DIS Meet in AZ for Give Kids The World! Join us for a FUN WEEKEND! Oct 24-26

[nblake05]

Dates: October 24-26, 2014
Location: Phoenix, AZ

UPDATE (6/25/14):

Schedule Plan (as of June 2014):
* Friday, 24 October: Welcome Dinner at Dave and Busters
* Saturday, 25 October: Main event (podcast), luncheon, silent auction and costume contest
* Sunday, 26 October: Planned trip to the Grand Canyon via bus (need 30 people to sign up to make this happen)

HOTEL information
We have a block of rooms reserved at $99 per night +tax. The hotel is located in near the Saturday event, shopping area, and many food and bar establishments (great for the Saturday night adult event). Here is the contact information to reserve your room:

Hampton Inn Phoenix-Biltmore
Kyle Burry
Sales Manager
2310 E. Highland Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(P) 602-956-5221 ext. 5619
(F) 602-468-7220

phoenixbiltmore.hamptoninn.com

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UPDATE (5/26/14):

The AZ Meet is going to be in Phoenix. The dates for this event are October 24th (welcome dinner at Dave and Busters), October 25th (main event, luncheon, silent auction and costume contest), and Sunday 26th (tentative trip to the Grand Canyon). Currently, Denise is working on the hotel situation, but she's already found a venue and catering for the main event. We can still use help securing items for the silent auction. If anyone is interested, please message me and I can get you a copy of the donation letter. We also have a survey we'd love potential attendees to take. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CTLQ988

We are going to open registration as soon as we can. We are still trying to figure out our overhead for the event so we no what to charge. We look forward to seeing all of you there!

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Hi there fellow Disers! I've been thinking a lot about the call for a GKTW DisMeet out west. I've actually had this in my head for a while now. I live just south of Tucson, AZ and I've been thinking how cool it would be to have an "old west" meet...maybe Woody and Jesse themed. We have Tombstone close by, as well as Old Tucson which is an old west theme park (I use that term loosely) and movie location, which would both be awesome places to have a meet and podcast recording! The problem is that I just have no idea where to begin... It seems such a daunting task. Are there any in other Disers in AZ? Any that would join forces with me....any with prior fundraising experience. I have none! I really think this could be a unique and special event, but thinking about the logistics sends me into a tailspin! I'm full of ideas with no clue how to make them coalesce into an actual event. I'm asking for help from anyone in AZ, as well as advice from anyone who has put together something like this before. How can we make this happen???!!!???

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Official dates have been set for the DIS Meet for Give Kids the World:

Friday, October 24 - Sunday, October 26

Facebook Group is located here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/748782321818256/

 

[DizMe]

Sounds intriguing, but I have to ask: what is GKTW?

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Sounds intriguing, but I have to ask: what is GKTW?

Give Kids The World Village is a 70-acre, non profit resort, located in Central Florida, where children with life-threatening illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacations. (Paraphrasing from their website.)

The DIS and the DIS Unplugged has raised tens of thousands of dollars for GKTW.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Anyone in Arizona???

 

[Dramamama]

Anyone in Arizona? Some of us are trying to put together a GKTW dis meet. We need a team to help with this cause. I would love to hear from you.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[starshine514]

We live in Tucson. I have no fundraising experience or any idea how to put it together (my DD wanted a birthday party at the park - I found the details daunting and we're just going to do Chuck-e-Cheese - so, I'm like zero help with event planning). We'd like to attend, though!

 

[Dramamama]

We live in Tucson. I have no fundraising experience or any idea how to put it together (my DD wanted a birthday party at the park - I found the details daunting and we're just going to do Chuck-e-Cheese - so, I'm like zero help with event planning). We'd like to attend, though!

