I received a lot of great feedback following the article I posted last time about whether or not to take my kids out of school for a Disney vacation. The overwhelming majority of people say that they’re only little once, family memories are just as important as formal education, and that as long as they are doing well and able to catch up, there’s nothing wrong with missing 5 days of school. I tend to agree but still hesitate and struggle with my own guilt about it. However, when I think about all of the advantages of going during the off-season, I am certainly tempted to plan a September 2017 trip.
My family is on a budget and an important part of that budget is taking at least 1 big family vacation each year. We are on an every-other-year Walt Disney World plan. We were there 1 year ago and this fall we are going on a cruise (no, not a Disney cruise unfortunately). That means it’s about time to start figuring out the basic details of our next Disney trip for 2017! With our cruise right around the corner, I still find myself skipping ahead, daydreaming about Disney resorts, and staring at the 2017 calendar.
My kids start school in late July so by mid-September they’ve been in school for 6 weeks or more. Next fall, they will only be in 1st and 2nd grade so it is definitely on my mind that by the time we go back again, they’ll be in 3rd and 4th. By then, will I still be able to convince myself that it’s ok to pull them out? I’m not sure about that. What I am sure about is that some great deals are available around Walt Disney World Resort this September. We’ve only ever stayed in Value resorts and while they are wonderful in their own right, part of me dreams of staying at a Deluxe resort. Based on historical offers, I know there is a good chance similar deals will be offered again next year. And yes, The Affordable Mouse always says to book what you are comfortable with because there are NO guarantees. That is absolutely the best advice; however, it’s still fun to hypothesize, crunch numbers, and book a million fake trips to compare options.
Taking my kids out of school in September might be the only way I can justify staying in a Deluxe to myself or my husband. If the same deals are not offered a year from now, we can always switch to a Moderate resort. As the boys get older, I am sure we will transition to taking our Disney vacations along with the rest of the world during school breaks. My husband has always dreamed of staying at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and I know this would be a magical experience for all of us.
Stay tuned to find out what we decide!
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Candice was raised in east Tennessee. While in college, her best friend dragged her to a Walt Disney World College Program recruiting session at the University of Tennessee and the rest is Disney history. In the Fall of 1999, Candice became a quick service food hostess for Sunset Ranch Market and Fantasmic at Disney-MGM Studios – or what is now known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios. While soaking up her time as a cast member, she met Ryan, a neighbor and a fellow college programmer who worked as a custodial host at Epcot. Four years later, Candice moved to the Midwest and married that boy from across the hall. They now live in Greenwood, Indiana with their two little boys. The Disney-loving foursome took their first family trip to The Happiest Place on Earth in 2013 and Candice is eagerly planning their return. Candice also works full-time at a community mental health center and enjoys taking photographs and blogging at Mommy in the Midwest.
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