Financial Information/ Due Dates/ Attendance Counts/ Cancelations

WPSMF Registration

Before Registering for WPSMF

Confirm WPSMF can accommodate your music group

Before a music group registers for WPSMF, the music director, or the authorized travel planner must first contact WPSMF to confirm whether the music group’s desired lodging choice is available during the festival week the music group wishes to attend, and whether the desired lodging facility can accommodate the music group’s number of committed travelers during the overnights being planned. If WPSMF confirms overnight lodging is available as requested by the music group, the music group can then immediately register with the specific festival package choice (lodging choice and nights) WPSMF is expecting from the music group. If WPSMF receives a music group’s full registration in the mail (see following WPSMF Registration section) within 7 days after confirming available lodging with a music group, WPSMF will begin its festival planning for the group, as the group has registered for. If WPSMF does not receive full registration from the music group within 7 days, WPSMF may offer all or part of such previously discussed lodging availability to another music group intending to immediately register. A music group whose registration has been delayed beyond 7 days must re-confirm lodging availability with WPSMF before mailing their registration.

Implement a Trip Commitment Policy or Contract with your students and adults/chaperones

Signers of the Registration Form agree to consider implementing a Trip Commitment Policy or Contract with all traveling students and adults. This will lessen most music directors’ challenges with trip planning, assist with meeting WPSMF & transportation payment deadlines, provide clear structure toward each group members’ trip cost, out of pocket expenses, trip payment collection, cancellations & consequences, along with many other important music director benefits! If needed, request a sample from WPSMF.

Encourage or require the purchase of Travel Protection

A music group will likely plan and budget for WPSMF, transportation, meals and other known trip costs, before presenting a Winter Park trip to students and adults. Please consider any unforeseen events and circumstances that can occur with group members and even an entire music group, affecting their travel plans (before or during trip). These unknowns can create unexpected financial burdens. Examples: An individual or entire group cannot attend the trip, when it is beyond published deadlines for cancelling, decreasing attendance counts, and/or the possibility to receive a refund. Also, weather or travel conditions may create a travel delay to or from Winter Park, possibly causing the need for unscheduled overnight accommodation or meals while enroute. The presence of cancellation risks and potential travel risks, resulting in unwanted financial outcomes, exist! To lessen the impact of undesirable financial outcomes, registered music groups agree to investigate, consider, promote, and/or require the purchase of a travel protection plan purchase by all individual group travelers, to lessen financial risks. Post departure travel plans (with no trip cancellation benefit) can help provide financial protection against eligible trip interruption/delay, lost/damaged luggage & musical instruments, accidental medical expenses and more, and can be purchased by group members individually, for as little as $10. Travel protection plans with the same benefits plus trip cancellation benefits (with or without “cancel for any reason”) are also available for group members to individually purchase at a higher, but reasonable cost. Information about various travel plans and travel coverage is incredibly detailed, and too lengthy to include all within this agreement. If you would like the WPSMF staff to share our experience and limited knowledge about travel protection, please contact the WPSMF staff. WPSMF can refer you to a reputable travel protection provider, with easier online plan purchases for your group travelers. Keep in mind, if a group director wanted or required travelers to have “CFAR” cancel for any reason trip cancellation protection, these plans may require purchase within 14 days of an individual making their first trip payment/deposit. Non-CFAR cancellation plans require purchase prior to final trip payment. Post departure plans with no trip cancellation benefit can be purchased within 24 hours of trip departure. A music group should Include the purchase of individual travel protection plans as a component of your group’s Trip Commitment Policy or Contract, and a component of each traveler’s trip cost.

Registering to attend Winter Park Ski Music Festival

A music group’s Full Registration to attend Winter Park Ski-Music Festival is WPSMF receiving both: a music group’s completed and fully executed 2-page Registration Form, and the group’s non-refundable Registration Deposit
The Registration Form is a 2 page document to be downloaded from WPSMF Get Started, printed, completed, signed and mailed to WPSMF, OR it can be sent to a music group for online completion and signatures.
The non-refundable Registration Deposit amount is a calculated amount, based on a music group’s choice of overnight lodging, and the group’s number of initial committed travelers (attendance count). These two factors (to be completed on the Registration Form) will be used to calculate the Registration Deposit amount.
The WPSMF address to mail a completed Registration Form (if not completed and signed online) and Registration Deposit is listed on the Registration Form itself.

Additional Registration Deposit when increasing number of committed travelers:

Any time after fully registering, and a music group wishes to increase the number of committed travelers (for WPSMF to expand the overnight lodging accommodations being reserved), the music group agrees to first communicate such attendance increases with WPSMF, to determine whether additional lodging accommodations can be obtained for the group’s increased number of travelers. If additional lodging can be obtained by WPSMF, and upon the request of WPSMF, the music group agrees to increase their Registration Deposit amount, by paying an additional non-refundable Registration Deposit. The additional deposit amount will be calculated the same as for the music group’s already paid Registration Deposit, but for the increased number of travelers only.
If a music group fails to notify WPSMF of an increased number of committed travelers, or fails to pay an additional Registration Deposit amount upon WPSMF’s request, and the music group attempts to later increase their attendance count, music group agrees to understand WPSMF may not be able to provide enough overnight lodging, and ultimately cannot increase a music group’s attendance count.

