Magic Music Days

[mom2dzb]

Does anyone have any experience with Disney Magic Music Days? My son's high school band is going for spring break 2011. We were already planning a trip to WDW at the time so if my son goes, would we still be able to make it a family trip?

I'd love to hear some opinions on the program!

Thanks!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

My daughter is going for the second time with her HS band. She has a wonderful band director. The best advice he gave us was to "Never" plan a family vacation around her band trips. The trip was for her to "grow" together with the band and in "life". Did we go to watch her.. DEFINETELY. Was is a family trip, NO.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I've taught Colorguard for years and have been on many WDW trips as staff. In my experience, most of the parents who go tend to tour the parks with the other parents. This is really a time for the kids to be together and experience things with their friends. It's half the fun, kwim?

As far as MMD, most of the programs that I've been involved in have been the preshow to the afternoon parade at MK. The kids get a kick out of being backstage......but most of them are just anxious to get it over with and get back to the parks.

 

[mom2dzb]

Thanks for your responses! I was hoping that my son would be able to stay with us and just meet up with the band for their events, but it sounds like that isn't what the program is about. I'm not keen on staying at ASM with them (we're DVC and I've got points to use elsewhere) so it sounds like this will be a vacation where I occassionally run in to him.

 

[Wishes]

My daughter's high school band went to this last March. We went down on our own (flew down - didn't ride the bus as sponsors due to not being able to take off that many days of work - I'm a teacher and it was actually the week before our spring break). We had 3 days as band parents where we saw her perform and actually ran into her several times in the parks - but we kept our distance - stayed at Pop while the band stayed at an off-site hotel - so she could enjoy her time with her band friends. Then, after the awards ceremony, when the rest of the kids were getting ready to load the bus for the 20 hour ride back home she stayed with us and we had 5 more days of family fun before flying home together. Maybe this could be something you and your family could do? Hope you get to go and watch him perform! My DH and I had so much fun watching our DD!

 

[DrRae2B]

I was my band's Drum Major when we competed in Magic Music Days!!!! And I was soooooo nervous about that performance... my parents actually went down to WDW that same week-- they didn't go as chaperones, but rather just enjoyed themselves while us band geeks did our thing together. We did meet up briefly so I could give my daddy the video camera so he could record our parade performance, but other than that, we saw each other very little. As for MMD, I LOVED it-- for a high school kid, it's a great opportunity to experience WDW with some of the best friends you'll ever have.... I went 10 years ago (this May, actually!), and I still consider that to be some of the best memories I can recall. (What can be more fun than chilling at WDW with 80 of your closest friends??).

Oh, and in case you're wondering (and just for old time's sake), I'd like to toss a little boast in here-- my teeny little band, from a po-dunk mountain town in WV, BEAT EVERY OTHER BAND IN OUR CLASS to win 1st place in that particular parade competition. Lemme tell ya, going up on that stage in MGM to get that MASSIVE trophy was one of the coolest things I've ever done!

On a more personal note, I can honestly say that I am SO glad my parents decided to go to WDW that week, even though it wasn't a "family vacation".... Barely two months later (right after I graduated HS), we lost my dad unexpectedly to a rare leukemia we didn't even know he had. The video he got of me leading MY band thru WDW (and bragging about his "little girl" the whole while) was one of the last "great" memories I have of him.

I hope you all have a great time watching your son's performance, and wish your son's band the BEST OF LUCK! Knock 'em dead!

 

[lilosurf11]

I enjoyed doing the MMD but I think it would have been more fun had it been during my senior year of high school and not my freshmen year.
While I didn't spend a lot of time with my family when they came along, it was great to hang out with friends and share my Disney knowledge. Some of my classmates even asked me questions about things in the park. My all-time favorite thing about MMD was marching down Main Street and seeing all those people lines up along the street that were watching me march!! I have a picture somewhere of us right in front of Cinderella Castle and I remember looking and seeing my family cheering me on!