Participation/Global Gatherings 2015/Orlando/Logistics Information
Contents
Logistics information Mozlando
Useful Information:
If this is your first time in the US, there are some information that you might know, but it’s useful to remember.
Power plugs
You can find more information in wikipedia Nema 5 is the most used (2 plain parallel pins). You can purchase an international multi-adapter in any airport, or buy one directly in Orlando (that will probably works for US only). Also note that the Voltage system is 110/120 Volts. If your laptop doesn’t have an adaptor that accept this voltage, or can’t switch to this voltage, you will have to buy a “transformer” (Macs for example doesn’t need this, since the adaptor switch automatically).
Currency
The official currency is the America Dollar (USD), you cannot pay in any other currency, so please be careful and change your money at the authorized offices. You can find it at the Airport in Orlando, at your departure Airport, or directly at the hotel. ATM also can give you dollars with your credit or debit card. There are no big difference between the offices at the city, or at the airport. Since the place where you will stay (Disney) it’s very touristy, all the offices will have the same currency exchange rate.
Customs
Some of you will do Customs at Orlando, others will do it at the connecting airport. It’s very important that you say that you will be attending an event, and you are invited by Mozilla. You can present the invitation letter (if you have it), or the hotel letter (please print this if possible). Please remind that you are traveling as a tourist, you are not being paid to attend, Mozilla will pay all the expenses during the days of the event. Most important, the name of the event is All Hands (we are not calling WorkWeek anymore).
Transportation
Getting from the Airport to the Hotel
All Mozillians who have flights arriving on Sunday, December 6th, between the hours of 4:00 pm - 11:59 pm ET, and anytime on Monday, December 7th, will be transferred to the Swan & Dolphin Hotel.
If you are flying on a date/time when we are not providing shuttles, we recommend you secure a seat on a public hotel-to-airport shuttle. http://www.mearstransportation.com/global/orlando/ If you book online, you will save 10% with Promo Code WEB10. It’s 19,80 USD per person, and you can expense it if you are arriving on the 6th.
Arrivals to Orlando Int’l Airport (MCO)
Everyone will be greeted in baggage claim (even if you have no checked bags). At the bottom of the escalator, baggage claim level, look for a greeter holding up a Mozlando sign. Please identify yourself to the greeter and they will direct you to the shuttles. Transfer time from the airport to the hotel is approximately 20 minutes.
For Domestic Arrivals (the last plane you were on took off from somewhere in the U.S.)
Upon arrival, proceed to the baggage claim area of your respective airline. There are two separate baggage claims – A or B. Please listen for the announcements from your airline flight attendants or while you are on the shuttle from the gates to the main terminal, for your baggage claim. Once you exit past security, look to the left and right to see the large A or B to find your respective baggage claim.
For International Arrivals
Upon arrival, you will proceed thru Customs. Some International flights allow you to take your luggage directly from customs to the main terminal and some require you to put it on the luggage carousel and re-collect it in the main baggage claim. Regardless, you have to take the shuttle to the main terminal. Once there, please proceed down the escalator to the baggage claim, level 2. (If you go to level 1, you will be sad.)
People arriving early
If you are arriving earlier than 4 PM on the 6th, you have two options:
- Wait until that time (if you arrive 30-50 minutes before that time).
- Book a shuttle: http://www.mearstransportation.com/global/orlando/
- If you book online, you will save 10% with Promo Code WEB10. You will have to select the hotel where you stay (please double check your hotel letter), and indicate your flight number/arrival time. Transfer should be around 30 minutes to the Hotel.
There’s public buses, but you will have to go to Orlando city, and then to the hotel (estimated travel time more than 2 hours).
Note that we won’t reimburse taxis, so please use the shuttle service indicated.
Getting from the Hotel back to the Airport
Everyone departing on Saturday, December 12th, will receive shuttle transportation to MCO. You will be met by transportation staff in the hotel lobbies and assisted onto the shuttles. More details about departures will be sent while we are in Orlando and is available on the wiki.
If you have questions about transportation, please email with mozilla@shworldwide.com
If you stay longer, we won’t cover hotel costs, nor transportation expenses.
Hotel
Please bring your hotel letter printed in paper, or at least accessible from your email app on offline mode. Remember that hotels in the United States requires a guarantee for the stay. Usually they block a certain amount in the credit card. For this occasion if you don’t have one, you can leave 50 USD when you do the check in (per person in a shared room… it’s 100 if you are alone). They will return once you do the check out (and if you don’t break anything or consume something from the minibar).
Official Check in Time is 3 PM, if you arrive earlier, you can ask to leave the luggage at Reception, but you won’t be able to access the room.
Official check out time is 11 AM.
Calendar
The Mozlando Event Calendar (https://mozlando2015.sched.org) has been filled up with meetings and meals and is now ready for your consumption and sync’ing (you can sync with Google Calendar, iCal or other tools).
If you want the full menu of fun things to do with the Mozlando Event Calendar, check out the wiki here.
What to follow
You should be under a team. If you don’t know which team invited you, please contact Francisco or Emma to confirm this.
