School is back in session and at Get Away Today, that means student group travel planning begins. Last year I was lucky enough to go to the Disneyland Resort to learn all about the different programs they have available for students. I couldn’t believe how many different programs they have and how awesome and affordable they are! Before going on this trip, I really didn’t understand the differences between the programs, but now they are crystal clear. If you are involved with student travel in any way (teacher, adviser, chaperone or even just a parent of a traveling student), read on to learn what I call “Disneyland Student Group Travel Options 101.” I’ll cover the basics for each of the four student group ticket options.
Disney Performing Arts
Disney’s Performing Arts Tickets are special Park Hopper tickets that are good anywhere from one to five days. To qualify for a DPA Ticket, your group must participate in either a Performing Arts Workshop, an in-park performance or both. It’s perfect for any student of the arts from dance to band to drama and beyond. The workshops are taught by Disney professionals to all types of performing groups including costume making and puppeteering! Our little group got to do a mini version of the puppeteering workshop. When I first heard what we were doing, I honestly wasn’t thrilled… But, it ended up being the most memorable and fun experience of our trip! The workshops range in skill and age levels from 7-22 years. Most workshops and performances require 15-20 participants, but marching bands require a minimum of 50 students. For the best DPA experience, I recommend at least one workshop followed by a group performance in one of the parks.
Disney Youth Education Series (YES)
Like the DPA Tickets, Disney’s YES (Youth Education Series) Tickets are Park Hopper tickets good for one to five days in length. To qualify, YES Tickets must have at least one YES workshop. Each workshop lasts 2 1/2 – 3 hours and can be geared towards a specific grade level from third to twelfth grades. There are different science, social studies and art workshops that teach students in a practical hands-on setting. The programs are all accredited and since I got to do a sample of each of them, I can attest that I definitely learned a lot! One nice thing about the YES program, is you only need a minimum of 10 students to qualify. It would be so perfect for a home school group.
Disney Grad Nite
Unlike the Performing Arts and Youth Education Series tickets, Disney Grad Nite is only available to graduating seniors and does not include any special workshops. What it does include is an opportunity to make lasting memories with friends in a safe and exclusive environment – and only 10 seniors are needed to qualify for Grad Nite Tickets. The Disney Grad Nite program recently changed and is now a one-day Park Hopper with access to a private after-hours party in Disney California Adventure Park. The after hours party includes a private viewing of World of Color and access to select areas of the park. Our Disney Grad Nite Groups normally add discount Disney Youth Group Tickets to their packages, so more on that next…
Disney Youth Tickets
Disney Youth Tickets are just that – admission to both theme parks at the Disneyland Resort for youth groups. They don’t include any special workshops, performances or extra activities, but are a fantastic way to let groups of kids (ages 3-22) enjoy the magic of Disney with a nice discount. Disney Youth Tickets are mostly used for school groups, but the nice thing is they don’t have to be. Church groups, scout groups, sports teams and more can all take advantage of the perks, as long as there are a minimum of 10 participating youths and there are more youths than chaperones. Get Away Today’s Group Department can help you figure out if your group qualifies for the discounted youth tickets.
And speaking of discounts, each of the Disneyland School Group Travel ticket options offer a huge savings off of the gate price. It’s amazing to me that the youth tickets come with such great additions and cost even less! As a bonus, if your family travels with your student’s group, your whole family can get the discounted price! If your child is part of a group that will be traveling, or if you want to put together a group, our Group Department would love to help. They can help with tickets, hotels, transportation and more. They can be as involved and supportive as you need. I wish I would have been able to do any of these programs while I was in school, but I’m glad I know about them for my son! If you’d like more information on Disneyland Student Group Travel, check out http://www.getawaytoday.com/grouptravel or call our Group Department at 888-943-2929 – we’d love to help!
Mindi says
This is so so cool! Maybe someday I could take my dancers! Thanks for the great info! I have used Get Away Today before and we were really impressed!
Hope says
My daughter will be traveling to Disney with the band and dance team. They will be marching in the parade at Magic Kingdom. However, we would like to make a family vacation out of this trip and stay longer. Is it possible to add days to her Performing Arts Park Hopper? If so, how do I add the days?
Thank you,
Hope
Mariel says
Hope, the quickest way to find out is to call Get Away Today at 1-855-GET-AWAY. They would love to help you figure that out.