PPW 2024

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NavyNewbieMom

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Logistical questions for those in the know.
Can you remember from past years which day during PPW you are allowed to visit your plebe’s room? Or is it anytime? Trying to organize something but do not want to miss out on this chance.
Parking at the stadium: does USNA make use of the “named” parking spots or will they remain “reserved”? We plan to use a named parking spot that belongs to good friends stationed on the west coast (with their blessing) but unsure whether it will be available for us to park in.
 
Look up last yr schedule for ppw, usually easy to find with google search. Visit to Bancroft and king hall is immediately following their release on Fri. It is a defined window. Parking at the stadium is wherever they direct you to upon using the entrances that are open. Read past threads here and on parents FB regarding what to expect from your plebe at this time. Definitely a weekend to remember!
 
NavyNewbieMom said:
Logistical questions for those in the know.
Can you remember from past years which day during PPW you are allowed to visit your plebe’s room? Or is it anytime? Trying to organize something but do not want to miss out on this chance.
Parking at the stadium: does USNA make use of the “named” parking spots or will they remain “reserved”? We plan to use a named parking spot that belongs to good friends stationed on the west coast (with their blessing) but unsure whether it will be available for us to park in.
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The previous class’ info tends to stay up on usna.edu until USNA is ready to post the incoming class. The rhythm doesn’t usually change much year to year.
See:

That Stadium reserved parking is typically only observed for certain scheduled athletic events. The plebe families will flood in, park where they can or as directed, head for the bus line. They (and you) will have other things on their minds. If that spot is open, great, if not, just park and go. Not worth spending any time thinking about it. The Stadium parking lot will not run out of spaces for 1200 or so plebe-to-be families’ cars.
 
We got a super brief visit with DS during PPW in 2021. Note this is not their room. They will move many times. DS move rooms 4-5 times from I-Day to end of Plebe year. Some of that was programmed during Plebe summer some of that was driven by his Plebe year company traditions.

DS did not want to hang around long in room as that meant less time off the Yard. Once they get free they want to skedaddle quickly to get to A/C, a bed, a shower, food and in general not be a Plebe for a few hours.

The best visit was last fall during 2/C Parents weekend. We got to hang around longer, DS was proud to show his room and his wardroom.
 
Thank you. These little nuggets of prior knowledge are so helpful. Not everything is listed on the academy site or in past schedules. Experienced USNA parents' perspectives are invaluable.
 
NavyNewbieMom said:
Logistical questions for those in the know.
Can you remember from past years which day during PPW you are allowed to visit your plebe’s room? Or is it anytime? Trying to organize something but do not want to miss out on this chance.
Parking at the stadium: does USNA make use of the “named” parking spots or will they remain “reserved”? We plan to use a named parking spot that belongs to good friends stationed on the west coast (with their blessing) but unsure whether it will be available for us to park in.
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For stadium parking you will just park close to where the USNA shuttle buses are running. There will be signage.

You can go inside Bancroft Hall and see their plebe summer room immediately following Friday’s Noon Formation. This will be one of only 2 times that families can go inside Bancroft Hall’s mid wings during your mid’s 4 years at USNA.
 
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USMCfam said:
For stadium parking you will just park close to where the USNA shuttle buses are running. There will be signage.

You can go inside Bancroft Hall and see their plebe summer room immediately following Friday’s Noon Formation. This will be one of only 2 times that families can go inside Bancroft during your mid’s 4 years at USNA.
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Visitors during public visiting hours may visit the Rotunda, Memorial Hall and the model midshipman room in the Main Office area in Bancroft Hall. Except as noted for the occasions listed in previous posts, all other areas are restricted.
 
One benefit of parking in the Hillman Garage is that you'll walk past some of DTA's most popular restaurants and coffee shops.
 
USMCfam said:
This will be one of only 2 times that families can go inside Bancroft Hall’s mid wings during your mid’s 4 years at USNA.
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I think sometimes families can also get access during commissioning week. As always be wary of some rando on an anonymous website.
 
... so one parent's perspectives on PPW.

