Lotusphere 2008: Universal Islands of Adventure

January 9 2008

The queens of Lotusphere have just given me permission to announce...

The Wednesday night party for Lotusphere 2008 will be at Universal Studios -- Islands of Adventure.  See you at the Incredible Hulk!

Image:Lotusphere 2008: Universal Islands of Adventure

Ed Brill Highland Park, IL USA Category:  Lotusphere2008  Add/View Comments [46]

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  1. 1  Bruce Elgort http://ideajam.net | 1/9/2008 7:03:57 PM

    Woo hoo!!!!!!! I love Universal Studios. Last time we were there Jonvon, Julian, Jess, Vince, Gayle and I had a great time.

  1. 2  Yancy Lent http://planetlotus.org | 1/9/2008 7:18:17 PM

    @1 I second that! Beer and roller coasters; can't wait!

  1. 3  Sean Harris  | 1/9/2008 7:23:22 PM

    I love UIoA :^ ), but hate bussing over there :^ P

    Good times my friends.

  1. 4  Karl-Henry Martinsson  | 1/9/2008 7:27:56 PM

    Third time there, right? Well, I only been at Lotusphere since 1998, not sure where the party was before that. I had a great time at UIoA before, hopefully the conference evaluations is what made Lotus choose it again.

    Is there is a list somewhere of where the parties took place?

  1. 5  Gregg Eldred http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf | 1/9/2008 7:34:50 PM

    While I welcome the news, and a non-Disney venue, when did IBM/Lotus start to pre-announce the Wednesday Night gathering? I am probably wrong, but wasn't this one of the "secrets" of 'Sphere (much like the OGS guest speaker) where you didn't know until the day the conference started or something?

    Just wondering.

  1. 6  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 1/9/2008 8:26:51 PM

    Pretty sure we've been announcing it for years, Gregg -- especially because most people who would be considering buying a guest pass for family need to know where we're going :)

  1. 7  Bruce Elgort http://bruceelgort.com | 1/9/2008 8:38:59 PM

    @Gregg,

    You're old :-)

  1. 8  Dan.sickles  | 1/9/2008 8:42:26 PM

    Cool!! A new park for me. I still miss the live entertainment...beer, coasters and rock 'n roll!!

  1. 9  Gregg Eldred http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf | 1/9/2008 8:42:45 PM

    @Bruce,

    You may be right. :-) I had thought that in the "Early Years" this wasn't common knowledge too far in advance. Maybe I should ask someone older. <ducks and runs>

  1. 10  Jess Stratton http://www.mattandjess.net | 1/9/2008 8:59:16 PM

    Last time we were there, we were with Bruce and Gayle getting ready to go on Dueling Dragons. I put my cell phone in my pocket after settling into the front-row seat. Behind me, I hear Bruce say something to the effect of, "Who's calling me now while we're getting on the ride?" After getting off the ride, Bruce says, "Wait, Jess called me?" I take my phone out of my pocket and it said, "Connected - Bruce Elgort". We all listened to his voice mail, which was essentially muffled sounds of us going "yaaaaayy..... wheeeeeee..... aaaaaaahhhh...."

  1. 11  Bruce Elgort http://ideajam.net | 1/9/2008 9:01:53 PM

    @Jess,

    Come to my LS sessions and you can hear that voice mail played for everybody :-)

    @Gregg,

    You and me on the Hulk - maybe we can record a podcast.

  1. 12  Stephen  | 1/9/2008 10:17:48 PM

    Can you kidnap me and bring me with you? Or get someone to hire me on in another department so I can go? I'm sorta serious. Need another job before my contract runs out.

  1. 13  Danny Lawrence  | 1/9/2008 10:20:14 PM

    ALLRIGHT!!!

    Frell incredible Hulk, Spiderman is the best ride in Orlando IMHO!

    I was resigned to Disney/MGM studios (which isn't bad), but IOA is my favorite park.

