Do you think these new "fall" school breaks will impact Dw

[Chelley00]

I live in indiana and our school went to a balanced calendar starting this school year we get a 2 week break in October at Christmas and 2 week spring break which starts Monday here we get out May 30th but go back to school on July 29th

We've been on the balanced calendar for two years now. We end June 4 (stupid snow days) and start back July 29th.

 

[Kristine316]

Hmm, I haven't heard about these new "fall" breaks.

Why the need? Most schools go back last week of August first week of Sept. Are these schools going year round now?

Anyway, our annual trip was usually the 2nd week of November and it was great. It was always empty, then over the past decade or so it started to become more and more crowded and really took away from how much we had enjoyed the non crowded time.


Now we have 4 years until our last child is out of HS and we will be able to go in those great September weeks when schools head back and the Parks are empty.

I wouldn't say the parks are empty in September.
I was actually pretty shocked by the crowds we experienced in September 2012.
It seems more and more people are looking to find those low crowds so they try a traditionally slow time of year, and in turn it seems those slower times of year just keep getting busier as each year goes by.

 

[dsneprincess]

I am shocked that people start school July 29th. We don't get out of school until almost July 1st. We don't start until after Labor Day and yes, we get a "Fall Break" 4 day weekend for Columbus Day. It does seem rather silly, but usually by that time I am sick of getting up early 5 mornings a week anyway! LOL!

 

[guinness408]

I am shocked that people start school July 29th. We don't get out of school until almost July 1st. We don't start until after Labor Day and yes, we get a "Fall Break" 4 day weekend for Columbus Day. It does seem rather silly, but usually by that time I am sick of getting up early 5 mornings a week anyway! LOL!

Same here! Last day for my youngest is June 19th and we go back right after Labor Day. Fall break for us is the three day Columbus Day weekend!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Hmm, I haven't heard about these new "fall" breaks. Why the need? Most schools go back last week of August first week of Sept. Are these schools going year round now? Anyway, our annual trip was usually the 2nd week of November and it was great. It was always empty, then over the past decade or so it started to become more and more crowded and really took away from how much we had enjoyed the non crowded time. Now we have 4 years until our last child is out of HS and we will be able to go in those great September weeks when schools head back and the Parks are empty.

We go back the beginning of August and get out 3rd week of May.

 

[gtpoohbear]

Why the need? Most schools go back last week of August first week of Sept. Are these schools going year round now?

I've lived in 4 different states and never seen one that goes back that late, maybe some in the NE still do? I think that's pretty much out of style now, though. Growing up in the south, we usually went back early/mid August. Here in Colorado, it's the very beginning of August (actually July 31 next year because of how the dates fall) But we usually get out before Memorial Day, which is nice.

So by mid October we are already done with first quarter. As both a teacher and parent, I can tell you that break is much needed! It is not a new thing for our school district, it's been that way for 15 years or more.

I have read that in the past few years the fall has gotten busier, but I thought that a lot of that was being attributed to F&W, and the influx of locals it brings. Plus the free dining that's been offered then, But if more schools are starting fall breaks, that may have an impact as well. Still don't think it will reach anything like summer crowds though.

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[Planogirl]

Our kids go back in August and don't get a Fall break. It sure would be a nice time to get a week off.

 

[phyllis1966]

I've lived in 4 different states and never seen one that goes back that late, maybe some in the NE still do? I think that's pretty much out of style now, though. Growing up in the south, we usually went back early/mid August. Here in Colorado, it's the very beginning of August (actually July 31 next year because of how the dates fall) But we usually get out before Memorial Day, which is nice.

So by mid October we are already done with first quarter. As both a teacher and parent, I can tell you that break is much needed! It is not a new thing for our school district, it's been that way for 15 years or more.

I have read that in the past few years the fall has gotten busier, but I thought that a lot of that was being attributed to F&W, and the influx of locals it brings. Plus the free dining that's been offered then, But if more schools are starting fall breaks, that may have an impact as well. Still don't think it will reach anything like summer crowds though.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

Yep, here in the NE (NY and NJ, at least) we still start school around Labor Day and go until about the third week of June, no fall break. We used to take our DD out for a week mid-November, but now that she's a high school freshman, we felt she'd be missing too much work. I sure am missing my happy place...

 

[mom2rtk]

Our oldest is a junior in college and we have had a fall break since he was in kindergarten. It hits mid-semester for us since we start in mid-August. It's only a 4 day weekend, but as my daughter gets closer to high school and I want her to miss fewer days of school, we'll probably build our Disney trips around that timeframe.

 

[starsweeper]

Hmm, I haven't heard about these new "fall" breaks.

Why the need? Most schools go back last week of August first week of Sept. Are these schools going year round now?

That may true in the north or other parts of the country, but most southern schools begin in early August. Our first day is always around August 5th. Our fall break is 2 months later in early October. Our last day is always around May 16th if no snow days, but this year it is June 5th (with going 20 min extra each day starting March 24th to keep Spring Break).

