Late easter in 2011 makes planning even more difficult!

[Seth1970]

Although we are at least 12 months off actually booking the ruddy holiday, we have run into a quandry.

Easter in 2011 is very late, and the easter sunday falls on 24th April. Obviously weeks either side of this will be full, and very expensive, so will be avoiding like the plague.

We were originally going to go on Monday 2nd May 2011, but with this being the week after the 2nd week of easter (sorry if this is confusing-I'm getting a headache too!), but we are now worried that the traditional early may quiet crowds will now be busy with the people who are still there from the easter break. Would 9th May for 2 weeks be quieter?

I don't do well in big crowds!

[UK Deb]

I think you'll find that week will be nowhere near as manic as the two weeks either side of Easter Sunday, but that the middle two weeks of May will be the slowest during that period, with crowds picking up again as the Memorial Day weekend approaches (last Monday in May, so in 2011, that will be 30th).

[Tiggers Friend]

When similar timing to 2011 occurred in 2000 we visited the first 2 weeks of May and had no issue with the crowds, it was not much different to other May periods.

[Seth1970]

Good to know, thanks!

[LeonieM]

The school holiday may not be as late as actual Easter, because it would screw up the school terms otherwise. Remember last year, when Easter itself was in March? The kids had a long weekend mid-March, but the school holiday itelf was near enough the 2 weeks we actually went over to Florida ourselves. And, because we'd booked really early, the holiday companies hadn't twigged that it was a school holiday and hadn't put their prices up accordingly! A few weeks later when it became common knowledge that the schools would be breaking up for those two weeks, holiday and flight prices literally doubled!

We're hoping to go in February 2011 - possibly one week of which will be half term, as that usually falls the week after my birthday. However, as Emma will be in year 12 then - assuming she stays on into the sixth form - I will have no compunction at pulling her out of school if necessary. If she's at college, I assume her movements will be less rigidly monitored. Whatever, it could well be our last family holiday as she'll be pushing 17 by then.

I just hope that things settle by then - it'll be my 50th birthday mid-February, and I want to have a good time!

[Seth1970]

hitting 50 in Florida-Talk about doing it in style!!!

Feb would have been perfect for me, but my wife really wants a bit of warmth. Today over there it is in the high 70's though. the short daylight hors put her off too, but I will work on her for the 2nd trip in 2013 that she is not aware of yet :happy-thumb

Manchester is quite good at putting the School term dates on early (never thought I'd say Manchester was good at anything, but there is a first for everything!), so I will hopefully get plenty of warning. It is definatly a crowd and cost thing!

[ELAINE]

Solihull's term dates are already on the council web site; we break up on the 8th April and return on 26th so Easter is actually right at the end. Last year we had a really early holiday our local authorities didn't do the weekend then 2 weeks later bit and the half term when they went back seemed to last forever:thumbsdow

We found last year that because different authorities chose different ways of dealing with the early easter that the prices didn't seem as overinflated presumably because they were selling holidays over a wider period than the usual 2 weeks ( does that make sense... i know what i mean:confused::confused:)

[LeonieM]

hitting 50 in Florida-Talk about doing it in style!!!

Feb would have been perfect for me, but my wife really wants a bit of warmth. Today over there it is in the high 70's though. the short daylight hors put her off too, but I will work on her for the 2nd trip in 2013 that she is not aware of yet :happy-thumb
Manchester is quite good at putting the School term dates on early (never thought I'd say Manchester was good at anything, but there is a first for everything!), so I will hopefully get plenty of warning. It is definatly a crowd and cost thing!

Tell me about it! Trouble is, it needs money, and right now that's something we're all extremely short of.

We did February in 2005. It wasn't actually cold, but it wasn't that hot. The days were mostly fine - not too much rain either, but it got quite chilly in the evenings. Sadly our last day was really cold, and we literally shivered our way round MK in the train!

I don't know what it is about Emma's school, but it's like divulging state secrets trying to get any dates out of them! I nagged them silly in January 2006 for the return dates in September 2006, but they just wouldn't (or couldn't) give them to me! In the end, the head of year said to me "Oh, just book it! If she's a couple of days late back then so be it. I appreciate you have to take holidays when you can." Well, it wasn't that, but I needed to get the holiday booked before the end of January to get my extra 5% on line discount! lol

[ELAINE]

We get our dates early but last year Mark ended up missing the last 2 days of term because they changed the dates half way through the year!! they still pulled a face at the missing days even though it was their fault... they really do need to allow for us "early bookers"

[Honey Monster]

The quandry (sp?) I have is we go on the 4th Nov and get back on the 19th. Josh's school only allow 10 days annual leave each year and he needs 12!!! They totally refuse to allow any more than 10 days, if they even consider it, you have to have an interview with the Board of Governors, Headteacher and staff. I have known of grown men crying when coming out of these interviews :happy-smi
So I'm thinking it looks like the "my child was sick during the night" excuse. This way they refuse to let the child back to school within 48hrs, which will then cover my 2 extra days. I know it is really naughty and I shouldn't do it :o
However, Josh is top of his class, he will be in Yr4 and they have no problems with him and like many of you have said, travelling is very educational to the kids, so I really don't see the problem with it.
Thing is, I will ever go to heaven?:angel-float:

[sex kitten]

Honeymonster, read my reply on the price hike thread, re; educational and taking kids out of school.

