Disney Y.E.S. Program

[At World's End]

Wow, we got lucky and or trip coincides perfectly with the Homeschool Days ticket dates. Saved us $628 for our group. I'm sad that the prices have changed so much. This makes free dining more attractive.

 

[kellia]

Homeschool Days isn't open enrollment, is it? Don't you need proof of being homeschool?

Very disappointed, it's a bit more than I was planning on, but I guess still cheaper than Undercover Tourist for all of us. Not sure that Harry Potter will be in this trip now, though.

There is only 1 class that dd(17) can go to. She'd been hoping for animation or one of the marine/ocean classes. I don't think she's going to be thrilled with Properties of Motion or the 7:15am time. Has anyone done Properties of Motion? Are the older kids with the younger kids? If so, I guess I should just sign all 3 up so at least we're together.

Darn, my 9 year olds were all excited for how things move. I thought they'd be able to go since it said "elementary". Oh, well, we're going to Disney, no one better complain!

 

[Granny square]

Unfortunately no, you don't have to prove you are a Homeschooler. If that had been the rule then maybe it wouldn't have gone so haywire they had to amp up rules and costs.

 

[Walt(the man)Lover]

My husband doesn't think the discount outweighs the inflexibility of the tickets; i.e. inability to cancel and, from what I understand, paper tickets instead of the plastic ticket/key card. Since our kids are young, there will hopefully be more chances to benefit from the classes in the future. Sad I spent so much energy waiting and checking the website. Ugh, the pains of WDW planning. I wouldn't change a minute of it!

 

[wgeo]

Unfortunately no, you don't have to prove you are a Homeschooler. If that had been the rule then maybe it wouldn't have gone so haywire they had to amp up rules and costs.

Hi, I'm just wondering about your statement that people abusing the system is what caused the price changes. Is this something that you have experienced (seen people abusing the system?) Or did someone at Disney or Youth Services indicate to you that they were raising the prices due to abuse of the system? I'm just curious because I haven't seen that opinion from anywhere else.

My theory is that offering the "group" discounts to families for individual enrollment is a relatively new thing, and like anything else once Disney realized how popular it was and how great a "deal" it was they raised the price of it, pretty much like they do with everything else . It seems to me that anything that is a "great deal" at Disney doesn't stay that way very long, as Disney decides to capitalize on its popularity and raise the prices.

I'm just really happy they offer the group programs to individuals at all, in fact I'm surprised that they ever decided to expand it from the original school groups it was created for in the first place. Happy, but surprised.

Just my thoughts.

 

[doconeill]

Unfortunately no, you don't have to prove you are a Homeschooler. If that had been the rule then maybe it wouldn't have gone so haywire they had to amp up rules and costs.

How did not having to prove homeschooling affect prices for individual enrollment? Individual enrollment is open to everyone.

Now, if administration costs due to people getting the tickets and then not showing up to the class was high, I'd accept it. But I really don't see what the homeschool issue is.

 

[Girschle]

As I'm going through the order process it doesn't tell me how many fun days I get with the premium package. Does anyone know if you order the 5 day do you get 5 fun day tickets but if you order the 8 day you get 8 fun day tickets?

 

[eeyoresmom]

Does anyone know how early the park ticket windows open up? We are not arriving until very late the night before our 7:45 am class. I refuse to start stressing about this I'm sure others have had the same experience. TIA

 

[kristenrice]

I want to make sure that I understand this correctly...

DH and I are planning to have AP's for our next trip, but the children will not. So, if the kid's are going to participate in the YES program (and therefore require tickets), we will still need to purchase a minimum of a 1-day ticket for DH and I since we will need to chaperone the kids, correct? I don't see an option for a parent to purchase just a ticket for the class if they already have park admission.

I know that the children still need to purchase a park admission ticket to take the class since AP's don't apply, but I am wondering about the adult chaperone. When we go, my kids will be 12 and 10. Would we be better off only having one adult listed since our 12yo will be able to go unaccompanied?

