Orlando, FL November 30 - December 3, 2017 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 9 10 10 11 12 Varsity Welcome Hotel Information Who to Contact Final Payment Deadline Event Registration & Orientation Park Hopper Passes & Meal Vouchers Hotel Reservations Numbers & MyMagic+ Airline Reservations Disney Magical Express Event Communication Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party Forms Varsity Shop & Event Videos Performance Learning the Routine Routine Knowledge What You ll Find in Your Uniform Shipment Uniform Exchange Uniform Reminders Uniform Check & Routine Preview Other Performance Day Appearance Reminders Performer Placement Meeting Your Buddy Spectator Preview Behavior Curfew FAQ Varsity Spirit Spectacular Timeline Things to Bring Checklist Disney s Magical Express Reservation Form 2017 Varsity Spirit Spectacular Tentative Itinerary 1
Performers and Spectators! On behalf of Varsity Spirit, I would like to welcome you as a member of the Varsity Spirit Spectacular special event. We are very excited that you have chosen to be a part of this magical experience at the. This packet should answer the most commonly asked questions concerning the trip as well as your performance. Please review the questions and answers on the following pages, complete any necessary forms and return with your final payment. With an awesome performance opportunity where you ll be the star at the Magic Kingdom and plenty of time to enjoy the parks, this trip promises to be one of the best ever. You will experience many fun-filled adventures and make new friends. We look forward to sharing this time with you. Cheers, John Calitri Event Director Varsity Spirit Spectacular 901-37-4411 jcalitri@varsity.com We would like to encourage you to share this packet with all attending in your group to help answer as many of their questions as possible. 2
HOTEL INFORMATION Disney s Coronado Springs Resort 1000 West Buena Vista Drive Lake Buena Vista, FL 3230-1000 CHECK IN: 3:00 PM CHECK OUT: 11:00 AM Maps will be included in the Final Packet which will be emailed out in November. There will be luggage storage available for late departures PARKING: Complimentary for hotel guest WHO TO CONTACT Any questions related to balances and changes to your registration or rooming list should be sent to the Registration Director: Michele Shetzer mshetzer@varsity.com 972-40-1233 ext. 1314 Any choreography questions may be sent to the Show Director: Buffy Duhon bduhon@varsity.com All other questions may be sent to the Event Director: John Calitri jcalitri@varsity.com 901-37-4411 FINAL PAYMENT DEADLINE The final payment is due October 3rd. Please make certain you mail these payments to the below address or you can call 44-399-0644 to make a credit card payment. Don t forget to include the performer and/or spectator s name on the check. Varsity Spirit Spectacular 2010 Merritt Dr. Garland, TX 75041 For final payment you may pay with a credit card by calling Varsity Spirit Spectacular customer service at 44-399-0644. EVENT REGISTRATION & ORIENTATION Event Registration will take place in the Convention Center at the Coronado Springs Resort on Wednesday, November 29 for early arrivals and Thursday, November 30 (see times on the tentative itinerary included later in this packet). Orientation will take place on Thursday, November 30 at approximately 5:00 PM in the Coronado Ballroom. 3
PARK HOPPER PASSES & MEAL VOUCHERS Park Hopper passes and meal vouchers will be available for pick up at the Varsity early registration on Wednesday, November 29 or the event registration on Thursday, November 30. In early October, attendees will receive an email with directions on how to request your park hoppers prior to arrival. In order for you to receive your tickets early your balance must be paid in full. Once tickets are sent then no changes will be allowed to the tickets (upgrades, cancellations). Please note that you must pick up your park tickets and link them to your MagicBands BEFORE going to any parks. Meal vouchers are redeemable at the Coronado Springs Pepper Market as well as other counter service locations throughout the parks. A list of available locations will be sent out with the Final Packet. Vouchers are not accepted at table service restaurants. HOTEL RESERVATION NUMBERS & MYMAGIC+ Your hotel reservation numbers will be available mid to late October. At this time an email will be sent on how to receive your number. Information on how to set up your MyMagic+ accounts will be sent with this email. AIRLINE RESERVATIONS If you re planning on flying to Orlando it s a good idea to start looking at flights now. A & I Travel is the official flight provider of Varsity Spirit. They not only can work on discounted fares for your group but also provide help in case of flight delays or cancellations. You may contact A & I Travel at 1-66-719-0379. When making flight reservations we suggest arriving in Orlando no later than 3:30 PM on Thursday, November 30. You may fly back on Sunday, December 3rd. Buffet breakfast and closing will end by 9:30 AM and are not required events. DISNEY MAGICAL EXPRESS If flying to Orlando, please see the attached forms to book your Disney Magical Express airport transfer. We recommend that you fax or email this form to DISNEY as soon as your flights are booked. DINNER RESERVATIONS There are many counter service restaurants throughout all of the Disney World parks and resorts, so dinner reservations are not necessary. If you would like to experience sit down meals, you will want to book those reservations on your MyDisneyExperience account. Please remember that your Meal Vouchers cannot be used at these locations. We recommend booking any dinner reservations for Friday or Saturday no earlier than 6:00 PM since those are parade days. Disney meal plans are not offered with the Varsity package. 4
