This is your sign to take your students to Disney. 

I've taken some groups to Disney World and it's been AMAZING!! It does seem a bit overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. 

Don't know where to start? I gotchu boo. 

I've compiled an informational blog post for you to know where to start. 

Decide on dates

1. I usually do 4 days over Mardi Gras Break or Spring Break. 
2. If your school district allows, take the trip over regular school days. It's up to you! 

Decide on who you will invite

1. What grade levels? I do 4th and 5th grade. I've done middle school in the past. My daughter went with her High School Marching Band and they marched down Main Street!
2. Will you require an adult with every child? 
3. Will you allow other family members? (I allow siblings of the parents if the student come, but everyone pays the same price)

Get in touch with Disney. 

1. Fill out an Imagination Campus interest form on https://www.disneycampus.com/ 
2. A Cast Member will contact you within 2 weeks via email. 
3. This person is your best friend. You’ll talk with them for everything to get started and set up. 

Imagination Campus

1. This is Disney's student field trip program. 
2. They have performing arts and education workshops. 
3. Decide on which program you want and book it ASAP. They fill up quickly. 
4. Since Imagination Campus started, we've done Technology of Disney Parks and this year we are doing Broadway Magic! 

Pictures from last year's Technology of Disney Parks

We got to explore behind the scenes at the American Adventure to see how the animatronics worked and how the trackless ride works at Remy's. The students were given tasks to complete and work together through the Design Process. 

This year, we are doing something more in line with our Magnet School Theme. We are participating in a workshop called "Broadway Magic" where we will get to work with Disney Teaching Artists to learn a little bit more about the entertainment industry. According to the website, "

"In the Disney Broadway Magic – Musical Theatre Workshop, students gain an understanding of the fundamentals of musical theatre through participation—including breath control, diction and character development.

Industry professionals will lead students in fast-paced rehearsals of a scene from one of Disney’s world-famous shows—culminating in a show-stopping final performance!

This Broadway theatre workshop also offers students critical insights into audition techniques, the importance of every role in a production and how to overcome unexpected obstacles during performances." - Broadway Magic Imagination Campus

We've been practicing with the students on their piece of performance and it's going so well! Now, this workshop said it's best for Middle and High school students, but our 4th and 5th graders have been performing at our school since Kindergarten so I think they've got a leg up on the competition. It's going to be so fun! 

Decide on accommodations. 

1. Will you stay on property? If yes, ask your Imagination Campus contact for quotes on rooms. 
2. Usually a value resort will be the cheapest, but they will quote you on any of your top three choices. 
3. If you stay off property make sure you have transportation to and from the parks worked out. 

We like to stay at Value Resorts - they have a bit smaller rooms but they are cheaper and most affordable for most families. Pop Century is my favorite!

Pull Down Murphy Bed

Decide on Tickets

1. How many days will you need? We do 4 days
2. Do you want Park Hoppers?
1. We get park hoppers so we aren’t stuck at one park all day, especially if it’s super busy. 
3. Do you want water parks?

Decide on transportation. 

1. Will you fly or take a bus? 
2. Bus is infinitely more affordable than flying, and in Louisiana we aren't that far from Florida. 
3. I’ve used Dixieland Charter, Hotard, and Spangler Tours. Hotard has been the most comfortable but also most expensive. Find a local bus company for your school! 
4. It takes 9.5 hours from Baton Rouge to Orlando. 
5. We leave at 9 pm at night and drive through the night, waking up on the Florida Turnpike! 

Decide on your Itinerary. 

1. Sample - Disney World Trip Itinerary 2024 
2. When we wake up on the bus, we stop at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza on the turnpike. Here, we freshen up - brush teeth, hair, get dressed, get breakfast, drink coffee - the basics. 

1. Then we get back on the bus and head to the resort. 
2. The resort will hold your bags for you. Your room will be ready around 3 or 4. Sometimes earlier! 

Decide on Dining

1. Will you provide a card or vouchers? (I do cards; the funds never expire)
2. Will families have to pay for their own food? This could make for a cheaper package for your families, but they will have to budget for themselves when in Disney. 

Book everything through your Imagination Campus Cast Member. 

1. Accommodations
2. Tickets
3. Meals
4. Program
5. Extras

Please Note: You can use a Travel Agent, but all funds MUST go through the travel agency. Since our trip is a school based trip, our district won't let this fly - we have to do things from the school. Thankfully Disney will take school organizational checks, as well as school based Credit Cards and wire transfers. 

Meal Cards/Vouchers

1. I do Meal Cards - The funds act like cash and never expire; this gives more flexibility for families to purchase meals to share. 
2. Vouchers are a set price each (like $13.90 for breakfast or $16 for lunch/dinner) and will include an entree and a drink. 

Decide on Fundraisers/Sponsors. 

1. If you do any fundraisers, I usually total the amount raised, divide it by the number of STUDENT participants, and then subtract from the total due. 
2. For example, if I have 20 students coming, and we raise $1000, I will subtract $50 from their totals. So If Johnny and his mom are coming, and their total is $2,000, I will subtract $50, making their balance due $1,950. 

Decide on a payment plan for your families. 

