Dis Dads Convention

[Goofy + 3]

For the record, I'd like partial credit for being at the DDC meet of December 2010. I was there, but only got in one brief meet with Ron at Epcot. Not even sure if a photo exists.

Maybe we need a new thread to vote on this?

It looks like it is early in the voting, but there may be another option.

Pick a June week and a December week (or Jan/July). Keep them 6 months apart. That way, dads with families and kids in school can meet in summer and then dads can meet in Dec, or both. Perhaps DISdads week(s) can become as famous as Jersey week. We just need to pick a week that has not already been taken.

I like this idea. Maybe two standing weeks each year. We could be like the folks in the campgrounds who see each other every year.

One way to make it less painful for the spouses though, at least I've found from previous experience, is to market it as a Mancation and change the venue. Not that I'm suggesting a different venue - since we all want to be in a Disney destination - but my going on a weekend trip with the guys has never really bothered my DW. She's had her Girlfriends Getaways - so there you go. Don't play it up as a trip to WDW.

Brilliant. This could really work.

My wife is actually very supportive of a mancation. She takes a yearly girls trip with friends from college, so sees nothing wrong with me doing this and in fact fully supports and encourages it! Clearly, I married very well!

And really, would your wife rather you do a guys trip in somewhere like Vegas? Seems to me we could get in a lot less trouble in Disney. We've never talked about it, but I think that part of the reason my wife supports my Disney obssession is that there are much, much worse things to be obssessed with...

Exactly! That's what I keep trying to tell her!!

 

[twokids0204]

And I was at this one ... solo! I would love to go again. I voted for September - but really, it doesn't matter to me that much. I'm always up for a visit. If I can make it work, I'd be there.

One way to make it less painful for the spouses though, at least I've found from previous experience, is to market it as a Mancation and change the venue. Not that I'm suggesting a different venue - since we all want to be in a Disney destination - but my going on a weekend trip with the guys has never really bothered my DW. She's had her Girlfriends Getaways - so there you go. Don't play it up as a trip to WDW.

My wife is actually very supportive of a mancation. She takes a yearly girls trip with friends from college, so sees nothing wrong with me doing this and in fact fully supports and encourages it! Clearly, I married very well!

And really, would your wife rather you do a guys trip in somewhere like Vegas? Seems to me we could get in a lot less trouble in Disney. We've never talked about it, but I think that part of the reason my wife supports my Disney obssession is that there are much, much worse things to be obssessed with...

My wife is ok with it as well.

She get's 2 weeks vacation a year, and I get 4 weeks.

I was just trying to say - as Christopher said - don't present it as a Disney get away.
I don't think we (at least I) could try to convince her otherwise.

 

[AJRitz]

Here's what I'm thinking of doing -
My understanding is that Disney offers the best group package rates at the slowest times of the year - September, early December, January. I'll touch base with my group sales rep after the first of the year (contacting those folks during the holidays doesn't really do any good - they're not going to get back to me until after the first anyway).

I was thinking of having them quote us rates for Port Orleans-Riverside and Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. Here is my rationale - POR can accommodate most of those who would bring their families and are non-DVC folks (especially with the Alligator Bayou rooms that can sleep 5). The rooms are larger than Value rooms, so would be more comfortable for a couple of guys to share (and splitting the cost of a Moderate room would likely be cheaper than being solo in a Value room). My thinking about Wilderness Lodge/AKL is that it would allow three guys to comfortably share a room, in the bunk bed rooms. And splitting those rooms three ways would probably be price competitive with two people sharing a Moderate room. WL and AKL can also accommodate families well, and DVC folks could use points to stay at either resort, which would allow us to all stay together.

If people are interested, I can ask about rates. Once we decide to go forward, I'd have to provide them with a credit card guarantee and a signed contract, after which individual reservations can be made into the block. We can hold our block of rooms until 30 days prior to the group's arrival, at which point we can release all but the minimum of 10 rooms at no penalty. The real key would have having at least 10 rooms booked through us (i.e. not counting DVC bookings). But those 10 could be family bookings (and I believe that the group rates can be extended beyond our event dates for at least some period of time), individuals, or multiple individuals sharing a room.

Thoughts?

 

[GoHerd1028]

Ooooh, but I was at the first one...

This thread is for planning the second.

Yes I like the idea of this being called the "first" great DisDads meet! Especially since I was there and most likely wont be able to attend the second one! Who knows though....we really were not planning the Dec 2010 trip until last minute so miracles DO happen!!

 

[AJRitz]

Just to give folks an idea of the prices we're talking about on a group reservation (and these are just estimates), I ran some numbers. I looked at a long weekend of September 6, 2012 through September 10, 2012 - the weekend AFTER Labor Day weekend. Here's what I came up with:

Undiscounted room-only ratesAnimal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $340/night (shared by 3 people - $113.33/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $360/night (shared by 3 - $120/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $171/night (shared by 2 - $85.50/night)

Guesstimated Discounts - 25% on Deluxe, 20% on Moderate
Animal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $255/night (shared by 3 - $85/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $270/night (shared by 3 - $90/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $136.80/night (shared by 2 - 68.40/night)

Note that those are ONLY estimates, but I think they're not unreasonable estimates. Tickets would also be available at a discounted rate, and can include little bonuses (commonly, a free water park admission). We'd also have the ability to book a special event, like an Illuminations dessert party.

