Second Trip to Disney in Four Months!

I'm back, kittens. I've just been away for a few days at a conference in Orlando, FL. It was held at Walt Disney World's Coronado Springs Resort, which made for a gorgeous setting. Houghton Mifflin sponsored the conference on developmental education at universities and colleges, and it was one of the most worthwhile conferences I've attended--lots of practical ideas for the classroom, lots of interaction with colleagues at other institutions, and lots of resources for further consultation.

Houghton Mifflin probably chose to hold the conference at a Disney resort to attract potential attendees. In fact, many participants had brought their spouses and children and, when they weren't attending conference sessions, stole away with their families to visit the parks. However, holding it at a Disney resort had two added benefits: the natural beauty and relaxing atmosphere of the resort itself and the superior event planning and customer service of Disney. Every planning and execution detail was attended to, and we were well fed with delicious food throughout each day: breakfast, a session, mid-morning snack, a session, dinner, a session, mid-afternoon snack, a session, supper.

When the girls learned that I was going to Disney World, they asked Susan to buy me a disposable camera to take lots of photos of all the rides and attractions that I enjoyed. However, having just been to Disney World a few months ago with the family, I had no burning desire to find time in my conference schedule for evening trips to the parks. I took the camera and snapped lots of pics of the resort itself (when they're developed, some may even find their way onto the blog), but I exercised restraint and remained at the resort the whole time. There was plenty to see there to keep me occupied when I wasn't otherwise busy with conference sessions.

My next conference: Ames, IA in mid-May. Until then, my frequent flyer card is taking a breather!