“No, no, no!! Tell me it isn’t true!! What am I going to do?” This panicked question has been bantered around Disney fan sites for a couple of days now. So what’s the hubbub about? “Hold onto your hats”, as they say on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad®, because this is definitely unexpected news; effective immediately, all mini refrigerators will be removed from Walt Disney World® Resort, Disneyland® Resort and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa! The exceptions to this removal policy are the refrigerators in Disney’s All-Star Music Resort Suites, Disney’s Art of Animation Suites, Disney Vacation Club accommodations, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Cabins which all utilize a larger model. The affected refrigerators are being pulled out of the rooms AFTER vacationers have left for home so if you are staying in a Disney resort currently, you don’t need to worry about your refrigerator disappearing while you are out of your room. It is expected to take at least 4 months to replace all of the refrigerators in the resorts.
In light of this stunning revelation, affected vacationers are left with this burning question…WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?????? First, don’t panic. There will be a limited number of refrigerators available for guest use. Vacationers with the need for a refrigerator for medical purposes will be prioritized. Please ask your Wishing Well Travel agent to add the medical request for a refrigerator to your reservation, but realize it is not guaranteed. You can also still request a refrigerator even if you don’t have a medical need, but, again, it’s not guaranteed. Disney is known for their excellent customer service, so not surprisingly if you have requested a refrigerator and Disney cannot provide you with one, your party will likely be compensated.
The second thing you can do is to prepare yourself for the possibility that you might not have a refrigerator. If you are ordering groceries from a local delivery company, like Garden Grocer, add a Styrofoam cooler to your cart. Every resort has large ice dispensers in various locations around the resort which can be used to fill your cooler with ice to keep your perishables cool. If you’re driving to your resort, you can pack a cooler in your vehicle, purchase a Styrofoam cooler at Walmart, or if you own one, even bring your own mini refrigerator. If you are flying, you can pack a collapsible soft-sided cooler in your luggage or order groceries and a Styrofoam cooler as well. Currently, Disney is also allowing guests to rent mini refrigerators from outside sources.
The third thing you can do is to check with your travel agent as your vacation date nears. Disney is expected to be releasing a timetable indicating when refrigerators will be replaced at which resorts, so keeping in touch with your Wishing Well Travel Agent will let you know if or how you need to prepare for the lack of a mini refrigerator on your vacation.
My son and I will be going to the Walt Disney World® Resort toward the end of the “at least” timeframe and while I’m disappointed that we might not have a refrigerator, I’m really not worried about the issue. We always have a fantastic time in Walt Disney World® and I am sure that either with or without a mini refrigerator, we will still have an incredible visit “home”.
Erika has been a Travel Specialist with Wishing Well Travel since 2013, you can email her at Erika at wishingwelltravel.com, find her on Facebook or Request a Quote from her online.
