Disney during a convention-theme park strategy ? Need advice.

[Baptist]

This April, I will be attending a conference at the Swan and Dolphin. I will be there 3 nights/4 days. My plan is to arrive early on the first day (Sunday) with the conference starting the 2nd day. The conference is in session from roughly 9:30-4:15 Monday and Tuesday with a 1/2 day on Wednesday.

Have you attended a conference at Disney? Is it reasonable to think I can go straight from the conference into an evening of theme park action? Are park hopping options out of the question? They offer special tickets for after 2pm or 4pm admission.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Quellman]

Yes you can certainly just run up to your room and then head to the parks. EPCOT is a popular location since you are so close. Magic kingdom will be your other late night park. The after 2 and after 4 tickets are generally NOT park hopper tickets. So where you go is where you will be. have a great time!

 

[kay1864]

And remember that without park hopper, you can't take the monorail from Epcot to Magic Kingdom.
Swan/Dolphin to MK: Disney bus
S/D to Epcot: Ferry
S/D to Hollywood Studios: Ferry
S/D to Animal Kingdom: Disney bus, but park will close around 5:30

 

[scrappingbuckeye]

I've been to conferences and at some of them you can buy discounted tickets thru the conference. You won't want to park hop - not enough time really. I'd just choose one park a day and stick with that. You can get to HS or Epcot easily from the S&D, MK you'd have to take a bus or cab. Btw, Shula's at the Dolphin is fabulous if you like steak. Is this an accounting conference? Maybe I should go : )

 

[mshoo1]

I venture to Orlando at least twice each year to speak at healthcare conferences. My schedule tends to mirror your own. Here is how I plan out my stays. I typically try to arrive as early as possible on the day before the conference begins in order to enjoy a full park day (often followed by a work-related dinner that night). During the conference, I head up to the room after my meetings end, change clothes, and head out to the parks. Your plans will be dictated largely by the operating hours during your visit. If the MK closes at 9 or 10, you're probably better off focusing on one park each night. But, if MK is open late, I often head to Epcot or the Studios in the afternoon/evening and then get to MK around 9:00 or 10:00 to spend a few hours. Animal Kingdom is the most difficult park to visit on a conference trip. I recommend booking a departure flight for the afternoon following the conference rather than early that morning. If you do, it gives you time to spend a few hours in AK before heading to the airport.

 

[heidijanesmith]

I am also going to be at a conference in April, but ours is at the Coronado. My schedule is very similar to yours: 1st day prior to conference full park, 1-2nd day over at 4:45 and then 3rd day over at noon.

I am planning not to park hop. I found that buying 5d non park hop ticket/conference rate is cheaper than buying a full price ticket for 1st day and then 4 tickets at the after 4PM rate.