We went in October for the first time last fall and I thought the crowds were fabulous compared to my last trip during mid-May. We had a short trip (3 days) but managed to ride things multiple times at MK, hit our favorites at Epcot, did a couple characters meals and MNSSHP on a sold out night with ease (and 4 kids--2 of them toddlers).

 

[anniebean]

Hmm, I haven't heard about these new "fall" breaks.

Why the need? Most schools go back last week of August first week of Sept. Are these schools going year round now?

Anyway, our annual trip was usually the 2nd week of November and it was great. It was always empty, then over the past decade or so it started to become more and more crowded and really took away from how much we had enjoyed the non crowded time.


Now we have 4 years until our last child is out of HS and we will be able to go in those great September weeks when schools head back and the Parks are empty.

We've gotten fall break for at least a decade now in east/southeast TN. Kids around here start school the first full week of August. However, they are typically out by mid-to-late May.

 

[Bummbok]

We missed fall break in Alabama for the last few years but that was due to a crazy law extending summer break that expired last year...so this year is the first year in a while we've gotten one...and yes we'll be down in our happy place.

 

[DisMama5]

Interesting thanks for the input everyone! I thought these October breaks were a new thing because here where I live in MA we have never had them, we end late June and go back the last few days of august or early sept.

It sounds like these fall breaks are scattered though for different states so it's not all the same week for everyone. I still love October to go, I still feel as though it's a slow period thus far compared to other times of year but most of you are right it has picked up as each year goes by.

 

[Prose]

We've been on the balanced calendar for two years now. We end June 4 (stupid snow days) and start back July 29th.

Sounds like we might be neighbors - we are the same boat.

When we went to WDW last year during the third week of October, we started calling it "Indiana Week" (a nod to Jersey Week in November...).

 

[kmb584]

We have been going in October for years, and every year it gets more crowded. Last year was the most crowded I've seen, but it still beats summer.

Agreed. We go at the end of every October and have noticed a definite uptick in the crowds over the last couple of years. Two years ago we would have waited 10-15 minutes for Buzz, last October the wait was between 30-45 minutes.

 

[henry72]

We live in Texas and we get the week of Thanksgiving off but don't call that a "fall" break. And for the record we start last week of August and go to first week of June with one week off for Spring Break and two weeks off at Christmas.

 

[ktlm]

Our state the schools on the traditional school schedule always start back in early to mid August. We have a partial week fall break in October- either 2 or 3 days depending on the year. As a result, parents only have to pull kids for a couple of school days to spend a week on vacation, so there are lots of people that do it. Ours is the October 5 to 11th week. It was the same time last year and we went to WDW. Some of the districts have theirs the week after ours which kept us from going to WDW with some friends last year because they are in the school district just North of us and we had different break weeks.

We usually go to WDW the week after Thanksgiving, and we were surprised at how much more crowded it was the first week in October. It still wasn't bad, but it definitely was significantly more crowded than we are used to. We also have a couple of districts that have gone to "year round" or really it is more of a "shortened summer" school and they are off from October 11 to October 26. I do suspect that the number of schools that have switched to "year round" or "shortened summer" have increased the travelers in October. Those schools usually have 2 weeks off in October. Where a lot of people won't travel when they just have a 2 or 3 day fall break and still have to pull kids, when you have a full 2 weeks off and have to figure out what to do with the kids, a lot more people are inclined to travel. I have a friend who travels then because finding child care for that full 2 weeks is a hassle and can be really expensive, so if either she or her husband have to take off work to take care of the kids for one of the weeks, she figures they might as well travel and spend their money on that instead of "day camp".

 

[scard192]

Interesting thanks for the input everyone! I thought these October breaks were a new thing because here where I live in MA we have never had them, we end late June and go back the last few days of august or early sept.

It sounds like these fall breaks are scattered though for different states so it's not all the same week for everyone. I still love October to go, I still feel as though it's a slow period thus far compared to other times of year but most of you are right it has picked up as each year goes by.

I live in MA too, our kids go back the week before Labor Day.

We were at WDW last year Oct 19-26. The worst park days IMO were not due to lots of guests but due to MNSSHP. It was held 4 or the 6 days we were at the parks so if you wanted to see MSEP and Wishes without going to the party that only left 2 days to do it. Night we went to MK was awful, we knew MK was "not recommended" that day but what else do you do?
We could not afford MNSSHP and Park Hoppers so opted for the Hoppers.

 

[KathleenlovesMickey]

Yes, I think there will be an impact. Josh's site shows about a 1 point increase for each of the days I plan to be there over the same days in 2013. I've never been to WDW with a crowd level of over 6 before and now some days are projected at 7.

What is Josh's site? I am getting frustrated with planning trips and finding out that when I get there its schools breaks. It seems like every month there is a break somewhere! But to see a list would be great.

 

[whitney37354]

We were at WDW last October for fall break. DH thought it was more crowded that when we went in June.