Official Announcement: Championship Location & Date

[Jim Giacchi]

Personally i was still holding out for Disney, number one reason is that now it WILL be a field trip.

Its (Fill in time) everyone its time to go to (fill in with a location i.e. field, park, food).

When we were in Disney i didn't see my advisor for five days. Now i won't be able to get away from him. Plus this was the first year i could go to pleasure island and now im screwed. Im pretty dissapointed. Will i still go, probably. Will it be as good, I don't think anyone thinks so.

[Kevin Sevcik]

ok. first things first. FOR GODSAKES IT'S HOUSTON! ahem. thank you. now then, I think Houston is easily capable of supporting FIRST. Transportation issues can be easily resolved with charter busses from the package hotels. As the busses won't be stopping at umpteen other locations, things will work out well. Lodging is easy. 14,000 people is a small drop in a rather large bucket. The hotel rooms will end up being loads cheaper anyways, when you factor in the money you save by not buying useless park hoppers and over-priced Disney meal "coupons".
Entertainment is what you make it. There are plenty of things to do if you don't like Astroworld. There's the Space Center, and Galveston, and the Kemah Boardwalk, all south of Houston. Kemah would actually make a reasonably good replacement for Downtown Disney. Along with the Galleria, and Katy Mills Mall, and the Marque thingy (movies, shops, and a Vans Skatepark).

posted by Alfred Thompson

I spent very little time in the parks last year. Except for eating. I will miss the food at Disney. I have a friend in Houston and I am hoping that he can tell me where to good places to eat are. I am not happy about the idea of typical stadium food for 3 days.

There's a good amount of restaurants around the Dome. Most are typical chains like Chili's, etc. I know there's one REALLY good little place just north of the Dome, but I've forgotten exactly where it is.

[Jon K.]

Originally posted by Kevin Sevcik
Entertainment is what you make it. There are plenty of things to do if you don't like Astroworld. There's the Space Center, and Galveston, and the Kemah Boardwalk, all south of Houston. Kemah would actually make a reasonably good replacement for Downtown Disney. Along with the Galleria, and Katy Mills Mall, and the Marque thingy (movies, shops, and a Vans Skatepark)

The only problem is the fact that how do we get to these places???? Yah know it is reall great that they are there but with no way to get to them you are kinda screwed.

Originally posted by JosephM
Disney can (and is) expanding to hold more teams. Pop Century. This hotel would have been the FIRST HQ. .

Pop Century was never completed due to lack of funds <edit> (Not because they don't have the money to, its just that the money would benifit going somewhere else instead) </edit>, also Disney really doesn't ever have hotel avalibility problems, so many hotels open on a daily basis, people can find a cheaper hotel if they open their eyes and look. The other 360 days of the year, Disney wouldn't make anywhere near what they would during the championship.

Originally posted by JosephM
Huston

Houston

Originally posted by JosephM
Transportation

The capactiy for approx. each Disney bus is around 35 people. Each bus runs at intervals of 5 mins on most days durring closing and such. 60 mins/ 5 min intervals= 16 buses and hour. Times 35 and 16 you get 560 people per hour on buses to each hotel. FIRST had around 5 hotels they used. 5 X 560= 2800 people per hour out of the FIRST stadium. Around 20,000 people were there last year, leaving at varaying hours. Each hotel was less than 20 miles from Epcot. This allows for people to easily get to and get out of FNC (FIRST Nationals Center, my little name for the competition location) and get to their hotels FAST.

Thats for people staying on Disney property, but for the people that weren't, they got their busses at 4 or 5 time periods a day from outside charter buses hired by FIRST or supplied by the hotel. Also, even on the disney hotels, they had outside charter buses come in and transport people to the competition in the morning.

Originally posted by JosephM
Lodgeing


There were around 5 on and off site hotels that held FIRST kids. I don't want to look up nor find the occupancy of each room and how many rooms were reserved by FIRST teams. But with two cheep places to stay (All Stars and the new Pop Century), many teams won't spend more than $60 per nite in a good room.

