Question for those who have ever attended a conference at WDW

[wdwdancerwannabe]

If you have ever attended a conference at WDW, could you answer some of these questions for me?

1 - if the conference is at, say, CR - is it at a discounted rate? Can I choose to stay somewhere cheaper....like POP? Would THAT room be at a discounted rate?

2 - If you stay longer than the conference lasts, can you carry the discount rate into those days?

3 - are there any other perks to going to WDW for a conference??? I'm assuming I'll have to pay regular price tickets for parks.

 

[mollyseven]

The conference will have set rates at a few of the disney resorts.
We attended lotusphere in January which was held at the swan/dolphin but there were discounted rates at all levels of resorts and they also had discounted tickets and other things. Check with your conference first.

 

[6mouskateers]

You really should check with your schedulers--is this a work related conference? Our company told us where we were staying and what days they would pay for. We will stay one extra night at the same rate discount (out of pocket) but the ressies were made at the same time. Don't know how far they carry the discount, sorry.

There may some some after 4:00 tickets available, try google-ing "Conventionears" it;s something like that, but I can't rememeber exactly.

Have fun!

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

I know I know!!

The organization has not yet posted specifics. I only know date and location.

But they aren't going to post ANYTHING until January....the 180 day for ADR's is January 26 -

It' a professional organization that is putting on the conference....not the company I work for.

 

[6mouskateers]

I would think that they would "block rooms" if it's an organization then. Won't pretend to know what they are going to do, but most of the time the rooms will be at the resort that is hosting the conference. I would also bet that since it is an organization as opposed to going for your company they would extend your discount if you want to stay longer. Wish I could speak as to whether you would get your choice or resorts.

I would bet that the organization will have all the info you need including deals on tickets, if there is no info by your 180 day window, you can always make ressies then try to change them if you need to.

We are just finally getting schedules for an upcoming conference next month. So we couldn't do 180 out. I did manage to get a Cali Grill ressie for a night I wanted, but no luck on Le Cellier yet, I'll just keep trying and keep my fingers crossed. No matter what it will be fun! It;s Disney!

 

[domestic goddess]

My DH went to a conference at CR with an organization last year and they had a great discount rate of about 50% off. We wouldn't have been able to afford to stay there otherwise. We had a tower Bay Lake view room and it was awesome!! They also offered After 2:00 and After 4:00 tickets for us to purchase. Since the room was so reasonable the whole family went with him and we enjoyed the pool and everything while he was at the conference. Then after he got out at 4:00 we went to the parks. We also stayed for 2 extra nights and we got the same rate.

Have a great trip!

 

[amyy]

50% off the rooms-that is great. The after 2 and after 4 tickets were Park Tickets? I think we would want to tie this in with a longer vacation.

wdwdancerwannabe-thanks for starting this thread. I came over to the boards with the same thought in mind. I bet this conference will really book up being in Disney. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DLo]

we are going in Nov. to the GF w/ my dad. He got the same rate for the extra days and a dicount on tickets. He ended up calling the hotel group sales directly because the association that is putting on the conference hadn't sent out all the info. yet . He wanted to go ahead book since we had actually already planned a trip for the same time and booked the Swan. (we were just lucky on the timing) and he needed to cancel that ressie. We couldn't get the dining plan with the discount but we will sacrifice so that we can stay at the GF !!! ( since we were staying at the swan before we didn't have it anyways)The savings on the room and tickets should make up for missing out on the DP. Good luck with your planning.

 

[lilyv]

50% off the rooms-that is great. The after 2 and after 4 tickets were Park Tickets? I think we would want to tie this in with a longer vacation.

wdwdancerwannabe-thanks for starting this thread. I came over to the boards with the same thought in mind. I bet this conference will really book up being in Disney. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep in mind that if a group is comping the tickets, they are a good deal. If you're purchasing them, though, run the numbers carefully. These tickets aren't such a good deal if you're purchasing them. The REASON for these tickets is so that Disney can help assure planners conventioneers will actually attend meetings. (You can't go to recess until your ticket allows you to....) You can always just do what works for you-for us we ignored the ticket "deal" and ordered multi day passes from undercover tourist.
Room rates? Often these are a good deal. Find out what the offers are, and book early once you have your event information, especially if they are offering discounts a few days before and after the event.

 

[DisneyFans4]

My DH goes every October to WDW for a convention and the room rates and park tickets are offered at a discount for those attending the conference. He is arriving earlier this year because my DS is going with him and he still received the discounted rate for the room

 

[joyjoy]

I went to a conference a few years ago at Coronado Springs. They had rooms blocked and were at a discounted (not much) rate and I was able to carry over the rate through the weekend. I requested a room in another section of the resort so I wasn't with all the dorks (my colleagues).

We were given passes for the parks, I think it was a two day pass. A cool thing they did was give us special access to Epcot on the evening the conference started. We had a private reception over at that secret area behind Rose and Crown for the fireworks.

All of our conference related paperwork was attached in the folder with a Mickey-head paperclip.

 

[DisneyFans4]

The conference my DH attends in October their host does the same thing and one special night during it the park is open just for them and they have food stations set up and make it real nice for them and it's free which is real nice.

 

[joyjoy]

I can't believe I forgot about this one - In 2005 my boyfriend attended Autodesk University at the Swan and Dolphin. I went, too. We didn't stay there, though. His organization did a HORRIBLE job of reserving rooms and we wound up at the Marriott World Center or whatever it's called. Nice hotel with an awesome view of DTD, but not onsite.

