London New Year’s Day 2015Trip Information

Parent & Student Meeting August 25, 2014

Travel Details

Depart Sunday December 28, 2014Return Sunday January 4, 2015

Times will be afternoon and evening using multiple airlines including Delta, British Airways, and United

Valid Passports and Visa’s are required

Includes 1 Checked Bag up to 50 pounds and Shipping of Instrument

Economy Travel

Also includes transfers to and from London Airports

Tour, Travel, & Hotel Groups

Due to schedules, students will sign up for tour groups based on their performance requirements for the trip.

Tour groups are based on a 2 chaperone per 7-8 student ratio (give or take) based on performance group sizes. Can be co-ed.

The groups will be:Chorus (2 to 3 groups)Orchestra (2 to 3 groups)Non-Marching Wind Ensemble (1 to 2 groups)Marching Wind Ensemble (6 to 7 groups)Marching Band (18 to 20 groups)

Students will need to be in hotel rooms with people in their tour groups (there will be some exceptions for odd numbers and Male / Female)

Chaperones & Student Sign-ups (be understanding)

Packing for Travel

Everyone is allowed 1 personal sized carry-on and one small roll-aboard carry on, plus 1 checked bag. In some cases, instruments are one of these carry-on items.

Flutes, Oboes, & Clarinets: can fit your instruments into your carry-on items, or your instrument counts as your personal item

Trumpets, Alto Saxes, Violins, & Violas: your instruments count as your “roll-aboard” carry-on.

All other instruments will be packed and shipped prior to travel. This includes sticks and mallets. Cellos, Bass, and non-marching percussion will be provided in London.

Packing of instruments will occur on Monday December 15. Return will occur around January 12 & 13 (All State Audition Conflict).

Seating on the Plane

To every extent as possible, we will travel by tour groups. This way the chaperone(s) responsible for your children on the trip are not having to switch students.

We will do our best to put family members on the same planes with their students, but are limited to seat availability.

We don’t get extra seats, so each seat they give us must be filled. We can’t negotiate for different numbers of seats on flights.

Trip Extensions & Land-Only people will have an affect on groups and seat availability.

Tour groups will sit together first so that chaperone responsibility is easiest. Families will sit around as much as possible.

Travel Extensions & Land-Only Packages

Anyone who is booking their own flight is considered Land-Only.

Trip extensions occurring prior to the travel dates must be considered Land-Only because all flight itineraries booked by the LNYDP must have the same departure day.

Trip extensions occurring after the travel dates can be booked as full packages. You will need to send me your desired return date and the LNYDP will book the return flight and charge any necessary surcharges based on increased fares.

The LNYDP folks can also assist with flight plans if you are wanting to extend after in a different location.

Land Only Package people are responsible for transfers to and from airports.

Getting Around London

Travel by Motor Coach only when indicated in the itinerary.

At all other times, travel is by the London Subway or “Tube”.

It’s a lot easier than it looks… just move fast and MIND THE GAP!

Hotel is located within a one block walk from the Edgware Road Tube stations for the District, Circle, and Bakerloo lines.

Always allow 45 minutes travel time by tube to get anywhere on-time as delays can occur.

The Tube

The Hotel

Hotel Information

Three Towers. Students & Chaperones will stay in the East Tower, Family members in the West Tower, and Staff in the North Tower.

We will have a private room for dining and meeting.

Rehearsal Rooms for all LNYDP rehearsals are at this hotel, so no travel is needed.

Dr. Tim Seminar will be at this hotel.

5 other bands will also be at this hotel including Fleming Island, FL, and Greater Atlanta Christian.

WiFi Policy

Cadogan Hall

Wind Ensemble & Orchestra (tenative) performance on Tuesday December 30.

Members will have a scheduled rehearsal in the hall in the afternoon that day. Instruments will be left there until performance time.

There is a warm-up room.

Seating for the performance is somewhat limited. Choir members and parents of performers will have first priority. I imagine we will be able to take around 100 people to the performance.

Performance length for our group will be 20 – 25 minutes, 4 songs. 6 groups perform that night. This is the second night of performances and the last night.

Anne Martin will be playing a concerto written for wind band and oboe.

Westminster Central HallSite of the London International Choral Festival. Six Choirs (including ours) will be participating.

Members will have scheduled rehearsals on December 31 and January 1 with a dress rehearsal in the hall on January 2. The concert is on the 2nd at 7:30 and is attended by the Lord Mayors of all of the districts of London and their invited guests.

Seating for the performance is limited because of the Lord Mayors. Parents of performers and Wind Ensemble members will have first priority. We will have 80 total tickets.

Performance length is 2 hours. Performance is with a full orchestra.

It is conducted by Justin Doyle, the Conductor of the University of Manchester Chorus, a singer at Westminster Cathedral, and was Conductor of the BBC Singers.

