When to Go?

[Caroline NZ]

So I had a look at the 2014 & 2015 school calendars and work calendar and we have 2 options:

Option 1:
Jul14 go to UK for 3 weeks. Kids will miss 1 week of school but will still be at primary. Will be a real squeeze to fit this trip in, and a long way to go.
&
Jan15 go to WDW for 3 weeks. Once again a squeeze to fit in workwise, but kids will be on school holidays so no time off required for them.
2 trips in quick succession -will this be too much? ( big advantage is that kids miss the least school with this option ).

or

Option 2:
Oct14 go to WDW for 3 weeks. Kids will miss 2 weeks of school but will still be at primary so I am not too concerned about this.
&
Jul15 go to the UK for 4 weeks. Kids will miss 2 weeks of school ( eldest will be in his 1st yr of high school - year 9).
These trips seem a more manageable distance apart, but will eat into more of school time.

Decisions decisions, what would you do? ( of course it might all be a pipe dream, but heh we have to have dreams right?)

 

[JessNewbs]

I say option 2. Sounds like less of a squeeze, don't quote me but I think October will be alot cooler for WDW than July plus you get an extra week in the UK!

 

[battymum]

Yep, option 2
I wouldn't want to be at WDW when US schools are out!
Don't worry about school they will make it up!

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Another vote for option 2.

And yep, the kids can pick up where they left off when they get back and after all, they will be learning new things on holiday so it's a win win situation

It's good to have dream........................Dreams are a wish your heart makes.......................

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Option 2. They say WDW in July is like walking on the face of the sun

 

[Travel Mum]

I may be reading this wrong but it appears to me that Caroline's two choices of WDW dates are either January or October. I think July was for the UK

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'll take option 2 too.

 

[JessNewbs]

I may be reading this wrong but it appears to me that Caroline's two choices of WDW dates are either January or October. I think July was for the UK

Ooops sorry your right! I still think option 2!!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Another vote for option 2. Missing a week of school isn't a big deal especially in junior high years. They make it up pretty easily especially tacked onto a school hol so first week back at school or last week of a term. Just the last 2 years or thereabouts depending on schooling structure where it gets iffier...and you definitely need 4 weeks for UK-you waste so much time getting there and back-depending on flight timings -worst scenario it can be up to 5 days chewed up just in transit (2 there, 3 back). Exciting planning! What would you want to especially see/do in the UK? (WDW speaks for itself!)

 

[Caroline NZ]

Many thanks for your replies.
Yep UK would be Jul regardless of year. And WDW would be either Oct or Jan.
I was born in the UK, so would like to take the kids over and see rellies. But main reason for this trip is my DS in mad about steam trains. So we would go to see some of the main museums etc ( as well as the main tourist destinations as well)
I don't have concerns about taking the kids out of primary school, but I wasn't sure about 2 weeks off once my son was at hugh school?

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

Caroline, I think 2 weeks off in year 7 is very doable. If you let the teachers know a few weeks out, they can work around it. We've done it, and will do it again if we need to so that our family can travel.

I definitely agree that 4 weeks in UK would be ideal.

 

[JessNewbs]

Two weeks in early high school is fine IMO. My kids are having 4 weeks off next year (although that is primary school DS year 2 and DD kindy). The experiences they can have travelling are so beneficial to children. If you said year 10 or higher I would say to talk to their teachers but I can't see a drama at all.

 

[marvel]

You may also want to consider weather. Completely different travelling to WDW in Jan and Oct. I believe.

 

[Mum from oz]

I would do option 2 as well.

 

[battymum]

My DD is in Year 11 - she had her yearly exams the last two weeks - and the way the timetable fell - she didnt have to go to school last Wed, Thurs or Fri -

This week, they had graduation for Year 12s on TUesday and they had a practice Mass on Monday - I did canteen duty there today and there were heaps of kids not there, she came home with me at 1:00pm, tomorrow willl be even less.

There would have been no problem taking her out of school this week. I think its better to take time off before the holidays rather than after.

I do value education and discourage taking time off -but taking them out of school for a family trip is no biggie! (except Year 12)

 

[Caroline NZ]

You may also want to consider weather. Completely different travelling to WDW in Jan and Oct. I believe.

Hi, yep, I had already had a good look at the historic weather for both months. We are probably more comfortable with the Jan weather, but we would be okay with Oct weather too

 

[Caroline NZ]

My DD is in Year 11 - she had her yearly exams the last two weeks - and the way the timetable fell - she didnt have to go to school last Wed, Thurs or Fri -

This week, they had graduation for Year 12s on TUesday and they had a practice Mass on Monday - I did canteen duty there today and there were heaps of kids not there, she came home with me at 1:00pm, tomorrow willl be even less.

There would have been no problem taking her out of school this week. I think its better to take time off before the holidays rather than after.

I do value education and discourage taking time off -but taking them out of school for a family trip is no biggie! (except Year 12)

Thanks for that Battymum.
I think I am leaning towards going to WDW in Oct14 (I think I probably want to go soon rather than later anyway, England can wait!)

 

[BigDisneyOE]

FWIW - I'd not go to the UK for less than four weeks, it's just to far to cram in rellie visits and things you want to do. York Train Museum (or whatever they call it now) is the place to go if you haven't, it's brilliant. We will take the kid back to do all our rellies and I've said six weeks as we want to do some other countries too, so our plan is when they are 10 to squeeze in before they get more costly on the planes. So I'd go for WDW, not the UK.

 

[Caroline NZ]

FWIW - I'd not go to the UK for less than four weeks, it's just to far to cram in rellie visits and things you want to do. York Train Museum (or whatever they call it now) is the place to go if you haven't, it's brilliant. We will take the kid back to do all our rellies and I've said six weeks as we want to do some other countries too, so our plan is when they are 10 to squeeze in before they get more costly on the planes. So I'd go for WDW, not the UK.

Thanks for that, trouble is I am restricted by how long I can be away from work. I will be away for 4 weeks next year, but that is a "special" occasion and I can't expect to have that sort of a block of leave approved every year.
Thanks for the advice on the York museum, I have heard from others as well that it is the place to go