When to arrive for Parent's Weekend?

Apologize if this has been asked already. I haven't figured out how to search the forums yet.

But I am trying to make plane and lodging reservations for Parent's Weekend and was wondering about the schedule. The info I have just says Aug 9-12. If we get in late on Aug 9, do we miss stuff? It takes all day to fly to Annapolis, so if there's stuff happening early on that Thursday we will miss it unless we fly in on Aug 8.

The same goes for Sunday Aug 12. Should we fly back out on Monday?

This looks like a really good forum. Thanks in advance for any help on my questions.

cj

CraigJhn said:

Apologize if this has been asked already. I haven't figured out how to search the forums yet.

But I am trying to make plane and lodging reservations for Parent's Weekend and was wondering about the schedule. The info I have just says Aug 9-12. If we get in late on Aug 9, do we miss stuff? It takes all day to fly to Annapolis, so if there's stuff happening early on that Thursday we will miss it unless we fly in on Aug 8.

The same goes for Sunday Aug 12. Should we fly back out on Monday?

This looks like a really good forum. Thanks in advance for any help on my questions.

cj

Click to expand...

The official schedule is not published yet and probably won't be official until sometime in July, so you'll have to be guided from previous years. Fortunately there's a lot of consistency about previous years' schedules.

If you arrive on Thursday, you can get to your hotel, tour the Yard, get some dinner, etc. On Friday morning they will have PEP, and there has been a tradition in the past of parents turning up to observe, although you cannot meet or talk with your plebe at that time. Lately the PEP observation has been discouraged. Friday morning there will probably be briefings about what your plebe has been up to. You may also be able to visit some academic buildings. You can certainly tour the Yard and visit the bookstore for some Navy merch, too.

You will not be able to actually meet your plebe until right after noon meal formation on Friday. (How and where you meet your plebe-in-a-thousand on Stribling Walk will be in PPW directions.) Your plebe will have town liberty on Friday until ~2200 (may change), but not overnight liberty (e.g. s/he will have to return to the Yard Friday night and can't travel beyond a certain radius - in the past this was 22 miles, but this may have expanded recently). Saturday morning there's a parade. Again, you will meet your plebe afterward and be able to take him/her off the Yard until ~2200. Sunday, they have town liberty from right after morning colors until evening meal formation, usually ~1800, at which time s/he will have to return to the Yard and PPW concludes.

Therefore, arriving on Thursday and departing Sunday night or Monday morning should be great.

This is the schedule from last year and from what we were told is pretty standard. Some variation will surely occur but it gives you an idea. This is straight from the PPW packet we got in the mail.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011

7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Drydock Restaurant open (Dahlgren Hall).

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Midshipmen Store open (3rd Wing, Bancroft Hall).

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nimitz Library open for general visiting.

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Leahy Hall (Admissions Office) open.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Main Chapel (and crypt of John Paul Jones) open for general visiting.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and Gift Shop open; tours depart from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Naval Academy Museum and Gift Shop (Preble Hall) open for
general visiting.

12:50 p.m. Catholic Mass, St. Andrew’s Chapel.

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Aviation and Ship Simulators open for tours (Luce Hall).

1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Information desk, nametags and Plebe Summer Book available in Dahlgren Hall. Academy informational exhibits and academic department displays with representatives.

6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. USNA Band concert, featuring the "Electric Brigade," on Radford Terrace. (Inclement weather: canceled.)


FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2011

7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Drydock Restaurant open (Dahlgren Hall).

7:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Information desk, nametags and Plebe Summer Book available in Dahlgren Hall. Academy informational exhibits and academic department displays with representatives.

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nimitz Library open for general visiting.

7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Midshipmen Store open (3rd Wing, Bancroft Hall).
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2011 (

7:45 a.m. - 8:10 a.m. Morning Colors Ceremony; music by the Naval Academy Band (Tecumseh Court).

8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Aviation and Ship Simulators open for tours (Luce Hall).

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Leahy Hall (Admissions Office) open.

8:10 a.m. Morning Quarters Formation (Tecumseh Court).

