High school band competition

[marybet]

My grandson's high school band is going to WDW May 28 to June 2. I am trying to find some details about what they will do there. All they seem to know are the dates, the woman in charge says she is waiting to get her packet of information.

Does anyone know anything about this? DIL said it was a competition, not just marching in the parade. I tried doing some searches but didn't come up with anything. Also looked at scheduled events and found nothing.

We are trying to decide if we should attend but don't have any idea of what, where, or when. I like to start planning asap so any help would be appreciated!

 

[marybet]

Bump. Anyone???

 

[yasmina]

My husband's band and orchestra go to Orlando every 3 years for competition, and I know they've gone to Disney a couple of times. I don't remember alot of the details, and he just left to run some errands. I'll ask him when he gets back and get back to you.

 

[Briarmom]

When I was in HS, I went to Orlando with band and choir for 3 years in a row. We had our real competitions in area High Schools. We also played in Epcot/DTD. This was 93, 94, 95.

 

[profdsny]

There is a program called Disney Magic Music Days. Our HS goes every 4 years, and generally does some sort of program and competition somewhere off stage. They wind up doing the parade down Main Street. We've never gone to any of the competitions, and have pretty much understood that they are not open to the public. I think they get tips and such on performing. (none of the kids are home now to ask, sorry.)
Still, it's a lot of fun. Depending on your package some schools stay on site, some off. What we have seen the times we went with the band is that the tour guys from here don't know WDW as well as we do. They had the whole band get on buses at the Contemporary to ride to the T & T center, to take the boat to the entrance to MK. It turned a 5 minute walk into an hour trip.
My youngest is pushing for the band to go her senior year again as usual rather than Hawaii. She said the kids who had done both (her brother, for one) liked WDW better.
Do a search on Magic Music Days and you should come up with more info. Good luck.

 

[powellrj]

while its not band, DS choir is going to WDW for competition called show stoppers in the spring. They sent a sheet home with all the information about costs. I know they are staying at a value and will have a little park time, but it seems like they will be pretty busy with the group most of the time. I know the people that go say its a wonderful trip, but we can't get away this year because of too many other family obligations or we would be going too.

 

[LauraC]

I am the trip coordinator and lead chaperone for my kids' high school band trip to Walt Disney World in April. They will be competing at Festival Disney. Info is at www.festivaldisney.com. But that only goes through the beginning of May. I do know that when I was doing my research on Disney band trips that there was a band festival called MusicFest in Orlando that went through June. The competition is at a local high school but the parade and awards ceremony is held at Disney. I think that is what you are looking for. That link is www.musicfestorlando.com

 

[simba928]

I don't have any info about the competition as we don't do it. Our band goes every other year (the choir goes on our off years). We went 2 years ago, so we will be going in February (42 days ). I am so pumped!!!! Anyways, we had a ton of fun on the last trip. There was a breakfast that recognized the bands there. Our band director and asst band director got Mickey ears. That was the greatest thing ever. And boy, did they wear those things proudly. And then on the last day, somebody gave the director pink hairclips, a pink princess sash, and a wand and he wore that getting on the bus. (He is never embarassed about anything, he dressed up like a pirate at band camp).

I can tell you, though, that the coolest thing when we went was that there were so many of our band parents down there with us. We were marching and turned the corner to walk down Main Street and we just saw a sea of our band parents. They were all wearing our school colors and one of the moms made cardboard cutouts of Mickey Mouse hand decorated with our school colors that they were waving. It was just amazing to be in my favorite place in the world, doing what I love to do, with all my friends, and all my "other parents" there to support us.

He will love it and have a blast!

 

[marybet]

Thanks everyone.

LauraC thanks for those links, I checked and the dates aren't the ones my DIL gave me, but maybe they got that wrong because they sound like what she was talking about.

I tried searching magic music days and got an error page.....to many files. So I did a goggle search and had some luck there but still not the right dates.

Guess I will just have to wait until they get the info package. If we all go I want to rent a house and that takes a lot of research which is why I wanted to get started.

simba928 I think my grandson would be really excited to have us all there, have no idea if other parents and grandparents will attend. The school is in Texas, probably about a 16 hour drive.

 

[profdsny]

Hi, it's fun, but..... don't plan on seeing the kids much. Generally, between their schedule and hanging out with friends they don't have a lot of time for family. The first time we went we saw our son 2 times, not counting the parade. Both of those were when he called and asked if he could have more money. Now we just go along as an excuse to go.

 

[starwood]

Our band with DS is going 4/19. It is the band, choir and orchestra. As far as I know they will not be competing - only performing and marching in the parade.

 

[aprilgail2]

My god daughter went in 9th, 10th 11th and 12th with our schools band. It was a long bus ride (about 22 hours) but she loved it. They played in one of the restaurants in Epcot and I don't know where else. She just liked that they had the freedom to go anywhere in the parks they liked as long as they were back at a certain time. They did not have to have a parent with them but they had to check in from time to time (same with my brothers school). All the kids have cell phones and they can call them if they are not back when they should be. I just remember my god daughter would sleep for a whole day after getting back becuase they didn't sleep much on the whole trip!

 

[piratelover875]

Wait a sec simba928, what high school did you go to?

 

[mrsmom]

My son school band is going and another school band in our district is going with us April 2-6 and they are just marching in the parade. We are going down with my other two kids to video tape them and enjoy the parks but they have a full schedule plan, so we might see him a bit. But we want him to have a good times with his friends.
KIm