A group of Disney Imagination Campus students dance as part of the Performing Arts workshop

Experience the Excitement of Festival Disney! Achieve performance excellence with your student group.

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Festival Disney — Student Music Competition

Spruce up your performance skills, gain a competitive edge, and seize the opportunity to explore the Walt Disney World® Resort theme parks. Festival Disney is a positive and educationally meaningful music festival for talented Middle/junior high, high school and college/university choirs, orchestras and bands.

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Overview

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Upcoming Dates

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Additional Information

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Awards

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How to Participate

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Pricing

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Overview

Achieve performance excellence at our all Disney‐produced competitive music festival! Festival Disney gives your ensemble the chance to compete with other schools from across the country, while also having the opportunity to make once-in-a-lifetime memories at the Walt Disney World Resort.

In addition to middle/junior high school and high school ensembles, we also invite college and university choirs, orchestras, and bands with both competitive and non-competitive adjudication options.

Ensembles are evaluated by two nationally recognized, collegiate level music educators and one Disney music professional teaching artist who will provide detailed, positive feedback to all ensembles through written and recorded comments. Following each performance, the ensemble will also experience an in-person individualized feedback clinic.

Disney Imagination Campus – Performing Arts is extremely proud to be endorsed by the National Association for Music Education.

2027 Festival Disney Dates

March 12 & 13
March 19 & 20
April 2 & 3
April 9 & 10
April 16 & 17
April 23 & 24

Additional Information

Each ensemble must have a minimum of 15 student performers to be eligible to participate.
Each school is invited to register a maximum of three (3) Choirs, three (3) Bands and/or three (3) Orchestras.
Jazz Band and Show Choir divisions are returning to Festival Disney.
All groups must provide their own chartered bus transportation to and from their performance and awards ceremony locations. Disney Transportation may not be used to attend festival activities.
We are proud to feature instruments and equipment from music industry leaders such as Ludwig/Musser percussion, Glaesel String Instruments, Steinway & Sons Pianos and Wenger performance equipment.
Schools with Band ensemble(s) participating in Festival Disney may also have a band ensemble participate in up to (1) Soundtrack Sessions: Instrumental Workshop OR (1) Marching Performance on Sunday-Thursday only. (Separate application for the workshop OR separate application and audition materials for the marching performance must be submitted. This is subject to availability, successful audition for a marching performance, and if scheduled, a separate fee will apply for this add-on experience.) Schools with band ensemble(s) in Festival Disney may NOT apply with a band ensemble for a Disney Imagination Campus –Performing Arts Stage Performance.
Schools with Choir or Orchestra ensemble(s) participating in Festival Disney may also have a choir or orchestra participate in up to (1) Disney Imagination Campus –Performing Arts Workshop on Sunday-Thursday only. (Separate application for the workshop must be submitted. This is subject to availability and if scheduled, a separate fee will apply for this add-on experience.) Schools with choir or orchestra ensemble(s) in Festival Disney may NOT apply with a choir or orchestra for a Disney Imagination Campus –Performing Arts Stage Performance.
All groups must be in the Orlando area and available to perform all-day Friday and Saturday of the selected festival weekend. (Groups that are available for only one festival day may encounter scheduling challenges and we are not able to guarantee that the group will be able to be scheduled on that specific day.)
Each individual traveling on this event must purchase a minimum of a 2-day Festival Disney ticket package. (Annual Passes or Theme Park admissions not purchased through Festival Disney are not eligible.)

Nationally Recognized Adjudicators

To date, Festival Disney has been adjudicated by more than 150 distinguished collegiate music educators, including these instrumental and choral education specialists:

Past Choral Adjudicators

Dr. Mitos Andaya Hart, Temple University
Dr. Jerry Blackstone, University of Michigan
Dr. Hugh Floyd, Furman University
Dr. William Powell, Auburn University
Dr. Rosephanye Powell, Auburn University
Dr. Russell Robinson, University of Florida
Dr. John Sinclair, Rollins College

Past Instrumental Adjudicators

Prof. Keith Bearden, Texas Tech University
Dr. Stephen Benham, Duquesne University
Prof. Douglas Droste, Baldwin Wallace University Conservatory of Music
Dr. Richard Good, Auburn University
Prof. Joseph Hermann, Tennessee Tech University
Dr. Alexander Jimenez, Florida State University
Dr. Catherine Rand, University of Southern Mississippi
Dr. LaToya Webb, Ball State University

Venues

Festival Disney events will take place at a number of venues in and around the Walt Disney World Resort.
Venues will be listed as part of the festival schedule and maps that directors will receive approximately 6 weeks prior to the event.

Festival Disney Solo & Ensemble

We are proud to offer this VIRTUAL educational offering that allows students to compete and receive solo or small ensemble ratings and written feedback from a Festival Disney adjudicator. Students will also receive an exclusive Festival Disney Solo & Ensemble medal for their participation.

This virtual competition is for solo performers or ensembles of 14 or fewer performers, who are already part of a group physically participating in Festival Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort.
All performance videos will be submitted online, prior to the group’s trip.
A specific Solo & Ensemble registration form with final details will be sent to all directors closer to the festival dates.

Additional fees apply for this experience.

National Core Arts Standards

This performance opportunity fulfills many of the National Core Arts Standards for creation, performing, responding and connecting. Review the standards.

Awards

Festival Disney Award
All ensembles receive a Festival Disney Award recognizing their participation.
Festival Disney Medal
Each performer receives an exclusive Festival Disney Medal to commemorate their participation.
Best in Class
Presented to the highest-scoring ensemble within each Division and Classification.
Festival Disney Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards
Presented to the three highest, Superior-rated ensembles within specific categories.

Special Awards

Choral: Outstanding Vocal Soloist, Outstanding Student Accompanist
Concert Band & Orchestra: Outstanding Concert Soloist
Jazz Band: Outstanding Jazz Soloist
Adjudicator’s Special Recognition: Selectively awarded by the adjudicators for performances of merit by individuals or sections

An exciting celebration is planned for all Festival Disney participants. This special ceremony will take place at the Walt Disney World® Resort on Saturday night.

Please review the Festival Disney Overview for specific details regarding the awards.

How to Participate

Follow these steps when registering for Festival Disney:

Review the Festival Disney Overview and Open Letter to School Administrators for full event details.
Select the appropriate Ensemble Division and Adjudication Status.
Complete the online registration.
Submit the non-refundable registration fee for each ensemble. (Fee information provided during registration process.)

Ensembles are NOT registered, and festival availability is not guaranteed, until:

We have received the non-refundable registration fee for each eligible ensemble.
The Festival Disney office reviews the registration/availability.
You received a confirmation message from the Festival Disney office.