The Smith's "Yes We Are Pulling DD Out of School Twice This Year" PTR!

[Tnkrbelle565]

Before I go any further...1) I work for CPS so don't feel the need to call on me and 2) Kindergarten is not mandatory in Massachusetts

HI!!!! Back by not-so-popular demand, I am starting a PTR report for our very first Star Wars Weekend Trip. We are going from May 27th-June 1st meaning that for the 2nd time this year, we are allowing our little princess to skip out on Kindergarten for a couple of days (2 to be exact).

If you are a new reader, I probably should introduce myself

Hi, I'm Kristine. I'm a 33 year old wife/mommy/social worker/scrapbooker/sewer from Boston!

Here is Princess Aisling...pronounced Ash-ling so I will probably refer to her mostly as Ash. Our first trip this school year (where Aisling missed 3 days...are you following along- only 5 days total at WDW this year...the teachers can't get too mad can they???? ) was for Aisling's 6th birthday. It was a surprise trip. If you enjoy surprise videos, check out the link for "Tink Got Me My Very Own Sharpies"...the link to YouTube is on the first page.

This is my DH. He humors me with all things Disney and for that...I must love him We have been together for 10 years. I smartly didn't let him know about the true extent of my Disney obsession until after he said "I do" He likes to pretend that he's sick of going to Disney but has more fun than all of us when he gets there

If you care to read about my family's other Disney Adventures....check them out here:

Tink Got Me My Very Own Sharpies!- A Surprise Bday TR



Our Trick AND Treat- DD's Surprise Bday Trip!- PTR


Sew Much Fun...13 of Cinderella's Mice Head to WDW! TR

The Smith's YES we are going to Disney AGAIN PTR!

Does the Pixie Dust Count if You Don't KNOW about it?

Santa Got me A DISboarder Weekend to the Mouse!

 

[jenb1023]

Am I first??? If so, woo-hoo!!!!

You probably have a good room only discount for this trip but just in case they just sent an e-mail to Disney Visa holders for a kids eat and get free park tickets on a five day four night package when staying with an adult on the QSDP.

 

[mkleinbe]

I'm here! I love that you prefaced your TR with "I work for CPS, so please don't call me on myself".

 

[Stitch's Mommy]

I'm Subscribing! =0)

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Am I first??? If so, woo-hoo!!!!

You probably have a good room only discount for this trip but just in case they just sent an e-mail to Disney Visa holders for a kids eat and get free park tickets on a five day four night package when staying with an adult on the QSDP.

I'm here! I love that you prefaced your TR with "I work for CPS, so please don't call me on myself".

I'm Subscribing! =0)

Woo Hoo....I have readers!!!!!!! Thanks all!!!

You never know how people will react about the pulling out of school debate, hence the "I work for CPS" disclaimer Personally, our school is SUPER strict. They can not miss a whole week at once or they will fail them. So we just split it up

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Interesting that Jen mentioned the hotel deal!!!! I was next going to tell you about our hotel story

If you read my latest TR, you know that Randy can no longer stand POP. 2 years in Deluxe and the man is ruined. Randy is in the "I work long hours all year to afford a nice hotel" club. I am in the "we are never in the room" club. But I'm also not stupid enough to turn down Deluxe!

So I got an AP in 2009. I had gone on the October trip with my family and a girls trip in February. It made financial sense to get an AP for the year. It saved $70 on the park tickets PLUS the hotel savings on both trips. But that stupid AP just burned a hole in my pocket and my friend Stacy and I decided to go in January for my bday to get one last use out it. Problem was that the airfare never cooperated. So our "super cheap" trip got very pricey. In the end, I had to make the responsible decision to cancel.

In the meantime, I was totally bummed about not being able to go in January...even though it was the responsible thing to do. And then they announced Star Wars Weekend

So I threw out the idea to Randy who thought it was a good plan. We could go down for a long weekend. His only condition...no POP. I had planned to stay at POFQ so that was the plan. I priced it all out. Price worked. But then Disney started throwing out all these insane deals. I had spreadsheet upon spreadsheet of crazy Disney math.

