If you, like many, were planning on visiting Disney parks this spring and early summer, Disneyland and Disney World’s extended closures probably weren’t what you were all hoping for.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Today we’re taking a look at what Disney is offering in terms of refunds and more.
The decision to close the U.S. Disney theme parks came with some peace of mind. You no longer have to worry about what you should do, but now you need to know what you can do to cancel your trip.
Epcot
We’re going to give you a checklist of how to proceed if you had booked a Disney trip from now through July 10th, 2020.
Read our Disneyland and Disney World FAQ regarding closures and cancellations here!
Here’s What You Need to Do:
Check With Your Airline
First, you will want to reach out to your airline to see if they will allow you to modify or cancel your flight. Certain airlines such as Southwest will typically allow you to change your flight without a service fee. However, due to the impact that Coronavirus is having on the airline industry, many airlines that normally do not allow free modifications are making an exception.
You can expect a long wait when you call your airline. We’d recommend going online first to see if your airline will allow you to modify your reservation online before picking up the phone.
Mickey and Friends Topiaries
If you used a travel agency or third party service to book your flights, you might need to reach out to them first. They also might be able to handle your other reservations on your behalf.
Inquire About Canceling Any Rentals Including Cars, EVCs, Strollers, or Non-Disney Hotels
Since many Disneyland and Disney World guests use third-parties to provide them with additional services during their stay, each one will need to be contacted to modify any reservations. These could be orders you’ve placed several months ago for vehicles, equipment, etc., so think hard.
Space Mountain
Again, this might take some time due to how many folks are finding themselves in similar situations, so be patient.
Refunds for Hotel Reservations
Disneyland Resort Hotels
Disneyland Hotels closed on Monday, March 16th. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Pixar Pier Hotel will reopen July 23rd. At this time, Disneyland Hotel remains closed until further notice. You can change a reservation at any Disneyland Hotel by calling The Walt Disney Travel Company at (714) 520-5050.
Welcome to the Grand Californian!
Guests with Disneyland Resort VIP Tours, tickets to Food & Wine Festival events, and other experiences should be automatically refunded. Tickets for Disneyland After Dark: Villains Nite will be eligible for a rescheduled event. But if you want an alternative option for Disneyland After Dark, you can call 714-781-4636.
The Disneyland Hotel
We’ve heard the phone lines, again, are very backed up. So be patient. If you can’t get through, try again at a later time. There’s no immediate rush to take care of all of this, so try to keep calm. You’ll eventually speak to someone and clear everything up.
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Disney World Resort Hotels and Disney Beach Resorts
Guests who are booked to stay at a Disney World Hotel other than Disney Vacation Club properties and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, between March 16th and July 10th should cancel online through My Disney Experience under “My Reservations” or call (407) 934-7639 to modify or cancel their Disney World Hotel reservations.
You will be able to apply the full value of your booking towards future visits without penalties or fees. At this time, non-DVC resorts other than Fort Wilderness are closed until further notice.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Due to the high volume of calls right now, it could take a while to get through to a Disney World representative, so we highly recommend trying to cancel on My Disney Experience first. In the event that you would like to modify, be aware that you can only change your booking into a Disney Vacation Club Villa at this time.
Similarly, Disney Vacation Club members with plans until June 21st can “modify or cancel their Disney Resort room reservation or Walt Disney World Travel Company package up to their original check-in date” by calling (800) 800-9800. Disney Vacation Club members will be credited back with their DVC points. At this time, DVC hotels will reopen June 22nd.
Magic Kingdom Fireworks
Change fees have been waived for vacation package modifications as well. If you were planning on visiting Disney World later this year, you can change or cancel your vacation package with a check-in date from now through October 3rd, 2020, without incurring a fee.
Disney Cruise Line Refunds
Disney Cruise Line will offer the use of a future cruise credit or an option for a full refund to guests whose vacations are impacted. But since there are is a high number of calls at the Call Center, the Disney Cruise Line has requested guests wait to contact them until after they have received an email from Disney Cruise Line or their travel agents regarding their upcoming trip.
Here’s What You DON’T Need to Do:
Disney has canceled Fastpasses and Advanced Dining Reservations, so you DON’T need to worry about those. These will be canceled automatically on your behalf. If you’re worried, you can always give Disney a call at (407) 824-1391 to be sure.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Any additional pay-in-advance experiences you’ve scheduled during this time will also be automatically reimbursed to you without any action on your part.
