*****Official April 2020 thread*****

[erc]

Southwest just changed their travel funds policy!!! Check out their Facebook page for all the details, but I'll include the relevant part here:

View attachment 482243

I was wondering if the travel fund balance that I created by rebooking to cheaper fares applies to this June 30 date, or will half my funds expire in March 2021 and the other have June 30, 2021.

 

[jen7233]

Southwest just changed their travel funds policy!!! Check out their Facebook page for all the details, but I'll include the relevant part here:

View attachment 482243

Yep, and unfortunately for me that change still doesn't affect a positive outcome on our April flights as I don't meet either of these situations. Even with this it still essentially forces us to travel by 29 Sep original booking date or lose the funds. The thing is at this point, who knows because so many factors go into planning a trip, the personal factors which weigh heavily on deciding when to go on a trip, and then also what will be going on with hotels, Disney, flights, etc. In hindsight, my best option would have been to wait until right before the 10 minutes of the flight and then put in the future placeholder flights, because in the event the airline cancels, number two of that would apply. Now that I'm not traveling, I'll go ahead and say we were supposed to leave for Disney in the first week of April, prior to the DAH and was going to the DAH on the 5th.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Yep, and unfortunately for me that change still doesn't affect a positive outcome on our April flights as I don't meet either of these situations. Even with this it still essentially forces us to travel by 29 Sep original booking date or lose the funds. The thing is at this point, who knows because so many factors go into planning a trip, the personal factors which weigh heavily on deciding when to go on a trip, and then also what will be going on with hotels, Disney, flights, etc. In hindsight, my best option would have been to wait until right before the 10 minutes of the flight and then put in the future placeholder flights, because in the event the airline cancels, number two of that would apply. Now that I'm not traveling, I'll go ahead and say we were supposed to leave for Disney in the first week of April, prior to the DAH and was going to the DAH on the 5th.

Hmm... how so? If you have flights scheduled for April, you should get until next June to fly.

 

[jen7233]

Hmm... how so? If you have flights scheduled for April, you should get until next June to fly.

This is how I'm interpreting this statement from Southwest:
Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

My interpretation is "costumers' funds" are what are in the credit area of your SW account, under "My Account", and "My Travel Funds". How do funds get there? By credit, for one, probably other ways but I'll talk about what I have. For example, as airfare started to go down for April, I noticed my particular flight went down in cost. Contacted SW, and got the difference of what I paid and what the new flight cost was, put into My Travel Funds in my SW account and it's good until my original booking date (it shows in my account an expiration of Sep 25, 2020-the original booking date apparently). So, what not under My Travel Funds, are my current flights I've got booked. Another way I'd get SW funds tucked into that part of my SW account would be say I cancelled a refundable ticket, so SW maybe puts that in there into My Travel Funds (don't know first hand if they actually give you the money back on refundable tickets, or if they give you funds? I only ever by the Wanna Get Away fares). So, in my interpretation, what the SW CEO statement means, is what's in a person's SW travel funds account - not tickets that they have currently booked through May 31.

If I'm interpreting this wrong, you all can let me know. This is how I see it. I have Wanna Get Away Fares - when I contacted SW I was told the only thing I can do is push my dates forward (change ticket) prior to my original booking date - or basically, lose the funds altogether.

 

[Iowamomof4]

This is how I'm interpreting this statement from Southwest:
Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

My interpretation is "costumers' funds" are what are in the credit area of your SW account, under "My Account", and "My Travel Funds". How do funds get there? By credit, for one, probably other ways but I'll talk about what I have. For example, as airfare started to go down for April, I noticed my particular flight went down in cost. Contacted SW, and got the difference of what I paid and what the new flight cost was, put into My Travel Funds in my SW account and it's good until my original booking date (it shows in my account an expiration of Sep 25, 2020-the original booking date apparently). So, what not under My Travel Funds, are my current flights I've got booked. Another way I'd get SW funds tucked into that part of my SW account would be say I cancelled a refundable ticket, so SW maybe puts that in there into My Travel Funds (don't know first hand if they actually give you the money back on refundable tickets, or if they give you funds? I only ever by the Wanna Get Away fares). So, in my interpretation, what the SW CEO statement means, is what's in a person's SW travel funds account - not tickets that they have currently booked through May 31.

