Spring Break cancellation rant...

"Ash78, voting early and often" (ash78) 03/16/2020 at 16:21 • Filed to: None

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We’ve had family plans for the past couple months to drive over to Greenville, SC — looking for possible houses to move to, but also just doing all the tourist stuff like the BMW Zentrum, random parks, children’s museum, plus a bunch of things up i n Western NC (it’s just an hour south of Asheville). Mostly low-density, outdoor activities as much as possible.

Slowly, but surely all the closures began to mount — first the Biltmore Estate, which was understandable (indoors, thousands of people per day). But now places like Chimney Rock park (outdoors) are closing indefinitely, on top of all the more local, mundane stuff. To top it off, our realtor there has already told us that several people have canceled showings recently. I understand not wanting strangers in your house right about now...

The goal was to just spend 4-5 days pretending to live there to see if we liked it. Not sure that’s going to happen anywhere at the moment.

We had already booked a full 3/2 house through VRBO, which we prefer to Airbnb ( and have used for over 15 years without issue) . This house was listed on both services . Airbnb has compelled owners to offer refunds, no penalty . VRBO has not. I contacted the owner with a week’s notice to plead our case...

This was going to be the one low-risk trip we could still do amid all the hunkering down — it’s not like we were flying to Manhattan to stay in a hotel and ride the subway all day :)

E90M3 > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 16:40

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If you end up spending a few days in GVL, let me know and maybe we can meet somewhere for a beer and to talk cars. Obviously post-corona.

i86hotdogs > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 16:49

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I was suppose to fly to Miami first weekend of April for a bachelor party. That’s unlikely. I also was suppose to have my bachelor party at Talladega end of April. That’s likely to cancel as well. My buddy’s wedding (Miami bachelor party) is in May, and is likely to be postponed. I hope my July wedding is safe.

I know its for the better good. But it still stings to have plans change.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 16:51

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I’m slowly coming to grips that my greece trip that we’ve been planning/working towards for 2.5 years isn’t going to happen in may. thankfully i’m booked through airbnb over there so i should get refunds.

The real challenge is having to re-organize the babysitting. 3 sets of grandparents involved in watching the kids while we’re gone (2 of them have to fly here too).

Sucks.

Ash78, voting early and often > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/16/2020 at 16:54

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We came THIS close to booking a flight to Milan for Spring Break (back in January). This was our much more boring backup plan :)

Honestly, had the tickets been about $200-$300 less each, I would have done it.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 16:59

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that’s when we booked greece. Thankfully it’s delta (who is taking care of things) and it was all points anyhow so it never really even hit my account balance.

We wanted to go last year for our 10 year wedding anniversary, but we had to travel for 3 weddings last year so we put it off to this year, joking we apparently had to make it through year 10 to be able to celebrate it.

Maybe we can shift memorial day plans to labor day plans.

3point8isgreat > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/16/2020 at 17:01

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We’ve got tickets to Germany in late June/Early July, and will be my first time leaving the country. I’ve thought in the past that I’d get to go for work or something and never did. It looks like once again my life plans to get overseas may be thwarted by life happening. And this time I’m going to be out a lot of money too.

RPM esq. > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/16/2020 at 17:02

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I ate the entire cost of a river cruise down the Mekong from Cambodia to Vietnam (with flights through Japan) in February and went to Mexico instead ...at the time I was torn, but now I’m glad I did. Helped that two days after changing my plans Cambodia announced that it would land the cruise ship no one else would take, welcomed all the passengers without any precautions whatsoever, and invited Chinese tourists who had plans canceled elsewhere to spend their money there instead.

PowderHound > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 17:06

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My trip to Canada on Friday is now officially  done for with the border closing. I have another trip end of July flying in to Munich and I can only hope that this is well cleared up by then.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 17:07

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We’ve got reservations and plane tickets for Disneyland in June. That’s still some time off, but we’ll just have to see what happens. This is messed up, to be sure.

Off to volunteer at the Food Bank. Trying to make sure people get fed. 

Ash78, voting early and often > ttyymmnn 03/16/2020 at 17:12

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Good man. Our church food pantry is Wednesday, they’re switching to a drive-thru setup, but otherwise unchanged. Basic life has to keep going.

ttyymmnn > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 17:16

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Supposed to get some dinner with Mrs. Ttyymmnn beforehand. I’m trying not be nervous, but it’s hard. 

ClassicDatsunDebate > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 17:34

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Me and my wife were joking that this is one time that our propensity to procrastinate and book last minute trips actually SAVED us money.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 17:35

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Im not surprised VRBO has not compelled anyone to give refunds. They are super hands off, wild west kind of home rental platform. Its the one reason I do prefer Airbnb, at least there is a corporate overlord in the situation, similar to staying at a hotel. So even if the owner is being a shithead, the service will cover things and go after the host themselves. But also, I have just found the pricing on VRBO to be all over the map with fees ranging from pricey to absurd. Like $200 cleaning fees and $500 mandatory deposits.

