IAAPA - how many days to stay?

[A.J.]

Hey guys!

 

I'm planning a trip down to IAAPA in Orlando this year. The catch is - it goes on over a week of classes here at school.

 

My question is - how many days of the show do you recommend I attend? I want to attend all five, but I don't want to be active all over for two days and then have absolutely nothing to do the next three.

 

In case you don't know, I'm an engineering student trying to get into the industry in several years, and I'm going down to IAAPA mainly to start networking.

 

Thanks!

[SharkTums]

Going to be harsh here...

 

IAAPA is not for students networking, it's for companies to sell product/services.

 

You shouldn't go at all.

 

As I assume you're going to go anyways, just go for a day or two and try not to annoy people.

[A.J.]

I wasn't planning on being annoying, but thanks for the heads-up.

 

I'm as much interested in the cool new stuff being showcased as I am just talking to professionals. It's not like I'm going down there with a "OMFGZ0RZ HIRE ME PLZ" attitude, I just want to talk to and get to know some people. I still have several years left of school.

 

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.

[robbalvey]

I usually find myself covering almost the entire show in 1 day, and then doing a 'Pick up" of stuff on the 2nd day, with me running out of stuff to do. I would say that if you're going to go, two days at the show is enough. I think I would be pretty bored if I had to do a 3rd day.

 

But yeah, like Elissa said, the show is more for people to sell their products. It's hard enough to get people's time to do interviews, so don't be to bummed out if people don't have time to chat for long periods.

 

--Robb

[Jew]

I would recommend not going this year and signing up for the Ambassador program next year:

 

http://www.iaapa.org/expos/attractions/ShowAmbassador.asp

 

That's probably your best shot at networking.

[A.J.]

Hey, thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

 

I'm in a student group here at school, and we're like the nerds of theme park nerds. I was originally planning a trip down there by myself, but a few other people in the group are interested in getting down there as well, so we're all likely going to go down as a group.

 

As for the Show Ambassador program, I was also considering it, but I hit a slide this time around. Because I've been in mass lecture classes, I really haven't gotten the opportunity to get to know a faculty member that well, and a faculty member reference is required for the application. I'll most likely apply in the spring.