What Can I Expect -- Group Theatre Workshop Trip

JSwitzer77

Earning My Ears
Joined
Nov 7, 2009
Hello! Well, I received maybe the most exciting email ever from my son's community theatre group last night! It seems they are planning a trip to WDW for next summer to participate in the Theatre Workshop. They wanted to know if I would be interested in being a chaperone. Well, yes!!! :)

For the record, I am a mega planner for Disney trips, so I have no clue how I will handle NOT having control of the trip. But it might also be a good thing because we will have an almost 2-year-old with us and I have never taken a child that young to Disney before. I'm pretty sure I will have to let go of my tight schedule. Ha! At the time of the trip, it will be my husband, myself, 17yo son, 13yo son, and almost 2yo daughter.

So here are my questions for anyone who has joined a group trip like this...

Do the kids participate in a workshop 1 time or every day of the trip?

How long do the workshops generally last?

For your group, did everyone have to go to the same park on the same day?

How structured was the trip for those who were not participating in the workshop?

If the group doesn’t purchase a dining plan, will our family be able to purchase one?

Will we be able to reserve fast passes and make dining reservations as soon as we would be able to if we were traveling alone? I guess the real question would be if we would have 1 group reservation number or separate ones for each family?

Anything else I should think about in relation to being with a large group (20 families?) instead of just my family?

Are there any trip reports I can read to get an idea from others who have participated in a group workshop?
 
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Thank for asking these questions since my girls' community theater group is also going but in the winter. I am soo excited!! But just like you, I will also have to try be more flexible. I will have my 3 year old son with us so I want to plan one or two character meals on those days that nothing is going on since I don't know times yet. So far, I do know they have one day of the workshop and one day for the actual performance!
 
So, they replied back with more information and said they are trying to get 3 workshop days that are a half day each! :mad: Will my theatre kid even get to DO Disney?? Ugh... I will feel really bad if he misses the majority of the trip that the rest of the family is enjoying. He enjoys theatre, but it isn't "the most important thing in his life" like so many of the others in his group. I need more details on the actual trip, but they are dragging their feet on answers until they get a head count and can finalize details with Disney. But how do you commit to a trip that you don't fully understand?
 
So, they replied back with more information and said they are trying to get 3 workshop days that are a half day each! :mad: Will my theatre kid even get to DO Disney?? Ugh... I will feel really bad if he misses the majority of the trip that the rest of the family is enjoying. He enjoys theatre, but it isn't "the most important thing in his life" like so many of the others in his group. I need more details on the actual trip, but they are dragging their feet on answers until they get a head count and can finalize details with Disney. But how do you commit to a trip that you don't fully understand?

Yea I totally understand. I really don’t know much details either - I wish I knew how long, times, etc. Hope you get more info soon!
 
Sounds like fun! I haven't done the Disney program, but I was a "theater mom". You might ask if, as a chaperone, will you be responsible for other kids? Will you be required to escort/watch/monitor them? It would seem most of your time and your son's would be focused on the theater aspect/workshops, rather than the park. Kind of like a conference. That being said, I can't imagine that the kids wouldn't get some time in the parks. It just wouldn't be a "family" trip. Hope you get some answers soon!
 
Although I haven't experienced a group trip, a good friend of mine is chaperoning a trip to WDW this summer. In her case, the expectation is that she will attend the workshops and be "in charge" of a group of kids when in the parks. She was hoping to turn it into a family trip, but as a chaperone, the majority of her time will be with the group. Have a great time! What an awesome opportunity for your son and you!
 
You both bring up good points about being a chaperone. I think that's a "no" for me in this case. My son will be old enough to go on the trip without a required adult (10-12 per the group leader), so we will be fine there.

So since my son will miss a good bit of the trip, we might opt to stay an extra day or two (front end maybe??). He isn't going to want to miss his little sister's FIRSTS at Disney. :cutie: Any chance we would be able to get the group rate for those extra days at the hotel and can we add on to tickets if they are purchased through a group?
 



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