News Round Up 2017

[rteetz]

Food booths are going up at Epcot for Festival of the Arts.

Went to WWoS for the runDisney expo. Construction is progressing on the new venue.

 

[rteetz]

First time in the standby line at mine train. 20 minutes when we got in because of the wishes. Wait was about 20-25.

 

[Travis B]

I'm going to mostly ageee to disagree. Disney quality is equally in many things and thus overpriced but many items at Disney are now much better quality cottons etc than typical Uniqlo. As far as graphic tees are concerned. I will say this, Uniqlo for the price can't be beat. Better quality... or so much

I just hate that everything is the poly/cotton blend. I bought a sweatshirt at Disneyland and can barely wear it because it makes me so hot. Some of the 28th and Main (or whatever it's called) items are very nice, but for the money I would buy something elsewhere. Maybe rather than commenting on quality I should rephrase my opinion as preferring the feel of the fabric, and appreciating that it's 100% cotton as opposed to the poly blend that is so pervasive at WDW.

 

[writerguyfl]

Just kinda funny how different school calendars can be

Interesting. So many widely different calendars.

I think the regions are embracing the different calendars, in part so families can enjoy vacations at popular destinations while avoiding the peak crowds(not just at Disney).

I just happened to talk to my mother, who was an Assistant Superintendent of a school district. The master schedule was one of her duties. I mentioned this thread and she chuckled when I asked she ever considered tourism crowds when coming up with vacation dates. She basically said that was never a consideration.

She said that with national holidays and pre-determined standardized testing dates set by the state, there really isn't a ton of wiggle room for which days to take off. To add complexity, she had to get buy-in from multiple unions (teachers, clerical, and custodial) on dates. Smaller districts might also consult with larger regional employers to avoid child-care issues for younger students.

She also mentioned the fact that districts must have a certain number of instructional days. Districts in northern sections of the country may have more days in the school year than the rest of country because they have to consider the possibility of "snow days".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I just happened to talk to my mother, who was an Assistant Superintendent of a school district. The master schedule was one of her duties. I mentioned this thread and she chuckled when I asked she ever considered tourism crowds when coming up with vacation dates. She basically said that was never a consideration.

She said that with national holidays and pre-determined standardized testing dates set by the state, there really isn't a ton of wiggle room for which days to take off. To add complexity, she had to get buy-in from multiple unions (teachers, clerical, and custodial) on dates. Smaller districts might also consult with larger regional employers to avoid child-care issues for younger students.

She also mentioned the fact that districts must have a certain number of instructional days. Districts in northern sections of the country may have more days in the school year than the rest of country because they have to consider the possibility of "snow days".

I'd agree with all of what you've said and appreciate the extra information. The snow days however isn't a northern section of the US thing unless you count north-eastern KS as northern..snow days, usually 5 or 6, was pre-built in at least when I was growing up. I'm sure they still have something of the sort in the districts I'm just too lazy to look it up lol. Snow days were also used for brutal cold (for example negative actual and feels like temp) due to kids standing at the bus stops.

Speaking of snow...it's snowing right now in my area though the total is supposed to be only 1-3inches with local accumulations of up to 4inches but we'll see (OT I know).

ETA: I'm sure the crowds, like others have mentioned are multiple things such as school break, run Disney starting up,when the holidays fell,etc. For example I know we went out to Red Robin on dec 26th and it was packed. They said they almost never get that busy on a Monday..well a chunck of people had it off as it was Christmas observed day.

 

[rteetz]

I just happened to talk to my mother, who was an Assistant Superintendent of a school district. The master schedule was one of her duties. I mentioned this thread and she chuckled when I asked she ever considered tourism crowds when coming up with vacation dates. She basically said that was never a consideration.

She said that with national holidays and pre-determined standardized testing dates set by the state, there really isn't a ton of wiggle room for which days to take off. To add complexity, she had to get buy-in from multiple unions (teachers, clerical, and custodial) on dates. Smaller districts might also consult with larger regional employers to avoid child-care issues for younger students.

She also mentioned the fact that districts must have a certain number of instructional days. Districts in northern sections of the country may have more days in the school year than the rest of country because they have to consider the possibility of "snow days".

I know in Wisconsin we have 2 "free" snow days. Anything more than that we have to make up. Public schools need 180 days of instruction here.

 

[sunset7132]

I've only used the express transportation once so far but I loved it. The not having to wait for security is great.

we saw signs for that at the AKL but werent sure what it was. IM handicapped and any easier way to get to the parks is worth a few dollars. How does that work ? we are goingback in december

 

[skier_pete]

IT sounds like a big reason for the crowds are the extended school breaks in Florida school districts. The fact of the matter is - while breaks in Northern states have some moderate effect on crowds, they are rarely going to make WDW seem overly crowded. What makes big crowds in WDW is the calendar for Florida and also the surrounding states. (Most Georgia and South Carolina but also Mississippi and Alabama to a lesser degree.) For instance, we live in the NY and our kids don't start school until after labor day. Going to Disney the week before labor day is very low crowds, because even though many school districts in the North haven't started yet, the Southern schools all have. The same goes for Presidents day week - while the weekend itself is fairly busy, the week of is really not bad, because even though many Northern schools are off, southern schools are not.

