Disney (Virgin Holidays) Advice

Just wondering if anyone can give us a bit of advice please?

We've booked to go to disney,flying out on 31st October for my Husbands 40th birthday.

Today we've had an email from Virgin Holidays stating we need to confirm by this Monday or if we would like to delay the holiday any time up until December 31st 2021.

I'm presuming if the new holiday is more expensive we'd have to pay the difference? We got a great deal on Animal Kingdom Lodge, which I can't see reappearing next year.

So far we've only paid the depost, and nothing more, the full balance isn't due until August 8th, but I have heard this from another source about disney wanting to confirm all holidays for this year by this Monday.

DO people think its worth the risk of going this year, or should we delay?

I think if you go it'll be safe personally. It won't be "the same" as a trip before covid, but I think that'll be case in 2021 as well -> I personally don't think we'll see wide vaccines this year, and until literally there are MILLIONS of vaccinations, maybe Billions we won't be back to pre-covid anywhere... If you go earlier, you are more likely to geta quieter park experience is my view -> and I think myself and my wife WILL be visiting sometime between Aug and next April (we havn't booked ourselves yet, but can easily do once flights are back). They will look to ramp up attendance based on experience from first few months and given reopening at Universal was this week, with Disney next month, I do expect October them to have the whole experience sorted.

I own a timeshare at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and I can say it is very nice, and very easy to avoid people at the resort, it's that BIG normally. Even at peak times it's easy to socially distance, me and wife are quite antisocial and often have beds at pool 5m from nearest family on a REGULAR trip. There will be no issues. YOu also have access to Kidani Village pool area as well as the main Lodge, and I would reccomend a visit to BOTH lodges as a tip as its great to see the animals form both sides, and the pool at Kidani area is quieter as well. (Disney do a free shuttle between the lodges, but you can also walk it in 10 mins).

Ref: price difference on rebooking, yes thats a thing, and from what I've heard, if you have a "free" dining package -> you won't have even this year. Disney are not doing free diniing due to Covid19 for all from what we've heard. This doesn't impact us personally, as a timeshare owner we never got "dining" anyhow, so we tended to only eat onsite 2-3 days of a 14 night trip. This isnn't a problem at Animal Kingdom Lodge, in fact it's one of BEST locatiosn on disney for ordering in food from outside disney, or Ubering to nearby resturarants as it's right by the HW192 area via Black Lake Road. HW192 restaurants at Rolling Oaks on 192 are $5-6 each way in a Uber if you do not have a car (or if you want to drink!) and have ALWAYS been miles cheaper than Disney resturants (a good meal including drink are uusually under $20/head). I'd reccomend Rock n Brews and Millers Ale House (as well as the many Steak other eaterys around there). If you don't take the holiday it probably WILL be more next year, and it'll also probably be busier as from what we know, Disney are limiting numbers HEAVILY for access over the rest of year. This will mean a lot less queuing I expect than a normal disney trip, which is a POSITIVE.

If however you had your heart set on eating at Disney resturants every night and had super-planned that you may want to defer to 2021, when it's likely "more" will reopen -> but you'll still probbaly not have a dining package if the disney websites are to believed. As a regular to Disney I'd also say -> disney resturants (outside some like O'Hana) are a little overrated, and you'll get better food outside.

Ultimately it's your decision, and if you have risk factos such as Older family or people with at-risk categorys going with you I'd probably defer. I'd also defer if I couldn't get medical insurance to cover the trip, as frankly going to US without medical insurance would not be good. However, as I understand it you are probably covered form most insurers if you ahve an annual policy and had booked prior to covid (which I guess you have!). Those are about the only factors I'd be concerned with as with US medical care being "good" if you have means to pay such as insurance, and presuming the distancing/quieter parks are good (which I guess they will be) I'd not be super concerned.

Does anyone know a way of getting in touch with virgin holidays if not flying within next 72 hours?

My husband doesnt want to go on those dates as he says the magic has been taken away, but we want to discuss our options.

Also of we've paid our deposit and used miles to pay some of the booking and we now decide to cancel, I know we'll lose the deposit, but are the miles also lost?

Thanks

Just call. No-one is flying (on VS at least) in the next 72 hours so if they’re still trotting out that line it’s complete rubbish.

We were due to go to Florida in September on a Virgin Holidays package, however we've decided we're not going to go ahead with the trip.

The rules both Disney and Universal have put in place around temperature checks, face masks (in that climate they will get soggy and uncomfortable quickly), limiting numbers (and in the case of Disney having to book the day you want to visit certain parks) and not running certain things such as parades, fireworks etc. takes the fun out of it. I say this as somebody who has been numerous times now. The current travel ban and the prospect of arrivals into the UK having to self-isolate for 14 days are other factors, as well as not knowing how COVID-19 is going to pan out.

What sealed the deal was finding out last week about a family event due to take place in Florida next year that due to timings I couldn't make anyway now being pushed back to 2022. Assuming that still goes ahead in Florida, the current thinking is to combine that with a holiday to do the things we planned to do this year and hopefully things will be more normal by then.

I got an e-mail from VH just the other day reminding me my balance is due later this month along with the option to change my holiday for no change fee, so I've filled in the form and awaiting a call back as we have somewhere else in mind for next year which VH can offer us and is part of the offer they're making to those who don't want to go on their trips as planned. I might try them over the weekend, it's not as though I have much else to do this weekend!

To the OP: it's entirely up to you, but I would consider postponing until next year when things improve and hopefully some normality has returned to give you the full experience.