My Comments on the RCS meet - Why I choose Orlando

Hi there.... those are all very good strong reasons for meeting in Orlando. I will be within an hour and half drive by then also.. we are moving October 1, making me part of the Florida Crew!

hugs Neets

Well have fun, because there are a few of us who can't afford hotel, airfare, pocket money and the like and leave for that long. Not to mention I hate Disney. UGH. I guess if you want another florida meet, go for it. Nobody ever wants to come to Ohio for anything anyhow. Memories Expo is cool, but its not THAT big.. its definitely not a CKU or anything and one day there would be plenty for anyone.

As for sharing.. I have a disability and can't really share a room very easily. It would have to be with someone who has to have a COLD room to sleep in, totally quiet and can tolerate the noises my machinery makes.

Good arguement tho. You'll win. Everyone loves Florida, I was just hoping people might say "gee, ohio is pretty cool for a middle of nowhere state".. LOL

There were also quite a few votes for Atlanta and perhaps someone will come forward and speak to why we should meet there. As for Ohio, who knows, there might be a lot of people that want to go to the Memory Expo and Columbu might still come out on top. Besides, who says that there can't be more than one RCS meet, one in Ohio and one in Orlando. But either way it is fair to say that most of us will have had to pay for lodging, airfare and have pocket money in whatever place is chosen. And I was speaking of the same amount of time, which really only amounts to one whole day together, two if you get in by noon on the Friday and leave at checkout at 11 on a Sunday. And at the prices I stated, there are some that would and some that would not have to share a room. For example, for $35 a night you could have had a queen room, with a fan and the houses are I am sure air conditionned or you could share a room with twin beds with someone for $15 who is a heavy sleeper and not easily disturbed. The prices I quoted were quickly done divided by the number of people, but in effect, if Orlando wins, they should be done by room. So that if you take a bedroom that has one bed by yourself because you don't want to share the bed, that is more expensive than a room where there are two twin beds. As for food, the same pretty much applies wherever we go, Columbus, Atlanta, or Orlando. we have to eat and if we have a house it will be less expensive than if all the meals are in a hotel/restaurant. We can buy bread and peanut butter and eggs and cereal and milk and take care of two breakfasts that way. And we can also cook a big huge pot full of spagetti with meatballs or BBQ hamburgers or grill hot dogs for supper to cut costs, if that is what we all want to do. It doesn't really matter what city wins, it doesn't have to be fancy and expensive as long as we have the means to cut corners and have some quality time where we can all sit and relax and get to know each other! That is all I was really trying to point out.

So lets wait and see what the people decide...

M-C

"RJ" wrote in message news:2005082521354916807%duckwater@SPAMgmailcom...

I understand your reasons for orlando hon. I'm just saying that EVERYONE goes to orlando... its one of those no brainer places to meet... very very popular... and I was saying that instead of running all over DisneyState.. we could go to the expo for a day, then spend a day at a crop getting to know each other near by... and for those who want to stay an extra day or two... the zoo is very relaxing... alot of places to sit and talk and stroll... and if your not into that... we have alot of other things to do that aren't "attractions" because after all... the attraction here is spending time together... you know? I just don't want mickey mouse overshadowing our meet... but I do agree... two meets are possible and I'm fully ready and capable of putting something together here for anyone who wants to do it... Maybe a midwest/east RCS get together thing? I know of a few people that stated to me they could only come if it was within a state of them or so and thats why t hey voted for Ohio. So even if orlando is the "big" meet, I'd still like to have an Ohio one... sound good? :D Maybe we could do them together and have a conference call? That would be cool... I have a video phone too... you never know what we could accomplish if we put our heads together! :D

My big concern about Orlando is it's a 5+ hour flight for me with layovers and 80+ degree whether would have me passed out on the ground from heat stroke. So I still vote for Columbus. Why can't we rent a place in columbus? Why can we ONLY do that in Orlando? Ultimately I'm going to be happy at either place, but cost at air time are a factor as I DO have a flight phobia so the least amount of time in the air is best. Of course, I'm only one person and if it's better for more people to meet in Orlando than that's where it will be. I do hope that each year it will be a different location. Something to look forward to each year. Relax, this is supposed to be FUN! :)

Melissa in Seattle. pages in 2005=130

Truthfully I haven't read your whole email as it's late and I just got back from the State Fair, but you hit on something that I was secretly mulling over thinking I was the only one thinking it. My thought on a get together was to be holed up together talking, laughing, scrapping and maybe leaving to get groceries or go to a LSS and that's about it. If I travel half way across the country or all the way my purpose would be to meet and get to know you gals and scrap with you. The idea of us all being in one house together sounds great. Have just enough private space to get away when you wanted some alone time or needed sleep. haha I wouldn't want to spend a lot of hours traveling or sight seeing.