Lets not get into entertainment. Each park can hold anywhere from 50,000-90,000 each.

Where did you get 5 on and offsite hotels?
I can think of at least 8 or 9 offsite alone, not even counting the Disney hotels. Thats just off the top of my head.

Also, you have no idea what kind of rates Houston is giving us, but im sure that it will be a lot lower for better quality than the disney inflated themed hotels.

Also, who cares about park size?
Remember, we are here for the competition, not the park.


<edit> One last thing </edit>

Originally posted by jk2005


The only problem is the fact that how do we get to these places???? Yah know it is reall great that they are there but with no way to get to them you are kinda screwed.

If you would read the hotel info, most of the hotels give free transportation to places within a few miles of the hotel.

Any other questions??

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by Kevin Sevcik
ok. first things first. FOR GODSAKES IT'S HOUSTON! ahem. thank you. now then, I think Houston is easily capable of supporting FIRST. Transportation issues can be easily resolved with charter busses from the package hotels. As the busses won't be stopping at umpteen other locations, things will work out well. Lodging is easy. 14,000 people is a small drop in a rather large bucket. The hotel rooms will end up being loads cheaper anyways, when you factor in the money you save by not buying useless park hoppers and over-priced Disney meal "coupons".
Entertainment is what you make it. There are plenty of things to do if you don't like Astroworld. There's the Space Center, and Galveston, and the Kemah Boardwalk, all south of Houston. Kemah would actually make a reasonably good replacement for Downtown Disney. Along with the Galleria, and Katy Mills Mall, and the Marque thingy (movies, shops, and a Vans Skatepark).

posted by Alfred Thompson


There's a good amount of restaurants around the Dome. Most are typical chains like Chili's, etc. I know there's one REALLY good little place just north of the Dome, but I've forgotten exactly where it is.

Dude, we live in the real world, where things need to be put to the test. Meal Tickets arn't useless, except if you can withstand not eating for 5 days. Disney testst their system EVERY DAY. Not on special occasions. They have their own fleat, not some charter busses that arn't relayable. Anyone know the last time they were mad at a Cast Member? Neither do I. So I think we can assume that HOuston's employes won't be as good as Disney's.

The world isn't a press release. We need proof, not spin something can happen. So far, Disney has pulled out.

[rees2001]

All of the above points are fine. I am sure FIRST & HOuston have worked out all of the details in regards to hotels & transportation, don't forget they get to do a "trial run" the week before...Lone Star Regional. Which by the way still hasn't filled up yet. If YOU ALL want to go to NATS so bad & don't qualify just go to to the Lone Star Regional 1 week earlier. & BTW I think it is great that ANY park is opening it's doors for FIRST.

[Mike Schroeder]

Originally posted by JosephM


Dude, we live in the real world, where things need to be put to the test. Meal Tickets arn't useless, except if you can withstand not eating for 5 days. Disney testst their system EVERY DAY. Not on special occasions. They have their own fleat, not some charter busses that arn't relayable. Anyone know the last time they were mad at a Cast Member? Neither do I. So I think we can assume that HOuston's employes won't be as good as Disney's.

The world isn't a press release. We need proof, not spin something can happen. So far, Disney has pulled out.

yes a real world, Meal tickets were not usless, but you can eat with out them. Disney doesnt use there "fleet" for the competition, Disney Cruise line service helps, but most of the work is done my Mears Transportation, i dont think they are owned by disney though, and they are reliable if i say so myself

Well If you pay a person enough they will kiss peoples feet, so yes they probobly will be the same.

[Kevin Sevcik]

OK, Disney might have a tested system and what not. We'll assume for the moment that all aspects of Disney will be better than Houston. The facts are that Disney doesn't care about FIRST. Disney cares about how much money it can make off of FIRST. Don't you recall the wonderful extra "team party fee" that you had to shell out last year to go to the party? The facts are that teams started moving out of Disney hotels and packages, and into more cost effective non-Disney hotels. When Disney started losing money, :: poof :: there goes the championship.

[Joe Matt]

In response to Flucks' post:

1.) Thank's for clearing that up. Since there are more hotel's than I guessed, then that increases the people per hour capacity twofold.