Dates & Deadlines

Music groups and Registration Form signers agree to understand all Winter Park Ski-Music Festival (WPSMF) information and agree to fulfill all WPSMF trip planning and payment deadlines, and the consequences if not fulfilled, before registering to attend.

May 2025 – October 17, 2025

Non-registered Music Groups:

If WPSMF has previously confirmed lodging availability for an unregistered music group’s desired lodging choice, during a specific festival week, while no other music groups have since requested/registered for the same, WPSMF may continue to accept a music group’s registration through October 17, based on the lodging availability previously confirmed or held. However, within days after October 17, WPSMF will be required to relinquish any undeposited/temporary lodging holds WPSMF may have created with a lodging provider. Therefore, any lodging availability and holds will be canceled by WPSMF for unregistered music groups after October 17, requiring new overnight lodging planning between WPSMF and music group. Contact WPSMF if a full registration cannot be sent and received by WPSMF on or before October 17, to determine if the same desired lodging choice, or another lodging alternative, could be provided for your group after October 17.

Any music group can register for the 2026 WPSMF after October 17, 2025, by contacting WPSMF to determine what lodging choices are available to register for. A group must be prepared to immediately register with a Registration Deposit when registering after October 17.

December 1, 2025

Receive instructions about how to use and access WPSMF Online

By December 1^st, WPSMF will provide each music director and/or trip organizer with a registered music group, instructions for accessing and using WPSMF Online. WPSMF Online will be used by each music director to:
- Submit the required online December Questionnaire (December 17 deadline)
- Input a music group’s individual group members’ names (January 17 deadline), so all group travelers can individually register online (February 17 deadline).
- Completing the online rooming list and performance information (February 17 deadline)
- View a group’s online billing invoices, participants’ information, rooming lists, music performance information, and a Trip Info Report.

December 17, 2025

Complete and submit the December Questionnaire through WPSMF Online

As stated above, instructions for accessing and using WPSMF Online will be provided to each music director and/or trip organizer by December 1, 2025. After a director or trip planner logs into WPSMF Online, there is an upper menu item titled December Questionnaire. Directors and/or trip organizers must fully complete and submit their group’s online December Questionnaire by December 17, 2025. The person(s) completing/submitting the online questionnaire should be prepared to answer/provide the following:

- revised attendance count from any previously provided attendance count WPSMF has recorded. This December attendance revision will be used for calculating the First ½ payment billing invoice and more.
- confirmation or revision of dates and times a group will arrive in, and depart from Winter Park
- revise performing ensembles (as previously provided to WPSMF within music group’s registration form) and provide the ensemble name and director name(s) of each performing ensemble.
- request for optional, added cost lodging meals, if a lodging facility offers, and a group desires these. This is typically for groups staying overnight at Snow Mountain Ranch Lodge Rooms or Winter Park Resort.
- request for optional, added cost Winter Park Resort meal vouchers (prepaid, reduced cost, resort meal vouchers, used by many music groups for lunches at the resort, if desired).
- bus driver overnight lodging details if a music group is responsible for providing driver(s) overnight lodging.
- very important lodging unit details to fine tune a group’s overnight lodging reservation. For groups staying in condos or lodge rooms, the festival must receive: the number of male students, female students, male adults, female adults, and any other children that make up the total attendance count number, and how each of these persons will be assigned to lodging units. Directors will need to have already determined how chaperones/adults plan to share lodging units or bedrooms with other adults, or students, before completing the questionnaire. A fully prepared rooming list is not needed at this time, but could be provided if already created, to explain more easily.

All information provided by a music group, within a group’s December Questionnaire, will be used over the holiday break by the WPSMF staff, to continue more detailed planning/scheduling with WPSMF providers, including overnight lodging reservations, scheduling of ski equipment rentals, ticketing, beginner lessons, performances, adjudicator schedules, and more. Without complete and accurate questionnaire responses from a group by the December 17 deadline date, other compliant music groups will receive priority for overnight lodging requests, and all festival scheduling.
After the festival receives a group’s completed December Questionnaire by December 17, and after the festival has input the group’s questionnaire responses, the festival will notify the director/trip organizer to view/print their First ½ Payment Billing Invoice from within WPSMF Online. If a music group needs their First ½ payment amount earlier than mid-December, to have a payment check requested, processed, and mailed from their school district, or boosters, for WPSMF to receive a payment check by the January 17First Payment Due Date, the director must contact the festival anytime within November or early December to request a manually created billing invoice to pay from!

January 10, 2026 a week before the First ½ Payment and First Payment Attendance Count due date.

