Am I Completely Crazy....?

[melifeld]

Okay, so a little background here... We usually go to WDW for the first or second week of January. But DS started Kindergarten this year and the school break ends REALLY early. DS has to be back January 2nd! So we are considering going over the Christmas week. We know the crowds will be crazy, but our only other choice is to go in the summer (which my DH hates to do because of the heat). We have never been there for Christmas before. The closest we have come is arriving 12/31 for New Year's Eve.

Are we totally out of our minds for even considering going during the busiest time of year?

 

[ghtx]

Are we totally out of our minds for even considering going during the busiest time of year?

No. You would only be totally out of your mind if you went that week and expected that it wouldn't be crowded. If you arrive well-prepared you will be fine.

 

[lanejudy]

Okay, so a little background here... We usually go to WDW for the first or second week of January. But DS started Kindergarten this year and the school break ends REALLY early. DS has to be back January 2nd! So we are considering going over the Christmas week. We know the crowds will be crazy, but our only other choice is to go in the summer (which my DH hates to do because of the heat). We have never been there for Christmas before. The closest we have come is arriving 12/31 for New Year's Eve.

Are we totally out of our minds for even considering going during the busiest time of year?

All depends on your tolerance for the crowds. My family wouldn't enjoy it. Others seem to love it. Does DS have any other vacation time that might work - a late winter or spring break? Personally, I'd rather deal with spring break crowds than Christmas/New Year's crowds, but again that's a personal opinion. As long as you know what you are getting into (and you obvioulsy do) and it still sounds appealing to you - go for it!

Enjoy!

 

[gator girl]

You just need to be prepared for being pressed up against more people than you ever knew existed, and long long waits for every single thing, including the bathroom, and maybe not even getting into your chosen park at all if they shut the gates. Is your husband willing to trade that experience for sweating?

I would rather figure out some late-June dates after school ends but before it gets super-hot in the summer, but that's just me.

There is an alternative that's not Christmas week and/or the hellish late July/early August time period. Early summer is not surface-of-the-sun hot yet, nor is it as crowded as the holiday week. It's not going to be as uncrowded as January like you're used to, but it certainly won't be as bad as Christmas week.

I'd deal with some heat to avoid the capacity crowds. You can schedule sit-down meals in the a/c for lunch, take afternoon breaks to go swimming, etc. There's not much that can alleviate the misery of capacity crowds.

 

[GiGi30]

The only thing you can do is be prepared and know what to expect. gator_girl said it all.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It is not as if this were the start of the school year and your son was in high school. What harm can come to missing a week of Kindergarten for a five or six year old?

 

[#1DopeyFan]

I'm the "bad parent" who says it's only kindy, go anyway. I know some school districts are much harder on kids/parents then others...but I've always pulled my kids out for a few days here and there and they've always had no problems catching up, from preschool all the way to high school.
But I understand if you're deadset against him missing much school...if that's the case, no, you're not crazy. Any time at WDW is better then none.

 

[blessedby3]

It is not as if this were the start of the school year and your son was in high school. What harm can come to missing a week of Kindergarten for a five or six year old?

I agree. Enjoy his littleness now and take him out while you can. We have taken our 2 oldest out of school yearly for WDW trips up until 12th grade (DS will miss a week next month for our trip and he is a senior). Our 3rd child has a bit more difficulty so this will be the last trip we take her out of school for (she is in 8th grade). You can get his Kindergarten work and take it with you to do on the way, or get it ahead of time and do it before you leave. If you dont want to take him out for a whole week, look at his school calendar and see if you have 2 day breaks for Teacher workday, etc. We have done that before too, and only had to pull them for 3 days instead of 5.
Christmastime would be a nightmare for me to navigate and we are seasoned Disneygoers!

 

[melifeld]

All depends on your tolerance for the crowds. My family wouldn't enjoy it. Others seem to love it. Does DS have any other vacation time that might work - a late winter or spring break? Personally, I'd rather deal with spring break crowds than Christmas/New Year's crowds, but again that's a personal opinion. As long as you know what you are getting into (and you obvioulsy do) and it still sounds appealing to you - go for it!

Enjoy!

We would love to do spring break, however DH teaches at the University level and DS and DH do not have the same spring break. It is Christmas or summer for us!

 

[LaurenT]

Another vote for just taking him out of school.
We've taken my DD out twice, last year was a bit of a pain with making up the work, but it was all fine in the end.
This year she's 4th grade Nd struggling a bit, so we're not pulling her... But if she was in kindergarten? I wouldn't think twice!

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

So we are considering going over the Christmas week. We have never been there for Christmas before. The closest we have come is arriving 12/31 for New Year's Eve.

Are we totally out of our minds for even considering going during the busiest time of year?

~I would go "any" week of the year with a Kindergartner, lol. But to answer your question, no I don't think it's crazy to go during Christmas week. I think it's fabulous! Have fun!

 

[lynypixie]

My son is in kindergarden too, and we are pulling him out for a week in february. Teacher has been told and she said "don't even worry and go for it".

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

I love going at Christmas... I'm not sure I'd take a kindergartner. If you plan it right it could work out though. I loved the year we went over Christmas and hope to do it again at some point.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We would love to do spring break, however DH teaches at the University level and DS and DH do not have the same spring break. It is Christmas or summer for us!

How 'bout YH's spring break, YS will miss some school *no big deal* YH won't miss any teaching.

 

[AndreaA]

Nodding along with the crowd. Take your son out of school. It's Kindergarten. If you honestly think he would fall behind then I would question the school's curriculum because no kindy student should be overloaded with work.

 

[melifeld]

Thanks everyone for your replies. We will be discussing the possibility of taking DS out of school tonight. The main reason we were not planning on it to begin with is that the Parent Handbook has some VERY strict wording about taking kids out of school for vacation. It even goes so far as to call the absences "unexcused/unlawful". I may speak with the teacher and see what she says.

Thanks again everybody!

 

[Jillianv29]

Thanks everyone for your replies. We will be discussing the possibility of taking DS out of school tonight. The main reason we were not planning on it to begin with is that the Parent Handbook has some VERY strict wording about taking kids out of school for vacation. It even goes so far as to call the absences "unexcused/unlawful". I may speak with the teacher and see what she says.

Thanks again everybody!

I am taking my son out next week. I was worried but legally in my state kids don't even have to be in school yet. I don't think it's mandatory they go to school until 1st grade. My feeling is they are only little once, I can't be the only one taking a kid out for a week.

 

[melifeld]

I am taking my son out next week. I was worried but legally in my state kids don't even have to be in school yet. I don't think it's mandatory they go to school until 1st grade. My feeling is they are only little once, I can't be the only one taking a kid out for a week.

This is a really good point. I just checked the school district website. It says attendance is mandatory for 7 to 16 year olds. My son is only 5. I will point this out if anyone gives me a hard time about it.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Bummbok]

This is a really good point. I just checked the school district website. It says attendance is mandatory for 7 to 16 year olds. My son is only 5. I will point this out if anyone gives me a hard time about it.

Thanks again everyone!

Just be warned, I know down here in Alabama the law states mandatory attendance for ages 7 to 16, but however once enrolled regardless of age truancy laws kick in...can't say what true for your state. *shrug*

That being said we're taking our K grade student out for a bit over a week, all we had to do was fill out a short form for the prinicple to sign. In the spot where we had to say why we put "Out of town:. His signed it no problem and even attached a form letter explaining the consitions he has for excused absences. (1 3 day block per semester and 1 1 week block per year)

 

[Q-man]

He is in Kinder not middle school/high school take him out for a week.