Logistics for I-Day (For Parents)?

[USNA2016Dad]

Not sure if this has been covered in detail anywhere, but I would love to hear from the veterans.......

Okay, from what I understand, there will be no place to leave your car for the day on the Yard? Should DS/DD be dropped of at a pedestrian gate while a parent parks? I know there are shuttles from the football stadium, but are they for the DS/DD and parents? Our hotel offers a shuttle too, but don't think it wise to be at their mercy. What works the best? I remember how busy the gates were for CVW, I can't imagine I-Day. Like everyone else we don't want DS to be late because of us. Thanks in advance.

From what I remember, my DS had a report time of 0900. We got to the yard around 0800 after parking at the Noah Hillman garage in downtown Annapolis. From here, it is less than 10 minutes, by foot, to gate 1. We got to Alumni Hall around 0830. After the I-Day swearing in and Bancroft Hall March-In, we took a nice walk back to downtown, had dinner and decompressed after the long and emotional day. We were glad we did this because we missed the mad dash to the shuttles back to the stadium and it let us wait out the traffic. For parking most of the day, it was less than $25 to park and well worth not having to fight the crowd back to the stadium and enjoying some down time in downtown. It was somewhat surreal that while we were having a nice meal, my son was just a stone's throw away having his first dinner of plebe summer.

 

[bandad]

Our I Day two years ago was hot and there was talk of moving the ceremony indoors due to weather. Check the forecast. Early appointment so we were on the yard for 12+ hours. DW brought a small blanket for the Plebes so they would not stain their uniforms. We bought sandwiches and drinks for the Plebes - we had three, DS plus two. Be aware of Plebes with no family present. If you have not done it before, take the yard tour. We carried too much stuff around. Enjoyed USNA picnic and parent's talk at Alumni Hall. Glad we waited to see DS pop out of the back of Alumni Hall about 1.5 hrs after drop off. Wrote DS a letter and gave it too him that morning. A special day for the whole family. Honestly don't remember where we ate dinner but recall having a bit of a hard time leaving the yard.

bandad

 

[goldtrim3]

Listen to Bandad!!!! He and his wife are awesome. I connected with them last year through this forum and they made I-day a sinch for us. The information about Alumni Hall and where to stand during the Oath of Office was priceless. Thanks to them I got great photos.

 

[Mom0404]

We arrived in Annapolis two days before I-Day and spent the day before I-Day getting familiar with Downtown Annapolis (DTA) and the Yard. This was important to us and to our daughter so she would know what was outside of the fences. We took a boat ride that took us around the academy to get a view from the water. It was a pretty low-key day. We stayed at the Marriott Annapolis Waterfront. It is an easy walk to the Yard and we walked back and forth several times the day before and day of I-Day. The hotel provides early room service on the morning of I-Day and were very prompt so our DD had an opportunity to "try" to get some food in her stomach before the emotional day. We walked her to Alumni Hall and then went back to the hotel to get ourselves collected and ready for the day. We spent most of the day on the Yard watching to see a glimpse of her. We never saw her but did see some of how the process works. We purchased sandwiches at the Big Cheese Deli and took them on the Yard for lunch so we could watch the plebes unload from the buses at Bancroft (by the MidStore). Later we got sandwiches and water at Jimmy John's for her after the swearing in ceremony. The Marriott was pricey but the location of it was well worth it. My husband and I spent time sitting on the waterfront the night before I-Day as our DD made her last phone calls home to sibling, friends and grandparents. We stayed at Loew's for PPW. It was nice also. A little farther to walk but not quiet as expensive. DTA is such a fun place to visit.