Should You Take Your Kids Out of School for a Disney Vacation?

Schools are not the end all be all of your kids. YOU ARE THE PARENT. We tell them when and where and how they help raise our kids. You want to ho on that vacation, take it! Until they start paying for your vacations, child support and your mortgage or utilities, you do what you what when you want. I pulled my daughter just this week told the school and school board get over it. My child my rules, we pay them the taxes. People forget we have the power over them not thevother way around.

We just returned from a week in Orlando Nov 8-15. Traveling around Veterans Day we took our 6th grade daughter out of school for five days. And it was totally worth it. While we did four days at Disney, we were able to coordinate two of those days days meeting up with her younger cousins, who live in another state and whom we hardly get to see, at the parks. For an only child this is PRICELESS - to have playmates while on vacation! They made memories together she will never forget.

We hadn’t been to Disney since she was 4, so going again before she was “too old” was a driving factor as well. I asked teachers for homework one month in advance and she did work while we had down days. She’s a very good student and a few teachers even told her not to worry about homework and to enjoy her vacation!

We bought a three day base park pass plus tickets to Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party which we attended on Tuesday Nov 13. This is very possibly the BEST VACATION PLAN EVER! Crowd levels were medium. We stayed off site at a timeshare. I’m not a Disneyphile so only bought tickets and Magic Bands two weeks before our trip and didn’t book Fast Passes until just a few days before we left. Regardless of missing out on some the best FP, we still managed to hit every ride we wanted. We got to Hollywood Studios one day at rope drop and basically walked onto the Slinky ride. As soon as we got off the line was 90 minutes long. But the best was MVMVP. We got in the park at 4, and the longest ride wait was 35 minutes. Our kiddo is interested in rides, not characters. We literally walked onto five rides with no line. And did Thunder Mountain twice in a row with hardly any wait. We saw almost all the shows and the parade. It. Was. Awesome!!

The 4 kids are grown now, but the decision to take them in early December for two weeks one year (ages 5-16) while pulling out all the stops is something we still talk about with delight 20 years later. The crowds were thin, we had lower rates at a premiere Disney hotel, and there were no lines for anything. We often could finish a popular ride and get right back on. Teachers were great and we took homework along because kids still need downtime. What a marvelous time - we saw everything and with the parks empty even the older kids were content to do repeats of Its a Small World for their little sister. Do it.

We took our son for his 6th birthday in January of this year and his teacher's encouraged the idea of the family bonding time - they agreed that learning is not just in the classroom. Almost a year later - it is all he can talk about and has already asked to go back for his 7th birthday. I think his fond memories are worth it and outweigh anything he could have learned in those missed school days.

We have taken our kids out of school for Disney World, Disney Cruises, and other vacations. This year we are taking them out for 2 additional days at Fall Break--to visit Boston, NH and Quebec. The value of family time and learning about new places and culture is invaluable. We also do trips in the summer. But, WDW is best enjoyed in the Fall or winter when the weather is nicer.

While I never want the teachers to have extra work, most didn't seem bothered by it. They were happy to encourage the family time. And the kids didn't suffer at all. One year my daughter had a country report to do, so instead of researching on the internet, we picked Norway. We learned about Norway at Epcot. She tried Norwegian food and interviewed Norwegian young people. Her experience far surpassed what she would have gotten off the internet.

This year I'm taking that same daughter (10th grader) out for 2 days to experience the International Arts Festival. She is focusing in art and didn't even hesitate to miss school (she is a good student). This will be an enhancement to her education. Even if you don't use it in that way, your time to bond as a family and make that important is important! For families who care about education and prioritize it, 2 - 7 days out of school will not make a difference in their life.

Our school system--because of state changes--has cracked down on attendance. But, this isn't because of the good students, but because of real truancy. I have to expect an email from district, but I'm not worried about it. These are OUR kids; do what is right for your family and don't be intimidated.

Lastly, I would say that there are some things my daughter won't miss for school and don't go during finals! :-) (Thanks to all the teachers out there--you guys do an amazing job!)

I work in the school district and have taken my kids out of school twice for Disney vacations. And I’d do it again. Yes, they have work to make up, but we feel, and our kids agree, that it’s worth the extra homework to go to Disney when the crowds are smaller. As they get older it’s a little trickier to schedule around after school activities (they are in junior high and high school)and still agree it’s well worth it. I will say, though, they don’t struggle academically, and I might feel differently if they did. You only have your kids at home for a short time. Make the most of it!!!