  1. 14  Gregg Eldred http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf | 1/9/2008 10:57:42 PM

    @Bruce: I'm in. Although, it may need some heavy editing later. :-)

  1. 15  Michael Bourak  | 1/10/2008 2:03:51 AM

    Spiderman rules !

  1. 16  kubo http://kubocentral.com | 1/10/2008 2:17:07 AM

    WHoehoehhhh NICE....

    TANKS ED for the announcement.

  1. 17  Theo Heselmans http://blog.xceed.be | 1/10/2008 4:31:10 AM

    Great news. One of my favorites. Especially the Dueling Dragons. Try the one after the other and you'll feel drunk ! Do this after having 2 beers, and you'll be/feel drunk for the rest of the night ;-)

  1. 18  Jim Casale  | 1/10/2008 4:46:38 AM

    Oh geeze...I get vertigo when I go on roller coasters. Please tell me there are some tame rides to go on :-)

    @Ed,

    Does the Lotusphere ticket cover the cost of flowers I have to send my wife and presents for the kids since they are ALL not too happy with me now...especially after I told them about Wednesday night :-O

  1. 19  Lars Olufsen http://www.olufsphere.com | 1/10/2008 6:08:30 AM

    I'm scared sh*tless of roller coasters. Never understood why. I can pilot a Cessna 172 or a Piper SuperCub, but sit in a car that goes over hills - not!

    I'll have that many more beers then ;-)

  1. 20  Kerr  | 1/10/2008 6:16:48 AM

    @18 "especially after I told them about Wednesday night"

    Tisk, tisk. School boy error that one. Lotusphere is one long hard slog of continuous work, work, work. There will be no time for having fun. In fact you should be expecting to be pampered on your return for working so hard to put food on the table, cloths on backs, roof over heads etc.

    ;)

  1. 21  Chris Mobley  | 1/10/2008 7:56:07 AM

    @4 - I've been trying to compile a table of "Lotusphere Lore" of all the Lotuspheres, and this is one of the items:

    1993 ?

    1994 ?

    1995 Disney/MGM

    1996 Disney/MGM

    1997 ?

    1998 ?

    1999 Sea World

    2000 Universal Studios Island of Adventure

    2001 "Wide World of Sports

    2002 Disney/MGM

    2003 Magic Kingdom

    2004 Universal Studios

    2005 Universal Studios Island of Adventure

    2006 Sea World

    2007 Animal Kingdom

    2008 Universal Studios Island of Adventure

    If anyone can fill in the blanks I would be grateful.

    Other items I've captured a good bit of is: theme phrase, OGS host, CGS guest, key announcements, attendance, key memorable moments.

    I'd be glad to share the rest of it. Maybe I'll post it on the Lotusphere Wiki.

  1. 22  Vince Betro  | 1/10/2008 8:19:23 AM

    1997 Magic Kingdom

    1998 MGM

  1. 23  Chris Mobley  | 1/10/2008 8:22:58 AM

    @21 - Ok, I posted it over on the CULT Lotusphere Wiki.

    Enjoy: { Link }

    I'd love to see the missing info filled in.

  1. 24  Dan Sickles  | 1/10/2008 8:57:11 AM

    1996 - Universal Studios - Neville Brothers

  1. 25  Chris Jerabek  | 1/10/2008 9:02:04 AM

    1996 - Universal Studios with JAWS and ET. I was there.

  1. 26  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 1/10/2008 9:04:59 AM

    @25 me, too -- there was this guy in line behind me for that Earthquake ride...hmm, Ray somebody...

  1. 27  Curt Stone http://www.curtsisland.com | 1/10/2008 11:05:10 AM

    Missed that by a mile. I thought Disney Studios.

    Can't wait!

  1. 28  Kevin Mort  | 1/10/2008 11:14:35 AM

    All I know is if I get to ride the Hulk coaster...it is a good day.

    Spiderman in the front seat is just a bonus.

  1. 29  sheila  | 1/10/2008 11:23:20 AM

    Excellent! I was hoping for IOA...Spiderman, Dr. Doom, and @18 Cat in the Hat :c) Here I come!