Suggested deadline for music directors to receive final trip payments from their traveling students and adults. While the festival only requires a ½ payment by the January 17due date (a week after the director collects and organizes payments), having all group members paid in full, allows a director to know exactly how many persons should be attending, and with better confidence, make any attendance count changes before the WPSMF’s January 17 First Payment Attendance Count revision deadline. Directors: Make your life less challenging, and do not include in your January 17 First Payment Attendance Count any unpaid or partially paid students and adults. A challenging situation will surely follow if a member cannot fulfill their trip payment obligation. Reporting only fully paid travelers will virtually eliminate any potential attendance decrease penalties in February. If a member promises to pay in full later, add them later! The only downside to requesting additional members later is the festival might not have enough lodging availability, or the late registration of a group member will not have all recreation choices available to them after February 28.
If a music director suggests, desires, or demands for their travelers to purchase non-CFAR travel cancellation protection plan, keep in mind this protection plan typically requires its purchase before an individual makes their final trip payment.

January 17, 2026 Deadline for all the following:

First ½ Payment Due Date. ½ of the total festival charges (less previously paid deposits), as shown on the billing invoice within WPSMF Online, must be received within WPSMF office, on or before January 17, 2026, to avoid late payment penalties and cancellation consequences.
Deadline to revise a group’s First Payment Attendance Count with WPSMF, regardless of the payment amount already mailed, or received by WPSMF.
Deadline to cancel an entire group’s festival attendance with WPSMF, to be refunded any prior payments (excluding the non-refundable Registration Deposit(s).
Deadline to have all trip members’ names input within WPSMF Online by director/ trip organizer and print & distribute each student’s and adult’s online registration login credentials (see the instructions when received on December 1 for how to input and print). With parents and adults having the login instructions in hand by January 17, this will allow them one month to complete their own, or their child’s individual online registration by February 17. Please do not shorten your members’ online registration window by failing to meet this January 17 deadline! We suggest every music director to set an individual online registration deadline for their students and adults sooner than your February 17deadline (listed below).

February 17, 2026 Deadline for all the following:

Final Payment Due Date. The remaining balance of the total festival charges, as shown on the billing invoice within WPSMF Online, must be received within WPSMF office on or before February 17, 2026, to avoid late payment charges and cancellation consequences.
Last date for any FINAL changes to a group’s Attendance Count. Attendance count decreases exceeding 10% of First Payment Attendance Count has financial penalties. There are NO attendance count decreases accepted after February 17, only substituted travelers. Attendance count increases are subject to lodging and recreation related availability.
Due date for all trip members (students, adults, and directors) to submit their individual online registration. Minor aged students must have a parent or legal guardian complete and execute the online registration, since the online registration contains a legal agreement to be executed by an adult. There is an immediate $15 charge added to a group’s billing invoice for every unregistered traveler beyond February 17, along with a $15 charge for every unregistered traveler on February 28. Unregistered travelers, after February 28, will only be allowed to register for non-ski mountain activities as their only recreation choice, without the ability to choose skiing or snowboarding.
Last date for directors and trip organizers to complete their music group’s online Rooming List, and online Performance & Equipment Request information within WPSMF Online, without a late penalty charge.
Last date to request any CHANGES of any festival scheduling or trip data within the Trip Information Report, found within WPSMF Online. Other groups will not be asked to reschedule their festival events, because another director failed to review, or discovered scheduling logistics/conflicts within their trip information by this date.

February 28, 2026

The last day to substitute a festival attendee with another person (if required additional lodging spaces are available), add a late enrolled person (if required additional lodging spaces are available), and/or allow a pre-registered individual to revise their recreation choice; ONLY if the subject/affected person(s) can register or re-register online on or before February 28.

After February 28, 2026

After February 28, any traveler revisions that can be accommodated, the music group will be charged an additional $50 charge per person added/substituted/affected.
After February 28, any newly added person, substituted person, or person wanting to revise their previously selected recreation choice, will only have the choice of non-ski and non-snowboard mountain activities available to them when registering online, and only non-ski mountain activity ticketing will be provided to them in Winter Park.

4-6 weeks prior to attending the Winter Park Ski-Music Festival, not during your travel to Winter Park, or after arrival in Winter Park:

The music director, 3rd party trip organizer, and/or group’s trip planning adult(s) agree to again review all information and topics here within WPSMF Ski Locker in advance of their trip. Within WPSMF Ski Locker, there are categorized sections. Each of these sections can be viewed and printed. Maps and PDF links within a category may require opening and printing separately. Bring a printed copy of the entire WPSMF Ski Locker, and all its maps to Winter Park, or be able to easily access from your laptop or phone!

The music director, 3rd party trip planner/organizer, and/or group’s trip planning adult(s) agree to read and review all information listed on their group’s Trip Info Report (within WPSMF Online) in advance of their trip. Read and review everything printed on this report, including the notes and suggestions printed on many pages. The music director, travel planner/organizer or trip planning adults agree to ask WPSMF any questions they may have about their group’s trip scheduling, lodging unit assignments, check-in/check-out dates for every lodging unit, driver lodging unit details (if arranged through the festival), performance, awards ceremony, equipment rentals, beginner lessons, and ticketing information/locations, well in advance of their trip.

