December No Longer Quiet Time To Visit

[T-i-double-g-err]

The schedule in GA varies by county; it may even vary within the county to some degree. Last day for our kids is Dec. 23. They do not return until Jan. 9. I can't complain; it gives us an opportunity to go the first week of Jan.

 

[Danthesand]

We start early (first week of August) and are out early (second week of May) with two weeks for Christmas and one week for spring break.

Which is why on of our favorite times to do WDW is late August. Because the whole sunbelt is back in school, the crowds shrink dramatically and room rates drop, but summer high season park and entertainment schedules are still pretty much in place.

 

[disneymom2one]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

Again ... no. Kids here start in early August and get all traditional holidays (including three days at Thanksgiving). They get over two weeks for Christmas plus a week for spring break and the little holidays too - President's Day and MLK for sure. They're done in early/mid May.

 

[tink2]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

The students started school August 8th this year and get out May 25. We have a week for Fall Break in Oct., 3 days off for Thanksgiving, Dec. 16- Jan 4 for Christmas, a four day weekend in February, a week off at Spring Break, and a four day weekend for Easter. I love our schedule. I only wish our Spring Break were a little later- it is always the last full week in March- this year March 20- 24 (too cold for swimming here). I also wish we had a full week for Thanksgiving, but Mat 25 is late enough getting out for me!!!

 

[jeeperwy]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

We do have President's Day, an inservice day in March, and 3 days in April for Spring Break. They also get out June 1st (unless we have snow days yuck!!!). This schedule does make for a LONG March, when in Wyoming that is one of the worst weather months there is.

Kari

 

[mrsv98]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

IL here....kids are done Fri and go back Jan 3. They have a long weekend in Feb another in March and the Spring Break the beginning of April. Done the first week in June. IMHO, they have too much time off but that is another thread entirely.....

 

[madge]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

we have off MLK, Jr and President's Day, and a 2-week Spring break in late March before school is dismissed in late May, before Memorial Day. Any snow days are made up during the first week of SPring Break.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

I'm sorry you haven't but every system I know is closed from about the 16th until January 3rd. Our school system actually is out December 15- January 3. That's relatively normal for here. We start early (first week of August) and are out early (second week of May) with two weeks for Christmas and one week for spring break.

That's what every school district in my state is doing. Those exact dates.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

Then presumably, you have no subsequent President's day and/or Easter break? Seems the model emerging here is "give 'em half of the entire month of December off and then little or nothing else for the rest of the school year, or spread the vacation time across late December and mid February and/or sometime in late march to late April." Our local system is the latter style, which I prefer, "blowing most or all of the whole wad" in December makes the rest of the school year very, very long for the kids.

Not at all. We start in late August, President's day, MLK day, a weeklong Easter break, and a few inservice days scattered throughout the year. Oh, and Thanksgiving is nearly a week long too.

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

Schools are closing on December 16 - over a week before Christmas? And then presumably also staying closed the full week after Christmas?

I haven't heard of any systems doing that.

Friday is the last day, and they go back on January 3. Blech.

 

[Minerva]

ABOVE ALL ELSE: ARRIVE EARLY, ARRIVE EARLY, ARRIVE EARLY! I mean, 30 minutes before opening at the latest. Skip sit-down breakfasts. Eat counter service or muffins or something while you wait for park openings. You'll be done by lunchtime anyway half the time, so you can have a nice bit sit-down lunch.

I agree with this totally but we were there the same week and found arriving 10 to 15 minutes before the parks opened to be sufficient. We did that and were able to get a ton of stuff done, even riding Soarin and Test Track twice with no wait on the same day at Epcot, the Safari twice with no wait at DAK and a TON of stuff with no wait at MK. We were staying at WL and we just went to the bust stop or boat dock about 45 minutes before the park we were going to was to open and that seemed to work well for us.

 

[erinz]

We were there Dec 4th to the 12th and yes, I REALLY noticed an increase in crowd levels from two years ago Although, on the 12th, Epcot and MGM had really low crowds which was great.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

I agree with this totally but we were there the same week and found arriving 10 to 15 minutes before the parks opened to be sufficient. We did that and were able to get a ton of stuff done, even riding Soarin and Test Track twice with no wait on the same day at Epcot, the Safari twice with no wait at DAK and a TON of stuff with no wait at MK. We were staying at WL and we just went to the bust stop or boat dock about 45 minutes before the park we were going to was to open and that seemed to work well for us.

Yes, 15 min probably would have done it but we love the opening show with the train/Mickey, etc. And I get a rush out of running to Dumbo.

Shel