The Happiest Place on Earth?

We're back from Walt Disney World - the pentultimate in marketing. I had a bit of a different experience this time, as I attended a conference while Laura, Abbye and my mother went to the parks.

For some reason, this trip found me much more critical of the Mouse than I have been in the past. Maybe it's the economy. Maybe it's the challenge of having a 15 month old child. Maybe it's because I "worked" all week. In any event, it wasn't quite the magic it's been on previous visits.

Not any surprise to you, dear reader, but Disney is expensive. Damned expensive. The mouse keeps you on sight and proceeds to lock you into a pricing scheme. Let me give credit where credit is due - if you're on a budget, you can pull off the trip, but you are VERY aware of what you've given up. There is a plan for every budget, but not every plan is equal, mind you. The killer for me was the $2.50 16 oz. sodas in the vending machines (which take your plastic...). For $12.95, you can mule around a mug that allows you to refill for free (it's a 12 oz. cup - another personal pet peeve).

We stayed at the Contemporary - err... an annex to the Contemporary hotel. It was nicely decorated and showed care, but:

• Towels were replaced as requested
• In a week, the beds were remade, but the sheets never changed
• All the lighitng was CFL/energy saving - translation: VERY DIM room
• The bathroom had beautiful dual sinks with no counterspace, fans on motion sensors and sliding doors with opaque glass
• There was a fold out sofa, but no seating area- I'd really prefer a table in the room
• The desk (mounted to the wall) was dominated by the Disney "in-room concierge" - a laptop and screen that pushed more Disney messages at you
• Unless you used the in-room concierge, internet access was $9.95 a day
• It was a 1o minute walk from the room to the lobby or conference facilties - outdoors

Ok, you say, but you were on the discounted conference room rate, right? Yes... but at $225 a night, I expected a bit more. I definitely wouldn't have paid $300 a night (the off-season "rack rate") to stay in this room.

Now, if I'd been here to do the park thing, well - I'd have had different expectations. But this is billed as the conference hotel. Having limited business traveller amenities definitely makes me question whether or not I want to attend another conference here.

Disney does so much right - I'm very disappointed that this felt so wrong.