An Ohio high school marching band overcame a major setback to perform at Walt Disney World after thieves stole thousands of dollars' worth of instruments just hours before their show.
Ashland High School students traveled to Orlando’s Magic Kingdom after years of fundraising and preparation. But on the morning of March 29, they discovered their locked trailer had been broken into overnight at their hotel on International Drive, with roughly 20% of their instruments missing. The stolen instruments included clarinets, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones, many of which held deep personal value to students.
“About 20% of the kids in that parade were using instruments they’d never touched,” said band director Marty Kral. “And they still nailed it.”
With the clock ticking, band leaders contacted Music & Arts, a national retailer, which quickly provided replacement instruments from two Orlando locations. When the band was still one saxophone short, staff reached out via Facebook to another Ohio school band performing at Disney, and a parent from Anna High School loaned the final instrument just before midnight.
Despite the challenges, every Ashland student performed on Monday, marching down Main Street at Walt Disney World and playing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. The crowd cheered as students, some on unfamiliar instruments, delivered a flawless performance.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft.
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