The NEW Official November 2010 Countdown & Planning Thread ~ Come join us! (Part 1)

[Trackey79]

woohooo...79 days til we leave

Congrats! We are down to 66 and it is hard to believe that time seems to be going so fast all of a sudden!

 

[sjs314]

Congrats! We are down to 66 and it is hard to believe that time seems to be going so fast all of a sudden!

My thoughts exactly, at 68 days here and I still need to organize all my notes and itinery onto the colored index cards as someone mentioned on here, and and oh my goodness so much to do

I can not even imagine setting up such a huge tent, my only expierence camping was with the scouts ( a mom and son camp out) one year and we struggled with some of the "pup" tents, but I cheated we drew straws to see who got to sleep in the trailer one mom brought to camp and I won with another mom , so I have never slept in a tent or been camping since but we did have a blast

 

[Trackey79]

My thoughts exactly, at 68 days here and I still need to organize all my notes and itinery onto the colored index cards as someone mentioned on here, and and oh my goodness so much to do

I can not even imagine setting up such a huge tent, my only expierence camping was with the scouts ( a mom and son camp out) one year and we struggled with some of the "pup" tents, but I cheated we drew straws to see who got to sleep in the trailer one mom brought to camp and I won with another mom , so I have never slept in a tent or been camping since but we did have a blast

I actually enjoy camping, but of course we did it several times when I was growing up, so that probably helps. Now don't get me wrong, if I could afford a big ole camper I would get one in a flash but a tent is not bad as long as you come prepared with amenities to make it feel more like home.

 

[Trackey79]

Yea I got the golf cart reserved from the place most highly recommended on the camping board. The best part of all is that he will deliver and pick up the cart from FW AND I am saving $230 from what FW charges for their golf carts. Woohoo!! I am cutting down on costs everywhere I can without taking away everything (i.e. - we are getting the cart, we kept a few of our dining reservations...) and I think I have finally reached that happy medium of doing things we want but not spending so much I feel guilty! Can't do any better than that when going to Disney on a budget!!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I thought I had all the the christmas celebrations and special happenings on my list and this is the first I have heard about there being a "Christmas" parade at DHS ?

I know the Christmas Parade at DAK will not start until after I am gone I think Nove26th perhaps??? not really sure

When does the one at DHS start? Hopefully while I am there since the OL start on Nov 8th

I've never heard of a holiday parade at DHS either. I know it wasn't going on when we were there last November. . . But maybe it starts later in the month like the AK parade. . .

Ok, it is official! I am obsessed! In the last 24 hours I have booked ME, paid off our airfare, and saved my shopping list on Garden Grocers. I figured I would start it now and add to it over the next month and then submit it at the end of Sept. I keep checking the delivery dates and Nov is still looking good.
Lots of excitement around our house.............My son made the Freshman Football team as their kicker. Not bad for a kid who has never played football before. He even beat out 3 other football players. Guess all those years of competitive soccer payed off. He made the snare line in the high school drumline the same day!
And...............my oldest got his drivers license. Oh my goodness, I am getting old!

Congrats to your DS!

We'll be there November 9th offsite and going to DTD
November 10-18 Contemporary
Nov19-? if I can convince husband to stay a few more days, which is doubtful

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

 

[Trackey79]

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

Oh that stinks!!! With the testing that week will they still have a lot of homework and classwork that weeK? If not, I would say go for it. If so, I'm not sure what I would do. I hope you get it all worked out!

 

[sjs314]

I actually enjoy camping, but of course we did it several times when I was growing up, so that probably helps. Now don't get me wrong, if I could afford a big ole camper I would get one in a flash but a tent is not bad as long as you come prepared with amenities to make it feel more like home.

Please accept my apology if my post came off sounding like I was putting down camping, not my intention at all, I was very excited when we had the mom and son campout since it was a totally new expierence for me having grown up in the city and never having had the opportunity as a kid to go camping. DH is a city boy too so just not something we ever ventured to try ourselves.

Yea I got the golf cart reserved from the place most highly recommended on the camping board. The best part of all is that he will deliver and pick up the cart from FW AND I am saving $230 from what FW charges for their golf carts. Woohoo!! I am cutting down on costs everywhere I can without taking away everything (i.e. - we are getting the cart, we kept a few of our dining reservations...) and I think I have finally reached that happy medium of doing things we want but not spending so much I feel guilty! Can't do any better than that when going to Disney on a budget!!

That is quite a savings on the rental, I would be very happy myself

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

Just your luck but not much you can do about it now other than go and have fun

 

[lizzyb5280]

Six days until preschool starts, sixty-six until we leave for Florida....neither one can come soon enough!