*Bancroft. The detailers were extremely nice and wearing million-dollar smiles as if in Top Gun filming. But one glance to DS, he snapped as if with clicking shoes in the British Army.

*Walking along the edges or "Chopping." Before I-Day, DS like most human beings walked normally. Per USNA Regulations 31-20, "chop to the right, on the last white tile, in the outermost portion of the P-Way without touching the grey tile or the bulkhead. Plebe shall avoid contact with those chopping in the opposite direction and those standing on the bulkhead. Detailers will walk in the center of passageways (parent's way :)) in order to remain distance from the Plebes."

* Roommates. Roommates introduced themselves to us, very polite. They remained friends to this day. We meet their parents also.

*Running shoes. Two favorite running shoes (won the grossest contest) I was responsible to carry. Discarded it outside... did not make it home 😳.
 
"DS did not want to hang around long in room as that meant less time off the Yard. Once they get free they want to skedaddle quickly to get to A/C, a bed, a shower, food and in general not be a Plebe for a few hours."

THIS!

People/Kids/Families differ. That said, while DD was at USNA we viewed her as the member of our family under the greatest stress. When we visited USNA from the West coast the focus was always on what DD wanted. Like Lt360’s Mid, our DD wanted to get the ____ off the Yard and be with family for PPW weekend; so thats what we did. We had 2 (?)phone calls during PS; on the second call (less stressed) we included a “what do you want PPW to look like?” question in our call script. It was VERY clear that a stop by her room wasn’t on her agenda.

Lt360’s parking advice is excellent too. Expanding a bit on what Lt360 said; for USNA events and maximizing time with your Mid try look for the moments/places where you can “Zig” while everyone else is “Zagging”. Like the parking garage Lt360 suggests, or Gate 8 vs Main Gate (driving onto the Yard for future visits). Maybe, (like we did), you pay a little extra to stay within walking distance of The Yard for event weekends (I-day, PPW, and 2C year). You could also use Premium Parking App (recommended by Annapolis Gov) or Mobile Parking App to find and reserve a stress free parking place w/in walking distance of the Main Gate. This will let you stay outside of walking distance of The Yard ($$) while giving easy access to down town Annapolis. You will also reduce A TON of plebe stress over getting back onto the Yard at the end of PPW. Or, you could just suck-it-up and resolve to Uber everywhere.

These things cost more than parking at the stadium, lodging farther from campus, or frenzied searches for public parking. NOTE: DW actually enjoys the angst of “winning" at parking :rolleyes:……. but she relented. Accepting these added expenses associated with visits to see DD, I tried to keep in mind that, besides getting herself the best dam education on the planet, DD's choice of USNA was saving me about 80K a year over her other schooling options.

Back to visit focus for a sec. The USNA Exp stresses every family a bit, but 4c year it's the Plebe who is under the hammer. Accordingly, for us a USNA visit wasn’t about siblings, or Grand-ma; or what DW and I thought we’d like to do/see. We just did our best spoil DD for the few days we had her before tossing her back into grind. We became very flexible in our expectations and our schedules while in Annapolis.

In the longer term we gave up some stuff, and adapted the way we traveled (DW in particular) so that we could fly out to see DD when she wanted/needed some time with Mom or Dad off The Yard. For our family (and for DD in particular) this approach paid off tremendously. PLEEEZE no "helicopter/spoiled mid comments", DW and I traveled only when invited and I am pretty sure anyone in DD’s CoC would want her in their foxhole if/when the SHTF.

My best to you OP! I am sure you are proud of your P2B. I hope that U R proud of the job you did raising Him/Her too….U should be.
 
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Ahhhhh the memories!! Good stuff already. I’ll add our perspective from parents of two that attended: semper gumby.

Seriously, don’t over plan. Temper expectations. PPW was the best visit everrrrrrr. You’ve missed them so much. You are so CURIOUS about EVERYTHING. But as stated, let them take the lead, 100 pct.

