MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES SURROUNDED BY FLORIDA'S FABULOUS BEACHES AND NATURAL BEAUTY

BY NORMAN MAYERS

The beautiful state of Florida has long been one of the most popular destinations in the United States, and with good reason. While most of the country is buried under snow, Florida remains warm and sunny, making it a year round destination that never goes out of style. There are certainly more reasons to visit than the weather. Florida’s tourism product is top of the line with unique experiences like the Walt Disney World Resort and the adult playground of Miami’s South Beach. Spectacular beaches can be found up and down the coastline from the calm waters along the Gulf of Mexico to popular Atlantic side beaches such as Daytona. Explore nature’s masterpiece, The Everglades, or ride some of the world’s best roller coasters at Busch Gardens. Family fun or romantic getaways; it’s all here. As for meetings and conventions, Florida also has some of the best convention facilities and resort properties anywhere. So pack your bags! It’s time to explore all Florida has offer!

WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT

The tremendously popular “Year of a Million Dreams” celebration is being extended through 2008 at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.  The celebration’s extension reflects the overwhelmingly positive response it’s received from meeting professionals and attendees.

This landmark event will continue to introduce new attractions, event venues and entertainment that have special significance for planners, attendees and leisure guests alike.  Here’s some of what’s in store in the year ahead:

Beginning in summer 2008, the toys are back in town with Toy Story Mania!, an attraction that combines the popular characters from the smash hit Disney-Pixar “Toy Story” films with whiz-bang technology to create an interactive ride-through video game – in three dimensions.  More Disney-Pixar fun will rock and roll throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios beginning this spring, as beloved characters from smash-hit animated films like (i)Toy Story(ei), (i)The Incredibles(ei), (i)Monster’s Inc.(ei) and (i)A Bug’s Life(ei) take to the street in “Block Party Bash.”  The new parade and attraction will also be available for private events in the theme park. 

Jostens Center, a new state-of-the art, multi-sport facility, will also open at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex this summer.  It will feature more than 70,000 sq. ft. of space, ranging from modern conference rooms to 44,000 sq. ft. of competition and event space. 

In addition to world-class entertainment and event venues, Walt Disney World is home to six award-winning convention resorts for groups of virtually every size and budget.  Each lakeside resort features its own unique setting, recreating the experience of a different place and time. 

Together, these resorts boast 5,072 guest rooms and suites.  They also offer amenities found in the world’s finest hotels, from beautifully appointed guestrooms and award-winning restaurants, to indulgent spas and full-service marinas.  Beyond convention resorts, Disney has championship golf courses, water sports on sparkling lakes, two nighttime entertainment districts and dozens of first-rate restaurants.

More than great facilities and recreation, Disney boasts the “Disney Difference” – a collection of meeting support services and benefits unrivaled in the industry.  Only here can groups tap the Disney Event Group for full-service technical, creative and production support.  Disney Institute professional development programs take participants behind the scenes to meet with Disney leaders, benchmark proven success strategies and discover ways to adapt Disney best practices into their own organizations. 

Planners and attendees will also appreciate Disney’s Magical Express, a groundbreaking service that provides Disney resort Guests with complimentary airport transfers, luggage delivery and advance airline check-in.  Unprecedented in the hotel industry, Disney’s Magical Express eliminates the need for groups to book private shuttles or taxis.  The enormous savings potential is easy to see. 

It’s all part of the magic of meeting at Disney – where the options are unlimited, and the experiences unforgettable. For more information about hosting a Disney meeting or event, contact Walt Disney World Resort at (321) 939-7221 or visit disneymeetings.com.

MIAMI

Why Meet in Miami? Greater Miami and the Beaches has a formula for success few can match. A sophisticated and exciting international city, Miami attracts visitors with top-rated hotels, spas, beaches, water sports, tennis, golf, great shopping, dining, and fabled nightlife perfect for celebrity spotting.  What more could a planner want, except the time to put together a fantastic itinerary?

Located close to fabulous beaches, a historic Art Deco District, or in the heart of downtown, Greater Miami’s first-class facilities offer state-of-the-art technology and are equipped to provide elaborate exhibition displays, audio/visual setups, and United Nations-style simultaneous translations. All are convenient to area shopping, dining, and exciting nightlife. In short, our unique destination is the ultimate choice for your next meeting.

The Miami Beach Convention Center is at the forefront of meeting and exhibitor technologies. With one million sq. ft. of exhibition space, unlimited floor load capacity, 35-ft. ceilings, and 68 adjacent, reconfigurable meeting rooms, it continues to be a leader in convention facilities.   The Miami Convention Center has 37 well-appointed meeting rooms, including a 444-seat auditorium and 117-seat lecture hall, and can accommodate up to 5,000 people in a variety of configurations. 

