Conferences at Disney-- Anyone ever done this?

[ekatiel]

So, DH gets a set amount of $$ each year from his job to go to conferences. I found a conference at the Beach club in September, which is when we were considering going back to Disney anyways. The conference is 3 days-- his work would probably pay hotel for 4 days. They will also pay DH's plane ticket and his food, etc. I was thinking we could arrive a few days early and spend 3 days at a value (hopefully with free dining) and buy the package with 7 day tickets instead of 3 day tickets. Then, we could switch to the Beach club and spend the remaining 4 days not on the dining plan (the conference says you are not eligible for the dining plan with the reduced conference hotel rate). What do you guys think? DH's conference would run mornings only (until 10 or 11am) for three days. The rest of the time we'd be able to play as a family. What are your experiences with conferences at WDW-- is it worth the $ saved or does the conference take up too much valuable time? --Katie

 

[browniemtb]

I would take advantage of that....sounds pretty good

 

[saffymom]

My DH attended a conference at Coronado Springs several years ago and it was great. He only had conference stuff in the mornings, so we had afternoons to go to the parks. They also had a very nice dinner at the hotel for all the attendees and a Illuminations dessert party one night. We had an awesome time.

 

[okeydokey]

Sounds like a great plan. Is the conference in his particular field or will any conference do?

 

[minnie1928]

I've done conferences at WDW and had a great time. The last one I went to was held at the Swan/Dolphin which was nice. In between sessions I could just take a quick walk over to Epcot and kill some time. I'm an AP holder, so it wasn't costing me anything to go over to the park.

 

[minnie1928]

Although, it does sound a little odd that the conference only runs until 10-11:00 in the morning...what time does it start? Mine always started around 8 or 9 and ran until 2:30 at the earliest. Most days it went to about 4:00.

 

[akcire]

My husband and I have a attended conferences at WDW. The last one we went to was at the GF. It was nice to have the hotel paid for by the company (conference rate was pretty good). He was in conference each day until about 1 PM. The conference also offered some discounted park tickets for, I think, after 3 PM entry to the parks, but we had a bunch of random park tickets we used up--my parents keep finding park hopper days left from the 80/90's in their secret stashes; you know where the placed them for "safe keeping". I am still waiting for my dad to find the Disneyland ride ticket book he swears he still has with rides available; lets just say organization is not his strongest trait.

My husband's conference included daily lunch for him, I just ate in the parks, it was a nice slow pace trip for us. We only stayed 4 nights, but we did a lot of things. I was really relaxed upon getting home, he took a day off and slept.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Does your husband's employer allow a "Constructed Air Fare"?

Several years ago, while living in Virginia, I came to Orlando for a conference and vacation. The conference registration was on a Sunday, and the conference itself ran from first thing Monday morning until the banquet ended late Wednesday evening. So I was allowed Sunday and Thursday as travel days.

I took the cost of round trip mileage from my house to the airport, the cost of four full days parking, the air fare, and the cost for limo from the airport to the hotel (round trip). Added up all of these, which is what the transportation expenses would have been if I had flown. Then computer the mileage from y house to WDW and back plus the per diem cost for lodging each way. I was then able to get reimbursed the smaller amount.

We actually started driving on Saturday morning and arrive Sunday mid-day, when I registered for the conference. While I was in meetings Judy had our car and went to the Parks (we had APs). After the conference we stayed around longer and finally drove home. This way we did not have to rent a car and did not have any excess expenses for Judy's transportation.

 

[ekatiel]

Sounds like a great plan. Is the conference in his particular field or will any conference do?

DH is a family nurse practitioner, so most medical conferences will do. This particular conference is an internal medicine conference.

Although, it does sound a little odd that the conference only runs until 10-11:00 in the morning...what time does it start? Mine always started around 8 or 9 and ran until 2:30 at the earliest. Most days it went to about 4:00.

The sessions start at 7am for the conferences that end at 10 or 11am, but I looked at so many last night, I think I'm getting mixed up. This particular one doesn't get out until 12:30 or 1pm each day and starts at 8am.

