High School getting in the way of Disney

[karmomof3]

So I'm getting ready to purchase plane tickets and decided to just check with my son's high school about Summer expectations for band. My son just started and wants to do marching band. Well marching band camp is right in the middle of our Disney trip. We are scheduled to go from 08/16-08/24. He needs to go to that camp if he wishes to march. I'm so upset. I thought about leaving him home and still going and then do a long weekend for just the two of us in October but that is more money than I can afford. So the next alternative is to go mid July. I can't imagine planning Disney in such a short period. Also, currently we are doing a split stay with Poly and BC for a great deal and I won't be able to get that deal in July so we will have to stay value since moderates are sold out during our dates. We have never stayed value. What should I do? I'm so torn and I can't imagine Disney without our son.

 

[ElizabethG]

That really stinks! If it were me, I would adjust the vacation so my son could go. I think having to stay in a value would be worth it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Did you check the Awakens Summer deal for the July dates? Just wanted to throw that option out if it hadn't been considered. The rooms rates are 30% off at the deluxe resorts. Not sure what deal you got for August though.

I have to admit the summer expectations for marching band was why I quit. I just didn't want to give up the little "off" time I had any more for band. I was involved in other things but the summer commitments weren't nearly as long as band was. I remember marching band practice being almost half of the summer and I thought that was crazy.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

So I'm getting ready to purchase plane tickets and decided to just check with my son's high school about Summer expectations for band. My son just started and wants to do marching band. Well marching band camp is right in the middle of our Disney trip. We are scheduled to go from 08/16-08/24. He needs to go to that camp if he wishes to march. I'm so upset. I thought about leaving him home and still going and then do a long weekend for just the two of us in October but that is more money than I can afford. So the next alternative is to go mid July. I can't imagine planning Disney in such a short period. Also, currently we are doing a split stay with Poly and BC for a great deal and I won't be able to get that deal in July so we will have to stay value since moderates are sold out during our dates. We have never stayed value. What should I do? I'm so torn and I can't imagine Disney without our son.

I would check and see what is available for July as it gets even harder when you start looking at college schedules make it even harder. at your son's age you most likely wont have that many years for family vacations

 

[PlutoPony]

Honestly I wouldn't even consider choosing vacation over HS marching band, if it was something he wanted to do. You can move the vacation, but good extra curricular activities aren't always easy to find in HS. I hear really good things about marching band in general, lots of good bonding, fun activities, and colleges love to see it. Once kids hit HS you'll find you have fewer windows to take vacations, and you learn to work with what you have.

Hope you end up finding a good time to go and your son enjoys marching band if he does it!

 

[Pridemom]

Honestly I wouldn't even consider choosing vacation over HS marching band, if it was something he wanted to do. You can move the vacation, but good extra curricular activities aren't always easy to find in HS. I hear really good things about marching band in general, lots of good bonding, fun activities, and colleges love to see it. Once kids hit HS you'll find you have fewer windows to take vacations, and you learn to work with what you have.

Hope you end up finding a good time to go and your son enjoys marching band if he does it!

Another band mom here. I agree with this. Band has been my daughter's school family and those friends are made at during band camp and Saturday competitions. My kids are 14-21 and you will find it just gets harder to plan anything because the kids have sports, school clubs, jobs, etc. don't go without him, just adjust your plans, even if they're not your first choice.

 

[Allison]

I would change the vacation and not worry about it at all. Two months is enough time to plan a vacation.

 

[Kimberly9701]

I booked our WDW vacation 65 days in advance last year. I got every ADR I wanted(maybe not exact preferred time slots, but I was ok with that) and we did 1-2 per day.

I was worried at first, but a friend of mine told me that people load up their reservations at 180 days, and then cancel closer to the date. This proved to be totally true.

You'll be fine with rescheduling!!

 

[jerseygal]

I "hear your pain"! Both DS were basketball players in hs, with summer camp commitments, tournaments, etc. Literally limited to 2 weeks end of August for family vacations before school began again. One DS also played baseball, so went from basketball season right to baseball, which precluded us from vacationing for their spring break because of high school games. Couldn't do Christmas week because of basketball. So, in a nutshell, I would change your vacation to when you can enjoy it as a family!
You won't regret it, such memories made on vaca as a family and competitive band is such a great experience. Same old, same old now for us , since younger DS plays at the college level now. Precluded from taking vaca during the entire 4 weeks he has off for Christmas break from college since he is required to be back at school to continue playing games even though non athletes have 4 weeks vaca. We "make due" with vaca right after his semester ends in May, before summer crowds. There will be plenty of time to "scoot off" and do your own thing, "childless" once they are in college, like we do, F&W for a mini vacation, DH and me. Hope you enjoy your vaca and can make it work as a family!

 

[Jake & Crew]

Vacation planning gets trickerer as they get older but it is only a few years. We started doing late August when the kids were too old to pull out of school. When my oldest started HS we pushed it back to mid August so she could try out for the tennis team. Best decision as she has now played on the team two years and some of her best and first friends in H S are from tennis. When we started planning in December for this summer we were not sure which HS my youngest would be going to so to avoid any conflict we pushed our trip back to early AUgust.

I am a little nervous about the heat and crowds and have received flack from other family members going on this trip but we needed to know no conflicts. Turns out the school she is going to is over the state border so her tennis will be a spring sport but I know it was right to push it back with what knowledge we had then.

Totally would accommodate the band schedule and see if you can go the beginning of August. Soon they will be grown up and we will be looking at more flexible schedules!