I have taken my kids 4 times over the years and taken them out of school every time. I can say unequivocally I have absolutely no problem doing this. We enjoyed our vacation so much more than if we were fighting high crowds, and our school district is very understanding. When the kids were smaller, in fact, the teachers often had them keep a diary of their trip as opposed to making up their work. That was 4th grade and below. Also I’ve been able to afford to go 4 times because I was paying off peak prices. Take them out, I say. These are the things they are going to remember their whole lives, not the math test they had to make up!

While I can understand the views of pretty much everyone here, I can only speak for our situation. My children are currently ages 10, 9 and 3 and we have NEVER been able to afford a “family vacation” until now and are planning our first and probably our only one, for February 2019 when crowds are less and yes, when airfare and accommodations are typically lower. This is literally a “once-in-a-lifetime “ event for us and while we hope this is going to be all about bonding with our kids and making a great memory for our kids, my husband and I still have to think about the money. And I’m not going to feel guilty about that.

we took my grandson out of Kindergarten a few years ago for a GREAT Halloween week at Disney. We made arrangements with the Teacher and did school work everyday. he did a report over all that he had done, with pictures too. And, when we got back the district had filed Truancy reports and we had to pay a fine. So check with the district for their policies before you go. we learned, no more than 3 days out without a Dr's note.

All I have to say is learning is not restricted to a building and four walls, nor can it only be done by a teacher. Parents who share in their children's learning by spending time with them whether it's at a grocery store or at Disney should be applauded. Go, enjoy, make memories and share in life's lessons !!

we went on a family trip with my grandkids we had our own room lol but we had a great time kids missed 5 days of school and never missed a beat did not affect them at all except they had a great vacation they will always remember we went in may close to end of year and weather was great price was good to

We are about to take my daughter (5th grade) out of school for 6 days in December for Disney. I agonized about it and brought up my worries to her teacher. Her response..... family is more important. You won’t get this time back. It made me really think and I’m definitely worrying less now. She’s absolutely right!!

First of all what a fantastic website, so much valuable information so thanks for this!

I unfortunately have to take my son out of school just before his Easter break next year. I've limited this as much as possible so he will only miss 4 days . Wouldn't usually do this but trying to coordinate my holidays from work and those of my husband and my 2 older children (18,24) with school holidays has been a nightmare and had we not made this decision we just wouldn't have been able to go. Sometimes it isn't just about getting a cheaper holiday or going when it's quieter (although that's nice) in lots of jobs now holidays have to be taken at set times and these don't always coincide with school hols.

We took our kids out of school 5 years ago to go on our first Disney trip. We had one in high school, one in middle school and two in elementary school. I agonized long and hard about it, but looking back, I am so glad we did it! Wonderful memories were made and even for my high schooler, making up the work was not that big of a deal. Kids grow up WAY TOO FAST! Spend time together, that's what they will remember!

Public education is not an education so much in itself but rather a door that opens our children to a life long of learning. As important as it is for our children to sit in school and learn about flight, I want my daughter to know how to get around an airport and the opportunities the world of flight has opened for us. Maybe someday my daughter will want to study abroad. I want her to have the knowledge and confidence to be able to do this on her own. As important as it is to be taught to use you imagination, why not allow our children to see what an imagination can truly create. Not all parents work schedules allow vacations to take place around school holidays. I have pulled my daughter out of school one week per year over the past three winters ( two of these being trips to Disney) as my husband and my busiest times of year often coincide with school holidays. The school work is easily made up but there is no replacing what she gained on our vacations.

A strong family is one of the biggest contributors to a well-developed child. The only way to keep a family strong is to spend time together, and put the family first.

Additionally, they are only young for an incredibly short period of time, even more so now that they are forced to perform at high levels in school and athletics at increasingly younger ages; you'd be crazy not to capitalize on those moments, and help create amazing and magical memories for them. Society has all but stolen the magic and fun of childhood. Its up to parents to give it back, and if that means taking a Disney vacation during school time, then so be it.

As a retired teacher, I used to get upset when people would take their children out of school for a Disney vacation, knowing what they would miss. But now with grandchildren, i realize that while school is important, so is family time. And time is fleeting.. so take them out of school. Go at a time that is best for you. They will learn and make it up but those family moments can't be replaced. Go!

