Homeschooling days!

[gibmom]

Hi! I just got a card in the mail saying Disney will have homeschooling days in Feb., May , and Sept. Anyone know more about this?
Julie G.

 

[disneymom3]

I don't but since I will be there in Feb, I sure would love to know more. Ws there a phone number or anything on your postcard?

 

[jme829]

I would like info too. . we are going in Sept.

 

[yazee1]

We're going in February as well. I googled Disney World and Homeschooling Days and this is all I could find. It came from someone's blog site, a Floridian homeschooler.



Who: Organized groups of 10 or more Florida homeschool students, plus their teachers, chaperones and extra guests.

How to get more information: Call 1-800-603-4303 to learn about this exciting new event designed especially for your students!
Cost is $38.50 without tax; only $9 for annual pass holders

 

[gibmom]

We're having trouble with our DSL so I can't get online as much as I'd like. The card was in a mass-mailer to homeschoolers and was a send-this-in-for-more-info type thing. We can't go to WDW this year but I would love to hear back from anyone who goes during these times to know if it's worth planning for in the future.
Julie

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I believe they offer a workshop/tour of a particular park. After its conclusion, you are free to spend the rest of the day in the park.

Our homeschool group did this in the beginning of the year.

I think it is nice that they do it--b/c ordinarily to qualify for a single day discount--you usually need a super large group. This enables small homeschool groups or even a couple of homeschool families to take advantage of the savings as well as learn something new about Disney.

Based on what your post card says--looks like they are beginning to make this a regular occurance.

I think the $9 fee for AP holders covers the cost of the workshop/tour.


(I'm not sure if this is accurate--I'm just communicating what our homeschool group did last September).

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

This is an excerpt from the trip description from when our homeschool group went:

We have been invited to Florida Homeschool Days at the Walt Disney World Resort.

When: Monday September 19, 2005 9:30 am
Where: World Showcase Epcot
Cost: $37 per person ages 4 and up
3 and under are free

They will take our group on an exciting and educational look at World Cultures! Our group will listen as Disney's Cultural representatives talk about their home country and answer questions about growing up in another culture. Afterwards, the group will disburse into Epcot and spend the rest of the afternoon using Disney's self-guided youth tour. This may also be a great time to collect items and information for a country you may want to represent in the Spring International Fair.

So it sounds as what you are describing is similar--with theme park location and topics differing.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Just called the 800#, this is exactly the same program. Just at EPCOT for now. You get a 50 page educational book of things/activities/stuff to do in the parks and then to finish at home.

On March 24 & 31 they are doing a special day at AK for a preview of Expedition Everest. $29.50+ tax is the price. Same group req's apply. Groups will ride Expedition Everest before the park opens and then meet with a scientist (she said something about how their are articifacts in an exhibit area or something--my phone was messing up, so I don't have more details on that. She is e-mailing them to me though).

IMHO--these things are definitely worth it. You get something educational out of it--then teh rest of the day is at your leisure. And you save about $20 doing it. The caveat, this price is pp--there is no child/adult rate. So the savings will not be as high if you have some 9 and unders in your group.

 

[disneymom3]

I called the 800 number too and I got quite different information than Lisa.

What the girl I spoke with told me is that there is a packet you can get for $9 and you can then explore Epcot on your own. With that you can just buy your regular park admission. Or you can get a ticket package--more on that later

You can also go to these specific days where you sign up, pay the park admission, plus the $9 and listen to guest speakers about and from the various countries. For this month, the days are Feb 21 and 22. You also get the packet and after the talks, you are free to explore on your own.

What she then told me is about the ticket packages. At any time--365 days a year to quote her--a group of homeschoolers can buy youth tickets together. A min of 10 youth tickets, all picked up at the same time qualify for a discount. And it is quite a discount--3 days admission to any park (so basically a MYW base ticket) for $108.14 inc tax and 5 days for $125--I didn't get the tax on that one. You can also have these mailed to you with at least 6 weeks notice via Fedex for $10.

So, anyone going to be there next week, starting Feb 5? I have an order form being emailed to me. I asked if you all had to stay as a group and she said no, but one person had to pay and they all had to be picked up at the same time. I do not know if you could upgrade these to hoppers or not.

If you are interested in going together to make a group, please PM me. I have three kids so to do this I need to find 7 more homeschooled kids.

 

[dturner]

I'd be interested in knowing what days in September as I'm already planning a trip in September.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I called the 800 number too and I got quite different information than Lisa.

What the girl I spoke with told me is that there is a packet you can get for $9 and you can then explore Epcot on your own. With that you can just buy your regular park admission. Or you can get a ticket package--more on that later

You can also go to these specific days where you sign up, pay the park admission, plus the $9 and listen to guest speakers about and from the various countries. For this month, the days are Feb 21 and 22. You also get the packet and after the talks, you are free to explore on your own.