Thanks for support. It's great to hear from disers from AZ

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[mgrace79]

I live in Mesa. I'd like to attend

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[6Smiles]

First step is to select location. Call Tombstone and Old Tucson (which I have attended a private event at) and explain what you would like to do, how many people you think might attend, and if they offer any discounts, what food can be provided. They may need info regarding GKTW (non-profit, for profit etc) and sometimes can give great deals on fundraising. Start feeling the places out that you might like to use... let them know you are getting quotes on a number of different locations as this can get you further discounts. Get estimates, I know Old Tucson can and does provide food so it could be a good one stop shopping type of place. I have never been to Tombstone so I do not know what they have available -perhaps do some research online.

 

[julieheyer]

I'm in AZ too, Gilbert. I don't know much about it but its interesting. I'll subscribe and stay up to date and what you're doing .

 

[Camela]

I am in Sierra Vista, if you are close we could get together and brainstorm!

 

[HunnyDis78]

Also from Tucson and I'd be happy to attend. Unfortunately, I know as much about event planning as I do about nuclear fusion...so absolutely nothing. The only advice I can really offer is to consider Old Tucson studios, maybe ahead of Tombstone, mainly due to distance from population centers. Tombstone is about an hour and a half from Tucson, which is probably the only major ( used very loosely) city in the area. You might have trouble getting people to drive out that far.

I'll subscribe and see how this goes and I'd love to head to my first GKTW event!

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Great to see some new DISers that might be interested in helping Nicole!

 

[nblake05]

Great to see some new DISers that might be interested in helping Nicole!

It is!!!! I just sent out some PMs this morning... I also sent emails to the Orlando team and Kathy, in particular, to see of they'd make an announcement on that show as well.

I'd also like to say to everyone who has mentioned that they don't have any experience fundraising:

I have zero experience myself and if you'd be willing to help, regardless of your experience, please contact me! We are all in the same boat, and maybe we can figure it out together! If we can dream it, we can do it!!!!

 

[DisneyWorld2015]

I would go! Though I may not be much help planning; so sorry. But my support is here!

 

[mybestieismickey]

I'm not in AZ, but not too far of a flight. I would definitely be interested in attending depending on when the event is held. If the date works for me, I would be willing to help with last minute stuff or anything that I can work on from home.

From an organizing stand point, I've never done anything quite like this, but I would definitely sit down and make a list of exactly what you want to happen (events, meals, seminars, whatever) and then work keeping that mind as you look at locations and costs. Then maybe figure out how much you want to delegate and how much you want to have controlled by one person.

Good luck with this project!

I really hope it works out!

 

[nblake05]

Hi there everyone! I took someone's advice and started a Facebook page for our hopeful AZ DisMeet. It might be an easier and quicker way to communicate ideas and information to each other! We'll see how it works. If your interested, look up AZ GKTW Meet and friend request "me". Hope to get in contact with all of you who are interested in helping soon!

Nicole Blake

 

[SKShields]

I am in AZ and would love to help if I can. I just friend requested your FB page. What a great cause to help!

 

[nblake05]

I am in AZ and would love to help if I can. I just friend requested your FB page. What a great cause to help!

I just accepted the friend request! Where in AZ are you?

 

[6Smiles]

Hi Nicole -
Old Tucson has has a Facebook page. If you go onto their website it lists what they have according to what type of event you have. They have events from 50 to several thousands of people and different buildings available or we could plan an outside event. They have gun fights, girl revue shows, and stage coach rides which is an additional cost. I am not sure how or if we could incorporate Disney characters as this is something we would need to call and ask about. They have all sorts of menus available like Hot Dogs and Hamburgers to a more formal type of meal depending on what you were looking into.

Life has been a roller coaster, I passed my boards so I am a Licensed RN now. Things seem to have calmed for the moment. Maybe the first place to start is to have those on Facebook throw out ideas after looking at what Old Tucson has to offer.

I was wondering if you could share your vision on Facebook so we can start there and build on what you have dreamed/thought up.

Kris
(You already added me as a friend on Facebook - the Kitty)