End of term theme park trips during heatwave.

[Heatwave2022]

Are any schools cancelling? I guess they wouldn’t obtain refunds but surely it’s unwise to take year groups of children to theme park this Mon/Tue?

My son is due to attend and am considering keeping him at home, ‘sick’.

Anyone else?

Maybe try some of that sun cream that you only need to apply once every 9/10 hours, I think it's called P20

My daughter went to Drayton Manor yesterday. As well as her water bottle she spent £20 on drinks alone. She came back slightly red. I would have hated her to go on Monday. But for 2 hours after she got back she was happily talking all about her day. So although it was hot she still loved every second. I don't think I would pull her out though, but she is 14 so I try not to give her any reason for her to say 'Goddd mum you're so unfair'

Just ensure to send him with drinks and money to buy more drinks. Heat exhaustion can happen in high temps easily, people need to keep hydrated.
He'll have a great time, hat on, suncream on and plenty of fluids.

Mine went yesterday and had a great time.

I think it was good management rather than luck. Wearing appropriate headwear being the main one.

Our school have cancelled the Y1/reception trip out on Monday. It’s to an outdoor venue about 45 mins away and the coach company couldn’t guarentee an airconditioned bus. I don’t blame them - attempting to keep hats/suncream/water levels up for 60 kids in 36 degree heat would not be fun.

How old is he? I would think very differently for y1, as PP says, trip has been cancelled to a year 6+ trip

Theme parks are incredibly dangerous in the heat. That's why they don't have them in hot places like, say, Florida... oh, wait.

Water. Hat. Suncream. It'll be fine.

@User5386509 11.

Posters that are commenting their kids went to theme parks over the past couple of weeks and were ok appear to be missing the point that the forecast next week is extreme, ie 36 degrees where we are.

To stand & queue for hours in those temperatures, even with plenty of water/hats/suncream seems foolish. The teachers/TA’s must be dreading it.

Most schools are also not built for this weather - large windows that barely open but let in heat, no air con, very little shade in outdoor areas. I do think it’s time term dates were reconsidered as these temperatures become more commonplace.

its not educational, its a rewards trip for those students who have been good

Just wanted to interject for those sending kids with money for drinks etc - a lot of theme parks have cashless food and drink stalls now so they'll need a debit card of some sort.
It will be in the faqs on each theme parks website if they do this.

Chessington where mine are meant to be going on Tuesday has all cashless food and drink outlets now.
As does Legoland.

Most won’t have cards
So they give cash to teacher and teacher pays

Any any school with even a hint of organisational skills will have covered the spending money arrangements in pre information to parents on arrangements for the day

My sons school have cancelled a trip to the air conditioned library…. It’s about a 15 min walk. I get that some parents are anxious but this feels extreme! Schools can’t win either way!

It's actually cooler in Orlando and LA than it will be here tomorrow and Tuesday 😵‍💫

OP I would be feeling worried about it too.

We have postponed our theme park trips Monday and Tuesday. Teens are not good at wearing hats if their mates aren't, and very bad at choosing to sit in the shade instead of queueing for another ride in an unshaded area.

Oh and the American theme parks have canopies and water mist sprays over their queue areas. So not quite the same.

Oh that is just ridiculous

theme parks - yes cancel.
a 15 min walk to a library? Pathetic

Could this be because the library has closed?

All my local libraries have announced that they will be closed on Monday and Tuesday.

What is the educational value of a trip to a theme park?
^social skills. Having fun with friends. Visiting somewhere that you might not usually get to experience. Not everything has to have a traditional ‘educational’ value.

@TiredBefuddledRose Parents were not informed that the park is cashless but you are correct. Communication from school is haphazard.

As it happens we have today had a text saying the trip is postponed.

We have visited most of the Florida theme parks and they are geared up with shade, cooling mists, air con in all shops/restaurants/restrooms. I was also there to ensure the hat stayed on, suncream was topped up and water was drank. We purposely chose not to go at their hottest time of the year. The two cannot be compared.

My school were due to go to Chessington tomorrow but we have cancelled. We had already received a call on Weds from Chessington asking us if we wanted to reschedule due to the high temps but at that point we said we would go ahead as planned. However, when the red alert went out we felt there was no option but to cancel.

I tried ringing them on Friday afternoon to see if we could still reschedule but couldn't get through (possibly lots of schools doing the same?). I will be ringing them again first thing tomorrow.

Hi OP, glad to hear trip has been postponed, I think it's a sensible option when it will be nearly 40 degrees. Traipsing round all day and queuing in those temperatures won't be fun for anyone and potentially many children/adults could fall ill. Not worth the risk

I would also be very surprised that any Head Teacher would sign off on a risk assessment which included a red weather warning!

Please don’t rely on this! We have a trip this week and it’s the day before payday, I am taking 3 drinks bottles for myself and a packed lunch because my account is empty so wouldn’t be able to do this for students even if I wanted to.