Despite all attending students, their parents, and adults being asked to “review and understand” selective festival topics when individually registering online for the festival, the music director, 3rd party trip organizer, and/or group’s trip planning adult(s) agree to review these selected festival topics once again with all students, parents and attending adults, in a group setting or meeting, so all festival attendees will arrive in Winter Park best prepared for a successful trip.

Please understand WPSMF is proud to have the customer service reputation we work hard to earn. We are with each music group at every scheduled festival event, excluding some offsite equipment rentals and lodging check-ins. We thoroughly plan for each music group, and are with each group to assist, and handle any unforeseen challenges a group may encounter. It challenges our limited festival staff, and most importantly, interrupts the music groups we are currently with, when other group directors call or text panic questions that the answer has been available to them 6-8 months prior. Familiarize yourself with all the WPSMF information resources, and where you could quickly find answers to your immediate questions during your trip.

Festival Charges Explained

This more detailed information is intended to give music directors a complete and organized description of all festival charges and any other costs associated with planning a trip to our festival in Winter Park. We simply want to disclose all possible charges or costs, so you will know what to expect without any later surprises. Don’t let these details bog you down. Let us send you a copy of our invoices and you will see how straightforward it is.

Our Total Festival Charges are related to all the services/products the festival provides and charges. These are categorized within 4 sections of our billing invoice:

Festival Package Charges
Performing Ensemble Charges
Empty Bed Space Charges
Festival Additional Costs

1. Festival Package Charges. The number of festival attendees within a group (minus the number of complimentary packages) multiplied by the selected “Festival Package” per person price.

2. Performing Ensemble Charges. Total of the following:

$400 for the first Instrumental Ensemble, and $200 for any thereafter (includes color guards)
$400 for the first Choral Ensemble, and $200 for any thereafter
$400 for the first Dance/Drill Team or other ensemble type, and $200 for any thereafter

3. Empty Bed Space Charges. Per Person Festival Packages and price include each person’s overnight lodging bed space and do not include any empty bed spaces that could be created when a lodge room, studio or condo is not filled to its maximum occupancy. The same for cabins, but when a cabin is not filled to its minimum occupancy.

While a group may not be charged for some number of complimentary festival packages, empty bed spaces charges associated with the lodging accommodations of complimentary packages will always be charged, and not complimentary.

The overnight lodging choice, and desired sleeping arrangements by a group, will determine how many, if any, empty bed spaces will be charged. Within our 2026 per person festival package price listing, the empty bed space charge amount is listed for each lodging choice and festival week. These charges are for each empty bed space, each night of the festival stay.

Empty bed spaces are the number of bed spaces in a lodging unit (lodge room, studio or condo), less the number of attendees in that same lodging unit. Since a group’s total attendance numbers, and final rooming assignments can change up until Final Attendance Counts are due, the exact amount of empty bed spaces for a group can be a moving target to establish initially. Empty bed space charges will solidify prior to February 17, 2026, the due date for both the Final Attendance Count, and final rooming assignments.

Within our Overnight Lodging Choices and Descriptions page, notice some lodging choices allow one male student room/condo AND one female student room/condo to be filled with less than maximum occupancy, without empty bed space charges. This can be a significant savings for a tightly budgeted trip.

Empty bed space charges may also be charged if a group were to require any additional nights (in excess of your chosen festival package’s “number of nights”) for any lodge rooms, condos or cabins.

Possibly included within empty bed space charges, is the cost for the festival to provide Bus Driver lodging. The festival can arrange for a group’s bus driver(s) to stay at the same lodging choice if desired. No festival package is provided or charged for drivers, unless a director wants them recreating as well. The bus driver lodging cost is essentially the lodging choice’s empty space charge, multiplied by the number of bed spaces in a room/studio/condo, multiplied by the number of nights needed for the driver(s). Therefore, your bus driver lodging is included within our empty bed space charges section of our billing invoice. For a group director to accommodate any mandated, or lawful “off duty” hours for their drivers, at a group’s request, the festival can reserve a room or condo for the previous night, if a driver needs to check-in before 4:00 pm. Or, reserve for the night a group leaves town, so a driver can have the room the entire day before driving home that evening. The festival will be more than happy to discuss and provide the most economical solution.

