PPW question

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flying8764

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Hello

For the PPW is there an itinerary from last year anywhere I can see what to expect for events? Do you need to reserve tickets for the parade/march shown in the pictures on the USNA website? How much will my plebe get to stay with me when I am there-sporadically or certain times or all day? What time are they required to be back on Sunday, Aug 13th?

If there is another past thread on this please let me know, I cannot find anything to answer all these questions.


TY
 
flying8764 said:
Hello

For the PPW is there an itinerary from last year anywhere I can see what to expect for events? Do you need to reserve tickets for the parade/march shown in the pictures on the USNA website? How much will my plebe get to stay with me when I am there-sporadically or certain times or all day? What time are they required to be back on Sunday, Aug 13th?

If there is another past thread on this please let me know, I cannot find anything to answer all these questions.TY
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Here is a link to the PPW schedule for the class of 2016 which should give you some general guidelines of what that weekend will look like for your family; https://www.usna.edu/PlebeParentsWeekend/_files/documents/4CPW_Schedule.pdf

Additionally, you won't need tickets for the parade but would encourage you to get there a bit early to get the seats you want.

Hope this helps
 
Sydney C. said:
Here is a link to the PPW schedule for the class of 2016 which should give you some general guidelines of what that weekend will look like for your family; https://www.usna.edu/PlebeParentsWeekend/_files/documents/4CPW_Schedule.pdf

Additionally, you won't need tickets for the parade but would encourage you to get there a bit early to get the seats you want.

Hope this helps
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Great thank you! Where do I get the tickets or who do I contact for tickets to eat the noon meal with him?
 
On USNA.edu, a PPW schedule will be posted, eventually. Planning for PS, and Plebe Summer, kicks into high gear after spring break. Staff is busy wrapping up ac year and trying to plan PS. Details may not get published until after I Day.

In general, schedules stay the same, but there will be a new Dant, new PS staff, so there are usually tweaks each year.

To the best of my knowledge, no tickets for parade. Walk in, hope for a seat. Dress for heat and humidity. Nothing fancy.

You'll see your plebe Friday afternoon to sometime that evening, a period of time on Saturday, a period of time Sunday. No doubt others will post their past experiences with times, but what was true one year, may not be the next.

If I were to guess (operative verb), based on years of experience, return time will be between 10-midnight Friday, same Saturday, and 5-6 pm Sunday, with no overnight. Start time varies with schedule.

There are many, many threads on this, keep searching using "PPW" in different forums. Great suggestions on lodging, restaurants, what to expect. Your plebe may want to take long showers, eat take out in hotel room, catch up on social media, nap in cool sheets in a quiet room. If they are outside, they have to be in uniform, and many will desire a break from that. They will likely not want to play tourist with you.


Keep an eye on this page for the schedule:

https://www.usna.edu/PlebeParentsWeekend/

USNA calendars:

https://www.usna.edu/PAO/calendars.php

https://www.usna.edu/Academics/Calendars-Events/Anchor-Dates.php

Old copy of schedule I found still out there, Class of 2016, will give you an idea:

https://www.usna.edu/PlebeParentsWeekend/_files/documents/4CPW_Schedule.pdf
 
flying8764 said:
Great thank you! Where do I get the tickets or who do I contact for tickets to eat the noon meal with him?
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Plow through the old sked. If it doesn't say, I believe the plebe asks for x number of lunch tix as it gets closer to PPW in August. He gets to handle all this once he is there. You will be amazed at how much knowledge he will gain about how things are done and will delight in "squaring you away."
 
You mention eating with your Plebe2b and spending time with him. There are activities for parents and activities for candidates and the they intersect at the in processing briefing and when you pick them up Saturday.
 
If you can financially afford to do so, highly recommend a hotel in downtown Annapolis. This allows your mid to hang out in your room (out of uniform), eat room service (out of uniform), and have an easy time getting back for to USNA each night. There are definitely cheaper hotels further away -- just allow PLENTY of time to get back to the Yard; and I mean PLENTY of time. You can't imagine the traffic with 1200 plebes trying to get back at the exact same time on very few roads.

Plebes get a fair amount of free time during PPW but have (to my knowledge) never been allowed overnights. Also recommend bringing only close family members (parents, siblings and MAYBE grandparents). There are many other events over the years for extended family and friends, including graduation.
 
usna1985 said:
If you can financially afford to do so, highly recommend a hotel in downtown Annapolis. This allows your mid to hang out in your room (out of uniform), eat room service (out of uniform), and have an easy time getting back for to USNA each night. There are definitely cheaper hotels further away -- just allow PLENTY of time to get back to the Yard; and I mean PLENTY of time. You can't imagine the traffic with 1200 plebes trying to get back at the exact same time on very few roads.

