Information about World Finals Competition in Michigan
Updated 5/13/25
We will also provide a list of updates here as and when they are available so keep this page bookmarked!
Sections below include: Team Registration & Housing, Pins & T-shirts, Transportation, Props, Other details. At World Finals: Forms,
04/02/25 General updates for WF2025.
/…/
05/06/25 Final competition schedule here.
05/06/25 Updates related to documents will be posted on the Coach Binder web page.
05/06/25 Buddy Teams have been assigned. If you have not received a communication from the Buddy coordinator; you have not been matched with an international team. Good luck next year.
05/11/25 Check the Coach Binder page for new MSU annotated competition map.
05/13/25 Tentative Howdy Assignments are published on the Coach Binder page. Please review and report any issues.
05/13/25 Spontaneous Procedures are published under the Coach Binder. Also, competition site floorplans to understand where props are in relation to competition venues.
05/15/25 The volunteer schedule is published on the Coach Binder Page. Look for the Extended Team Schedule.
05/17/25 Leaving the dorm for the whole day? Check these locations where you can eat using your dining card or guests can pay by credit card.
Have dietary concerns? Check the planned MSU menus for OM teams by day here.
Coaches checklist for Team
Read all the information provided on this website. This is the general summary; we will keep updating as needed.
A “calendar” of key dates and events will be maintained here.
Read our Advice for World Finals Teams (coming soon). This document has been compiled with advice from seasoned coaches and Odyssey officials. Even for coaches who have traveled to WF before, there is Michigan-specific information and tips.
Download the entire advancing team packet (ATP) which includes information about housing, dining and much more.
A lot of information at the national website about World Finals that will be very useful in due time. Assign all your team parents to read through it as well. We organize it here differently.
Team Registration & Housing
PREPARE MATERIALS BEFORE TEAM REGISTRATION
A lot of information at the national website about World Finals that will be very useful in due time. Assign all your team parents to read through it as well. All the information from the ATP is included there in subject-specific sections with updates as needed.
We sent information to coaches to ensure they have a “coach” account in the new OdysseyHQ system and created a team indicating their problem and division. As soon as we have ALL coach IDs, TXOM will send the list of qualifying teams to OdysseyHQ who will in turn send invitations to the team to advance.
Register your team for World Finals soon after. The deadline is two weeks after the State competition (by April 12th, 2025). This places you on the competition schedule. The firm deadline is by April 22nd but waiting until then may get you in the second round of scheduling.
Review the instructions first to gather all the information you need. You register for housing at the same time, if you choose to book a WF housing package.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEAM REGISTRATION
Start this task the sooner the better, even with tentative names on the rooming list (for example “Parent Smith”. You CAN make incremental changes and they will be automatically saved. Once you click on <SUsubmit your registration or send in the first payment, you cannot make changes online, but you can send an email with important changes to membership@odysseyofthemind.com by April 22nd. Don’t worry about rooming changes within the existing reserved rooms, you can change as you wish upon arrival.
Tips for the actual Registration Process from a veteran coach who just registered:
Prepare all your information ahead of time. Register using a computer or tablet, NOT a cellphone. There is a lot of information on each page and you may miss a button that is located in a corner.
Be sure to select the “2025 World Finals at MSU” before you enter the registration. Any team members in the previous screen are NOT yet associated with your WF registration.
After you have specified that you are staying on-campus, click to “Confirm Housing”. This will open up new options to register each team person for housing, whether team member, coach or guest. You can also see a new green banner across the top to indicate Housing Registration.
For each your team members/coach, click on REGISTER to specify gender, roommate, allergies, dietary restrictions and any scheduling concern. If anyone is arriving AFTER Wednesday, May 21 you must specify the arrival date/time on-campus and available for competition (NOT at the airport or other location).
You can do this one person at a time and register some team members later if you are missing that information. It is possible that you cannot edit a specific person after you register them so try to enter the roommate at the same time.
