Ohio band's instruments stolen near I-Drive hotel before Disney World performance

Ohio band's instruments stolen before Disney World performance

The Ashland High School Marching Band spent four years organizing a trip to perform at Disney World. They finally got all the money together, got on a bus, and drove down to the most magical place on earth, but when they got to their trailer Sunday morning, they saw many of their instruments disappeared.

ORLANDO, Fla. - An Ohio high school band’s dreams were nearly dashed when they found their instruments stolen before a performance at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. 

In what was supposed to be the performance of a lifetime – after four years of planning and raising money – band members from Ashland High School in Ashland, Ohio woke up Sunday morning, April 29 to find their band trailer broken into. 

Thousands of dollars worth of instruments were stolen. Some instruments were irreplaceable.

What we know:

Students from Ashland High School's marching band traveled from Ohio to Orlando to perform at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. 

The dream trip turned into a nightmare when they realized the lock to their trailer had been broken overnight at their hotel on International Drive and the contents of that trailer – totaling to thousands of dollars of instruments – were stolen. 

Ashland High School Marching Band (Source: Brigitte Klotzek)

More than just instruments

The theft stripped the band of its essential tools – clarinets, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones were all reported stolen. However, for many of the students, the loss is deeply personal.

"They are handed down to them from family members; they're gifts," band mom Brigitte Klotzek told FOX 35’s Marie Edinger. "They have a lot of memories with them. So it's a little bit more than just an instrument for a lot of the kids."

Klotzek, who has two daughters in the band, shared a particularly devastating detail: one student’s stolen instrument was a gift from his father, given to him shortly before his father passed away. 

"This is something that cannot be really replaced," she said.

Klotzek is hoping that by spreading awareness, other visiting bands will take extra precautions. She also urges anyone shopping for secondhand instruments to question where they came from. 

She said the thieves knew what was in the trailer, making their actions "particularly nasty," Klotzek said. 

A 'nasty' trend in Central Florida

Though the students are feeling the heartbreak of this theft, what happened to them is not unheard of in Central Florida. In fact, FOX 35 has reported on several similar incidents in the past. 

2023: The Volusia County Community Arts trailer was targeted by thieves.

2018: Port Orange High School’s marching band trailer was stolen directly from their parking lot.

"They know what's in this trailer," Klotzek remarked, frustrated that thieves would target children in a city known as the happiest place on earth. "That just makes it particularly nasty."

The show must go on

Despite the heavy hearts and empty cases, the Ashland High School Marching Band came to play at Magic Kingdom – so play they did. The band was able to rent equipment and perform marching down Main Street, U.S.A.

Despite pulling off the performance amid the recent adversity, the issue still remains: what will they play when they return home? 

What's next:

FOX 35 has reached out to the Orange County Sheriff's office for more information about the theft.