The vacation of a lifetime!

[revwog1974]

Marion aka "Rustmanfan" is making journal pages for Disneyland. I thought of you when I saw them. You can see the thread here.

 

[Riahsha]

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been away for so long.
I've had a couple of changes since the last time I've been here. My two grandchildren are going with us! Granddaughter-9 and grandson-7. They will have to bring schoolwork for the 3 weeks they're there, but they will have plenty of downtime to do it.
We're still staying at a hotel, but we bought an RV and that should help with a lot. Now we'll really need the kids suite at Hojos.
How are you all doing?
Anyone been to DLR since the new openings? Do tell all, please!

 

[CurlyGirlyGirl]

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been away for so long.
I've had a couple of changes since the last time I've been here. My two grandchildren are going with us! Granddaughter-9 and grandson-7. They will have to bring schoolwork for the 3 weeks they're there, but they will have plenty of downtime to do it.
We're still staying at a hotel, but we bought an RV and that should help with a lot. Now we'll really need the kids suite at Hojos.
How are you all doing?
Anyone been to DLR since the new openings? Do tell all, please!

Your grandkids are missing three weeks of school. Do you really think that the packet of work that is sent with them is an acceptable substitute? They are going to be missing out on A LOT.

 

[Xenorye]

Riahsha,

Inspired by your story. Thank you for sharing.

I'm from Southern California, moved to Oklahoma City when I was 8, and am going back to Disneyland for the first time in about ten years, taking my wife and daughter (she'll be 3.5) in April next year also. Right now we're looking at the week before you, though.

Honestly, when I first read your post, I thought "Man, that's a long time... not sure about that." Now, my three day park hopper seems like it will be inadequate... haha!

 

[Riahsha]

Riahsha,

Inspired by your story. Thank you for sharing.

I'm from Southern California, moved to Oklahoma City when I was 8, and am going back to Disneyland for the first time in about ten years, taking my wife and daughter (she'll be 3.5) in April next year also. Right now we're looking at the week before you, though.

Honestly, when I first read your post, I thought "Man, that's a long time... not sure about that." Now, my three day park hopper seems like it will be inadequate... haha!

I hope you have a wonderful time!!!
I found one of my cousins that lives in the area and we're planning an afternoon at Trader Sams while the DH has the children.

 

[Xenorye]

I hope you have a wonderful time!!!
I found one of my cousins that lives in the area and we're planning an afternoon at Trader Sams while the DH has the children.

Neat! You just reminded me that I'm a terrible person. I still have family in the area and totally forgot about that... they're totally going to want to see us... talk about a way to ruin a vacation! Nah, they're alright people. Just need to figure out where to squeeze that in.

 

[mouseymommy]

Your grandkids are missing three weeks of school. Do you really think that the packet of work that is sent with them is an acceptable substitute? They are going to be missing out on A LOT.

Sometimes spending time as a family is more important than missing out on school work.

 

[ArchOwl]

Your grandkids are missing three weeks of school. Do you really think that the packet of work that is sent with them is an acceptable substitute? They are going to be missing out on A LOT.

Did you read the whole thread before you posted?

 

[cp11]

Your grandkids are missing three weeks of school. Do you really think that the packet of work that is sent with them is an acceptable substitute? They are going to be missing out on A LOT.

I keep reading this statement above hoping that I'm not understanding it correctly, so I need to read it again.

The planning and the memories for this trip are going to be wonderful. We've been fortunate to take our kids and they are long trips like the one planned here. We have done 13 days of parks in a row. Our kids are now 17 and 14. It sounds like this trip will be like ours, though ours not quite as long. Get up at our leisure, come back to hotel for a swim or nap, go back in the evening. Sometimes we close the park, sometimes not. That's what has made some great memories for our family.

I don't think I've seen this posted. If it's a repeat, sorry. Make sure your get your first visit buttons at city hall. And I believe you said the twins will be celebrating their birthday at time same time (maybe that was a different thread), make sure they get their bday buttons also.

 

[CurlyGirlyGirl]

Did you read the whole thread before you posted?

I'll admit that I only read the first and last pages - I only thought the ones in the middle had rec's from their own experiences.

I do wish you all the best, and have a fantastic time!

 

[thealfi]

As a San Franciscan and Disney fan (like all of us here ), I highly recommend visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum when you come up to SF. It doesn't take too long to visit, so visiting the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf on the same day would be very doable.

When visiting SF with kids, you MUST visit the Exploratorium. I remember my first visit and many, many years later I am still amazed by the place. It's very educational as well as fun!

If you're visiting the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park in your SoCal travels, then I would skip the SF Zoo as it will be underwhelming.

The California Academy of Sciences is fun too.