I seriously think schools should be a little flexible as many people don't get the luxuary of choosing their holidays.
In my company all holiday requests have to be sanctioned by me, even for the boss :laughing:, but we only allow one full time member of staff away any given week, and two in the Easter and 6 week summer break.
Saying that, I will allow them where feasible to overlap, as I know that flights aren't always accomodating. :happy-thumb

[Catlady]

Honeymonster some schools are really going over the top now aren't they.:tut-tut:
I believe it is all to do with government stats and figures that they have to adhere too. You are always going to get the ones who truant regularly and they can do nothing (or seem to do nothing) about those children and their parents so pick on the ones they can control who obey the rules!
Two days off is nothing compared to the experiences he will get in Florida so don't worry about it.:)

[ELAINE]

Have you heard about the tan inducing flu that goes around at holiday times... it's amazing how many kids at our school seem to have caught it since the rules got stupid!;)

[ADRIAN C]

Were waiting for the easter hol dates for 2011, unfortunatley its not to plan another Florida Holiday, it looks like im going to have to go Perth in Australia, Zoe is adamant that we are going, so it looks like at least 4 years till I can get back to Florida, well at least im going in 3 months time.

[ELAINE]

Do you mean go to Australia on holiday or to work? i would love to go to Australia but i just can't imagine spending that long on a plane:eek:

[Seth1970]

The quandry (sp?) I have is we go on the 4th Nov and get back on the 19th. Josh's school only allow 10 days annual leave each year and he needs 12!!! They totally refuse to allow any more than 10 days, if they even consider it, you have to have an interview with the Board of Governors, Headteacher and staff. I have known of grown men crying when coming out of these interviews :happy-smi
So I'm thinking it looks like the "my child was sick during the night" excuse. This way they refuse to let the child back to school within 48hrs, which will then cover my 2 extra days. I know it is really naughty and I shouldn't do it :o
However, Josh is top of his class, he will be in Yr4 and they have no problems with him and like many of you have said, travelling is very educational to the kids, so I really don't see the problem with it.
Thing is, I will ever go to heaven?:angel-float:

Jetlag can seriously affect the sleep-patterns and energy levels of all people, especially children. If is is too tired to get up for a couple of mornings after you get back, while his body-clock gets back to normal, then thats not really anyones fault..........

[loobylou]

Have you heard about the tan inducing flu that goes around at holiday times.

Funnily enough Bradley got this in Dec. It lasted the first 3 days of our hol!!! I actually phoned school from the airport. Luckily the tanoy didn't go off during the phonecall:o

[Honey Monster]

Funnily enough Bradley got this in Dec. It lasted the first 3 days of our hol!!! I actually phoned school from the airport. Luckily the tanoy didn't go off during the phonecall:o

That's what I'll be doing I think :happy-smi

Tan induced flu & jet lag are also very good reasons. Thank you all;)

[spencem]

Way back in 98 Angelmouse was working a couple of days a week for Sainsbury's who never ever allow holiday in December. I was booked to go out to California at the last minute for a week and the boss agreed I could take her with me if I paid for the flight. We sat up until it was late enough local time for her to call in sick early morning UK time and were lucky the guy answering was so disinterested that he ignored the time lag on the phone.:happy-smi

[LeonieM]

We nearly always have to use 'jet lag' as a genuine excuse, because it always hits us quite badly. Last April wasn't so bad, because instead of trying to stay up and fight it, we dumped the bags and went straight to bed for 3-4 hours. We felt so much better the following morning!

Also experienced last holiday was flight delays. Now, we weren't that severely delayed flying back ourselves, but one flight was delayed until midnight and then cancelled altogether. Going out we were delayed 10 hours; the previous day's second flight was 24 hours late! I object to losing my expensive holiday due to flight delays; it never happens coming back ...

[ADRIAN C]

Do you mean go to Australia on holiday or to work? i would love to go to Australia but i just can't imagine spending that long on a plane:eek:

Yes holiday not to work, Zoes best friend and our god daughter have moved out there, so she really wants to visit them at some point.