In the sequel to High School Musical, school's out for summer, and the East High Wildcats are ready to kick back and make it the time of their lives. If they can land decent summer jobs, all will be right with the world. Troy Bolton can barely believe his luck when he's offered a job at Albuquerque's posh country club, Lava Springs. What he doesn't know is that his newfound employment is part of club queen Sharpay's plot to lure him away from Gabriella. But that plan begins to unravel when Troy, unbeknownst to Sharpay, lands a lifeguard position at the club for Gabriella, as well as jobs for Chad, Taylor, Zeke, Martha, Kelsi, Jason and the rest of his Wildcat pals.

When Sharpay learns Kelsi has written what's sure to be a winning duet for Troy and Gabriella to perform at the club's annual Midsummer Night's Talent Show, an incensed Sharpay begins an all-out campaign to ensure these newcomers will not upstage her – forcing her to relive her humiliation over the school's winter musical.

Thus begins a duel of wits between the determined Sharpay, who seeks to always get what she wants, and Troy, who begins to experience a world of privilege he's never known. What will he be willing to sacrifice for the sake of his future? All questions are answered, musically, of course, on the night of the club's Talent Show.