DAYTONA 2010 OFFICIAL THREAD

ArpeggioAngel said:

So basically - as long as we have at least 10 orders of each - we could have the deli platter and one of the Italian options. Or we could have one of the Asian options and one of the Mexican Fiesta options. Only requirement is we have to pay for at least 10 of each.

Let me know your thoughts.....

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Well what concerns me most is that they were unable to even do a good job with something as easy as a deli platter, do you think they'd be able to handle something even more complicated? Like Kathy said, you worked so hard and it was disappointing to see how they gave it such little attention.

You are going to be so short on time it would be nice to just have people eat before they come, but then I guess it wouldn't be a cornsnake dinner would it? *Forgive me, thinking out loud*

Too bad two adjoining rooms would probably not be big enough for a giant pizza party, and then we could move it downstairs after.

It's a shame they won't budge on bringing in other food options. Would they allow it if we somehow paid for that room?

Kathy - they don't have an outside caterer - the hotel does it themselves.

THAT explains it, haha! I thought they just worked with a subpar caterer. But since they do it themselves, they are obviously just much better at being hoteliers than caterers. Guess you can't be expert at everything!

Yes, you did work so hard last year, and found us a great hotel with great rates, that it is too bad they can't do as well with the food (unless last year was just a bad year for them). Maybe we could bribe them to just order from Boston Market or Pizza Hut if we pay a surcharge for the room?? Or maybe if you tell them how happy we all were with everything EXCEPT the food (butter them up, lol!), they will do something "special" for us this year?

It won't kill us to have a mediocre dinner again when everything else is so great. But it would add to the whole experience if the dinner was as good as everything else was. Not sure if it is possible, but see what they say.

Another idea would be to rent out the 'party room' in a decent restaurant and let people order at leisure. Don't know if this would work or not, but trying to throw out ideas.

According to google, there is a Uno Chicago Grill with party/conference rooms very close by. Would this be an option?

Didn't the gal that helped you so much last year know of another connection close to the convention site?

Tara80 said:

Another idea would be to rent out the 'party room' in a decent restaurant and let people order at leisure. Don't know if this would work or not, but trying to throw out ideas.

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Well, we used to do that, but the year before last, we outgrew the party room at the traditional restaurant, and had to be split up. Last year we had the fund-raising auction for USARK, so needed a place to set that up. Plus, with so many people staying at the hotel, no one needed to drive home after the dinner. Well, a few people did, but it made the party a lot safer.

Well, as for my and my family, we'll get dinner elsewhere. With hubby's diet restrictions due to his diabetes, none of the choices will work. He was a very good hubby last year and suffered through the dinner on account of me, and I can't ask him to do it again.

I know it has always been a corn snake dinner, and our needs for the space at the hotel for the raffle is obvious, but I think we're going to have to make some changes. As it seems that few people are happy with the idea of eating the hotel's food again, why don't we change the "dinner" to a "dessert" with people eating elsewhere, in groups or by themselves, but then coming back to the hotel for coffee and dessert, wine and cheese, party and booze? I can't see the hotel messing up cookies and ice cream, and as long as the coffee is decent and they keep the soda on ice, the Willis family will be happy.

Susan said:

I know it has always been a corn snake dinner, and our needs for the space at the hotel for the raffle is obvious, but I think we're going to have to make some changes. As it seems that few people are happy with the idea of eating the hotel's food again, why don't we change the "dinner" to a "dessert" with people eating elsewhere, in groups or by themselves, but then coming back to the hotel for coffee and dessert, wine and cheese, party and booze? I can't see the hotel messing up cookies and ice cream, and as long as the coffee is decent and they keep the soda on ice, the Willis family will be happy.

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Susan beat me to it but this is my thinking as well.

Did somebody say booze? :grin01:

I have an even larger purse than last year...

Nanci said:

I have an even larger purse than last year...

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If this were Facebook, I'd "Like" that statement. :roflmao: I'll get a bunch of mini's and set up a cash shot bar. :grin01:

I've got 2 bottles of moonshine ready!

They do offer some dessert options:

Sweet Tooth: Assorted Candy Bars, Chocolates and Beverages. $3.75++ per person (minimum of 10 people)

Cookie Monster: Assorted Fresh Baked Cookies and Beverages. $4.00++ per person (minimum of 10 people)

At the Movies: Popcorn, Assorted Candy Bars, Chips and Beverages. $4.75++ per person (minimum of 10 people)

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These can be added on to the dinners or just done on their own....
I will have to double check but I do believe last year when we checked on alcohol she said that they could have a cash bar for us.