EVENT COMMUNICATION All event communication will come through email or social media once you register. WEBSITES There will be multiple emails going out to attendees for this event. If you re not receiving emails then be sure to check your junk mail folder. Anytime a group email has been sent, we ll let you know on Facebook and the email will be included on the Varsity Spirit Spectacular page on nca.varsity. com, nda.varsity.com, uca.varsity.com, uda.varsity. com and usa.varsity.com. FACEBOOK Be sure to join our Facebook group: Varsity Spirit Spectacular 2017. We ll keep you updated on all of the event happenings on this page including uniform sneak previews, staff introductions and much more! Encourage everyone going on the trip to join the Facebook page! MICKEY S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY (ADDITIONAL COST OPTION) Tickets to Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom are not included with your package. For those interested in purchasing tickets you can find more information on the Walt Disney World Website. Performers should not purchase tickets for the party the evening of Thursday, November 30 as they will be in a mandatory rehearsal. Mickey s Very Merry Christmas Party on Friday or Sunday are fine to attend if you d like to purchase tickets. Your park hopper tickets will allow you to go to any of the other three parks on the evenings of the MVMCP if you do not wish to purchase the additional tickets. FORMS The Code of Conduct and Release and Waiver must be turned in by registration. Please note that we need an original, signed copy of both of these forms (no faxes, emails or photocopies will be accepted). Be sure to make a copy for your records. VARSITY SHOP An event store will be set up on select days. Cheer and dance apparel along with a few event specific items will be available for purchase. There will not be an event DVD available for purchase this year. PERFORMANCE Get ready to wow the crowds as a warmup to the afternoon Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade at the Magic Kingdom! While Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald may be staples to the parade lineup the Varsity Performance Team will be the stars of the day! As of now, our group will be split into two performances. Team Mickey will perform on Friday and Team Minnie will perform on Saturday.* Participants should be prepared to perform Friday and Saturday. We will break the teams up by state in late October. 5
LEARNING THE ROUTINE A private web link for the routine will be sent at the end of October or the beginning of November. This link will guide you through learning the entire routine. PRIVATE WEB LINK The link that will be sent to you to learn the routine is private and should not be shared with others on Social Media. The material on the link is created only for those participating in the Varsity Spirit Spectacular, and the goal is to keep the routine a surprise until it is unveiled at the event. ROUTINE KNOWLEDGE We rely on all participants to know the routine up to performance standards in order to be able to add formation changes, ripples, and other show elements during practice. We do not spend time teaching the routine during practice, so please come prepared. Your preparedness and performance quality will determine where you are placed in the parade lineup as well as how long we need to practice after the initial rehearsal. WHAT YOU LL FIND IN YOUR UNIFORM SHIPMENT Uniforms will ship in November once your account is paid in full. The following items will be included in your uniform shipment. Females Top, Skirt*, Event Tote Bag, and Hair Ribbon Males Top, Pants and Event Tote Bag *Briefs are built into the skirt. NOTE: Poms will be distributed at the event and will be returned after the performance. UNIFORM EXCHANGE All uniforms will be distributed according to the sizes/measurements that are submitted with your registration. If the size of the uniform you receive is not what you ordered then contact John Calitri at jcalitri@varsity.com. If the size does not fit, then you ll either need to: 1. Alter the uniform if it s close 2. Bring your uniform with you on registration day and we ll swap out as other sizes come in. We cannot exchange any uniforms that have been altered or written on. If you are unsure of the fit of your uniform you may email a picture to Buffy Duhon at bduhon@varsity.com for feedback. 6
