Hi there, Kenneth! Thank you so much for taking the time to send in your question to planDisney. For most high school students, getting to march down Main Street, U.S.A, with Cinderella Castle in the background, is a dream come true! My local school district in suburban Pittsburgh recently went on a band trip, and the parents in charge contacted me to help them with this exact issue. I'm happy to help!
Many music departments book their trips through a Disney-authorized travel planner. If this is the case with your school district, I suggest contacting your lead tour guide to see if they can include
Disney Genie+ as an add-on to the students' tickets or vacation package for the duration of their visit (some travel companies will even conduct a parent meeting with a Genie+ video tutorial, so it's definitely worth asking about). In my opinion, this would be the easiest option, but the parents will incur a small fee increase depending on the number of days.
Otherwise, students can
add Disney Genie+ service to their vacation package using their
My Disney Experience mobile app. On your home screen, select "Tickets and Passes" and then the blue "Change Ticket" button. Click "Continue" until you get to the screen that lists your ticket details. Scroll down to "Disney Genie+ Service" and tap the blue pencil icon on the right. This will allow you to add Genie+ for the length of your visit, so if you have a 3-Day Ticket, you will be buying it for all three of your park days. This method may not work because you are traveling with a large group. If you encounter difficulties, contact the Disney Reservation Center at (407) 939-5277 (I recommend calling as soon as the phone lines open at 7:00 AM EST).
Alternatively, starting at midnight on the day of your visit, you can add Disney Genie+ service for single-day use without modifying a ticket. Here are the steps:
1. Open the complimentary Disney Genie service in the My Disney Experience mobile app.
2. Select "My Day."
3. Tap the purple banner that says: "Take Today to the Next Level Get Disney Genie+ for Today."
Because most of the students are not 18 and won't have a credit card stored to their profile on My Disney Experience, the parents can purchase
Disney Gift Cards, which can be used for the purchase.
I hope one of these suggestions works for you, Kenneth! If you have any more questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out. I know the kids will have a great time making magical memories with their buddies!
Eean