For all of the teacher DVC members...

[rutgers1]

Our Disney trips have always coincided with school breaks. I would never want to use personal days for a vacation (I know I can, but I would feel dirty doing that), and I wouldn't want to pull my kids out of school. I get so upset when other people pull their kids out for vacation, so I could never do it myself. Next year, we are going the second half in August. I know all of our times are crowded, but if you go to the parks early, return to the villa mid-day, and then go back to the parks at night, it is doable.

 

[goofydad99]

There are a lot of teachers here. Count me in as another.

We generally go right when school is out. We usually stay at least 11 days to make the worth it. Goofydad was sent to Florida for a work conference and I snuck away and met him there. I used my personal days. Last Fall we took one extra day added to our Fall Break and went to MNSSHP. Basically, we will use our points during school breaks. It is often more work for me to be gone than it is to be at work. I know many of you probably feel the same way! Enjoy your membership.

 

[Eeyore18]

Another NJ teacher and DVC member here! We have always gone in the summer, usually the week after 4th of July. It's hot and crowded, yet can be done when you get up early and go back to the room in the heat of the day.
I would love to try a shorter vacation at another time of year. (Now that we have points to use) Is Presidents week really bad? Is it worse than July?
Also, if its a shorter stay, I feel that airfare is so expensive to just fly down for a few days. Anyone else feel that way? We do get 5 personal days, but I would feel guilty about using them for vacation. So basically, I guess it's mostly summer for us too!

 

[secretprincess]

I am not a teacher....but a school nurse in upstate NY. We usually go Feb. break, the points are higher, flights are more. But we like to escape the snow and cold. Sometimes the weather can be cold in Feb. especially at night but the pools are heated and it is a lot better than 10 degrees. We only have 150 pts, so we going during the week, weekends are too high. With the crowds, you just take your time and know you are only going to see and do 25% of what you want to do. But that is why we bought DVC, what you can't get to do this trip, plan to do next trip.

 

[Reginak]

THIS IS WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I quit teaching and decided to homeschool my four children - so that we could go to WDW in the off season.

Nah! It is just a side benefit. We have actually taken one trip during the first and part of the second week of June and the crowds weren't bad at all. I am also trying to talk my sister into taking her kids out of school for the last week of May next year since there is often little school work that gets done because teachers have often already had to turn in their grades.

Regina

 

[roadtripper]

DH and I are both teachers. We go every President's week, and as you can see in my signature, also for a few days in late August--right before the reality of school. We once did a long weekend in Dec-- which was great, but would have to take a day without pay to do it again, and that's not happening. The cost of flights nearly killed me last year, but I am tired of driving from MA, so it is what it is.

The great thing about DVC is that you know you'll be back, so it takes the pressure off of doing every thing every time. We get up for park opening, have relaxing afternoons by the pool, and go back into the parks at night.

I dream of a midweek Food and Wine getaway some day, but we are 20 years from retirement, so Pres Week will have to do for now--and that is fine with us! Best of luck with your decision.

 

[Kathi OD]

I don't know about other districts but our district is only closed for 2 days. The days off are not paid days. A teacher is under contract to work a certain number of days- in our case it is 185. NJEA is not part of the 185 days. Our district encourages the teachers to go but since they are not being paid, it is not mandatory.
I have done both- some years I go to the convention- some years we go to Disney for the F&W.

Also, if the districts required teachers to go, then they would have to pick up expenses, like gas, food, and hotel. Most districts don't have that kind of extra money in their budgets. Even if they did, can you begin to imagine the taxpayer backlash over paying for teacher vacations in Atlantic City?

 

[DisneyMim]

My husband is a teacher and now my daughter is one too! We have been members since 1991 and have never been able to go during "non-crowded" times. I guess we've just become used to it over all these years. We always went for two weeks in August until a few years ago We also go during spring vacation which is in April. My husband has never been able to take time off, it would be very hard in his school system, so we've had to work around it. This year for the first time we are going during Christmas break and then again during winter break (I know, more crowded times), but we know we'll be OK. The great thing about being a DVC member is that you know you re always going back and as for my family, we've been on every ride a million times and don't care if we miss one of two We just love being at WDW! The really wierd thing is my hisband and I have begun to talk about retirement and it just blows my mind that maybe someday we'll actually be able to go in October!! or January!! I don't think I'l know what to do! HA HA. Really though I have always believed that the best time to go to WDW is when YOU can go, so you see there really isn't any bad time! Teachers are the best go-with-the-flow people so don't worry, just go and have fun.