My 2 cents, Lynne

I honestly wouldn't want to spend time sight seeing either. I mean I live in Ohio, and I don't know if I could afford to go to Orlando, but it might be different later down the road. Plus those Houses look so cool! I would love to do that, with all of us in one big giant scraphouse. CRAZY! But if I come to Florida, well I am not coming home without a tan. AND that means I would have to be outside for that, and then I would miss out on precious gabbing with girls! So I vote Ohio, I can afford it no matter what, its closer, and yes I am being selfish with that. Its a place not many people come to, and there is alot around here! If we go to southern Ohio I still would have a 4 or so hour drive, so its not like I am getting out of traveling. But I still love the idea of Orlando, but is this housing option available anywhere else? I mean I am sure they have house rentals in like uptown neighborhoods. If they don't they SHOULD! lol

Well Argue some more, I MAY change my vote!

A LOT of my friends have stayed at Camp Crop a lot and LOVED it! Dana has an amazing place there. For me it would be an hour drive and accomplishes everything that we want this to be about. However, those houses that M-C found in Orlando look soooo nice...anyway, I'll be driving if it is down south and will have a 7 passenger mini-van. Arleen

I'm not sure where I choose yet. LOL My personal goals for going to an RCS meet, is to meet these crazy people, and I really don't want to do a ton of sightseeing, at least not in a 2 day meet. Right now, I highly doubt I could stay away longer than a weekend, but if I could stay away for a week, a day of sightseeing might be nice, but I'd rather be LSS shopping and scrapping. I've never been to Atlanta, Columbus, or Orlando, so any of them are going to be an adventure to me! The biggest decision factors for me will be cost of transportation, food, lodging, and dates. Although the Memories Expo in Columbus sounds fun, the dates are bad for me. DS's birthday is April 15th, and I would be a whole lot better off if I have his birthday out of the way before I take a trip. (Plus the whole tax refund thing.)

The idea of staying in a big 'ol rental house sounds a whole heck of a lot better than a hotel. For one thing, I've been on trips in college with fellow students where we stayed in hotels. Trust me, trying to fit 12 or more people in a hotel room is NOT an easy task! (and I was a lot younger and thinner then, too! LOL) I mean, if the whole purpose of an RCS meet is to get to know each other and relax at the same time, the best place to do that, in my opinion, is going to be in a house of some sort. Plus, it will greatly cut down on our own food costs. I do have to admit, the houses in Orlando sound mighty inviting. (I think it's the pool/spa factor. LOL) The CCA in Atlanta sounds awesome, too. So maybe someone could find a comparable house in the Columbus area? I found one online that was in Columbus, but it's only rented by the week.

Well, I know I won't be able to attend if it's in Orlando. As for Ohio, I'll be honest, who ever even thinks of going to Ohio? Not me anyway. It's just one of those states I guess. A lot like Kansas or Missouri. Which is where I am. KC is a bistate city. I'd prolly be up to making it to Ohio if anyone wanted to do something there. I really like the idea of the camp in Atlanta. That's actually something along the lines of what I thought would be a great idea even before we started any of this discussion. I know there's one in Arkansas City and I think there's one around Wichita here in KS. It seems like someone here at rcs has been to one in the Blue Ridge Mts (?) somewhere too. I just can't remember who or when. I might be able to make it to Atlanta. Just 14 or so people sounds a little limited on space though. Oh well, I'll cast a vote and we'll see where everyone will end up.

Katrina in KS

I am glad that we have a good dialogue going on this. Frankly, my only aim here is to get us the most face to face time, with the best accomodations and amenities and fun face to face time:) And to give you factual information on your choices.

Just for the record, I did do searches for vacation rentals for a lot of the proposed cities. Orlando has more and is cheaper because it is popular and therefore has more homes to rent. Many cities had none that I could find that would rent by the day.

The supplies I intend to bring to Orlando do include my sizzix, with dies, lollipop upper case, my sidekick with 5 sizzlit aslphabets, 30 sizzlit dies etc. plus my quickcuts with one alpha and dies, I'll also bring my large cutter. I would also bring, if people wanted me to, some of my inventory, like adhesive, refills and cardstock in case someone needed any. Deb who also plans on driving down will bring her sizzix and perhaps other supllies as well. If everyone wants us too, we`ll also bring our stamps and ink pads and chalks to share. Remember that I will also bring a photo printer and paper, at my expense, so that we can have fun doing a challenge LO of our meeting. We will then scan them (I might even bring my large bed scanner, now that Deb will have her SUV) and post them to the website for the rest of RCS to see. I think it will be a hoot to all be working on basically the same thing, with similar images. Plus that way you know what to bring with you for your layout!

