Information on the hotels in Orlando is already posted on the AARP Web site.  It is likely to be pretty warm but the AC will be pretty cool. I have been to many conventions (not AARP) but prices are always outrageous. You are, after all, a captive audience and if you want to eat, you pay the price. 

I live in Orlando and would be happy to help give you info on our area.  No matter what city you stay in, there's always research to be done!  Keep your eyes on www.internationaldriveorlando.com which lists everything on the drive.  You may also wish to keep abreast of the Doubltree on Kirkman Road.  The closest hotels to the Convention Center would be The Peabody (expensive), a brand new Hilton Hotel that just opened last month, the Rosen Plaza, Rennaisance at Sea World.  I think you would get more bang for your buck at any of the Suite hotels (baymont Inn, Embassy Suites, Hyatt, etc....)

There are great restaruants that cater to every price point.  One to consider is Seasons 52 (a Darden Restaurant).  All entrees are 500 calories or less and they use no salts...all natural herbs.  I'm sure as time goes on I will post places that would work for everyone......

Debbe

 It doesn't help to tell you this now<G>, but there were tables right in front of the entrance to the exhibit hall, and there were bulletin boards complete with blank cards there. There had also been some people looking to sell tickets in this group before the convention.

It's a funny thing about volunteering. I'm so not a "four hours a week in a museum gift shop" type person! But I can, and will, do what's called special events. That can be all kinds of things. A couple of weeks ago I was at the Run for Life which is in support of the NV Childhood Cancer Foundation. Not too long before that, Grand Slam which is the Agassi Foundation's big annual event. Next week I'll be at   http://standupforskateparks.org/events/lasvegas/ 

I keep an eye on sites like AARP's own Create the Good, and Volunteer Match. I find some things on my own, others seem to find me. My "rule" is simple, it has to be "worthwhile". In other words, I have to believe that money is being raised for a good cause (or if it isn't a fund raiser, that I'm not doing something which only serves to increase someone's profit margin) and I have to feel that my help is appreciated (don't leave me on a race course without water! it's happened!). It takes me interesting places, and gets me to meet nice people. Totally a win/win situation! BTW, AARP is very good to their volunteers! It's now two years since I first got involved doing things for/with them.

About that concession stand menu, it didn't necessarily reflect what items were for sale! I realized that the first time I went to one. I'd decided I wanted an Asian chicken salad and the woman behind the counter gave me a "huh?" look when I asked. During the three days I had two different types of salads and one sandwich. (Actually, I brought one salad home and didn't eat it until Sunday.) All were quite satisfactory.  

 Another bag you might want to check out is by Zuca. They have a website www.zuca.com where they sell them directly, but there also are some on eBags and Overstock.com It just happens that I saw a woman with one at the Faith Hill concert and she was raving about the thing. 

Hi, Bethany...

Thank you for your comment on my posting!  Oh, my....I guess everyone's experience is different on this trip.  Expectations always run high when we're looking forward to going somewhere.... I know I'm like that.  If you're going to the Orlando's AARP convention, I would definitely check out the prices for accomodations.  AARP should consider the prices should reflect towards us, the senior community, in all functions of their events.  Just my thoughts.....

Sorry to hear about your *hike of 45 minutes through the casinos and hotel lobbies.  LOL, I know it's not funny...I myself, at the expense of my stamina, hate walking with these feet of mine, much less I'm 4' 11", and my hubby with his long strides, him being over 6 ft, it's a *marathon to keep up with him.  The only *benefit I can think of walking far.... I *might lose some weight, or end up shopping in the shops along the way.  :)  And yes, the bus shuttle was great!  AARP did a good job on that.  The timeshare we stayed at had their shuttle schedules...so we made sure that we were near the time frame of their pick-up schedules, an extra effort we made to ensure not waiting any longer.  All these *factors are now considered for future trips and endeavors for us.  My husband is usually the *planner.... I just go along.  He's good at that, so I learn along the way.

Oh, by the way, one of the booths we stopped by, and my husband plans to buy online when it comes out, is called the 'Walkin' Bag - Lean on Me.  Women were buying it like hotcakes, because it was like a shopping bag / some like a rollaway mini suitcase, *with a seat attached if you decide to open it up that way.  The one that my hubby plans to buy online, which they haven't come out yet until next month, has inserts for your file folders *and...for your 17 inch laptop.  But the concept of seating with your rollaway was very appealing, hence, many people were buying it. LOL, I'm definitely getting one of those, too, especially for the next AARP convention that I'll be going to, so I can rest along the way, plus put all of my *goodies in this bag.  This might be of interest to you since your mobility was a challenge.  Their site is www.walkinbag.com if you're interested.... Have fun looking....