ENJOY!!

 

[TAKitty]

I use my two personal days and go in Dec. We leave on a Thurs. afternoon (around 1:00 depending on my planning period) and return on a Monday. I hate using weekend points, but I love going in Dec.

Some teachers have been able to take time off and just pay for a sub. I am not one of the "chosen" ones.

I also love the summer months. We went in mid June this year and didn't think it was too bad.

 

[DisneyMama27]

Another teacher here! I'm from TX, and we don't have any equivalent of "New Jersey week", nor do we get Presidents' Week off. I'd feel sorry for myself, except I do get 9 days each year - 5 from the state and 4 from my district. They are not picky about how we use them, as long as they are not adjacent to a school holiday, which is kinda stinky. Our secretary has told us that if we MUST take a day next to a holiday, we can be docked, or call in "sick." They really do not raise eyebrows unless you try to take more than 5 days off in a row. Several teachers from my campus took 3-5 day trips last year.

I don't feel guilty taking off - still, it is a LOT of work to be gone that long, and then there is "catch-up" when you get back. Before I went back to teaching, we would take our young kids out of school to go to WDW in the fall. We also USED to have a fall break, but they have taken that away now.

We joined DVC in 2006, right after I went back to work. DH couldn't wait to plan a trip - being our first, we went to OKW in January (the very lowest points possible). I took off 5 days, and had a fantastic time, but coming back was a killer for me. Since then we have learned that going in the summer is hotter, yes, but we can stay longer and relax more (and we have bought more points, so aren't as chintzy about weekends). Being from TX, the summer heat in Florida is really not that bad.

We have gone in July and June, Christmas, and are going this year for Thanksgiving! Christmas was crowded, but we weren't trying to do everything - just wanted to soak up the Christmas spirit. Those times were so much more relaxing to me in the long run than that January trip. Crowds are low in January, but park hours are shorter, more attractions are closed, and we have discovered that is a big month for training new employees. We used to swear we'd never go to WDW in the summer, and it is now my favorite time to go!

I did take two days off this spring to take my youngest daughter to Disney - it was our "turn" for a parent-child trip, and it was totally worth it. A weekend for the whole family is more work than I want, but this was perfect for the two of us - priceless memories, and she wrote a trip report for her 1st grade class that they all loved!

 

[BeccaG]

Another teacher here, just subscribing! And I am jealous of all you east coasters who can go down to WDW for a short weekend.. . .so I really want my GCV completed!!!!

 

[auntsue]

Retired NJ teacher here. In my 38 years of teaching, I went to the Teacher's Convention on my own dime for years and years and years, but it was never mandatory. Then we discovered Disney World, before Epcot even opened, and we fell in love with it way back then. We really could only afford to go every few years after that, but we pretty much always went "Jersey Week," with the exception of the occasional trip during those other popular school crowded times of Christmas, Easter and President's Week. I'm of the opinion that any time at Disney World is better than no time at all and since busy times were my only options, I learned to live with it. You just get used to the crowds, and devise your own ways to deal with them. I loved going so much that I never let the crowds bother me. Stepping onto Main Street always put a smile on my face and a tear in my eye (still does). You can make it work whenever you go. Yes, some times are better to go than others (as I have discovered since retirement), but doesn't just being there make all the inconveniences worth it?

 

[daisyduck123]

Hi! I'm a 1st grade teacher.

I just pull myself & my kids out of school to go. I'm lucky that at my school, my principal & school secretary make it work for me & I've always been able to take time off.

I've taken off 7 school days (a Thur, Fri., & the entire following week) a couple of times for WDW trips. Now that my DD is in high school, I'll only be pulling the kids out a few days at a time. We are going in November, & I'll be missing 3.5 school days for that trip.

**In my county, teachers only get ONE week-long vacation during the entire school year, & that is at Christmas. We don't have a fall break, spring break, Presidents' week, or any of that.

 

[ILuvMulan]

I am a teacher and a mother of 3 elementary school kids. The best time we have ever been was when our springbreak was NOT the week of Easter. That was an awesome trip.