Your school trip proposal includes an hour-by-hour itinerary, customized to meet the interest and needs of your group.
However, over the course of the trip planning process, this itinerary will likely be revised based on availability of the following:
- Timed Reservation Availability
- Restaurant Seating Availability
- Ticket Availability
- Your Requests
Let’s unpack each of these factors.
Itinerary Factor #1: Timed Reservation Availability
Certain destination sites require a timed reservation, even if the visit is free of charge. These timed reservations pace visitor volume during peak travel seasons. Â In Washington DC, these sites include:
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Permanent Exhibit
- United States Capitol
- National Archives
- Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Ford’s Theatre
Such reservations are limited in quantity and have varying ticket release dates.  These release dates can be 3 or 4 months before the date of visit or the site may release tickets for several months all on the same day. This means that when you receive your proposal itinerary, timed reservations may not be available yet for a given attraction. The time and date listed are tentative.
The demand for these reservations is often extremely high. When timed reservations are released, our team will secure any availability that works for your group size and schedule. Ideally, this is the same as the time and date listed on your proposal itinerary. However, it will often vary. Once a reservation is secured, the itinerary will be reviewed by our tour planning department and adjusted as needed to accomodate the applicable date and time.
So, while your schedule may be rearranged to accomodate vendor availability, the inclusions will be the same. Again, this is due to ticket release dates being after receipt of your trip proposal.
Itinerary Factor #2: Restaurant Seating Availability
Another factor that may impact your itinerary is restaurant seating availability. When you receive your proposal, a restaurant dining time may be listed as “on request”. This means that a reservation is not currently held for your group, but will be requested when your group is ready for trip agreement to travel with Scholastica.
If the restaurant is unable to accomodate your group size as requested, the time and/or date may be adjusted. If needed, the itinerary will be reviewed by our planning departmend and modified for the new dining time.
Itinerary Factor #3: Ticket Availability
Similar to Factor #1, schedules for evening activities including professional sporting event and theatre shows may not yet be announced at the time when receive your proposed itinerary. Â Should the schedules impact your itinerary, adjustments will be made to accomodate your preferences.
Itinerary Factor #4: Your Preferences
Scholastica completely customizes your itinerary to meet the interests and needs of your group. Should your preferences change during the planning process, we will make every effort to modify your itinerary so that you are completely satisfied with the schedule.
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