One night his group (about 4,000 people) had MGM all to themselves for about 3 hours. Free food, free beer. Not all attractions were open but lots were. They took them to a secert entrance at the back, near the stuntshow stadium/theater and when they entered the gate cast members were lined up on either side of a red carpet, applauding the attendees like they were movie stars. I didn't get to go to that.

 

[Juliah]

We went to a conference at CSR last month. A discounted room rate was offered, but I ended up getting a better deal--40% off code via email, which was about $25 less a night. I did notice that the conference rate was good several days before and several days after the conference.

There was no indication with this conference of rates at other hotels, but I didn't ask either. I do know that the hotel was booked solid for one night of the conference, and there was a notice on the conference web site that other arrangements were being made for attendees (I assumed they were getting booked into another Disney resort).

I want to second what someone said about calling the resort's group sales reservation line (sorry, not sure how you would get this number in advance of the conference--maybe from CRO?) I talked to someone on the one for CSR a couple of times, and they were very helpful.

I ran the numbers backward and forward on the ticket options and decided we would do better buying 10-day non-expiring tickets from Undercovertourist (through the Mousesavers newsletter link) and saving some of the days for a future trip than getting the after-2, after-4, or multi-day tickets offered to conference attendees. Compare, though, because if your circumstances are different, they might be a good option for you.

As for perks, we were given some one-day park hopper tickets as part of the conference. I assume this varies depending on what the sponsor of the conference negotiates. BTW, the tickets had an expiration date in 2009.

We, too, attended a dessert reception at Epcot during Illuminations as part of the conference. It was held right at the beginning of the World Showcase between the two gift shops, and we had a wonderful view. They had special bus transportation for the event, though we drove our own car.

There was also a reception one evening at CSR with an appearance by Mickey Mouse and a variety of hor' derves and desserts, including something that looked and tasted like an oversize Zebra dome (of Boma fame). They gave out gold MM ears at that. There was also a small gift in the room--a keychain.

 

[iluvepcot]

We had an event at c arll the rooms were blocked at the same rate. I called group sales because my room dates were wrong. The person I spoke to at cr was michael a few years ago. He fixed my room dates and I asked if I could have a room in the tower. He said he would note that request. I arrived and they put us on the 6th floor and we had a castle view. Everyone else from my company was in a garden room.

Call and request, it can't hurt.

 

[Mary2e]

I've attended at least 4 or 5.

1 - if the conference is at, say, CR - is it at a discounted rate? Can I choose to stay somewhere cheaper....like POP? Would THAT room be at a discounted rate?

You can stay where ever you'd like. Keep in mind that some conference organizers guarantee a certain number of rooms to the hotel, and you may get penalized for not staying at a conference hotel.

My conferences always offered a selection of 3 or 4 hotels, with one being the "home" hotel with several other options. A moderate is always on the list.

The rates are discounted from Disney rates, but not the best rates out there. This is where Disney makes money. Selling out hotels to business people with expense reports. My April conference was $279 per night for the Yacht/Beach Club.

2 - If you stay longer than the conference lasts, can you carry the discount rate into those days?

Depends on the conference and how it was negociated. The ones I attended always told us the extended dates. Usually they were a few days before and after the conference.

3 - are there any other perks to going to WDW for a conference??? I'm assuming I'll have to pay regular price tickets for parks.

We were offered after 2pm tickets for $43. Not exactly the best deal, but not bad if there are EMH you can attend. I took a newbie to the MK EMH and we saw just about everything. Again, this is geared toward the business traveler that might not go to WDW as often as the rest of us.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

We went to a conference at CSR last month. A discounted room rate was offered, but I ended up getting a better deal--40% off code via email, which was about $25 less a night. I did notice that the conference rate was good several days before and several days after the conference.

There was no indication with this conference of rates at other hotels, but I didn't ask either. I do know that the hotel was booked solid for one night of the conference, and there was a notice on the conference web site that other arrangements were being made for attendees (I assumed they were getting booked into another Disney resort).

I want to second what someone said about calling the resort's group sales reservation line (sorry, not sure how you would get this number in advance of the conference--maybe from CRO?) I talked to someone on the one for CSR a couple of times, and they were very helpful.

I ran the numbers backward and forward on the ticket options and decided we would do better buying 10-day non-expiring tickets from Undercovertourist (through the Mousesavers newsletter link) and saving some of the days for a future trip than getting the after-2, after-4, or multi-day tickets offered to conference attendees. Compare, though, because if your circumstances are different, they might be a good option for you.

As for perks, we were given some one-day park hopper tickets as part of the conference. I assume this varies depending on what the sponsor of the conference negotiates. BTW, the tickets had an expiration date in 2009.

We, too, attended a dessert reception at Epcot during Illuminations as part of the conference. It was held right at the beginning of the World Showcase between the two gift shops, and we had a wonderful view. They had special bus transportation for the event, though we drove our own car.

There was also a reception one evening at CSR with an appearance by Mickey Mouse and a variety of hor' derves and desserts, including something that looked and tasted like an oversize Zebra dome (of Boma fame). They gave out gold MM ears at that. There was also a small gift in the room--a keychain.

Thanks, Juliah and all that replied....I'll be patiently waiting for more info from the organization/conference and will go from there! Until then, I will be trying to save $$ to go - just in case!!

Thanks again!

 

[Juliah]

You're very welcome. I hope it works out for you!