I thought I'd post this as a warning to others who may wind up doing the same thing. It's definitely a good lesson of reading the final print on anything connected with your Disney trip, and understanding the rules tied to packages you purchase online.
Family Finds Out Too Late That Vouchers For Disney World Tickets No Good
By Charla Young
(LOUISVILLE, May 7th, 2004, 12:30 p.m.) -- A local family turned to the Internet to book a dream vacation for their daughter, who was always too sick to travel but finally felt well enough to visit the Magic Kingdom before undergoing life- saving surgery. But, as WAVE 3 Troubleshooter Charla Young reports, their key to the kingdom didn't unlock the gate.
"This was the trip of a lifetime for us," says Pat Dawson, who wanted to take his youngest daughter, Kara, who has cerebral palsy, to Disney World in Orlando just a month before she was to have critical surgery. The four-day vacation had been in the works for months.
Pat says "we wanted to get her to Disney World before the surgery -- she always wanted to go. It was her dream."
But on Friday, February 13th, that dream turned into a nightmare for the Dawsons just outside the gates of the Epcot Center when they found out the tickets they had bought were worthless. "We had no idea what was wrong," Pat says. "We thought there was just a mixup."
Pat immediately called Expedia -- the online website where he had purchased a hotel and ticket vouchers for their Disney trip. "They basically told me that since I canceled my hotel and changed my itinerary, that the tickets were worthless."
Pat says no one from Expedia warned him about it when he canceled his rooms to stay with relatives months before the trip, and he was expecting only a $25 cancellation fee.
Pat says he spoke with customer service at Expedia twice. "It says you must bring these vouchers with you to the park to redeem the tickets you have purchased," Pat says, noting that there is no mention of a mandatory hotel stay to redeem the ticket vouchers.
So Pat and his family stood locked outside the gates in the rain. "I was frantic. I got on the phone. I must have made 10 phone calls."
But it was no use.
So the Dawsons left Disney World. There was still no luck still Saturday morning, so they repurchased the tickets they'd already bought -- totaling $1,100. "She was just so happy, so excited."
After returning home, Pat tried to explain the circumstances to Expedia once more. But the only reimbursement the company would make was a $100 voucher for future hotel stays.
"At that point, I knew I needed to contact you guys," Pat says.
So the Troubleshooter went to work on the case. Two days later, Pat called us back. "I don' know what you said or what you did,but it worked,and they called me right away."
Pat got a full refund -- $1,100 plus a $200 voucher for future use. Pat says he has learned a valuable lesson: "Buyer beware, and if you do have trouble, call the WAVE Troubleshooter."
Expedia management tells us that, as a result of the Dawson's experience, it plans to change its policy and make the regulations of the hotel-voucher purchases more obvious. As for Kara, we are happy to report she came through the surgery very well and is now back in school.
Family Finds Out Too Late That Vouchers For Disney World Tickets No Good
By Charla Young
(LOUISVILLE, May 7th, 2004, 12:30 p.m.) -- A local family turned to the Internet to book a dream vacation for their daughter, who was always too sick to travel but finally felt well enough to visit the Magic Kingdom before undergoing life- saving surgery. But, as WAVE 3 Troubleshooter Charla Young reports, their key to the kingdom didn't unlock the gate.
"This was the trip of a lifetime for us," says Pat Dawson, who wanted to take his youngest daughter, Kara, who has cerebral palsy, to Disney World in Orlando just a month before she was to have critical surgery. The four-day vacation had been in the works for months.
Pat says "we wanted to get her to Disney World before the surgery -- she always wanted to go. It was her dream."
But on Friday, February 13th, that dream turned into a nightmare for the Dawsons just outside the gates of the Epcot Center when they found out the tickets they had bought were worthless. "We had no idea what was wrong," Pat says. "We thought there was just a mixup."
Pat immediately called Expedia -- the online website where he had purchased a hotel and ticket vouchers for their Disney trip. "They basically told me that since I canceled my hotel and changed my itinerary, that the tickets were worthless."
Pat says no one from Expedia warned him about it when he canceled his rooms to stay with relatives months before the trip, and he was expecting only a $25 cancellation fee.
Pat says he spoke with customer service at Expedia twice. "It says you must bring these vouchers with you to the park to redeem the tickets you have purchased," Pat says, noting that there is no mention of a mandatory hotel stay to redeem the ticket vouchers.
So Pat and his family stood locked outside the gates in the rain. "I was frantic. I got on the phone. I must have made 10 phone calls."
But it was no use.
So the Dawsons left Disney World. There was still no luck still Saturday morning, so they repurchased the tickets they'd already bought -- totaling $1,100. "She was just so happy, so excited."
After returning home, Pat tried to explain the circumstances to Expedia once more. But the only reimbursement the company would make was a $100 voucher for future hotel stays.
"At that point, I knew I needed to contact you guys," Pat says.
So the Troubleshooter went to work on the case. Two days later, Pat called us back. "I don' know what you said or what you did,but it worked,and they called me right away."
Pat got a full refund -- $1,100 plus a $200 voucher for future use. Pat says he has learned a valuable lesson: "Buyer beware, and if you do have trouble, call the WAVE Troubleshooter."
Expedia management tells us that, as a result of the Dawson's experience, it plans to change its policy and make the regulations of the hotel-voucher purchases more obvious. As for Kara, we are happy to report she came through the surgery very well and is now back in school.
