A Dream Stalled at the Departure Gate
For the students of the Kings Park Marching Band, Color Guard, and Kick Line, 2026 was supposed to be the year their hard work echoed down Main Street, U.S.A. This trip is a cornerstone of our district, occurring only once every four years, meaning for many of our 60 talented musicians and performers, this was their one and only chance to perform at Walt Disney World. Many of these students joined the band, color guard, or kick line years ago with this very dream in mind. They spent countless hours perfecting their music, flags, and routines, not just for the love of the arts, but for the incentive of traveling as a family to the Most Magical Place on Earth.
On the morning of our departure, after six months of intense fundraising and practice, our dreams were met with a devastating reality. Due to an operational and mechanical fault by a major airline, our flight was abruptly canceled. Despite 13 grueling hours spent at the airport, safety concerns and the logistical nightmare of a pilot shortage meant our students were unable to travel as a collective group. Because only a fraction of the students could have potentially made it down, Disney was unable to move forward with our scheduled backstage workshops and the iconic parade performance.
While some refunds for flights may eventually trickle in, families are currently facing the loss of non-refundable hotel stays, busing, and specialized workshop fees. More importantly, our students have lost the once-in-a-lifetime experience they were robbed of through no fault of their own. We are looking to create some Disney Magic of our own. We are reaching out to parents, music lovers, and our community to help us fully fund a make-good trip. Our goal is to ensure that these 60 students, especially our seniors who will never get this chance again, can finally step onto that stage and march the streets they have worked so hard for.
Funds will help re-book travel, cover lost deposits for hotels and services, and pay for performance fees so all 60 students can experience the trip they worked so hard for. If you cannot donate, please share our story. Let’s show these kids that when the world says cancel, a community says keep marching. Thank you for supporting the Kings Park Marching Band, Color Guard, and Kick Line.