8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. “The History of the U.S. Naval Academy” presentation in Mahan Hall Auditorium, by Professor Fred Harrod, History Department.

8:30 a.m. Tours of Division of Mathematics and Sciences and Division of Engineering and Weapons laboratories. Tours depart from in front of Chauvenet Hall, Room100, every 5 minutes and will last approximately 1 hour. Last tour leaves at 9:00 a.m.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Main Chapel (and crypt of John Paul Jones) open for general visiting.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and Gift Shop open; tours depart from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Naval Academy Museum and Gift Shop (Preble Hall) open for
general visiting.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wesley A. Brown Field House, Lejeune Hall, and Macdonough Hall open for general visiting.

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Naval Academy Band presents music inside Alumni Hall.

10:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Plebe Summer Video Presentation and Welcome Aboard/Parents’ Forum in Alumni Hall. Meet and greet immediately following for parents and guests of the Class of 2015. The Superintendent, Commandant of Midshipmen, Academic Dean and Provost, Dean of Admissions, Director of Athletics, Command Chaplain, and Command Master Chief will be present to meet with parents and answer questions.

10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Information desk, nametags and Plebe Summer Book available in Dahlgren Hall.


12:10 p.m. Noon formation in Tecumseh Court (Inclement weather: canceled. Midshipmen will form up on the Alumni Arena floor and be dismissed by company to meet parents in designated sections.) Town liberty for the Class of 2015 commences after formation and expires at 10:00 p.m.

12:15 p.m. Midshipmen meet with parents at prearranged places (alphabetical signs) positioned along Stribling Walk. (Inclement weather: Alumni Hall). Late arrivals may leave a message for Midshipmen at Main Office, Bancroft Hall.

12:20 p.m. Noon meal (non-mandatory) in King Hall for Midshipmen (dine for free) and their guests who have purchased tickets in advance.

12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Tour of Bancroft Hall and visit Midshipmen’s rooms. Plebe Summer Company Officers and Midshipman Chain of Command present in company areas to meet parents.

12:50 p.m. Catholic Mass, St. Andrew’s Chapel.

1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Academy’s Yard Patrol Craft (YP) available for visiting at Dewey Field Seawall.

7:15 p.m. Jewish Sabbath Service, Miller Chapel, Levy Center.

10:00 p.m. Town liberty expires for the Class of 2015.


SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011

7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Midshipmen Store open (3rd Wing, Bancroft Hall).

7:45 a.m. - 8:10 a.m. Morning Colors Ceremony; music by the Naval Academy Band (Tecumseh Court).

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Information desk, nametags and Plebe Summer Book available in Dahlgren Hall.

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Drydock Restaurant open (Dahlgren Hall).

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nimitz Library open for general visiting.

9:00 a.m. Formation for parade; Naval Academy Band accompaniment. (Tecumseh Court)


9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Leahy Hall (Admissions Office) open.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Main Chapel (and crypt of John Paul Jones) open for general visiting.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and Gift Shop open; tours depart from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Naval Academy Museum and Gift Shop (Preble Hall) open for
general visiting.

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Formal Parade on Worden Field. (Inclement weather: canceled.)
Please do not walk or sit on Worden Field before or during the parade.

10:30 a.m. Town liberty for the Class of 2015. Liberty will commence following the Formal Parade. Plebes will be dismissed from Bancroft Hall. (Inclement weather: meet in Tecumseh Court at this time.)

10:35 a.m. - 10:50 a.m. Plebe Drum and Bugle Corps Performance in Mahan Hall (Inclement weather: canceled.)

12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wesley A. Brown Field House, Lejeune Hall, and Macdonough Hall open for general visiting.

12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Academy's Yard Patrol Craft (YP) available for visiting at Dewey Field Seawall.

Midnight Town liberty expires for Class of 2015.


SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2011

8:00 a.m. Town liberty begins for Class of 2015.

8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Nimitz Library open for general visiting.

8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Drydock Restaurant open (Dahlgren Hall).

