Written by Simon Hua|

The Morgan School Band and Chorus recently went on a field trip to Disney World during spring break. They arrived around 2 AM at Orlando, Florida on Friday, April 12th and stayed until Tuesday, April 16th. The students and chaperones stayed at the Grand Orlando Resort, where they were served breakfast each day before departing by bus for the parks.

The students began their magical adventure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. At 500 acres of land, including a safari with over 2,000 animals, this is the largest of the Disney theme parks. Centered around the Tree of Life, a 145-foot tall sculpture of a baobab tree, the park is known for rides such as Expedition Everest and the new Avatar Flight of Passage.

Later that day, the students left Animal Kingdom for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a theme park based on the Golden Age of Hollywood. This park features well-known attractions like The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and the Slinky Dog Dash. In addition to rides, Hollywood Studios is known for its theatrical performances, such as Beauty and the Beast—Live on Stage. At the end of the night, the band and chorus went to the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater to see Fantasmic!, a show which takes viewers on a journey through Mickey Mouse’s imagination as he fights off the evil Disney Villains.

The next morning, the Morgan Band explored the Disney Springs shopping complex, where the chorus held their performance. The rest of the day was spent at Epcot, a Disney park represented by the 180 feet tall geodesic sphere known as Spaceship Earth. This park is best known for the World Showcase, an area split into eleven sections to represent a broad range of countries, including Japan, France, Norway, Mexico, Italy, and others. Each section features restaurants, shops, and other attractions from their respective countries. Freshman Aly Vera reflects, “I liked Epcot the most because of all the different countries and cultures. It wasn’t too hot that day either, so I was in a good mood.”

On the students’ last full day in Orlando, they visited Disney’s Magic Kingdom, known for its iconic replica of Cinderella’s castle. This park is split into six differently themed areas: Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Some of Magic Kingdom’s most notable attractions include Space Mountain in Tomorrowland, Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square, and Splash Mountain in Frontierland. Junior Sara Buzzeo shares, “Magic Kingdom was my favorite park because the rides were really fun and the park had a lot to offer.” At night, everyone gathered in front of Cinderella Castle to watch Happily Ever After, a fireworks show featuring mesmerizing projections of Disney scenes and characters which make the castle take on many different themes.

On Tuesday, April 16th, the band returned to perform at Disney Springs while the chorus went shopping. Afterward, the students and chaperones made their way to the airport and said goodbye to sunny Florida. Although their time at Disney World lasted just a few days, the magic lives on forever in their memories of the trip.