1. I do 5 payments of $210, spread throughout the year and then 1 payment of the balance due. 
2. This is what was charged this year:
1. Accommodations: $340 per person (based on double occupancy)
2. Tickets: $450 (we do park hoppers) per person
3. Bus: $270 per person
4. T-Shirts: $15 per person (1 t-shirt for the day we have our program)
5. Dining Card: $200 per person
6. Total: $1,275
3. Each year we have to increase the price by about 15% to account for Disney’s price raises; but if the amount is less I do adjust the payments for the families. Next year we are floating the idea of not including the meal card. 
4. This is a significantly cheaper trip than planning a direct one from Disney. There's discounted tickets AND if you can get a Tax Exempt form from Florida (ask your district office!) your trip will be TAX FREE!!

Type up an informational packet. Here is mine: 2024 Disney Trip Informational Packet

1. Here is an informational slideshow from this past year:

And finally, find a co-sponsor who is crazy enough to take twenty 9 and 10 year olds with you on a cross country field trip for four days. 

Don't forget to have fun!! 

I hope this blog post helps you plan a magical outing for students at your school. 

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Jessica

So it's been a fabulous and much needed spring break! I'm so excited to share with you what I've been doing this week. And it hasn't been a lot!! Lol!!

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Jessica

So as you may know it's Spring Break. I've been having a blast doing pretty much nothing but TPT stuff. However, yesterday Carly and I decided to have a DIY Disney Day. It was so much fun! And here's how it went.

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Jessica

It has been such a whirlwind these past few days! Friday morning we headed down to Kenner, about an hour from BR. Parents carpooled the kiddos and I took my car since Carly was already down there and I was her ride back.

Let the pictures show you the fun! Because seriously, words cannot describe the excitement that is literally palpable in the air during the FIRST Bayou Regional Robotics Competition. You walk in the Convention Center and there are hundreds of high schoolers in safety googles, team colors, with props, headgear, costumes, music is blasting, robots are everywhere! Giant, up to 120 pound robots, and they have the right of way at Robotics competitions btw.

This year's theme was Power Up! And it was a game show setup. The robots have 2 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the match. During the match, the first 15 seconds the robot has to be entirely autonomous and get over the line on the field. Some teams program their robot to do more than just roll over the line, but this is a very advanced task.

There are two "alliances": the red and the blue. There are three robot teams on each alliance.

So after the first 15 seconds, the game is this: teams have to collect yellow power cubes and bring them to the scale or the switches. The alliance that holds the scale or the switch gets more points. Robots can also bring power cubes to the human player and then get power ups, for more points. The alliance with the most points wins.

The teams keep track of the other teams whose robots perform well, for the final 8 alliances for finals.

It is beyond exciting. I am so glad I was able to take my Robotics team here so that they could experience this.

 We are a feeder school for two of BR's high schools, Lee Magnet High and Baton Rouge High. They have a joint FRC team and we were invited into the pits to see them and learn all about their robot. Here they are!

 Safety goggles must be worn in pits at FRC, lots of tools and welding going on back here. It's very technical and involved!

NASA was there! They showed us an Augmented Reality activity where the Curiosity rover pops up 3D on your phone and you get to maneuver the surface of Mars. Very cool.

 We also did an activity with NASA where they had to rank items of importance in case you got stranded on the surface of Mars or the moon.

The US Air Force came out and brought their robot rover, also extremely complicated (and expensive!), that they use for explosive devices.

Most of the kid took a turn controlling the robot.

Then it was our turn to man the FIRST LEGO League booth. We spent two hours playing on the field and practicing our codes for the challenge missions.

 Here we are, repping Mayfair!! It was a great day. Soon after this pic, they loaded back up in parents' cars and headed back to Baton Rouge. They thoroughly enjoyed this experience and I'm so happy that I was able to give this to them.

Yes, they missed a day of school and learning in core subjects, but this first hand experience and hands on learning can never be replaced and cannot be learned from a book or lesson plan. 

Carly's team had already run their matches for the day, and were waiting for the end of the competition day. The finals were to take place on Saturday, so her and her friends were just going to hand in the seats and cheer on other teams. 

It also just so happened that March 23 is my best friend's birthday! She and her hubby were celebrating in Nola so I hopped up on I-10 and 35 minutes later I pulled into a parking garage off Royal street. Amanda and Chris were hanging out at The Beach on Bourbon so I walked right on in and we had a BLAST for a few hours. 

We had dinner at Felix's and chowed down on chargrilled oysters and they were DA BOMB.

Saturday morning carbs were this:

No regrets. Go big or go home, buddy. 

Then it was all about SJA!!

Buttons are a big thing at the FRC Bayou Regional. They are everywhere and you need to get them all. From every team!

Carly is mechanical lead on her team. She had to fix the robot before their first match.

Though The Shield wasn't chosen for an alliance and didn't win, the girls had fun and learned lots. 

 High school is all about having fun, making mistakes, learning new things, and making friends that will last a lifetime. Carly and Anne Marie walked out of the pits happy and already excited for next year's competition!

Carly and I packed the car, went to Atomic Burger for a shake, visited the Metarie Trader Joe's, and headed home. Exhausting weekend but well worth it!

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Jessica