If any team member or coach is departing BEFORE Sunday, May 25th, you must specify the departure date/time from campus.
You can add family members as “guests”, if they are staying on campus. They pay the same package fee.
For each person, you can specify a roommate that is in the same reservation. This is not set in stone, you can change rooming after you arrive, provided you do not change the total number of rooms. Any change to the number or type of rooms must be done by email to membership@odysseyofthemind.com before the deadline.
If you have a sibling or same coach team, you can specify all the teams that want to be in the same dorm in short form (school P1/D1). You do that under the Coach registration.
You can request an invoice by email AFTER you submit your registration.
Also from us at TXOM: If you see the COU donation checkbox, please leave it checked. It does not cost you anything. It supports COU who give scholarships to OM students.
The typical housing package offered by CCI is for 4 nights from Wednesday arrival to Sunday departure. $730 per person in double-occupancy. There is another package for Tuesday arrival to Sunday departure at $785 per person.
Anyone can stay in the dorms at the package rate: team members, coaches, family members, etc.
You can have a mix-and-match of different housing packages for individuals within your party (ie. Tuesday arrivals vs. Wednesday arrivals).
The packages include room, meals, shuttles around campus, access to all events and the registration fee.
There is no minimum to the number of housing packages you can purchase, but you need to meet the count of team members + 1 at least, in order to get your WF facility fee waived.
If choosing to say off campus, the WF facility fee is $3,750 per team, if team is registered by April 12th. This fee includes everything mentioned above other than room and meals. After that date, it goes up to $4,250.
ALL payments of housing packages or facility fees are due by April 22nd, 2025 at 11 pm Central. Once you have registered, you will get an online link that you can send for each family to pay their share.
If you need a consolidated invoice, wait until you have submitted your team registration. Then you can send an email requesting an invoice to membership@odysseyofthemind.com, specifying Association = TX and your team name.
Detailed information about Housing and Dining in this extract from the Coaches Packet.
Buddy teams are paired with a National or International team to welcome them, show them around campus and "be there for them".
We do not recommend that you apply for a Buddy Team, if your team is affiliated with other sibling or kin teams, or if your team is staying off-campus. It becomes too complicated to coordinate on the spot.
You can indicate your interest in your regular team registration. It is no longer required that you arrive on Tuesday to be assigned a Buddy Team. Not all teams who apply will be assigned a buddy team.
You will know before your departure from Texas, if you have been assigned and we will take it into consideration when scheduling volunteers and Howdy.
Pins & T-shirts
Place your order for pins and t-shirts (opening soon) while supplies last. Orders will open a few days after the State competition, expect an email with instructions. One order per team, one team per order. Place one order for additional WF ceremony shirts and pins together in order to pay the handling fee once. ALL teams pay a handling fee, even if you pick-up your order (the website lists it as a “shipping” fee). There is a specific dress code for teams on different days, which includes the blue regional shirt, the red state shirt and the yellow WF shirt.
Region and State shirts can only be reprinted if we meet the minimum number of orders required for reprints.
Depending on inventory, we sometimes open a flash sale right after regular pins sales close with special trader packs at discounted price. This is typically open for two days only and is not guaranteed every year.
Due to time constraints, t-shirts and pins are ONLY available online with credit card pre-payment.
Transportation
Delegate someone to make travel arrangements for the team. Prices go up fast as the flights from Texas fill.
If you are flying to Michigan on Wednesday, you must aim to land there by 1-2 pm at the latest, in order to make it in time for the Opening Ceremonies at 7 pm. It takes time to clear the airport, travel to MSU, go through team registration, check-in your housing, grab dinner and get to the Opening Ceremonies. You do not want to miss that event.
If you are flying, we recommend Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) instead of regional airports. Grand Rapids, MI airport is also a good alternative if you plan to rent a car anyway. Fewer flights but cheaper.
