Disneyworld Florida with Virgin Holidays

Georgiahampson1

Booked with Virgin in Jan 2020 to travel to Disneyworld Florida on 3rd Dec 2020. Received the email to outline changes to Disney - no fireworks, no parades, no fast pass, no magic hours, no dining plan, no park hopping, etc - Virgin offered free moving of holidays to Dec 2021. Emailed a couple of times to request the move to Dec 2021, no response. Then received an email to say my park tickets had been purchased? So lost my rag and researched my rights. Their standard terms and conditions clearly state - 

 6.           Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee and get a full refund of any payments if any of the essential elements of the package, other than the price, are changed significantly. If before the start of the package the trader responsible for the package cancels the package, travellers are entitled to a refund and compensation where appropriate.

 9.           If, after the start of the package, significant elements of the package cannot be provided as agreed, suitable alternative arrangements will have to be offered to the traveller at no extra cost. Travellers may terminate the contract without paying any termination fee, where services are not performed in accordance with the contract and this substantially affects the performance of the package and the organiser fails to remedy the problem. 

After being consistently ignored by Virgin, when I've finally spoken to them (on my 8th attempt, pretty shocking for someone who's paid them 4k don't you think), they told me the changes are not significant and I am not entitled to a refund. This surely must be a joke?! If those changes aren't significant I don't know what are?! Help please! What can I do :-( 

[Deleted User]

It won't be a joke. Travel companies don't tend to do much stand up these days. There's just not the demand for it.

Significant changes would probably be half the rides closed, rather than not seeing Mickey Mouse waltz down Main Street or some fireworks.

If you feel they are significant, you'll need to argue it with them and ultimately, a court would decide.

Have you managed to get the holiday moved to next year yet?

eskbanker

Georgiahampson1 said:

If those changes aren't significant I don't know what are?!

The Virgin Ts & Cs are echoing the wording of the Package Travel Regulations 2018, which grant cancellation/refund rights if any of the following are changed:

2.  The travel destination, the itinerary and periods of stay, with dates and, where accommodation is included, the number of nights included.

3.  The means, characteristics and categories of transport, the points, dates and time of departure and return, the duration and places of intermediate stops and transport connections.

4.  Where the exact time of departure and return is not yet determined, the organiser and, where applicable, the retailer, must inform the traveller of the approximate time of departure and return.

5.  The location, main features and, where applicable, tourist category of the accommodation under the rules of the country of destination.

6.  The meals which are included in the package.

7.  The visits, excursions or other services included in the total price agreed for the package.

8.  Where it is not apparent from the context, whether any of the travel services are to be provided to the traveller as part of a group and, if so, where possible, the approximate size of the group.

9.  Where the traveller’s benefit from other tourist services depends on effective oral communication, the language in which those services are to be carried out.

10.  Whether the trip or holiday is generally suitable for persons with reduced mobility and, upon the traveller’s request, the precise information on the suitability of the trip or holiday taking into account the traveller’s needs.

ZaSa1418

When you spoke to them did you say you had emailed asking to move the holiday to 2021. If so what did they say? Do you want to cancel or still move it?
I would imagine that if one of the parks was shut that would be considered a significant change rather than no fireworks/parades etc it is also constantly changing so maybe closer to the time Virgin may be a little more helpful.

Mrsn

I’m sure I recall that if the dining plan had been cancelled then that was classed as a significant change because it would mean having to pay for meals that were already included in the package booked. OP have I read it correctly that you did have a dining plan and this has now been cancelled?

sanjayguptacpa

Wow I hope you're able to get this resolved, shocking really that they're not immediately accommodating with cancellations at a time like this.