Disneyland Chaperone Adventure!

It is not every day that you are invited to go on a last-minute trip to Disneyland. It’s not every day that you are given time to walk the campus of UCLA. It is not every day that you are keeping up with really cool High Schoolers on a trip with 98 people.

I got an email last week and it was from my son's High School band director. He said that he needed a female chaperone because a chaperone couldn't go. 

Being a huge fan of the band I was really intrigued, and my oldest son was already going on the trip in the percussion section. I was so excited and quickly responded that I could go!

Although I lived in L.A. for two great years I never took time to walk the campus of UCLA. There was just so much to do and the beach was always beckoning (okay - it still is beckoning). UCLA was the first stop of our trip. Being tucked away in the elegant community of Westwood gives the campus such charm. It seemed to be the perfect SoCal academic dream spot: Palm Trees, sidewalks lined with flowers, and sun-soaked students with book in hand. 

Unfortunately, being in a large group we weren’t able to go to In-and-Out Burgers, but fortunately Disneyland was near our hotel. Having the band attend a Disney Soundtrack Instrumental Workshop was a unique experience. The kids sight-read music, they were recorded, and it was played back in the music soundtrack. We watched a Lion King segment listening to the musicians from our band. 

Having them perform at the Fantasyland Theatre at Disney was a treat. The kids played really well and the acoustics were terrific. This proud mom took it all in. :)

Chaperoning and enjoying the Happiest Place on Earth, I made some new friends, went on fun rides (faves: Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones), hung out with Captain Jack Sparrow, got a hug from Tigger, saw great shows, logged 40 miles of walking and 95,000 steps on my fitbit (4 days), ate some great food and most of all enjoyed celebrating those awesome High Schoolers.

I am so thankful for this opportunity to see my local band in action at Disney (I wish that I could include pictures of their performance). 

I must say (no offense to parents of non-musicians) that it seems that the sweetest and coolest kids are in the band. :) Although I was never in the High School band, I married a band guy who played the trumpet at Disney in High School. It's a small world after all. I was glad to embrace my husband's happy memories and see my son's fun, friends, and music memories be made LIVE before me. I am so grateful that I responded to that email and was given the opportunity to go. It's not every day that your kid plays at #Disneyland.