Has your band ever marched at Disney?

[Kitty 34]

If so, where did you stay and what time of year did your band go down?

Our band will be going a year from Thanksgiving and the band director appointed me committee chairperson.....geez imagine that!!!

 

[MickeyEars]

No they haven't, but the real reason for this reply is to say hello to you my buddy!!!

Talk to you later!
Carla

 

[Kitty 34]

Absolutely LOVED your picture Carla!!! Planning on writing you tonight!

 

[bballmom56]

Hi Kitty !

Our band never went, but sounds like a good excuse to book the Swan/Dolphin since you're in charge! Just do a few more fundraisers .

 

[redskiesx25]

Well, not MY band but my towns high school band went..they stayed off site but traveled into disney everyday by bus.

 

[Pooh's Mom]

My HS band marched in April of 1991.

I don't know how our plans were made, I am assuming through some tour company. REALLY wish a parent had been put in charge since they might CARE about the conditions we were staying in. I lived in an affluent district (not that we were all that rich, my dad was a fireman, but most were) and I am certain parents would've shelled out for a better hotel. I have no idea location-wise where we were, and it seems like it was NOT a national chain that we were staying in. I know there was a Shoney's in the parking lot because we ate the breakfast buffet every morning. That was included in the cost of the trip. The hotel was awful. Our shower ceiling leaked and I do think we saw a roach or two. We were given Disney Dollars to eat lunch at the parks (MK the day we marched and the brand new MGM the next day ). I don't remember what we did for dinner, but I do remember sitting in the parking lot of whatever place it was with some friends wishing we could just get on the bus and go home instead of back to the hotel.

Point of the story: The trip was AWESOME. I have very fond memories of the time spent in the park. Especially marching. Brings a nostalgic tear to my eye everytime I see the bands march before the parade. Being backstage was cool, especially getting to go through the "secret" door near PoC. And there is nothing better than being in my favorite place with my best friends (ok, my honeymoon there was better, but I meant for a 15 year old). But PLEASE try to find a good hotel. Now that the value resorts exisit there must be better options than staying offsite.

Best of luck with your task. Maybe in 10 more years when my daughter is in HS I'll get the job. Uh, probably not since we're local now, but maybe.


Have a great time planning!!!,
Cindy

 

[Nanabug02]

My junior year in high school, I went with my choir (not band)

We stayed off site and bussed in every day. And we sang at Downtown Disney one night. It was pretty fun going with all my friends from choir.....of course that was like, almost 8 years ago!


Wow...how time flies

 

[DisneyFreak43]

Our high school band just went in April. They stayed at La Quinta Lakeside, and said it was great. All of the parents and kids I spoke with loved it. They seem to cater to large groups. Of course, if I was in charge, I would try for on-site! Good luck with your search!

 

[eeyoregirl]

My brother's band performed in WDW in March of 1999. They stayed in a hotel on International Drive (but the rest of us stayed at CBR... haha).

 

[GDUL]

If so, where did you stay and what time of year did your band go down?

The Plymouth-Canton Marching Band went to WDW in December 2000 / January 2001 and stayed at the Coronado Springs resort. We had a blast - though New Year's Eve was the coldest night that I've ever experienced in Florida!

 

[Blueberry]

My daughter in law went to Florida with our local team band several years ago..stayed at the All Star Sports with them.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My daughter's band went in February a couple of years ago. They stayed in an offsite hotel, which was ok, but she was a little spoiled since she'd only stayed at onsite deluxe hotels (the princess almost fell off her throne... ). I think that it was a Best Western, but I could be mistaken and she isn't here to ask.

Are you planning on onsite or off? I would go for an All-Star resort--reasonable in cost, but onsite for that experience, especially for those kids who haven't ever been to WDW.

T&B

 

[VA_mouseman]

My HS marching band performed in the MK parade in 1982 (disregard my tag ... I need to fix the dates!). Our band had made the trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl parade, and we made a 'side' trip to Orlando for two days at Disney. Pretty awesome seeing the 'behind the scenes' of the parade staging area behind Adventureland. Never forget seeing Donald Duck walk around w/o his 'head' .....

 

[FunkyRooster]

Our band stayed at All-star Sports in April 2000. We marched in Epcot. The band and colorguard also participated in seperate workshops.

 

[slimplaw]

My DD and DS's band went to WDW every other year while they were in high school. The last time was 2001. Our director used a tour group which I believe was something like All American Music Festival or something similar. They made the plans with our input. One year, I was co-planner with another parent and the director. Our director always insisted on staying off-site. He did not want to make it too easy for students to return to the hotel without chaperones. I did call WDW group planning to ask about on-site, but since we were performing in Magic Music Days they would not talk to a representative about planning until a performance tape of the band was sent to WDW. The hotels we stayed at were on International Drive and another area. They were just basic ok hotels. We did side trips such as Cape Canaveral, Universal and Busch Gardens. The tour group helped in securing tickets for this. We required a permission for treatment for each student with the family's insurance information. These papers went everywhere with us. We had 4 copies of each students permission and we made 4 notebooks. We allowed our students to park hop. When a large group is in any park at WDW, they request that a chaperone call first aid in each park once an hour to see if a student has gone to first aid and needs a chaperone. We would take one of the books to each park's first aid when we arrived and pick it up on our way out. This required the chaperones to pick a park for the day and be the responsible person there. And yes, we did have students go to first aid. We had upset stomachs, a broken ankle and dehydration. We also had a student return home with detached retinas(unbeknownst to us during the trip). They figured some of the rides finished a job already started before we left on the trip. He did turn out ok. It cost our group about $70,000 for 5 nights traveling on buses. We took anywhere from 180-220 students per trip. Good luck!

 

[Horizons16]

We stayed this past winter at All Star Sports. Marched on Main street and marched in Universal. Most amazing time ever. PM me if you want!

 

[mommyseven]

In 1980, my marching band went to MK. We stayed at a Howard Johnson's in Kissimmee. They didn't have the Value resorts at that time. They were building Epcot at the time, and we could see a partially built Spaceship Earth.

 

[gracelrm]

My DH is a band director and we marched in MK in April 1997 in the afternoon parade. It was a great time! We stayed offsite at a Radisson, I believe, and came in on our busses. We went to Universal and marched around the CityWalk area in 2001 and stayed at a Holiday Inn somewhere close by. DH's friend's band marched at Epcot two years ago and they stayed at AS Music and he enjoyed being on property. They even had food vouchers or something so food was included. His friend did learn the hard way NOT to have Tshirts made with any type of Disney character or logo on it. He had these made and the band wore them on a day when they weren't marching and he was stopped and questioned about copyright infringement or something to that sort and the company who printed them for him was fined by Disney. So be careful if you want T-shirts!!

 

[Jungle Skipper]

My high school band went down in April of 1999, we marched at Epcot....it was SOOOOOOOO hot that day,,miserable in those uniforms...but great fun! a life long dream fullfilled!

We stayed at the Caribe Royal not far from property ,it was nice.

Jungle Josh

 

[paras4ri]

Senior year - 1977! There was only MK and only Poly, CR, Ft. Wilderness and (I think) the Golf Resort. We stayed at a Days Inn on what I believe is now US-192 but at the time it was called Spacecoast Parkway.

We marched in the parade at MK and a vivid memory was the instructions they gave us for the end of the parade. Once we reached the backstage area photos were forbidden because the characters take off their heads!

We also played at what was a much smaller Sea World too.