If I'm interpreting this wrong, you all can let me know. This is how I see it. I have Wanna Get Away Fares - when I contacted SW I was told the only thing I can do is push my dates forward (change ticket) prior to my original booking date - or basically, lose the funds altogether.

Well, I hope you're wrong. My tickets are booked with a combination of travel funds and cash and they would expire by late May if I have to cancel. I'm fully expecting to get that extra year to use those funds based on what they are saying. My flight dates are April 25 and May 2.

EDIT: Upon rereading your post and perhaps understanding your situation better, it's possible that you WILL only get until September 25 to use your funds. I'd have to go back and reread everything to try to figure it out.

EDIT 2: Okay, so here's what I really *think* will happen in your case. The travel funds you already got from taking fare reductions before March 1 (assuming that's when you got your credits), will likely stay subject to the September 25 date. If you have to completely cancel your flight at this point, THOSE funds ought to be subject to the new policy which would allow you until June of next year to use them. This could also be why they are saying it'll take a few WEEKS to get this all worked out in their computer system. I could be completely wrong, this is just how I read it.

 

[Iowamomof4]

This is how I'm interpreting this statement from Southwest:
Customers’ funds that have expired or will expire between March 1-May 31, 2020, will now expire June 30, 2021

My interpretation is "costumers' funds" are what are in the credit area of your SW account, under "My Account", and "My Travel Funds". How do funds get there? By credit, for one, probably other ways but I'll talk about what I have. For example, as airfare started to go down for April, I noticed my particular flight went down in cost. Contacted SW, and got the difference of what I paid and what the new flight cost was, put into My Travel Funds in my SW account and it's good until my original booking date (it shows in my account an expiration of Sep 25, 2020-the original booking date apparently). So, what not under My Travel Funds, are my current flights I've got booked. Another way I'd get SW funds tucked into that part of my SW account would be say I cancelled a refundable ticket, so SW maybe puts that in there into My Travel Funds (don't know first hand if they actually give you the money back on refundable tickets, or if they give you funds? I only ever by the Wanna Get Away fares). So, in my interpretation, what the SW CEO statement means, is what's in a person's SW travel funds account - not tickets that they have currently booked through May 31.

If I'm interpreting this wrong, you all can let me know. This is how I see it. I have Wanna Get Away Fares - when I contacted SW I was told the only thing I can do is push my dates forward (change ticket) prior to my original booking date - or basically, lose the funds altogether.

ALSO - please check out the last few posts in the SW thread over on the transportation forum. There are a lot of people discussing this there. If you already post there and I just didn't notice, I do apologize.

Link: https://www.disboards.com/threads/post-all-sw-questions-concerns-etc-here.2500174/

 

[jen7233]

Well, I hope you're wrong. My tickets are booked with a combination of travel funds and cash and they would expire by late May if I have to cancel. I'm fully expecting to get that extra year to use those funds based on what they are saying. My flight dates are April 25 and May 2.

EDIT: Upon rereading your post and perhaps understanding your situation better, it's possible that you WILL only get until September 25 to use your funds. I'd have to go back and reread everything to try to figure it out.

EDIT 2: Okay, so here's what I really *think* will happen in your case. The travel funds you already got from taking fare reductions before March 1 (assuming that's when you got your credits), will likely stay subject to the September 25 date. If you have to completely cancel your flight at this point, THOSE funds ought to be subject to the new policy which would allow you until June of next year to use them. This could also be why they are saying it'll take a few WEEKS to get this all worked out in their computer system. I could be completely wrong, this is just how I read it.

I likely created more of my problem taking the SW phone agent suggestion to move/change my flights to later so keep the funds, and rather I should have just let things sit and filter a minute, hung up, and let all the problems filter out first and then go back later again to SW and say let's try this again. So, I no longer have the April flights but rebooked those flights with placeholder flights in July and we have absolutely nothing planned.

We were going to go on a cruise in August, but instead of that are going to WDW - that's our replacement April Disney trip. We already had flights to and from MCO for the cruise, we have Disney park tickets we were going to use in April, and rebooked hotel reservations. So, basically in July now we have tickets to and from MCO that were changed from our lost April trip, and what to do, I've currently got no idea I really don't want to make a July plan. That's why I think, well, I should have waited this out some more to talk to the airlines. For Disney in August (assuming everything works that way to be open and we can go) I am not doing any planning for some time, I just have the flights and hotel booked, that's the only effort I'm giving it.

