Will nationals ever be back in Disney?

[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by Kyle

I missed WDW by one yet but I have been to Texas and Atlanta, I think FIRST tries to keep Nats in a centralized location because it might be easier for teams on the west coast to go to Nats in the west but the teams on the east coast would have to have that huge money burden

Sounds OK to me.

Originally Posted by Kyle

I know that is what teams had to do when it was on WDW but not that it is in ATL it is a bit closer to the central areas and west coast, I would love to see a Nats in CO because it would have the same cost for both coasts to fly/drive to.

Kyle, don't confuse distance with airfare costs. I can fly from Seattle to Orlando for $232 roundtrip. Denver is $349. Atlanta is $253. (Prices as of today for an April trip using Travelocity.com.) For what it's worth, New York to LA is $221, while New York to Atlanta is $161. That's only $60 more from New York. From Chicago, LA is $30 more than Atlanta, roundtrip. In the grand scheme of things, the major destination cities in the continguous US are close to the same cost for travel.

[Ryan Albright]

I dont think it will ever make it back to disney but what would be nice if they tried to host it in the Orlando Convention Center. That place is huge, If i am not mistaken its one of the biggest convention centers in the country. Its right in the middle of disney and universal. It would take FIRST a couple of years to grow out of that place and it brings the championship back to orlando so people can enjoy the parks before and after the event

[Mike Norton]

I went to disney all but the first year when it was inside Epcot.

The early years the pits where small but they got there act together. the last year they held it the pits where great, lots of room. all but one field was inside under the tents AC.


The way it works each park runs itself and has it own budget. Epcot footed the bill without the help of the hotels. So Epcot alone could not put this on without the help of all the parks and hotels.

We did not out grow Disney. they have plenty of room. It was who was going to pay for it and who was getting the profits from it. The hotel made out and the park tickets made out but Epcot needed more help to be able to put it on and they didn't get it.


I think Disney is the best spot. We treat the Florida regional as our Disney National. We go under the YES program at disney and pay very little for Park tickets and rooms.

What we get out of it is a 3 hour class in one of the parks. This is great to teach kids. The other thing is there is so much robotic at disney for the kids to see. We make this a very good education trip for the kids.

[omutton]

Personally, I liked Atlanta last year. Although I never went to nats when it was at Disney, I have only ever heard that it was too small. A lot of people from my team say they'd love to go to Disney (probably to escape the cold Canadian weather) but I don't think it would be appropriate for a FIRST competition. A lot of people would be drawn away from the competition and want to go to the theme parks. The walk to the pits in Atlanta was a little far, but, correct me if I'm wrong, I believe the walk will be dramatically reduced this year.

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by Vin211

I foresee in the future there is going to be Two National Events. FIRST is getting way to big for just one. I imagine someday there will be one held in the south (i.e Houston, Atlanta) and another held in the north (i.e Toronto, New Hampshire). Either of those cities will do.

That is my expert opinon and I doubt FIRST will ever be back in Disney. In order to compensate for this, I consider it a personal lost. So, here is what I am proposing. Anyone that went to Florida for a FIRST Robotics Competition lets sit down and hammer out a date to return. Instead of working in the pits, cheering in the stands, or handing out buttons lets all go on vacation. How about we meet there in the summer and have our own FIRST Disney Florida Reunion!


::::Salutes:::::

Boy you confederates never give up, trying to use FIRST to divide the US into two nations!

how can you have two 'nationals' in one nation - besides, its called the championship now. :^) (ok, Im done picking on you for now)

Those of us who have embraced FIRST dont need Disney world to be an official part of it, we can look to successful careers and goto WDW, or anywhere else whenever we want to.

Personally I would like to see SuperRegionals at places like the Kennedy Space center

BTW, Cedar Rapids Iowa is the closest major city to the geographical center of the lower 48 states. I wonder if you ranked the location of each team by size, where the geographical center of all teams would be?

Interesting computer/math problem for some young genius to solve.

[tiffany34990]

i remember it at disney!!!

yeah it wasn't the greatest field for einstein being outdoors but it was interesting...i do miss it being way close to us though...but the fields inside were way cramp...not much fun when u were on those fields...and all the tents trying to be ac was hard

i'm not sure it'll ever go back..it seems like it should travel around..lol..cause FIRST is all over..

[Barry Bonzack]

I have vowed to myself to try to attend nationals any year that it is within driving distance. I would be thrilled to have it somewhere in Disney again. I bet that have seen the writing on the wall and realize this kind of event can no longer be held out in a parking lot. I can see it returning, I can't imagine why Disney wouldn't want it back.

[KTorak]

I've never been to nationals, but i'll be there this year. I heard Dallas was cool, and so is Atlanta, but I'd like to see it somewhere out west (San Fransisco is a nice place, or they could even put it in like Arizona). I think Disney is a little over rated period.