What she then told me is about the ticket packages. At any time--365 days a year to quote her--a group of homeschoolers can buy youth tickets together. A min of 10 youth tickets, all picked up at the same time qualify for a discount. And it is quite a discount--3 days admission to any park (so basically a MYW base ticket) for $108.14 inc tax and 5 days for $125--I didn't get the tax on that one. You can also have these mailed to you with at least 6 weeks notice via Fedex for $10.

So, anyone going to be there next week, starting Feb 5? I have an order form being emailed to me. I asked if you all had to stay as a group and she said no, but one person had to pay and they all had to be picked up at the same time. I do not know if you could upgrade these to hoppers or not.

If you are interested in going together to make a group, please PM me. I have three kids so to do this I need to find 7 more homeschooled kids.

I have the flier in front of me and we basically are saying the same thing.

They have a program+ ticket cost..but then they have just a program cost for those who already have their tickets.

Yes you must have 10 or more youth. But the program price is the same for students and adults.


"homeschool days" for now is JUST for EPCOT and on the specific days is when you get the speaker.

The Expedition Everest is a special event and is priced separately. Adults pay full price admission on that one.

The field trips as you are describing are things that can be done, but they are separate from the special days being advertised.

The dates as advertised are: Feb 21 or 22, May 25, 26, or 27, September 18, 19, or 20.

 

[dturner]

I have the flier in front of me and we basically are saying the same thing.

They have a program+ ticket cost..but then they have just a program cost for those who already have their tickets.

Yes you must have 10 or more youth. But the program price is the same for students and adults.


"homeschool days" for now is JUST for EPCOT and on the specific days is when you get the speaker.

The Expedition Everest is a special event and is priced separately. Adults pay full price admission on that one.

The field trips as you are describing are things that can be done, but they are separate from the special days being advertised.

The dates as advertised are: Feb 21 or 22, May 25, 26, or 27, September 18, 19, or 20.

WOW, how lucky am I, that's the week in September I'll be there - YAY!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

WOW, how lucky am I, that's the week in September I'll be there - YAY!!

YOu need 10 homeschoolers though

Maybe we can plan a homeschooling DIS meet for one of these days. Far enough out that I can plan for that!

 

[disneymom3]

I have the flier in front of me and we basically are saying the same thing.

They have a program+ ticket cost..but then they have just a program cost for those who already have their tickets.

Yes you must have 10 or more youth. But the program price is the same for students and adults.


"homeschool days" for now is JUST for EPCOT and on the specific days is when you get the speaker.

The Expedition Everest is a special event and is priced separately. Adults pay full price admission on that one.

The field trips as you are describing are things that can be done, but they are separate from the special days being advertised.

The dates as advertised are: Feb 21 or 22, May 25, 26, or 27, September 18, 19, or 20.

Lisa--didn't mean to imply at all that your info was not correct. Just assumed that it was a different info from a different CM that we see a lot on here.

I was specifically told though by the CM I talked to that the adult admission would be the regular park admission at least for the multiday ticket packages. They did not tell me anything about a single day admission, but they also knew I would be coming for a trip not just a day, so that could be where part of the difference is coming in. The only diff I am seeing is in the issue of tickets, by the way. And I didn't realize your info had the option of not doing any program at all.

Either way, I am glad to know about this now because it will give me more time to plan ahead for my next trip.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Subscribing!

 

[tmli]

Wow, looks interesting. I am already booked for May 8-13. I was also considering bringing ds for a star wars weekend so maybe we could do May 25, 26, or 27.

Have to admit I am still a little confused by the whole thing. If going on one of these days do you need to have a min. group of 10?

Since we have ap's we are planning a number of trips this year so if anyone is having a meet at wdw be sure to let us know!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Yes--you need 10.

I believe it is designed to be homeschooler friendly for homeschool groups who want to plan field trips.

Ordinarily--you would only get 1 reduced chaperone ticket per 10 students for a regular schooling situation.

This allows a 1:1 ratio of students to chaperones/adults where the grownups get to have a reduced ticket as well. But still need 10 "students" to qualify.

 

[tmli]

Oh Okay...I kind of thought on the days listed it was open to all hs'ers so we just would join in with others, that you could just go and buy the package and participate.

It seems lately the simplest of concepts go right over my head!!!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I called the 800 number too and I got quite different information than Lisa.

What the girl I spoke with told me is that there is a packet you can get for $9 and you can then explore Epcot on your own. With that you can just buy your regular park admission.

Do you know if you can get the packet if you don't homeschool?

 

[kimbac3]

I homeschool but I'm not going any of those days. Can the packet only be used on those days?? Where to you get the packet??
Kimbac3