I can go anyway you guys want on this...
I liked the convenience of having everything in one place but agree that the food was not up to par last year. Unfortunately, due to health code restrictions with running a hotel, they are unable to cater in from another vendor or allow us to bring in outside food for an event like this. It isn't because they just don't want to allow it.
I guess I worry that if people have to go from the show - to dinner somewhere else - and then to the hotel for the GTG/Raffle - will it cut down on how many people do come? If everyone goes to different restaurants - how do we guarantee that people can make it in time for the stuff at the hotel? Even if you are just attending the show as a visitor - it is a long day - running around to multiple locations afterwards may be extra tiring and tedious and cause some people to decide not to join us after all.

Then there is additional cost - if they pay to go out to dinner somewhere and then have to pay for dessert and beverages at the hotel?

Can we find someplace close enough that could hold 40-50people in one place for dinner with multiple food options to please everyone that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg? I would think the most effective thing in that respect would be to have it as close to the hotel as possible so that people wouldn't have far to go if we did go this route...

HEY ROBBIE - you are out there - can you take a look around - maybe stop in and talk to a few places and let us know?

How much was the dessert option? I'd be OK with no dinner, I know it would take a lot of stress off you. Would it be against code if everyone brought in their own food? If cost is an concern, there is a Mc D's on the way. Then again, if Robbie finds something, that would be great.

I'll take a peek and see what I can find! The mall is literally right next to the hotel, so if people wanted to stop in to the food court and snag something there, that's always an option. There's also an Uno's Pizzeria. Those are the two I can think of right off the top of my head.

Hmmm....

I agree with EVERYONE - both pros and cons. Substandard food, but a nice place to gather. Dessert might work (have to change our name to the Cornsnake AfterSupper Club, lol!). And we might not get as many to show up.

Here is a really crazy idea that probably won't work, BUT...

If we were able to get most or all of our rooms very close to each other, could we set up a sort of 'roving pot luck" dinner for those who wanted to do so? (Others could eat elsewhere). What if each room provided a dish (prepared or bought from someplace), and we opened several nearby rooms, kind of like we had for our little social last year? We could provide plastic plates and utensils, and people could get what they liked from one room or another, and hang out in the various rooms to eat and visit. Then, at a particular time, we could meet downstairs for dessert and raffle. And those who preferred to go to a nearby restaurant could also meet at the appointed time. The potluck would be very informal - not sure how it would work. But it would HAVE to be better food than last year, lol - and a LOT cheaper, too! Do y'all think there is any way to engineer something like this to actually work?

If it did work, the hotel could still provide dessert, and a central place to meet for the raffle. I like their cookie platter idea the best. We could just call our informal pot luck an "icebreaker" or social get together if they don't like the idea of calling it a dinner.

Ideas, anyone?

FOOD UPDATE

The hotel manager has been on top of my concerns today and sent me some additional information. She fully understands and respects our concerns after how dinner by them turned out last year.
Apparently they have recently started working with Hooters, Ruby Tuesday and Uno's Restaurant with their weekday evening reception as sponsors. Since she knows that all three of them do follow the standard health codes she has graciously agreed to allow us to use one of these restaurants to cater our dinner!! She is going to send me her contact info for each restaurant so that we can get in touch with them for menu options and prices and see if this will work for us.

I am going to see if I can get them to email me menus and prices for an event like this so I can post it for everyone to discuss....

Robbie - I may still need you to stop in and talk to them directly for the information.

That sounds much better.

YIPPEE!!!

Sounds like a winner! I could be happy with ANY of them! (sure do like those Hooter's Wings, but seldom go there because it is too noisy for me there!). If anyone with particular health issues is going to attend, and finds one place best or worst for their needs, I would place extra importance on that requirement, since all 3 have food that would appeal to most people, I think. Also, I would tend to choose one over another if one is willing to offer more choices than the other 2 are offering as catered meals. Guess we won't know until we discuss it further with them. But sure glad to hear that the hotel can accommodate our concerns.

kathylove said:

Sounds like a winner! I could be happy with ANY of them! (sure do like those Hooter's Wings, but seldom go there because it is too noisy for me there!). If anyone with particular health issues is going to attend, and finds one place best or worst for their needs, I would place extra importance on that requirement, since all 3 have food that would appeal to most people, I think. Also, I would tend to choose one over another if one is willing to offer more choices than the other 2 are offering as catered meals. Guess we won't know until we discuss it further with them. But sure glad to hear that the hotel can accommodate our concerns.

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Another reason why I enjoy working with them - she really wants to keep our business so was able to find a way to assist us. As soon as I have some info on these options I will post it here.

Yes, they always seemed to be attentive to our needs...

from your description last year. That's why I was puzzled about the lack of food choices. I didn't realize it was not just them making the decision. Glad to hear that they are creative enough to figure a way around the problem.