8:15 a.m. Protestant Holy Communion Service, St. Andrew’s Chapel.

9:00 a.m. Catholic Mass, Main Chapel.

9:00 a.m. Protestant Contemporary Worship, Mitscher Hall Auditorium.

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Midshipmen Store open (3rd Wing, Bancroft Hall).

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center and Gift Shop open; tours from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

11:00 a.m. Protestant Worship, Main Chapel.

11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Naval Academy Museum and Gift Shop (Preble Hall) open for
general visiting.

11:30 a.m. Catholic Mass, St. Andrew’s Chapel.

12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Academy's Yard Patrol Craft (YP) available for visiting at Dewey Field Seawall.

1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Main Chapel (and crypt of John Paul Jones) open for general visiting.

1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wesley A. Brown, Field House, Lejeune Hall, and Macdonough Hall open for general visiting.

6:00 p.m. LIBERTY EXPIRES FOR THE CLASS OF 2015. MANDATORY EVENING MEAL FORMATION TO FOLLOW IN TECUMSEH COURT. END OF PARENTS' WEEKEND. (Inclement weather formation will be in Bancroft Hall company areas.)

Plan to get there Thursday night. Do the Friday morning tour of the academic buildings and any shopping you may want to do - be sure to grab a Class of 2016 T-shirt, blanket and canvas bag - they sell out fast. Do any sight-seeing on the Yard early because once your plebe is released after noon formation he/she will want to high-tail it out of there, go back to your hotel, change out of whites and fall asleep. (Be sure to bring some comfortable clothes - only for while inside the room but appreciated nonetheless.)

OSDAD makes some good points. Keep in mind that while you may be fascinated by the Yard, that is about all your plebe has seen for the past 6 weeks. The gedunk in Dahlgren is ok, but the plebes have been dreaming about REAL food, fast or otherwise, and would prefer the worst diner in town to anything in the Yard. Finally, there is real shopping in town - particularly at the Mall or Sam's or in that vicinity. S/he will be looking for cell phones, printers, etc for ac year. The same goes for the uniform, they look great until you take a nap in them - so do bring some lounging clothes to wear in the hotel room. Also, be mindful of the time and be certain to allow for almost literally a thousand other families trying to get their plebes back to Mother B on time. The streets of old Annapolis may be picturesque, but they are a pain to navigate in a rush. Otherwise, have a great time with your plebe(s) and be duly amazed at how s/he/they have changed - for they have in many ways. Also, be alert for a roomie or friend who may not have parents visiting - it would be a long weekend polishing shoes and brass.

Be prepared for odd shopping requests, like wanting to go to Staples or Home Depot for a compartmented plastic storage box for various insignia, uniform stuff, etc. Home Depot gives 10% off on military ID.

Look back over the years to similar threads on this...you will get the feel for it. Some want to veg out in hotel room, catch up on social media, get on the phone, some may want to be out and about more. Let them be in control - something they haven't had a lot of by that time.

With respect to wanting to see "the Yard," osdad and 1964BGO are absolutely right that your Plebe will want to leave ASAP when they are "set free" each day. However, your Plebe will probably agree (or even suggest) to go back on the Yard a bit earlier than required each day. If you arrive back ~1 hour early, there should be a lot less traffic, and your Plebe will know exactly how long he/she needs to get back on deck on time. Your Plebe will be very happy not to be "that Plebe" who wants to run from the gate, but can't (not allowed to run in whites), even though NOT running guarantees he/she will be late....

I also encourage you to take the academic tours. It's one of only a few times you will get to see those areas, and the facilities ARE impressive!

In addition to the Mid Store run, be sure to see the crypt of John Paul Jones beneath the Chapel. If you are interested in naval history, allow time for a first visit to the USNA museum. It probably won't be your last visit!

Agree with 2012mom about arriving back on the Yard early. We got there about 1 to 1 1/2 hours before reporting time, went out to the seawall and had some nice quite time. Then it was a short stress-free walk for our plebe back to B. We were leaving as those in the traffic jam were scrammbling to get in.