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Safari Bill's (a.k.a. Dr. Bill)
Immersion Excursion: 2012
A no-voice trip to Disneyland amusement park for a day of fun, interaction, and accelerated ASL learning.
Dates of event: Sept. 21, 22, and 23, 2012
Days of event: Friday, Saturday, and SundayDestination: Disneyland in Anaheim California
Mode of travel: Van
Modes of communication permitted: signing, writing, gesturing, miming, laughing, (Screaming is permitted on rides as long as you are not screaming intelligible words.)
Modes of communication NOT permitted: talking, whispering, exaggerated mouthing
Cost: $495.00
Who may participate: By invitation only. Interested persons may apply via email. ONLY apply if you are 98% or more sure that you want to participate and have the money ready to do so.Includes: Two nights hotel accommodations (at least half-a-bed and/or a rollaway), Disneyland ticket, transportation, and you may ask Dr. Bill an unlimited amount of ASL-related questions.
Accommodations: Hotel near Disneyland, average of 4 persons to a room.
Food: You are responsible for your own food. I'll provide some snacks in the van, and we will stop every couple hours at a fast food place / gas station for restroom and chow breaks. I recommend you bring some munchies for the trip down, and enough extra cash for meals throughout the trip.
Ticket: At least an all-day passport to Disneyland.
Transportation: We will ride together in a large passenger van
Point of departure: Sacramento, California, Denny's 7900 College Town Dr. Sacramento, CA 95826 (Can park your vehicle at Dr. Bill's house a couple miles away and carpool with us over to Denny's.)
Time of departure: Meet at Denny's at 10:30 AM. We'll eat and then take off.
Time of return: Sometime Sunday. Generally before midnight. Best estimate is between 6 and 8 p.m.
College Credit: None. This immersion is not associated with ANY institution of higher education.
CEUs: You can earn up to 4.5 Continuing Education Units from Lifeprint.com (One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is equal to ten contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction and qualified instruction. CEU's are NOT college credit. CEU's are simply documentation for those employers and/or organizations that use CEU's. Check with your local employer or organization as to whether or not such CEU's are applicable to your situation.)
* This immersion is not connected in any way to California State University Sacramento. Participants will not receive any CSU credit for participating.
* This immersion is sponsored by Lifeprint.com. Participants will receive documentation of participation in the form of Continuing Education Units provided by Lifeprint.com
Questions and answers:
Q: Can I drive myself to Disneyland and meet you there?
A: No. Absolutely not. Much of the value of the immersion has to do with spending six or more hours each way on the bus chatting with the other participants. If you live out of the area and want to participate, fly or otherwise travel to Sacramento and ride down to Disneyland with us.
Q: Do I have to share a room?
A: "Have to" is a strong phrase. No you don't have to, but in order to keep costs reasonable we generally sleep 4 to a room, that sometimes means two beds per 4 people. If you want a private room, (if there is a room available upon arrival at the hotel) you may get your own room. Just go down to the lobby and rent a room using your credit card. If you want to arrange it ahead of time, you can pay the immersion fee and then email me and ask to know the name of the hotel. Then I'll email you with the name of the hotel and you can contact them and get your own room for the two nights that we will be there. Also, you are welcome to bring a "blow up mattress." Such mattresses work out really well so everyone can have their own sleeping space--whether on a bed or on a blow up mattress. We put the girls in one room and the guys in another room. Families are welcome to stay in the same room.
Q: Can I bring my "hearing" friend who doesn't know ASL and isn't an ASL student?
A: No.
Q: Can I bring my Deaf friend?
A: Yes, if he or she can keep his or her voice off and pays the immersion fee.
Q: Can my child come?
A: If he or she is 12 or over, knows sign, and will keep his/her voice off the whole time--yes.
Q: Would you like help driving the van?
A: Thanks for the offer. If you are 25 or over you may volunteer. But don't be offended if I never get around to using you. I've survived this trip a lot of years and plan to keep surviving it.
Q: When do you need to know by?
A: Never. You don't need to go. However if you WANT to go then apply ASAP so that if there is a seat available I can invite you to participate. Your seat is not assured until you have received an acceptance email from me and your payment has been accepted. I prefer that you pay via Paypal, but if necessary you can make checks payable to "William Vicars."
Q: What are the chances of this trip being canceled?
A: This trip won't be cancelled unless I'm "laid out in a hospital bed." Actually it won't be canceled even then. I have half a dozen ASL instructor friends who would love to replace me on this trip. I've got to watch my back. ;-)
Q: How do I submit my payment?
A: Go to lifeprint.com/disney/ and click on the payment link to pay via credit card.
Q: What if I get sick at the last minute and can't go?
A: I'll give you back $395.00 (out of your $495.00 initial payment) and thank you for your $100 contribution. That $100 helps keep you healthy.
Q: What if I have other questions?
A: See me in person, or email me. BillVicars@aol.com
Q: Can I earn college credit for participating in this event?
A: No. Don't ask.
Q: Do I have to do anything to earn the CEU's?
A: You may need to complete some online ASL vocabulary study and testing. This will not be excessive and will likely be quite enjoyable.
Regarding the Disneyland trip:
Question: What is the total cost?
Answer: The cost is $495.00
Question: When will I know if I can go?
Answer: Within about 48 hours of applying.
Question: What if money is an issue?
Answer: Borrow it from your parents or put it on a credit card. Or don't go.
Question: How many people are going?
Answer: Looks like around 12.
Question: Is this trip mainly for college students?
Answer: I expect to have a variety of people on this trip. At the time of this writing in addition to my wife and I we've got a friendly old Deaf couple who love to tell stories, a vivacious young interpreter training program graduate (in her 20's), a vocational rehabilitation counselor in her 50's, and a young man who likes to run half marathons each week.