Field Trip to Disney

[bcinohio]

I thought our up coming band trip was expensive. Ours is suppose to be about $700 for 4 nights without including dinners. They are staying at the Comfort Suites Maingate (that is what we are being told, don't have the paper work yet) and get breakfast free at hotel and a lunch is included. They are renting buses and driving from Ohio. DH is going with DS and the rest of the family is going down seperate.

If it wasn't our favorite place to vacation and a once in a lifetime thing to see DS march at the MK then we wouldn't be going either.

 

[mdrob214]

I don't think that's out of line. Last year my DD's band went. They took buses (24 hour drive from NE, that turned into 40, thanks to weather), stayed at the Holiday Inn Main Gate East for 3 nights, had 3-day hoppers (but only used 2), and played in a parade just before Spectro. Breakfast was only included 2 mornings at the hotel.
They also went to play in Jacksonville for the parade and halftime show at the Gator Bowl, so they stayed there 2 nights. They did have a side excursion to the beach(in January, in record cold temps for FL), a dinner show, and visited Charleston, SC--Ft Sumter (to make it educational) on their return trip(which only took 30 hours) We paid about $1200 for the trip, and she had expenses for most of her meals.

 

[Kitzka]

DD's dance team went a few years ago. I think the problemw ith staying onsite with a large group is that Disney has rules about kids staying alone in hotel rooms. I know for our group each room had to have at least one adult staying in the room.

When you ahve high school kids you don't really need a ratio of 3 kids to one adult.
Lara

 

[Vistanamama]

pamjb, just wanted to let you know, all of the details and options about the cheer Nationals package are available on the UCA website, and it looks like the cost for the 4 night package, 4 kids to a room is exactly $455. at the All Star resort. So it doesn't look like there are any added fees : )

 

[Tink9295]

Okay. So now after reading what you all wrote, I guess it's not as costly as I thought. I still wish we could stay onsite. But since I'm just a mom, I have no control.

As of yesterday it looks like they may cancel the trip. I think with lack of fundraising time, there are many students/families that just can't afford it. They can't get the numbers to commit. The director says it's the first time he may have to cancel a trip. The economy has taken a bite out of all our wallets.

My DD says her friends can't afford it or just aren't going, so she doesn't mind if she doesn't go. I feel like it would be a great experience, but it an expense we could do without right now.

 

[mdrob214]

4 months is certainly not much time for people to save/budget that much, especially with the holidays in there. I totally understand. DD's band goes on a trip every 4 years, and they fundraise every year--the money they earned goes into their trip account. We had about 8-9 months' notice and paid our balance in a deposit($100) plus 3 installments. The cost (and that busride!) is what prohibited me from being a chaperone.

 

[Hannathy]

My dd14 would much rather take a school trip with friends than spend over $1000 on "stuff!" Actually, she's at an age where she would rather do a school sponsored trip with friends than one with her family.

I agree with this and so would my DD.

The experiences and fun and memories they have with a school trip like this stays with them all their lives no matter how many family trips they take.

Second what child needs $1000 in souvenirs and what could a 14 yr old possibly spend that much on at Disney?

Memories from the school trip will last longer and be worth more than any Disney souv. ever could.



Also remember into the price of the trip is the cost of the trip for however many official school chaperons will be going. Like the band director the dance team director possibly an assistant. That all has to be divided up between the students.

 

[Sammy]

The music department at my son's school went to the Magical Music Days this past April. It was $1,100 and they announced the trip a year in advance. Once you committed with a deposit, they broke out the cost over 10 monthly payments. They also held fundraisers every other month with the $$ raised taken off whatever you owed for the month. For those with money issues, they offered additional opportunities where you could earn trip dollars by volunteering at the fundraising car wash, school yard sale, etc.

The $1,100 cost covered absolutely everything:

SWA out of Manchester, NH
4 nights at Buena Vista Suites
3-day Disney Park Tix
All meals, including vouchers for the parks
Coach bus transportation from the time they arrived at MCO to the time they left Orlando

We thought it was expensive, but he really wanted to go. So we told him that he had to fundraise his butt off and if we saw he was making a sincere effort, we would split the remaining balance with him. To his credit, he raised more than 1/2 the funds.

Ask him about it now and he will say it was the best time he's ever had. He was in Disney with tons of his friends and had an absolute BLAST! It's something he will remember for a long, long time. As much as I thought it was overpriced, I wouldn't have had him miss it for the world.

 

[fallcolors]

Is the trip a "done deal" or can they try some other travel companies that book school field trips? There might be better prices with competitive companies.