Anyways, sounds like a shitty scenario to be in. Hopefully when things calm down you are able to just reschedule. This is going to impact so many people in so many different unique ways. Thats what I worry about. I dont worry about getting sick or my own interruptions in my life. I worry about the economy going down the toilet and people losing jobs and losing their homes. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/16/2020 at 17:37

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I think it will be fine in May. Or at least I hope so, I have a trip planned to Nice in May and am still moving ahead, assuming its happening. 

imadick > ttyymmnn 03/16/2020 at 18:05

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Probably won’t happen. I heard some experts are saying things won’t be back to normal for 3-6 months.

mustangchris66 > ttyymmnn 03/16/2020 at 18:25

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We had plans to be in Disneyland this week.. We were going to drive down from Northern California with our trailer and camp. We shifted gears and found another spot to just camp but now we have canceled those plans too. T o say we are frustrated and tired of telling our 3 year old son we are not going is getting old fast.

ttyymmnn > mustangchris66 03/16/2020 at 18:40

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I’m sorry. That really sucks. 

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 19:05

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That’s super shitty of the person renting the place out. If it comes down to it just dare them  - say you’re feeling super sick, but you’ve paid for it so you’re still coming. So where can you meet them to get the keys (and to give them a big hug for being so committed to ensuring your vacation happens )?

DipodomysDeserti > RPM esq. 03/16/2020 at 20:13

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Who wouldn’t want a nice holiday in Cambodia?

functionoverfashion > Ash78, voting early and often 03/16/2020 at 20:29

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We went to that area this past summer, stayed at Lake Lure, went to Chimney Rock, Asheville, etc. it’s beautiful out there. One of my favorite things was a brewery in the (touristy) town of Chimney Rock itself, because it was right on a river, the seats just spilled down onto sand and rocks and water. So for me, I was hot all the time down there, and to be able to sit in a cold river was amazing.

Sorry it’s not working out - our end-of-April plans for Florida aren’t looking great right now. We were optimistic a week ago. Less so now. 

RPM esq. > DipodomysDeserti 03/16/2020 at 21:06

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Heh I put this song in my original email to my coworkers when I scheduled my vacation.

Stef Schrader > Ash78, voting early and often 03/17/2020 at 07:21

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Oof. I hate to see the outdoors stuff close. I have the worst damn cabin fever right now and I just want to do something outside or away. Outside seems to be the safest, but yeah.

Ash78, voting early and often > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/17/2020 at 09:01

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You really summed it up. We have stuck with VRBO due to so many good experiences, but they really need to remember that they overlap Airbnb from a competitive standpoint. I mean, this exact house was listed both places at the same time. So I just got unlucky? Yes, VRBO can get tricky with the fees, but at least you can see an “all in” price when you click on the place. Some owners charge a service fees, others done. Cleaning fees are all over the place.

The owner emailed me back and said he’d work with me, but still encouraged me to come (touting all the stuff that’s still open, which I’m sure won’t last!) . I’ll wait a day and just write him again....

Yes, the ripple economic effects will do more (non-death-related) damage than the direct impact of the disease. I keep reminding my wife that we’re all fine, we’re doing this whole thing to keep other people safe. But when we don’t get things like schoolwork assigned from teachers, it can make you bitter because it feels like they’re off the hook while the rest of us have to keep working. Meanwhile, the kids fall behind in academics unless you DIY and work hard at it.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/17/2020 at 09:03

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I don’t know who you’re flying with but this has been on Delta’s page for a while:

Which means I’m screwed because it’s before may 31. holding out a bit longer before making any adjustments though.

Ash78, voting early and often > ZHP Sparky, the 5th 03/17/2020 at 09:03

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This is a negotiating tactic straight from a sitcom.

And I love it.

(fyi, making progress with the guy, but he’s still encouraging me to come. I’ll give it another day and back out more deliberately)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > RPM esq. 03/17/2020 at 09:04

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Combodia gotta get that cash man. Glad you snuck in a nice safe vacation before the madness.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 3point8isgreat 03/17/2020 at 09:06

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I think late june early july will probably be fine if you want to, but what do I know? I’m just the Mercury guy on the internet haha.

I’m going to try and bump my memorial day trip to a labor day trip. Reschduling should be fine. you should look to bump your germany trip to later in the year and hit up oktoberfest in late September! Was a contender for us for Europe trips. This is our first trip over the atlantic as well! Figures.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 03/17/2020 at 11:18

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Well yeah its all super unknown right now. At least its known that you arent going to be on the hook for this shit. The airlines are refunding or allowing you to change for free and that will continue until this is over. 

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/17/2020 at 11:54

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and thankfully all my lodging is through airBNB who is helping people out too. VRBO isn’t doing shit for people so I’m glad I went airBNB.

Just gonna be a pain in the ass to reschedule all my babysitting.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Ash78, voting early and often 03/17/2020 at 12:14

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You gotta play along. Tell him how your kids have been coughing a lot lately and you get the occasional chills, but other than that everyone is fine so looking forward to spending a lot of time at his property!