High School Trip: MM/FP+

[Miksma]

I will be chaperoning a HS band/orchestra trip to WDW (staying on-site) in December and will be assigned a group of 15-20 kids. Wanting to be a most awesome chaperone, I'd like to purchase MM for the kids in my group. Since we are only a subset of the whole entourage -- and not a typical family group -- will this be possible/permissible?

Also, I understand that groups do not have the ability to make advance FP+ reservations, even though we are staying on-site. True? Can we use FP+ same day?

Thanks!

 

[andeesings]

I will be chaperoning a HS band/orchestra trip to WDW (staying on-site) in December and will be assigned a group of 15-20 kids. Wanting to be a most awesome chaperone, I'd like to purchase MM for the kids in my group. Since we are only a subset of the whole entourage -- and not a typical family group -- will this be possible/permissible? Also, I understand that groups do not have the ability to make advance FP+ reservations, even though we are staying on-site. True? Can we use FP+ same day? Thanks!

I took my small choir (23 kids) to compete in Disney earlier this year, first weekend in April. The kids and I had a GREAT time. The FP+ was a NIGHTMARE. Yes, you can use the kiosks, but we were there at rope drop and couldn't get times even CLOSE to each other on the same rides. The CM, bless him, was trying to be helpful, and said, well why don't half of you go on this and half go on that? I said, "Oh, you don't know much about chaperoning, do you?" I had to CALL my school to get special permission to break the kids into smaller groups of four so they could use FP+ at all. The last time I took a group (same size) the FP legacy was so much easier to use because the times just come one after another. Even at the hottest rides, the overlap was about a half hour ensuring all my kids could ride together. FP+ is a disaster for groups.

As for the MM-- I bought a ride photo of my kids because it was a trip seeing them all on the Dinosaur ride taking up an entire 2 cars all wearing the same shirt. The gentleman who sold me the photos offered me a "ride photo" pass for what I thought was a reasonable price. Then I got all the photos of the kids on the rides, which was fabulous, and it was easy because they were all wearing the same shirt so it was clear we were a group. In my opinion it was better for us than the MM, because we weren't doing character breakfasts and I just had the photopass CM's use my phone to take photos of us in front of the castle, with characters, etc. It was also loads cheaper!! I hadn't heard of it until the CM pointed it out when I bought the first two ride photos.

 

[jmulvaney]

I took my small choir (23 kids) to compete in Disney earlier this year, first weekend in April. The kids and I had a GREAT time. The FP+ was a NIGHTMARE. Yes, you can use the kiosks, but we were there at rope drop and couldn't get times even CLOSE to each other on the same rides. The CM, bless him, was trying to be helpful, and said, well why don't half of you go on this and half go on that? I said, "Oh, you don't know much about chaperoning, do you?" I had to CALL my school to get special permission to break the kids into smaller groups of four so they could use FP+ at all. The last time I took a group (same size) the FP legacy was so much easier to use because the times just come one after another. Even at the hottest rides, the overlap was about a half hour ensuring all my kids could ride together. FP+ is a disaster for groups. As for the MM-- I bought a ride photo of my kids because it was a trip seeing them all on the Dinosaur ride taking up an entire 2 cars all wearing the same shirt. The gentleman who sold me the photos offered me a "ride photo" pass for what I thought was a reasonable price. Then I got all the photos of the kids on the rides, which was fabulous, and it was easy because they were all wearing the same shirt so it was clear we were a group. In my opinion it was better for us than the MM, because we weren't doing character breakfasts and I just had the photopass CM's use my phone to take photos of us in front of the castle, with characters, etc. It was also loads cheaper!! I hadn't heard of it until the CM pointed it out when I bought the first two ride photos.

We allow HS kids to separate on trips like this. Two years ago we took our choir to Universal and they were allowed to go wherever they wanted as long as they texted their chaperone every 2 hours. We met at lunch and before we left for the night. We also take senior classes to Cedar Point every year and they know when and where the buses are at the end of the trip. My daughter went to France for two weeks her sophomore year and they had free time. I guess every school is different.

 

[andeesings]

We allow HS kids to separate on trips like this. Two years ago we took our choir to Universal and they were allowed to go wherever they wanted as long as they texted their chaperone every 2 hours. We met at lunch and before we left for the night. We also take senior classes to Cedar Point every year and they know when and where the buses are at the end of the trip. My daughter went to France for two weeks her sophomore year and they had free time. I guess every school is different.

Indeed, your mileage may vary. My old school, NO WAY. Line of sight chaperoning. I let them have an hour to themselves at the very end of the trip and I could've been in massive trouble for THAT! This past trip at a new school I got special permission for smaller groups and it turned out to be fine. But it really does vary by district. I have to be honest I don't LOVE breaking a group up that's that small anyway- part of the reason I bring them on trips is to build esprit de coeur, a sense of group unity- if they're running off in small groups that really defeats the purpose for me!

Next year I've got a MUCH larger group so it's not that much of a concern, I'll have to break them into smaller groups.