A visit to Disney World is always so exciting! The thrill of the rides, the magical atmosphere, the incredible resorts. But sometimes life can get in the way of your dream trip, and sadly you may need to cancel or modify your plans. An update to your work schedule, illness, or a change in life circumstances can happen unexpectedly meaning you can no longer travel to Disney World on the dates you have booked.
So, what happens in this case? Can you receive a refund for your trip, resort reservation and park tickets? If you do need to cancel your trip just what are Disney’s policies?
what happens if I need to cancel my 2022 Disney trip?
Disney’s official policy is that packages and tickets are non-refundable.
Disney states on their website:
‘Tickets and packages at Walt Disney World Resorts are non-transferable and non-refundable. You cannot cancel or get a refund for a ticket or package, but in some cases, you can use unexpired theme park tickets for a future vacation.
However, be aware that unless you purchased the No Expiration Option, theme park tickets purchased after 2004 expire 14 days after their first use. While the No Expiration Option is no longer available, if you have previously purchased theme park tickets with the No Expiration Option, your tickets will still be honoured.’
There is also information on the Disney World website that can tell you the cancellation fees you may need to pay and which items are non-refundable. Here is what you will find in the Disney cancellation policy 2022.
- For cancellations made 30 days or more prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs, and other amounts owed, will be refunded.
- For cancellations made 2 days to 29 days prior to guest arrival, amounts paid, minus a cancellation fee of $200.00 per package and minus any cancellation fees assessed by third party hotels or other suppliers, non-refundable runDisney race registrations, non-refundable travel protection plan costs and other amounts owed, will be refunded.
- For cancellations made 1 day or less prior to guest arrival or for no-shows, the full price of the package is non-refundable.
Disney further states:
- No refunds are given for cancellation of any personalized products or experiences.
- No refunds will be made for early departure from hotel and for unused or partially used admission tickets, options or features, including meals.
Can You Cancel or Refund a Disney World Ticket?
Park tickets are non-refundable but you may be able to use unused, unexpired tickets in the future.
Some Disney tickets are non-dated, which means that fully unused tickets may be able to be used any time within that year. If you have these types of tickets, and you have not used them, then you are able to use them at a later time in the same year.
You can visit your My Disney Experience account, go to your tickets and select the ‘Change Ticket’ option. You can then change the date, the type of ticket, and the number of tickets. Any differences in the price you can then pay at the checkout.
If you have partly used your ticket unfortunately you cannot receive a refund.
Packages
Many people when they visit Walt Disney World will book a package that includes both a Disney World Resort and Disney World park tickets. The package may even include travel too.
If you have booked a package you are able to cancel, but how much money you will lose depends on how close to the trip you cancel. The cancellation fee breakdown at the top of this article will let you know what you may expect to pay.
Do keep in mind that the transportation portion of your package may have different rules, and often this part is non-refundable.
Transportation
If you do need to cancel your Disney World trip you may have booked flights, car hire, or airport shuttles. You will need to contact these companies directly to see what their cancellation policies are.
Often times airfares are non-refundable but may be modifiable. Be sure to check what kind of ticket you bought in case there is a flexible cancellation policy for your ticket type. We love flying with Southwest for their cancellation policy.
For other modes of transportation, such as car hire or airport to hotel shuttle services, be sure to check the cancellation policies with the company you have booked with, as these will vary. Before booking it is a good idea to look into if your booking can be modified if needed, if there are any cancellation fees and if you can get refunded if your trip doesn’t go ahead.
If you don’t want to cancel your trip you can postpone it and move it to another date. Simply contact Disney and they can see if your new dates are available with the same package. If there are any differences, for example, the resort you have booked is full or the price has increased, they can discuss your options with you.
If the changes you need to make to your package are made 30 days or less prior to your arrival there is also a change fee of $50 per package.
Tours and Special Events
When purchasing tickets for special events, such as Boo Bash, or tours like the Keys to The Kingdom tour it is stated that these are non-refundable.
In some cases, if your entire trip is cancelled Disney may refund you but this is an exception and is not to be expected. As per their cancellation policy tickets for special events and tours are non-refundable.
