"When to go" from a seasoned WDWer

Steve,

Are there any non-traditional school breaks that you can take advantage
of?

I am from New Jersey, so we can take advantage of the so-called 'Jersey
Week', that week in early November when there is election day, veterans
day, and the teachers have their convention on the Thursday and Friday
of that week.

We are planning on taking a possible 9-day vacation in November 2007
and my high school son will only miss 3 days of school. Even if we left
on Wednesday after school, we could still have a nice 5-day trip. One
year we left Tuesday night so he would only miss a single day of
school, most teachers don't teach much on the day before that break.

Just a thought.

-Joe

Steve Zimmerman wrote:
> I could really use some informed feedback on this:
>
> We've been to WDW nearly every year for the past 16. We have Disney
> Vacation Club ownership. We've really enjoyed our trips and would like to
> keep going BUT!:
>
> - In the past, we have taken the kids out of school to enjoy the low crowds
> - This year, both kids are in middle school, with increased workload,
> responsibility, and actual grades
> - Last year's trip (we took them out of school) effected the older kid's
> grades for a while
>
> So, we're trying to trade off the impact of taking them out of school vs.
> the impact of them having a lousy time when the crowd levels are really
> high.
>
> The Question: Those of you who have recently dealt with this dilemma, or at
> least those of you who have recently been to WDW in the off season
> (September, early December, Jan/Feb) AND the on season (Summer, Spring
> Break, Christmas), what was the main difference between the two times and
> how did you deal with it?
>
> I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments either
> in email on in the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Zimmerman

We stopped taking our kids out of school (for more than a day) a few
years back for just the same reasons. We now take our WDW trips in the
summer. If your school year is done in early June....take your trip
then. If not, wait until mid-August to go.

My kids are now 11 & 17. I took them out of school until my oldest was in
6th grade. The first year after that we tried June and we hated the
weather. The past 4 years we have gone Easter weekend thru the following
week. That date changes every year so some years had more spring breakers
than others. It is very busy and the hotel rates are high but we have had a
great time.

If your kids are only happy when they are on rides at MK, it will be a
problem. We live very close to Disneyland, so MK rides are not a big issue
with us. MK is always the most crowded- do that when it first opens and get
out of there. Many of those rides are slow during the parade. I spent the
extra money to stay at moderates and deluxe hotels so spending time away
form the busy parks was very enjoyable. It is very manageable. You can have
a great time even when it its crowded. Discuss the crowds with everyone
before you go and decide as a group to be flexible.

My daughter is a senior this year and we are going the third week in
January!!!! She should have a college acceptance in hand by then.

Janice





"Steve Zimmerman" <steveazee@> wrote in message
news:vPudnWc-6pIDEIfYnZ2dnUVZ_qydnZ2d@giganews.com...
>I could really use some informed feedback on this:
>
> We've been to WDW nearly every year for the past 16. We have Disney
> Vacation Club ownership. We've really enjoyed our trips and would like to
> keep going BUT!:
>
> - In the past, we have taken the kids out of school to enjoy the low
> crowds
> - This year, both kids are in middle school, with increased workload,
> responsibility, and actual grades
> - Last year's trip (we took them out of school) effected the older kid's
> grades for a while
>
> So, we're trying to trade off the impact of taking them out of school vs.
> the impact of them having a lousy time when the crowd levels are really
> high.
>
> The Question: Those of you who have recently dealt with this dilemma, or
> at least those of you who have recently been to WDW in the off season
> (September, early December, Jan/Feb) AND the on season (Summer, Spring
> Break, Christmas), what was the main difference between the two times and
> how did you deal with it?
>
> I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments
> either in email on in the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Zimmerman
>

>
> I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments
> either in email on in the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Zimmerman
>

We actually were taking our kids out this December but ended up pushing it
back to Jan.1st when value season restarts, crowds drop, and schools are
still closed.

Carrie
N.O.Mommy

> I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments
> either
> in email on in the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Steve Zimmerman
>

Another thought - could you kindly ask the teacher to let you have a copy of
the lesson plans for the days the kids will miss? If you're motivated
enough, you could work with your kids to get them ahead in their work,
instead of helping them catch up later.

