As of 2015, I’ve worked in public schools for 24 years, in three states, and four districts. In Oregon and Missouri, spring break was observed in March. When I moved to New England, I found that spring break occurred in the last week of April, partially due to a winter break in the last week of February. Winter break, as we call it here in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, helps the local skiing economy, and provides a great time for Caribbean cruises and other warm weather vacations. This year, I decided to take advantage of the week by signing up for Powerschool University at Walt Disney World.
I need to note here that this was to be my eighth visit to Walt Disney World. I love Disney. I used to theme my whole third grade curriculum around Disney movies. It’s a magical place and I plan on revisiting the place many times in the future.
Powerschool is the student information system our district uses to maintain digital records for all our students. This is how our teachers take attendance, record grades, and keep contact information for our students. It sounds easy on the surface, but when you’re the technology director who needs to know the back end of things, it can be pretty complicated. Powerschool University is held at different times throughout the year in cities throughout the country. The February break seemed like a perfect opportunity to attend the event, and escape the cold winter at the same time.
I won’t bore you with all the details of the four days of classes I attended. Instead I’ll share some highlights of staying at the resort in one of the least populated times of the year. PSU was held at the Yacht Club resort outside Epcot Center. Janet & I had stayed at the Dolphin Resort and the Animal Kingdom resort with the kids about ten years prior, and were familiar with Disney’s attention to detail. The Yacht Club was amazing. Our stay from Sunday evening through Wednesday night was both comfortable and convenient as it is located between Epcot and Disney Studios theme parks. While I attended classes, Janet was able to enjoy Epcot, the Magic Kingdom, and Disney Studios. She even got to spend an entire day at the pool which is one of her absolute favorite pastimes. I was able to join her in the evenings for dinner, and some evening attractions. We especially enjoyed Fantasmic and Disney Studios, Soarin at Epcot, and the new laser show on Cinderella’s castle at the Magic Kingdom. The crowds are so few in February that I was able to ride Soarin, Mission Space, and Fast Track within 45 minutes.
PSU ended on Thursday, but Janet and I opted for another day to spend at the Animal Kingdom. The Yacht Club went back to normal pricing after the sessions, so we booked two nights at the All-Star Sports resort. Lesson learned, never downgrade your stay at Disney World. In fact, if you don’t have to stay at an economy resort, don’t. The level of comfort we had grown accustomed to at the Yacht Club was sorely missed. All Star sports is a place school groups book, and the noises coming though the walls were evidence.
Our day at Animal Kingdom was awesome. The temperatures were in the 50’s, so all the Floridians were wearing parkas. The Kali River raft ride was completely empty. Not only was I the only one on my raft, I was the only one on the entire ride. The animals didn’t seem to mind the cooler temperatures. Our lines were short, and fast passes weren’t needed. In fact, I gave up my fast pass to Mt. Everest because I could get on an hour earlier with little to no wait.
As I’ve noted in past entries, living in New England has many perks, including it’s proximity to major tourist destinations. The winter break is one of those perks that encourages New Englanders to live like tourists.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
Living in New England Like a Tourist 