Group and Convention Marketing News

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Every meeting professional knows that Southern California is the ideal place for meetings and conventions. The weather is perfect year 'round. Recreation and entertainment opportunities are limitless. And, at the heart of this meetings and convention locale stands the Disneyland Resort - a destination unto itself, with world-class convention hotels, extraordinary event venues and inspiring Disney Institute professional development programming.

This is a place that combines the unmatched originality of a one-of-a-kind environment with a diverse collection of fully customizable experiences, workshops and tours to help meeting attendees bring their ideas to life. It's the Idea Place where planners can dream the big dreams and provide attendees with experiences of a lifetime.

The Disneyland Resort offers more than 178,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space and three dedicated meeting hotels – Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, The Disneyland Hotel, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel. Together these three award-winning properties offer more than 2,200 rooms and suites.

Attendees will find plenty to do when meetings are over. Downtown Disney offers shopping, dining and entertainment, while the Mandara Spa in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is home to indulgent massage and body treatments. And there's the timeless enchantment, magic and fun of Disneyland park and Disney's California Adventure park. Best of all, the Disney hotels, theme parks and Downtown Disney are just a few steps away from one another, creating an entirely pedestrian-friendly resort.

While the Disneyland Resort setting has the power to inspire, Disney Institute professional development programs can take the meeting experience to an entirely new level. Participants "experience the business behind the behind the magic" in a series of learning experiences that include visits to behind-the-scenes locations and presentations by Disney leaders.

Disney Institute also offers keynote presentations, workshops and teambuilding programs that are ideal complements to a larger agenda. Many programs also offer continuing-education credit through several accrediting organizations.

Disney theme parks offer fascinating business case studies and learning opportunities. They can also bring new life to receptions, dinners and other networking events. Imagine an elegant dinner inside the Haunted Mansion, or a dazzling opening or closing gala inside Disney's California Adventure park.

Planners will find that Disneyland park and Disney's California Adventure offer scores of spectacular settings that could never be duplicated in a ballroom. Whether groups book a signature Disney attraction, a themed land or an entire park, these elaborately themed, event-ready venues can be surprisingly affordable and offer unforgettable experiences for attendees.

"I've been doing events with Disney for 20 years, and I've never repeated a theme," said Rick Rosen, president of Minneapolis-based Tri-Star Incentives. "There's always something new, and the planning is a snap. You don't have to bring in décor, entertainment or catering, because the infrastructure is already there."

Rosen and others can look forward to plenty of exciting new attractions, as Disney's California Adventure park has embarked on a billion-dollar expansion. The first phase opened last year, with the all-new Toy Story Mania, which sets a new standard for interactive ride/game technology. Guests don 3-D glasses for a ride into the world of Woody, Buzz and their friends from the Disney*Pixar "Toy Story" movies. The attraction is a new centerpiece of the Paradise Pier area of Disney's California Adventure and is available for private group events of up to 4,000 attendees.

Over the next three years, other new attractions and event venues will premiere at Disney's California Adventure, including Disney's World of Color, a nightly panorama of spectacular water effects, colorful lighting and music that will bring Disney animation to life with an entirely new creative a technical approach. The show opens in 2010, and private viewing locations will be available, including one that can accommodate up to 9,000 people.

In 2011 a new Little Mermaid attraction will open, taking guests on a breathtaking underwater adventure. Three additional attractions will open in 2012 as part of an all-new, 12-acre land inspired by the hit Disney?Pixar movie Cars.

Flagship of the Disneyland hotels is Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which features a beautifully appointed, 20,000-square-foot convention center. The hotel stands as luxurious interpretation of California's Arts-and-Crafts-style hotels. From its dramatic atrium to the stunning architectural details, the 745-room Grand Californian reflects the beauty and natural wonders of the State of California.

In November, the hotel will complete an expansion that will add 200 hotel rooms, 50 two-bedroom villas, a rooftop deck for viewing fireworks and a new swimming pool.

The hotel's acclaimed Napa Rose restaurant specializes in the freshest and best of the state's epicurean offerings. Napa Rose is home to the largest collection of certified in-house sommeliers in the U.S for a single restaurant, including two master sommeliers. A private room can accommodate groups of up to 32, while a nearby outdoor terrace is ideal for receptions of up to 80.

The hotel's Mandara Spa is inspired Bali, by one of the Pacific's most beautiful islands. The spa features an array of exotic treatment options and personal services, blending the best of Eastern and Western cultures.

With 969 guest rooms and a 136,000-square-foot convention center, the Disneyland Hotel is Anaheim's largest convention hotel. Throughout this Southern California landmark, planners will find a professional business environment set-off with enchanting Disney touches.

Beginning in 2009, the hotel's guest rooms will be completely reimagined. The new rooms will offer dramatic, contemporary décor and a host of business-friendly amenities, making them ideal for meeting attendees and other business travelers. These upgraded accommodations will be introduced in phases, with all of the hotel's 969 rooms scheduled for completion by 2012.

New guest rooms are the latest in a series of enhancements to the Disneyland Hotel. The hotel's suite accommodations include the 1,600-square foot, two-bedroom Mickey Mouse Penthouse. An upscale and sophisticated tribute to all things Mickey, the penthouse offers breathtaking views of Disneyland Park and Disney's California Adventure.

For a completely different kind of experience, the 1,600-square-foot "Pirates of the Caribbean" Suite immerses guests in an elegant, Old World setting that's accented with one-of-a-kind mementos from the attraction and hit movies. The Mickey Mouse Penthouse and Pirates of the Caribbean suite are ideal for hospitality suites and provide unforgettable accommodations for VIPs, award winners and other top performers.

Dining options at the Disneyland Hotel include the new Steakhouse 55, a tribute to the golden age of Hollywood. The restaurant's private Oak Room can accommodate groups of up to 22, and the restaurant is available for buyouts of up to 100.

The 489-room Paradise Pier Hotel celebrates the California seaside and offers commanding views of Disney's California Adventure. With five Presidential Suites, 20 Paradise Suites and 30,000 square feet of meeting space, this is another ideal Disney hotel for planners requiring numerous premium hospitality locations. Dining options include the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) Grill which features trendy California cuisine.