 

[Riahsha]

cp11
Thank you for the reminder about the buttons!

thealfi
Thank you for the SF suggestions! How cold is it there in late April-early May usually?



I made all the children journals. Nothing fancy, but very large. I put them in 3-ring binders for each. They've already started writing in them! Right now they're writing about the vacation shopping trips and packages they've opened. The grandchildren say they are going to take them to school when we return. They want to take them for show and tell.

I put in my request for personalized things here on those boards.

Our local Walmart has Disney t-shirts right now $6.50 each. I stocked up. They also had Disney front zip hoodies for $14.00, so I have the jackets "zipped up."
I bought 50 Disney pins on Ebay and they all look great! I was checking the pin trading guidelines and we only seem to have one in there that might not be tradeable. They'll have fun doing that and we have the time.

We took them all to go see Brave today. They loved it and can't wait to meet Merida. I packed 2 copies of the Brave Wii game in my souvenir suitcase for them (for both households). They'll enjoy receiving that after they do meet her.

They all had their safari costumes on tonight to check size and they were SO adorable! I bought them all a size larger than the children are now. They all just went through their annual growth spurts, so the worst that could happen is a few safety pins holding things up.

I hope everyone is doing well!!!

 

[larina]

Your grandkids are missing three weeks of school. Do you really think that the packet of work that is sent with them is an acceptable substitute? They are going to be missing out on A LOT...
...I'll admit that I only read the first and last pages - I only thought the ones in the middle had rec's from their own experiences.

I do wish you all the best, and have a fantastic time!

You should really read an entire thread before making such judgmental statements. I think this is the opportunity of a lifetime for these kids to spend this time with their grandmother!!!

Sometimes spending time as a family is more important than missing out on school work.

Riahsha, I love that you just ignored the statement, good for you, my friend!

 

[CurlyGirlyGirl]

You should really read an entire thread before making such judgmental statements. I think this is the opportunity of a lifetime for these kids to spend this time with their grandmother!!!




Riahsha, I love that you just ignored the statement, good for you, my friend!

I love that you're giving me a slap on the wrist for an honest mistake. You obviously saw that I apologized as you QUOTED my apology. Not everyone has time to read an entire threat, and I've seen many responses on this board from people stating that. Unfortunately, this happened to be one of those instances. I certainly didn't mean any ill will.

As a teacher, I cannot tell you how often I have students leave on vacation because the parents want to save a couple hundred bucks or they want to go somewhere when it isn't busy season. These kids come back having missed so much (as a packet of work =/= classroom experiences), and it's hard to catch them up. I know that this opinion definitely isn't a popular one here on DIS.

I absolutely agree with the OP that their trip is timely and important, and such an exception to the rule. I absolutely think that they should go. They will make many wonderful memories, I am sure of that.

 

[smiles33]

Isatricia
The kids are little, but their mama has cancer.

curlygirlygirl: What you missed on page 4 is why Riahsha is taking this special once in a lifetime vacation. I think your point makes sense if someone is taking kids out of school for 3 weeks just to save money. Clearly, that's not the case here.

Since you didn't know, your response came across as harsh. Yet I know not reading the middle pages on a long thread is a common practice, so I can see why you're frustrated you didn't get more slack. I'm sure many of us read the first page and the last page of threads that are long and I'm reminded that when it comes to e-mail/message boards, we should always try to give the other person the benefit of the doubt and not assume s/he is trying to be mean/cruel.

Anyhow, the point is, Riahsha and her family are going to have an AMAZING vacation! Woo hoo!

 

[coopersmom]

Funny I was talking to a friend earlier about something similar just this morning, regarding our upcoming trip to Disneyland, which will require taking my son out of school (he'll be in kindergarden) for a full week. I (knock wood) am not ill, nor is my husband, but my husband does travel 150+ days per year, and will be coming off a month-long absence shortly before we go. The only times he can travel with us, are during times that school is in session, and I've decided that, at least while our son is young, a yearly family trip takes precedence over a few days of missed classroom time.

Do I think education is important? Absolutely! Hugely so. And I'm a big believer in our public education system as well, and have many (many!) friends and family who are teachers. In fact, it often feels like I have more friends and family that are teachers then aren't.

But I also think the value of that week with my son has with his dad is just as great, if not greater, than what he's getting in a typical week of school. The first time we went to DisneyWorld, when my son was almost four, was the first time in his entire life that he'd spent more than two days in a row with his dad, straight. No work. No distractions. Just family. He asked, over and over, when daddy was going to have to leave for work and his reaction when we said "not today" was priceless ... And convinced us that this time together was even more precious, and valuable, than we'd ever imagined. (Weird how kids can throw things into perspective. We'd lived as a couple with his crazy, seven-days-a-week, no-vacation schedule for so long, it seemed normal to us.)