THEN my friend Cindee threw out that she might rent DVC points and stay on property for the weekend (she's a local). HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

So I checked out the rental boards. I could get a studio for roughly the same prices as a Mod. I asked Randy what he thought. His visions immediately turned to the Beach Club Villas. Unfortunately, we were too late and all the studios were gone there but.....

They did have AKVs Savannah view The resort that turned my DH into a Disney Deluxe hotel snob! We LOVE AKL so I knew that it was a great choice. I really had wanted to try somewhere new this trip but the more I'm thinking about it...for a short 5 night trip, it works out well to be somewhere we know so we don't have to waste valuable park time wandering around getting our bearings!

 

[sohappy]

And your super awesome friend Stacy is staying there too with her boys. We are soooo looking forward to this trip. The kids are going to have a BLAST! The other day on the way home, Cooper asked if 3 people could ride together. I told him I was sure that we could all fit on some of the rides together. Jackson said, "no, Mom, he means us and Aisling". So they can't wait to ride rides with a girl they have never met!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

And your super awesome friend Stacy is staying there too with her boys. We are soooo looking forward to this trip. The kids are going to have a BLAST! The other day on the way home, Cooper asked if 3 people could ride together. I told him I was sure that we could all fit on some of the rides together. Jackson said, "no, Mom, he means us and Aisling". So they can't wait to ride rides with a girl they have never met!

oh yes...AND my super awesome friend Stacy is staying there too

 

[pacrosby]

I must admit your title sucked me in and then................to find you are from Boston Well, I just had to read on more!

I don't hesitate to take my kids out and I must say I've never heard of a school that could "fail" a child for going on vacation if they were otherwise doing well academically. Fail them for whatever work was missed yes, but in general? Makes me wonder where the heck you live Anyway...............don't get me going on that whole issue. Sometimes I so wish I was the homeschooling type

Anyway.............count me in!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I must admit your title sucked me in and then................to find you are from Boston Well, I just had to read on more!

I don't hesitate to take my kids out and I must say I've never heard of a school that could "fail" a child for going on vacation if they were otherwise doing well academically. Fail them for whatever work was missed yes, but in general? Makes me wonder where the heck you live Anyway...............don't get me going on that whole issue. Sometimes I so wish I was the homeschooling type

Anyway.............count me in!!

Don't get me started either...it's NUTS! We live in Methuen. My DD goes to private school. They will administratively fail them...which means they'll stay back. Yup, that's right...they will make them repeat a grade. Even if they had straight As before or after a trip. But private schools can get away with that I guess. Personally I feel like saying "hey, I'm paying you...if I want to pull her out and she's doing fine...it's just money I'm wasting for tuition isn't it???"

 

[Kara]

Yeah for another trip!!!!!!!I won't be calling CPS...I would do the SAME THING LOL!!

Star Wars weekend was my second choice of times to go so I cant read to hear about your trip!!

 

[pacrosby]

Don't get me started either...it's NUTS! We live in Methuen. My DD goes to private school. They will administratively fail them...which means they'll stay back. Yup, that's right...they will make them repeat a grade. Even if they had straight As before or after a trip. But private schools can get away with that I guess. Personally I feel like saying "hey, I'm paying you...if I want to pull her out and she's doing fine...it's just money I'm wasting for tuition isn't it???"

Ahhhhh...private school. That explains it! I know a lot of public schools "threaten", but if push came to shove they'd be hard pressed to really do anything beyond not allowing a child to make up the work which, if they were doing really well, wouldn't have a huge effect overall

btw, we were neighbors. We lived right next door in North Andover until 2005. Now we are just east of Worcester.

 

[Diamondintheruff]

Since you've been there since the conception of my trip reports I figured the least I could do is be there for you until the end of yours. Of course it looks like this promise may have us both writing about trips taken with our great grand children but hey, I'm in if you are.

Ah the lure of the Beach club. I almost allowed myself to be washed ashore on one of it's waves. But like you said the crazy disney math and the multiple discounts to explore did me in. In the end, I had to give up the surf. But I'm keeping my breakfast at Cape May. Even though it's for fringin 7:30 and it's probably gonna kill us.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Yeah for another trip!!!!!!!I won't be calling CPS...I would do the SAME THING LOL!!