4. Festival Additional Costs. Any additional costs added to the Total Festival Charges, as selected by a group, or may be charged to a group. These may include any of the following:

Optional Meal plans: Notice within our Lodging Choices section, some lodging choices offer optional meal plans. Those listed per person per meal prices are additional to the Festival Package Prices and would be an additional cost if chosen by a group.
Optional Ski Resort Meal Vouchers: Groups should choose to eat lunch at the ski resort, rather than wasting valuable recreation time by traveling off premises. If a director chooses to provide ski resort meal vouchers to students and/or adults, the festival can provide discounted meal vouchers for a group, at an additional cost. Directors most often purchase these so that each student has “pre-purchased” these with their trip and they will have a lunch meal regardless of available money. Each $25 redemptive value ski resort meal voucher is available for a discounted price of $23.50. These are valid at any resort operated eating establishment, whether at the resort base, mid mountain, or mountain summit locations. These vouchers cannot be used at privately owned restaurants at the Winter Park Resort Village. Be sure and ask before ordering a meal, to make sure they are valid at a suspect non-resort restaurant. No refunded change will be returned when using a meal voucher for a meal costing less than $25, by design. Be sure and order a meal as close to a $25 cost as possible, to get the fullest benefit. Additional cash can supplement a meal purchase over $25.
Early Check-in and Late Check-out Lodging Charges: Our lodging providers have established check-in and check-out times to accommodate festival groups and other guests staying with them. Sometimes groups may have special needs to check-in earlier and check-out later than these established times. For the festival to guarantee these, reservations must be made well in advance. The festival hopes any group can plan their Winter Park arrival and departure with these check-in/check-out times in mind, eliminating any additional cost. But if needed, the festival can arrange for all, (or a portion of your lodging units) to be available when needed, at an additional cost. For example, having 1-2 condos to store luggage prior to checking in all condos after 4:00 pm on a group’s arrival day. Or, keeping 1-2 condos to store luggage, or having clothes changing space, after 10:00 am on your group’s departure day.
Optional Meeting Space Charges: Some lodging providers may have meeting spaces for a group to use for special purposes- whether for rehearsals, or even a space to store luggage/equipment until check-in or after check-out times. If these types of meeting spaces are available and if the lodging provider charges for the festival for this meeting space- it could be an additional cost to a group, which the festival will arrange, bill, collect and forward to the meeting space provider.
Late Enrolled and Late Substituted Festival Attendees: The festival has deadlines to submit all group member names to overnight lodging providers (through a rooming list), resort ticketing, equipment rentals, and ski school. February 28, 2026 is the last day to substitute a festival attendee with another person (if additional lodging spaces are required and available), and/or add a late enrolled person (with available lodging), at no additional cost. After February 28, 2026, an additional charge of $50 per person is billed for revising late enrolled or late substituted persons with all Winter Park vendors. This $50 charge is addition to the increased number of festival packages charged when adding late enrolled persons.
Registration Deposit Forfeiture: Registration Deposit Forfeitures will occur when a music group has paid Registration Deposit amounts based on a specific number of travelers, and that traveler count falls below the number of travelers that ultimately attend the festival, and those attending travelers are registered participants receiving a full festival package. The amount of a Registration Deposit Forfeiture will be the difference between the number of travelers Registration Deposits were paid for, and the number of travelers ultimately attending the festival, with this difference in travelers multiplied by the published Registration Deposit amount (associated with the lodging choice a group registered for). A forfeiture will be shown on a group’s Billing Invoice as a festival charge. A forfeiture can be charged at any time there is a difference between travelers deposited for and expected to attend.
Attendee Count Decreases and Group Cancellation Charges: There are 2 following sections in this document that describes these topics and resulting charges if applicable. In either case- the festival would add these as additional charges within a group’s billing invoice as additional costs.
Late Payments Penalties/Charges: A 1% automated late charge will be accessed on any amounts owed after its due date. An additional 1% charge will also be accessed, every 7 calendar days beyond the payment due date for the non-paid billed amount. The festival may be forced to cancel any plans or reservations when scheduled payments are not received by their due date, since these payments may not be forwarded by the due dates established by festival vendors/suppliers. A late charge is a partial offset to additional efforts needed to re-establish any previous planning made for a group that was cancelled for non-payment. There will be no guarantee that all former plans will be restored, despite a late charge amount being paid.
Late Group Member’s Individual Registrations: A $15 automated late charge will be accessed for each group member that has not successfully completed their online registration by the Final Payment due date. An additional $15 charge will be accessed on February 28, 2026 for any unregistered group students or adults.
Late WPSMF Online Data (required from director/travel planner): A $35 automated late charge will be accessed when all performance information, requested music equipment, rooming lists, and other online data required of the group director/travel planner is incomplete beyond the Final Payment due date. An additional $35 charge will be accessed, each 7 calendar days until ALL required data is complete.
Mailing or Delivery Charges: In the event a music group, or members, leave anything behind in Winter Park, and want to have it mailed or delivered to them, the cost associated with mailing or delivery will be the responsibility of the music group, by reimbursing the festival for such mailing charges. This includes music scores, adjudication sheets, and/or trophies of groups and directors, not attending the awards ceremony and director reception.

