My First World Problem

[mom25kiddos]

We booked the non-private tour for five of our family for early September. This week, one of our older children was able to get the time off work, and is now joining us-hooray. Except, I didn't book a tour ticket for him. I booked it through UT. I contact Universal, who told me I need to contact UT, who told me I need to contact Universal-you get the idea! Basically, I can't figure out how to add him and ensure he is in our tour group (rather than another one at the same time). Anyone have any luck with this? I see the downside now of booking through UT! UT said they can't tell us if our tour group is full or not, or figure out if they can add him to our tour, although they can say there is 'space' at that tour time. Universal just said you have to contact UT. Any advice is appreciated! So glad he can come, but having to change plans has been a giant pain-our MNSSHP is sold out, had to change our car rental, etc.

 

[Chili327]

We booked the non-private tour for five of our family for early September. This week, one of our older children was able to get the time off work, and is now joining us-hooray. Except, I didn't book a tour ticket for him. I booked it through UT. I contact Universal, who told me I need to contact UT, who told me I need to contact Universal-you get the idea! Basically, I can't figure out how to add him and ensure he is in our tour group (rather than another one at the same time). Anyone have any luck with this? I see the downside now of booking through UT! UT said they can't tell us if our tour group is full or not, or figure out if they can add him to our tour, although they can say there is 'space' at that tour time. Universal just said you have to contact UT. Any advice is appreciated! So glad he can come, but having to change plans has been a giant pain-our MNSSHP is sold out, had to change our car rental, etc.

Call UT back & tell them you need to cancel so you can repurchase elsewhere. They'll figure it out for you one way or another.

 

[spewey]

Call UT back & tell them you need to cancel so you can repurchase elsewhere. They'll figure it out for you one way or another.

Hang on - and I could be wrong here, so forgive me - if you cancel don't you run the risk of not being able to re-book? I thought I heard many if not most of the RIP tours are already sold out.

You'll also be at six people (the max) when you're going to rebook. My fear would be you tell UT to cancel, but you wouldn't actually know when they do that, so in between that and when you rebook the spots may go away.

In which case - assuming you can cancel through UT without penalty, as you can with UO - I'd see if there's room for six now in another tour when you are there, go ahead and book that directly with UO, then cancel UT.

Out of curiosity, when is your tour? My family has a non-private September 2 at 6:30PM.

 

[Chili327]

@spewey
I have no idea, that's just my first thought. They can either figure it out, or lose my business.
Now granted I can be pretty hard headed like that, so yes I would risk losing my tour, but I also wouldn't do the tour if it meant leaving part of my party out.
If I were you id suggest to UT to cancel the order, so you can rebook it for 6, & see what they say.

 

[mom25kiddos]

Ours isn’t a RIP tour, just the regular daytime one on August 29th. I didn’t think of the cancellation option-a last resort but worth a try if I can’t make headway. UT sent me the ‘how happy are you with our online help’ survey and replied-not. So hopefully they will help. Have emailed universal again too. Someone has to know!

 

[zavandor]

Why don't you ask UT if there is availability for a tour of 6, book that and then cancel the tour for 5?

 

[mom25kiddos]

Just to close this off for anyone who wondered what happened. After going back and forth with UT, I reached out to US again and said UT won't/can't help me and got a super helpful guy who said just call me and I will help you and he did. Took care of it and joined him in our group. He said they send you back to your original purchase source (what they did the first time I reached out) because they get a commission so didn't want to deprive them of that, but since they weren't helping, jumped it. Glad we got it sorted before we go! Tour is Aug 29.

 

[UOAP-Naples]

Just to close this off for anyone who wondered what happened. After going back and forth with UT, I reached out to US again and said UT won't/can't help me and got a super helpful guy who said just call me and I will help you and he did. Took care of it and joined him in our group. He said they send you back to your original purchase source (what they did the first time I reached out) because they get a commission so didn't want to deprive them of that, but since they weren't helping, jumped it. Glad we got it sorted before we go! Tour is Aug 29.

That’s nice that they don’t try to short their partner websites, travel agents, and tour operators. I’m sure it was frustrating getting the run around initially. It sounds like Universal tried to do the right thing for their partner first and then took care of you.

 

[mom25kiddos]

That’s nice that they don’t try to short their partner websites, travel agents, and tour operators. I’m sure it was frustrating getting the run around initially. It sounds like Universal tried to do the right thing for their partner first and then took care of you.

Yes exactly. And it was a fantastic day!

 

[uandmfan]

If you have a non-private your, how does it work in terms of picking rides? What if the group isn't in agreement? I've never done this and have no idea how it works!