There is a frequent airport transfer with Michigan Flyer from the DTW airport to E. Lansing (Marriott), that works in combination with the internal OM shuttle. ($58 per person RT, Discounts for travel buddies). Book through this link by April 30th or sooner - especially if you have a red eye return flight on Sunday. We hear that they have a shortage of drivers, but they will have 12 rides per day. They also support local traffic, so they fill fast.
Michigan Flyer will also drop-off at MSU on May 20th and 21st.For the return to the airport, you must make your own way from campus to the Marriott to pick-up the Michigan Flyer from there. Check-out the campus shuttle schedule for this purpose, two years ago there was NO campus shuttle on Sunday.
CompassCoach.com offers DTW transportation straight to MSU’s STEM Building for team registration at a rate of $45 one-way or $88 round-trip per person.
Calculate that the trip from DFW to E. Lansing (MSU) is about 2-2.5 hours. In addition, Detroit is a large airport, and it takes a long walk to the baggage claim (allow one+ hour before your airport transfer).
Detailed information about Transportation in this extract from the Coaches Packet. The shuttle map will be available closer to competition.
If you are staying on campus, you should not need your own transportation. There will be a free shuttle service throughout the competition connecting the residence halls, central campus, and the competition sites.
Parking on campus is limited. You may have to park in a specific free lot that allows overnight parking, and take the campus OM shuttle to/from venues. Generally a rental car is useful for riding form/to the airport, to go shopping, dinner in town on Friday. For most other traffic, you should plan to use the campus CATA shuttle. This is a Parking extract from the Coaches Packet, which also includes information about getting a parking pass for Handicapped parking.
Props
Make arrangements for team props to be transported. Each region has internal communications about shared trucks that go to WF one-way. The ATP also has information if you wish to ship your props yourself.
You can indicate interest for truck co-op here by Apr 12th. You will receive details by email. Downpayment is due April 18th.Whether you rent, share a truck or ship your props, make sure they get to Michigan within the guidelines set by the WF organization. Several TX teams usually share trucks. If you choose to ship, make sure you follow MSU procedures for labeling, packaging, etc.
Official Prop label to be used for each package.If you ship through MSU, they deliver directly at the props storage rooms for each problem. Be mindful of deadlines. If you drive the props yourself, you are responsible to deliver them inside the designated prop rooms ahead of your team performance.
Detailed information about Props Storage in this extract from the Coaches Packet.
Props are stored in designated locations within the same building as your long-term venue. Teams are welcome to go any time and assemble, repair their props. If you are carrying your props with you, plan to drop them off there from Tuesday onwards. You should NOT wait until competition day (delays in shuttles, rain, etc.). WF prop storage area is crowded/busy.
Don’t forget to pack a “disposable toolbox” with your props. You may have to pack your tools in your checked baggage for the return.
It is recommended to take an old bed sheet to cover your props "pile" and add a team identification sign in large print in order to avoid accidents. Competing teams have right of way, especially on busy days.
Other details
Plan some fundraising. Sometimes, fundraising goes on till summer to reimburse sponsors who helped fund the trip. It takes a village to send a team to World Finals. Don't be shy about asking for help. It will be more effective if the team "works" for it. The national website has some ideas shared here. Don't forget car washes, this is Texas! Share your events with us, we will post them on our website.
For family accommodation off-campus, book soon. Hotels fill FAST. A special webpage has been created to guide you through the local options.
Review your State competition scores and discuss with the team. Remember that the team can choose to change/improve areas of weakness or even start from scratch for World Finals.
Prepare your forms
Administrative Forms
Prepare your administrative forms ahead of time. They must be submitted during your team registration when you arrive on-site. For each of these forms, you should perform the following preparation:
a) Download the blank form as specified. Some forms include the entire team, some forms are needed per team member.
b) Get these forms filled in either paper or electronic form. Keep forms separate.
c) gather forms and collate them BY FORM TYPE.
The four administrative documents for your team check-in are:
Required Team Contract at WF. It was included in your ATP. You only need one copy of this form, signed by the entire team.