Sorry for all the questions. I'm really new to this and I think this is something the girls would really like. We are DVC members and go almost annually. I make it a goal to do something new every trip. The way my kids love animals, I think the marine and animal classes will be right up their alley!

 

[Granny square]

I'd just register one adult, since your 12 year old can go alone.

We picked up a ticket at 8:am last year. So the ticket ofc was open then.

 

[DawnM]

They are good the week before and the week after the event......would it still not work for you?

And are the HS tickets cheaper? I am off to run the numbers. We are here at Disney right now, and don't plan to be back until Nov., 2013, so I will have to budget better or have fewer days I think.

Dawn

PS: Just ran the numbers. Homeschool days are only $82 more for all 5 of us. Regular IND enrollment prices have gone up by $442 for the 5 of us. It will probably be a wash though as DH's work pays for his gas ($350-$400) if it is during his conference down in Orlando anyway. So, coming a different time and paying our own gas won't save us.

We couldn't get the homeschool tickets because we arrive too early.

 

[Granny square]

7 day premiums equaled 7 extra visits

 

[Granny square]

They are good the week before and the week after the event......would it still not work for you?

And are the HS tickets cheaper? I am off to run the numbers. We are here at Disney right now, and don't plan to be back until Nov., 2013, so I will have to budget better or have fewer days I think.

Dawn

No. :/ we go the second week of jan through first week of feb. and yep the hs are cheaper. Eh, such is life.

I'm glad that they opened these up at least! I'm just sad when people exploit a good thing, and the good thing is affected.

 

[mamatohaleybug]

So glad we were able to get homeschool days tickets. About $300 cheaper than IE tickets now for the three of us. Wowzers! Guess we'll be planning around HS days from now on (until it changes again).

 

[tlh0726]

Rounding off
The price for 8 day premium tickets for the children attending went up $32 each
The price for 8 day premium for adult NOT attending went up $158
The price for 8 day premium for adult attending went up $171

Going to cost us roughly $396 more in 2013 than it did in 2012

But still saving us $291.35 off current gate prices.

 

[VLee]

When I tried to sign my GD up for a class in January, I had to list an adult (myself) and on the ticket request page, the only choice for the adult (which had to be completed) was 1 and above.

I will have an Annual Pass and do not need a ticket, but it was charging me over $100 for a one-day ticket. When I called, I was told their system requires that an adult ticket also be purchased along with the student.

Is this correct? I hate to spend an extra $100 unnecessarily. My GD is also enough to attend the class alone (and I would stay in the park with a younger child)

 

[Granny square]

It is accurate. Sorry. :/

 

[Colleen27]

DH and I are planning to have AP's for our next trip, but the children will not. So, if the kid's are going to participate in the YES program (and therefore require tickets), we will still need to purchase a minimum of a 1-day ticket for DH and I since we will need to chaperone the kids, correct? I don't see an option for a parent to purchase just a ticket for the class if they already have park admission.

Did they change the rule that only FL residents could buy the 1 day ticket? I didn't see anything to indicate that they had, so you'd need to get a 3 day starter ticket for either you or your DH.

That's a dealbreaker for us, unfortunately... I'll have an AP and with the drastically reduced discount there's no sense in buying a 3 day ticket I don't need and can't save for the future so that the kids can take a class. We very much enjoyed our YES experiences but not enough to make it worth spending $250 to be able to enroll. We won't save enough on their tickets to compensate for the money thrown away on mine.

 

[DizzyStitch]

I ran the numbers for my family and if I purchase DVC annual passes using Disney gift cards from Giant Eagle with double fuel perks, it only costs me about 100.00 more and I don't have to get my night children up for classes. I'm kind of excited to be getting my first annual pass. Now to see how to squeeze that extra trip in. Lol just what Disney wants me to do.

 

[fflmaster]

I am guessing home school day is only for children that are home schooled, but I can't find what proof is necessary.

How does disney prove that my kids are home schooled?