Magic Music Days and/or early April crowds

[wld]

I'm trying to help a friend that has only been to the world once. While I have been several times, I can't help her with this.

She and her daughter are going with the school band as part of Magic Music Days. They are not staying onsite. She has tried several times to get info from the band leader with no result.
Anyone done this? How do they get from the hotel to the parks when they have free time (Wish I could remember the name of the hotel but it isn't one of the Disney connected ones, think it was Howard Johnson maybe) How much free time will they have? They leave by bus on a Saturday and leave disney Thursday night.

They will be there the week of April 5th and I'm guessing this will be a very busy week. Anyone been there that week?
I honestly don't think they will be seeing much of the parks, but I think it would be a thrill to march down main street.

Thanks for any help!

 

[SB in KY]

My daughters orchestra is going to be there the same week... Don't know about their band but each group is generally scheduled to play only one time (usually they arrange to play the first day there). The rest of their visit will be park time I assume. Most of the groups play at venues in EPCOT.

If they are staying offsite they will most likely be transported to the parks by their own bus from the hotel and dropped off at X time and picked up at X time. Most HS trips involve as little time as possible at the hotel (for reasons that aren't too hard to figure out even if you have never chaperoned a group of high schoolers before). They will probably be at the parks from early until quite late since everything is open very late that week. If they have any pool time at all it will probably be limited to late night after return from the parks.

It is one of, if not the busiest week of the year...and since they are staying off site they will not have the option to return to the room at will.

At this point in my life I am less than enthused about long hours in a crowded park...but at 16 it would be a blast.