Modify Your Park Tickets
Multi-day Tickets
At this time, you don’t need to do anything with your already purchased park tickets. Even if you contact Disney, they will tell you they aren’t issuing refunds for park tickets at this time.
Disney will be automatically extending your multi-day tickets impacted by park closure through September 26th, 2021. If you cannot visit by September 26th, 2021, you may apply the value of your ticket to a future date.
Click here to read more about Disney World’s policy for theme park tickets affected by Coronavirus closure.
Florida Residents, Annual Passholders, and Tables in Wonderland Members
Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets may be used at Disney World through September 30th, 2020.
Disney’s BoardWalk
Disney World Annual Passholders and Tables in Wonderland Members will have their AP memberships extended by the same number of days the parks remain closed. Disneyland Annual Passholders will have their passes adjusted according to pass type.
Refunds for Extra Event Tickets
Guests who have purchased special tickets to extra events at Disney World’s closed theme parks such as Disney’s After Hours, Disney Villains After Hours, and Disney Early Morning Magic will be refunded for dates starting March 16th and through the park closure. Or, you can call (407) 939-5277 if you have any additional questions. We will keep you posted if the policy is updated due to extended closures.
We hope we’ve helped you make sense of the next steps you will and won’t need to take regarding the travel arrangements you’ve made to either of the U.S. Disney parks.
For even more answers to some common questions regarding Disneyland and Disney World’s temporary closure, click here!
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Have you gone through the process of canceling a Disney trip before? What are some of the challenges you’ve faced? Tell us in the comments below.
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Thank you AJ. We love DFB and our whole family have been watching your videos weekly on You Tube for well over a year, in excitement of our booked Beach Club, Disney Dining Plan and Ticketed holiday starting on Sunday 29th March 2020. The Coronavirus had me concerned about the holiday a couple of weeks ago but as flights and parks were open we were still planning on going. However, now with Disney closing it has made that decision for us and our travel agent is looking into our situation weather we can postpone or cancel and get a refund (we also have a 3 night stay at universal from 12th April and our Virgin Atlantic flights are still operating – at the moment), so ‘our package’ might be tricky to sort out. Right now over here in the UK, Coronavirus symptoms are in the community and I know people that are self isolating! Yes you are right, we would need to cancel or postpone and we need to find out what options we have from our travel agent. It is such a shame but really applaud Disney for doing this and caring for their Cast Members and guests as we were concerned about travelling during this pandemic. Thank you so much for your and your Team’s advice on DFB – the exciting information and videos brings enjoyment to us as a family. Let’s hope that we can get through this as a world and look forward to visiting WDW again soon. I just wonder when we would be able to go as we have kiddos with school timetables and work to juggle. WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH DFB WE LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND WE HOPE WE CAN VISIT SOON !!! XXX From Sad but Understanding, Hunter Family xxx
Is the ticket extension only applying to Disney World? I keep Seeing everywhere it referring to Disney World and not Disneyland. I checked On the Disneyland app and it only talks about extending annual pass holder dates and not regular ticket holders.
Thanks for the info! We were supposed to go to Disney World March 29-April 6 but are going to cancel. We have after hours events on April 1st and April 5th, do you think we’d still get refunded?
We pre purchased military discounted park hopper tickets which are good through December 18 2020. Does anyone know if the cost of these tickets will also be credited towards future park hopper purchases passes if in fact we can not reschedule by December 2020?
Still waiting to here about the vacation club vacation will be handled.
I live in Spain,and I booked WDW hotel and meals and tickets through Disney.
Now I can’t come into USA from Spain,so I want to cancel, but I have been on the phone for many hours,at a high cost from Spain, the last time I phoned the wait list was 6 hours!
Should I persevere?
Wishing Disney would’ve handled the ticket situation better. We have 1600$ worth of tickets in limbo that we can’t use till next year now. They would’ve refunded them with our room reservation.. BUT we had two day tickets upgraded to four day tickets a few days ago. The CM on the phone removed the tickets from our RSVP, had to give us a new hotel confirmation number and made a second whole RSVP.. but the CM that recently sent our refund, was rude as hell to us and it was an overall super crap experience. Disney has been super disappointing in this entire process. Universal has refunded my friend everything plus $800. I’m not looking for more money, but fairness would’ve been nice. Now we are out money and a vacation.