 

[alexensmom]

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

We had the same issue last year. The county didnt post the dates of WESTEST until after we had scheduled our vacation. We just happened to schedule our trip for the week before the test (practice test week.) I would be more concerned if he was missing a placement test in high school. But if your like me, I wont be taking the kids out of school during HS for a vacation any way. I agree they probably wont be missing school work during the week they are gone, but may be missing school work while they are taking the retest. I would just make sure the teachers remember he will be absent during the tests and find out what their gameplan will be for making up the tests.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Anybody golfing during their trip? Any recommendations?

 

[PrincessDez]

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

Don't worry too much! I ran into the same problem when my kids were in 5th and 7th grade. They changed the state wide testing dates and we had our vacation planned and paid for. My husband travels a lot with his job and has a hard time getting vacation dates, so there was not the option of changing the dates.
Hopefully your school has 'makeup' test days. Also they shouldn't have quite so much homework while you are gone now.
They are still young and will be fine. Once they get to High School, it will be a different story. But for now, go and enjoy your vacation.
SMOOCHES!!

 

[Trackey79]

Please accept my apology if my post came off sounding like I was putting down camping, not my intention at all, I was very excited when we had the mom and son campout since it was a totally new expierence for me having grown up in the city and never having had the opportunity as a kid to go camping. DH is a city boy too so just not something we ever ventured to try ourselves.

Oh I didn't take offense at all, sorry if I sounded like I did! Camping isn't for everyone and some of my friends think I am crazy for doing it for a week, but I enjoy it so I don't worry about it. It wasn't what we originally planned but now I am looking forward to it.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

We are going Nov 14-20th! DS (22 months) DH, and my parents. MVMCP and a wishes cruise are planned! yeah!!!

 

[Mindy5767]

Don't worry too much! I ran into the same problem when my kids were in 5th and 7th grade. They changed the state wide testing dates and we had our vacation planned and paid for. My husband travels a lot with his job and has a hard time getting vacation dates, so there was not the option of changing the dates.
Hopefully your school has 'makeup' test days. Also they shouldn't have quite so much homework while you are gone now.
They are still young and will be fine. Once they get to High School, it will be a different story. But for now, go and enjoy your vacation.
SMOOCHES!!

actually, things might get easier in high school. By then, the kids all have laptops, the teachers have websites and post the work and notes and the kids can turn in papers to their teacher by email and get assignments online. At least that was the case with my kids at our schools. By 11th grade, we took my son out for a week in Oct for F&W and MNSSHP... it all worked out and he's in college now! in Florida BTW!

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

man I wish I would have found this thread a while ago! Too many pages I'll never catch up! Going to do my best!

I'm a SAHM to DS 19 month old, who is the best thing ever (DH is pretty good too lol). Can not wait to see DS' reactions to everything and share my love of Disney with him! We are staying at Pop with free dining but I'm going to upgrade it. DS has some food allergies (his testing is in 2 weeks to confirm peanut/eggs and see if there's anything else) and I think TS meals will be easier to do with his allergies. looking forward to chatting with you all!

 

[TruBlu]

Well we had Open House last night at the school. And we were given this school calendar with certain dates highlighted that they would be doing placement testing (our school seems to go crazy with these, because they are ALL THE TIME) and it says to - be sensitive to these dates when scheduling "educational trips" (which is what our WDW vacation is considered). Can you guess what week in November is highlighted??? Yep - our vacation week. I am kind of sick over it and not sure what to do. I know they will still approve the vacation, but it will just be more stuff for the boys to make up.

Oh no! I know just how you feel. I've moved our trip 3 times so far. DS11 didn't want to miss his Holiday band concert, so I moved it to the last week before winter break. WELL... at open house we found out he had a mandatory chorus concert on the night we have tickets to see A Christmas Carol. I still can't believe I did this, but I called the school and got his schedule switched. He now has chorus second semester. They didn't ask WHY I wanted it changed.

 

[MomToAp1699]

Don't worry too much! I ran into the same problem when my kids were in 5th and 7th grade. They changed the state wide testing dates and we had our vacation planned and paid for. My husband travels a lot with his job and has a hard time getting vacation dates, so there was not the option of changing the dates.
Hopefully your school has 'makeup' test days. Also they shouldn't have quite so much homework while you are gone now.
They are still young and will be fine. Once they get to High School, it will be a different story. But for now, go and enjoy your vacation.
SMOOCHES!!

ooh.. your lucky.. our school districts policy is that if you miss school during state mandated testing for an approved education trip if will be counted as an unexcused absense.. even if they approve it.

 

[cyndiloveswalt]

MY DS11 IS NOW MY DS12! Today is his Birthday!! I feel bad sending him off to school so early. Hopefully he'll have a great day!
Shelly- That really stinks, I know I rely on the previous years calendar when planning our next years trips and it is such a pain when they make big changes. (Was actually looking for next year and we have to go before Thanksgiving to use our AP's again- they have a 4 day wekend in October for Columbus day, so that is probably when we'll go)

 

[MAGGIED]

to your DS