purchase trip insurance?” “HA! Trip insurance! What on earth would I need that for?” Now I am in a big “Uh-Oh” and wish I had considered it.
Most often many people, myself included, choose to not purchase the trip insurance when asked because they do not think that they will need it (plus the added cost). Turns out it can be a big mistake for you are your family if you decide not to add that extra onto the vacation. Then, when something unfortunately does go wrong the person who planned the trip is not happy that they, one, have to cancel the trip with no refund or, two, think that the company they are working with is not being accommodating due to their situation. I know that many situations arise (In my case my little cousin has the flu) but most often you can find a form of trip insurance that covers almost anything, whether purchased through the travel company directly or through an outside source. (Hint: This applies not only to Walt Disney World but also to other vacations that you take without the mouse).
I have seen many times on social media complaints of travelers who are upset with a company. Due to the fact that said company will not help them when a problem arises and they decided not to purchase the trip insurance. This is when you hear the clever “I will never go to Disney again or (insert any other vacation destination)”.
My advice to anyone who is traveling to Walt Disney World is to purchase a form of travel protection in case the need arises. The way I look at it (now) is that I would rather be “safe than sorry.” A trip to WDW can be very expensive and it is important to not lose that money in case an emergency arises.
Lastly, I want to explain how thrilled I was that the DVC Rental Store now has a trip protection plan that can be added on when renting points. That should be a relief to many. If purchased, the “Cancel for any Reason” Point Protection Plan reimburses a certain percentage of the accommodation payments that you have made (up to 100%) for your reservation. The amount (percent) which is reimbursed depends on when the cancellation occurs. For more information on the “Cancel for Any Reason: Point Protection Plan” please click here.
You are already spending so much on the trip, why not have peace of mind leading up to the trip especially during the winter months when cold and flu season are at its prime. Please, do not make the same mistake that I did. A non-refundable vacation is not a fun situation to deal with but trip insurance could help most people and their specific situations. Good luck and I hope everyone stays well and has safe and healthy vacations. See you at the parks! (With hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes in tow).