 

[Iowamomof4]

I likely created more of my problem taking the SW phone agent suggestion to move/change my flights to later so keep the funds, and rather I should have just let things sit and filter a minute, hung up, and let all the problems filter out first and then go back later again to SW and say let's try this again. So, I no longer have the April flights but rebooked those flights with placeholder flights in July and we have absolutely nothing planned.

We were going to go on a cruise in August, but instead of that are going to WDW - that's our replacement April Disney trip. We already had flights to and from MCO for the cruise, we have Disney park tickets we were going to use in April, and rebooked hotel reservations. So, basically in July now we have tickets to and from MCO that were changed from our lost April trip, and what to do, I've currently got no idea I really don't want to make a July plan. That's why I think, well, I should have waited this out some more to talk to the airlines. For Disney in August (assuming everything works that way to be open and we can go) I am not doing any planning for some time, I just have the flights and hotel booked, that's the only effort I'm giving it.

Oh dear. Yeah, I don't know what to think about your situation. If the phone lines weren't so jammed up right now, I'd suggest calling to explain everything that happened and see what they say. As it is, I don't know. Maybe you already have done this, but I'd write out all of this and see what our very seasoned SW travelers suggest. They might have a better perspective on your options right now.

 

[Iowamomof4]

I am waiting to cancel our trip until Disney officially expands their closure to include our dates, or at least our starting date.
1. We have date-based tickets for our 2 kids, and when WDW announced their first closure they stated date-based tickets would be valid for use anytime before December 15 or so of this year. So, if I change our trip NOW I would have to change their tickets myself and pay the price increase. If I wait, Disney will likely extend the validity of their tickets with no added cost to us.

2. Dh and I have APs that are currently set to expire on May 12. That date will continue to get pushed back by the number of days wdw is closed, but until we have a better idea of when they will reopen, it's nearly impossible for us to know when to rebook.

3. Our flights are booked through SW (booked 4 tickets separately for travel from OMA>MCO, and then 4 tickets on ONE reservation for travel from MCO>OMA) and I think 3 of those tickets were booked using travel funds that are set to expire on or around May 25, 2020. Also, we booked EBCI for all tickets which is $200. If we can CHANGE those flights to new dates, we wouldn't lose our EBCI. So, waiting as long as possible gives us more time to POSSIBLY have a chance at booking a new trip that will actually work. If we get to April 20 or so and things are still completely crazy (or even crazier than they are now - whatever that might entail), we may just have to eat the cost of EBCI and cancel our flights outright instead of changing them. I just want to give it time at this point.

I just wanted to share my thought process in case anyone is in the same boat with a trip they haven't cancelled yet. Perhaps you also are weighing your options and trying to decide what to do. I realize we're taking a chance that things will fill up and there won't be much availability when we finally can pick a date. I guess that's the chance I'm willing to take right now with so much up in the air.

 

[Feberin]

Just canceled our trip and switched to August. I'm so sad that we can't go and not looking forward to the weather but I don't see them being open in April and we saved $200 with the switch.

 

[jen7233]

Just canceled our trip and switched to August. I'm so sad that we can't go and not looking forward to the weather but I don't see them being open in April and we saved $200 with the switch.

That's our plan, August as well. Not a perfect weather scenario, but, will do what we can. My DH can't travel until after mid May at minimum due to work and still up in the air thereafter has to be a good time to take off work-wise and at this point, who knows what that will be. Also, up in the air still what our kids' schools are going to do. Should hear soon. Technically, they were not due out of school until mid June and are due back late August.

I am waiting to cancel our trip until Disney officially expands their closure to include our dates, or at least our starting date.
1. We have date-based tickets for our 2 kids, and when WDW announced their first closure they stated date-based tickets would be valid for use anytime before December 15 or so of this year. So, if I change our trip NOW I would have to change their tickets myself and pay the price increase. If I wait, Disney will likely extend the validity of their tickets with no added cost to us.

2. Dh and I have APs that are currently set to expire on May 12. That date will continue to get pushed back by the number of days wdw is closed, but until we have a better idea of when they will reopen, it's nearly impossible for us to know when to rebook.

