YES Program: Best Class?

[shburks]

We're looking to do this in October for my son (who is 9). For those who have done it, what classes did you do and did you find them good/informative/educational/etc?

We're looking at:

Everyday Chemistry
Principals of Animal Behavior
Marine Life Conservation
Motion Physics

 

[boswellnakia]

We have taken many groups for YES programs. I think it really depends on who the CM is and what attraction they have access to. We have done the Physic ones multiple times and had different experiences. Once, they let us ride Space Mountain with the lights on and the next time we didn't. We last did the one with sound waves and got to go behind the scenes in Haunted Mansion which was my favorite so far, but everyone's mileage varies depending on the teacher and what their attraction choices are for a specific date and time.

 

[kiki02]

We have taken many groups for YES programs. I think it really depends on who the CM is and what attraction they have access to. We have done the Physic ones multiple times and had different experiences. Once, they let us ride Space Mountain with the lights on and the next time we didn't. We last did the one with sound waves and got to go behind the scenes in Haunted Mansion which was my favorite so far, but everyone's mileage varies depending on the teacher and what their attraction choices are for a specific date and time.

I find the site with their info so confusing. How much is the yes ticket for kids ON TOP of part ticket? And do parents have to join in for kids 10 and over?

 

[boswellnakia]

We have only done exclusive programs where we take our own group and we have program with just our kids. It sounds like you might be joining one of their open, public programs so I don't have much of an idea there.

For our closed groups, we can buy discounted park tickets that include one YES program. Additional YES programs can be purchased if interested. I think we we have to cover a minimum of 10 youth, but we usually have 20+ so the minimum hasn't been an issue with us. We are allowed to purchase one adult discounted ticket for each youth ticket purchased. Our kids have almost always been middle to high school youth. They do have restrictions on the number of adults that can participate in the program, but that wasn't an issue for us as we knew all of our kids and most of the parents preferred to sleep in as we usually do a 7:30am program so that the kids can get into the parks before they open.

Maybe someone can help on the public signup YES groups.

 

[shburks]

We have taken many groups for YES programs. I think it really depends on who the CM is and what attraction they have access to. We have done the Physic ones multiple times and had different experiences. Once, they let us ride Space Mountain with the lights on and the next time we didn't. We last did the one with sound waves and got to go behind the scenes in Haunted Mansion which was my favorite so far, but everyone's mileage varies depending on the teacher and what their attraction choices are for a specific date and time.

Thanks...I appreciate that! We are also looking at the individual classes (for a homeschooled kiddo) but I am torn on which classes to choose!

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

Thanks...I appreciate that! We are also looking at the individual classes (for a homeschooled kiddo) but I am torn on which classes to choose!

You purchase your park tickets through the YES program, you can't purchase park tickets and just out-right add 1 YES class to it

Although, that would be great, if you could just pay the $34 for the YES class, when you already have tickets or an AP.

We did the individual classes in early June. We were really limited as to which classes they offered that we even had a remote interest in.

It will tell you in the registration if an adult needs to accompany the child. I *think, most of them it's 14 and up.

We picked Photo-story telling in Epcot.

Our CM was very very dry.

He talked sssoooooooo much, I mean really really really a lot of just talking and talking and talking, he'd say the same thing over and over.

He told us, that he was an accountant, and he only does the YES program 3 or 4 times a month.

I really think having a different CM would have made the class much different.

 

[wendow]

A lot does depend on the CM. I think any of the classes could be great with the right teacher.

We did the Animal Behavior class at AK. Our CM was a young lady who was very into the class and that made it more interesting. My kids enjoyed it. The only real attraction we had "special access" to was the Safari and we just walked right past the entire line which was cool but I'd rather have some kind of really special access like going behind the scenes or riding SM with the lights on.