Orlando World Center Marriott: The Ultimate Family-Friendly Events Venue

The location of Orlando World Center Marriott is quite strategic. With 450,000 square feet of meeting space and loads of kid-friendly amenities and nearby attractions, the country’s largest Marriott appeals to attendees and their families. The 2,600 self parking spaces are useful for events, as well as the covered space where up to 16 buses can load and unload. Attendees of Connect 2014 know the meeting space is almost entirely on one level and includes an entrance separate from the hotel. Planners have the option of utilizing an app that connects them to event staff directly, streamlining communication throughout their time on the property. Each of the nine on-site dining options has its own kitchen, and the catering team loves a challenge, says Destination Sales Executive Rachel Gonzalez. A recent creative venture involved hanging chocolate dipped strawberries from LED trees for an event. Gonzalez says nothing is off-limits for the events team. She recalls staff converting a storage room into a speakeasy for one group and when they lit up the front desk in bright colors for a client's meeting. Events staff at the AAA Four-Diamond hotel will brand “anything and everything,” Gonzalez says, including items in attendees’ guest rooms like soaps, pillowcases, glassware and nightlights. Each of the 2,009 guestrooms has a balcony, many of which overlook one of the four pools, heated to 83 degrees year-round. A pool renovation was completed in 2012. Forbes included Orlando World Center on its list of the "world's coolest hotel pools.” It’s easy to see why. There are three large screens to display sports or movies overlooking the main pool, a splash pad and a DJ booth. The property also has multiple waterslides—two that are 200 feet high and one standing 90 feet tall. Additional on-site amenities include the spa and Blo Bar, game room and regularly scheduled family activities such as face painting and caricature drawings. The Robert E. Cupp III 18-hole golf course covers three sides of the resort, spanning 200 acres. The resort provides a shuttle to Walt Disney World, which is 1.5 miles away. While you’re hard at work, your kids will be playing hard.

MeetingPlay Launches

Orlando World Center Marriott recently partnered with MeetingPlay, an innovative hospitality and event technology pioneer founded by Marriott alum Joe Schwinger. The app uses iBeacon technology and 3-D mapping to create an interactive wayfinding program that provides turn-by-turn, point-by-point navigation and directions. “The app provides a virtual concierge in our guests’ pockets, which aligns perfectly with our goal of providing top-notch services and interactive experiences for our group and leisure guests alike,” says Gary Dybul, director of sales and marketing at Orlando World Center Marriott.