New Fall School Break?

[mrte62]

We have been really blown away over how busy the parks have been over the past 10 days. Last Tuesday was as busy a day at the MK as we had ever seen.

We have been hearing little stories here and there (including from our son who came down from school in Cincinnati) that a number of states are now using this past week to schedule a fall break. Kind of a Jersey Week for the rest of the country. :mickey:

True or not, it was (in our minds) a very busy week.

[Fangorn]

No knowledge about fall break in the eastern US, but out west, there is generally not such a thing. School in most if the west doesn't start until the week after Labor Day, so a break in early October is a bit early. Most schools do tend now to take the entire week of Thanksgiving off, though.

But having been here as well for the past 10 days, I concur that it has been extremely busy. Not to mention hot and humid.

Steve

[yankeesfan123]

No knowledge about fall break in the eastern US, but out west, there is generally not such a thing. School in most if the west doesn't start until the week after Labor Day, so a break in early October is a bit early. Most schools do tend now to take the entire week of Thanksgiving off, though.

But having been here as well for the past 10 days, I concur that it has been extremely busy. Not to mention hot and humid.

Steve

I have family outside of Indianapolis whose schools have a week off this coming week.

[Zippy 1]

No breaks here in Colorado until Thanksgiving and our kids only get Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off. It is the first break we have and we start in mid august

[BrerGnat]

No fall break here in VA either. Started after Labor Day. First break is Thanksgiving but only get Thursday and Friday off for that. I have never lived in a place with a fall break.

[Basket Mommy]

I think this is a relatively new phenomenon. Our 3 kids in private school get a fall break this coming week (1/2 day on Wednesday, Thurs & Fri off). My older daughter gets Friday off from her public charter school. I'm pretty sure the rest of the public schools in the county are getting Thurs & Fri off as well. This has just started the past few years. We're in South Carolina.

[Strmchsr]

We experienced the same thing last year and this year. Many of the southeastern states have had fall break over the last couple of weeks. Basically we start school earlier (it's too darn hot and humid to do anything outside in the south in August anyway) and then the kids get a break in October. Also, I talked to some folks from Scotland and they said the UK had a fall break in early October, which made sense given the number of British, Scottish, and Irish accents I heard. And then it just seems the South American tour groups are now there year round. All of that on top of the locals coming in for the Halloween party and F&WF and you have a very busy October.

[vicster]

Same thing last October around Columbus Day - crowds were unbelievable. It almost seemed like summer crowds. Never again in October for us!

[AgentC]

I think school breaks are becoming very varied which contributes to crowds. It seems like someone is always off somewhere.

My children had last Friday off and they are off again this coming Friday but the counties around me all had school. We won't have time off again until Thanksgiving break.

I know someone in NC who have year round school. Her kids are always have a week or two in the fall when mine are in school.

And I'm not sure about other states but in my part of Florida, I meet more and more people who home school their children.

[kakn7294]

Our school also does not do a fall break until Thanksgiving when they have Thursday - Monday off. We also do not have a spring break other than possibly Wednesday - Monday off surrounding Easter depending on the need to make up for snow days.

[Kenny1113]

We do not get a fall break in public school either. I wish he kids did. We just took a trip to the mountains to get away from the heat and humidity as well as see some fall leaves. We only did Friday to Monday night because I couldn't take the kids out of school for more than 3 days. The trip was too short. I wish we had fall break to be able to do it for longer. :)

[NJGIRL]

I believe for the most part fall break (different than thanksgiving break) is something college kids have not high school or elementary schools.

[yankeesfan123]

I believe for the most part fall break (different than thanksgiving break) is something college kids have not high school or elementary schools.

What college gets this fall break you're talking about?!?! I'm clearly going to the wrong schools...

[NJGIRL]

What college gets this fall break you're talking about?!?! I'm clearly going to the wrong schools...

Almost every person I know that is in college right now has a fall break in October.

[VWL Mom]

What college gets this fall break you're talking about?!?! I'm clearly going to the wrong schools...

I have one in NJ and one in NY and they don't have a fall break either. :(

Some schools (my son has a friend at Scranton) that have gone to trimesters and get a fall break.

[Strmchsr]

Almost every person I know that is in college right now has a fall break in October.

:ditto: But, like I mentioned earlier, I think it's really a southern thing because down here many of the high schools and elementary schools (along with most colleges) have fall breaks, but most of the schools start the first week of August, too.

[SBETigg]

A lot of private schools/prep schools and colleges have that fall break, too. My kids are home from college on fall break this week, headed back for classes to start on Wednesday. A lot of the Northeast public schools have a mini break around Veteran's Day, and not just NJ, though "Jersey Week" became the popular term.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Last year I retired from a school dist in Arizona and moved to the east coast. We had 3-2 week breaks during the school year. Spring break in march, 2 weeks in October around Columbus day and 2 weeks at Christmas. This meant that summer was only 6 1/2 weeks long. This was great at first until everyone started going to Disneyland during October. It was only a 6 hour drive away so why not. Then the parks were as crowded as summer. These days I keep hearing about schools having fall break and believe that this is adding to the crowds in October at WDW. Thank goodness I am retired now and can go in September or November. :mickey:

[mrte62]

What college gets this fall break you're talking about?!?! I'm clearly going to the wrong schools...

My son is a senior at Xavier and he had a two day break last week.

That is why we choose last week to go instead of our usual last week in Ocotber.

[yankeesfan123]

I have one in NJ and one in NY and they don't have a fall break either. :(

Some schools (my son has a friend at Scranton) that have gone to trimesters and get a fall break.

Maybe it's a northeast thing.. No October breaks for us... :(

[buzznwoodysmom]

My kids went back to school on Aug. 14.

We have an upcoming Fall Break scheduled from Oct. 24-29 (Friday, Monday and Tuesday). This year the break coincides with Parent/Teacher conference (Friday) and also teacher in-service dates (Monday and Tuesday). These "fall breaks" started here a few years ago. I know some schools in the area did already have their fall break (last week maybe).

We also get a full week off for Thanksgiving, two full weeks and an extra day (teacher in-service) off for Christmas. Then they get a full week (plus the Friday before) off for Mardi Gras. And Good Friday and the entire week off for Easter. Sure seems like an awful lot of time off!

[mrte62]

I believe for the most part fall break (different than thanksgiving break) is something college kids have not high school or elementary schools.

Not based on what we saw last week - there were tons of kids (grade school through high school) every day all week.

In the airport on Monday we saw many kids spread out doing homework.