The ParadeStarts at the Ritz Hotel located at Piccadilly & Berkley Square

Turns Right at Piccadilly Circus

Turns Left towards Trafalgar Square

Follows Whitehall to the end

One Right Turn, One Left Turn, & One Dog-leg. 2.2 Miles mostly downhill

Two stops for performances, and TV Finale.

9 TV Commentator positions with cameras

Pre-ParadeChorus, Orchestra, Parents, Chaperones, & Non-Marchers will travel by tube to the designated Grandstand area.

Marchers, Staff, & Select Chaperones (four) will travel via motor coach with the band. Select Chaperones must have a black Stampede golf shirt and black pants.

A group picture will be taken, then travel to assembly area for warm-up.

Performers will be provided a sack lunch.

Warm-up can be done with jackets and extra gear.

Before Step-off, chaperones will collect all extra gear and place it in labeled trash-bags which will be transported to the hotel.

Performers can only march in uniform and clear poncho (if raining).

Parade Route

Post-Parade

We will be held at the start line for the TV broadcast performance where we will re-form our ranks.

Drumline will cadence us in, we will have ranks on left and right side with movement performers in the center with drumline.

We will perform a 90 second piece with movement & drill.

If we are not last, we will then run off and exit. Total time from start line to exit is two minutes.

If we are last, we will stay in the TV area, reform ranks again, and cadence the other finale bands onto the area.

We then perform in the parade finale conducted by Dr. Gary Locke of Riverside Community College and the Blue Devils.

Itinerary – Day of Departure

Drop off will be at Atlanta Airport International Terminal 3:30 hours before first flight.

We will have a group meeting, 3:00 hours prior to first flight.

All people will go thru check-in and security together based on flight schedule by groups.

Those with later departing flights will be able to relax in the airport.

If taking Marta, remember that you have to catch a shuttle to the international terminal that takes 30 minutes.

Itinerary – Day 2 Monday December 29, 2014

Arrive in London and travel by motor coach to hotel

11:00 (subject to flight schedules) – Orientation meetingreceive itinerary books, mp3 players, oyster cards

12:30 – Travel by Tube to 1 of 2 audio tours (Lunch at leisure)Parade Route Guide (wind ensemble must choose this one)orPrinces, Palaces, and Power

5:30 – Travel back to hotel6:30 – Dinner in your hotel8:15 – Dr. Tim Clinic9:15 – Clinic Ends10:30 – In Room and Lights Out

Itinerary – Day 3 Tuesday December 30, 2014

7:00 – Wake-up & Breakfast9:00 – London Coach Tour with Blue Badge Guide (Photo Stops)1:00 – Tour Ends, Lunch at leisure, Groups Split

Wind Ensemble Rehearsal at Cadogan HallAll others, the audio tour not selected yesterday

4:30 – Travel back to hotel5:30 – Dinner in your hotel6:30 – Depart for Cadogan Hall by motor coach7:30 – LNYDP Festival Concert Series Begins

(Those not going can do some London night sight-seeing)10:00 – Back in Hotel11:00 – In Room and Lights Out

Itinerary – Day 4 Wednesday December 31, 2014

6:30 – Wake-up & Breakfast8:15 – Marching Band will collect instruments (all others hang out at hotel)8:30 – Grand Finale Rehearsal9:30 – Rehearsal ends and pack-up9:45 – Depart via coach for Hampton Court10:30 – Tour Hampton Court, Royal Palace, & Gardens12:30 – Depart for Windsor, Lunch at leisure upon arrival3:15 – Choir members depart Windsor4:00 – London International Choral Festival (LICF) Rehearsal5:30 – Rest of group departs Windsor7:00 – LICF Rehearsal ends, travel back to hotel7:30 – Dinner served in hotel8:30 – New Year’s Party Begins with other bands in hotel12:30 –In Room and Lights Out

Itinerary – Day 5 Thursday January 1, 2015

8:30 – Wake-up & Breakfast10:30 – Anyone not in parade departs by Tube for assigned grandstands

Marching Band Departs via coach for Parade11:30 – Arrival in Assembly Area, lunch, warm-up (others lunch at leisure)12:00 – Parade Starts1:30 – Approx. Step-off Time… TBA3:15 – Grand Finale begins3:30 – Choir members travel by coach to LICF rehearsal

Band returns via coach to hotel and packs instruments4:00 – London International Choral Festival (LICF) Rehearsal5:00 – All others travel by Tube to Audio Tour 3 (Dinner at leisure… Vouchers)

Jack the Ripper (only opportunity at night for theater / seniors)orLondon Rocks!

