Thoughts on changing vacation dates for FD?

[MarkinNM]

Ok gang, you all have been VERY helpful on the 4/3 deal and now FD. So with that we currently have a trip planned in June with the 4/3 in which I changed it to a 5/3 deal, now I see free dining is upon us. I was playing around with the web and see that I can get us in for Sept AND free dining for only $300 more then our current deal!!! My dilemma is do I take my kids out of school for 7 days, as our vacation will be a 9 day, 8 night vacation. I am a bit apprehensive about this as the school year will only be about 1 month into the new school year. If I take advantage of the FD in Sept it will save me +$900!!! If I add the DDP to my current vacation now it will cost me $1290, or as said go in Sept, take the kids out of school and it will cost me $300 more, my kids are 12 & 16 BTW. Any and all thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated, I know many of you have taken your kids out of school for a WDW vacation, so please give me your thoughts….


PS if we continue with the current scheduled vacation all food will be OOP and I still have not made any ADR’s……………………..

 

[cuppycake]

My kids are still young, but we plan on stopping the taking them out of school for vacation by middle school. We have great students, so missing elementary years aren't an issue, but things get much more difficult at your children's ages.

It's a very personal decision. One that really depends on many things. Things I would consider in your shoes....

What is your school's policy on missing for vacations? Many schools just aren't "allowing" this anymore. Many still "don't mind".

What do your children's teachers (well, next year teachers) think about it? Are they supportive, or do they see it as a hassle? Some teachers really don't mind and others don't have the extra time to deal with a child missing class and/or won't allow the child to make up work. I can see both sides.

What kind of students do you have? Do they learn well on their own, or do they struggle unless the teacher is explaining things to them? At that age, missing an entire week (plus), they could miss most of an entire UNIT of information...that is a lot. Some kids, though, can really handle it just fine.

How do your kids feel about missing that much school? I know some kids that wouldn't care and others that really wouldn't want to do it. It really is putting a lot of pressure on them to make up their work. Are they willing to put in the extra effort?

Good luck with your decision....it's not an easy one when your children are that age, for sure!! Either way...ENJOY your vacation!!!!

 

[Tinkmom75]

I agree with previous poster that you know your children. Will they be able to handle it and also what is schools policy.

We are taking our kids out for 8 days around the Thanksgiving holiday. My kids are good students and I will help them stay on track! My DD missed some time last year in middleschool. Next year she will be in 10th and DS in 6th. I'm concerned more about DS than DD because she's already proven she can handle it.

 

[MarkinNM]

I agree with previous poster that you know your children. Will they be able to handle it and also what is schools policy.

We are taking our kids out for 8 days around the Thanksgiving holiday. My kids are good students and I will help them stay on track! My DD missed some time last year in middleschool. Next year she will be in 10th and DS in 6th. I'm concerned more about DS than DD because she's already proven she can handle it.

I am sure they can handle the extra work, they are good students, it will be a bit rough expec if the "newer" teachers decide to hand out TONS of homework but it will be only 3 weeks into the new year and I have noticed the "heavy" period of HM usually starts in OCT. I also just hate to take away our summer vacation for a fall vacation BUT it will save me $$$$$$$....

 

[SGMCO]

We had booked the FD Bounceback last year and I
usually take my DS out of school but now that he is
getting in the higher grades I worry about this.
Disney went and added an earlier start to FD now
and I'm trying to workout a way to change my dates--
the problem is my DH has to choose Vacation time
on 1st week in January and 2 workers cannot have the
same week off. One of his fellow workers has the week
I would like to move my trip to (1st week of FD)--DH will be asking if
they can work something out (trade with him)
so that we can have the
week before school starts. The fellow worker has this week off
so DH will have to wait until he's back at work to ask and
I hopeing that he doesn't have anything planned on that week
and won't mind switching.
I know it WDW will be more crowded during the early FD weeks but
if we can get it I won't have to worry about DS missing School.
I hate waiting to know.
I only have one week left until the airfare opens up
for the dates ( I usually book SW Airlines and seats are limited).
I have already called WDW Travel to see if we could change dates
and have same Resort if it was still available and it is.
I wish Disney would have offered these earlier weeks when
they offered the FD BB and we could have gotten them.
I want to know already!!!
FD is the only time we can afford to go because we save close to
$1000.00 for the week. I have never received a 40% off pin.

 

[Tinkmom75]

I would probably save the $$$$ and you won't go hungry!! Good luck! Your kids won't be young forever.

 

[MarkinNM]

...the problem is my DH has to choose Vacation time
( I usually book SW Airlines and seats are limited).


I have already called WDW Travel to see if we could change dates
and have same Resort if it was still available and it is.
I wish Disney would have offered these earlier weeks when
they offered the FD BB and we could have gotten them.
I want to know already!!!

I hear you thats BOTH of DW and my issues here as my VAC CAL fill up fast at work and we are only allowed 2 per VAC at a time, I have the time off in June and now Sept, just pondering the most bang for the $$$$, the FD would def give us a HUGE break on paying OOP for our food.


BTW, LOVE SWA as they are awesome and have great deals all the time!!

 

[MarkinNM]

I would probably save the $$$$ and you won't go hungry!! Good luck! Your kids won't be young forever.

Thats what I am thinking, and this will prob be the last time we go to WDW with my kids, DD is in 10th grade and grads in 2 years......