My Mid actually enjoyed showing off his space and introducing us to his roommates family, and his detailers. So follow your Mids lead. And mostly, he got his PHONE for the first time. So the visit to Bancroft will happen, if even for that reason 😂

Plan for parking. Good options already. But even the best plans can fail. Have a plan B. Allow lots of extra time. The most congested traffic wise, is evening drop offs. Think elementary school pickup lines on massive steroids (my guy ended up getting out and walking when we got close).

We are team ‘stay a bit further out in an Airbnb’. To get away from the hustle. And eyes. Then it was sleep, COLD a/c, and lots of moms cooking and social media/gaming. Bring the PlayStation/ps3 if you can, and they are a gamer.

Seriously a ‘best memory’ ♥️
 
justdoit19 said:
My Mid actually enjoyed showing off his space and introducing us to his roommates family, and his detailers. So follow your Mids lead. And mostly, he got his PHONE for the first time. So the visit to Bancroft will happen, if even for that reason 😂
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+100 to this. You should get to see their room and meet their detainers, if for no other reason than to get their phone back. Engage with the detailers -- they're an impressive and hard-working bunch with a good feel for your mid. But don't push too hard on the Bancroft lunch. Your mid wants real food, and in the end it's just a dining hall.

justdoit19 said:
We are team ‘stay a bit further out in an Airbnb’. To get away from the hustle. And eyes.
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+100 again. It can be hard for the mid to relax amid the bustle of DTA, where other plebes and many detailers are about. But don't go too far either, because constant and long drives may not be very relaxing for the mid.

Best advice: Follow their lead.
 
MidCakePa said:
+100 to this. You should get to see their room and meet their detainers, if for no other reason than to get their phone back. Engage with the detailers -- they're an impressive and hard-working bunch with a good feel for your mid.
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“Detainers” 😬

Absolutely how the plebes feel. Detained.
 
I was a lone plebe on Iday PPW and not because my parents don't care, they just couldn't (could not, not would not) come. My squadmates and their parents took care of me like I was their own! I had more offers to join a family for a day than I could accept. There are definitely going to be plebes whose 'rents can't come for whatever reasons. In fact, this, USNA, is the first time I've met other real people who grew up really poor, I mean REALLY poor, and their parents are still living in those circumstances where $400 for a plane ticket is out of reach. One of my squadmates sends most of his monthly salary home every month (we take care of him when we go to Chipotle or what have you.) If your kid tells you that you're adopting one of their squadmates for the day, I can tell you that it will be a highlight of plebe summer and pretty much all of plebe year for that kid. I was fed, I napped while the sun was up (!!), I lounged poolside at a hotel one day and a rental the next, I played video games, I watched movies. I called my own parents both days and told them I was taken care of. Please consider offering to let someone like me tag along for the day, if it is within your means!
 
Plebe2be said:
I was a lone plebe on Iday PPW and not because my parents don't care, they just couldn't (could not, not would not) come. My squadmates and their parents took care of me like I was their own! I had more offers to join a family for a day than I could accept. There are definitely going to be plebes whose 'rents can't come for whatever reasons. In fact, this, USNA, is the first time I've met other real people who grew up really poor, I mean REALLY poor, and their parents are still living in those circumstances where $400 for a plane ticket is out of reach. One of my squadmates sends most of his monthly salary home every month (we take care of him when we go to Chipotle or what have you.) If your kid tells you that you're adopting one of their squadmates for the day, I can tell you that it will be a highlight of plebe summer and pretty much all of plebe year for that kid. I was fed, I napped while the sun was up (!!), I lounged poolside at a hotel one day and a rental the next, I played video games, I watched movies. I called my own parents both days and told them I was taken care of. Please consider offering to let someone like me tag along for the day, if it is within your means!
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... on the average, DS and his classmates stay with us for a weekend once a month; after exams, twice. Mostly eat, chat, sleep; sometimes play games and operate the "manual" nonelectric mower. After several rounds of Physics and Probability exams, they exacted revenge on the grass, like human dynamos. Sadly, academic probation shipmates are not allowed to leave on weekends... but we're waiting for 'em.😌
 
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