London New Year's Day Parade

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L O N D O N
2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7 V A R S I T Y S P I R I T T O U R
Varsity Spirit
NewYear’s Day
London Parade
featuring the
UCA/NCA
All-Americans
DECEMBER 26, 2016
TO JANUARY 2, 2017
Before you send in your
packet check the following
carefully!
❏ Have you applied for
your passport?
❏ Have you signed
ALL forms?
❏ Has your parent or
guardian signed your
forms?
❏ Have you completed
the reservation form?
❏ Have you completed
the Uniform Sheet?
❏ Have you completed
the Rules of Conduct
sheet?
❏ Have you completed
the Medical Release
Waiver?
❏ Have you included a
Deposit for EACH
PERSON attending?
❏ Do you have passport
photo page copies for
each person attending
or applied for your
passport?
❏ Have you included
payment?
❏ Did you purchase
travel insurance and
include payment?
PARADE SIGN-UP
CHECKLIST
MONDAY 26 DEC:
DEPARTURES
Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Boston,
Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit,
Houston, Kansas City, Los
Angeles, Monroe, New Orleans,
New York, Newark, Orlando,
Phoenix, Raleigh-Durham, San
Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis,
Washington (IAD)
Depart from your gateway airport on
a widebodied jet for London, England.
You’lI be flying overnight with a Varsity
Spirit escort and other All-Americans and
families, and will be able to enjoy dinner,
beverages and on-board entertainment.
Hopefully, you’II also manage to sleep a
little before breakfast and touching down
at one of London’s major airports.
TUESDAY 27 DEC: LONDON
Once off the aircraft, you’II pass through
customs and immigration before
being met by a London Parade Festival
Representative. You will then make the
short journey into Central London by luxury
motor coach to your London hotel. You may
be tired but try to stay awake, as there will
be all kinds of interesting “British” things
to look at during the journey. Once at the
hotel, you’II check into your room pending
its availability, attend an orientation
meeting to find out all about the week
ahead, and time permitting, adventure out
into London in your escort groups. Your
dinner this evening will be served in one of
the hoteI’s banquet rooms. Early night, to
help fend off the jet lag and prepare you for
a fantastic week.
WEDNESDAY 28 DEC: LONDON
“Good Morning London.”You will need
to get into your bus groups this morning
for a full-day guided tour of the greatest
capital city in the world. Meet up with your
tour guide and driver before setting off to
discover some of the many wonders that
London has to offer. During the day, you
will see such places as BUCKINGHAM
PALACE (home to Queen Elizabeth ll), The
TOWER OF LONDON (the medieval site
where many beheadings took place in days
of old), ST. PAUL‘S CATHEDRAL (one of the
world’s most impressive cathedraIs “the
one in which Princess Diana got married”,
WESTMINSTER ABBEY (EngIand’s most
important ecclesiastical building and scene
of the recent royal wedding of William
& Kate), BIG BEN and the HOUSES OF
PARLIAMENT (the country’s political heart).
Additionally, if the timing is right, you may
be able to catch the changing of the guard
outside BUCKINGHAM PALACE.
There will be plenty of opportunities to
stop for photographs and for souvenir
shopping along the way. Dinner this
evening will be served in your hotel. Time
to freshen up and tonight you will enjoy a
WEST END SHOW in the heart of London’s
Theatreland.
THURSDAY 29 DEC: LONDON
Today we will arm you with a London
Transport Day Oyster card for use on the
extensive underground network. With
this in hand, you will be able to follow a
unique itinerary for the day and head off
in small escorted groups, to visit a variety
of London landmarks. Whether it’s the
National Gallery, Westminster Abbey,
CARNABY STREET or perhaps the Hard
Rock Cafe on Piccadilly, the “tube” can
get you there. Tourist freedom continues
this evening, when, instead of eating
as a large group in the hotel, you will
have the opportunity to use one of our
special vouchers to dine in your small
escorted groups, in any of a range of
popular London restaurants. Scheduled
for this evening is a special nighttime
DISCO CRUISE along the river Thames.
As you dance the night away, your
floating discotheque will pass by some of
London’s most magnificent illuminated
buildings.
FRIDAY 30 DEC:
LONDON/WINDSOR
Today’s full-day guided tour will take
you out of the capital towards the west,
to one of EngIand’s greatest and most
historic cities—WINDSOR. This city has
been home to a Royal Palace for over 900
years. Although still used by the Royal
Family, parts of the Palace are open to the
public, and during your visit you will be
able to see some of the chapels, the State
Apartments and even Queen Mary’s Doll
House – aIl within the castle walls. Upon
your return to London, you will dine with
vouchers. Don’t forget your camera! You
will however need to be back at the hotel
in time for this evening’s London Parade
Rehearsal– your last chance to perfect
your routine for New Year’s Day.
RehearsaIs wiII be held in a private
ballroom in your hotel.
SATURDAY 31 DEC: LONDON
Today you will have another chance of
exploring London in smaller escorted
groups. Again, you may wish to use your
tube ticket to get to the Tate Gallery or
perhaps to COVENT GARDEN, one of the
“hippest” places in town. Check in your
special London Parade Welcome Pack for
details of many more places of interest.
Again, you will use one of your special
vouchers for dinner in Central London.
Ring in the New Year with a private party
before turning in for the night as it’s the
Big Day tomorrow. Happy New Year.
SUNDAY 1 JAN: LONDON
You’lI need to be up early to begin
preparations for today’s event—THE
LONDON NEWYEAR’S DAY PARADE. The
eyes of the world will be upon you, so
make sure you look your best. Once you
depart the hotel for the Parade Assembly
area, the day’s activities will begin with
the Official London Parade Photoshoot,
in which your performance group will
have a photograph taken in performance
uniform, with a major London landmark
as a dramatic backdrop, by a professional
photographer. Onward to the Parade start
to line up for THE LONDON NEWYEAR’S
DAY PARADE, the most incredible event
of its kind in the world. Perform alongside
10,000 performers before a street side
audience of more than one million,
and via television, a total audience of
more than 20 million around the world.
Celebrate with all of London, as you
dance and cheer your way past BERKELEY
SQUARE, BIG BEN, DOWNING STREET,
TRAFALGAR SQUARE, PICCADILLY
CIRCUS and The Ritz Hotel. End this
exhilarating day in the heart of the capital
with dinner in one of our fine restaurants
before returning to your hotel to reIax and
pack your bags for tomorrow’s journey
home.
MONDAY 2 JAN:
LONDON/HOME
With your clothes, souvenirs and
memories all packed away, it will be time
to board your motor coach and head back
to the airport for your return flight to your
gateway airport in the US. During the
daytime flight home you will be served
lunch shortIy after take-off and afternoon
tea shortly before arrival. Complimentary
drinks and inflight entertainment will
also be provided as you travel home in
comfort following what will have been an
extraordinary week in London at the 2016
London Varsity Spirit Tour.
PLEASE VISIT
for information concerning the
$175.00 Travel Insurance.