Does your husband's employer allow a "Constructed Air Fare"?

Several years ago, while living in Virginia, I came to Orlando for a conference and vacation. The conference registration was on a Sunday, and the conference itself ran from first thing Monday morning until the banquet ended late Wednesday evening. So I was allowed Sunday and Thursday as travel days.

I took the cost of round trip mileage from my house to the airport, the cost of four full days parking, the air fare, and the cost for limo from the airport to the hotel (round trip). Added up all of these, which is what the transportation expenses would have been if I had flown. Then computer the mileage from y house to WDW and back plus the per diem cost for lodging each way. I was then able to get reimbursed the smaller amount.

We actually started driving on Saturday morning and arrive Sunday mid-day, when I registered for the conference. While I was in meetings Judy had our car and went to the Parks (we had APs). After the conference we stayed around longer and finally drove home. This way we did not have to rent a car and did not have any excess expenses for Judy's transportation.

I'm pretty sure this is not allowed. They have a certain milage cut-off point where you HAVE to fly if it's far enough away. We've attended several conferences in-state, and they will reimburse us for driving costs for those, but since this one is out of their alloted "driving distance" we either have to pay to drive or buy three plane tickets for the rest of us to fly.

Thanks for all the input guys! Hopefully we can make it work! I would LOVE to stay at the Beach Club, but we'd never be able to afford it by ourselves! --Katie

 

[prncess674]

This sounds like a boon doggle of a conference. Is he required to get continuing education credit? Attending only 2 or 3 hours a day doesn't sound like much education and sounds completely outside of the spirit of the conference fund. He should attend conferences that improve his skills or fulfill an education requirement, not your vacation fund.

I have attended several conferences in Disney and other Orlando hotels. Our days are highly scheduled with classes 8am-5pm, followed by networking events each evening which are optional but highly suggested.

If I ever found out that employees were picking conferences simply because they wanted to vacation there, their conferences would be selected for them the following years by me.

 

[ekatiel]

This sounds like a boon doggle of a conference. Is he required to get continuing education credit? Attending only 2 or 3 hours a day doesn't sound like much education and sounds completely outside of the spirit of the conference fund. He should attend conferences that improve his skills or fulfill an education requirement, not your vacation fund.

I have attended several conferences in Disney and other Orlando hotels. Our days are highly scheduled with classes 8am-5pm, followed by networking events each evening which are optional but highly suggested.

If I ever found out that employees were picking conferences simply because they wanted to vacation there, their conferences would be selected for them the following years by me.

Ever heard of "If you don't have anything nice to say. . ."? --If they didn't want people to "vacation" at these conferences, then they wouldn't have them at places like Disney World. I've NEVER seen a medical conference at Disney that meets for longer than 4-5 hours a day. --Katie

 

[prncess674]

Ever heard of "If you don't have anything nice to say. . ."? --If they didn't want people to "vacation" at these conferences, then they wouldn't have them at places like Disney World. I've NEVER seen a medical conference at Disney that meets for longer than 4-5 hours a day. --Katie

There are plenty of unscrupulous conference companies out on the great big world wide web. In this day and age of downsizing and layoffs I would concentrate on building valued skills via conferences verse saving a few buckks on a vaca. I continue to say, as someone who manages others schedules, use your education/conference dollars to enhance your careers and future and not to pad your vaca fund.

In case you haven't noticed, we are in a recession and bamboozling your DH's conference budget to fund your vacation budget could come around and bite you in the butt. Look for training that will enhance your DH's paycheck which will in turn enhance your DH's take home pay that funds your vaca pay.

Unemployment pay is way less and not the desired outcome for fraudently using company funds.

 

[Tink415]

We attended a conference at GF with my DH. He attended the conference and entertained clients and we went to the parks. I made the dining ressies for DH & clients We got to tag-along to a dinner with another family attending and to an Illuminations party. Except for those 2 events we only saw DH at bedtime. It was a nice vacation for me & the girls but work for DH. Whenever DH is going someplace great I try to go too if possible.