My mom passed away when I was very, very young, so I have few memories of her, and those that I do are precious. And most happen to be from our few family vacations. For some reason those times, even though my mom stayed at home with me so we had no shortage of time together, burn the brightest in our memories. My husband would say the same thing about his own annual family trips ... About half of his childhood memories come from those single weeks.

I also learned from my own childhood that stuff, to keep it clean, happens. Nasty, awful, unexpected stuff. Life is incredibly short, so saying you can do something "anytime," sadly, doesn't always prove true. (I'm pretty confident my mom, only 34 when she died, never dreamt she'd leave behind a six-year-old with a few vacation memories and little else to remember her by.)

I say all this not to justify or explain, or even encourage/discourage others in their own choices, because I have no problem with those that agree, or disagree, with my parenting decisions. (You're absolutely entitled to your opinion, but I will lose zero sleep over any censure offered.) Simply putting it out there as a perspective.

Education IS hugely important and not to be taken lightly, but I feel the same way about my family and will feel zero guilt when I tell his teacher that he'll be missing a week this fall to go to Disneyland.

 

[larina]

...I certainly didn't mean any ill will.

As a teacher, I cannot tell you how often I have students leave on vacation because the parents want to save a couple hundred bucks or they want to go somewhere when it isn't busy season. These kids come back having missed so much (as a packet of work =/= classroom experiences), and it's hard to catch them up. I know that this opinion definitely isn't a popular one here on DIS...

I wasn't trying to slap your wrist. I saw your apology, and justification for your comment. Is is still your opinion, and a judgment. I know severe absence problems happen, and that too many absences can cause kids to get behind, but that isn't what we're talking about here. My kids have always missed some school for vacations. I have always worked or been in school and had different breaks than the kids. I know it isn't popular with teachers, but it is how life works out. We've always requested work ahead of time and my girls (my son is not in school yet) have never gotten behind due to absence. If that happens, we'll have to change our routine.

...Do I think education is important? Absolutely! Hugely so. And I'm a big believer in our public education system as well, and have many (many!) friends and family who are teachers. In fact, it often feels like I have more friends and family that are teachers then aren't.

But I also think the value of that week with my son has with his dad is just as great, if not greater, than what he's getting in a typical week of school... And convinced us that this time together was even more precious, and valuable, than we'd ever imagined. (Weird how kids can throw things into perspective. We'd lived as a couple with his crazy, seven-days-a-week, no-vacation schedule for so long, it seemed normal to us.)...
I also learned from my own childhood that stuff, to keep it clean, happens. Nasty, awful, unexpected stuff. Life is incredibly short, so saying you can do something "anytime," sadly, doesn't always prove true. (I'm pretty confident my mom, only 34 when she died, never dreamt she'd leave behind a six-year-old with a few vacation memories and little else to remember her by.)

I say all this not to justify or explain, or even encourage/discourage others in their own choices, because I have no problem with those that agree, or disagree, with my parenting decisions. (You're absolutely entitled to your opinion, but I will lose zero sleep over any censure offered.) Simply putting it out there as a perspective.

Education IS hugely important and not to be taken lightly, but I feel the same way about my family and will feel zero guilt when I tell his teacher that he'll be missing a week this fall to go to Disneyland.

Yes yes yes! I could have written most of this (my husband doesn't travel and my mom is alive, but I lost my 17 year old niece last year, I know life is too short!!!!) and agree with all of it!

And none of this really matters when it comes to the OP, as she never asked how we felt about that aspect of her trip.

 

[Riahsha]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

We finally have our suitcases packed. They are stacked in a corner with the toiletry bags and have beautiful name-fill tags on them.
We're getting ready to start on our backpacks for the park. Travel bags are last. Everything is taking so long because we only get the grandchildren once a week. They come stay with us every Friday night.

We've had to push our trip back a week. I went to reserve a hotel room for April and there were no vacancies for our week. There's still so much time before April. Things book up fast!

We did rearrange our trip a bit. We still have 15 days at DLR with 12 of those days being in the parks. We decided to take them through Dodge City, KS and an overnight stay at the Grand Canyon on the trip to Disneyland.

I made them all travel journals with maps, attraction information, etc. for all the stops we'll be making on the trip there and back. We'll get postcards to put in them while we travel.
My granddaughter's teacher loved it! She had been thinking of something similar for her to do on the trip.

Don't forget to vote.

 

[BigMickeyEars88]

a tip u have to find characters during if u go to it goofyis kitchen because there are time when like none while show u[

 

[Xenorye]

a tip u have to find characters during if u go to it goofyis kitchen because there are time when like none while show u[