UNIFORM REMINDERS Uniform top should be long enough to completely cover torso when arms are extended overhead. Skirt should cover the rear when standing with feet apart and should not be so tight that the fabric pulls when standing with feet together. No leggings or tights will be worn during the performance. SHOES AND SOCKS White shoes and low white socks (below the ankle or no-show socks) are to be worn with the uniform. If you need a pair of white shoes or socks they are available for purchase at www.shop.varsity.com. HAIR Hair is to be all up and out of face to the back of the head. Braids to the back will be acceptable, but no side ponytails please. Ribbons will be supplied with the uniform, but please do not decorate ribbon in any way. Natural color hair is requested, and any strands of bright hair colors must be hidden on the inside of your ponytail. MAKE UP Natural make-up is suggested with slightly darker application than an everyday look. The Florida sun is bright, and color tends to wash out easily on camera. We ask that lip color be in a red tone to match uniform. No glitter, face paint, or face tattoos will be allowed. UNIFORM CHECK & ROUTINE PREVIEW Once you have completed registration and are in uniform, you will proceed to the Uniform Check area. Varsity Staff will assess the fit of the uniform and will switch out uniforms if necessary. From there you will be directed to the Routine Preview area. Uniform checks MUST be done before coming to the Routine Preview. The Routine Preview is a time for the Show Directors to evaluate how well you know and perform the routine. This process should only take about 15 minutes if you are prepared. Here are a few pointers for Routine Preview: Those that wish to stand together in the parade must attend Routine Preview together and notify staff that you wish to stand together. Parents and coaches are not allowed in Routine Preview. We will have Varsity staff members there to help practice each group before they move into the Routine Preview area. ROUTINE PREVIEW FORMAT: 1. You may choose to go through routine preview in your uniform, however, you may change into practice attire instead if you like. You do not need to have hair and make-up done for Routine Preview. 2. Fill out your nametag 3. Practice with the Varsity Staff Amount of practice time is up to you before you preview. Staff will group individuals and small groups together for practice. 4. Full out routine in front of the Show Directors. 5. When finished you are FREE until the orientation meeting. 7
OTHER PERFORMANCE DAY APPEARANCE REMINDERS No jewelry will be allowed during practice or performance. If any braces (ankle or knee) are necessary, please try to keep them a neutral skin color. Cover any tattoos completely. We have no restrictions on artificial nails or nail colors. Performers will hold poms throughout the routine so nails will not be seen. Please remember that you will be dancing in close proximity to other performers, so take this into consideration when deciding on nail length for the event. PERFORMER PLACEMENT Placement of individuals and groups will be finalized during the first practice based off of the information gained during Routine Preview. MEETING YOUR BUDDY All participants will be assigned a Buddy from the Varsity Staff. At the first rehearsal the Buddy staff will be lined up around the Coronado Ballroom to meet their Buddy group and give them instructions before practice begins. Chaperones will meet their Varsity Buddy after the first rehearsal and will discuss their desired method of release of performers from practice/performance. SPECTATOR PREVIEW On Thursday, November 30th after the first rehearsal we will open up the ballroom for spectators to preview the performance! BEHAVIOR You re representing your community, your school and your family while on this trip. During the parade you ll have thousands of young people looking up to you. Be a role model during this trip. Smoking, drinking and foul language will not be tolerated at this event and will result in removal from all event functions. CURFEW Performers will have a nightly curfew and should not be outside of their rooms without their chaperone during these times. It is important that performers are well rested for the parade.
FAQ Q: How much spending money should I bring with me? A: That s up to you. The use of traveler s checks or gift cards (AMEX, VISA, MC) is recommended. Get these cashed each day at the hotel s cashier desk; be sure to have identification. You will only need money for meals not included in the package and miscellaneous items such as snacks and souvenirs. Q: How many staff members will there be on the trip? A: Varsity will provide one staff buddy for every 25 performers. Q: How often will I receive updates? A: We try to communicate regularly with all attendees. Most of the communication will come through email or our Facebook page. If you re not receiving emails or have additional email addresses you d like added to our distribution list then email me at jcalitri@varsity.com. Q: My coach is coming to Florida as a spectator. Can he/she attend practice? Can my parents? A: In order to eliminate all distractions our rehearsals are closed to all spectators. This will hopefully allow us to streamline practices which in turn should allow for more time in the parks! Q: What happens if I get injured or become ill during the event? A: We will have first aid staff on duty throughout the