Children at the 2010 Annual Conference

Considering our location this year we had to make some tough decisions concerning children attending food functions and sessions. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate children for the meal functions or the concurrent sessions for the following reasons:

• Networking is an integral part of the conference, especially at the meal functions. Advising, not children, should be the focus of the table conversation.
  
• With 3,000 attendees in the dining room and sessions, the noise level is a concern; if we allow children, the noise level will go up.

• We want to conduct business at the Poster Session and the Commission/Interest Group Fair without taking the risk of children playing in the walkways.

• Disney will not discount conference meals for children because hotels make their money through food and beverage costs. We pay $31 for each attendee’s breakfast (and it is only a cold continental breakfast!) and $42 for each lunch, child or adult! I know these prices are extremely high but that is the custom at all hotels; they need to make a profit since they are a business.

• We also ask that infants not be brought into the conference. At what age would we set the cutoff? We did not want to stop attendees and ask "How old is your child?" while people were standing behind trying to get into the room.
  
• Space is at a premium in the concurrent sessions and room needs to be available for the paying conference attendees.

The same principles apply for all guests; we will need to check nametags for meals and concurrent sessions. We are sorry for any inconveniences this may cause and are grateful for your cooperation.

Thank you!

Guests at the 2010 Annual Conference

Considering our location this year we had to make some tough decisions concerning guests attending food functions and sessions. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate guests for the meal functions or the concurrent sessions for the following reasons:

• Networking is an integral part of the conference, especially at the meal functions. Advising should be the focus of the table conversation.

• Disney makes their money through food and beverage costs. We pay $31 for each attendee’s breakfast (and it is only a cold continental breakfast!) and $42 for each lunch, child or adult! I know these prices are extremely high but that is the custom at all hotels; they need to make a profit since they are a business.

• Space is at a premium in the concurrent sessions and room needs to be available for the paying conference attendees.

The same principles apply for children; we will need to check nametags for meals and concurrent sessions. We are sorry for any inconveniences this may cause and are grateful for your cooperation.

Thank you!