Driving ahead and having child fly in later? (LONG)

[gardendame]

Despite what my counter below says, we have moved our October trip to February. My oldest DS has already missed a lot of school with an illness and our initial plans had been to take him out of school for a week in October (no debates here, please). We moved it to February because our kids have 2 days off for Mardi Gras, making for a four day weekend. We had still planned on taking him out of school for 2 days prior (thursday and friday).
He is still out sick and has now missed 2 weeks of school. He is over the stomach virus, but after becoming extremely dehydrated and needing IV fluids, tests, etc., he is too weak to return to school yet. The Principal and the Doctor both suggested we place him on 'homebound status' through our school board. This would mean a teacher would come out to our home 3 days a week and help him get caught up on all of his missed studies, tests, etc., and he will later return to the classroom on an equal footing with the other kids. This will also prevent him from having to repeat a grade due to excessive absences. I do not want to intentionally keep him out of school for the trip now. He has missed enough already.
Now, without going into too much detail, this has been a well planned out, well deserved, first EVER family vacation for us. The two younger children have a chronic disease and our hospital bills are finally paid off. Our monthly medication bills alone have made any vacation almost impossible. Finally, it is almost here and I hate to tell any of them that we just cannot go. Moving the trip to Spring Break or to the Summer is completely and totally out of the question. I didn't stress out for two years planning a peaceful retreat for my family, only to have to wait in lines for 2 hours in sweltering heat.
So, I am trying to come up with other options. We are thinking of driving ahead without him (12 hours). He can stay with Grandma until school is out on Friday, then he could fly in to be with us for Sat., Sun., and Monday at the parks, then drive home with us on Tuesday.
I know that seems extremely selfish of me. We ALL need this vacation, including him. It is either go seperately, or drive in together on Saturday, spend just Sunday and Monday in the parks, then drive home on Tuesday.
I don't know what to do. Have any of you ever gone seperately? Or just gone for two days? How far from Disney is the airport?
Thanks in advance for any and all opinions!

 

[prplcrzy]

Up until this year, we have taken our daughter out of school a week in October. She just started 7th grade and it just can't be done anymore so we just got back from a late August trip. The lines weren't bad at all 10-15 minutes on most, but it was a bit warmer than we're used to in October. We just kept hydrated and took breaks, it was a great trip and we'll be going back next year same time.

As far as your ds going separately, you didn't say how old he was. If he is OK on his own and wouldn't be scared or need someone with him every minute, I'd say go for it. On our flight home we saw a couple of kids flying alone and the attendants take very good care of them. If you have off for Mardi Gras, then the flight couldn't be that long for him.

I think a trip to be in the parks two days just isn't enough. You have had alot going on in your lives and you don't know when the next time you could go, so don't short change this trip. If you can get more days there by separating and everyone is OK with it, then do that.

Disney is only about 15-20 minutes away from the airport. It's a pretty easy trip, highway the whole way.

Good luck planning your trip and hope everyone gets healthy and stays healthy for you!

Nancy

 

[gardendame]

Oh, thanks for asking his age - he is 12, 7th grade.

 

[campingcorgi]

Well, 12 is old enough. Has he ever flown before and how does he feel about it? It seems like a workable plan if he feels good about it. Do you have an adult family member who would like to fly down and do Disney with you (assuming you have room for the drive back)?

 

[eeyore kelly]

i think 12 is plenty old enough. Just make sure he knows his flight # procedures etc. I would also have an adult take him to the airport and stay until the plane takes off and is out of sight. When you picked him up from the airport, I would try to be at his gate.

 

[BevS97]

How about asking his school how they feel about him missing 2 days. It sounds like he's had a really rough time being so ill, and he could really use the vacation.

I can't see how 2 more days is going to make any difference, and the vacation could be just what he needs.

Bev

 

[MommyBoo!]

Originally posted by BevS97
How about asking his school how they feel about him missing 2 days. It sounds like he's had a really rough time being so ill, and he could really use the vacation.

I can't see how 2 more days is going to make any difference, and the vacation could be just what he needs.

Bev

That's what I was going to say. Discuss it with the school or school board or both. Tell them what you told us. Explain the whole situation, not just his. Good luck. I hope everything works out wonderfully for you and that he gets better soon.

 

[MamaLema]

I don't think you're being selfish at all. In fact it's sweet of you for thinking of your son not missing extra days by flying.

The flight attendants are very good about taking care of children flying solo. Like the PP said, just make sure he has all his flight info in one place.

 

[Rapunsel]

If anything your DS deserves this trip. One thing though about flying.... Most arilines the person has to be 15 to fly alone with out paying a $75.00 escort fee. Then if you have to change planes it could be higher. I know that most 12 year olds can do it alone, but the airlines have really craked down on this one. So that is another thing to look into. Also book a ticket for a round trip flight as it is usually cheaper than a one way. And then cancel the ticket for the way home..

Also how does your DS feel about not going on the 12 hour drive. I always enjoyed a good road trip at that time. Just a way to relax and make some great family road trip memories...

 

[ahutton]

I would say that at 12 most kids are ready to tackle a flight alone, but I agree with others that 2 days of school, especially leading into a holiday weekend, may not be too bad for him to miss.

FYI - If you have a child that is flying solo, or even with a family member who is not getting off the flight, you can get a gate pass for one parent to meet the child. Our DD flew to WDW with her grandparents once, their flight stopped in Austin but continued onto where they live. I had no trouble with Southwest getting a pass at the ticket counter to meet DD, she was walked to the door by my parents and we even had a minute for a quick hug before they continued on their trip.

