Ideas on how to make this work please

[jmartinez1895]

I am asking on this board because the bottom line here is me trying to not to spend too much money.
My son has just been accepted into the Alabama School of Fine Arts for the Math and Science program. This is a college preparatory school for and the day is from 7:45 am till 5:00 pm. I was told that missing 1 day was like missing a week of pubic school. So on to my problem. We already have a trip planned for Sep. We can not change the date due to medical reasons for my youngest. I think I may have it worked out so that a family member can keep my oldest ( the one going to the school) Sept 25- 27 and then put him on the plane on the the 28 and he could join us until we fly home on Oct 01 and he will end up only missing 2 days of school vs. 5 days.
He is 14 and very mature so I don't see any problems on his end.
How should we do this as far as out package is concerned. Should we make 2 reservation, one for before he comes and one after. Or can me change the reservation once he gets there. I would hate to pay for him and his tickets for 3 days that he will not use them, but I am willing if it is the only way.
Surly someone else has been through something like this. I am just stressed and need advice one how best to plan this.

 

[cluvsdisney]

You can make the reservation for the whole length of stay for you, your spouse and younger child then add your 14 year old after you check in. Two children under 18 are permitted in each room so you won't have to pay any extra person charges but he won't be able to have the dining plan and will need to get a separate park ticket for the days he will be there. If you leave it as is, the extra park days are probably not too much extra and you can use the extra dining plan credits for signature dining or dinner shows.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Do you have a PACKAGE booked, where your tickets are combined with your room (and also possibly the dining plan), or do you just have a room-only reservation (and purchased tickets separately)?

As I understand it, if its a PACKAGE, everyone on the package must have the same- room, tickets, dining plan. So You might need to change it to a "split stay" where it's one package while your oldest is there, and then another package after he leaves. they MIGHT make you change rooms, but I've never heard of it actually happening unless the trip is extremely long or during a peak time where they are booked, which September is not.

If you do not have a package and just a room-only reservation, I think you should be able to adjust the number of people per night. And but his tickets for just what you need, even if its different # of days that the rest of the family.

That's how I understand it anyway...

Congrats on your son's acceptance!

 

[Taylor'sMom]

If you leave it as is, the extra park days are probably not too much extra and you can use the extra dining plan credits for signature dining or dinner shows.

That's a good point, assuming money isn't at a premium and you are on the dining plan. Do the math and see if it makes sense to pay the difference anyway, as if he were there.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Thanks guys. We have booked a room/ticket package and we are crossing our fingers for free dinning, but have not added a dinning plan yet.
Thanks for the congrats Taylors's mom. He has worked very had for this.
I think since we have some time, I will wait and see if they announce free dinning and if so then I think it would be cheaper to keep him on the room and use his credits for an extra table service while he is gone.
Again thanks for the ideas, I went into panic mode.

 

[Sadie22]

I am not familiar with that particular school, but it sounds similar to where one of my sons attended high school. He would never have wanted to be out of school for a vacation. He was extremely ill for four days freshman year, and it was horrible making up the work while keeping up with his classes. He did it, but he was a super-great student. This was a very competitive school. His heavy course load and grades made all the difference as far as colleges and college scholarships.

You may not yet know the school policies regarding unexcused absences and makeup work, and I would urge you to find out what those are before you proceed any further. Of course, different teachers may have their own policies or there may be an inability to provide work ahead of time.

Once your son begins classes at the school, he may not want to miss days for a vacation.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

The school's policy is no absences for family trips.

https://www1.asfa.k12.al.us/sharepoint/Planned_Absence.pdf

I would think long and hard about having your son miss 2 days of high school just to go to WDW.

 

[jmartinez1895]

I do plan on making an appointment with the chair of his department once we get a little closer in. This trip is a very special one to because our youngest has had some major health issues and treatments. We will have our last hospital visit for this treatment session in August and we all need a break from the stress and we would like to celebrate his new found health.
In all honestly I think I am the one having a harder time with the thought of us all not being together than my oldest would. I do hope that with the special circumstances of our family that maybe they will allow him to miss 2 days or maybe I could send him home on Monday and he would only have to miss 1 day of school. We had the trip planned long before he was accepted and in no way would we allow him to miss 5 days.

