What happens when World of Color... is cancelled?

That can happen. Some World of Color's shows have been recently cancelled for technical problems... only after three weeks its Grand opening.

Here's the news from Mouseplanet, it's a bit long but interesting:

When Color is canceled

Disneyland Resort park maps carry a warning that all entertainment is subject to change without notice, and frequent visitors have almost certainly experienced a situation where a stage show, parade, or fireworks were canceled due to weather or technical difficulties. The resort does not make a habit of offering compensation to guests who spent time waiting for a canceled show, but the first cancellation of a performance of the new World of Color show has many MousePlanet readers asking if Disney needs to rethink its policy.

According to reports from MousePlanet readers, a large water pipe (which some have described as a water main) broke during the first showing of World of Color on Sunday, June 27, drenching some guests and flooding a portion of the viewing area. Disney allowed guests to enter the viewing area for the 10:15 p.m. show, but then announced that the show was canceled due to technical difficulties .

What should Disney do when the show can't go on?

Reader MOUSELUVR and several others were part of the crowd turned away when the show was canceled, and shared their experiences. Their stories paint a picture of confused cast members issuing conflicting statements and a guest relations team seemingly unprepared for the crush of angry customers demanding refunds. World of Color is unique among Disney shows in that several thousand meals are sold each night to visitors as part of dining packages that offers access to a reserved viewing area for the show. These meals, which range from $15 picnic lunches to $40-plus table service meals, have sold out every night since the show debuted three weeks ago. Disney markets these packages heavily on its Web site and print materials related to World of Color, including, most recently, the DCA park map itself.

While Disney states that the packages are non-refundable, many customers have an expectation that when they purchase a dinner-and-show package, they're going to receive both parts of their purchase. For example, reader Sophie832 said, "Unlike Fantasmic, parades, or fireworks, at least half of the viewing for this show is based on paid tickets." Reader charpaul agreed, saying "I would not have purchased an overpriced dinner at Ariel's if it did not come with the preferred dining option tickets."

Other readers disagree, taking the attitude that "stuff happens" and arguing that Disney cannot control the weather or broken water pipes. Reader danyoung said, "You're paying for dinner, and getting a pretty nice dinner for a pretty nice price. The [World of Color] ticket is a bonus to that dinner—an important bonus, of course, but as at least one [cast member] said, the ticket itself has no value." Reader AJDerrick said, "Everyone invests something to see [World of Color], whether it's waiting in line for the [Fastpass] or shelling out the dough for a meal that comes with a pass. Can they give those people who waited to get a [Fastpass] their time back?"

Readers who took the time to file a complaint with Guest Relations reported various results. Reader kaybee2 said, "There were easily 1,000 people in line to make a complaint, and you would think that they would give everyone something, but they offered nothing to any of us," Reader cosmogrrl said, "We had a dinner package for the 10:15 show, and they did indeed give us nothing." MouseVII said, "We had asked for a refund, but were told we paid for a $40 meal with the preferred viewing ticket as a gift, and they can't refund a gift or a meal." One reader had a little more luck with his complaint —Orz shared that Disney gave him "two DCA-only tickets to use within the next 6 months" so he and his wife could return to see the show another day.

This isn't the first time Disneyland has offered meal packages in conjunction with show, but even so, Disney does not seem to have a consistent policy for handling canceled shows. When rain threatened to cancel the Candlelight Processional several years ago, MousePlanet staff members Tony and Adrienne were warned by the server before being seated to dinner that the meal would not be refunded if the show was canceled. On the other hand, MousePad Community Leader Malcon10t posted that when a performance of Fantasmic was canceled, her group was refunded the money they spent to purchase the Fantasmic dessert package, even though they had already received the dessert box.

What do you think? Should guests that purchased this packages receive a refund, or Disney has the right of canceling a show at any time due to problems of any kind without refunds?