Disneyland Grand Californian

Anaheim, CA

Overview: Located in the heart of Downtown Disney the Grand hotel is the upscale cousin to the original Disneyland Hotel.

Ballrooms: The Sequoia ballroom is very nice and is located in an enclosed conference section, which also includes many of the breakout rooms. The enclosed space includes a couple of registration desks as well as a board room and many breakouts. The location provides a sense of being away from the Disney experience and focused on the event.

Rigging is a little challenging in the ballroom so a careful rig plan is required. The ballroom and foyer are attractive and offer great possibilities for branding and stage design.

As with all Disney properties, load-in and load-out requires some planning. PSAV handles in-house video and sound. They handle the breakout rooms set well but responsiveness can be a little slow, so a plan for support should be reviewed.

Breakout Rooms: The breakout rooms in the conference center work great. There are a few rooms outside the conference center that share a hallway along the main path to exit the hotel. Be aware that there is mixing of conference attendees and Disney vacationers during peak times, and can make for a crowded area.

Location: The hotel is located in the heart of Downtown Disney so attendees have many options for dinner and entertainment.

Bottom Line: Great property with a great location. Of the Disney properties in California it is in my opinion the nicest property.

Hilton Anatole

Dallas, TX

Overview: I have heard that this is one of the busiest conference hotels in the Hilton chain, and after working here I believe it. This is a very large property so it has some quirks that can definitely influence the success of an event, but that size also makes it a great hotel for events.

Ballrooms: There are a lot of ballrooms on this property.

The Chantily Ballroom is my favorite at the property. It is large with great rigging, and the loading area is directly outside the ballroom

The Grand Ballroom is also nice and has the same good rigging.

The Imperial Ballroom is on an upper floor (the third I believe) and is my least favorite ballroom on property. The room, registration area and hallway leading into the room are great but there are a few challenges:

• The floor vibrates a little bit so you have to be careful with placement of the projection and screens.

• There is an elevator that leads directly to the room, but it is right next to the loading dock, which you usually can’t use. The push from the loading area travels through the busy dock area which can slow down the load-in and out.

• The elevator needs to be locked off or controlled carefully during the show because it is loud and would be a disturbance.

• Note: We have always asked for and gotten control of the elevator, but I have heard this is sometimes an issue on other shows.

There also is a Trinity Ballroom next to the exhibit hall, but this is more of a tradeshow area than a ballroom. If you are using this room for a general session, pay attention to the house lighting in the room.

Breakout Rooms:

• The best breakout rooms: above the Chantily Ballroom.

• The West Wing of the hotel has good breakout rooms as well but it is a little off the beaten path, so signage is a must.

• The breakout rooms in the Atrium are small and definitely require signage for attendees to find as well.

Note: The dock at this property is very busy with food delivery and use of it is very restricted.  The main loading area does not have a dock, so trucks need a lift gate or forklift to load and unload. We have used the dock in the past, but it was negotiated in advance and was not easy.

Bottom Line: Great property in a great location with tons of general session and breakout rooms. Especially with a little experience, this is a property we like to work at.

Loews Chicago O'Hare Hotel

Rosemont, IL

Overview:  This is a very nice property that has been recently totally remodeled. Its management is very event friendly and understands what it takes to put on a good show. There are four medium sized ballrooms and plenty of breakout rooms.

Ballroom: Ballrooms and breakout rooms are divided into two sections on either side of the hotel, which is a plus if you only require enough space to be on one side. You will definitely own that side of the property. If your breakout room requires you to use both sides of the hotel, then signage is helpful for the attendees who will have to pass the lobby and walk to the other side of the property. We have worked more than one event that was large enough to require both sides and the attendees handled the walk without complaint.

One important note: The loading dock is very event friendly but it is a long push through narrow hallways to get to the other side of the property. There is a pull up street level loading door next to the Avadon Ballroom that can be used if you pre-arrange with the hotel and limit the amount of time you have the door open.

There are many branding opportunities at the property and the hotel is open to working with clients to maximize branding opportunities.

Bottom Line:  Great property in a great location.