The Journey to Grand Nationals

[whitewing09]

Has anyone here been on a trip? I'm curious as to how it goes. I know that Round Rock flew in 2013, but I suspect most Texas bands charter their way there and stop along the way for practices. Does anyone want to share experiences?

[NTXBandFan]

Flower Mound chartered buses last year.  The only stops they made on the way were for driver breaks, and to eat.  All of the practices were in Indy at the convention center.

[FloMoParent]

For parents of students going to GN.  If you have the opportunity, GO!

 

Be a chaperon, extra pit crew, water volunteer, food, whatever.  The BOA Grand Nats experience is something that you will remember for a long, long time.

 

I went last year (last minute decision) and it was one of the best trips I have ever made.  I wasn't a volunteer helping the band (my wife was) and both of our kids were playing (one Senior, one freshman).  I spent all day in the Drum with fellow band parents, talking band, sharing experiences, and then yelling like crazy when our school and friend schools were on the field.

 

We basically took over The Ram for all our meals (yeah, I know there are many great places to eat around the stadium, but the Ram treated us so well, we just made it our out of the stadium HQ).
 

Go.  Experience everything you can.  Walk around, talk to your neighbors, and expect long food lines on Saturday.

[Marcato]

Went with Round Rock my senior year. We flew in two planes, it was really nice. When we landed we got off the planes and went straight to charter buses that took us to the hotel we were staying in. Flying on the way back sucked just because we went straight from finals retreat to the Indianapolis airport, where those of us on the second plane had to wait until 4am to board our flight. Still it was an unforgettable experience.

[northtexasbandfan]

I volunteered with FloMo last year, and I would echo the above comments. Despite it being a long trip by bus, it was worth every second and it will always be one of the most memorable experiences I will ever have, being able to share it with my own child in the band. If you are planning to go, I would just state to take it all in and enjoy every single second. I know there are several FloMo kids who were considering majoring in things like liberals arts, engineering or other disciplines in college, and maybe minoring in music, and when they came back from Indy they decided they wanted to pursue a music major instead. It was that life-changing.  

[NTXBandFan]

For parents of students going to GN.  If you have the opportunity, GO!

 

Be a chaperon, extra pit crew, water volunteer, food, whatever.  The BOA Grand Nats experience is something that you will remember for a long, long time.

 

I went last year (last minute decision) and it was one of the best trips I have ever made.  I wasn't a volunteer helping the band (my wife was) and both of our kids were playing (one Senior, one freshman).  I spent all day in the Drum with fellow band parents, talking band, sharing experiences, and then yelling like crazy when our school and friend schools were on the field.

 

We basically took over The Ram for all our meals (yeah, I know there are many great places to eat around the stadium, but the Ram treated us so well, we just made it our out of the stadium HQ).

 

Go.  Experience everything you can.  Walk around, talk to your neighbors, and expect long food lines on Saturday.

Yeah, the Ram kind of became our home away from home, especially for the Pit Crew.  It could have been Flower Mound-North.

[scoobydoo]

Round Rock has left. They'll be flying again this year. It was nice seeing the football team come out and cheer as they left.

[NTXBandFan]

Round Rock has left. They'll be flying again this year. It was nice seeing the football team come out and cheer as they left.

I'm amazed they fly there.  The kids will be well rested, but I can't imagine it being very cost effective to fly that many people.

[scoobydoo]

I'm amazed they fly there.  The kids will be well rested, but I can't imagine it being very cost effective to fly that many people.

In 2013 when they went it cost around $1300ish, that included everything the flight, hotel, meals. I heard it's costing a little more this time because they are flying fewer kids (RR went to a varsity/jv split) so the jv is not going.

[principalagent]

Leander has all of their estimated costs posted on their website and it's all-in less than 1400 dollars. That includes the hotel stay too. Flying has gotten way cheaper in the past few years while road travel has gotten less expensive too, but possibly less so. Especially considering the cost of at least 6 charter buses, about twoish days of road travel, and the cost of drivers. I would imagine trip costs with road travel to be less expensive, but probably only by 200-400. I know Bell drove and their trips topped $1000 even with their (relatively) massive fundraising and sponsorships in their every year period.

[NTXBandFan]

Flower Mound's competition band fee was $1000 last year, and that included everything associated with all of the competitions, transportation, food, etc...

[natertater21000]

that must have made things a little less stressful in the long run, if memory serves Leander's band cost are around half that give or take a few dollars. that's why the fundraising for the grand nats trip is looking pretty hefty for them

[snares]

Speaking of money, Keller ISD must be forking up a ton of money this year, either that or there are some crazy fundraising events going on. does anyone know how Hebron, Keller, Keller Central and TWHS are getting there? Or when they're getting to Indy?

[Samuel Culper]

TWHS flew up yesterday.

[takigan]

The trip itself should only cost about $400-$600/head depending on how many days they stay, flying or driving, and how much of the trip is funded by sponsors or the school.

$1300 is likely a full season fee (camp costs, show design costs, instructional costs, + all competition travel including Nats), not the cost of Nats itself.

[Samuel Culper]

Out school was considering GN for next year and we were given an estimate of $1200-$1400 per kid for the trip.

[NTXBandFan]

Speaking of money, Keller ISD must be forking up a ton of money this year, either that or there are some crazy fundraising events going on. does anyone know how Hebron, Keller, Keller Central and TWHS are getting there? Or when they're getting to Indy?

I think Hebron is busing it.

