Questions about Disney Youth Programs

[theme_park_mom]

I am looking at the Disney Youth programs site, and am a little overwhelmed:
http://www.disneyyouth.com/

Has anyone done any of these tours, and would recommend? I have elementary aged kids, and since we are pulling them out of school for Disney, would like it to also be educational

Is there another site I should be visiting instead?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[danielleb24]

Oh I would love to know too!!

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

I coordinated a trip for my daughter's high school dance team. We didn't make it educational, they did perform at Disney Springs. It was a lot of fun. We flew and they only missed a half day of school since we just made a long weekend of it with MLK holiday. That's the only site I know about.

 

[poober25]

The programs on the Disney Youth are mostly intended for groups of 10 or more students. I coordinate one each year for my homeschool group. There are also individual enrollment classes that happen a couple of times a year. Some of the programs are better than others. PM me if you would like info on the trips I have planned and want to travel with a group.

 

[nellypooh1]

My kids have done the individual programs a few times and have enjoyed all of them.

 

[theme_park_mom]

My kids have done the individual programs a few times and have enjoyed all of them.

Which programs specifically? Was the price of park admission for the day included in the price?

 

[Indio]

My son has done 2 of these. He did the Chemistry one in Epcot and he did the History one in MK. He was 14 and 15 at the time. He LOVED it! Even though it's educational, he had a blast. In the Chemistry one, they did little chemistry experiments and they got to ride Mission Space and something else - the Ellen ride maybe? In the History one, they got to go backstage at the Hall of Presidents and they showed them how the animatronics worked. We did get a discount on the student ticket and 2 parent tickets. At that time (2 and 3 years ago), it was a pretty good discount. Actually, the 1st year the discount was better because I was able to get the tickets for his 2 older brothers also, but the next year, you could only get parents. I think last year, the prices weren't much better than the tickets I got from Mousesavers so we didn't do it last year. You actually buy your entire ticket for the length of stay through Y.E.S. so there's no extra cost for the programs.

Oh, and you don't have to be a part of a big group. Just click on the "Individual Programs" link and it takes you to those tickets. Same classes, just different tickets.

 

[BRC6C]

Does anyone know if you can enroll without buying park tickets? I think DS would enjoy some of the classes but we will have APs.

 

[theme_park_mom]

My son has done 2 of these. He did the Chemistry one in Epcot and he did the History one in MK. He was 14 and 15 at the time. He LOVED it! Even though it's educational, he had a blast. In the Chemistry one, they did little chemistry experiments and they got to ride Mission Space and something else - the Ellen ride maybe? In the History one, they got to go backstage at the Hall of Presidents and they showed them how the animatronics worked. We did get a discount on the student ticket and 2 parent tickets. At that time (2 and 3 years ago), it was a pretty good discount. Actually, the 1st year the discount was better because I was able to get the tickets for his 2 older brothers also, but the next year, you could only get parents. I think last year, the prices weren't much better than the tickets I got from Mousesavers so we didn't do it last year. You actually buy your entire ticket for the length of stay through Y.E.S. so there's no extra cost for the programs.

Oh, and you don't have to be a part of a big group. Just click on the "Individual Programs" link and it takes you to those tickets. Same classes, just different tickets.

Thank you!!! this sounds wonderful!!! thank you for the great information.

 

[mshanson3121]

Does anyone know if you can enroll without buying park tickets? I think DS would enjoy some of the classes but we will have APs.

I think in this case you'd have to call and ask. I honestly don't know.

 

[SouthernBuckeye]

My daughter, in first grade at the time, did "The Way Things Move" through individual enrollment a couple years ago. She and her dad entered Magic Kingdom before opening to learn about energy and motion, I believe, by riding a few rides like Barnstormer. They were in a group with a couple other families and really liked it. Our whole family did a student seminar which was a large group presentation at Hollywood Studios. Interesting, but not as great as the small group and empty rides in the class.

 

[Oswin]

My parents made me do these growing up and I didn't really care for them once I hit about 10. I loved them when I was younger than that, though.

 

[mshanson3121]

How far in advance can you book them?

 

[theme_park_mom]

Thank you all so much for the great information!

 

[Shelby109]

I had never heard of these before - they look awesome! Looking into doing one for our trip in June, but I think we will be too early (just a good excuse to go again!). Thanks to OP for the question!

 

[GC&S]

Our dd did one when she was 11 as an individual. It was at MK and I think it was a physics class. They went on Stitch, did some behind the scenes stuff at HM, did something at Philharmagic. Her dad went with her but I kept running into them in the park. There was around 15 in their group. She loved it. We loved it because that's when we got a great discount on tickets . I was afraid she would get bored but they had a great leader and they did games and challenges.

 

[theme_park_mom]

got a great discount on tickets

Umm, whaaaa???? I was unaware of discounted tickets!! I thought it would be more expensive rather than cheaper! looking more deeply into this now ......cool........!!!!

 

[friend2Figment]

We are going in Oct and looked at the open enrollment class at AK I think 2 of the kids would enjoy this class but would we be able to get discounted tickets for the rest of the group if we only had two kids taking the class? Is the discount of substance that I can get the other members of our group on board with it?

 

[tarak]

Umm, whaaaa???? I was unaware of discounted tickets!! I thought it would be more expensive rather than cheaper! looking more deeply into this now ......cool........!!!!

We are going in Oct and looked at the open enrollment class at AK I think 2 of the kids would enjoy this class but would we be able to get discounted tickets for the rest of the group if we only had two kids taking the class? Is the discount of substance that I can get the other members of our group on board with it?

The discounted tickets used to be for everyone and it was a great deal. Too many people bought the tickets and skipped the class. You still get decently discounted tickets for the kids attending the classes. The adult tickets might be a few bucks cheaper. My son and husband went to a class this past January. It was the physics 101 class at the MK. When my older daughter took it, they got the park an hour before open and got to ride Space Mountain with the lights on and then with the lights off. This time, they were there at the same time. Space Mountain wasn't one of the rides they went on (I assume because the park was open). They got to see how the ballroom scene is done at the HM, they went on Stitch's Great Escape, and Philharmagic. The behind-the-scenes for HM was by far the best part of the class. My son's ticket, a 4-day park hopper, was about $100 cheaper than gate price. My husband's ticket was about the same as gate price. It would have been cheaper to go through UT. But if the child is at the age where he/she needs a parent along, you are required to buy a pass for the adult.

 

[natebenma]

The 8th grade class at our local middle school goes to Disney every year and they do two of the Y.E.S. classes every year. I have been a chaperone on both of those trips. We have done the Energy and Waves that tarak describes above (Haunted backstage, Stitch and Philharmagic). We also did a meet an Imagineer in HS (RnR and ToT, plus an interview with an Imagineer) and we did the Careers in Marine Biology at EP. I give some additional details in my trip reports (2012 Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail and 2015 "I Can Organize this Trip in My Sleep"). Our school has done the Physics (Space Mountain lights on/lights off) every year except for the years I have gone. Still bitter! They have also done classes at Animal Kingdom.

As a group we get discounted tickets for our stay but I don't know the details for individuals doing the classes. Sounds like others have given good advice about that.

I think I remember reading that you don't get a lot of choice about the individual classes- they are offered at certain times only.

145 Middle Schoolers Wicked Awesome or Epic Fail???