7:00 – LICF Rehearsal ends, (Dinner at leisure… Vouchers), Sight-seeing 9:30 – Travel back to hotel11:00 –In Room and Lights Out

Itinerary – Day 6 Friday January 2, 2015

7:00 – Wake-up & Breakfast9:00 – Depart by Tube for Free Day in London. Shop Harrods or Selfridges, take a trip on the Eye, do other Audio Tours including UK-USA-250, London Rocks, Harry Potter’s London, or Art-rageous London (Lunch at leisure)12:30 – Choir Return to Hotel1:30 – Choir depart by coach for Dress Rehearsal at Westminster Central Hall4:00 – Rehearsal ends, Dinner at leisure…Vouchers5:30 – Choir supporters travel back to hotel via Tube6:30 – Choir and Supporters depart via coach for Westminster Central Hall7:30 – LICF Gala Concert begins10:00 – All return by Coach (concert) or Tube (others) to hotel11:00 – In Room and Lights Out

Itinerary – Day 7 Saturday January 3, 2015

6:30 – Wake-up & Breakfast8:30 – Join your Blue Badge Guide via coach for a short trip to the port9:00 – Board Boat for a Cruise on the River Thames to Greenwich

Tour Royal Observatory, Maritime Museum, and Prime Meridian12:30 – Depart Greenwich1:00 – Arrive at Tower of London, Lunch at leisure2:00 – Guided Tour of the Tower of London including Crown Jewels 4:30 – Those going to the Theatre & Band Seniors, return to Hotel to change

Others walk to Whitechapel for the Jack the Ripper Audio TourDinner at leisure… (Vouchers), Night Sight-seeing

6:15 – Threare Patrons travel by Tube to Theatre7:30 – Theatre productions begin10:00 – All travel back to hotel via Tube 11:00 – In Room and Lights OutTBA – Band Seniors Return

Itinerary – Day 8 Sunday January 4, 2015

7:00 – Wake-up & Breakfast

Depart for Airport based on Flight ScheduleLunch and Snack served in-flight

Upon arrival in Atlanta, parents will pick-up their child at the Airport in the International Terminal. Parents will sign for their child from the chaperone in charge of their group. Once you have signed, you are free to go.

Spending Money & Cell Phones

Check with your bank for fees and exchange ratesMost are 3% and $5.00 per transactionVaries by carrier

AnnaCharles Schwab – NO FEESTypes of Accounts

Phone must be global ready to accept phone calls

TURN DATA OFF!

USE WIFI which is available many places

SKYPE, FACETIME, GOOGLE HANGOUT

Chaperones must have global ready cell phones

Inclusions

Inclusions

Blue Badge Guided tours of:LondonGreenwich, Royal Observatory, and Prime MeridanGuided tour of Tower of LondonCruise on the River ThamesEntrance to Hampton Court & WindsorUnlimited Tube travel every dayMP3 player and ear-buds and loaded audio toursDr. Tim ClinicFree Admission to Parade and LNYDP & LICF ConcertsBreakfast every morning (continental with protein)3 Dinners in hotel3 Dinners with Vouchers (36 pounds total used anytime)Airfare & Hotel with 2 meals on each flight Hotel SecurityNew Year’s Party with other bands in hotelMarching Band Picture and LCIF PictureTravel Insurance Policy

Code of Conduct

ALL FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATIONRULES APPLY TO STUDENTS AND CHAPERONS

We are invited guests by the Government of London

Higher Standard… I don’t care what everyone else does!

Chaperons are the “law” of their group

Family Members… When you are around our group, you are a member of our group. This includes the hotel!

Same Day rule for going out, Don’t “Advertise”

Worst Case Scenarios… RESPECT AT ALL TIMES!

Cost

Total Maximum for all persons $3,100

Total cost does depend on exchange / surchargesNO SURCHARGES YET

September ’13: 1 pound = 1.58 dollarsAugust 21 ’14: 1 pound = 1.67 dollarsDifference of $270 based on $3,000(max was 1.71 in June, so it has fallen .04)

So, to help cover the difference the Show is optional

Estimates of maximum cost (before fundraised money)Full Package $3,060 Land-Only $2,060

Will get final cost on September 26Schedule for PaymentsSeptember 2 - $600October 27 – Final Payment

As of September 2, all paid in full will total $1,500

FundraisingTotal so far is around $13,000More is still coming and can be found… PLEASE!Corporate Sponsorships 20% to credits securing

Trying to schedule a Drive One Event for September and a couple of spirit nights / eat at nights

Specific Sale Fundraiser Kick-off$18.00 – $28.00 per item

Deadline for factoring in fundraised money is Sep. 30

Remember you can use credits from booster clubs

Remember you must be in good standing with your booster club… all fees must be in.

Questions

September 2Next Payment $600 & Form

October 1Photo Copy of Passport & Visa

October 27Final Payment & Instrument Info

Chaperone’s Meeting – September 29 7:00pm