Taking kids out of school

[battymum]

It seems Japan is a holiday you cant plan too far in advance - I have researched where to stay - Sheraton Grande at Tokyo Bay and then will rent a townhouse through VRBO in Kyoto -my plan is 4 days sightseeing around Tokyo then 4 days at the Disney Parks -then a week in Kyoto, with possible day trips from there. At this stage am just watching flights, I think Qantas prices will drop when Jetstar prices are released in July - DH is worried that it is too expensive for meals etc - but from what I have read its easy enough to eat on the fly for reasonable $. (this is the great unknown - there is no dining plan here!)

I am like you though constantly dreaming of one day getting back to Orlando - I have often thought what I would do differently - maybe we could do just Disney for two weeks- but I would def want to cruise again, and NYC as well - so leaves me back at "we wont ever get back there again"

You know my kids say "would like to go back to NYC - there is so much more to see, we have seen all of WDW" - little do they know, there is sooo much we didnt see!

 

[5ofus]

It seems Japan is a holiday you cant plan too far in advance - I have researched where to stay - Sheraton Grande at Tokyo Bay and then will rent a townhouse through VRBO in Kyoto -my plan is 4 days sightseeing around Tokyo then 4 days at the Disney Parks -then a week in Kyoto, with possible day trips from there. At this stage am just watching flights, I think Qantas prices will drop when Jetstar prices are released in July - DH is worried that it is too expensive for meals etc - but from what I have read its easy enough to eat on the fly for reasonable $. (this is the great unknown - there is no dining plan here!)

I am like you though constantly dreaming of one day getting back to Orlando - I have often thought what I would do differently - maybe we could do just Disney for two weeks- but I would def want to cruise again, and NYC as well - so leaves me back at "we wont ever get back there again"

You know my kids say "would like to go back to NYC - there is so much more to see, we have seen all of WDW" - little do they know, there is sooo much we didnt see!

Are you worried about the price of food in Japan in general or in TDR? I didn't find food to be expensive at all on either of our trips. We didn't go out for fancy dinners or anything, but you can definitely get by for reasonable $$$

 

[battymum]

Thanks 5ofUs - we generally like to plan our holiday budget and make sure we will have enough without using credit - but whenever we mention a possible trip to Japan - everyone says "oh I heard its really expensive there"

So DH not being as well read on such subjects is slightly panicked that we wont get a meal under $400 - and is basically hinting we go somewhere like Vietnam or Thailand - and save Japan for when we are empty nesters - :
I keep telling him if we go to restaurants and order Wagyu beef maybe, but I am sure we can eat for less than that.

While I would like to tour Tokyo and Kyoto on our own I just cant imagine going to a Disney park without the children.

I am waiting for BecBennet to report back -

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Battymum Jetstar is having a sale for flights including Japan for May/Jun next year i know thats not when you were planning on going but thought you might want to have a look

 

[battymum]

Thanks WAMUM04 - this is quoted from my post on the TDL forum today

I have been looking at airfare today - we can fly Jetstar for $3765 for our family - (no meals, no points, stopover in Cairns or Gold Coast, no bags and we would have to leave Sydney at the ungodly hour of 6:00am - which means leaving home around 4:00am (and either one less day of holiday or 1 more day off school)

So I am still holding out for Qantas - have a budget of around $1k pp and should be able to use Points + pay for a bit of a discount!


Its amazing how much those 199 fares actually cost - So yeah, at this stage I am still hoping for a circa 1K - give or take a bit, fare from Qantas - although if we lived in Cairns would be a cheap flight! Seems to be the going rate except at Christmas time - I dont think Japan is a major school holiday destination - so that shouldnt affect prices too much!

 

[Travel Mum]

I am like you though constantly dreaming of one day getting back to Orlando - I have often thought what I would do differently - maybe we could do just Disney for two weeks- but I would def want to cruise again, and NYC as well - so leaves me back at "we wont ever get back there again" !

Oh EXACTLY how I feel! I would want to do NYC if we went to Orlando again and then I think that, by being in Florida, how on earth could I go all that way and not cruise again so it is therefore a 4-week holiday which rules all of the school holidays out except for the Christmas ones. I don't think I could do it to my parents and in-laws to be away at Christmas time as it is a very special time for our extended family to be together so that leaves me with January and I just can't work out if I'd love, love, love WDW as much (and enjoy it all including the water parks and water rides at the parks) if it wasn't warm That October weather we had was soooo lovely......

P.S. as I keep saying, it is a financial long shot that we could go again anyway but I have to have a dream

 

[5ofus]

Thanks 5ofUs - we generally like to plan our holiday budget and make sure we will have enough without using credit - but whenever we mention a possible trip to Japan - everyone says "oh I heard its really expensive there"

So DH not being as well read on such subjects is slightly panicked that we wont get a meal under $400 - and is basically hinting we go somewhere like Vietnam or Thailand - and save Japan for when we are empty nesters - :
I keep telling him if we go to restaurants and order Wagyu beef maybe, but I am sure we can eat for less than that.

