Fifty-two Lakeland students embarked on a two day journey to Minnesota, sponsored by LC-CAB, where they visited the Mall of America and saw the Broadway musical version of The Lion King.

At six in the morning on Saturday, Jan. 21, 52 students, three LC-CAB members, and two chaperones boarded the Sunset Tours bus and headed out to Minneapolis, Minnesota on what at least one student described as the trip of a lifetime.

“While we were brainstorming over May term last year, we got to talking about the theater production we went to last year, which got us thinking about the Mall of America, and it just so happened that The Lion King also happened to be in the area,” said LC-CAB’s Weekend Activities and Variety Entertainment (W.A.V.E.) Coordinator Cindi Schaefer. “After looking at the prices and seeing that it fit into our price range, we decided to go for it.”

The bus ride from Lakeland to the Mall of America took approximately six hours, meaning they arrived at the mall around noon. This allowed the students four hours at the Mall of America before departing again to check into their hotel rooms at the Crowne Plaza in Bloomington.

At 8 p.m., Lion King the Broadway Musical began. For some this was a second or even third time witnessing this amazing and well-acted musical, but for others it was a chance to see something new and glorious.

It ended around eleven. One student witness said it left him excited and awestricken. Tom Seaworth, LC-CAB’s concert comedy coordinator, said it left him and some friends with a pizza craving.

“When we arrived back at the hotel after the play a lot of us ordered pizza,” said Seaworth. “I feel bad for that pizza guy needing to come back so much.”

“On Sunday morning I met up with a friend, ate breakfast, and then went swimming before leaving for the mall,” said Brandon Balazs, freshman accounting major.

“Arriving at the mall before most of the stores were even open was the worst part of this trip,” said Freshman Math Education Major Laurel Jernt.

At five o’clock in the evening, the group met back at the bus for the long ride home. The bus stopped back at campus where tired and hyper students alike cautiously stepped onto the familiar icy LC ground.