Plebes get a fair amount of free time during PPW but have (to my knowledge) never been allowed overnights. Also recommend bringing only close family members (parents, siblings and MAYBE grandparents). There are many other events over the years for extended family and friends, including graduation.
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Yes to all. We stayed on the outskirts of Annapolis and regretted it. A lot.

Oh, and NO to grandparents. Keep the group small.
 
usna1985 said:
If you can financially afford to do so, highly recommend a hotel in downtown Annapolis. This allows your mid to hang out in your room (out of uniform), eat room service (out of uniform), and have an easy time getting back for to USNA each night. There are definitely cheaper hotels further away -- just allow PLENTY of time to get back to the Yard; and I mean PLENTY of time. You can't imagine the traffic with 1200 plebes trying to get back at the exact same time on very few roads.

Plebes get a fair amount of free time during PPW but have (to my knowledge) never been allowed overnights. Also recommend bringing only close family members (parents, siblings and MAYBE grandparents). There are many other events over the years for extended family and friends, including graduation.
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I rented a small condo right by the yard, it will be worth it!
 
PLENTY of time is not an understatement! They are not kidding when you see Plebes bailing out of a long line of cars to get to Gate-1. Traffic is horrendous. We rented a house and walked. Much less stress. We did have a large group and it was actually cheaper than a bunch of Hotel rooms and also having a backyard, internet, Video access and a grill with plenty of couches for the floppers. It was also nice to have a kitchen. We tried Eastport across the 6th Street bridge (?)and it worked out great. Expensive yes but worth it yes for the group we had. Try early. Home Away has been good for rentals in Annapolis.
 
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We stayed at the Doubletree for PPW which is about 3 miles away, I think. I was prepared for the terrible traffic heading back each evening-and it just didn't happen. We had plenty of time each evening and were able to park easily by Bancroft each night. Being within walking distance would have been wonderful but just wasn't economically feasible.
As far as tickets to the lunch-I would suggest skipping it. Your plebe, if they are like mine, will want off the yard as quickly as possible that day. We did the quick tour of his room, met his roommates and detailers, and then headed for a big juicy burger which he amazed me by eating neatly in his new whites. That along with relaxing in his PT gear in the hotel room air conditioning along with several movies, texting, and more eating out was all he really wanted.
Just hanging out and not being on a schedule or told what to do seemed to relax all of us.
 
I second skipping the lunch. Plebes want to leave there. You have 4 years to have a lunch in King Hall (Mids can bring guests anytime). It is one of two chances you get to see Brancroft. I would take a few minutes to see it, snap pictures, meet the roomies. Even if you go back early for traffic, go sit on the sea wall and just chat. Park and go get ice cream then they can walk back.
 
DesertCaliMom said:
That sounds like a great memory waiting to happen.
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Some of my favorite memories from PPW were the nights when we got back to the Yard a little early. My son took us to some of his favorite places on the yard, like Trident Light, and regaled us with stories of PS and shared things we might not have learned about otherwise. Each evening, he would get progressively more antsy as time-to-report got closer, but when he was actually back at the Yard with a little time to spare, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and relax into sharing these little details and nuances that gave us a special insight into his PS experiences.
 
1) Recommend making reservations early, and second the in town suggestion. In town hotels can be pricey, but you don't want to be the one that is late. (With time , the Midshipmen learn exactly what time they have to leave a particular location to be back to their room in time !)

2) My motto with all things USNA (or the Navy in general)....Semper Gumby --be flexible. Times and schedules may change. I think they make an effort to treat Parents right and avoid surprises, but the first lesson is that things change for one reason or another.

3) Agree with all of the comments from Parents who are much closer to PPW than I was 30+ years ago ...it's fun to see how some things haven't changed that much.
 
Asked Plebe if she wanted to have lunch in King Hall? I want to get out of here was the answer. If Mid Store lot was full we always parked at the Sea Wall. Great view and most always a spot.
 
serendipityRN said:
We stayed at the Doubletree for PPW which is about 3 miles away, I think. I was prepared for the terrible traffic heading back each evening-and it just didn't happen. We had plenty of time each evening and were able to park easily by Bancroft each night. Being within walking distance would have been wonderful but just wasn't economically feasible.
As far as tickets to the lunch-I would suggest skipping it. Your plebe, if they are like mine, will want off the yard as quickly as possible that day. We did the quick tour of his room, met his roommates and detailers, and then headed for a big juicy burger which he amazed me by eating neatly in his new whites. That along with relaxing in his PT gear in the hotel room air conditioning along with several movies, texting, and more eating out was all he really wanted.
Just hanging out and not being on a schedule or told what to do seemed to relax all of us.
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Totally agree. That's nearly exactly the experience we had with DS. He had NO interest in eating in King Hall. Even felt awkward having us in Bancroft.
 
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