Greater Miami and the Beaches offer 486 hotels and motels with more than 48,000 rooms for group and meeting business. Accommodations range from luxurious to budget-conscious. Convenient downtown, beach, and airport locations; superb service; spectacular views; first-class recreational facilities; and award-winning dining are only part of the hotel amenities that attract millions of visitors annually. Some hotels and resorts specialize in down-filled pillows and in-room hot tubs; others sport world-famous golf courses, tennis courts, and health spas. 

Surrounded by the gentle swells of the Atlantic Ocean, Greater Miami takes pride in its turquoise waters, sunny skies, and year-round temperatures averaging 76° Fahrenheit. In addition to natural beauty, a myriad of attractions, recreational activities, and museums, Miami’s festivals and fairs add a spicy sense of fun. With more than 7,000 exceptional places to eat, the area offers world-class cuisine and superior service. Sizzling nightlife and infinite shopping are just part of the magical appeal of this community.

From historic sites and Art Deco theaters to nature-themed attractions, avant-garde museums, sun-splashed locales like the beach and the Everglades, and auditoriums of every size, Miami’s unique venues create a memorable environment for receptions, breakout sessions and other events. 

Often called the “Gateway to the Americas,” Miami’s multicultural flair gives this international city a rhythm and style all its own. Miami draws international commerce and tourism from Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada, and Asia. For the international visitor, Miami hosts the consulates and trade bureaus of more than 60 countries.

A vital link in Greater Miami’s international connections, Miami International Airport (MIA) is renowned for its efficiency and ease of travel. Centrally located, Miami International Airport is ranked the ninth busiest in the world, providing nonstop and direct flights to and from 176 domestic and international destinations daily, with service by 140 air carriers.

Miami’s growing reputation as a dynamic international center of business, first-class convention locale, and entertainment center as well as its natural wonders offer the greatest American compromise between getting away from it all and being a part of it all!

For more information

Phone: 1-800-933-8448, ext. 3071
E-mail: MeetingsInfo@MiamiMeetings.com
Web site: www.MiamiMeetings.com

FLORIDA’S EMERALD COAST

Florida’s Emerald Coast – famous for 24 miles of sugar-white sands and brilliant emerald green waters – is recognized as one of the South’s most attractive meeting places for all types of gatherings. From local and regional events to conferences of Fortune 500 companies, the southern sea towns of Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island are a perfect setting for serious or fun meetings followed by relaxing on sun-bleached beaches, and activities ranging from championship golf to sampling sumptuous seafood. Florida’s Emerald Coast, named the best beach in the south for 13 straight years by (i)Southern Living(ei), makes any meeting group proud.

Located on Okaloosa Island, the Emerald Coast Conference Center has made Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island a meeting mecca with 70,000 total sq. ft. of meeting space. The Conference Center features 35,000 sq. ft. of flexible meeting space within a short “flip-flop” stroll of the Gulf of Mexico and directly overlooks Choctawhatchee Bay. A complement to the current lodging facilities with meeting space throughout South Okaloosa County, the Conference Center showcases 12 breakout meeting rooms ranging in size from 450 to 1,800 sq. ft., including the 21,500-sq. ft. Emerald Grand Ballroom. Architectural design allows for theater, banquet, classroom and reception hall style seating.

For ease of booking, the Emerald Coast website – (u)www.destin-fwb.com(eu) – offers planners information “at-their-fingertips” on the conference center including fast facts, floor plans, pricing and capacity charts, center guidelines, event calendars and an online request for proposal.

For meetings with free time, Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island present simple pleasures such as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” spirited seaside celebrations, links of great championship golf and undeniably fresh seafood – all embraced with an assuming charm.

The “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village” offers a fish-filled experience complete with deep-sea and inshore fishing excursions, and lessons from old salts who know the Gulf waters like the back of their hands. Bonding during team-building charters on the open ocean encourages the creation of long-lasting tales.

Acclaimed for its sporting collection of great golf escapes, the area touts the most holes of golf on Florida’s Gulf Coast with an incredible 1,080 holes. The courses, created by such world-renowned architects as Finger, Dye and Fazio, utilize surrounding waters – bay, bayou, gulf and sound – and natural contrasts of woods and wetlands for scenic, yet challenging oppositions.

Surprisingly, Destin • Fort Walton Beach • Okaloosa Island accommodations provide priceless meeting locations without the price. More than 15,400 Gulf-edged rooms are available including popular hotels, spacious condominiums, a bed and breakfast inn, beach cottages and five-bedroom bungalows. Seaside savings are year-round with exceptional bargains September through February.

The Okaloosa Regional Airport offers continuous service by five major airlines. Ground travel is easy along primary feeders: Highway 98, Highways 331 and 85 and Interstate 10. 

To book a meeting, visit www.destin-fwb.com or call the Emerald Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. at (800) 322-3319 or (850) 651-7131.

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