Cadet Band Goes to Universal Studios
After months of preparation and fundraising, finally on Sunday, April 5th, 1:30 am, a bus full of Band kids was off to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida! This trip was full of firsts, like this was my first time doing a parade with Colorguard, my first time in Florida, and even my first time flying. Like many of the other students on this trip, I had never been on an airplane before, so when we got to Sea-Tac, I felt very uneasy. Once we were in the air, I realized flying wasn't as scary as I had thought it would be, and honestly, it was kind of cool seeing everything from up above
On our first day in the park, we marched in a parade, which was honestly one of the coolest experiences ever. Something that was really interesting was getting to see backstage at the park. We got to see a part of a ride and some other Parade floats. The parade itself was a big lap around the park, and even though it was long, it was worth it. Afterward, we went back to our hotel for a bit, then returned to the park and rode “E.T Adventure” and “The Simpsons Ride.” After that, we made it to Diagon Alley, tried butterbeer for the first time, and watched “Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees”. One thing that I didn't expect was how much live music there is everywhere. To end day one, we went on “Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon,” which was really cheesy but fun. And it's not a band trip without crazy weather. The day started off annoyingly hot and then turned into a downpour. The rain was crazy, but thankfully it didn't last long.
The next day, we went to the newest addition to the Universal Studios parks, Epic Universe, which was probably one of the trip's highlights. After some wandering around in Celestial Park, we went to the Ministry of Magic™ and got on the “Harry Potter, and the Battle at the Ministry ™”. I'd give it a 9/10. Then we made our way to the Isle of Berk, which was definitely my favorite land we visited. Everything from the claw marks on the floor to clever ways of hiding speakers in plain sight, it was so interesting. I could honestly go on about how fun this day was, but it's safe to say that Epic Universe was unforgettable.
Our last day in the park was spent back in Universal Studios/ Islands of Adventure, where we made a beeline to Hogsmeade to go ride “Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure ™,” where we waited in line for 4 hours! But it was honestly worth it. Even though I'm not a big roller coaster person, I loved it. After Hogsmeade, we went to Seuss Landing for lunch and spent the rest of the day exploring before we left. I got matching henna tattoos with the other girls in my group, which was such a fun way to remember this trip.
Orlando was amazing, so leaving felt bittersweet, but this Trip was an unforgettable experience. I made so many memories and will definitely be returning to Orlando in the future. It went by so fast, and I'm so grateful to all of my family who helped me get to go. Thanks to them and the band boosters for making this experience possible and the spring break of a lifetime.