The fact is, Disney attendance is still dominated by people that live within a 8 hour drive. These are people that can still take a fairly affordable trip to Disney, and therefore there's a broader range of income families that can afford these trips. (A family of 4 from Chicago has to add $1500 or more to the trip cost just to get there, not to mention rental car / parking / etc.)

 

[rteetz]

we saw signs for that at the AKL but werent sure what it was. IM handicapped and any easier way to get to the parks is worth a few dollars. How does that work ? we are goingback in december

It's currently in its test phase. You can purchase it at the table inside the parks, at guest services, or at your resort concierge. $15 a day or $24 for 7 consecutive days.

 

[rteetz]

Photo update

Magic Kingdom update

http://micechat.com/149211-dateline-disneyworld-starting-2017-at-the-magic-kingdom/

 

[rteetz]

Photo update

The tunnels at Disney Springs

http://savepleasureisland.blogspot.com/2017/01/pi-update-tunnels-down-under.html

 

[tcufrog]

My son's school doesn't have snow days. If the school is closed due to weather a half day's worth of work is distributed via the school's private portal website. The teacher decides what to give out. It can reading, writing essays, online lectures to watch, textbook work, etc. That counts as a school day and the kids still have time for fun in the snow.

 

[sachilles]

I just happened to talk to my mother, who was an Assistant Superintendent of a school district. The master schedule was one of her duties. I mentioned this thread and she chuckled when I asked she ever considered tourism crowds when coming up with vacation dates. She basically said that was never a consideration.

She said that with national holidays and pre-determined standardized testing dates set by the state, there really isn't a ton of wiggle room for which days to take off. To add complexity, she had to get buy-in from multiple unions (teachers, clerical, and custodial) on dates. Smaller districts might also consult with larger regional employers to avoid child-care issues for younger students.

She also mentioned the fact that districts must have a certain number of instructional days. Districts in northern sections of the country may have more days in the school year than the rest of country because they have to consider the possibility of "snow days".

My experience in ski country Vermont was exactly the opposite. We have 2 local ski resorts, and more than half the student's parents are employed by the resorts. As a result, they intentionally moved the presidents week break back a week later. The reasoning was that the families could not afford to have their children out of school during that busy week, when they will likely be expected to work more than their typical 40 hours per week.
They then pushed the April vacation back a week as well.

 

[Spacedog1975]

My son's school doesn't have snow days. If the school is closed due to weather a half day's worth of work is distributed via the school's private portal website. The teacher decides what to give out. It can reading, writing essays, online lectures to watch, textbook work, etc. That counts as a school day and the kids still have time for fun in the snow.

IMHO this is a smart way to do it. This sounds like a policy that insures caution.

 

[rteetz]

My son's school doesn't have snow days. If the school is closed due to weather a half day's worth of work is distributed via the school's private portal website. The teacher decides what to give out. It can reading, writing essays, online lectures to watch, textbook work, etc. That counts as a school day and the kids still have time for fun in the snow.

Interesting. I don't think that would work well for many because everyone would need internet access.

 

[tcufrog]

Interesting. I don't think that would work well for many because everyone would need internet access.

I completely understand. Luckily all of the kids at least have access to a smart phone. The middle schoolers are loaned laptops.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

My son's school doesn't have snow days. If the school is closed due to weather a half day's worth of work is distributed via the school's private portal website. The teacher decides what to give out. It can reading, writing essays, online lectures to watch, textbook work, etc. That counts as a school day and the kids still have time for fun in the snow.

That seems like a neat idea. We still have snow days (a few backed in and then if we go over they start taking away from spring break) and we tend to have a lot of "late openings" so they can get the roads clear for the buses, etc.

 

[piglet1979]

I know in Wisconsin we have 2 "free" snow days. Anything more than that we have to make up. Public schools need 180 days of instruction here.

In Ohio we used to get 5 snow days a year. There were several years that we went over that in the areas by the lake in the snow belt area. The state has now moved to hours. Each leave in school the kids need to be in school for a certain number of hours. Anything over that can be used for snow days. Each district now has like 20 some days to use a year.

 

[rteetz]

News

Park hours have been extended this week. It makes sense too because it is busy!

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...t-disney-world-marathon-weekend-kicks-off.htm

 

[staceyeileen]

Interesting. I don't think that would work well for many because everyone would need internet access.

Internet access is assumed for students in schools these days. Part of my first graders weekly homework is an online math & reading program.

Regarding, snow days... we may not have snow days here in Florida but we do have storm makeup days built into the calendars. Although I think they do it the opposite of how it's done in the north, meaning they are officially marked as Holidays on the calendar but if needed to make up instruction days lost during hurricane season, students will have class. Here in Lake county, the official calendar called for the students to be off the entire week of Thanksgiving but they actually had school 2 days that week to make up days lost to Hurricane Matthew. They must have 180 days of instruction by the end of the year.