event. Additional medical treatment is at the expense of the participant. Q: Can we purchase the Disney Dining Plan? A: Disney Youth Markets does not offer a dining plan for attendees with our ticket packages. Q: I d like to book FastPasses before arrival. How can I do that? A: New this year! Upon request, we will be able to send park tickets starting around early October for those attendees paid in full. Please keep in mind once you receive the park tickets then you can not upgrade or cancel your tickets from that point. WHAT CAN I DO NOW?: *Book flights *Email or fax the Disney Magical Express Form to the number/email address located on the form *Download or set up your MyDisneyExperience account and begin reading about the parks and playing with the app. *Join the Varsity Spirit Spectacular 2017 Facebook group *Fundraise 9
VARSITY SPIRIT TIMELINE Full balance is due October 3 Book flights once event confirmation is received (if needed). Flight prices can fluctuate on a daily basis. We suggest starting to look at flights as soon as possible and check back weekly until you find the fare that works for you. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are good days to check on fares. Remember that flight fares typically go up significantly within three weeks of departure. Book Disney Magical Express once flight is booked. Set up MyDisney Experience App. We suggest downloading this app now so that you can familiarize yourself with all that it offers. Receive hotel confirmation number and request Park Hopper (an email will be sent on this process) - mid to late October Order MagicBands once hotel confirmation number is received Book any meal reservations using your app (not included in package) Wanting to book one of the Disney character meals at at theme park? We suggest doing this early as reservations fill up quickly. You can do this from your MyDisney Experience App. Keep in mind to take the parade schedule into consideration when booking. Meal vouchers can only be used at counter service locations and are not accepted at full service restaurants. Make sure uniform fits (upon arrival in late October/early November) Review Packing List THINGS TO BRING CHECKLIST Uniform (if flying, put in carry-on bag) Top Skirt/pants Hair ribbon (females only) One pair of all white tennis shoes (no color for performance) must be pure white, not off-white One pair of comfortable tennis shoes for park days, rehearsals, etc. Camera Sunscreen and water bottle Two practice outfits (t-shirt and shorts) Event bag (feel free to decorate this to make it easily recognizable) Forms (all forms should be submitted prior to arrival) Release and waiver Code of Conduct MagicBands (if they were mailed to you) 10
THIS FORM MUST BE RETURNED TO DISNEY AT THE EMAIL OR FAX NUMBER BELOW. DO NOT RETURN WITH YOUR VARSITY FORMS! Disney's Magical Express Reservation Form Varsity Spirit Spectacular RESERVATIONS REQUIRED Team Name: WDW Resort: Mailing Information: Attention To: Please Fax this form to Disney at 407 93 4629 Phone Number: Street Address: or Email Address: City, State & Zip Email to wdw.dme.reservations@disney.com Contact Disney at (66) 599 0951 with questions Infant Arrival Flight Departure Departing Last Name First Name Arrival Date Arrival Airline & Flight # Departure Airline & Flight # Y/N Time Date Flight Time THIS FORM MUST BE RETURNED TO DISNEY AT THE EMAIL OR FAX NUMBER BELOW. DO NOT RETURN WITH YOUR VARSITY FORMS!
EARLY ARRIVAL DAY ONE DAY TWO DAY THREE DAY FOUR Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday November 29, 2017 November 30, 2017 December 1, 2017 December 2, 2017 December 3, 2017 EARLY ARRIVAL DAY SPIRIT REGISTRATION MORNING REHEARSAL FREE MORNING BUFFET BREAKFAST :30 AM - 5:30 PM :00-9:30 AM & EVENT CLOSING EARLY REGISTRATION Coronado M-T Coronado Ballroom 7:30-9:15 AM & UNIFORM CHECK/EXCHANGE Coronado M-T Veracruz B & C Session 1 - :30 AM - 11:00 AM UNIFOM CHECK & ROUTINE PREVIEW TEAM MINNIE Free Day DISNEY CHARACTERS Session 2-1:00 PM - 5:00 PM :30 AM - 5:30 PM Free time after practice concludes 7:45 AM - 9:30 AM VARSITY SHOP VARSITY SHOP VARSITY SHOP VARSITY SHOP VARSITY SHOP Durango 1 & 2 Durango 1 & 2 Durango 1 & 2 Closed Today Durango 1 & 2 OPEN during all OPEN :30 AM - 10:30 PM OPEN :30 AM - 11:00 AM OPEN 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM registrations times 2017 Varsity Spirit Spectacular Note: Event Itinerary subject to change. Coronado M-T TEAM MICKEY Session 3-9:00 PM - 10:00 PM Coronado Ballroom TEAM MINNIE TEAM MICKEY PARADE PERFORMANCE HOTEL ROOM CHECK-IN PARADE PERFORMANCE Magic Kingdom HOTEL CHECK - OUT Main Hotel Check In Area Magic Kingdom All Team Minnie performers & DEPART FOR HOME Begins at 3:00 PM at All Team Mickey performers must be in the Magic Kingdom ROUTINE PREVIEW the Coronado Springs Resort must be in the Magic Kingdom by 12:00 PM Coronado Ballroom by 12:00 PM 12:45 PM Meet Time* 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM GROUP ORIENTATION 12:45 PM Meet Time* 1:30 PM Parade Step Off* 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM 1:30 PM Parade Step Off* Coronado Ballroom ROUTINE PRACTICE 6:30 PM - 10:30 PM Coronado Ballroom SPECATOR PREVIEW 10:00 PM Coronado Ballroom *times are tentative *times are tentative