Will nationals ever be back in Disney?

[Macdaddy549]

How many of you remember the days when the National Championships were hosted at Disney? I haven't attended the one in Atlanta yet but I hear that there is not much to do after hours. My question is, does anyone forsee it going back to Disney, or maybe Universal or even Bush Gardens in Tampa?

[roboticscom13]

I have been to Disney, Texas, and Atlanta. Disney was a great venue but we outgrew the facilities. Do i foresee a return to Disney? No. This is because FIRST left because Disney wasn't willing to provide a discount. As for going to Bush Gardens, I'm not sure where you would hold it down there, or if it is big enough for this event. It seems to work well in Atlanta and thats where, if not to another big city, where it will stay. Thats my two sense.

[DarMagi]

I would like to see nats back at disney as the reason I live like 5 miles from disney! Lol, I'd be at nats every year whether we compete or not! Well Disney is big and I know funds alot of robotics teams, mine included. I don't see the problem with giving us a discount and a bigger facility, after all it's robotics!

[Beth Sweet]

Championships moved from Disney because there wasn't enough room. I believe that Dean called it "growing pains." Therefore, as FIRST isn't anticipated to shrink anytime soon, unless the Championship process is changed and less teams are allowed to attend, no, I seriously doubt it.

[IanT]

Originally Posted by DarMagi

I would like to see nats back at disney as the reason I live like 5 miles from disney! Lol, I'd be at nats every year whether we compete or not! Well Disney is big and I know funds alot of robotics teams, mine included. I don't see the problem with giving us a discount and a bigger facility, after all it's robotics!

I agree with this guy i live not so far from disiney. the same distance as code//pilot. i would go to nats if it was at disney but seeing how many teams are in one regional i can see why it was moved. someone in this post also mentioned the wide world of sports complex over at disney. this would be the ideal venue for nats.

[RoteAugen]

Ill just leave my two cents at this:

at atlanta, i had little to no contact with other teams. i made no new friends, and had a seriously hard time reaching out to other teams as people were caught up in the pits, and when they werent, they were elsewhere and not accessable (unless we broke the elevators again)

at disney i met and maintained friendships from at least 10 different teams, swapped tech support and ideas with 5 others, and physically helped 3 others fix problems/pack up/find parts.

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by Macdaddy549

How many of you remember the days when the National Championships were hosted at Disney? I haven't attended the one in Atlanta yet but I hear that there is not much to do after hours. My question is, does anyone forsee it going back to Disney, or maybe Universal or even Bush Gardens in Tampa?

Not enough room at Universal or Busch Gardens, at Disney FIRST would need to move into the Wide World of Sports complex, something that Disney probably wouldn't want.

[Code\\Pilot]

well, i've never been at nats, so i have no idea how big it is, i live really close to Disney too, so it would be cool if they get the nats back at disney. What sucks is that when i'll go to nats (if i ever would) will not be for competing, cause this is my senior year, and i dont know what am doing after graduation.oh well...

But still, even if they dont change it back to Disney, they should rotate the nats to other places, so other teams that didn't have the means to go to nats on a certain city could assist to a closer one on that certain year and whatnot.

[activemx]

Epcot was awesome. I think sadly it will never comeback, i might be wrong but disney just could'nt support the growning first teams. They didnt have capacity to hold that many teams.

[KenWittlief]

I went to championships at WDW twice, and it was great

but I think we have outgrown this aspect of FIRST and there is no going back.

To be honest, it was a bit of a sticking point, asking companies to sponsor teams, when a big part of the budget was sending 20 to 60 students and adults to Disney World for 5 days

when you pitched FIRST to a potential new sponsor, that part of it was a bit awkward.

The way the championship is now is, well... pure FIRST and nothing else

but to be honest, I miss those days - it was magic.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

I went to championships at WDW twice, and it was great

but I think we have outgrown this aspect of FIRST and there is no going back.

To be honest, it was a bit of a sticking point, asking companies to sponsor teams, when a big part of the budget was sending 20 to 60 students and adults to Disney World for 5 days

when you pitched FIRST to a potential new sponsor, that part of it was a bit awkward.

The way the championship is now is, well... pure FIRST and nothing else

but to be honest, I miss those days - it was magic.

Maybe we could have it on the West Coast for once. The Anaheim Convention center would be nice. It is certainly big enough. Of course you might have to feign ignorance about the large resort area across the street when talking to sponsors

[KenWittlief]

Disneyland in california would not be the same

as staying in WDW florida for 4 or 5 days, being there at night, riding the monorails around

sitting by the pool at midnight on friday, planning to start new teams at new schools

the on-site hotels, entire hotel complexes filled with FIRST teams from around the world

it just wouldnt be the same

[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, 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.

[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.

[Sgraff_SRHS06]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

I went to championships at WDW twice, and it was great

but I think we have outgrown this aspect of FIRST and there is no going back.

To be honest, it was a bit of a sticking point, asking companies to sponsor teams, when a big part of the budget was sending 20 to 60 students and adults to Disney World for 5 days

when you pitched FIRST to a potential new sponsor, that part of it was a bit awkward.

The way the championship is now is, well... pure FIRST and nothing else

but to be honest, I miss those days - it was magic.

Although I've never seen a FIRST championship (and understand its growing pains), I think WDW can accomodate the championship in one way or another (as being a one-time honorary Disney castmember as a member of my school's marching band and orchestra). We could always advocate that Disney build a new stadium exclusively for FIRST there, perhaps in Downtown Disney (which recently opened) or Coronado Springs.

If we can't go to WDW, it's cool, but if we can, it will be an excellent plus.