Trip Costs Not Provided/Charged by Festival

All groups are responsible to arrange, and if applicable, pay these directly to a 3rd party

Motor Coach or Bus Transportation between Winter Park and a group’s hometown. When investigating prices from a motor coach company, be sure and ask whether these types of charges are included in the quote: bus driver tip, road toll charges, fuel surcharges, etc. The festival staff knows the approximate cost of motor coaches from several regional areas. If a director wants to save some time investigating bus costs, to include within an initial overall trip cost estimate, feel free to contact the festival
Airfare Between your Departing Airport and Denver. Consider things such as additional baggage cost for music instruments, taxes, etc.
Hiring Motor Coaches Between Denver International Airport and Winter Park if flying into Denver. Before these motor coaches drop group members off in Winter Park, and if interested, how much additional cost would there be to have the group stop at a Denver or Winter Park area grocery store? Would it be possible, or save costs if the same airport coaches provided your transportation to the performance site, instead of arranging additional transportation to the performances? The festival staff knows approximately what other attending groups have paid for airport transfers. Contact the festival if wanting to save some time investigating.
Hiring Local School District Buses to/from the Performance Site. (not available for the 2026 WPSMF due to local school district driver shortages) If a group will not have motor coaches or buses with them the entire time in Winter Park, and bus transportation is needed to the performance site, the festival staff can help schedule local school bus transportation based on scheduled performance times, and where a group is staying overnight, after the performance schedule is created in late January or early February prior to the festival dates. The festival is not providing this bus service, only helping to schedule, and a group will pay the local school district directly. More detailed information is available within WPSMF Ski Locker under Trip Planning.
Meals. This can be meals while in route to and from Winter Park, groceries to prepare meals in condos or cabins (brought from home or purchased in Denver or Winter Park area), meals at restaurants, pizza deliveries, etc. The festival can help by providing the average cost at local restaurants, ski resort, and what other directors share about what amount was budgeted for groceries. Yes, a group can choose to purchase optional meal plans, or discounted ski resort meal vouchers through the festival, which will be charged by the festival.
Bus drivers staying overnight at a local motel or hotel away from your group, if a group’s bus company does not include driver lodging in the bus contract, or the festival has not arranged for your drivers to stay at your selected lodging property.
Travel Protection Plans. Any type of travel protection plan for group members must be purchased individually with most, if not all reputable student travel insurance providers. Therefore, this cost will be incurred by the individual group members. Please refer to the festival’s trip cancellation/no refund policies within WPSMF Ski Locker for why a group should absolutely consider for its members to purchase “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) Trip Cancellation policies for its members through an insurance provider.
Ski Rental Upgrades are available to any group member wishing to receive more high-performance ski rentals. Rental upgrades are not necessarily recommended for beginner or intermediate skiers, but may be preferred by a well experienced skier. When an individual registers online with the festival, chooses skiing as their recreation choice, and selects a ski rental upgrade; the rental upgrade will be paid by the individual person, directly to the ski rental shop. An upgrade charge amount will vary among ski rental shops, but estimated at $10-20/day+ tax.
Overnight Lodging Damage Deposits are required to be paid by each music group before check-in. These deposits are typically $10 per group member, with a maximum of $500 per group. A damage deposit is placed directly to the overnight lodging provider by credit card. Some lodging providers may simply get credit card information, and do not charge unless damages, or additional cleaning is required. More information about this deposit is found within WPSMF Ski Locker, under the Lodging section. This damage deposit is not paid by the festival, and should not be confused with a registration deposit already paid to the festival.

Payment Details

Payment Methods Accepted. All scheduled payments are to be made by the music group, group’s school/district or boosters. Payments to WPSMF are to be made through: cashier’s checks, checks drawn against a bank account, ACH transactions, or bank to bank wired funds only. All WPSMF published prices are based on these listed payee types and forms of payment only. If a music group, group’s school/district, or boosters must pay by a credit card, or any other WPSMF approved method with transactional or processing fees, those fees will be charged to the group and paid additionally by group. Payment methods with delayed funding to the festival will not be accepted.

The festival can assist a director or music program, who’s school or district utilizes a Purchase Order method of payment. However, a director must initiate the PO process early enough to ensure the check is received by the festival’s payment deadline. An issued PO number by a school or district is not a received payment. If a director is using a PO method to request a payment check, the director must provide the festival office with all necessary steps to receive payment funds, since additional steps or procedures are different among schools and districts.

Make checks payable to: Winter Park Ski-Music Festival. A requested W-9 can always be provided by the festival, showing our Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification

Where to mail Payments. All payments should be mailed to:

Winter Park Ski-Music Festival

P.O. Box 369

Grandview, TX 76050

The festival utilizes a post office box at the local United States Post Office. If payments must be mailed through a delivery provider, other than the United States Postal Service, (Fed Ex or UPS for example), most likely they cannot deliver to a USPS postal box. The festival office is in a rural area, with an unsecured mailbox on a busy county road. Therefore, we prefer for payments not be delivered to our physical address, which we are not providing here to avoid any confusion. If you must use a non-USPS delivery company, you will need to contact the festival office to request our physical address and give us notice as to when to expect its delivery. If sending through a non-USPS delivery provider, we encourage you to request a delivery confirmation signature by the festival when delivered.

