Balancing WDW Vacations and School - How do you make it work?

MickeyMomV

Well-Known Member
So my DS is now in Junior High and we are having some Disney withdrawals. For the last 5-6 years we have been going once every 9-12 months. Historically with him being in elementary school we just pulled him out for the week and went whenever we wanted. Now with him in Junior High and the fact he is taking advanced math and Spanish we no longer have that ability. He was out sick for 4 days this winter and it took him 2-3 weeks to get fully caught back up.
We have always avoided official school vacation times such as summer vacation and Christmas and spring breaks because everything is so busy but I'm not sure that is going to be an option anymore. I guess I'm just looking to see what some of you do to balance the vacations with Jr. High or High School. Do you take shorter trips around in-service days? Do you fight the crowds during school vacation time? Do you just pull the kids out and deal with it? Or do you just leave them with Grandma and enjoy the trip without them?
 

becca_

Well-Known Member
I took 4 college classes my senior year of high school, and even though it took me a while to catch up we went to Disney on a Wednesday - Sunday in March, so I would only miss 3 days of school. I would ask the teachers myself for all of my homework and class work that I would miss before hand and do it on the plane to Orlando/back home. It honestly depends on the teachers and school and classes, but I think missing a few days and asking for the work you will be missing before hand is the best way to go if you want to pull them out during the school year. I can't say much about spring breaks or anything (I've never gone during this time) but if you are patient and are willing to wait in longer lines you can probably just go over breaks that his school has! Good luck!!
 
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Chernabog75

Active Member
Are there any extended weekends in your district? We always get election day and the Monday before off. The past two years have left on Saturday and come back late Wednesday. So basically get 5 days at WDW but kids only miss 1 school day.
 
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MickeyMomV

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Are there any extended weekends in your district? We always get election day and the Monday before off. The past two years have left on Saturday and come back late Wednesday. So basically get 5 days at WDW but kids only miss 1 school day.
I wish they had it off as the DH and I get election day off every other year. Looking at the school calendar, after the school year starts, they have 2 1/2 days off for thanksgiving, 2 weeks for Christmas, feb 16th (random in-service day), first week of April for spring break, and then Memorial day. That is it, no other random days. They even took away mid-winter break starting next year.
 
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cjlyon

Well-Known Member
I know when my son was in school I would take him over labor day weekend usually for 10 days and going home on labor day so he could go to school the next day. I know some schools start the week before labor day so it might help with crowds.
 
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ninjaprincesst

Well-Known Member
We just suck it up and go when she is out of school. A vacation is not an excused absence in our district so we just deal with the crowds, so she does not get behind and have work she is not allowed to make up. We usually go for 9 days at Thanksgiving. It is easier for me personally to handle the crowds when its not hot.
 
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DisneyRoy

Well-Known Member
Depending on when your district starts, I know people that go the first week of the year. We start after Labor Day so they fly down the weekend before and stay through the week. Kids usually miss 3 days that first week, but what are they really missing the first week? If you start in August though that probably doesn't help.
 
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MotherofaPrincessLover

Well-Known Member
This is something I have been thinking about. Right now I pull my daughter out of school for vacation (I'm a little nervous about how much school she'll miss next year :confused:). When she gets older, I really don't know how we're going to do it. I'm hoping she'll be able to handle making up the work.
 
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MickeyMomV

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I would take the trips while you can. At the end of the day, middle school is technically useless for the future. It has no affect on college. Once you get to high school, taking time off is going to be much more difficult and he will have different priorities then as well.
Currently the DS is in the 7th grade and is taking 8th grade math and High School Spanish. Next school year he will be taking High School Math and Spanish. That's part of the dilemma, some of his classes are already counting towards graduation.
 
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MickeyMomV

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We just suck it up and go when she is out of school. A vacation is not an excused absence in our district so we just deal with the crowds, so she does not get behind and have work she is not allowed to make up. We usually go for 9 days at Thanksgiving. It is easier for me personally to handle the crowds when its not hot.
I'm thinking this is what we may end up doing. I'm just not sold on the August heat.
 
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DiSnEyF@n

Well-Known Member
I'm thinking this is what we may end up doing. I'm just not sold on the August heat.

Where do you live? If it's somewhere where it's super hot and humid already then there's no difference... I live in NJ and it's hot as heck here, so we're used to it. We go in the august heat and yes, it's hot but A LOT of stuff at Disney is inside in super duper air conditioning... plus it's an excuse to have a pool day or night or morning or whatever... On a side note, we went in February (2016) and we got (unlucky??) with the weather and it was cold and in the 50s for 90% of our trip. My husband and I agreed that we'd rather go in August and sweat our butts off than be cold on vacation.
 
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brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
So my DS is now in Junior High and we are having some Disney withdrawals. For the last 5-6 years we have been going once every 9-12 months. Historically with him being in elementary school we just pulled him out for the week and went whenever we wanted. Now with him in Junior High and the fact he is taking advanced math and Spanish we no longer have that ability. He was out sick for 4 days this winter and it took him 2-3 weeks to get fully caught back up.
We have always avoided official school vacation times such as summer vacation and Christmas and spring breaks because everything is so busy but I'm not sure that is going to be an option anymore. I guess I'm just looking to see what some of you do to balance the vacations with Jr. High or High School. Do you take shorter trips around in-service days? Do you fight the crowds during school vacation time? Do you just pull the kids out and deal with it? Or do you just leave them with Grandma and enjoy the trip without them?

As a family of two teachers and an 8th grader, we haven't really gone during the school year...almost ever. We have done a couple long weekends around Thanksgiving and MLK, but we go at Christmas, Easter (Spring Break), and in the summer. The worst crowds are Christmas week, Easter is pretty nuts as well, 4th of July is bad - but only the couple days around it. But June and August, while very hot, are certainly manageable. Early mornings and late evenings with afternoons at the pool or just relaxing in the room. And it means we can go for 10 days with no worries about missing any school.
 
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MySmallWorldof4

Well-Known Member
We have gone in August during the 3rd week and while it is hot, the crowds are definitely manageable, plus it only took a day to adjust to the heat. Just plenty of water, a hat on your head, breaks in A/C attractions, and store walk throughs are very helpful. Early afternoon breaks from the parks to get out of the hottest part of the day are good to do. We like to resort hop on the monorail. With your child in a more rigorous school program I would definitely do August as opposed to taking him out. Either that or go as close as possible to the first day of school where he may only miss the first or second day where not too much is going on.
 
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Ricap

Member
I realize your son is older, but I'd like to use this opportunity to speak as an elementary school teacher off the record to any nervous parent.

Most of us are required to "penalize" a child for missing school for a vacation, but every teacher I talk to understands the importance of a family trip. Try to see past the strict front we have to put up. If you're patient with us, we will do whatever we can to help out, even if our words don't reflect that.

Now, as a young teacher who can't afford Disney at peak times while I'm out of school, I'm taking two random days off in March and going Saturday early morning through Tuesday night on a week where we have no major events or testing going on. A short trip is better than no trip!
 
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