(RALEIGH) -- A Raleigh high school marching band will spend the rest of this week preparing to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade out in Pasadena, California. The trip is the second in four years for the Needham Broughton High School marching band. Band director Jeffrey Richardson said he has noticed the students' excitement building as the rain fell Tuesday.

"Mother Nature didn't cooperate very well, so we had to do a lot of things inside. I think it's finally sunk in, after all the months of fundraising and preparing, you could actually feel that, yes, this is actually going to happen."

Richardson says it's such a great trip, that he's got some former band members taking part.

"A couple of alumni -- who have younger brothers and sisters [marching this year] -- are coming back because they did the parade in 2008 and want to do it again. It must mean something that kids want to come back and do this for a second time, because it's such a once in a lifetime opportunity."

And, if marching on a National stage in the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade isn't already excitement-enough for the band members, Richardson says the have a full schedule of activities planned.

"Along with the rehearsals, we will be doing a parade at Disneyland, we plan to go to Universal Studios where the kids can see how movies are made, and we will spend a day at Santa Monica Pier... let the kids put their feet in the Pacific Ocean."

The Tournament of Roses Parade -- a precursor to the BCS Rose Bowl -- will march on 11:00 AM EST on Monday, January 2nd.