While I would like to tour Tokyo and Kyoto on our own I just cant imagine going to a Disney park without the children.

I am waiting for BecBennet to report back -

Around the Resort, I think food is probably a tad cheaper than that at WDW or DL and it's better quality as well. Probably a little smaller in proportion sizes, but they also do a lot of packaged meals where you get a main, dessert and drink included in the price.

Around Tokyo and Kyoto we found some nice little restaurants, I remember going to an amazing Tepinyaki restaurant in Kyoto and an Italian (I was pregnant and wanted pasta!) in Tokyo and they were very reasonably priced. Yep, you'll probably find beef to be expensive, but you can definitely find reasonably priced meals if you aren't wanting scotch fillet every night. I used the Lonely Planet Japan quite often when trying to find places to eat

 

[shushh]

Battymum, your plan sounds great! Japan is just gorgeous especially around cherry blossom time. It isn't the cheapest place around especially compared to the rest of Asia, but it isn't too bad. If you're happy to try and eat what the locals eat, prices are decent for very good food! (I am partial to japanese food though!). Having said that, I haven't been for a long time!

 

[dabecs]

If you're happy to try and eat what the locals eat, prices are decent for very good food!

I think this is key, my parents went about 18 months ago and they stopped to get a coffee and it was AU$8 each! It was a hotel though and obviously geared to tourists..

Well tonight we told our daughter's teacher at parent-teacher interviews that miss 6 is having a month off school I was nervous telling the teacher (even though I knew it would be fine I am just a worrier) but she just wrote it down in her diary as if it were no biggie

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Do we feel suitably told off?

http://www.news.com.au/national/the...verseas-holidays/story-fndo4bst-1226419724987

Had to share

 

[PrincessInOz]

Do we feel suitably told off?

http://www.news.com.au/national/the...verseas-holidays/story-fndo4bst-1226419724987

Had to share

Well, you have to admit that 6 or 7 weeks is a tad long.






(Hmmm.....now how to plan around the fabled 13 weeks Long Service Leave.)

 

[dabecs]

I think it depends on the holiday, 6 weeks hanging out in a resort at the beach is very different to 6 weeks touring Europe.

I also think if it was an annual 6 weeks off that is different to a once off or a couple of trips spread over several years of schooling..

And of course it depends on the student and the parents.

 

[battymum]

Yeah a week or so either side of regular holidays is acceptable but six weeks mid term is pushing it. But really australia is too far away to keep our holidays to a fortnight!

 

[Travel Mum]

Yeah a week or so either side of regular holidays is acceptable but six weeks mid term is pushing it. But really australia is too far away to keep our holidays to a fortnight!

Yes, so is New Zealand. We have to pay such a fortune to fly anywhere longhaul that you have to stay longer than two weeks to get anywhere close to getting value for your money!!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Yes 6 to 7 weeks mid term is just about a whole term. But a week either side of holidays makes a trip worthwhile. For our 4 weeks in Europe last April and May with public holidays and the school oludays the girls missed six days of school. Not too bad. I like traveling at that time of year. Whilst our girls get nearly 10 weeks at Christmas my DH can't take leave then. They made an exception last year because he was starting new and we had already booked. Glad to get my Christmas at DL in. So me thinks April it will be because I hate a really hot summer.

My first trip to DL when I was ten was the first five weeks of the new school year. It was my parents dream trip and long service leave. Too expensive to travel in school holidays. Our principal said we better off missing the first five weeks rather than leaving in March. Best summer holidays ever. It was back when we had three terms and summer holiday felt like they went forever in the first place without going back to school in the middle of March.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I guess that makes me an extremely bad parent

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I guess that makes me an extremely bad parent

Nope. Not at all. Dont feel bad all.

Family time is just too precious especially when everyone being together is rare. You take the chance when you can. Like you DH goes away for long lengths of time with his job and our trips a reward for the sacrifices we make.

I am planning a six week April 14 trip which is pushing 7, but even a week in Melbourne mid term this year coincided with an assessment week for Dd1 and DD2 has to catch up work for vital learning she missed.. I dont know how much guilt I can take. I am rethinking a little and trying to cut back but it will likely be our last big trip before Dd1 hits yr 11 and 12. DD1 also stresses when not following the rules. My week in Melbourne was sent with her on her laptop running up a huge Internet bill at my parents on a 1gb plan. I hate taking school work with us in holidays. I want a break from being the homework enforcer.

I believe that kids take so much from travels. dD1 when we got back from Europe was asked along with the class what the Rosetta Stone was. She answered quite happily after having stood in front of it 3 days before. Life experience and application make for great learners. Travel exposes them to possibilities.

Life is short. Enjoy while you can. Kids adapt and are very resilient.

 

[meandmygirl]

DD is in Year 1 and her teacher doesn't mind kids being taken out of school during term time as long as they keep a daily diary (a few sentences and a picture) while they are away. DD is well above benchmark level this year so I don't have any qualms about taking her out of school.