On Wednesday, April 29, a blend of choir and band students embarked on a long journey to Orlando, Florida, filling up a bus for the hefty ride. After 23 hours on the bus and countless rest stops, they arrived at their destination, Disney’s Blizzard Beach; a beautiful ski lodge resort, frozen in time, yet melting into summer. The students swam, went down slides, and started their six-day trip with a fabulous splash. Later that evening, they attended Disney Springs shopping center, where they ate at Planet Hollywood before their spree could begin! When their wallets finally began to regret tagging along, the group headed to their hotel and went to bed.
Day two began with a trip to Animal Kingdom, where every living thing sang songs of harmony in the blistering heat. Animals with fur and paws, fins and scales, and amazing performers can be found in this magical park. The group of students made their way through the park, and quickly followed the trip with the band’s workshop, where they brought their own instruments and got to record some famous music that resonated with them. Meanwhile, the choir students headed to Epcot, where the band students would follow suit after their workshop was finished. The students spent the rest of their day drenched in sunscreen and zooming around on all of the rides, retiring to the hotel when the sun had set.
On the third day, the students took a ferry over to the most mythical place in Disney—Magic Kingdom, the home of Cinderella’s castle and countless other amazing attractions, characters, etc. They spent their day learning the layout and experiencing everything that they possibly could. Despite only going to one park this day, RHS’s band and choir had a great time before they had to head back to the hotel for the final night in a real bed, until they got home on Monday, May 4.
The final park day was full of good and bad takes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. First, many of the kids got on the Tower of Terror to shake them up and get their adrenaline pumping for the rest of their stay in the park. It was a jam-packed day with twists and turns and drops from tall heights, but the students had a blast before filing back into the bus for their trip back to Michigan. After a night of slumber and a day of rest stops, nearing 9pm, the panthers arrived back home, unloading their belongings and sleeping in their beautiful, well-desired beds.
This trip was the highlight of my junior year. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to go to make memories, spend time with those who I cherish, and most importantly, go to Disney World! Despite the hardships I have faced throughout this school year, this trip provided a new perspective and gave me a break from my constant stress. It was amazing to take a breather and be with those I care for. I highly recommend that band and choir kids attend this trip if given the opportunity.