I purchased tickets from somebody who gets free Disney tickets for volunteering at marathons; paid $75 each and they are marked as expiring on May 10, 2020. My family was planning to use the tickets on March 19 and March 22, during the time DW will be closed and are NOT able to return prior to May 10. Does anybody know if these “free” tickets expiration dates are being extended? I’m not in direct communication with the seller, so am unable to ask him. Thank you.
Any suggestions for those of us with April trips? I’m concerned that if parks reopen but we may not feel ok to travel because of elderly family members who we could be jeopardizing… would Disney allow us to cancel or change ticket dates? Even if they remain open?
We were able to reschedule our trip for October, but we had a really good deal to stay on club level at the Beach Club for our Anniversary & now we just have to stay in a standard room & pay $200 more! Not fair!! We are loyal returning customers of 18 years!
I have date specific tickets I bought through Undercover Tourist. They said I can use them thru Dec 15 without doing anything. But how would I make Fast Passes? The ticket still says thru March 16-24. So are we SOL on any Fast Passes at a later date?
We were able to get all of our DVC points back. I spoke with Sullivan yesterday, who was so helpful. #castcompliment. He returned the points to the use year of origin and no holding account.
They still charge a cancelation fee if you ask for a refund on your trip. Our visit was impacted and we are unable to move dates. They offered to wave the $50 to reschedule but when we asked for a refund they said we would have to pay the cancelation fee. Kind of dumb considering they made the choice to close the parks. “Oh, but the hotels will be open during that time”. Sure, our group wants to fly across the country with our children, with all this junk going on, to go to Disney, just to sit in the hotel and have no access to the parks. In the months that have passed getting ready for this trip we really enjoyed Disney Food Blog though haha so I guess not all was wasted effort.
I just got through on the phone line and was told that i have to ay an extra $300 dollars to move my reservation from March 20th to July. I spoke to a supervisor and they said this is policy as the prices are ‘higher in july’. This isnt clear in any of the communications i have seen anywhere so i have just cancelled.
We’re from Canada and our first park day ticket is April 3rd. If we don’t use them, will we be able to use them on a later date (2021) or do we only have until December 2020 as well?
I am so disappointed in Disney! We live in California, have no plans to reschedule what was to be a once in a lifetime trip. Disney will not refund the tickets? It just seems insane. We are out over $2,000. It’s insult to injury. A credit back to their parks that we are now NOT going to is not helpful. Trip insurance doesn’t cover this. Do better Disney!
Renelld, if you can’t use your tickets by December 2020, Disney says they will credit the value of your unused tickets toward another ticket purchase for a future date. You may want to give them a call when things calm down a bit.
Darrel, since Resorts are closing this week, you may want to give them a call back to see if that changes things.
Jennifer, we are just hazarding a guess here: we think at some point you’ll have to reassign the tickets to dates in order to be able to make FP reservations. I would suggest you call Disney directly when you have time (or when the lines calm down) to inquire.
Brooke, you’ll have to talk to Disney directly to see what they say. It may largely depend on what’s going on with the virus and recommendations from the CDC at that time.
Rachelle, I think you’re going to need to contact Disney directly about this. Good luck!
Geoff, is there a chat function for you? Otherwise, it seems your only recourse is to call.
Can you do suggestions on best dates to rebook in 2020? I know you don’t know about reopening, but maybe if I book for later in year IF I get cancelled in April then I can have time to plan and reserve. Do you recommend going through Disney or travel company?
Jan, we like Small World Vacations, and they might be able to help you narrow down dates that would work for you, too, if you reach out.
hi we have canadian resident for 4 days from the 7th of july 2020 and due to corona virus we cancelled our trip so how does it work for refund if possible or push back our trip to 22sd of october 2020
thanks kindly francois
Spend hours on the phone trying to contact Disney as I’m trying to reschedule for next year unfortunately there is no other time I can take my vacation days together so need to push to next April. Disney won’t reschedule my package and are telling me my only option is to cancel and run the gauntlet of trying to get a good offer next year. Really disappointed.
We will be cancelling our trip in September. Even though we assume this coronavirus business will have wrapped up by then, it has and will continue to take a financial toll on people. Even so, my hubby and I are choosing not to travel this year, just to be safe. In this circumstance, would Disney be willing to cancel my MNSSHP tickets?
Emily, it may be a case-by-case basis, so you’ll definitely want to call to dig into this.