Carrie
N.O.Mommy

Don't have kids in school anymore but if I did I think I would try to
go the weekend before Thanksgiving and go home the following weekend.
The kids would only miss three days of school. I would check with the
teachers first and ask them if new things will be taught those three
days. If so, then that's another story. But the Christmas decorations
go up the night of Thanksgiving so you would at least get a chance to
see some of the Christmas hoopla! The weather is still nice. Be sure
to find out if term papers are due after Thanksgiving break. That
might make for a very stressful vacation if somebody has to stay in the
room to type their term paper! It also is going to depend on what kind
of students your kids are. Good luck with this. It's a tough call to
make.

Carrie Carney wrote:
> > I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments
> > either
> > in email on in the newsgroup.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Steve Zimmerman
> >
>
> Another thought - could you kindly ask the teacher to let you have a copy of
> the lesson plans for the days the kids will miss? If you're motivated
> enough, you could work with your kids to get them ahead in their work,
> instead of helping them catch up later.
>
> Carrie
> N.O.Mommy

This might work for some, but in our school district (and I think it's
a Texas state law), absences for vacation are clearly unexcused and
students are automatically given 0s for any missed work. They are not
allowed to make it up at all. Even if they do the work so they can
learn/practice the skills, they still get a big goose egg. (It worked
in our parochial primary school, but not in public school, which is why
we decided not to take them out of school when they were older.)

Happy day,
Anne

Same at our school. 6th - 8th graders get ZERO!

Janice

"Anne - EZ Fun Guide to WDW" <anne-easterling@> wrote in
message news:1159389574.397668.33390@e3g2000cwe. ps.com...
>
> Carrie Carney wrote:
>> > I'd really appreciate your input, feedback, suggestions, and comments
>> > either
>> > in email on in the newsgroup.
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> >
>> > Steve Zimmerman
>> >
>>
>> Another thought - could you kindly ask the teacher to let you have a copy
>> of
>> the lesson plans for the days the kids will miss? If you're motivated
>> enough, you could work with your kids to get them ahead in their work,
>> instead of helping them catch up later.
>>
>> Carrie
>> N.O.Mommy
>
> This might work for some, but in our school district (and I think it's
> a Texas state law), absences for vacation are clearly unexcused and
> students are automatically given 0s for any missed work. They are not
> allowed to make it up at all. Even if they do the work so they can
> learn/practice the skills, they still get a big goose egg. (It worked
> in our parochial primary school, but not in public school, which is why
> we decided not to take them out of school when they were older.)
>
> Happy day,
> Anne
>

Not so accommodating at our Catholic school.
Vacationers are made an example of....
I went in to the principal the first year at that school ( 8 years ago-and
the same principal is still there!) and she just kept saying "If that is
what YOU choose to do, that is up to YOU...." Never gave an inch! I went
anyway.

Janice


"Rudeney" <rudeney@mickeypics.com> wrote in message
news:KNydne2uKP5EeYbYnZ2dnUVZ_tudnZ2d@giganews.com ...
> Janice Burrell wrote:
>
> > "Anne - EZ Fun Guide to WDW" <anne-easterling@> wrote in
> > message news:1159389574.397668.33390@e3g2000cwe. ps.com...
> >> This might work for some, but in our school district (and I think
> >> it's
> >> a Texas state law), absences for vacation are clearly unexcused and
> >> students are automatically given 0s for any missed work. They are not
> >> allowed to make it up at all. Even if they do the work so they can
> >> learn/practice the skills, they still get a big goose egg. (It worked
> >> in our parochial primary school, but not in public school, which is
> >> why
> >> we decided not to take them out of school when they were older.)
> >>
>>
>> Same at our school. 6th - 8th graders get ZERO!
>
> We took Katie out of school for 3 days to go on the cruise. She's in 6th
> grade and the official policy was that she would not be allowed to make-up
> work. DD spoke to the asst. principal and he said it was no problem. He
> said for Katie to report to him on the day she returned to school and he
> would give her a note of excused absence for her teachers.
>
> --
>
> - RODNEY
>
> Tentative Next WDW Vacation
> Spring Break 2007
> (199 Days To Go!)