New York City

May 21-25, 2009

UPDATED 8/25/08:

We currently have 15 travelers registered for this trip.

What we're doing...

We're touring New York City from May 21 to May 25, 2009. We'll travel on Thursday, spend Thursday night, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday touring the city, and travel back home on Monday. We're planning to visit Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Tenement Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Rose Center for Earth and Space, Grand Central Terminal, Sony Wonder Technology Lab, and the World Trade Center Memorial. We'll also see the wonderful Lion King play on Broadway, spend some time exploring Times Square, get a great view of the city at Rockefeller Center's Top of the Rock, have a picnic in Central Park, and more.

Our schedule is flexible, so we may not see every site listed, or we may see more. It depends on crowd levels, the weather, and where our travels take us. You can stick with the group's itinerary, or go off on your own if you'd rather see the sites alone. Admission tickets will be distributed at our hotel during a "meet and greet" on Thursday evening.

I chose Memorial Day weekend for several reasons: it's one of the least crowded times of the year in the city (many New Yorkers traditionally leave the city during this time), parents won't need to take as much vacation time since Memorial Day day is a holiday, the weather is usually mild during this time, and we were offered good group discounts for our hotel during this weekend.

I plan to coordinate some informal online courses for registered students so they will learn about the sites we'll be visiting (and develop friendships) before we go. My children always seem to enjoy a trip more, and get more out of it, when they study the history of the area beforehand.

The registration deadline is November 28. Due to deposit deadlines and contract requirements, if we don't have enough registrations to meet group minimums by that time, I may have to cancel the trip. Families who register early will have first choice of three Tenement Museum programs and the best seats available to our group at the Lion King performance (first-registered, first-served).

How we’ll get there...

We'll travel roundtrip by chartered bus from Lancaster, SC (near Charlotte, NC) very early on Thursday. We can arrange for passenger pick-ups along the way if you can plan a meeting point near the interstate roads we'll be traveling. I would like to be at our hotel by 5:00 pm at the latest so we'll have time to rest and freshen up before we go to our reserved Lion King performance at 8:00 pm that evening.

You may also make your own travel arrangements to our hotel, if you'd prefer. Your total cost will still include your seats on the bus, however, because it will transport us within the city and you'll need seats for touring. The bus will also provide transportation to our hotel from the airport or train station if you're not driving. If you drive, there isn't an extra fee to park your car at our hotel during our stay. Please plan to arrive on Thursday, May 21, by 5:00 pm.

Cost and what's included...

The estimated cost for a "typical" family of 4 (depending on ages) should be around $1,989. This total reflects the use of fundraising money to pay for some of our trip costs. The cost for each family will differ depending on family size and ages of the children. It is much more expensive than our Washington DC trip due to higher hotel rates, transportation costs, and higher admission fees.

The final cost will include your hotel stay for four nights, a continental deluxe breakfast on Friday through Monday for a family of four (you'll have to pay extra if you have five in your room), all site admissions, and your trip registration fee. It also includes roundtrip transportation to our hotel from Lancaster SC (or points north if you arrange for a pick-up point), round-trip transportation from the airport or train station to our hotel if you travel by plane or train, and transportation within the city. It does not include other meals or anything else you do on your own.

Our hotel rooms will have two queen beds and will be reserved for each family (you won't share a room with people you don't know). Let me know if you'd like to share a room to save money (your party consists of just one parent and a child, for example, and you'd like to share a room with another parent/child team). If you have fewer than four in your party, your admission fees will decrease, but your hotel cost will remain the same. (Due to fire codes, the hotel will not allow more than five people in a room; roll-away beds are not permitted.)

Refunds...

If you need to back out of the trip after paying any deposits or full payment, I'll work with you to get your money back by trying to arrange for another family to take your place (from my waiting list of families who register after my deadline). I can't guarantee a refund if I have no families on my waiting list. Last minute drop-outs were a problem with previous trips, nearly forcing us to cancel due to dropping below the level required for group discounts. Please be sure you really want to go before registering and paying your deposits - there's no guarantee you'll get your money back if you cancel.

This trip may be cancelled if we don't have enough registrations. If I have to cancel the trip for any reason, you'll receive a refund of all deposits.

