New Jersey DVC Members Group

[Lorrie7249]

We fly United. We like to do a very early morning flight going and a very late evening flight coming back so we get the most out of the parks. For our next trip we leave Sept. 27. A couple of weeks ago they changed our 7:00am to 9:00am. We could live with this. This week they changed our 8:55pm to 3:35pm. Not happy about this. We did some research and it looks like JetBlue is doing a better job of social distancing, no middle seats being sold, and they have more flights. A little more expensive but we just booked a 7:35am going and 6:55pm coming back. Hopefully they do not start consolidating flights.

this is one of my concerns as i am researching flights. i see several different choices for both United and JetBlue, but wondering if i pick one that works best for us with respect to timing, will they change it as we get closer to flight dates. I was convinced i should go with jetBlue because of the points you made regarding safety in current times, but then i saw that is supposed to end sometime in October. And then, should i have stuck with United? i really don't like that you book a non-refundable flight and then they can change significantly on their end. I do see that with United, they have eliminated change fees for the time being. Wondering how long that will last.

Decisions decisions

 

[Undavolt]

this is one of my concerns as i am researching flights. i see several different choices for both United and JetBlue, but wondering if i pick one that works best for us with respect to timing, will they change it as we get closer to flight dates. I was convinced i should go with jetBlue because of the points you made regarding safety in current times, but then i saw that is supposed to end sometime in October. And then, should i have stuck with United? i really don't like that you book a non-refundable flight and then they can change significantly on their end. I do see that with United, they have eliminated change fees for the time being. Wondering how long that will last.

Decisions decisions

United did this to us when we were supposed to come down in August as well but we cancelled the trip. If we were not going before Oct 15 which is when JetBlue ends their no fee cancellations, we might not have booked with them. But right now I feel good about JetBlue not changing our flights. I actually still have my United reservation to fall back on.

I did get an email from the United CEO on August 31 that said they are getting rid of change fees for good with the exception of their Basic economy. Bold move. Will be interesting to see if other airlines follow.

 

[MM0422]

United did this to us when we were supposed to come down in August as well but we cancelled the trip. If we were not going before Oct 15 which is when JetBlue ends their no fee cancellations, we might not have booked with them. But right now I feel good about JetBlue not changing our flights. I actually still have my United reservation to fall back on.

I did get an email from the United CEO on August 31 that said they are getting rid of change fees for good with the exception of their Basic economy. Bold move. Will be interesting to see if other airlines follow.

When United changes your flight by more than an hour (if I remember correctly), you have the option to get a refund rather than a future flight credit. They've done this for our trip in late October and I'm on the fence about whether to cancel and just hope our January trip is a go. Supposed to go later this month as well, but watching to see what happens with numbers after people enjoyed the Labor Day weekend.

 

[Pooh12863]

We fly United. We like to do a very early morning flight going and a very late evening flight coming back so we get the most out of the parks. For our next trip we leave Sept. 27. A couple of weeks ago they changed our 7:00am to 9:00am. We could live with this. This week they changed our 8:55pm to 3:35pm. Not happy about this. We did some research and it looks like JetBlue is doing a better job of social distancing, no middle seats being sold, and they have more flights. A little more expensive but we just booked a 7:35am going and 6:55pm coming back. Hopefully they do not start consolidating flights.

It’s a crap shoot with any airline. I like you usually book to fly early morning (6 am) on the way down and try to get something around midnight on the way home. The trip I just returned from they changed my 6 am to 5:37 pm and changed my 11:39 pm return flight to 1:37 pm effectively killing two of my park days. It was annoying on a week long trip, but if it happens on my coming 4 day trip I may look for different flights, rather than losing an Epcot day during F&W.

 

[Pooh12863]

To those who have visited WDW in the past couple of weeks, what did you do about quarantine when you arrived back in Jersey? We are scheduled to go the first week in December with banked points that expire the end of January, not sure what to do!

I returned 10 days ago, we work from home so have been quarantining, although in NJ it isn’t mandatory, just suggested so I don’t really know what I would do If I didn’t work from home.

 

[Undavolt]

It’s a crap shoot with any airline. I like you usually look to fly early morning (6 am) on the way down and try to get something around midnight on the way home. The trip I just returned from they changed my 6 am to 5:37 pm and changed my 11:39 pm return flight to 1:37 pm effectively killing two of my park days. It was annoying on a week long trip, but if it happens on my coming 4 day trip I may look for different flights, rather than losing an Epcot day during F&W.

That‘s terrible, but at least you knew going in. We did a trip in August 2016 where we had a flight at 10:00 am and we left at 5:00 pm. They used the excuse of mechanical problems, crew change and fuel. The fuel was after we had left the gate.

Our upcoming is a 5 day/4 night and we are hopeful that the JetBlue flights hold up. Already had to revise our park passes once.

 

[Pooh12863]

That‘s terrible, but at least you knew going in. We did a trip in August 2016 where we had a flight at 10:00 am and we left at 5:00 pm. They used the excuse of mechanical problems, crew change and fuel. The fuel was after we had left the gate.

Our upcoming is a 5 day/4 night and we are hopeful that the JetBlue flights hold up. Already had to revise our park passes once.

I cringe every time I get an email from Frontier thinking this is the one.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Good morning!

How is school working for your students? I see school buses around Cape May.

