[aimeer]

Hello everyone,

Since I am taking the children to Disney in December, they will miss a week of school and I must fill out an Educational Trip form. The school will review it and either approve or not approve the trip.

I was just wondering if everyone could help me out with some of the "best educational aspects" of Disney. I have to list them and wanted to make sure that i got the best of the best reasons. I don't want the school to not approve the trip.

The form also wanted to know why the trip can't take place during vacation,evenings or weekends. We picked our week because of my bday and my daughters bday and well, it is the value season still. Those are my reasons, do they sound stupid?

Thank you so very much!!
Aimee

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[Winkster]

Surely EPCOT is the biggest educational attraction at WDW?

The Land, Universe of Energy, Living Seas etc all have eductaional messages and the World Showcase is great from a geography point of view.

There's the Animal Kingdom's messages of conservation, not to mention all the educational stuff at Conservation Station.

Could you also chuck in a bit about Seaworld's educational bits (even if you're not planning to go!) - saving the manatees etc.

[JimR24]

Aimee,

Try this link:

http://www.themouseforless.com/downloads/kids/SE.shtml

I am doing the same thing for my 2nd grader next year. I asked the board here for opinions and was really surprised at how many people said they would and have done the same thing.

Hope you have a great trip.

[Winkster]

What a great letter!

Any teacher would see right through it cos hey, we all know Disney is about fun, fun and more fun but how can you say any more than that?

The teachers must have a great laugh looking at the excuses people come up with to take their kids to WDW.

[TheGoofy1]

Wow, that is a cool letter and I could see a teacher just laughing at it but there are things to be learned at WDW. I believe in Epcot they have a childrens activity called Kidcot. You could look into that.

Here it is
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw...AttractionPage

[dierdre76]

well, i am going to try it and see what repsonse I get.

either way, i will be going.

[winkie]

Here are some points I thought were great that I've used for the school for my child:

Some things they will learn about:

• Different cultures of the world, including architecture, language, diet, and dress, by visiting the different countries in the Epcot World Showcase (Japan, China, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Canada, France, etc.) They will have the chance to explore the exhibits for each country and speak with natives from each country who work as cast members.

• American history by viewing the Hall of Presidents presentation in the Magic Kingdom and the American Adventure show in Epcot.

• Nature and conservation at Animal Kingdom.

• Science by exploring the Mission: Space ride in Epcot where they will have a chance to see and feel what it would be like to travel by rocket to Mars and by experiencing the Universe of Energy exhibit which teaches about fossil fuels, energy, and conservation.

• Economics by managing their own spending money and making budget decisions on how to spend money.
I was able to get this infomation from the web-site mouse for less under School Excuse Sample Letter

[JimR24]

Amen Dierdre. I feel the same way. I am going to inform the teacher that Melanie is going to be missing a week next year. She might not be happy about it but we are taking her anyway. Hopefully she will supply us with her work for the week.

Hope you guys have a great time. I know I'm looking forward to our weekend in October.

[aimeer]

Thank you very much for that letter!! it is much better than anything i would have come up with on my own. I have been working with the kids on earning their own disney dollars for spending (and telling them when they are gone they are gone!)

I am so excited because we will be able to experience Christmas Disney style, with out all the crowds (hopefully), i will get to celebrate my thirtysomething birthday with Tiger, my oldest will get to see Mulan, son will get to see Stitch (hopefully the power rangers as well) and my baby, will turn 6 with Cindy and the mice!

Again, thank you all for your tips. will let you know how it goes.

Aimee

[eyeofachild]

Dont come down to hard on the teacher. So many schools boards are being forced to be stricter on attendance. It is not only education wise but dollar wise. I know that in texas the schools are paid by the state in accordance to attendance ( so many dollars per child who attends each day) the schools need every dollar they can get.

I would definitely hit on the things at epcot ( do not use kidcot ) and the animal kingdom. There is a lot of things to learn at epcot especially in conservation. And, at the world provilion you learn and see other countries.

as for the reason for now simply tell the school that that was the only time you or your husband was being granted vacation time and you can double that by saying ecomomically you are also saving x amount of dollars by going at this time.

[cmcclain]

I think any teacher would be able to see the educational value of a trip to Disney if presented in the right way. A couple of suggestions would be to indicate that your kids will be required to keep journals of their trip to record all of the wonder and magic they see (writing skills). Also, have your child discuss the age appropriate science behind some of the rides and things the see gravity, physics, etc (science). The Animal Kingdom is all about nature and the ecosystems of the planet (ecology, biology). Epoct is all about learning and covers such varied topics as science, nutrition, and the world showcase overs a chance to study a broad collection of cultures not possible anywhere else (social studies). For a kicker have them also keep a tally of money allocated and expensed during the trip as this will work on there math skills. With all this learning its hard to believe that WDW is such a fun place to be. As far as justifying the trip explain that it would be a financial hardship for you to go any other time of the year considering cost, time off, etc.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you.

[MonorailGuy]

On my fifteenth birthday (Geez, I'll be coming up on twelve years ago shortly), my father had a meeting at the Contemporary, so that week he took me along and I had run of the parks. On my birthday, I went to Epcot and Innoventions, which was a bit different from the way it is today. There was an exhibit where a scientist was demonstrating lasers, and even had a tank of water with particles suspended in it, with prisms and mirrors, and you could bounce this laser all over the place, split it, bring it back together... very neat. On my fifteenth birthday, I learned more about lasers than in the rest of my life. I literally spent three hours there playing and learning. That was one of the moments that really influenced my decision to come here to live.

Oh, that day I learned about a new technology that was just being looked at as an amazing thing for data storage. The scientist told me that in a few years, I should look out for CD and laserdisc players (DVD players were not out yet) that used a blue laser, as that would revolutionize the laser-driven data storage industry. That was in 1996. We've just seen them really start talking about and producing the technology in the last year.

Just some thoughts for your argument.

And since when can the school choose to approve or deny allowing your kids to go on vacation? I could start a whole rant right there, but I won't.

I came away with a thought about Disney that year... it's a fun place that's "accidentally" educational.

[Winkster]

Originally Posted by cmcclain

and the world showcase overs a chance to study a broad collection of cultures not possible anywhere else

I think that was probably Disney's aim but if the UK pavillion is anything to go by then they're way off the mark.

It's worrying that people might actually think England is like that!

Apparently we all walk round in breeches, living in mock Tudor mansions drinking over-chilled beer and dancing to "bagpipe rock".

The World Showcase is fantastic - the best part of my favourite park - but I think you may be doing your kids a mis-service if you let them beleive it's truly representative of the countries it portrays.

[MonorailGuy]

Well, again, you have to remember that even Main Street is idealized; that that is not how the Main Street in Marceline really was, but Walt's idealization of it. I think the same goes for anything you see at a Disney park... it's one man's dream.

Take a look at Pirates of the Caribbean... there, you laugh at the pirates, and even celebrate them. Real pirates are hardly to be laughed at, and even less to be celebrated. But in Walt's world, they are.

And that is one of the joys of Disney, that some things are not as they are, but rather as they should be according to Walt.

[G00fyDad]

Originally Posted by Winkster

It's worrying that people might actually think England is like that!

Apparently we all walk round in breeches, living in mock Tudor mansions drinking over-chilled beer and dancing to "bagpipe rock".

You mean it isn't like that? LOL I love running around in breeches! LOL