I am now a "grandmother". When my children were young, we made a conscious decision to take them out of school so we could ALL enjoy it our trips to Disney World MINUS the extreme crowds! A trip like this IS an "investment" - certainly as an expense and ALSO in "family FUN". I can give you a CLEAR example of a "misstep" we took one year LONG ago. When my daughter was about three and a half years old, we were living on the East coast and took her for a visit to see her grandparents in California. I grew up with Disneyland and so NATURALLY, that would be on the agenda! I do not remember the time of year we went (sorry!) but it was OBVIOUSLY a "break" for the schools!!! LET ME TELL YOU. . . It was one of the MOST MISERABLE times I can remember at what IS TRULY "The Happiest Place On Earth!" I NEVER thought I'd say that but we found ourselves (MOST memorably) in a "SEA" of people - waiting to get in to "It's a Small World" - for our daughter's sake. We had a two-and-a-half hour wait! Of course, these were "prehistoric"/"PRE-Fast Pass" times - :) I have PICTURES of my daughter sucking her thumb, FAST ASLEEP over her dad's shoulder! NEVER AGAIN!!! I DO NOT "pass judgment" on ANYONE! My husband and I will be paying for our entire family to vacation at Walt Disney World in Florida this year and the ONE condition I made was to PLEASE, "take our grandchildren OUT of school". We took it up with their respective teachers AND principals in advance. If you are not a "jet setter" - you are not able to vacation OFTEN - and you want to take your kids/grand kids for an ENJOYABLE experience at ANY Disney destination, I HIGHLY recommend taking them out of school to do so. I DO respect you for being a staunch supporter of their education -- I am too. . . but I agree that "balance" is KEY! As long as time AWAY from school is not ABUSED, it will make for one of the BEST family times you can give yourselves and enjoy REMEMBERING for YEARS to come!

I live in the UK and coming over to WDW last week of august, my son who is 8will mss 5 days of school, which i have informed the school about. I believe life is to short to not spend with loved ones, i too lost my dad at 12 and cant remember one family holiday with him as he was always at work. This is not the memories i want my son to have.

I started reading thru the comments and my head started to hurt. my thought is this, if kids can miss school for school sponsored trips - Washington DC, for example, why not Disney where they can see culture (EPCOT) and other things they may not ever see. A couple of days missed, if work is kept up, should be supported, not demonized.

We are planning our first Disney World trip this year & have now run into some issues with my daughter's school. We were hoping to go the last week of October which would take her out (she is 16/our son is 21) from Friday to Thursday; however, because it's a family vacation, it is considered unexcused & she won't be allowed to make up her schoolwork. She will be an 11th grader & I truly don't want to have a negative impact on her GPA with that many zeros. We can't go during the summer b/c of travel softball & the fact that my mom & mother-in-law are going with us (they can't take the heat - I can take it but I don't like it & I'm definitely not fond of large crowds & waiting in lines). We originally planned to go the week after Christmas to be there for New Year's but we've been told that is one of the busiest times of the year at Disney. What to do, what to do??

Wow, there is a lot of emotion behind those people who don't think it is a good idea to pull your kids out of school.

We were contemplating taking our son out for a week, so I talked about our plans with the school administrators. They really weren't too concerned about it. They gave me some dates to keep in mind (such as end of semester testing and such) and to be sure to give the teacher good advance notice so that homework or instruction that was going on that week could be done in advance. My sister in law, who is also a teacher and deals with kids being pulled out of school for all sorts of reasons backed up this logic. Her biggest issue was when she received short or even no notice of kids being out for a week. Otherwise, she said it's not that big a deal. The kids get their homework early and are expected to return it complete when they come back.

...and this again is where I love the flexibility I have by home-schooling my daughter. We are taking two weeks at the end of Feb and into March to go to Florida and 6 of those days will be at Disney World. I don't see this as "missing school" but rather augmenting it. We will be traveling to another country, and learning about a different currency. There is another eco-system for us to explore as well. There are different animals and plants for us to learn about too (we just finished a study on flamingos, and will be following up on that when we go to Florida). Roller-coasters can be used as a real-life application of math and physics. Quite frankly, life is learning and not all learning happens in a class-room. There are so many things to do and study and learn. Perspective and how one approaches things can make it a learning experience, or not.

I just finished looking at my neighbor's Facebook pics of their trip to Disney this week during school. I guess I am in the minority here. I am having trouble seeing how a vacation to an amusement park can be an excused absence at school. If it were the Smithsonian or something similar, I could see missing a day or two. But an entire week at an amusement park? Because that is what Disney is.

I can remember people taking their kids out of school to go to Disney when I was a kid but it was rare (the expense) and the family never broadcast it to everyone because it was an unexcused absence that could get a kid suspended. I personally cannot justify to my son that missing school to ride roller coasters is okay. I realize this is not a popular opinion here but I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. Just provide a differing view.