  1. 30  Jim Casale  | 1/10/2008 11:33:13 AM

    @29 Cat in the Hat? OK I feel dumb..I don't get it :-(

  1. 31  Richard Moy http://www.dominointerface.com | 1/10/2008 11:35:29 AM

    I was hoping it was either Magic Kindgom or MGM. I just hope it does not rain like last year.

  1. 32  sheila  | 1/10/2008 11:54:57 AM

    @30 "Tame ride to go on" :) It's on the Dr. Seuss side.

  1. 33  Gregg Eldred http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf | 1/10/2008 12:13:46 PM

    @26: If you are referring to whom I think you are referring . . . LOL!

  1. 34  Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 1/10/2008 12:18:08 PM

    Not after seeing 'Final Destination 3'. No way.

  1. 35  Jim Casale  | 1/10/2008 12:28:14 PM

    @32 Oooooohhhhhh..LOL Can you tell I don't get out much?

    @31 Not that I am psyched but the long range forecast in Orlando for that day is partial sunshine with a low of 59 at night

    { Link }

  1. 36  Randy Smith http://www.certprimer.com | 1/10/2008 2:59:46 PM

    @23 - I think the theme phrase for Lotusphere 2008 is "Here's Notes and Domino 8. Now go out there and kick some Micro$oft @ss!"

    I won't update the wiki with this info until I get it verified :-)

  1. 37  Dan Sickles  | 1/10/2008 3:46:23 PM

    As a side note, Disney MGM Studios has been renamed to Disney Hollywood Studios.

  1. 38  Aaron Sprunger  | 1/10/2008 8:52:50 PM

    We called today to find the guest cost, which they said was $100. That seemed much higher than in the past, but maybe I just don't have a good memory. And so we called today about the guest cost....and they said $100... :-D

  1. 39  Harry Pluta  | 1/13/2008 6:01:29 PM

    I missed '93, but '94 it was the Magic Kingdom. The wildest part was at the end of night when they set of this great fireworks show around the big castle. Huge fireworks LOTUS sign, great shell bursts. The only problem was that there was no wind at all and the smoke just hung in the air where the shell went off. By the end of the display you could not tell what was going on. Still and all a great night that one.

  1. 40  Peter Sjodin  | 1/14/2008 1:09:00 AM

    @39 - If I remember right '93 was in MGM Studios and that was in early December. Then there were no Lotusphere in '94, instead the second Lotusphere was in January '95.

  1. 41  Christopher Byrne http://www.controlscaddy.com/ | 1/14/2008 8:02:55 AM

    Hulk no...Jimmy Neutron is just the right speed for this old geezer...but Eldred is still older ;-)

  1. 42  Mike Lazar  | 1/14/2008 8:50:55 AM

    @38 -- Not sure about other years, but 2 years ago I brought a friend to Sea World, and it was $75. So, yeah...$100 seems a bit steep, especially for a 3 hour experience. Even with a smaller crowd, the lines for the coasters will be 20-30 minutes, longer if you're waiting for the front row.

  1. 43  William Capley  | 1/14/2008 9:21:57 AM

    I dont recall the year, but it was held in the Magic Kingdom and the music was provided by the Doobie Bros as I recall. Of course, this could have been another event, but I do recall it was LS. Enjoy Univeral, wish I could join you all this year!

  1. 44  Jeff Picco  | 1/14/2008 2:44:47 PM

    Right on! This looks like a lot of fun.

    The roller coaster at Sea World was a blast, but there was only one. Oh, and Shamoo.

    Looking forward to seeing everyone next week.

  1. 45  Harry Pluta  | 1/16/2008 12:55:41 PM

    @40 -- That's right it was technically '95. However I am sure it was at the Magic Kingdom that I saw the fireworks and I thought it was that second LS. I guess it is all starting to be a blurr at this point. I just remember my sales rep forgot to tell me about the first LS and did not make the same mistake on the second one, lol.