3. Our flights are booked through SW (booked 4 tickets separately for travel from OMA>MCO, and then 4 tickets on ONE reservation for travel from MCO>OMA) and I think 3 of those tickets were booked using travel funds that are set to expire on or around May 25, 2020. Also, we booked EBCI for all tickets which is $200. If we can CHANGE those flights to new dates, we wouldn't lose our EBCI. So, waiting as long as possible gives us more time to POSSIBLY have a chance at booking a new trip that will actually work. If we get to April 20 or so and things are still completely crazy (or even crazier than they are now - whatever that might entail), we may just have to eat the cost of EBCI and cancel our flights outright instead of changing them. I just want to give it time at this point.

I just wanted to share my thought process in case anyone is in the same boat with a trip they haven't cancelled yet. Perhaps you also are weighing your options and trying to decide what to do. I realize we're taking a chance that things will fill up and there won't be much availability when we finally can pick a date. I guess that's the chance I'm willing to take right now with so much up in the air.

I think that's a good idea. We can throw so many hypothetical scenarios in right now, but we know that Disney announcement has to be soon with the 31st not too far away. Also listening what comes from the FL Governor's office.

 

[erc]

Just canceled our trip and switched to August. I'm so sad that we can't go and not looking forward to the weather but I don't see them being open in April and we saved $200 with the switch.

Geez I just noticed they extended the sun & fun dates. When I priced it before August was going to be nearly $1,000 more than my April package. I will have to see what it is now.

 

[Bryant2108]

Geez I just noticed they extended the sun & fun dates. When I priced it before August was going to be nearly $1,000 more than my April package. I will have to see what it is now.

we just booked a backup trip (sadly I’m sure we won’t be going April 18th) and the price for 6 nights in July at Poly was better than our April trip for one less night. The weather is going to be so hot though..

 

[erc]

we just booked a backup trip (sadly I’m sure we won’t be going April 18th) and the price for 6 nights in July at Poly was better than our April trip for one less night. The weather is going to be so hot though..

Yeah, I am torn, I think with everything going on, I want to wait and make sure I will still have a job when all of this is over. It really stinks but I think any trip will have to be postponed until next year.

 

[L_MD]

Hi guys, just an update. I am 99% certain I'm cancelling my April trip. Even if the parks reopened at full capacity I have been way too much of an anxious wreck to even think about getting on a plane and going to Disney.

I'm at 34 days and not even excited.

I do have a backup May trip planned, but I'm not holding out much hope for that. I also do have a July trip planned for a conference that is, for now, still happening and I could add on a few days to that trip, but I'm not super excited about that (I don't deal with the Florida heat very well!)

So, who knows. I just hate the thought of missing a Flower & Garden since I went in 2018 and 2019. This sucks!

 

[Iowamomof4]

Hi guys, just an update. I am 99% certain I'm cancelling my April trip. Even if the parks reopened at full capacity I have been way too much of an anxious wreck to even think about getting on a plane and going to Disney.

I'm at 34 days and not even excited.

I do have a backup May trip planned, but I'm not holding out much hope for that. I also do have a July trip planned for a conference that is, for now, still happening and I could add on a few days to that trip, but I'm not super excited about that (I don't deal with the Florida heat very well!)

So, who knows. I just hate the thought of missing a Flower & Garden since I went in 2018 and 2019. This sucks!

You got that right!

 

[petrola]

We just canceled our April trip for Easter week and rescheduled for August. Delta was great - gave us full credit for our tickets and we were able to rebook in first class for the same price as main cabin in April. As for the park tickets we are going to wait to see what the April situation is before we make any changes to our date based tickets- if we change them now it will result in an additional fee.

 

[jen7233]

Well all April people, I just read Universal is closed through April 19!? Also, Orange County FL put out a stay at home order, starting Thursday, so, those will impact Disney's April opening I'd say.

 

[Sydney2977]

Well all April people, I just read Universal is closed through April 19!? Also, Orange County FL put out a stay at home order, starting Thursday, so, those will impact Disney's April opening I'd say.

I saw that too, and we're supposed to arrive on April 19. It's looking like we will need to re-schedule. I just dread having to try to book adr's and FP again. But if we can at least go and we're healthy then I really have no reason to complain.

 

[jen7233]

I saw that too, and we're supposed to arrive on April 19. It's looking like we will need to re-schedule. I just dread having to try to book adr's and FP again. But if we can at least go and we're healthy then I really have no reason to complain.

Hopefully they'll make their announcement soon from WDW what their plan is.