 

[cheer25mom]

The school's policy is no absences for family trips.

https://www1.asfa.k12.al.us/sharepoint/Planned_Absence.pdf

I would think long and hard about having your son miss 2 days of high school just to go to WDW.

I don't think 2 days out of school is a huge deal on any level if you can get those days excused, and your kid is a good to great student.It is doable even at a school of this caliber. I am familiar with this program, and I think 2 days would be fine, but not much more than that, as long as the OP can get those days excused. There IS a procedure for doing that, as shown in your link. A younger sibling with a medical condition that limits when the family can travel would qualify.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The school's policy is no absences for family trips.

https://www1.asfa.k12.al.us/sharepoint/Planned_Absence.pdf

I would think long and hard about having your son miss 2 days of high school just to go to WDW.

I hope your plans for a family vacation don't jeopardize your son's future at this HS. It probably was a lot of work for him to qualify for it.

I know you said you can't change the dates, but maybe push if forward a few months or so. And don't plan on free dining.

 

[Suz D]

You can make the reservation for the whole length of stay for you, your spouse and younger child then add your 14 year old after you check in. Two children under 18 are permitted in each room so you won't have to pay any extra person charges but he won't be able to have the dining plan and will need to get a separate park ticket for the days he will be there. If you leave it as is, the extra park days are probably not too much extra and you can use the extra dining plan credits for signature dining or dinner shows.

It is my understanding that if a package is booked, everyone in the room must be on the same package.

Do you have a PACKAGE booked, where your tickets are combined with your room (and also possibly the dining plan), or do you just have a room-only reservation (and purchased tickets separately)?

As I understand it, if its a PACKAGE, everyone on the package must have the same- room, tickets, dining plan. So You might need to change it to a "split stay" where it's one package while your oldest is there, and then another package after he leaves. they MIGHT make you change rooms, but I've never heard of it actually happening unless the trip is extremely long or during a peak time where they are booked, which September is not.

If you do not have a package and just a room-only reservation, I think you should be able to adjust the number of people per night. And but his tickets for just what you need, even if its different # of days that the rest of the family.

That's how I understand it anyway...

Congrats on your son's acceptance!

The thing to keep in mind for a split stay is that you must buy at least a one day park ticket on a package. So if they book one package without DS and then another one with on a split stay, they will have to buy at least a one day pass for everyone in the room for that second stay.

Here are my suggestions:
1. If you aren't doing the dining plan, then just book your room/ticket package with everyone on the reservation and pay buy the tickets for just the days your DS will be there. Then add the extra days to everyone else's tickets except his at either guest services at a park or your hotel.

2. If they do come out with free dining (which I'm hoping for too, but really don't think it's going to happen) then just do the same thing. He would be on the reservation for the entire trip either way, the only thing you'd be saving $$ on would be the park tickets since the dining is free. You'll find some way to use those extra dining credits

3. If you decide to go with the dining plan (not free) your options are little more limited as it would not make sense to pay for dining credits for him unless you want to use them for a signature meal or something. My suggestion in this case would be to book a split stay. The first portion would be for everyone but him with room/dining/ and tickets for that portion PLUS the rest of the time he would be with you. Then purchase room only for the second portion of the stay and get his tickets at that time for the rest of his stay.

And for what it's worth, the OP didn't ask whether she should take her son out of school. The question was how to work it financially.

Thanks guys. We have booked a room/ticket package and we are crossing our fingers for free dinning, but have not added a dinning plan yet.
Thanks for the congrats Taylors's mom. He has worked very had for this.
I think since we have some time, I will wait and see if they announce free dinning and if so then I think it would be cheaper to keep him on the room and use his credits for an extra table service while he is gone.
Again thanks for the ideas, I went into panic mode.

 

[Sadie22]

Not putting obstacles in the way of an academically-gifted child being as successful as possible in high school can pay off in less financial costs to the family in the long run. Since young families may not realize this, I'm going to point it out here.