2.) I think that you will find hotel rooms very close to what Disney offered.

3.) The park capacity was in response to that Houston can handel larg events well for entertainment.

Lets just say this, if Houston sucks this April, I won't say 'I told you so.'

[dlavery]

Originally posted by JosephM


Thanks for calling me a complete moron.
...
Now to why Disney can hold more than Huston.
...
Lodgeing
...
60 mins/ 5 min intervals= 16 buses and hour.
...
Around 20,000 people were there last year, leaving at varaying hours.
...
But with two cheep places to stay ...

"Huston" spelled properly is "Houston"

"Lodgeing" spelled properly is "Lodging"

1 bus every 5 minutes for 1 hour = 13 buses (assuming buses at 0 minutes and 60 minutes), not 16 buses

"varaying" spelled properly is "varying"

"Cheep" spelled properly is "cheap"

If you are going to flame, then please at least use spelling, grammar, and logic that can be easily read and understood, so we can at least know why you are so upset. I may not agree, but I would like to at least understand.

-dave

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by Kevin Sevcik
OK, Disney might have a tested system and what not. We'll assume for the moment that all aspects of Disney will be better than Houston. The facts are that Disney doesn't care about FIRST. Disney cares about how much money it can make off of FIRST. Don't you recall the wonderful extra "team party fee" that you had to shell out last year to go to the party? The facts are that teams started moving out of Disney hotels and packages, and into more cost effective non-Disney hotels. When Disney started losing money, :: poof :: there goes the championship.

35 years and going of a good working transportation system. Houston, a few days here and there.

Second, what makes you think that Disney doesn't care about FIRST. Was it that they worked over 3 months before and after the comp to build the #%#%#%#% stadium. They created that huge FIRST logo in metal for us. They closed part of Epcot for us. They had a fireworks show. And then they had the TV Movie and various other promotion of FIRST on TV and other things. I see FIRST will be seen as a neucence for Houston.

And let me get this straight, if I thought than anywhere else could handle FIRST, I wouldn't disagree with it at all. But I do not think Houston will be a good choice.

[Brandon Martus]

Originally posted by JosephM
But I do not think Houston will be a good choice.

point made. moving on....

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by dlavery


"Huston" spelled properly is "Houston"

"Lodgeing" spelled properly is "Lodging"

1 bus every 5 minutes for 1 hour = 13 buses (assuming buses at 0 minutes and 60 minutes), not 16 buses

"varaying" spelled properly is "varying"

"Cheep" spelled properly is "cheap"

If you are going to flame, then please at least use spelling, grammar, and logic that can be easily read and understood, so we can at least know why you are so upset. I may not agree, but I would like to at least understand.

-dave

Thanks Dave. I know my spelling is VERY bad, but sorry again everyone. Ditto for my math.

Just want to also say this: I post something that disagrees with something everyone else belives. I post and try to explain things. And all I get is more headache.

[Mike Schroeder]

Originally posted by JosephM


35 years and going of a good working transportation system. Houston, a few days here and there.

Second, what makes you think that Disney doesn't care about FIRST. Was it that they worked over 3 months before and after the comp to build the #%#%#%#% stadium. They created that huge FIRST logo in metal for us. They closed part of Epcot for us. They had a fireworks show. And then they had the TV Movie and various other promotion of FIRST on TV and other things. I see FIRST will be seen as a neucence for Houston.

And let me get this straight, if I thought than anywhere else could handle FIRST, I wouldn't disagree with it at all. But I do not think Houston will be a good choice.

MOst likely,Disney Highers a company to build the stadium and that is where the money goes........
huge first logo - an outside company that was paid (by FIRST)most likely,They close the paks and fireworks, and we paid money for that, if we paid the money and they threw us in a room i would be rather upset ( i dont know about you guys/gals)
so yes Disney does stuff for money

[Ashley Weed]

Originally posted by Kevin Sevcik
Kemah would actually make a reasonably good replacement for Downtown Disney.


hmm.. what is Texas's legal age????