[MrToast]

Ya know, I could forsee the day when the nats are in Salt Lake City at the Delta Center there.... that would be kinda convenient for me.....

Dave

[Macdaddy549]

The reason I would like to see Disney again is there is plenty for the students to do after hours. Also the students are some what confined to the park area. I also understand the cost sky rocketed with the need to purchase park passes.

[Winged Wonder]

I remember Nationals at Disney... (yes, i was there!) i was in 7th or 8th grade, and i went to the last National Championship held at Epcot with a friend of mine to go see my brother's team compete... that experience is what really hooked me on to FIRST. the cheering, the suspense, the robots of course, and all of the swag... (i still have the buttons i collected way back then!) everything was just an incredible experience. sure, the Pits were really hot and didnt really have sufficient air conditioning, but please, we're talking about Florida. Whats a trip to Florida without experiencing the humidity?

Everyone has made good points... I wasnt at the Houston Championship (a year before my time) but i've heard that in comparision, Atlanta is better. I can't really say i prefer Atlanta to Disney because i never really experienced the whole Disney experience as part of a team, i was just moral support. But for now, i believe Atlanta is where its going to stay.

Originally Posted by Vin211

... I foresee in the future there is going to be Two National Events. FIRST is getting way to big for just one. I imagine someday there will be one held in the south (i.e Houston, Atlanta) and another held in the north (i.e Toronto, New Hampshire). Either of those cities will do. ...

I'm tempted to tease about the Confederate mentality... (just kidding), i dont like the thought of two separate International Championships. (remember, FIRST is not just for we spoiled United States-ians... its for all of the teams across the globe!) the thought just makes me really uneasy. sure, in regards to funding and geographical location it seems more logical, but theres also a lot you have to take into consideration... for the Championships, every team should have to face the same circumstances for competition... the same arena, the same altitude, the same everything... if not, thats not really fair, is it? You're all talking about how FIRST is outgrowing everything... thats not a bad thing! and there are ways to get around it. for example, instead of just three competition days, there might be four or five! (could you imagine week-long competitions??) Also, instead of just breaking everyone going to the Championship into four groups (einstein, curie, newton, archemedes), you could break it into five or six, so that you could have the same amount of matches with more robots in the same time period. there are ways around growth "issues"... one just has to be creative! =) i know that at Atlanta, theres plenty of room for at least one more field... and if we somehow outgrew Atlanta, i'm sure FIRST is resourceful enough to find somewhere new to host it. who knows... maybe one day, FIRST will have its very own Robotics Stadium! thats a couple of years off... but you can't reject the idea. it could happen. =) anything can happen with a little perservierence and hard work. isnt that what FIRST teaches?

fret not fellow FIRSTers... if you fear you'll be bored at the Championship Event (i'm not quite sure how thats possible... but regardless), make your own fun! invite other teams over for a game of Twister or DDR... stop complaining, and be creative!

[Scott team 48]

Originally Posted by omutton

The walk to the pits in Atlanta was a little far

I take it you didn't go to nationals in Texas, if you did you would think that Atlanta's walk was nothing.
I didn't go to Disney because I wasn't on a team but I would like to go there and experience First there. Texas was fun too though apart from the walking, we all got to go to six flags a day before it opened to the general public.

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by KTorak

I've never been to nationals, but i'll be there this year. I heard Dallas was cool, and so is Atlanta, but I'd like to see it somewhere out west (San Fransisco is a nice place, or they could even put it in like Arizona). I think Disney is a little over rated period.

Ack! That was in Houston, not Dallas. They're only 200+ miles apart. I mean, I know that just next door down here in Texas, but still....

Originally Posted by Scott team 48

I take it you didn't go to nationals in Texas, if you did you would think that Atlanta's walk was nothing.

That was an unfortunate oversight by FIRST in the midst of moving nationals from EPCOT to Houston in the space of 6 months or so. So cut us a little slack for saving Nationals, wouldja?

*Pauses*

*Shakes fist at kids on his lawn*

[Not2B]

Been to EPCOT parking lot.
Been to the ATL, baby!

Atlanta was really nice. And the town, as far as I could tell, really went out of their way to be robot-friendly. The arena was great. Weather was nice. The olympic park was a great place to have a wrap-up party.

Disney gave too many distractions. Lots of people ran off to ride spaceship earth or go eat in China or America - and forgot to check out the robots, meet with other teams, and participate in the grand festival known as FIRST. Mainly because Disney IS really cool.

In Atlanta, FIRST is a big deal, not just people in the parking lot.

Thanks ATL, baby!! (And THANK YOU, Sir Charles, for adding ATL to my vocab.)

[Erin Rapacki]

I agree that Atlanta is a good choice. FIRST outgrew Disney three years before we left and I highly doubt we'll ever be back there. I don't miss the manufactured magic of Disney because Championships creates magic in itself; wherever the event may be held.