 

The trip itself should only cost about $400-$600/head depending on how many days they stay, flying or driving, and how much of the trip is funded by sponsors or the school.

 

$1300 is likely a full season fee (camp costs, show design costs, instructional costs, + all competition travel including Nats), not the cost of Nats itself.

I imagine how many kids per room also makes a difference.  FM put 4 per room.  Also to help cut some of the cost, they didn't use a hotel for San Antonio last year.

I think one thing that also helped is that all of the truck drivers are parent volunteers.  I know some districts, like Frisco ISD, have paid drivers.

[HHS352]

Hebron just arrived to indy and yes they went on busses.!! Can't wait for tomorrow!

[Nny14]

No, 1300 is the Nats trip. We pay an entirely separate band fee.

[takigan]

http://leanderband.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Leander-HS-Band-Indianapolis-2016.pdf

Looked it up.  Indeed it's true.  Though that's a ridiculous price.  I could fly to Indy myself, stay in a single occupancy suite for 3 nights, get continental breakfast plus pay for 6 meals and end up paying about $900-$950 (Round trip flight - $350-400, 3 nights - $450, food - $50).  For that same arrangement (Flight + 3 nights single occupancy), your travel agency charges almost $2,000/head.

Part of it is the length of time y'all are staying combined with the flight.  Y'all are getting charterbussed around for 5 days.  I could fly up Friday, stay the night Friday night, and fly back after retreat and only be out about $600 tops (probably closer to $450 depending on when I booked and where I stayed).  I still think that company is bending y'all.


Keller drove up Wednesday night, is staying Thursday night and Friday night, then driving back after retreat.  They used the same travel agency and are paying $825/head plus $615 per chaperone.  This still seems crazy because a hotel room split 4 ways should only be about $30-40/person per night.  How much does a charterbus cost?  http://media.wix.com/ugd/2ec621_89f370aa6deb49c0a2a512d8d2175625.pdf

 

[JTApex]

The cost per student/chaperone is derived by taking the total cost of the trip(travel, hotels, meals, tips, etc.) and dividing it by the number of PAYING participants. Realize that there may be twenty or more non-paying travelers (directors, student teachers, techs, etc.) so what it would cost you as an individual or small family does not scale properly to a group the size of a large high school band.

 

Also, if you want the best rehearsal spaces and closest hotels, you have to go through a particular travel agent which likely raises the rates some due to lack of competition.

[NTXBandFan]

http://leanderband.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Leander-HS-Band-Indianapolis-2016.pdf

 

Looked it up.  Indeed it's true.  Though that's a ridiculous price.  I could fly to Indy myself, stay in a single occupancy suite for 3 nights, get continental breakfast plus pay for 6 meals and end up paying about $900-$950 (Round trip flight - $350-400, 3 nights - $450, food - $50).  For that same arrangement (Flight + 3 nights single occupancy), your travel agency charges almost $2,000/head.

 

Part of it is the length of time y'all are staying combined with the flight.  Y'all are getting charterbussed around for 5 days.  I could fly up Friday, stay the night Friday night, and fly back after retreat and only be out about $600 tops (probably closer to $450 depending on when I booked and where I stayed).  I still think that company is bending y'all.

 

 

Keller drove up Wednesday night, is staying Thursday night and Friday night, then driving back after retreat.  They used the same travel agency and are paying $825/head plus $615 per chaperone.  This still seems crazy because a hotel room split 4 ways should only be about $30-40/person per night.  How much does a charterbus cost?  http://media.wix.com/ugd/2ec621_89f370aa6deb49c0a2a512d8d2175625.pdf

 

 

Keep in mind they are likely paying for a few people like the directors, drivers, and techs as well.  There are other things like fueI for the trucks. I know LISD doesn't cover the cost of non UIL related events, so it's up to the bands and families to come up with those funds via fees and fundraising.  The chaperones had to pay their own way, but the drivers didn't.  Then you have to take into account things like driver changes on buses.  That's pretty expensive too.

[Samuel Culper]

Charter buses are very expensive. For us to have 5 of them all day for a trip to San Antonio and back (Cedar Park ) is about $10k.

[Samuel Culper]

You aslo have to cover rental of a tractor and box trucks and all of the travel expenses for the road crew to drive the trailer up to Indy and back.

[takigan]

Cy-Falls went to BOA Atlanta this year.  That was a 4 day trip for them.

Cy-Falls wrote a check for $66,000 for buses to Atlanta.  They have 337 kids in band.  Assuming they all went, that's $195 per member.

Putting 4 kids in a hotel room is $30-$60 per kid per night.  For 3 nights we'll say $150 per member?

We'll say 6 provided meals?  $10 per meal? ($60).  Eh, let's round it up to $100 per member.

How many staff and chaps? 40?  We'll say 30 extra rooms @ $150/night ($4500) X 3 nights = $13,500.  Add 6 meals each (40 X 6 X $10 meal = $2500). Total: $16,500 / 337 members = $49/member.

Total cost before flight (they didn't fly): $494/member.



It should also be said that LD Bell drove to BOA Atlanta as well.  Their trip wasn't a separate payment, but was included in their $995 band fee.  This band fee is roughly the same band fee they've used for their trips to Nationals (their fee covers that as well on the years that they go).  As far as I know Bell doesn't use a travel agent for the trip...I think they have a parent whose a travel agent (or had one in the past, and the boosters started a committee or something that trains the next generation of planners, I dunno). They've certainly made the trip enough times and have a large enough booster org to have it streamlined by now to where they probably don't need one.