God bless you,

Cynthia

Hi, Marsha...

Thanks for commenting on my post!  And yes, we probably got back before you did to your home.  Hubby had to work the next day... And yes, I tried looking for you at the convention, since I knew were a volunteer via your postings, but after awhile, lol, I just gave up.  And as previously posted, all the volunteers and AARP did an excellent job in their efforts in making this event successful with their help and planning.  For a first-time attendee, it was fun and informative...!!

I talked to my girlfriend regarding if she was going to Florida next year, but she said her class reunion was around the same time, so she was foregoing that.  I know my hubby has something going on next year, so he's not going.  I decided to wait and see if the following year for AARP's convention, that I might be interested in going.  I told my friend(s) that AARP is having another convention in 2013, after you mentioned it, and we're excited because that is one that we will definitely be attending!!  So thank you for that information.....

I did inquire regarding some of the tickets to the concerts, but because my husband had made plans to finalize some business in Las Vegas from our previous trip there, we opted to forego seeing the shows.  I would have loved going to the dance, though.  I heard when I inquired on tickets, that people were posting it on some *board, but I didn't know what board it was.  Time was limited just being there, so I didn't look.

What a blessing that you were able to get pins.  I gave up after awhile trying to figure which booths would have them.  I decided to save my energy in just seeing all those booths that were so interesting geared to senior living.  We looked at the RVs, those converted bathtubs (my hubby and I both agreed that is something in the future we will to have in our home...yah!!), and the travel booths looked appealing.... We enjoyed seeing everything... the Health and Wellness booths were really interesting...and the Walgreen's booths, there were several, were great.  Got to take a picture of myself, too, framed and free, plus I saw friends taking pictures together.  That was neat... couldn't find my hubby for that momento, he was out and about crusing other adventures in that exhibition hall. LOL

My girlfriend took pictures of the concession stand's menu and their prices.  She and her friends were so dumbfounded with the prices, she had to take pictures of it and she even sent it to me.  It looked different from the concession stand I went to, unless they hiked up their prices on Saturday, the day we left.  I thought that was interesting since the prices were higher. (????) LOL, oh, well....

Marsha, thank you for your volunteerism....the spirit of *giving!  There's not too many people out there to give out of their selves, and expect nothing in return.  You were blessed to receive offerings of tickets and such, but I'm sure regardless, it didn't matter!  God bless you....

Cynthia

 answered privately

I was so glad to see your post this morning.  My friend and I got back to Anchorage, AK last night and are back at work.   We are both interested in more info on the Orlando trip next year.

We both had a great time, but it had nothing to do with the convention.  We both had our schedules all laid out from the Agenda website (loved it!) and it meant nothing.  Couldn't get a seat in one single stage or presentation session on our agenda.  Went to the Exhibit Hall on Thursday and Friday and I agree that there were so many goodies and what looked like lots of great booths but we couldn't personally get near them.  There were sooooo many people we couldn't move, let alone talk to people in the booths.  The trolley was a joke as it seemed that people were just using it to ride around on...not get off.  As a woman of limited mobility I found the lack of space to sit down and rest the old tired legs problematic.  We had to keep leaving to get off my hips and that 45 minute walk back and forth was killer. 

Was unable to get near the food booths any of the time that we were there.  The lines were outrageous and the prices a joke.  I also had several people tell me not to bother with continuing to stand in line as they were out of items.

We couldn't get tickets for any of the convention events so we saw Jubilee and Bette Midler and had a FABULOUS time in both shows.  All the people we met from the  AARP volunteers to the staff of the hotels were amazing!  Professional, helpful and willing to go the extra mile to help you out.  Cudos to all of you who helped put on this event.

We thought we were doing the right thing by staying in the hotel with the convention but the shuttle would have been a better deal.  That would have gotten us to the door without the 45 minute hike thru the casinos and hotel lobbies.

I heard several people comment on the same 3 things over and over again....Vegas is not fixed income, limited mobility or restricted diet friendly kind of town....at all...so who decides where the conventions will be???  I heard several people say that they wouldn't be able to go to the Orlando convention as the cost, heat and humidity to say nothing of distance would make it impossible???  I had 3  different people tell me that Orlando was more expensive than Vegas and even less likely to cater to "older citizens" than Vegas????  Know anything about this?  Any feelings on this issue?