 

[PlutoPony]

ahutton -
Have you gotten a gate pass recently? My info is that you can't get those anymore (like in the past year) as they're not letting ANYONE thru security screening that doesn't have a ticket for that day....
TIA

 

[mommyofchloe]

As a former child who use to fly by myself here is my helpful hints.

One make sure he is okay with this.
Two make sure he understands things like who to talk to, who to ask for help, what do do if he gets lost, and other stuff that he will already know-but just go over it agian.

I have had those escorts where the person picking up needs id and stuff but I could have run away or got lost, the flight attendants get occupy with other stuff. Not their fault they have a whole plane to care for.

Mariah

 

[ahutton]

Yes, I have gotten a gate pass within the last year. I explained to the counter agent that I was picking up my child, gave her name, flight and confirmation number, and they verified she was on the flight. They issued a card which I had to show with my license at the security check point, then surrender as I passed through the metal detector.

 

[justhat]

We got one of these passes last July when my BIL flew in to go on an Alaskan cruise with us. He was 15 at the time and though he could have walked to the gate himself, he wanted my husband to walk him so USAirways gave him a pass.

We have also gotten a similar pass flying out of DC (Dulles airport). I was flying with my daughter last month to visit my mom and I had to carry the baby, her diaper bag, carseat, bottle on ice, and then a very heavy photo album with all of our wedding photos to keep at my mom's house. We didn't know we could get a pass, but when I went to the security checkpoint, the ID checker actually carried my stuff for me to the x-ray machine since she saw how I was struggling. My husband was still watching us and another worker told him he could go to the airline counter and they'd give him a pass to walk me to the gate.

 

[summerrluvv]

Originally posted by PlutoPony
ahutton -
Have you gotten a gate pass recently? My info is that you can't get those anymore (like in the past year) as they're not letting ANYONE thru security screening that doesn't have a ticket for that day....
TIA

A lot of airports aren't allowing gate passes and in the OP's circumstance with her child being 12, she probably wouldn't get one, since a 12 year old is NOT considered an unaccompanied minor on most airlines. 5-11 is what is considered unaccompanied and requires an escort and that escort would take the child from the gate to the baggage area and you pick the child up there. You may be able to request an escort though, however, I read on another board recently about a 5 and 14 year old flying and the mother was assured the escort would be there and it wasn't and the mother wasn't allowed to get a gate pass.

Here is a link with more info:

http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=203&category=19

"Those over eight may change aircraft. If they're eight through eleven, they will be escorted by airline personnel to their connecting flight. A significant extra charge for this service is likely. Older kids — ages 12 through 15 — may not be routinely escorted, but you can request this assistance."

 

[DisneyPete]

Wow, this is a truly horrible situation. Trust me I know about sick kids and hospitals and how much it stinks and how many years it adds to your age.

But that said, it seems to me that the 12 year old has never been on a family vacation because he was supporting the family and his younger siblings. It just doesn't seem fair to me that now that he is sick, everyone else is going to go without him.

I know you don't eant to go in the summer but its not the end of the world. Or you could reschedule for next year, the park will be having its 50th anniversary and everything will be spruced up.

I picture myself home with Grandma while everyone else is in Disney and it breaks my heart. Then I think about you in Disney, feeling guilty and worrying about your son and that doesn't sound like so much fun either. I admit I am big on doing everything as a family so this is just my opinion.

 

[wdwgoofeeee]

I am sorry about the situation you are facing.
Just wanted to say that we have been to WDW two times in June and had wonderful experiences both times. The middle of the day gets hot but that is when we always went back to the hotel to relax. The early mornings and evenings are good. You also get E-nights during that time of year and that is a lot of fun.
Our last June trip (2003) we had light rain the Sunday we arrived and a little early Monday morning. The rest of that week was absolutely fabulous. It was still warm, but unusually dry for several days. Our hotel room windows didn't even sweat it was so dry outside.
We are going back in June 2005. You may want to consider this as an option. No one misses school this way.
Best wishes for health and happiness.

 

[cajunmommy]

gardendame,

I realize this is a long shot, but have you found anyone else from the area who is flying to DW at the same time? I know there are a TON of people from So. LA escaping the Mardi Gras madness (we are!) Ask around. You might get really lucky and find out someone trustworthy will be at the airport at the same time.

It also might be worth it to have a discussion with your DS's teachers / administrators. Hopefully they'll be sympathetic, as long as DS is caught up on all of his school responsibilities.

If neither situation pans out, why not try leaving at the very end of school? Since you're a neighbor, I'm thinking you should be able to swing the last couple of weeks of May, which puts you ahead of the summer crush. My DSis's family went the week prior to Memorial Day & said it was fine. (Of course, I'm making the presumption that the reason you're wanting to avoid the summer isn't health-related.)

Cajun-spiced pixie dust to you in hopes that it works out!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I am really sorry you are faced with this situation. It is really not fair to anyone. As however, a mom to a 12 year old I really could not leave him there when the reat of you go on down. My heart would just break for him. If he had missed school because of being in trouble or something, that is one thing, but it sounds like he has always had to deal with siblings being sick and now that he was sick, he gets the short end of the deal. I would do everything to try to work out a plan with his school so he could miss a few days, or switch to summer or plan around a long week-end. Sounds like you all deserve a trip.


Jordans' mom

 

[gardendame]

Our last day of school is May 19. I suppose this could be a possibility. Mid-to-late summer is totally out of the question.

What are the crowds like from around the 19th of May onward? I imagine June would be busier, but I'm not sure.