Not everyone gets an inside look at the “most magical place on earth,” but this year, Montoursville’s band and choir departments went behind the scenes to do a workshop for the band and a performance for the choir in Walt Disney World.
Among these opportunities, students and chaperones got to explore the parks of Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
“It was probably one of the best trips I’ve been on for school,” said junior Grace Barkauskas.
Each group’s experience was different, but people agreed that it was an amazing trip, despite the almost 20-hour bus rides the students and chaperones had to endure.
“[The bus] kind of sucked because the seats were very uncomfortable,” said senior Sean Rehn. “I don’t know how I slept either night but I slept both nights that we had to sleep on the bus.”
Students even went so far as to sleep in the aisles to be well-rested for the next day at Magic Kingdom.
Rehn said she ate a lot of food and watched the TV show “Arcane” with her seat partner Estella Smelko.
In addition to students’ entertainment, chaperones Mrs. Kirsten Gist and Mr. Christopher Morgan provided fun movies for everyone to watch on the small DVD players hanging from the roof every few seats. Among the movie choices were “Monsters University,” “Enchanted,” and “Aladdin.”
After switching bus drivers in North Carolina at 2 a.m. and a later stop to freshen up before the park and eat breakfast, everyone was ready to head to Magic Kingdom for a full day of fun.
There was one ride in particular that everyone seemed to enjoy.
“[My favorite part] was TRON,” said sophomore Emilia Minotti. “I rode it three times with my group.”
TRON Lightcycle Run is a ride located in a part of Magic Kingdom called Tomorrowland. It is a high-speed coaster based on the Disney sci-fi film “TRON: Legacy.”
Morgan’s chaperone group, which combined with Mrs. Ashley Hess’s chaperone group, loved it so much that they nicknamed themselves “TRON” for the rest of the trip.
Magic Kingdom employees began to usher people out of the park at around 6:30 p.m., but for the students from Montoursville, this was only the beginning of the fun they would have. After around half the park was emptied, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party began at 7 p.m. There were cookie and hot chocolate stations, special events, new holiday themes in certain rides, and fireworks to end the night. Because ride wait times had lessened, everyone was able to ride more and experience more of the park, not to mention the festive lights that illuminated all the paths.
“I did cry during the fireworks because it was so cool and it was my first time going there,” said senior Karleigh McKenna.
The next day, after getting back to the hotel at 11 p.m., the band kids had to wake up at 5 a.m. to make it to the first behind-the-scenes activity of the day in Epcot. They attended a band workshop during which the students play a Disney song that will get added into an animation.
“I really loved the director,” said McKenna. “He was very mature but he also had that sense of being able to connect with the kids.”
“I think the band workshop was my favorite part,” said Rehn. “All the employees at Disney have a very specific Disney energy and it was really fun to work with somebody like that who seemed to really like our band.”
In the past when it went to Disney, the band had played in parades, but this time Morgan said he wanted to switch things up.
“I didn’t want to do just another parade,” said Morgan about why he chose to do the workshop. “If we’re going to go to Disney, I want to do something that you can only do at Disney, and this was one of the better things they had for us.
The band wasn’t the only group that got to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The choir performed in Epcot’s Candlelight Processional, which they have been preparing for since the beginning of the year.
The Candlelight Processional is a ceremony featuring holiday-themed musical performances set by candlelight.
“The music was not easy, and there’s lots of pieces, and you have to have them memorized, and so it’s a big undertaking,” said Gist about the processional. “I knew I needed to have a really solid group of musicians, so if ever there was a year that we should tackle 14 songs in a month and a half, this was it.”
“I think the performance went well, we all had fun and enjoyed the experience,” said freshman Christian Berwanger. “Before the performance, [our director] gave us an inspirational speech that made us all feel more comfortable. In his words, ‘If you’re denied a seat at the table, build your own.’”
Students in the choir who performed said they did something to make sure that it was a magical and memorable experience for everyone.
Aside from the performance and workshop, the band and choir members said they had a great time exploring countries of the world in Epcot.
“The food was definitely my favorite part, eating around the world in Epcot,” said Barkauskas.
Barkauskas said her favorite country to visit was Mexico, where she had nachos.
Junior Kingston Fisher said his favorite country to visit and try food was China. “I’ve had Chinese food before, but just the experience was fun, and I bought a Chinese hat,” said Fisher.
The firework show on display that night was called “Luminous, the Symphony of Us,” and it made more than a few people shed a tear at its impactful message about love, life, and building connections.
The last day in Disney was spent at Hollywood Studios, and was, in some ways, the least stressful. No one had to wake up early, no one was coming out of a 20-hour bus ride, and there were no obligations for band or choir. Students simply got to enjoy the park and spend time with their friends.
“I think my favorite part of the entire trip was probably just spending time with the people in my group because it was nice to do something outside of school together, taking our time and taking everything in,” said McKenna. “I think since we were there we were really willing to try new things.”
Rehn agrees with McKenna that the group she was in made the trip much more enjoyable.
“I think the main thing was just that my group was awesome,” said Rehn. “I liked everyone and we all got along really well. I think we all came in wanting to do the same things and there was never really a point that we had to compromise with each other which was really important for me.”
After the final firework show, “Fantasmic!,” the band and choir were ready to say goodbye to Disney and ride the bus back home to Montoursville.
“It took a little bit of convincing for me to go, but I’m so happy that I got to go, especially since it’s my senior year,” said McKenna.
Coming back, all the students were excitedly sharing their stories of the trip.
“I think that I’m going to remember some of these experiences and look back on them with a smile,” said Minotti.
Featured Photo (at top): Students watch the fireworks in Epcot. The show was called “Luminous, the Symphony of Us,” which, according to Disney is a celebration of the passage of life, cultures, and customs shared across communities. Photo provided by Mrs. Mandy Witmer.
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