In addition, you should prepare a Media Release for each team member and each coach. This is different than at Region or State where all you had to do is mark a check box during online registration. This form was also included in your advancing packet.
The Medical Release form is different at WF as it is issued by the hosting campus. Please make sure that you prepare this ahead of time.
The Insurance Waiver form (PDF) must be completed for everyone (members, coaches, and guests).
~~
Finally, if you have team members from more than one school, you need a written confirmation in any format from the Principal of the other schools. For example, team A has one member from school B, then the coach needs to carry with them a written authorization (or email) from Principal of school B.
Team Solution Forms
Prepare a new set of team forms (outside assistance x 1, cost form x 1, style form x 4, team list form x 4, etc.). See the Team FORMS tab in the navigation bar. You can choose to keep the same forms as you had at State or change them.
Note: For WF, P2 asked to have five copies of the Team List form.
You present your team forms to the Pre-Staging Judge, just before your long-term performance.
AT WORLD FINALS:
· Teams must check-in upon arrival at WF. Dorm assignments are provided at that time, as well as dining hall. See details in ATP.
· Review location of your long-term competition site, spontaneous, Creativity Festival, as well as all other exciting activities. Map out a plan for each day allowing time to get across campus. Remember, this is a college campus. A free shuttle service is offered within the campus. Here is a site map that we have compiled (coming soon). Inside the program that you will receive at registration is a more comprehensive map which also includes all the local shuttles.
Other information at World Finals
· Teams do not provide a judge. Our TX Association sends delegates in Official positions to represent the TX teams. However, there are volunteer expectations as follows. Each team will have a choice of 3 volunteer activities:
a) provide a volunteer for a shift at the Texas Creativity Festival booth in Michigan, OR
b) provide a volunteer to help chaperone the Texas delegation in the Opening Ceremonies Parade or the Float & Banner Parade (typically assigned to teams with members walking in the parades), OR
c) provide a volunteer in Houston on designated days to prepare pin & shirt orders and shipments.
· All shift times at Creativity Festival or parade chaperoning will be assigned to team based on their competition schedule and their Howdy schedule to ensure that there are no conflicts. Team volunteers should register here (coming soon) and give the following information:
Volunteer First and Last Name
The email address that they check most often
The school membership name, problem and division (for example: School of Odyssey - P1/D3)
A cell phone number so that we can contact you in Michigan.
This is for one person, approx. 2.5 to 3 hours shift. Deadline to register as a volunteer for WF is April 30th so that we have contact details for your team volunteer.
· In addition, we ask that every team shows "Howdy Spirit" by watching several other teams perform. Once the schedule is published, we will be assigning your team two performance slots for team and entire family to go cheer on. This is a TEAM TEXAS Requirement. We hope you will consider supporting even more teams than just the assigned slots. Go Texas Odyssey!
· Texas Odyssey have prepared a Welcome gift pack for each WF team. Feel free to pick-up from our TX booth at Creativity Festival any time from Thursday noon to Saturday 10 am. Any team volunteer can pick-up. Teams cannot pick up another team's gift packs.
· Consult the national web site to find your team schedule for spontaneous and long-term performance. Make sure that you check again after the schedule is final as changes do happen that could impact your preliminary slots. Check the World Finals FAQ for a link and dates when the schedule is posted.
· We know you are even MORE excited and overwhelmed so ……… delegate, delegate, delegate!
· If you have questions about T-shirts and pins, contact preorders@txodyssey.org.
· If you have questions about team process and administration or general information, contact anyone in the World Finals Committee who send you weekly newsletters, at wf@txodyssey.org. Please include your team’s name (school/ Prob/ Div) in all correspondence.
The 2025 WF Committee comprises of:
Lilian Wannall, Chair (Houston & State Tournament Director), Gaby Komm (Pins & T-shirts Committee Chair), Damien Kazewych & Brandon Burlison (Creativity Festival and Howdy Reps at WF).