I got my socks blown off yet again today. We visited the Disney Event Group and were given a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at how they do all the costuming, floral arrangements, gift baskets (best I’ve ever seen, anywhere!), electronics, photography, digitital imaging…everything that goes into the events Disney is involved with, both on and off property. Anyway, we got to see all the gorgeous arrangements they had made for a "Royal Cherry Blossom Breakfast" for us that had to be cancelled this morning due to rain–amazing. And they let us help put the finishing touches on one of the arrangements to be used at another event later today. Then our hosts Dennis Wirzman, managing producer, and Laurie Cardenuto, managing sales director, showed us the rehearsal space they have in the building so that entertainers for events have a place to practice if the actual venue isn’t available. A great a capella group was practicing, and they let us listen in on a very animated, lively rendition of "The Wanderer."

Then off to another behind-the-scenes experience at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, where the chef took us into the kitchen and taught us how to make our own sushi. The rice was a little sticky to handle, but otherwise I think we did OK–definitely a good interactive event for small groups. Anyway, we feasted, and feasted, and feasted, and feasted some more. Then my colleague on the left said, "Isn’t that waiter one of the guys who we saw practicing earlier?" I looked around, and all the wait staff in the room were the singers. They then proceeded to sing a version of "The Wanderer" to us, with a verse specially tailored for each of us, thanks to some research by our hosts! I almost died laughing when my verse mentioned the infamous "flush your feet" blog post!

Then when I got back to my room, housekeeping delivered one of the floral arrangements from our cancelled breakfast, along with a sweet note from Laurie and Dennis. These guys are so amazing! I hate to gush, but the treatment we’re getting is so gushworthy that I can’t resist. Can’t wait to see what they do tonight…but I better log off and get down to the lobby now so I can find out.

I haven’t been here since I was in 5th grade or so, so this place is all new to me! Last night we went over to Disney’s MGM Studios for the Lights, Motors, Action Extreme Stunt Show, and it reawoke the latent gearhead in me in a big way. They led us into the set on a red carpet, with cast members taping, taking pictures, and acting like the paparazzi we actually are. It was pretty funny. We sat in stadium seats overlooking the set, which was of a small village in the south of France. Then the stunts began, and the cars were ripping around doing some manuevers that looked amazingly like ballet on wheels. They flew through the air, crashed through windows, and guys fell off rooftops, and motorcycles crashed through flames–and all the while, the "director" was showing us how a real action car chase scene would be shot and edited, and how they make it all look so real. I don’t want to wreck it for others, so suffice to say, it got my motor revving.

Then we wandered around the MGM park for a while, grazing on food and drinks. There was a spy theme to the evening, so they had actors all over the place acting, well, weird and spy-like. One guy dressed like a mad scientist had to "test my spyability" by sneaking up behind me and tickling my neck with a feather–I laughed hysterically (very ticklish), so I guess I won’t be 007-ette any time soon. My braver colleagues did the rides, but the Rock and Roll Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror were a bit much for my weenie self, so I ducked out before the terror set in. No bumper cars, which are more my speed, but the bands were great. I’m not much into her style of music, but Ashanti got the crowd rolling, and Smash Mouth was terrific, and much bad dancing was committed by the crowd (self included).

Uh oh. I’m getting Disnified! Liking this place a lot, even though the weather isn’t being very cooperative. They had to move most of the food inside last night, instead of having it be a street festival, due to dire weather forecasts. We’re all crossing our fingers that they won’t have to do the same tonight…

It must be something in the water here in Orlando–everyone is just so darn nice and helpful! It warms the cockles of my curmudgenly New Englander’s heart. Anyway, here’s hoping I can catch up before the next wave of fun.

Yesterday, once I got checked into the Disney Beach Club Resort, a group of us meetings/expo magazine journalists headed over to the new Veracruz Exhibit Hall at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. The 86,000 new square feet of exhibit space was about as nice as a big box can be–it actually managed to feel warm and inviting, not the harsh fluorescent feel you get in most exhibit spaces–but what was really cool was the show that was moving in: the Army Aviation Association of America. There were huge Huey (sp?) helicopters in the parking lot, but the coolest was an Apache and a Black Hawk helicopter already inside the exhibit hall, along with one of the drone helicopters they’ve been using in Iraq.

Our host told us that they had to send out a memo to all Disney cast members when they flew them in earlier yesterday morning–with 5,000 or so media reps in town for the big celebration, they didn’t want anyone to think we were under attack or anything! And they had to finish up all tours of the hall by 5 yesterday, so they could start loading in some of the more top-secret technology.

It was absolutely awe-inspiring, and scary, to stand next to the missile launchers and machine gun thingys on the Apache–we heard that the resort actually built one of the loading areas especially for this show so that it would be high enough to accommodate a menacing-looking radar gizmo on top of the blades. One of my colleagues had a camera phone, so we tried to get a picture of all of us standing next to the Apache, along with a couple of bemused Army guys in uniform that we coopted into posing with us. I’ll post it if she e-mails it to us. It was wild!

I don’t know if you’ve read the cover story of CMI’s latest issue yet, but if you haven’t, check it out–it’s already getting some discussion going, and it’s not even out in print yet.

Then tune into Meetings Radio, which on Monday morning featured Betsy Bair, editorial director of The Meetings Group magazines, and others talking about the issues surrounding some controversial new fees for destination management companies. I’m pretty sure it’s still available in the archives–it was a really lively, disturbing, discussion. Be curious to hear what you all think about this one.