Last spring, many band students waited for the results of the spring trip poll, and some were already planning how they would raise the money for the anticipated 2013 band spring trip. After waiting for what seemed like hours, phones began buzzing with the anxiously awaited tweet revealing the winning destination for the band’s spring trip in March 2013.
After getting the trip approved by the school district, former band director David Wright presented Orlando, Florida as the destination for the band’s spring trip for the 2012-2013 year. Since band doesn’t have a state competition this year, band students have the opportunity to use the money they fundraise to go towards this trip. Current band director Ginger Denney said about 85-95 band students have signed up to go so far.
“[They’re] very excited,” Denney said. “I can’t wait to take my students to ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’.”
Senior drum major Cheyenne McClendon is one band student that has already signed up to go on the trip.
“I love trips with band,” McClendon said. “It’s a great bonding experience.”
Denney said the spring trip is scheduled for March 14-18, 2013 and the cost is $1,300. She said there will be two fundraisers to help the students pay for the trip: selling value cards that come with a smart phone app, and selling poinsettias. Senior Cheyenne Aguirre said she will be taking advantage of both these fundraisers.
“I want to help my parents out,” Aguirre said. “I will be making at least the first two payments by myself.”
Denney said the band will ride in charter buses to get to Dallas, and then fly from Dallas to Orlando, staying in the Radisson Resort Orlando in Kissimmee, Florida. While at Disney World, Denney said the band will have park hopper passes allowing them to “jump” from one park to the next whenever they feel like it.
“The park hopper pass is going to be cool because we can spend more time at the parks we find more enjoyable,” McClendon said.
Denney said there will also be an educational part of the trip. The band will be taking part in a Disney workshop titled “You’re Instrumental,” where the band will record music for cartoons and other Disney animations in a Disney recording studio.
“I am so excited to record a soundtrack at Disney,” Aguirre said. “That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. I love Disney music and music in general.”
Aguirre said she has a certain park at Disney she would like to visit.
“I want to visit Magic Kingdom,” Aguirre said. “I want to take pictures with princesses.”
McClendon said she also has a park at Disney World she hopes to see.
“I want to visit EPCOT because there are so many cool things to see,” McClendon said.
The band also gets the chance to bring money to collect souvenirs. Aguirre said she likes to collect them.
“I like collecting souvenirs,” Aguirre said. “They make me remember all of the fun things that happened.”
With all of these activities in store for the band, there will be energy and Disney imagination to be spread among the attending band students.
“I am excited because the last band trip to Corpus Christi was amazing,” Aguirre said. “I can only imagine that going to Disney will be nothing further from amazing.”