Registration Deposits, Additional Registration Deposits, and Two Scheduled payments.

Registration Deposit when registering to attend the festival– A non-refundable Registration Deposit amount is a calculated amount, based on a music group’s choice of overnight lodging, and the group’s number of initial committed travelers (attendance count). These two factors (to be completed on the Registration Form) will be used to calculate the Registration Deposit amount. See Registration, Dates & Deadlines, and Cancellation Policy & Refunds sections on this page for more information about Registration Deposits.
Additional Registration Deposit– Additional Registration Deposits are made after a music group fully registers, when a music group wishes to increase the number of committed travelers, for the festival to expand the overnight lodging accommodations being reserved.
First 1/2 Payment- January 17, 2026. One half- or 50% of the Total Festival Charges (less any prior payments, and/or registration deposits) are due, and to be received in the festival office on or before January 17, 2026. This payment will be based on a group’s “First Attendance Count” (see Attendance Counts in a following section), the group’s selected festival package, performing ensembles charges, known additional costs, and estimated empty bed space charges.
Final Payment- February 17, 2026. All unpaid- or remaining Total Festival Charges are due, and to be received in the festival office on or before February 17, 2026. These charges are based on a group’s “Final Attendance Count” (see Attendance Counts in a following section), the group’s selected festival package, performing ensemble charges, known additional costs, and empty bed space charges.

Late Payments. Without a group’s payment being received on or before their payment due date, the festival may be forced to cancel a group’s arrangements/reservations (overnight lodging, ski equipment rentals, beginner lessons, and resort ticketing) to avoid being financially liable for the unpaid goods and services being planned for a a group. Re-establishing the same or similar arrangements/reservations after a late payment is received will not be guaranteed!

Late Payment Charges. A 1% automated late charge will be accessed on any payment amounts owing after its due date. An additional 1% charge will also be accessed, each and every week (7 calendar days) beyond the payment due date for the non-paid billed amount. Our policy about canceling any planned goods and services we arrange, due to non-payment by the due date, remains. There is no guarantee that all former plans will be restored, despite a payment (with or without late payment charges included) arriving after its due date.

Payments for any unexpected group attendance changes, forfeitures, or other late penalties charged by festival, creating an owing balance after the Final Payment due date, must be received when requested by the festival, and received prior to a group attending the festival.

Attendance Counts

Attendance Count revision deadlines and more

When the festival begins making arrangements for a group’s overnight lodging, resort ticketing, ski rental equipment, beginner lessons and more, our Winter Park vendors will ultimately need to know exactly how many persons they are providing for within each group. So as the festival dates near, our groups’ attendance numbers must become more precise. Otherwise, our vendors could be turning away other business for inflated attendance counts with our groups. Or, unable to provide the proper amount of goods and services for our groups underestimating their expected attendance count. As a result, there are contractual deadlines between the festival and our vendors, not only with forwarding payments, but also providing expected attendance counts and related information for each group. The festival’s payment deadlines and attendance count policies mirror what we have with our own vendors, so we can be compliant, and provide the best for our music groups.

Registration Form. A music group will provide their initial count of committed travelers when completing their registration form.
Post registering. A music group can request to revise their registrations form’s initial attendance count, anytime after registering, for the festival to expand the overnight lodging reservation needed for group.
December 2025. The festival will ask for a group’s best revision of their attendance count in December 2025. This revision will be provided to the festival through the Online December Questionnaire, to be completed by each group on or before December 17, 2025. This December Questionnaire attendance count revision will be the group’s “First Payment Attendance Count” and used when calculating the First ½ Payment Billing Invoice owing in January 2026. If the group cannot, or does not provide an attendance count revision within the December Questionnaire, the festival will use the last know attendance count provided by a group, and consider it as the group’s “First Payment Attendance Count”.
On or before January 17, 2026 (First Payment Due Date). Regardless if the festival has already received a group’s First Payment, a group will still have until January 17th to adjust their “First Payment Attendance Count”. After January 17, this count will become a retained number, and used thereafter to calculate any potential penalties for decreases (greater than 10%) in attendance counts, as further described. January 17, 2026 is the last day a group can make a substantial attendance count decrease (>10%), without future penalties.
Between January 18, 2026 (the day after the First ½ Payment Due Date) and February 17, 2026 (Final Payment Due Date), a group will have the opportunity to provide a “Final Payment Attendance Count” if a group’s “First Payment Attendance Count” requires revision. If no attendance revision is provided by a group between these dates, it will be assumed that the “First Payment Attendance Count” will also be the group’s “Final Payment Attendance Count”. See below about a decrease greater than 10% within these two dates.