 

[DisDadDoc]

Just to give folks an idea of the prices we're talking about on a group reservation (and these are just estimates), I ran some numbers. I looked at a long weekend of September 6, 2012 through September 10, 2012 - the weekend AFTER Labor Day weekend. Here's what I came up with:

Undiscounted room-only ratesAnimal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $340/night (shared by 3 people - $113.33/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $360/night (shared by 3 - $120/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $171/night (shared by 2 - $85.50/night)

Guesstimated Discounts - 25% on Deluxe, 20% on Moderate
Animal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $255/night (shared by 3 - $85/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $270/night (shared by 3 - $90/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $136.80/night (shared by 2 - 68.40/night)

Note that those are ONLY estimates, but I think they're not unreasonable estimates. Tickets would also be available at a discounted rate, and can include little bonuses (commonly, a free water park admission). We'd also have the ability to book a special event, like an Illuminations dessert party.

Thanks, Aaron! This is great! (Plus that's my birthday weekend!)

I still worry that we won't get 10 rooms (and if we don't get 10 rooms, would it be a penalty in some form?) I also think it will be too difficult (and not worth the trouble) to coordinate family trips. So far, we have 10 "pretty definite" guys for a solo trip (Fed just texted me back). I say that we schedule a long weekend and if other guys want to bring families, then great, but we can't count on the guys with families to bulk up our numbers. There are just too many factors involved in bringing your families.

 

[patkingpin]

My wife loves the idea. Since I am one of the more newer and more quieter of the DisDads, she thinks it would be great to meet some of you in person. Hmm, good angle I think.
Of course she would want to be there also with our daughter but I think that can be worked out.

ETA: I missed the dates from the last post. A September 2012 trip would be tight since we take our annual vacation the first week in October to Beach Club. I would love the January 2013 trip though.

 

[DisDadDoc]

My wife loves the idea. Since I am one of the more newer and more quieter of the DisDads, she thinks it would be great to meet some of you in person. Hmm, good angle I think.
Of course she would want to be there also with our daughter but I think that can be worked out.

Excellent! Up to 11!

 

[stopher1]

My wife is actually very supportive of a mancation. She takes a yearly girls trip with friends from college, so sees nothing wrong with me doing this and in fact fully supports and encourages it! Clearly, I married very well!

You and me both, Chris.

 

[GoofyIsAsGoofyDoes]

Do y’all have a firm time frame yet (or a general idea)?


I like the concept, but my employer severally limits the weeks that I am allowed to be off site, so the “when” would dictate greatly whether of not I could join in on this expedition.

 

[DisDadDoc]

I still worry that we won't get 10 rooms (and if we don't get 10 rooms, would it be a penalty in some form?)

I may be wrong about how difficult it is to get to 10 rooms. With David N, patkingpin and Fed, that brings up "pretty definite" numbers up to 12. If we do 2/room (instead of 3 so it will bump up our costs a bit), it might be reachable.

 

[stopher1]

I still worry that we won't get 10 rooms (and if we don't get 10 rooms, would it be a penalty in some form?) I also think it will be too difficult (and not worth the trouble) to coordinate family trips. So far, we have 10 "pretty definite" guys for a solo trip (Fed just texted me back). I say that we schedule a long weekend and if other guys want to bring families, then great, but we can't count on the guys with families to bulk up our numbers. There are just too many factors involved in bringing your families.

I agree with you 100% Chris.

Bringing the family along is wonderful - but with my son in high school now - he'll be a junior in fall 2012 - we simply cannot go as a family at any time of year like we once did. I understand - really I do - those guys who's wives won't let them go alone - but it's been way too many years now of solo business trips, with stops in both Anaheim and Orlando for my DW to really care. We've been to WDW and DL as a family so many stinking times - she could care less if I go solo or not. Sure she loves going as well, but she's not going to try to stop me from going solo either. It's become cruising that she doesn't want me going solo (though I need to do that for my cruise/travel business).

I like your thinking Chris, and I'm up for it. I will schedule it when we narrow down dates, and pretty much plan on it.

 

[patkingpin]

I may be wrong about how difficult it is to get to 10 rooms. With David N, patkingpin and Fed, that brings up "pretty definite" numbers up to 12. If we do 2/room (instead of 3 so it will bump up our costs a bit), it might be reachable.

My thought is that if the wife and 2yo (then 3yo) daughter come with, we would hopefully be able to book one of the rooms at the group rate. That would help get to 10 rooms, and solve my family problem all in one right?
The only downfall is I wouldn't be sharing nice with others.
Is that thinking bad or should I keep thinking this?

