Disney's You're Instrumental Workshop?

[scrappinmom]

Hi all - We will be going to DW in March with dd's high school band. They are performing in Epcot, as well as participating in the You're Instrumental workshop. Does anyone know anything about this? I'm assuming since I'm not a chaperone (I'm bringing my other dd with me)...I won't be able to attend the workshop. But can the kids buy a cd of what they play? The kids seem to think they will lay down a track for a Disney movie & be able to watch the movie - let's the The Little Mermaid - with them playing the music?

I'd love to hear from other band parents about your or your child's experience with a disney band trip (ok not THAT part of the trip - just the parts that are official Disney stuff!)

 

[scrappinmom]

bump.....anyone?????

 

[tinkerbell60]

I would like to know too! My DD is going to be there the first week of April doing the same thing.

 

[scrappinmom]

I would like to know too! My DD is going to be there the first week of April doing the same thing.

Are you going as well???? I'm going but don't get to be a chaperone, since I'm also bringing younger dd.....I've told my oldest dd she needs to "walk 5 steps, stop take a picture, then walk 5 steps... "

 

[mrsmom]

My son's band is going the first week of April too. I don't know what they are doing , I know they are marching in the Mk parade the 3rd. I am taking the rest of the family and video taping it, and we are going to enjoy the parks.
Kim

 

[tinkerbell60]

Sounds like several of us doing the same thing!

Yes, I am going with DH and DS- who gets to miss 2 days of school. We leave on April 1st. DH is driving and leaving a day earlier and DS and I are flying. DD will be on the bus with the band. The band is staying at AS Movies. We are staying at the Beach Club. I think the band is marching at the MK on April 4th. On Sunday the band is going over to Universal, we have to pick DD up over there, but we are staying at Disney until April 9th. Our spring break starts April 6.

Where are your bands staying? Where are you all staying?? The band director said the schedule can change - that is why we are getting there on April 1st - I don't want to risk missing anything.

 

[mrsmom]

There are four buses and two schools going together and they are staying off site.They are going to universal Sunday too. and going to cocoa beach Saturday to have a catered bbq lunch on the beach..
We are staying at pop .
we are flying out the 1st with dh and my two other kids so they will miss three days of school, we are leaving the 6th.My son will be on the bus with the band.
Kim

 

[scrappinmom]

Well our band is staying off-site They're staying at the Rosen Centre? From what I can get from Bob Rogers Travel (not the most informative agency in the world)....they are performing at Epcot one day, and DTD one day, and doing the You're Instrumental workshop one day. They are bringing their orchestra not their marching band (another )....so I won't get to see her marching down main street.... They're there from Saturday 3/21 until Thursday 3/25. The travel company has a day at BB, AND a side trip to Cocoa Beach????? I think the kids would rather go to Universal...I mean it is still March & they're counting on 2 days of water/beach weather??

dd is flying with me, as we're leaving 3/20 and returning 3/31. She's missing 2 days of school, and youngest is missing 3 days of school. I have to still figure out a way to "pick" her up from AK the morning of the 25th...I don't think the lockers are big enough to hold her stuff. SHe only plays the oboe, but still...

We're doing a split stay - youngest dd & I 4 nights at POP, then moving over to AKL CL for 7 nights...(thank you buy 4 get 3 deal!)

 

[Willow1213]

I have done that workshop before! It was NOTHING like your daughter thinks it will be, and certainly nothing they will want a CD to remember. Ask your daughters/sons if they have ever done a sight reading clinic before (they will know what I'm talking about)

Basically, a Disney music department person (you clinician) will hand your band a piece of music and give you a few minutes to look over it. Then they will run it through/ rehearse a few times in chunks and then play it all the way through once or twice. It's a cool way to get to play some Disney music, and it will be memorable, but the music... you will not want to listen to it again! There's a reason band's practice A LOT!

* EDIT * from bwolfe's post below apparently things have changed a little since I took this clinic almost *gulp* 6 years ago. Now it seems much more movie themed*

The clinicians are lots of fun, and we got a free tshirt Marching in the parade was MUCH more memorable for me. All our chaperones were on the streets for us. It was cool!

Hope you all have lots of fun! Bring the video camera!

 

[bwolfe]

I am a high school band director and have done this clinic in the past. It is a wonderful experience for the kids and directors. It gives the students a glimpse at the life of a performer. We have 25+ rehearsals for one performace and the pros have 1 rehearsal for 25+ performances.

We were given a DVD of movie clips (Tarzan) with our group providing the soundtrack. Enjoy your trip!

 

[pfp258]

Hi all,
We too will be traveling to Disney over spring break (March 27-April 4) with DD's high school band. They are doing the same workshop and we don't have much information either. The band arrives in Disney on Saturday, (we are flying down as a family on Friday evening) and the band leaves Thursday. We decided to stay an extra few days and return home Saturday. The are staying at All Star Music resdort. (We are DVC members and are staying at Old Key West with younger daughter and friends.)
It sounds like the parks will be crowded with lots of band students!
Let's hope we have some warm weather as we are getting tired of the cold here in IL.

 

[PirateSnowmen]

I did this last March with my HS band. It was fun... but I would have rather been in the parks.

The clinician gives you some music for the band to sight-read. It's easy music, and it really bored me. After learning that music (it's just a few one-two line songs/phrases), he gave us two sheets of music that we would play along with a Tarzan clip. Again, it was very easy, but this part was fun. The clinician shows you how they sync music with movies. It was very interesting.