 

[MinnieGi]

I agree that 4 months is way to little time to expect people to be able to pay for such a trip!! My DD's dance team is going to be dancing at Disney in June 2011 and we have known about it and its cost for over two years. Now that the trip is less than a year away we were all asked to put down deposits in summer and then $100.00 each month is due for every person taking the trip with final payment in April.

Our price is for a 7 night/8 day trip at All-Stars, park hoppers for 8 days, unlimited water parks and Disney Quest, a day at Universal with meal coupon and transportation, airfare from Philly, 5 lunch/dinner meal coupons plus a meal card for $85.00 for each person, refillable mug, gala dinner at Epcot, Event DVD souvenir, and all transportation in Orlando. They are dancing at Disney's Hollywood studios one day and are in the MK parade the next with a practice scheduled the day before these events.

The price for the dancers is $1417.00 because they are also dancing in the MK's parade and Disney is sending them costumes, shoes, hairpieces etc. as well as the choreography for the parade dance. For family members the cost is $1287.00. If the family wishes not to take the plan $300.00 can be knocked off each price. These prices are for 4 in a room.

Our whole family is going. We're all so excited to see DD and her team dance at DHS and in the MK parade!! We are DVC & AP holders so this is certainly an expensive extra trip but so worth it for the memories for DD and her team!!!! (And us proud parents, siblings, and grandparents watching)!! We have elected to drive and have officially just signed DD and I up, but DH, DS, grandparents will also be going on DVC and AP tickets.

Thanks for starting this thread, I and other dance parents have been wondering how our trip compares with other types of these field trips b/c we all know we could do this cheaper ourselves.

 

[talulabelle]

My sons middle school band went to England last year...for and "exchange trip" I don't know how much of an "exchange" it is when they had to pay for and stay in nice hotels, while the British students who came here stayed for free in our homes???? Anyway, it was a 7 day trip for $3000!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just for him! My friend took her family of 4 there for $3000. They did give suffient time for fundraising, but I hate selling door to door and fundraising and didn't want to have to do it for the next 4 kids in line.

This year, he will go to China for a "true exchange " trip for his high school. Cost = $3000 for 8 weeks, includes everything including visa. He will get so much more out of this trip as he will stay for 8 weeks with a Chinese family and be submerged in the language and culture for 8 weeks. Of course, I need to take a Chinese student for 8 weeks in exchange, but still! Way better deal! This trip is organized by the school, and the England one was organized by a travel company that gets a fat profit, plus sends "a guide" with the tour which is basically a person getting a all-expenses paid trip who really doesn't do anythng helpful. You need to watch out for some of these trips.

 

[Tink9295]

I agree that 4 months is way to little time to expect people to be able to pay for such a trip!! My DD's dance team is going to be dancing at Disney in June 2011 and we have known about it and its cost for over two years. Now that the trip is less than a year away we were all asked to put down deposits in summer and then $100.00 each month is due for every person taking the trip with final payment in April.

Our price is for a 7 night/8 day trip at All-Stars, park hoppers for 8 days, unlimited water parks and Disney Quest, a day at Universal with meal coupon and transportation, airfare from Philly, 5 lunch/dinner meal coupons plus a meal card for $85.00 for each person, refillable mug, gala dinner at Epcot, Event DVD souvenir, and all transportation in Orlando. They are dancing at Disney's Hollywood studios one day and are in the MK parade the next with a practice scheduled the day before these events.

The price for the dancers is $1417.00 because they are also dancing in the MK's parade and Disney is sending them costumes, shoes, hairpieces etc. as well as the choreography for the parade dance. For family members the cost is $1287.00. If the family wishes not to take the plan $300.00 can be knocked off each price. These prices are for 4 in a room.

Our whole family is going. We're all so excited to see DD and her team dance at DHS and in the MK parade!! We are DVC & AP holders so this is certainly an expensive extra trip but so worth it for the memories for DD and her team!!!! (And us proud parents, siblings, and grandparents watching)!! We have elected to drive and have officially just signed DD and I up, but DH, DS, grandparents will also be going on DVC and AP tickets.

Thanks for starting this thread, I and other dance parents have been wondering how our trip compares with other types of these field trips b/c we all know we could do this cheaper ourselves.

Your welcome. I was wondering how our trip from CT compared to others too. I wish we had more time to fundraise and plan. I also wished that they had looked at other packages. From what I've heard it's similar to a trip they took a couple of years ago.

 

[Gretchen]

Hey Tink-
I'm in CT too, our DC trip is $770.00. Travel by bus, 4 days 3 nights. We started fundraising for it just after school started. $1100.00 may sound like a lot for one person offsite, etc, but with the agency fees, security etc, it sounds about right. Sorry!