Most Orlando homes are equiped with high speed internet and a computer, and my intent would be to bring at least two laptops and a printer. The homes are all air conditionned as are our cars. Since what we plan to so is spend a lot of time face to face or on our way to an LSS, I'm not seeing us spending a lot of time outside unless it is around or in the pool.

I am not a proponent of doing the meets at the same time. Who knows, someone might want to go to more than one if that is possible for them. Besides that would mean that they would both have to be on the weekend of April 1st, which means the way it looks now, that I would go to neither, which would be a major bummer for me. I am also unable to do anything the weekend of April 6,7 and 8 as my SIL is getting married that weekend and of course I'm doing the wedding scrapbook for that.

I am still confused about the housing in Columbus. How much would it cost for each of us to stay there for two nights and of course, we would have to crop when the store was open and willing to have us.

As for Atlanta, please note that all the beds in the camp are bunk beds, 3 bunks or 6 people in the master, 2 bunks or 4 people in the smaller bedroom and 1 bunk or two people in the smallest and that the house is only 1500 sq ft.The cost is $780 for two nights! The airfare is comparable in some cases but for some weird reason as you'll see below, not for others, including, Melissa.

Melissa I checked into the airfare for Seattle and there are "direct flights" from Seattle to Orlando, $285. Your total trip time from take off to landing is 5:12 going and 6:10 coming back. There are cheaper one stop flights but then you have two take offs and landings. There are no direct flights to Columbus and the cheapest flight is $256 with a 5:56 hour time spent between Seattle and Ohio going and 6:36 hours on the return. Atlanta is for some unknown reason much more expensive, there is a direct flight for $474 with flight times to ATL and back of 4:41 and 5:04 hours from take off to touch down respectively.

Jacqui unless I missed something, the meals are not included in the rental of the space. It is at $180 per person for her retreats. See below:

- - - - - - - " Rent the Camp Crop Alot House with a group of friends and organize your own scrapbooking retreat. Use it for scrapbooking, quilting or whatever...there are fourteen 4' tables. There is also a computer workstation which includes

2006 Prices

$780 for 2 nights. We don't charge per person!! Prices listed are for the entire facility, which sleeps 14.

That's less than $30 per person per night!!!

PLUS - Get the 3rd night for 1/2 price, $195 for the 3rd night!!!"

Okay there are a NUMBER of scrapbook retreats in this area... at least within 2 hours or so of here... here is a list:

I know there are others around here I just need to find them..... Most B&B's offer this now too...

I personally chose Orlando only b.c I am in Florida and it would be closer for me to go there then it would be for me to go anywhere else. I could possibly go to Atlanta it isnt that far.....Let me know..... ~~Yanya~~

Who are you calling crazy??? :-P

I would like to offer my two cents here, and have a couple of questions too. Am I reading the dates right, and this meet is going to be in April? or is it May? I would really like to go, and if it is decided to be in May, then I cannot go!(WAH!) I would love to go to my first RCS Meet and get to know everyone, I really would. But I cannot go in May, since I work in my job as a cake decorator, May is my busiest month with Mothers Day AND Graduation. Maybe the first weekend of May I could swing it? The location is not that big of a deal to me, although I voted the first round for Columbus Ohio, because it IS closer to me for driving, only around 4.5 hours one way! I would have to fly to Orlando (he price of gas would KILL me to drive 18 hours one way, although... I could bring more scrappin stuff If I drove! HMMM). I have a sis in Orlando I could visit if I go there, so that would work nicely for me also. Since this would be my first meet, I would like to spend more face to face time scrapping and chatting and stuff like that, and maybe hit a couple of LSS and some shopping but I have no interest in going to Disney. Saving money and splitting the cost of a rental house sounds good to me versus the hotel expense, and I dont mind sharing a room if need be.Slumber party! haha! I will continue to consider all the debates about the Meet location, and see whats what! I am already getting excited! It sounds like fun!

Linda C Illinois

Linda, I also voted for Columbus because it was closer. I'm in Indiana. If I were to go to Florida to the meet it would be without the kids - and I can't imagine going to Disney or any of the other attractions without them. Attractions will not be a part of my decision. I don't fly - driving would be the way I would go........just think of how many LSS's there are between here and Florida. Sandy

Did I mention that I am not planning on, nor do I want to go to Disney? Oh, OK, somehow I got the impression that people thought we were going to Disney... not... there is no time!

whatever...there