Theme Park Reservations
You will not be charged if you do not cancel your theme park reservations. But it is polite to do so, so that other people may be able to book to visit the parks in your place.
To cancel your theme park reservations simply log into your My Disney Experience account, go to My Plans and then cancel your reservations.
Genie+
Genie+, the new paid-for queue skipping system at Disney World, and can be bought as part of your Disney World package. If this is the case and you cancel your trip as it is part of the package the same terms and conditions mentioned above apply. If you cancel your package 30 days or less from your arrival date you may be subjected to fees.
You do not need to purchase Genie+ as part of your package. You can buy it on the day that you would like to use it. This can be a good idea as you can assess whether you would benefit from it or not and would not need to pay any money for it in advance of your visit.
Is Disney World Waiving Cancellation Fees?
Disney stopped waiving cancellation fees for Covid in April of 2021. It is good to be aware that since 2020, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Disney has changed its cancellation policies multiple times so it is a good idea to check the latest information in the small print before booking your trip.
Hurricanes
The one exception to the cancellation policy is hurricanes. Florida has a hurricane season from June 1st until November 30th every year. Most times Disney World, as it sits in Central Florida, will be unimpacted. But on the very rare occasion that a hurricane may disrupt your trip Disney World does have a cancellation policy for this.
The Disney World website states:
‘In the event that a hurricane warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center for the Orlando area—or for your place of residence—within 7 days of your scheduled arrival date, you may be able to reschedule or cancel your ticket or vacation package. See our Hurricane Policy for details.
Also, some open-air events and dining offerings may be rescheduled or cancelled in the event of severe or inclement weather—please inquire at the time of your ticket purchase. Water parks and certain events, experiences and attractions are also subject to rehabilitation, seasonal and weather closures.’
How Late Can You Cancel A Disney Resort Reservation?
If you are just taking a trip to enjoy a Disney World Resort you can cancel but just like with a package how much you will lose depends on how close you are to your trip. The cancellation policy at the top of this article has all the details about any cancellation fees you may incur. The resort only cancellation policy is up to 5 days before the reservation.
You are able to cancel your hotel via My Disney Experience. Simply log into your account and visit the My Reservation page. You can then select to cancel. If you visit the page and the cancellation button is not there you can call 407-934-7639 to cancel with a cast member. It is a good idea to try to cancel via My Disney Experience first as the wait times for telephone assistance can be very long!
If you have booked to stay at a Disney Vacation Club property you will need to consult with DVC member services, or the third-party provider you used to book, as they will have their own separate cancellation policies. Be warned that some DVC point rental agencies offer no refunds.
Some hotels that are on the Disney World property are not owned by Disney and therefore have their own cancellation policies. Be sure to check with whoever you booked your stay with to receive the correct information for these types of hotels.
If you booked with a website such as Expedia be sure to check the unique cancellation policies that the website has for your booking.
Cancelling a Reservation Booked with a Third Party
If you have a trip, hotel, or park tickets booked through a third-party agency, like a travel agent or theme park ticket company, you will need to contact them for their own cancellation policies.
If your travel agent has booked with Disney directly they may have the same cancellation policies as Disney. But remember the travel agency may have their own cancellation policies as well.
Some ticket selling companies offer the ability to pay to protect your tickets, which sometimes includes receiving a refund if you cancel them. This often does not cost very much and it is a great option to have just in case your plans change.
Can I cancel a Disney Dining Reservation without being charged?
If you do cancel your Disney World trip don’t forget to cancel your table service reservations! If you forget this step you will be charged $10 per person for no shows, which can quickly add up! To avoid this, cancel your dining reservations at least 24 hours in advance.
To cancel your dining reservations simply log into your My Disney Experience account, visit my plans and select to cancel the reservations you have made.
Now you know just what Disney’s policies are if you did need to cancel or modify your trip. Having to cancel a trip is always the last resort but it is good to have the information if you ever do find yourself in this circumstance to know just what fees you may incur and what aspects of your Disney World trip you can and cannot receive a refund for.
