Fly the band to WDW!

[cockermon]

I am a band mom helping to plan a trip for our 200+ member marching band to Disney World. We hope to fly February 2015 over winter break.

Does anyone have experience or advice on booking air travel for such a large group? Looking at Southwest out of Grand Rapids, MI or maybe Delta out of Detroit. I know both airlines will do group travel in blocks of 30-50 and have heard this could be the less expensive option.

Another band parent has talked to a travel agent about chartering a jet but hasn't given provided much information yet because it is "too early". I have heard this option costs a lot more than group travel.

I would greatly appreciate any advice or comments.

P.S. The last band trip 4 years ago the buses broke down so we are trying to avoid charter buses if at all possible.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Chartering a plane will be far too expensive. You will need to contact the group booking office of your chosen airline. I would imagine you will need to break up such a large group. Unfortunately, it's far too early to book Southwest, but you can investigate fares on the legacy airlines soon.

 

[FamilyDisFan]

Hi, fellow Band Parent. Our Band ROCKS! Just marched in the Rose Parade. We had two chartered jets one was a 747 the other was a 737. We used Atlas Air. This is the second time our band chartered flights. In the past it was as you stated 40-50 per flight. Chartering was Cheaper and much easier. The only way to go. (but I should say Southwest does not fly into our tiny airport and any flight is expensive from our area). Largest Marching Band in the State of Tennessee.

 

[anonymousegirl]

you will need to call the airline and speak to the groups dept. Airlines have different rules and procedures for groups. Some airlines require names immediately, and some allow a group booking without names until x number of days out. You may be able to arrange special pricing, and there are differing rules for exchanges and refunds.

 

[FamilyDisFan]

I would also suggest you contact Bands of America they probably can help point you in the right direction. When we went to the Inaugural Parade we took 9 buses. And when we went to Macy's we took 11 buses. Our Band Bid out the project. But going across country we have chartered....that is after an experience of not chartering. Students were arriving at all kinds of different times. So that is why we chartered. With that many you have going you will also have Directors, and Band Parents and maybe siblings.

 

[cockermon]

Thanks for all the great information- keep it coming!
In the end I think the price will determine if we go charter plane vs group plane vs charter bus.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Hi, fellow Band Parent. Our Band ROCKS! Just marched in the Rose Parade. We had two chartered jets one was a 747 the other was a 737. We used Atlas Air. This is the second time our band chartered flights. In the past it was as you stated 40-50 per flight. Chartering was Cheaper and much easier. The only way to go. (but I should say Southwest does not fly into our tiny airport and any flight is expensive from our area). Largest Marching Band in the State of Tennessee.

And I am betting it's Kingsport Dobyns Bennett. (Did I get it right?)

 

[BigTigger]

Chartering a plane will be far too expensive. You will need to contact the group booking office of your chosen airline. I would imagine you will need to break up such a large group. Unfortunately, it's far too early to book Southwest, but you can investigate fares on the legacy airlines soon.

Not True!! We have a band contingent of about 225 people and go to Disney Magic Music Days every four years. We fly a Miami Air chartered 737 from Providence to Sanford that covers about 180 people and send the remainder via Southwest and Magical Express to get to Disney All Star Music resort. The charter is about 20-25% cheaper per person than SWA group fares and it also solves the "getting larger band equipment" to Disney issue that you'd have with commercial flights. for the charter group you'd have charter buses pick you up and an equipment truck take the bigger band items. There are a few tour operators that work independent of Disney and schedule trips to Disney and Universal for school bands that will also arrange the local transport if you choose not to go via Magic Music Days and Disney.

Good luck in your planning!!

 

[wiigirl]

I would also suggest you contact Bands of America they probably can help point you in the right direction. When we went to the Inaugural Parade we took 9 buses. And when we went to Macy's we took 11 buses. Our Band Bid out the project. But going across country we have chartered....that is after an experience of not chartering. Students were arriving at all kinds of different times. So that is why we chartered. With that many you have going you will also have Directors, and Band Parents and maybe siblings.

 

[cockermon]

Thanks for the feedback. So far Miami Air and Atlas were mentioned as charter airlines. Did you contact the directly (i.e. Band Boosters) or go through a travel agent to arrange this?

Thanks.

 

[FamilyDisFan]

YES! Dobyns Bennett High School Band! I am a band parent and chaperone. I know that there was a committee and they sent out for bids. Atlas Air was great! We had a non stop flight and then the tour buses 8 for students and 3 for parents, family and fans. Something else our amazing supporters did they help stream line the check in process at our small airport. Volunteers helped with traffic, bag check ect. They checked us all in at a separate spot than the regular terminal do too the number of people flying out at once. But all I heard it was cheaper and easier to go Charter. It is better to keep the students together as a group anyway.

