Cancellation question--for room only reservation

[Miffy]

I searched, but can't find the answer to this anywhere.

I understand that with a room-only reservation, if one cancels 5 days before check-in, then you get your one night's deposit back.

But, what if you cancel the day before? Are you charged the full amount of the stay? Or just the one night's deposit?

And, what if you check in and then something happens--emergency, illness, etc.--and you check out a day or several days before the length of the reservation? Do they charge you the entire amount, including the nights you won't now be there? This actually happened to me once. We were staying at SSR and I got so sick we had to go home. They didn't charge us for the nights we weren't there, but this was a few years ago and also, I'm not sure they weren't just being especially nice, since it was obvious I was really sick.

Anyway, I read the terms on our reservation, and the only thing it refers to is the 5-nights-before cancellation policy.

Thanks to anyone who knows the answer to this!

 

[kmb584]

I searched, but can't find the answer to this anywhere.

I understand that with a room-only reservation, if one cancels 5 days before check-in, then you get your one night's deposit back.

But, what if you cancel the day before? Are you charged the full amount of the stay? Or just the one night's deposit?

And, what if you check in and then something happens--emergency, illness, etc.--and you check out a day or several days before the length of the reservation? Do they charge you the entire amount, including the nights you won't now be there? This actually happened to me once. We were staying at SSR and I got so sick we had to go home. They didn't charge us for the nights we weren't there, but this was a few years ago and also, I'm not sure they weren't just being especially nice, since it was obvious I was really sick.

Anyway, I read the terms on our reservation, and the only thing it refers to is the 5-nights-before cancellation policy.

Thanks to anyone who knows the answer to this!

If you cancel less than five nights prior, you're charged the one night's deposit.

 

[Miffy]

If you cancel less than five nights prior, you're charged the one night's deposit.

Thanks. But do you know what they charge you if you check in and don't stay for the full length of the reservation?

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Thanks. But do you know what they charge you if you check in and don't stay for the full length of the reservation?

Your best bet is to call Disney and ask.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

As mentioned you'd be charged the one night deposit if you cancel with less than 5 days.

If you check in and then end up leaving early you'd be charged the full amount.

If worried about an emergency then buy trip insurance.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Thanks. But do you know what they charge you if you check in and don't stay for the full length of the reservation?

I think you pay for the rest of trip when you check in. That's why trip insurance is a good idea.

 

[buzznina]

Like you, when we had to cut a trip short do to an incident, we went to the lobby and explained the situation and they only billed us the nights we stayed. They have the right to charge for the whole stay, but I have found that they are very understanding and will work with the customer.

 

[writerguyfl]

And, what if you check in and then something happens--emergency, illness, etc.--and you check out a day or several days before the length of the reservation? Do they charge you the entire amount, including the nights you won't now be there?

As a company, Disney is uniformly great about working with guests in unusual situations. If you have an actual emergency or illness, the likelihood that the folks at the Front Desk will allow you to leave without penalty are very, very, very high.

 

[Disneypro1]

Disney is right up there with Apple as far as customer service goes. Of all the dozens trips. We hardly EVER have an any kind of an issue. We just aren’t complainers. But I have found Disney to go way beyond any rationale level to help folks out. I think it will all work out fine.

 

[4kids4karen]

So, this isn’t Disney but Shades of Green who has a 30 day canx policy. Two days before we were suppose to check In, my brother died. So I had to travel out of state. They said they could ‘move the dates’ without penalty. Luckily we are ‘somewhat local’ so I just picked dates the following month.

It has been my experience with most hotels (not Disney) when I ave asked if I checked out early, if there was a penalty. I have always been told no, but it’s been several years since I checked out early. The only time I did have an issue is when the hotel said checking out early was fine but then said “oh, you booked through a third party, so you have to contact them.” Third party (Expedia) is a pain to get any refunds, so we just sucked up losing one night and left early anyways. That was the last time I booked with a third party. I always book direct with the hotel now.

 

[Miffy]

Thanks so much to everyone for your replies. It's very reassuring, and all of my experiences with Disney customer service has been just amazing. I agree, they always go above and beyond and try to make things right.

 

[AngiTN]

The bottom line there are two answers here
What that can do legally and what they may do from a CS stand point
You can't count on what they may do as a rule. That's an exception being made. Is that what happens most of the time? Probably. But there's always going to be the one time where they don't let someone have that exception and by rule they are within their rights

 

[ninafeliz]

I know it's YMMV, but over the years we have checked out early a few times and never been charged for the nights. When I was younger and still traveling with my parents, they weren't really always for understandable reasons, either, more or less because my parents decided we had had enough and wanted to go home ( I do know disney has changed a lot with how they handle reservations and changes over the years, so this well could be different now). The only time we had an issue at all was when we used a magical rate maybe 3 years ago and I screwed up and had us leaving a day later than our auto train ticket. I had to call our TA, and she was able to drop the night for us with no charge, but the CM at the resort was not. Having said that, a room at many of the disney resorts is a lot of money, and I would not want to gamble losing the cost of any nights if I didn't have to. And while it cannot be guaranteed, if you left early due to a true emergency and were there in person explaining it, I'm pretty sure it would be obvious to the CM that you were legit and distressed, and I think the chance of you not having to pay for the unused nights would be very good. even if they didn't refund you, since you pay in full on checkin, i would send an email to guest services and/or the GM of the resort since they seem to be leaving their email in all of the rooms after you get home and explain the situation and see if they might issue a refund or some other compensation.