They gave my band director a cd/dvd (don't know which one) with the Tarzan clip on it and the band playing in the background. Also, before we started playing, someone went around with a camera and took pictures of everyone and they put together a slideshow of the pictures with one of the clips we had played earlier (I believe). We also got free t-shirts, but all they had was XL. A few people got a pin (I was one of them).

Overall it was fun, but nothing terribly exciting. It's definitely not what you think it would be. The workshop is in a portable building behind Epcot, and you sit on white plastic chairs. The only people who were allowed in were our band directors and the assistant principal who came with us on our trip.

 

[tinkerbell60]

We are tired of the cold and ice here too! The kids are off school because of this latest storm. I think we have to start making up days now.

It does sound like some of us will be there at the same time. Our band is supposed to do one of the water parks one day and then go to DHS. Personally, I think they should skip the water park - I think they would have more fun at the Studios. I just hope it is warm enough for the water park too.

I think the kids are really going to enjoy this experience. Our marching band, orchestra, color guard and dance drill team are all going. They are taking 6 buses.

 

[scrappinmom]

There are four buses and two schools going together and they are staying off site.They are going to universal Sunday too. and going to cocoa beach Saturday to have a catered bbq lunch on the beach..
We are staying at pop .
we are flying out the 1st with dh and my two other kids so they will miss three days of school, we are leaving the 6th.My son will be on the bus with the band.
Kim

ok the cocoa beach thing must be part of some package the bands do.....I just thought - WHAT? Why would you do that when you're at Disney...dd of course wants to go with her friends....but hates giving up a park day.

Are any of you buying hopper passes withthe band? They offered them to parents, but haven't told us how much they are yet?

I wish they were staying onsite...but oh well.

Anyone' else playing at Epcot? We're there on Monday 3/23

 

[mrsmom]

Their school gave us an option to pay the same as the students and go on the buses with them with tickets and hotel and all. We choose not to do that but book our on vacation.
Kim

 

[tinkerbell60]

That was nice you could buy the tickets through the band. We have not had that option. I wish our band was not going to Universal - why, when there is so much to see and do at Disney. They are not going to AK at all. I believe our band is supposed to be at Epcot on Friday April 3rd. The band director said we would have a more definate schedule about 1 month ahead of time.

 

[mrsmom]

Our kids get to do half a day at each disney park plus have a buffet breakfast the day the arrive at ak rainforest cafe and even have seats for fantasmic. and dinner at citywalk when their at universal. It cost them $735.00 a piece for their package.
Kim

 

[PirateSnowmen]

That was nice you could buy the tickets through the band. We have not had that option. I wish our band was not going to Universal - why, when there is so much to see and do at Disney. They are not going to AK at all. I believe our band is supposed to be at Epcot on Friday April 3rd. The band director said we would have a more definate schedule about 1 month ahead of time.

When I went with my band last March, we went to Islands of Adventure for a day and had a complete BLAST. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Disney, but IOA with my friends was tons of fun. We actually left earlier in the afternoon because our band director wanted to let us relax at the hotel, but every single person (all 150 people) complained that they wanted to stay longer.

Also, not every single person in the band is going to love Disney. I'd say about 1/3 of my band didn't like Disney at all. They said things like, "it's too overpriced, it's too kid-oriented, etc." Their parents never took them as kids, so they never got to grow up with it. I didn't hear a single complaint about IOA.

When we went, we only did a half day at AK & MK. It was definitely more than enough for AK, and most people didn't like MK. Granted, that day it was incredibly crowded and it was the last day of our trip.

Teenagers who haven't done Disney before might not like what it has to offer. A lot of kids in my band just wanted more thrills (like the ones at IOA) and less Disney. A few people even commented on how they were experiencing "Disney overload."

So, going to Universal is probably a pretty good idea, seeing as how not everyone will love Disney.

 

[tinkerbell60]

When I went with my band last March, we went to Islands of Adventure for a day and had a complete BLAST. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Disney, but IOA with my friends was tons of fun. We actually left earlier in the afternoon because our band director wanted to let us relax at the hotel, but every single person (all 150 people) complained that they wanted to stay longer.

Teenagers who haven't done Disney before might not like what it has to offer. A lot of kids in my band just wanted more thrills (like the ones at IOA) and less Disney. A few people even commented on how they were experiencing "Disney overload."

So, going to Universal is probably a pretty good idea, seeing as how not everyone will love Disney.

You are probably right - and I know my daughter is thrilled to be going to IOA - they have to choose either Universal or IOA - the mean mom that I am - I have not taken them to Universal yet. Mostly, because I want to wait until the Harry Potter section is open and DS does not like the thrill rides like his sister.

 

[tinkerbell60]

Our kids get to do half a day at each disney park plus have a buffet breakfast the day the arrive at ak rainforest cafe and even have seats for fantasmic. and dinner at citywalk when their at universal. It cost them $735.00 a piece for their package.
Kim

All that I know is that the trip includes breakfast, lunch and dinner for 5 days - 3-day park hoppers at Disney, the Universal tickets. I think it is great that your group gets the Fantasmic seats and the Rainforest Cafe. I think our group is to go to the waterpark upon arrival. The band director commented that was to compensate for the 16+ hour bus ride. I don't know yet which waterpark. I will be sure to post a warning on the Disboards so it can be avoided that particular day