When my kids were younger, we took them out of school to go to Disney during the off-season. We used the money that we saved to do a "Behind the Scenes Tour" of Sea World, which proved to be incredibly educational. In addition to keeping journals requested by their teachers, they also brought their books and kept up on their homework. Once in high school, however, neither of them wanted to miss a single day of school. So the Disney vacations went on hold for several years, but guess what? Last year, they both wanted to go once again, so they took time away from their COLLEGE courses and we all had a blast. And they are both straight A students, and remained so, despite taking a little break to have fun with their family.

To the teacher who complained about having to do advance lesson plans, I say this. You are supposed to do them anyway. If teaching those concepts is so important, those lesson plans should be done at least a few weeks in advance. Good teachers don't wait until the last minute and fly by the seat of their pants.

I home schooled my youngest for two years due to illness, and here is another little bit of news. The state told me that I had to teach three hours of school daily. When I expressed surprise that the days were so short, I had a school official tell me, "Take your average six hour school day. Now subtract lunch, a minimum of two recesses, "passing" time, assemblies, and all other times spent on non-educational endeavors. Now think about how long it takes to teach a concept to twenty children, including the ones who are working below grade level, but have been mainstreamed into your child's class anyway. A concept that takes 40 mins to teach in the classroom can be learned at home in 10." We did six hour school days anyway, and my child ROCKED the standardized test scores not only for those two years, but for several years thereafter. The point is, if your teacher is willing to give you a short list of what will be covered in your child's absence, you can totally teach that in the evenings, or on the trip to and from, and your child will miss NOTHING. More importantly, you will all have memories to last a lifetime.

My husband is active duty military. He has been gone HALF of my sons life because of things that have to do with his life in the military. So guess what.. when he is here to enjoy a vacation with his family we will take it. My son is 4 and in Pre K. My daughter is 2. IN addition my husband is a Drill SGT. SO we don't have much time together. Family needs to be a priority to people.. if you are a good parent, your child's education is also a priority. You will make sure that all work is done and done ahead of time. Spend time together when you can. Sometimes it is not the best time, but it is time none the less.

My family wanted to visit during a less busy time of year, so we choose the week after Thanksgiving. This week seems to be considered about the best week to visit due to the combination of smaller crowds and all of the festive Christmas decorations and activities. Plus, the kids also had the day off before Thanksgiving to get a head start on their school work, and we wanted to take our children while they were younger and before they became involved in school activities that would preclude them from being able to go during the school year. Our children of course had to miss school for the week, and I remembered reading debates about whether or not to take children during the school year. There were some teachers and others that said just how bad of an idea they thought it was to miss school just for a Disney trip. However, I wondered if these same people complain when school bands or choirs miss school to visit Disney. Do they campaign against such trips and advise the school board to deny such requests? While we were there, a number of high school choirs were participating in the Candle Light Processional. Also, our local high school's band takes a trip to Disney every 3-4 years. If schools do not see a problem with letting the band or choir go on a school authorized trip to Disney, why should it be such an issue for kids from an individual family to do so? I would argue having a large group of kids missing would be more disruptive to classroom instruction because of the number of students (as well as teacher chaperones) involved.

We have taken our daughters out of school for Disney trips and will be doing it in February for another. Our girls are currently in3rd and 4th grade and are A/B students. We talk with their teachers first and plan for special "projects" to help keep their minds learning, like reports about their trip or something then they have to tell the class about it which helps with public speaking! We try and get some work early to take with us for the drive/trip. So there isn't so much to do when we get home. We have only done a trip to Disneyland so far and find exciting things like scavenger hunts at the park ( I grew up in ca so I know the land!) have the kids budget our trip money, ect. That way there is still some sort of learning going on. This year it's a special trip because their big sister is a dancer in the parade and the Aladdin show...so is it worth it.....yes the memories we are making and the learning experiences that get while there and traveling, are priceless! My kids are now 8 and 10. They know how to budget their money ( they already have over two hundred dollars each from chores alone that they have saved to buy their own gifts and toys when we go again( btw allowance is $10 a week if their chores are done....correctly)). I think it all depends on the child and the parents, if you make a trip both fun and educational. Then it's a win win for everyone!