 

[Ginger R]

Good morning! We are in Gloucester County and my daughter attends Catholic school. We are 5 days full in person learning. She is in her last year there. She's in 8th grade and so far so good. Her grade is split into 2 sections. There are 14 students in each section. The students stay put in their classroom and the teachers are rotating to each class. They wear masks all day except for lunch and recess outside with 6 foot distance. They also have plexiglass 3 sided shields attached to each student desk. My daughter was happy to get back to actual school and see her friends again! We're hoping it all works out and that it will work successfully

 

[mrsap]

Good morning! We are in Gloucester County and my daughter attends Catholic school. We are 5 days full in person learning. She is in her last year there. She's in 8th grade and so far so good. Her grade is split into 2 sections. There are 14 students in each section. The students stay put in their classroom and the teachers are rotating to each class. They wear masks all day except for lunch and recess outside with 6 foot distance. They also have plexiglass 3 sided shields attached to each student desk. My daughter was happy to get back to actual school and see her friends again! We're hoping it all works out and that it will work successfully

Same here! We are three days in, and everyone seems happy with the situation. I am very happy the kids are back, and they are happy to be back with their friends! They needed to get back to school!! I do not think homeschooling was doing anything for them. Let’s just hope everyone stays healthy!

 

[Lorrie7249]

Somerset county here... 3 days in here. i've got a middle schooler and a high schooler. We only have hybrid or 100% virtual available. For both of them, the schools split the kids into "cohorts" by alphabetical order and all of the core classes are done during the time for single session, so they are both essentially done by noon or 12:30. Middle schooler is in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and the remainder of the week logs in from home to the classroom. For the high schooler it is on a rotational basis where one day is virtual and the next is in person. Makes for crazy schedules to remember who is in person and who is home each day. I do appreciate that on virtual days they need to log in and attend a class that is actively being taught. Much better to the busy work they were given the last 3 months of school in the spring. I am wondering now if it would have been a better choice long ago to send them to catholic school, as those schools in my area are also 5 days a week, full day in person. I am going to see how it goes. so far its ok.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

After reading the school reviews this just shows why we need school choice in this state. It would help offset the cost to parents for private school, the federal dollars follow the student not the school. I don't know exactly how much money it is but it would be nice for parents to have the option especially now when public schools are on crazy schedules but a lot of private schools are open...

 

[jerseygal]

Governor DeSantis gave parents the choice of distance learning or in person school and granted accommodations to teachers, school employees with Pre existing conditions, pregnancy was also granted an accommodation. Only about 35 percent of Orange County students are back in person at school. Think it gives patents more of a sense of control to make the best decision for their children in such crazy, uncertain times.

 

[mrsap]

Governor DeSantis gave parents the choice of distance learning or in person school and granted accommodations to teachers, school employees with Pre existing conditions, pregnancy was also granted an accommodation. Only about 35 percent of Orange County students are back in person at school. Think it gives patents more of a sense of control to make the best decision for their children in such crazy, uncertain times.

We were also given a choice in our district. About half of the students stayed home. DD said school is practically empty.

 

[jerseygal]

We were also given a choice in our district. About half of the students stayed home. DD said school is practically empty.

Choice is good in this particular circumstance this year. Many districts in NJ didn’t give parents choice, each district is doing something different or a combination, hybrid..

 

[mrsap]

Choice is good in this particular circumstance this year. Many districts in NJ didn’t give parents choice, each district is doing something different or a combination, hybrid..

Yes, we met a couple of families while camping a couple weeks ago who were from South and West Jersey who were told only home school is available. Should have definitely been given a choice.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

My DGS (3rd grade) goes Tues, Thursday and every other Friday...hope my daughter can keep it straight which week she's on. I guess this will call for marking it all down on the calendar ahead of time.

My DGD (K) goes 2.5 hours Monday - Friday

My DGS (K) goes 4 days full day because he has a classification otherwise I think he was going to be doing full virtual, mother's choice because she felt once he did go back he might have a hard time adjusting to different students if his class assignment was changed.

I know of another family whose children are going Monday, Wednesday, Friday one week and the next week it's Tuesday, Thursday and back again to first rotation, etc. Can you imagine keeping that straight???

All these gyrations is making it very hard on the parents of these children who have to work and can't work remotely. I just hope that everything goes well and when cold/flue season hits we don't have any issues...Not sure how days off will affect these schedules. It's going to be an interesting school year.

 

[jerseygal]

Very difficult on working parents who are working remotely and trying to “guide and focus” their k through 5 students with distance learning..middle and high school students should do ok..k through 5 distance learning will be difficult to keep this age group engaged!

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Very difficult on working parents who are working remotely and trying to “guide and focus” their k through 5 students with distance learning..middle and high school students should do ok..k through 5 distance learning will be difficult to keep this age group engaged!

I agree with you very much, my DD is dealing with this now. She has two children in K and 3rd grade and a job that requires her full attention. Not an easy task to juggle both.

I forgot to mention that the grade school in my township is open 5 days a week full time. I think they are about the only school that is offering that. They put out a survey to the parents and 78% of the parents wanted fulltime classes. They are also offering remote for those who don't feel comfortable with in school learning. I sure hope this works out for all concerned.

 

[jerseygal]

Hoping for teachers, admin, staff, and students to remain healthy this school year! Extra patience and challenges for parents