(Related to Attendance Count revisions are Registration Deposit Forfeitures)

No Registration Deposit Forfeitures will occur when a music group has paid Registration Deposit amounts based on the number of travelers that ultimately attend the festival, and those attending travelers are registered participants receiving a full festival package.
Registration Deposit Forfeitures will occur when a music group has paid Registration Deposit amounts based on a specific number of travelers, and that traveler count falls below the number of travelers that ultimately attend the festival, and those attending travelers are registered participants receiving a full festival package.
The amount of a Registration Deposit Forfeiture will be the difference between the number of travelers Registration Deposits were paid for, and the number of travelers ultimately attending the festival, with this difference in travelers multiplied by the published Registration Deposit amount (associated with the lodging choice a group registered for). A forfeiture will be shown on a group’s Billing Invoice as a festival charge. A forfeiture can be charged at any time there is a difference between travelers deposited for and expected to attend.

Financial Penalty for any “Final Payment Attendance Count” decreases, exceeding 10% from the “First Payment Attendance Count”. A group is only allowed a 10% (or less) decrease in festival attendees on their “Final Payment Attendance Count”, from their “First Payment Attendance Count”, without a penalty. Any attendance count decreases that exceed more than 10%, a penalty will be charged. This penalty will be ½ of the festival package cost, for each participant decrease exceeding the allowable 10% decrease.

No Attendance Count decrease after February 17, 2026, only substitutions. There are NO attendance count decreases accepted after February 17th. Substituting other attendee(s) will be allowed. See below.

Substituting Persons after “no attendance count decreases” February 17 deadline. After February 17, 2026, if a music group encounters a person not being able to attend the festival, the group director can substitute this non-attending person with another person. This substitution can occur if there is available lodging to accommodate substituting persons, and the substituting person (or parent of an minor substituting person) completes an individual online registration within 24 hours. As stated within the Dates and Deadlines section, and again within the Festival Charges Explained section, there will be an additional $50 charge for each person substitution after February 28, 2026. Any person(s) substituting after February 28, will only be able to register for the non-ski activities as their recreation choice.

Attendance Count INCREASES will always be subject to overnight lodging, ticketing, ski equipment rental and beginner lesson availability. Any person(s) being added after February 28, will only be able to register for the non-ski activities as their recreation choice.

CancelLation Policy & Refunds

Individual Group Member Cancellations. All individual group member additions, and decreases, are to be made by music group director or travel planner, within a group’s opportunity to revise their Attendance Count, in accordance with the terms, conditions and deadlines agreed by the music group, as described elsewhere within WPSMF Ski Locker. No decreases in a music group’s Attendance Count can be made after the Final Payment Due Date. No refunds of festival package costs will be made for any number of persons who cannot attend the festival, if a group fails to comply with, or is beyond attendance count revision deadlines.

For this reason, within the 2026 WPSMF Registration Form Agreement, music directors and signing administrator agreed to to investigate, consider, promote and/or require the purchase of a travel protection plan with trip cancellation benefits, by all group travelers, to help provide financial protection. If a group member cannot attend, the festival will continue to include and plan for the non-traveler, as if they were attending. Or, a group may substitute another person for a non-traveler, after attendance decreases are no longer permitted, allowing benefit to another person. A music group not having paid the final amount of festival charges due, while wishing to decrease its attendance count after the Final Payment deadline date, will be responsible for making full payment based on the attendance count on record on the final payment due date.

Group Cancellation/Refund Policy.

On or BEFORE January 17, 2026. A music group may cancel their festival attendance, with a verifiable cancellation method (festival received email, phone call with a festival staff person, or certified postal mail delivery) being received ON or BEFORE January 17, 2026. A group’s cancellation by this date, entitles the group for a refund of any prior 2026 Winter Park Ski-Music Festival payments, excluding the non-refundable Registration Deposit amounts.

After January 17, 2026. A music group’s cancellation of festival attendance, being received AFTER January 17, 2026 will not be refunded for any prior payments or deposits already made. A group’s cancellation by the festival for non-payment, or delinquent payment, will not be refunded for any prior payments or deposits already made. Refunds or credits are not implied or guaranteed to a group, or any individual, if the festival is not attended for any reason. For this reason, within the 2026 WPSMF Registration Form Agreement, music directors and signing administrator agreed to to investigate, consider, promote and/or require the purchase of a travel protection plan with trip cancellation benefits, by all group travelers, to help provide financial protection against unknown circumstances preventing their travel.

Signers of the 2026 WPSMF Registration Form, agreed to have read, understand and willfully agree to all terms, policies, deadlines, information, notices and conditions as published within WPSMF Ski Locker, and within the Legal Notices topic, take full responsibility towards sharing and fully communicating to all student, minor, chaperone and/or adult group members, and the parents/legal guardians of minor group members, all the group’s accepted and agreed terms, policies, information, and conditions of WPSMF, and shall deny festival participation to any group member, if a member or parents/legal guardians of a minor member, do not accept and agree to the same WPSMF published terms, policies, information, legal notices and conditions. Directors or travel planners must make certain WPSMF cancellation and refund policies are known by all group travelers.