That team should probably sent you a calendar invite for meetings already, or an email with information about what to expect.
In any case, if you want, you can sign up in Sched for meetings or events you consider important. Remember that almost every meeting is free access (most of them requires a sign up to confirm amount of participants), but some meetings are team only (that means that they need to work in specific stuff probably, so it’s only for the people of that team and volunteers invited by that team).
Parks
Theme Park Passes
As contributors, you have 2 standard passes, for Tuesday and Thursday. If you wish to go to Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party one of the nights, you had time to request the switch until Friday 27 Nov. So at this point we won’t be able to accept any request to attend Magic Kingdom.
Note that park closing hours vary by day. Check here for hours on the day of your visit.
- If you choose to visit non-Disney parks (Universal, etc…) and/or not use the gift card provided for dinner, please be aware that these expenses will be at your personal expense.
Getting to the parks
We will not have Mozilla-specific transportation to the parks on Tuesday or Thursday so here are your options:
- Complimentary Walt Disney World shuttle buses arrive at the main entrance of the hotel approximately every 20 minutes to transport guests to Magic Kingdom Park, Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Downtown Disney area, and to all other Walt Disney World Resort hotels and attractions. Each bus indicates it’s destination on the outside - just jump on and go. No ticket is required.
- A Friendship Launch (this is a boat) offers complimentary access via water from the Swan & Dolphin dock, running approximately every 15 minutes to and from Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. A series of walkways will also lead you to the entrance of these Theme Parks.
Dinners
Your gift cards are valid at any Disney owned restaurant (inside and outside parks). This list is sorted by location, with information on walkability and phone numbers to make reservations. For information on dietary accommodations at any Disney restaurant, please go here.
A few words about Tuesday and Thursday evenings in Orlando. Because we had some success with the format in the past, these two evenings will be of your own to structure as you wish. Staff and volunteers will be given a theme park pass valid for both evenings after meetings are done and a gift card for your dinners. The budget per dinner is USD 50, so anything above that value has to be on your own.
Dinner on Wednesday
Like we did in Whistler, we’ll all come together mid-week to enjoy a meal and some casual time with friends and family. We’ll also get a special peek into the magic of Walt Disney World (see details below).
Our gathering will start at World ShowPlace, a venue within Epcot. We’ll enjoy an internationally themed dinner, a short Mozilla presentation, and a dessert reception with the IllumiNations fireworks show from our own Mozilla-viewing area.
Evening Agenda
6:40 pm - Meet outside Dolphin Fountain to walk to Epcot
7:00 pm - Doors open at World ShowPlace
8:15 pm - Presentation
8:45 pm - Dessert Reception Outside
9:30 pm - IllumiNations Fireworks Show
10:00 pm - Walk back to hotel
What you’ll need
- A wristband (VERY IMPORTANT). Stop by the Mozilla Information Desk in the Convention Lobby on Wednesday between 7 am and 7 pm to get a wristband. This wrist band is your ticket into Epcot & the venue.
- Your Mozlando name badge (and guest badges for your guests).
What to wear
Casual attire and walking friendly shoes (save fancy for Friday).
How to Get there
Everyone will be walking from the hotel, along Disney’s Boardwalk to the Epcot International Gateway (less than 0.5 mile). There will be helpers along the way to make sure you get there. Once you arrive at Epcot, you’ll be escorted by Epcot staff (identifiable by their colored flashlights) to World ShowPlace.
If you want to walk with a group, meet outside the Dolphin hotel at the Fountain by 6:40 pm and we’ll walk as a large group.
We will not be exploring Epcot during our event - if you want to see the full park, we recommend making plans to come over on Tuesday or Thursday.
Party on Friday
Friday evening we will all get back together, this time following our final plenary session, to close the week. The event will be held at Orlando House of Blues where we’ll celebrate with some dinner, treats, bubbly beverages and great company. There will be karaoke and dancing (of course) but also quieter spaces and video games for those who prefer that.
How you dress is up to you, but this is also our end of the year holiday party. Get fancy -- whatever that means to you (we’d be happy to see you in your fave t-shirt, and even happier in some special holiday sweaters).
Here are the specifics:
Evening Agenda
6:00 pm Shuttles start leaving Dolphin Hotel to Disney Springs
7:00 pm Doors open at House of Blues; Dinner & Drinks; Games, Karaoke & Lounging
9:00 pm DJ & Dance Party (with continued Games, Karaoke & Lounging)
12:30 am End of event
What you need
Your Mozlando name badge and Identification (you may be carded for alcohol).
Be advised that all bags will be searched. If you don’t need it, don’t bring it.
How to Get there
Mozilla hosted shuttles will be leaving from the front of the Dolphin Hotel from 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm (dinner is served until 9 pm). Looks for helped holding Mozlando signs. Doors open at 7:00 pm, so you have time to explore Disney Springs (if you would like).
They will drop on the West side of Disney Springs with a short walk to House of Blues (less than 0.10 mile). Shuttles will return to the Dolphin starting at 9:00 pm, from the West Parking Lot (same location as drop off).