 

[sammielynn]

YES! Dobyns Bennett High School Band! I am a band parent and chaperone. I know that there was a committee and they sent out for bids. Atlas Air was great! We had a non stop flight and then the tour buses 8 for students and 3 for parents, family and fans. Something else our amazing supporters did they help stream line the check in process at our small airport. Volunteers helped with traffic, bag check ect. They checked us all in at a separate spot than the regular terminal do too the number of people flying out at once. But all I heard it was cheaper and easier to go Charter. It is better to keep the students together as a group anyway.

I was guessing DB also. Did you fly out of Knoxville or Tri-Cities?

 

[BigTigger]

Thanks for the feedback. So far Miami Air and Atlas were mentioned as charter airlines. Did you contact the directly (i.e. Band Boosters) or go through a travel agent to arrange this?

Thanks.

Ours was through a travel agent that was part of the music program (Disney Magic Music Days) or the other program we did in 2005 (it was at Universal and Hard Rock - name is not coming to mind). We have the charter, some commercial flyers, bus needs, equipment truck need, rental minivan for band director use plus logistics, etc. and they handle all of the logistics.

 

[FamilyDisFan]

We flew out of TRI Cities, but the 747 that was the students, directors, bus captains, medical chaperones. The 747 we checked in at the private hanger. The 737 checked in at the main terminal that was the extra chaperones, family and siblings. We had our equipment driven out in a tractor trailer ahead of time. When we got to Pasadena we had buses that took the students to Bandfest and everywhere for the 6 Days we were there. These buses met us at the airport. The drivers were local and arrived when we ate breakfast. When we went to Macy's the drivers drove us up and stayed in the hotel with us.

 

[cockermon]

FamilyDisFan-
OP here. Did you go through Music Travel Consultants? They advertise at BOA.
If not, can you recommend another travel agency your band has used?

The band director was trying to have band parent committee plan the trip ourselves to save money. But I am willing to check out band travel planner since this is our first time flying. Thanks

 

[BigTigger]

The band director was trying to have band parent committee plan the trip ourselves to save money. But I am willing to check out band travel planner since this is our first time flying. Thanks

We handle our own reservations when we do FiestaVal in Virginia Beach every two years. We bus down as flights into Norfolk or Newport News are more expensive than local bus lines as the bus companies only need one driver per bus due to the trip length and ICC rules. Bus to DisneyWorld is more expensive as the travel time requires 2 (or more drivers) per bus. When you add in that cost, the charter becomes cheaper. Because of this one difference, I can't give you apples to apples costing of "book yourself" versus "travel agency", but I can tell you that overall we don't save that much booking ourselves for the hotels, food, and park admissions (Busch Gardens) compared to the travel agencies we used in Florida. Our group is big enough that we usually take a whole all suite hotel for the four days and the places that can serve 225 people are limited to buffet restaurants or hotel catering or vouchers for the parks. With Disney Magical Music Days, the food was via Quick Service dining vouchers for $22 per person per day and the places to eat from the food coutrs to the parks were many and varied in menu. We could not beat this price on our own even with visits to the bigger buffet restaurants outside Disney. The room was about $70 per room. We could find a few options at that price point, but they did not include many of the amenities like park transportation, etc. Local buses for transport around to the parks and events is one area I can't comment on as we got that as part of the MMD price. I can comment that the MMD price versus the non-Disney price as not that big a difference and when you add up the options in both, the band directors and parents group decided to stay at Allstar Music and get the Disney food vouchers even when we used the non-Disney agency.

 

[DCDisney]

Our band group is pricing out a trip and it was $200 per child MORE using a band group travel agency. If we book it ourselves each child saves $200 PLUS we can stay on site and have 2 extra WDW group sit down meals included. The difference to get the trip we want (on site) using the agency was $400! The trip total is $700 per child so that is a HUGE difference. A big part was being seriously overcharged for the charter buses we need a few days in Orlando.

Is there a board for band group discussions?? I'm wondering how I'm going to schedule 50 of us for FP+!!! (We are just taking 2 elite performance groups not the whole band)

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

....
Is there a board for band group discussions?? I'm wondering how I'm going to schedule 50 of us for FP+!!! (We are just taking 2 elite performance groups not the whole band)

I would imagine there are many online discussion groups for bands; try Google.

Why would you be responsible for scheduling everyone's Fastpasses? Can't they do it themselves?

 

[DebbieB]

I can't imagine all 50 staying together in the parks, it would be easier to break down into smaller groups.

 

[DCDisney]

The group won't be staying together but the leader can schedule FP+ 60 days out if you are staying onsite. It is done by 1 person and then the kids can change it later once they are checked in is how the official site explains it. They suggest booking in groups of 10 or less. I guess doing it by room would be easiest.