The Athens Orchestras, Choirs, and Bands will be traveling to WALT DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO, FLORIDA in May of 2021.
Are you ready to create once-in-a-lifetime memories with us and the Mouse?

Covid-19 (Coronavirus) update 
april 23, 2020

​Greetings,
Now that we have gained a better understanding on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) as it has developed, we have ultimately decided to move the Disney trip to Memorial Day weekend 2021 (5/28-5/31). After speaking with our administration, our travel company, and watching current travel patterns, we feel this is the best way for us to ensure the trip happens without cancelation and allows us to properly fundraise. If we were to continue with the trip in January, we would not have nearly enough time to fundraise as much as we had planned, it would lessen the time frame to make payments on the trip, and there are too many unknown factors about the COVID-19 virus. We know this may come as a disappointment to some; as directors this was a tough decision but we feel that moving the trip later in the year will give us better security and peace of mind with finances and the travel situation. We see the Disney trip as a "light at the end of the tunnel" and a source of joy for many of our families (ourselves included!) and the last thing we want to do is cancel the trip. While we deeply regret continuing to bump things backwards, we feel that this is the best way for our students to travel safely while still having a proper amount of time to fundraise and prepare financially. 

That said, everything about the trip remains the same: the overall cost, inclusions, fundraising plan, etc. We're pushing the entire operation back a few months.

Thank you for your flexibility, understanding, and patience during this time. Stay well and please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. 

Stay well,

Ryan Quinn, Orchestra, rquinn@troy.k12.mi.us
Adam Cable, Band, acable@troy.k12.mi.us
Adrienne Covian, Choir, acovian@troy.k12.mi.us
Please see the following statements from our travel company, Bob Rogers Travel, about COVID-19 (Coronavirus). With the trip being almost a year away, we are confident this will not affect our Disney trip, but we understand the concerns associated with COVID-19 and traveling. 
Bob Rogers Travel COVID 19 Statement
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File Type: pdf
Download File
COVID 19 FAQ Sheet
File Size: 157 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Email home to families March 2020:

Greetings Orchestra Parents,
I wanted to give a large overview on the Disney 2021 trip with the Athens band, orchestra, and choir. 
  • This trip is entirely optional. We take a large-scale trip every odd-numbered year, and we do Disney once every four years. We have scheduled this trip at the anticipated semester change that historically, we have that Friday off of school. If our calendar stays the same, they will only miss one day of school on Friday the 28th. We know we do not have a school calendar yet, but historically this has been the case for the past several years. This trip is only available to students who are enrolled in a band, orchestra, or choir class at Athens high school.
  • By Tuesday, March 10, all students will have received a Disney pamphlet from my visit. I know this is late for our Larson parents, so I wanted to attach the information PAMPHLET to this email as well. 
  • Signup will open in the late summer/early fall. We have space for 150 students at this time. This trip is open to all current band, orchestra, and choir students in grades 8, 9, 10, 11. When the 150 student spaces are full, we will begin a wait list and see where we go from there depending on the amount of students on the wait list as the trip gets closer. Sign up is done entirely online. Please see the attached information PACKET.
  • Initially, we are NOT allowing chaperones to sign up the same time as the students. We have 18 spots for chaperones and we want to see how the "division of students" shakes down. For example, if 30% of the 150 students are orchestra students, we will have 30% orchestra parent chaperones. We ask that you continue to check your email if you are interested in being a chaperone, as we will send out the protocol for sign up around spring break time. Chaperones pay the quad price but are 2 to a room. 
  • The price of the trip may come as a shock to some, but it is not out of the realm of possibility. Looking at the information PACKET, you will see that students get six $15 Disney Dining Cards over the course of the trip. These are gift cards that can be used anywhere in Disney to purchase food. When we are not in Disney, you will notice they get $10 cash back. This is literally a $10 bill that they get to spend on food at the airport. So, your child will get $100 of their trip cost back to them. Please note that ALL MEALS ARE COVERED in this trip. Past experience with this trip, the Disney Dining cards have been enough for students, as they can be used until they are empty - kids will usually not use the entire 15 for lunch, and they another 15 for dinner, so they can use their leftover lunch balance for their dinner too. These can be used anywhere food is purchased in Disney (lemonade/pretzel stands, restaurants, etc.)
  • You will notice the trip itinerary, the students get a ton of time in the park in addition to TWO amazing musical experiences. When we went in 2017, the kids had the time of their lives. They will be in groups of people and will be assigned a chaperone to check in with during the course of each day. They sleep 4 to a room, and our chaperones will be 2 to a room. We have a system that works extremely well keeping our kids safe and having the best time. 
  • Fundraising. Band, Orchestra, and Choir has a plan in place for fundraising for this trip. We are hoping to raise enough money to knock $100 off every child's trip, and raise additional money to assist our chaperones, as we understand they are already paying for their child's trip as well as their own. We have restaurant fundraisers planned every month. In addition to that, we do several fundraisers where students can earn more money towards their own personal trip. You will be informed of these fundraisers through Schoology emails and updates, as well as announcements on our website: www.athensorchestras.com 
    • WE WILL BE HAVING A DISNEY FUNDRAISING MEETING IN TH NEAR FUTURE. There we will discuss our fundraising plan for this trip. We encourage parents and students who are interested in the Disney trip to come to this meeting. This is not a meeting about Disney, but a fundraising meeting to get us there. 
  • We WILL have a brief Disney overview at the March 10 evening meeting for Incoming Music Freshmen. It's at 7pm in the TACC at Athens HS, please RSVP here: (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0d4ea4ac22a0fd0-incoming1)  
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