 

[DisneyDadC]

This is how I see it:
We will never be able to find a time when everyone can make (wish we could).So we put the poll out there and we roll with what time we can get the most guys.As these meets start to take off hopefully we can add a summer time and a fall/winter time. But we have to start somewhere(thats where the date with most people come in).I just like the idea of getting it planned out so guys have plenty of time to try and make things work.
We can try to plan things out so that guys going with families/spouses etc can get and idea of the game plan and try to plan in the times to meet up(guys going solo can meet anytime lol).As we get further into the planning stages events can be added.However you must crawl before we can walk so the time/dates are our first step.
just for fyi, If summer I will bring my family.Fall/winter I might just bring my wife(MAY).Or I may just go solo I will worry about that part a bit later.

 

[theduck619]

I don't want to speak for others, but when I said I want to bring my family with me to WDW, I (and they) would be fine with me leaving to go and do DIS Dad stuff. They just wouldn't be fine staying here in KY. So, I think a weekend is great, but then, I would have 5 more days with my family in WDW.

Now, if we wanted to add a family meet and greet as one of the activities, then that is ok as well.

What are we going to do on this convention? Are we touring the parks (like the Brazillian tourist herds), doing a KTTW tour, drinking in the convention hall, watching PPTs all day thumbsup2 not a thumb), taking DVC tours, golf, beers around WS in Epcot, marathon (I'll be in the golfcart)? Anyone do marketing?

I would be interested in some of the group things we could come up with

Just to give folks an idea of the prices we're talking about on a group reservation (and these are just estimates), I ran some numbers. I looked at a long weekend of September 6, 2012 through September 10, 2012 - the weekend AFTER Labor Day weekend. Here's what I came up with:

Undiscounted room-only ratesAnimal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $340/night (shared by 3 people - $113.33/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $360/night (shared by 3 - $120/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $171/night (shared by 2 - $85.50/night)

Guesstimated Discounts - 25% on Deluxe, 20% on Moderate
Animal Kingdom Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $255/night (shared by 3 - $85/night)
Wilderness Lodge Bunk Bed Rooms - $270/night (shared by 3 - $90/night)
Port Orleans-Riverside - $136.80/night (shared by 2 - 68.40/night)

Note that those are ONLY estimates, but I think they're not unreasonable estimates. Tickets would also be available at a discounted rate, and can include little bonuses (commonly, a free water park admission). We'd also have the ability to book a special event, like an Illuminations dessert party.

Thanks Aaron

My thought is that if the wife and 2yo (then 3yo) daughter come with, we would hopefully be able to book one of the rooms at the group rate. That would help get to 10 rooms, and solve my family problem all in one right?
The only downfall is I wouldn't be sharing nice with others.
Is that thinking bad or should I keep thinking this?

I would book a whole room for my family as well, which would help get the number of rooms up.

 

[AJRitz]

By the way - the reason I used September instead of January as the example is that the Disney website isn't letting me price room-only for January 2013 yet. I suspect that rates for January would likely be similar to September.

Here's what I'd like to suggest - we're building a corps of folks who are definitely interested here in this thread. I should be able to pull January pricing in the next couple of weeks, and also get some more information about group sales, discounts, etc. Let's keep the discussion going here - perhaps thinking about any group meals/rides/events/etc. that we might like to do. The vote here is pretty strongly in favor of January, so I'd like to get January numbers before going forward with anything.

Once we have a January date, we can narrow it down to a couple of dates - one in September and one in January and have a poll. Winner take all. We should be able to tell pretty quickly whether we'll have enough people committed to support a 10-room group buy. The biggest advantage of doing it that way is that it gives us some opportunities for special events that would be harder to do otherwise. (And it looks like some pretty great rates as well). If we don't have enough to buy 10-rooms, we'll still know early enough for people to book for themselves and still get good rates.

 

[theduck619]

By the way - the reason I used September instead of January as the example is that the Disney website isn't letting me price room-only for January 2013 yet. I suspect that rates for January would likely be similar to September.

Here's what I'd like to suggest - we're building a corps of folks who are definitely interested here in this thread. I should be able to pull January pricing in the next couple of weeks, and also get some more information about group sales, discounts, etc. Let's keep the discussion going here - perhaps thinking about any group meals/rides/events/etc. that we might like to do. The vote here is pretty strongly in favor of January, so I'd like to get January numbers before going forward with anything.

Once we have a January date, we can narrow it down to a couple of dates - one in September and one in January and have a poll. Winner take all. We should be able to tell pretty quickly whether we'll have enough people committed to support a 10-room group buy. The biggest advantage of doing it that way is that it gives us some opportunities for special events that would be harder to do otherwise. (And it looks like some pretty great rates as well). If we don't have enough to buy 10-rooms, we'll still know early enough for people to book for themselves and still get good rates.

Sounds good. I agree we should look at both sets of dates.

 

[DisneyDadC]

Im not looking into anything just tell me when it is

 

[DisneyDadC]

Sounds good. I agree we should look at both sets of dates.

Im not looking into anything just tell me when it is

 

[DisDadDoc]

Im not looking into anything just tell me when it is

Im not looking into anything just tell me when it is

Nice way to boost your post-count, Carl!