 

[prncess674]

We attended a conference at GF with my DH. He attended the conference and entertained clients and we went to the parks. I made the dining ressies for DH & clients We got to tag-along to a dinner with another family attending and to an Illuminations party. Except for those 2 events we only saw DH at bedtime. It was a nice vacation for me & the girls but work for DH. Whenever DH is going someplace great I try to go too if possible.

What a great attitude! I am sure it wasn't absolutely ideal to have DH absent. As someone who attends many conferences/work trips I do try to let F&F know of my travels to cool vaca destinations and open my hotel room to them. Sure I don't get to see them that much, I do love seeing them in the evenings when I am not worling. I work as a specialized subject matter consultant and even if I don't get to see my F&F but a few hours at dinner it is always a great treat!

 

[carj]

My husband attended a conference in June 2008 and we tagged along. His was not actually at WDW but in Orlando. He was at the conference from 8am-6pm except for one night that they were at Universal Studios for a private party. (I did not attend as the cost was crazy to get the "party pass" something like $200 per person. Plus, I don't believe that children were allowed.)

What we did was arrive 2 days before the conference and left 1 day after. We had 3 full days to play together and 3 nights to have fun. He was definitely busy the whole conference day.

For work, I attend conferences occasionally and I know that there is no way that they would ever approve something with all those travel costs for 3 hours a day. Because I work for a school district, we are expected to use taxpayer money wisely and they wouldn't see that as a wise use of funds. Maybe private industry is different though, in that you don't have a duty to the taxpayers.

 

[zumbergc]

my brother had a conferance a couple weeks ago. It wasn't on disney property. He had stuff till 4-5pm mon - thurs. They arrived sun, and my SIL took the kids to the park etc, he went on friday.

so, if your wanting the family to have fun at disney great!

 

[ChickieToo]

There are plenty of unscrupulous conference companies out on the great big world wide web. In this day and age of downsizing and layoffs I would concentrate on building valued skills via conferences verse saving a few buckks on a vaca. I continue to say, as someone who manages others schedules, use your education/conference dollars to enhance your careers and future and not to pad your vaca fund.

In case you haven't noticed, we are in a recession and bamboozling your DH's conference budget to fund your vacation budget could come around and bite you in the butt. Look for training that will enhance your DH's paycheck which will in turn enhance your DH's take home pay that funds your vaca pay.

Unemployment pay is way less and not the desired outcome for fraudently using company funds.

Lets all be nice here ...

I just want to add that as someone who used to work in marketing and participate in event planning, I know that one strategy to get people to attend your conferences is to plan them in places where people want to go. I've been to conferences in some very high-end golf resorts, spa resorts, casino's New Orlean's and yes DW, from both perspectives: as someone throwing the shindig, and attending as a conference participant. Let me just say, that when we had the conferences in nice venue, we got a lot of attendees. And by planning downtime for the participants, you encourage them to enjoy themselves, which further fosters a laid-back learning environment. Just because a conference is only 4-5 hours, doesn't mean it isn't jam-packed with material. Maybe with a medical conference that's the standard for the amount of technical information you can/should take in--I don't know. I'm just saying you don't know why something is structured the way it is, unless you are in that field.

I have a friend who's DH is a doctor. They love Boston, so that is the conference they plan on going to every year. The same conference is run in other places, but they go somewhere where they can have a good time together. It doesn't mean he gets less out of it, it just means he enjoys himself while he's there. There is nothing wrong with that.

Just this week, my DH, who is the total "company man" said he has a conference in Fort Lauderdale at the end on February, and let's all go a few days early and spend some time together. When he's at the conference, we will do other stuff, but we will spend time together during the conference too
(which is only 2-1/2 days). There is a boat trip one afternoon, and a golf outing. He doesn't play golf, so we will do something during that time.

It makes sense to tag a vacation on to the end of a conference--your costs are defrayed because the attendee was going to have his stuff paid for anyway. I don't see the big deal.