Before the Trip
A few weeks before the trip, I will be placing each chaperon with another chaperon. The chaperons and their children plus 2-3 more students will make up your group. Students will select their groups at that time based on grade level behavior during rehearsals.
Download this file for the parent powerpoint
| universal_ppt.pptx |
Morning of the Trip... UPDATED 10/21/19
Students and chaperons need to be at the school no later than 5:30 am. When you arrive, you must sign in your child. This is the attendance for the day. Prior to you arriving, I will have made up student baggies that will be placed in a chaperon fanny pack (provided for you) In this baggie will be each students ticket and bracelet as well as their parents tickets and bracelets if they are attending. There will also be my cell phone number in case of emergency. Each student and chaperon should immediately put the bracelet on (make sure it is the correct one. Their name will be on the back of it) and leave the ticket in the baggie. If their parent is driving themselves, they need to take their ticket with them.
Any chaperon that is driving themselves should go ahead and leave for Universal. You will park in the regular Universal parking garage ($22). Then go to Universal Studios (not Islands of Adventure). Once you go through the gate, head straight back the the New York Public Library steps. There is a small gate just to the left. Show your bracelet to go through that gate and then just sit in the courtyard right there and wait for us. Due to the amount of walking you will do to get to the performance area, we might beat you. Please be there at the front gate by 8:45 am. When the park opens at 9 am, you will need to hustle to the performance area. Sometimes it is possible to perform earlier than scheduled which would be great. I will not do this if there are parents that haven't gotten there yet. We will be there by 8:30 am. We will perform no later than 9:30 am.
Chaperons that are on the bus with me will get on the bus with the chorus. Once we are there, we will unload in the courtyard and sit/stand quietly until further directions are given. Nothing should leave the bus at this time except items that are needed for the performance. (Chaperons should take your fanny pack off the bus)
After the performance, chorus and parents will go out to the library steps and take pictures. We will then go back through the gate and get our changes of clothes off the bus. Bathrooms are in the performance area so talking should be at a minimum. Remember that the chorus shirt must be worn by EVERYONE the entire day, even chaperons. Anything you need off or on the bus needs to be done at this time. Once the bus leaves, we will not see it again until the evening. (it parks off site for the day and will be locked. Only the driver will be on board) At this point, we will be dividing up into our prearranged groups. Groups can go anywhere in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
At 1:45 we will meet at the performance area of Universal Studios for the awards ceremony. In order to win certain awards, our whole group must be there. If you are taking your child around the park without a group, please make sure to have him/her back for awards. This is a fun time and a great experience for the students. At this time, if you plan on taking your child with you that evening and they will not be returning on the bus, you MUST sign them out with me. After that you are free to go.
At 3:00 we will be able to go back into the park until it closes at 7 pm. We will then all meet just outside the ticket booths of Universal Studios. Look for the long planters.
At approx 7:30 pm we will get a quick head count at our meeting place outside the Universal gates and then head out to the bus. Once we leave the park, will be on the road for around 20-30 minutes before we stop in Haines City for dinner (exit 55). Depending on time, we will be back on the road after an hour and back at school around 11:30pm
Parents need to make sure that they have a phone on them in case we are running really late or really early.
I think that's it. I am super excited, I hope you are too!
Any chaperon that is driving themselves should go ahead and leave for Universal. You will park in the regular Universal parking garage ($22). Then go to Universal Studios (not Islands of Adventure). Once you go through the gate, head straight back the the New York Public Library steps. There is a small gate just to the left. Show your bracelet to go through that gate and then just sit in the courtyard right there and wait for us. Due to the amount of walking you will do to get to the performance area, we might beat you. Please be there at the front gate by 8:45 am. When the park opens at 9 am, you will need to hustle to the performance area. Sometimes it is possible to perform earlier than scheduled which would be great. I will not do this if there are parents that haven't gotten there yet. We will be there by 8:30 am. We will perform no later than 9:30 am.
Chaperons that are on the bus with me will get on the bus with the chorus. Once we are there, we will unload in the courtyard and sit/stand quietly until further directions are given. Nothing should leave the bus at this time except items that are needed for the performance. (Chaperons should take your fanny pack off the bus)
After the performance, chorus and parents will go out to the library steps and take pictures. We will then go back through the gate and get our changes of clothes off the bus. Bathrooms are in the performance area so talking should be at a minimum. Remember that the chorus shirt must be worn by EVERYONE the entire day, even chaperons. Anything you need off or on the bus needs to be done at this time. Once the bus leaves, we will not see it again until the evening. (it parks off site for the day and will be locked. Only the driver will be on board) At this point, we will be dividing up into our prearranged groups. Groups can go anywhere in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
At 1:45 we will meet at the performance area of Universal Studios for the awards ceremony. In order to win certain awards, our whole group must be there. If you are taking your child around the park without a group, please make sure to have him/her back for awards. This is a fun time and a great experience for the students. At this time, if you plan on taking your child with you that evening and they will not be returning on the bus, you MUST sign them out with me. After that you are free to go.
At 3:00 we will be able to go back into the park until it closes at 7 pm. We will then all meet just outside the ticket booths of Universal Studios. Look for the long planters.
At approx 7:30 pm we will get a quick head count at our meeting place outside the Universal gates and then head out to the bus. Once we leave the park, will be on the road for around 20-30 minutes before we stop in Haines City for dinner (exit 55). Depending on time, we will be back on the road after an hour and back at school around 11:30pm
Parents need to make sure that they have a phone on them in case we are running really late or really early.
I think that's it. I am super excited, I hope you are too!