Important things to remember...

w Your deposit will be due in my mailbox within 7 days of the day I send your confirmation email. Please don't register until you're able to mail your deposit. (This eliminates the need to send repeated payment reminders.) If I don't receive it within one week of my confirmation email, your registration will be deleted. If you decide to register again, a $25 re-registration fee will be added to your total.

w Due to fire codes, the hotel will allow no more than five to a room. If you have five in your room, you will have to pay for breakfast for the 5th person.

w You may make your own travel arrangements to our hotel, if you'd prefer. Your total cost will still include your seats on the bus, however, because it will transport us within the city and you'll need seats for touring. If you are traveling via plane or train, it will also pick you up at the airport and transport you to our hotel (and back again at the end of the trip).

w Although we'll use our own buses to get around the city, remember that we'll need to be flexible and have patience if things don't go exactly according to our itinerary or timetable due to traffic or other circumstances.

w Even with the buses, we'll still do a lot of walking or standing in lines while we're in the city. Consider starting a walking program before the trip if you don't do much walking now. Be sure to walk in the shoes (sneakers, walking shoes) you'll be using for the trip - don't buy new shoes without breaking them in thoroughly. If you have problems that won't allow you to walk for extended periods during the day, please consider postponing your trip until you're more able.

w I don't recommend this trip for very young children (especially those who still use strollers) or babies. The city is not as accessible as I'd like for strollers (or wheelchairs, even). Also, the Lion King performance is suitable for children, but younger children may not be able to sit quietly through a performance. Disney recommends their Broadway plays for children 6 and older, but my 5-year-old handled it fine (and enjoyed it immensely), so use your best judgment. And finally, we'll do a lot of standing in line at some sites, and younger children will definitely get antsy; with no scheduled nap times to take the edge off. (I will try to minimize our wait times as much as possible, but they may still be too long for younger children.)

w Please note on your registration any special requests (carpooling, caravanning, room sharing, etc), and I'll try to connect you with other homeschool families who are looking for the same.

w I plan to coordinate some informal online courses for registered students so they will learn about the sites we'll be visiting (and develop friendships) before we go. The courses will be conducted in a private area of our message boards. If your children would like to participate, please help them register for a forum account so they'll be ready to join in.

w If you decide not to take the trip after paying, a refund of your deposits or full payment is not guaranteed. Please read and understand my refund policy (in the section above) before sending your money.

w This trip will be cancelled if we don't have enough registrations. If I have to cancel for any reason, you'll receive a refund of all deposits.

w More "things to remember" will be posted as we near our departure date, so check back here from time to time for the latest updates.

If you want to go...

To register for this trip, please copy and paste the following form into an email and supply the requested information (you can delete the Second Student & Third Student portion if it's not needed, or add more sections if you have more students to enroll). It's important to type the correct age of each child on the date given so I can take advantage of any age-related discounts.

NOTE: Please send your registration from the email address you'll be using to communicate with me about the trip.

A registration deposit of $650 will be due upon confirmation of your registration. If I don't receive your payment within 7 days from the day I send your confirmation and payment email, your registration will be deleted. If you decide to register again, a $25 re-registration fee will be added to your total.

(Note: If you lose track of time or have a problem and know your payment will be a few days late, don't pay high overnight or express fees - just email me and let me know.)

A waiting list will be maintained after our registration deadline. Please read my refund policy carefully before registering and sending payment.

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NEW YORK CITY REGISTRATION

Parent Information

Name(s) of participating parent(s):

Email:

Home Address:

Phone Number:

First Student

Student's Name:
Student's age on May 21, 2009:

Second Student

Student's Name:
Student's age on May 21, 2009:

Third Student

Student's Name:
Student's age on May 21, 2009:

Other Guests

Please list the names of other guests in your party (grandparents, relatives, etc):

Total number in your party:

Transportation Plans

Will you travel with us from Lancaster, SC by chartered bus?

If yes, do you need hotel accommodations in Lancaster prior to our departure?

Would you like to arrange for a pick-up along our route?

(If yes, we'll work out the location later.)

Will you make your own travel arrangements?

If yes, will you need transportation from the airport or train station?

Comments:

[Please note any special requests (carpooling, caravanning, room sharing, etc), and I'll try to connect you with other homeschool families who are looking for the same.]

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Once I receive your registration via email, I will respond with payment and mailing instructions. Please email me if you have any questions.

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