I think the free month is at the end not right now and they are just doing a bad job of communicating that, which is why people think they should be not getting charged right now. To me, the original commitment is the 12 months from when you start paying and the free month comes at the end of that. So basically pay for 12 months, get the 13th at the end for free.
COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW
- Thread starter WDWRLD
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That’s my understanding too for people who are still in their initial 12 month commitment. We still have no idea how that impacts people outside of their initial 12 months though—and the park is deflecting all questions about it to the call center where, reportedly, people are being offered a one-time-over-the-lifetime-of-the-account deferment option of 3 months.
But on EZpay with the commitment already met I am technically at the end every month.
And I get both of these concerns, and it wold likely take some fine tooth combing of the documents of the EZ-Pay paperwork to really understand.
My gym membership is a 1-year at a time membership, and buried in the fine print is if you don't cancel before the 12 months is up and pay out the year, when they pull payment for the 13th month, the contract is considered 'renewed' for another 12 months. I don't have my EZ-Pay paper work in front of me to say if BGW has this or not but I would be interested in knowing if there's something in there like that. I mostly say this because I've never had my EZ-Pay plan automatically renew. I've always had to go back in and set it up again.
If they don't have that in there then this process is really needing to be smoothed out. But if it's in there then there's not much anyone will be able to do because it's up to each company to do what they want. Some are still committed to collecting (like my credit card), some are willing to defer (like my company), and some are offering up reduced 1 time rates (like my cell phone provider).
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Wanted to add that I'm not trying to be combative or fanboy/stanning for BGW, rather just trying to offer other places to look before we grab the pitchforks.
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I upgraded from Annual Passes to Memberships the first month they were offered. I have not touched my account since and every year the payments just keep coming out, never had to update or do anything.
I think @madmax is referencing the IHME model (make sure you set the location to Virginia):
IHME | COVID-19 Projections
Explore forecasts of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and hospital resource use.covid19.healthdata.org
The IHME model just drastically changed the projection to a peak in mid-April and less than 100 people in the hospital by the end or May.
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I think I know what's happening. They're continuing to charge so that all up-to-date members will be eligible to be in the "SEAS CEO for a Month" contest. ?
This makes more sense based on when stay at home and the non-essential orders went in place. I'm not sure the tail of this projection is that accurate since their model is only looking at the first wave and not subsequent waves or leveling off period. We aren't doing things that will get the number to zero (and probably couldn't absent extreme testing availability) but rather to a manageable infection rate.
I interpreted it to mean they would not bill for the. Next month which would have been April since this was a March statement but can confirm that I to was billed.
They edited there page on info this was NOT the info that was there last week which said that monthly payments past the first year would not be billed. Personally have been very understanding about their situation and don't mind being billed if they give me something a meal ticket, QQ, or just about anything when they open to make up at least a little for it but to pull crap like this is totally unprofessional, unethical, and completely pisses me off. There is no excuse for this period.
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I was just told that the 3 month deferment was an old policy. The deferment on our 4 passes will only be April (if we don't get charged regardless, like I'm seeing on the forum) and they "will decide about May" in that month. I guess they haven't heard VA's governor closed non-essentials until June over in India. So, the only option given to us was to call back (and wait the 1,634 minutes when calling at 8 am) and beg again in May. Sorry for the bad grammar, just steaming. And ready to cancel this crap and burn my card.
My understanding is BGW will offer an extension for paid in full passes. For EZPay, I believe, BGW will only round a month or not charge a month if you contact them; but you have to contact them otherwise you get nothing.
As for the original response of those who have already met their commitment will receive their next month free ... I would take that to literally mean the very next month. So if this month is April, then in May they wouldn't be charged.
As for the original response of those who have already met their commitment will receive their next month free ... I would take that to literally mean the very next month. So if this month is April, then in May they wouldn't be charged.
What number did you contact them through? I called the two different numbers and both dumped me into the automated system where you can never get to a human being. I tried mashing zero to hopefully get the system to realize I want to speak with a human, but to no avail.
My monthly EZPay date is the 20th of this month and I would like to get in touch with them well before that date.
In the end, I am not expecting to get my payment removed, but would rather start the process of receiving some other benefit in exchange for not being able to use a product that I am paying full price for (e.g. compensation in another form).
I will start holding my breath now. LOL
Except that was posted in MARCH and as many of us said we were still billed in April. Also they since removed that statement from the page giving me zero faith that they will live up to it.
Personally I am in the odd position of actually be better off because of my job and having to work OT as well as getting a temporary salary increase and my company passing own an extra profit sharing bonus. I have no issue with them taking the money so that they can still have some in flow to help cover animal care and to pay those that are still being paid. But I also expect something for that when they do open and just want some statement saying that they know that and will respond in the appropriate manner. I would also add many are not in tha TV same boat and might really benefit from not being billed especially if they are paying for a family worth of passes
I haven't called them, that was just my educated guess on how they are likely to handle the situation.
I don't want to pass off my theory as if that was their intention or if it was something else. Regardless of their intentions though; I don't expect the process to be smooth. I don't know of anything that BGW has actually promised that hasn't come with many of their guests facing troubles and hardship. In fact it seems like for guests to receive anything they almost always have to fight with a call service rep or guest relations in order to get anything, even the stuff that is supposed to be simple to get.
(757) 229-4FUN @futureshock . All foreigners. All scripts. Them "How are you today?" Me "In the same sinking boat as most during this crisis." Them "Great! How can I help you?" Me "Sigh". And it was every bit downhill from there. At 8am, on the dot, the wait was 1634 minutes. I picked the callback option. I got a callback after 10:30