It depends on the age of the kids and how well they do in school. I took two of my kids out a few year ago when they were in the 4th grade and K5 (which isn't even mandatory where I live). Now my kids are in grades K5, 2nd, 5th and 7th. My older one will probably have the roughest time with homework when we go at the end of January, but elementary school age children don't have as much new material being taught on a regular basis. Also, when the schools start actually teaching the kids the 180 days that are required by law, I will make sure my kids will be there to learn. There are too much "party days" "video days" "field days" "pizza party and watch movies days" to count along with all of the standardized testing that goes on. Schools need to stop focusing so much on attendance and what they are actually learning or not learning.

We've taken our son out of school every year until 8th grade. He is an honor student and does his work so we knew he wouldn't fall behind. If there had ever been any doubt about his school work we would not have done it. Now that he's in high school he has told us he does not want to miss school so now we go on shorter trips that revolve around teacher professional development, when he has off school. To us there is nothing more important than family time and we never hesitated to take him out of school.

Yes, take them out of school - it CAN be an educational experience! We live in the UK and it can be VERY expensive to fly to WDW during the school holidays, ridiculously so. I took my daughter out of school twice to go to WDW, first when she was in reception age 4 (that's pre grade 1) and once age 7 when she was in year 3 (US grade 2 I believe). During our trip she did Maths - converting £'s to $'s,time zones etc, we did Art (paintings, buildings around World Showcase), History (talking about events in American Adventure etc), Geography (America and where Florida and specifically Orlando is in relation to our home town) and she wrote a report about the trip (daily diary) to give to her teacher (English). WDW can be a fantastic learning experience if you think about it and plan accordingly. I still think she learned more in her 2 weeks at WDW than she would have done in the classroom - and guess which she remembered! I wouldn't take her out of school during exams, or if it was an important school year like GCSE year (Year 11), but if your kids are young, then why not. Plus its important to spend time as a family, and lets face it - life is for living, you never know what is around the corner.

I am an adult now, but even when I was a kid, i was taken out of school for a fall disney trip (i can still remember it was the year Nightmare Before Christmas came out!). I was never a good student in school, but even with missing school between illness, hating school, and disney, i still managed to get a professional job and i hold multiple degrees and certifications in my field. I even did TWO disney internternships in which i received no credit. Talk about putting disney before my education!

Each family is different and each child is different. I for one, think that taking a child out of school for a few days will not ruin their lives. While a disney trip does not have to be a classroom lesson, they can still learn things (like reading a park map, managing their time getting on rides, placing food orders, memorization of disney trivia) that lead to a well rounded person. Encouraging a shy child to order their own meal at a disney restaurant may be just the ticket for them to gain confidence in other aspects of their life. Encouraging a child to take charge and manage their ride times and meal times (of course give help as needed) can give the child a sense of independence and they can learn real life time management skills while still having fun.

Sometimes, breaking up the normal routine can be good because it can help a child to think more on their feet, be ready for the unexpected (and to be OK with the unexpected).

I also think that many families do not get to spend much time with each other. Most dual parent households have both parents working now adays. Children are either in day care or school. Even during the summer the children still go to summer camps while their parents work. A week at disney can be a great bonding time for the entire family.

We're taking them out in early November to go. We included election day and Veteran's Day as part of our trip so the kids miss less days. Both teachers were happy that they were going. Their response was "they're only young once!" Both need to keep a journal while we're there for homework but they end up being great souvenirs. We all take time off of work for vacation and figure out how to make make-up work, I think its a great early lesson for kids about how to balance work and play.

I haven't had to take my kids out of school for a trip (yet), but I would in a heartbeat. Life is about LIVING, and there are so many things my kids can learn outside of the classroom. About 30 years ago, my family went to So. California during the school year for five weeks for my dad's work, and we went to Sea World, Disneyland and Universal Studios more times than I can count. Of course we were given extra work to make sure we "kept up" with the class. When we got back, we were two weeks AHEAD of the class and had memories that have lasted a lifetime.

I have taken my kids out twice, but now that my son is in high school it's harder. There is a limit on how many classes they can miss in a term. I think it's unfair that kids who go on school trips to Europe, or California are allowed and they don't count as missed classes, but time for a family vacation does.

I have taken my kids out for a trip & would do it again. We did it when my son was struggling in school, but we worked with him the whole week and he made it through. I would love to do it again, especially now that he is doing so much better. I'd love to go in the off season, especially the fall. I love fall at Disney. We need to spend more time as families! Kids are too "scheduled" these days. Nothing wrong with a little fun!

Disney is a very educational place. Many of the rides and shows are very entertaining and still educational. What better way to learn about the world and history? I went to Disney when I was 13 and was taken out of school to go. My teachers were able to give me assignments so I could keep up with school work. I would look at a Disney trip as a field trip instead of vacation for kids.