Dates: Saturday, January 20, 2025 - Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Disney World - Saturday, January 18th to Tuesday, January 21st
All students are to arrive between 9:00 AM and 10:30 am on Saturday, at the Disney Pop Century Resort, to check in, drop off your luggage and meet up with Rotary Youth Exchange Southeast chaperones; who will give you a brief orientation before distributing your park tickets and your magic band room key. Your magic band is for your room key only. Room numbers will be given to you Saturday evening when you check back into the hotel between 7:00-9:00pm by Rotary Youth Exchange Southeast chaperones only. You will not have access to your room or luggage before this time. The schedule is to go to Animal Kingdom on Saturday followed by a pizza party that evening at the Pop Century Pool, Magic Kingdom on Sunday, Epcot on Monday where we will be having dinner together, and Hollywood Studios on Tuesday. We will leave for home mid-afternoon on Tuesday. The cost of your hotel rooms, Disney park tickets, the pizza and pool party on Saturday night, and dinner at Epcot on Monday are all paid for by your host Rotary clubs or district. BE SURE TO THANK THEM for this opportunity! Remember to bring extra money for other meals and souvenirs.
You will be staying in a hotel, which will provide towels, pillows, blankets, etc. Four students will be housed in each room. Each room has two double beds. If you’re unwilling to share a bed, you might consider bringing a sleeping bag. Boys are not allowed in girls’ rooms, and girls are not allowed in boys’ rooms, at any time – no exceptions. Please keep in mind there are many other guests at the hotel, so excessive noise will not be tolerated. Curfew each night while at Walt Disney World Resort is 11:00 pm. All students must be in their assigned rooms by this time. The rooms have a small refrigerator, so if you your transportation arrangements permit you to pack small food/snacks, you’re allowed to do so.
We recommend that you take along a jacket or sweater – it can be surprisingly cool this time of year in Orlando. But also bring your swimsuits, as the hotel pools are open and heated. Otherwise, bring casual clothes and shoes that you can walk all day in. Do NOT bring your Rotary blazer, but please do bring your country flag for photos.
IMPORTANT: In order to receive your Disney tickets when you get there, you MUST bring the form we email to all students several weeks before this event, signed by you and one of your host parents. Please give it to one of your Rotary chaperones who is with you on the trip to Orlando when you arrive at the hotel. Do not forget and do not send it by mail or e-mail to your district chair or to Rotary Youth Exchange Southeast. BRING THE SIGNED FORM WITH YOU TO DISNEY WORLD!
Also, as a reminder, be sure that you have your medical insurance card and your Rotary ID card with you at Disney, at all times. We certainly hope that you won’t need to use it, but you should always have it with you.
More information will be posted as we get closer to our Disney trip.
DON’T go anywhere by yourself – always have at least one buddy with you!
DON’T be late for check-ins or curfews
DON’T do any of the 4 Ds
No girls in boys rooms and no boys in girls room
Violations of any of these rules could end up in return home (home country)
DO:
Disney App
We recommend you download the My Disney Experience app and establish your account prior to arrival on both your phone and computer. The app Includes Disney Genie which will help you navigate the parks, see wait times, connect with friends, find character meet & greets, dining options, restroom locations and more! You will also have access to Disney Genie+ which will give you the option to purchase Lightening Lane access to the most popular attractions.
There is also a Play Disney Parks app available for free download which can be fun and interactive while you are waiting in the queues.
The Buddy System: No one, should ever go by themselves on buses between hotel and parks. And in the parks, always go with at least one other exchange student at all times.
You must check in with your District Chaperones at each of the following times and places. BE ON TIME!
PARK HOURS 7:30am-7:00pm.
After checking in at the hotel, attending a brief orientation and securely storing your luggage, head straight to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park using the Disney Bus Transportation System. This is the transportation system you will use to visit all the parks except Friday & Sunday morning. Do not linger in the hotel lobby.
1st check-in: 3:00pm on Discovery Island/Tree of Life, between Island Mercantile & Discovery Trading Company.
PARK HOURS 7:30am*- 6:00pm.
We will meet in the hotel lobby on Friday morning at 8:00 am and ride the bus together to the Magic Kingdom Park.
1st check-in: 2:00pm in front of the statue of Walt Disney at the end of Main Street.
MONDAY at Disney’s Hollywood Studios:
PARK HOURS 8:00am- 9:00pm.
1st check-in: 12:00 noon Center State in front of the Chinese Theater
2nd check-in: 4:00 pm in front of the the Chinese Theater (we will take photos at this check-in)
3rd check-in: 7:00 pm in front of the Chinese Theater
PARK HOURS 8:30 am-9:00pm.
No check-ins. Today, each student must meet with the chaperones from their respective district to decide where to store their baggage and what time they will leave the park. All rooms must be vacated by 11:00 am.
* denotes Extra Magic Hours for Walt Disney World Resort Guests only