Star Wars weekend was my second choice of times to go so I cant read to hear about your trip!!

Thanks for coming on over! We've finally been getting some warm(er) weather here so you KNOW that that's making me even more excited

Ahhhhh...private school. That explains it! I know a lot of public schools "threaten", but if push came to shove they'd be hard pressed to really do anything beyond not allowing a child to make up the work which, if they were doing really well, wouldn't have a huge effect overall

btw, we were neighbors. We lived right next door in North Andover until 2005. Now we are just east of Worcester.

My DH is from N. Andover. I'm from Methuen originally. We lived in N. Andover until last June when we finally smartened up and realized that we could get a bigger house/yard for our money in Methuen.

Since you've been there since the conception of my trip reports I figured the least I could do is be there for you until the end of yours. Of course it looks like this promise may have us both writing about trips taken with our great grand children but hey, I'm in if you are.

Ah the lure of the Beach club. I almost allowed myself to be washed ashore on one of it's waves. But like you said the crazy disney math and the multiple discounts to explore did me in. In the end, I had to give up the surf. But I'm keeping my breakfast at Cape May. Even though it's for fringin 7:30 and it's probably gonna kill us.

I"m in

Did the math kill you? I hate math. It was way too much...room only codes, AP discounts (if I renewed my AP), Disney Visa offers, gift card offers.

I'm happy with our choice. It was only about $70 more than POFQ would have been so I'm okay with that.

I can't BELIEVE that you are still doing a 7:30 ADR at Cape May. Those better be some darn good eggs

 

[Disneymom3304]

Yay you started a PTR

My DD is in Kindergarten too and she will miss 5 days in a row for our vacation, but that is okay with us and besides the beginning of September the only other time my DH has time off

Has Aisling joined in on the countdown yet? She must be so excited for Star Wars weekend!!!!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Yay you started a PTR

My DD is in Kindergarten too and she will miss 5 days in a row for our vacation, but that is okay with us and besides the beginning of September the only other time my DH has time off

Has Aisling joined in on the countdown yet? She must be so excited for Star Wars weekend!!!!

We also have a hard time taking time off around school breaks (plus mommy doesn't have the patience for the crowds ). I'm (clearly) fine with kids missing school esp. Kindergarten if they are doing well and don't need the extra classroom time.

Aisling IS well aware of this trip. She put in her order with Miss Stacy for a Star Wars- themed dress. She talks about it CONSTANTLY. She would be packed already if I let her

 

[Lady Lallie]

I'm here!

I will try to stay caught up better. I have been in a DIS slump lately.

I still think the attendance policy is ridiculous at Aisling's school. Oy.

Looks like it's a Massachusetts party over here. We really need to have a DIS meet. We've been on each other's PTRs/TRs for almost two years now!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I'm here!

I will try to stay caught up better. I have been in a DIS slump lately.

I still think the attendance policy is ridiculous at Aisling's school. Oy.

Looks like it's a Massachusetts party over here. We really need to have a DIS meet. We've been on each other's PTRs/TRs for almost two years now!

Welcome back over LL! I understand the DIS slump. It's ok. I'll forgive you

It is a Massachusetts Party Go Sox

 

[jenb1023]

See, I told you there would be plenty of readers!

I knew you were renting DVC points so I have no idea why I told you about the Visa deal. Call it my airhead moment for the day!

As for the school debate, I plan to pull Jordan out of school as long as she can handle making up the work.

 

[DisneyJo]

Sounds great so far!

We can be fined over here if we take the kids out of school, for my December trip my girls missed the last 5 days of term, they only watch DVD's all week anyway Anyway the Head said he'd have to inform the Child Welfare Officer as it was for more than 4 days. We could have been fined about £1,000 ($1,500) but thankfully snow closed the school on the very last day (unheard of here) so we only had 4 days off But really the CWO should be more worried about the kids that are constantly off not good parents who want to take their kids to WDW for a few days. Anyway vent over