In the last week of January, Lafayette High School orchestra and choir students, including myself, finally went on our much anticipated school trip to Orlando, Florida to visit Walt Disney World. After the cancellation of our New York City trip last year, which left most us feeling devastated, this trip sounded like a blessing to our ears, until we heard that we would be driving there.
I can’t stress enough just how many times during the weeks preceding the anticipated trip I complained to my mother about the dreaded 14-hour bus ride ahead of me. This trip was one I was looking forward to greatly, but also one in which the travel was something of a hassle to me. It seemed odd to me that we, the choir students, were expected to sit in a crowded, confined space for 14 hours, while our band was flying. But life isn’t always fair, and I should be grateful for the opportunity. That’s the mindset I tried to keep leading up to and during the very long trek to Orlando.
Although the bus ride was not nearly as bad as I’d thought it was going to be, it certainly wasn’t comfortable. The only thing keeping me from losing my mind on that bus were the indolent naps I took, for the sole purpose of passing the time. After the exhausting ride, the arrival to the park looked more like a zombie apocalypse than an exciting excursion, to say the least. Immediately following the 14-hour bus ride, we were expected to be up and ready to leave for the park, changing our clothes in restroom stalls and brushing our teeth in a public bathroom sink. We did not get the chance to get into our rooms before the visit to the park and it left most of us feeling a bit grungy the entire day.
The parks were fun, I can’t lie about that part, and having the freedom to go off on our own with our friends was refreshing. Many of us felt, though, that our meet-up time of 9:15 am each day was too early. Time that could have been used exploring or riding a rollercoaster was spent trying to gather everyone together at an agreed upon meeting spot, with many of us rushing to the location from a rollercoaster or exhibit. Not only that, but following this bothersome situation, we were stuffed onto yet another transit bus. Many people were left standing, holding on to poles to steady themselves for a potentially long bus ride, depending on which park we were leaving that night.
Despite the draining charter ride, the crowded busses, and the unexpectedly long wait times, despite it being the park’s slow season, the trip was, admittedly, very fun. These complaints may come from a place of ungratefulness, that’s true, however this is not a full disclosure of the entire trip. I am extremely thankful we were given the opportunity but, I think I speak for all of the students who attended when I say this, plan better next year!
