Instructurecon (Instructurecarn) 2018 "Kids Pass"

[ken_cooper]

There isn't a 2018 Instructurecon place for specifc discussion yet, but seeing that registation is now available I noticed that there was an option for a "Kid's Pass" for $150.

One thing that I really liked about Instructurecon is that it was family friendly, and that a lot of attendees would bring their kids to the conference and with them to activities.  If they now need to purchase a pass in order to do this I'm concerned that the number of attendees bringing their kids/families is going to drop.  I hope this doesn't turn into another conference where it's only the attendees and it's common to leave families at home, but it seems as though the changes the last few years are trending in that direction.

Hopefully it's just me worrying and this isn't the direction the conference is going, just wanted to voice my concern when first seeing this.

[kona]

 @ken_cooper , I think this is a great question. I don't know the "official" answer, but from what I read on this blog - New Year’s Resolutions for InstructureCon 2018 - it sounds like the kids pass is only if you want your child to be able to eat and get some swag.

4. INTRODUCING A KID'S PASS.

To make InstructureCon even more family-friendly, you can now buy a $150 pass for children four years and older. The pass will include all event meals and some cool Instructure swag.

In my mind this meant that I would probably go ahead and get the pass for my oldest (6.5 yrs), but not for the youngest (almost 2 yrs). Yet, I would assume that they could both come with me when I attended the evening events.

[kmeeusen]

I read this the same way,  @kona  but am wondering about the upper age limit? I will likely have to order the full-meal-deal guest pass for her even if I still think of her as a kid at 16.

Oh well, I suspect she will still have a good enough time to be worth it, and too many folks were unhappy when she missed last year.

Kelley

[ken_cooper]

Thanks Kona!!

I hadn't read that blog post but it makes more sense now.  Still have a bit of a concern about not as many kids coming based upon this, but at least they had referenced it before and they are providing some added value.  Was my first time bringing kids last year and was nice that my daughter was able to see Jewel and CCR (and she loved the Casino Royale night).

Thanks Again!

[jbourne31]

I plan on bringing my kids this year, however, I'm not sure if I will purchase the kids pass.  My husband and kids are making plans to go off on grand adventures during the day, so they will likely miss most of the conference supplied meals.  

I'm hoping there will be some type of street carnival one night because that would be fun for kids!  However, $150 seems rather steep to attend one carnival.  I will probably wait until more evening event details have been released to decide if it's worth the extra expense.

[John_Lowe]

I agree with you Jessica.  My wife and kids have come to almost every InstCon with me so far, but this will be the first one where I'm likely leaving the entire family behind.  The spouse pass is expensive enough without also buying $300 in kid passes so my two girls can basically share half of a sandwich and attend some sort of carnival one night. If I decide to bring them to Colorado again, I think I'll spend that extra $695 on lots of other exciting outings and meals instead. That'll buy a whole lot of Domino's Pizza.  At these conference rates, just feeding 3/4 of your family for those two days is more expensive than a full early-bird conference registration. 

On the plus side, it looks like the #solopandas group may have a huge influx of lonely conference attendees this year.  Hopefully there won't be too many sad clown faces at the carnival night -- unless of course Judy Collins is one of the special concerts this year (JUDY COLLINS - "Send In The Clowns" with Boston Pops 1976 - YouTube). 

[ken_cooper]

 @John_Lowe ,  @jbourne3 Sorry I really hadn't looked at this thread since Kona answered my original question.

I'm going to bring 2 of my kids, but likely I'll just end up skipping the nighttime activities and will just do things with them around the area after the last session I attend for the day.

If they were free for children like the last couple of years I would probably go to the Instructure events, but for $300 I'd rather drive half an hour to Breckenridge and hit the alpine slides or coaster, or do something such as hiking or horseback riding at Keystone, since my kids would end up liking those activities more I'm sure.

The sessions get out early enough that if you aren't doing the nighttime activity there's still plenty of time.  And since you won't be eating breakfast @ the Instructure event you can sleep in and get breakfast at the resort or drive into town and grab something there even if you're out late.

I can see why they did it, but I think it's just going to discourage people from attending the Instructure events if they bring their family.  I'm driving from California and going through Yellowstone, as we went there last year and it was amazing (and want to bring my older son who stayed home with his grandparents to work at their restaurant last summer), so I am definitely not going to go by myself, but I am going to treat it like a generic conference and just show up for the sessions and then do my own thing in the evenings.

It's sad because it used to have such a good family atmosphere.  I brought my wife the last two years and had a pass for her the first year and not last year, which was unfortunate.  Seeing Jewel with my daughter was a good experience.  But seriously I just saw Katy Perry with the two I'm bringing at the Golden One Center in Sacramento for less than 300.

It's not a make or break for me going, because the sessions are great.  I just will cut out the other fluff activities this year.  I wish they would just have the conference in a cheaper location and make it more family friendly, since I think that used to be the great appeal of Instructurecon (at least what differentiated it from other conferences).

[kona]

 @ken_cooper , I’m not interpreting the kids pass thing the same as you. I interpreted it as if you wanted your child to eat and get some swag you can get the kid pass. Otherwise your child could still come with you to events and enjoy the extra amenities (bikes, paddle boats, etc), just not eat and have swag. 

Have you heard or seen something that indicates something different than this?

[ken_cooper]

 @kona ‌ I'm just basing it on the language on the registration page, where it says they will be denied entry.

If this is in fact the case, like I said I'll just do non-Instructure activities in the evenings with them, which is okay.  It's just sad because the conference did have such a nice family atmosphere previously.

Linked here:  InstructureCarn 2018 

[John_Lowe]

I read this the same way as  @ken_cooper ‌.  Much like last year when Instructure had conference bouncers (not the fun kind) stationed on the bridge leading to the area of the resort where the CCR concert was being held, if you had a badge, or if you were a kid accompanying an adult with a badge, you were allowed entry.  Otherwise, you were denied entry into that entire section of the resort.  We had a great time because I had my conference badge, my wife had her guest badge, and my kids were just occasional tagalongs.  Based on the description this year, I'm betting that the conference bouncers will be back in force, and anyone (even children) without a badge will be denied entry to pretty much everything -- likely including any sort of carnival event or even the kayaks and paddle boards which Instructure claims ownership during the con.  I suspect that this is much more than just a sandwich and swag restriction, and $695 for my wife and two girls to come to a couple of outdoor picnics and stuff with me just isn't worth it.

[kona]

Thanks for the extra info! I hadn’t read the information on the actual registration form, so that was new to me and sad to read. Reading I would have to agree that it sounds like what you are describing. 😞

[scottdennis · Accepted solution]

Hello All,

I was able to confirm that this year any minors four and above will need a kids pass in order to enter secured areas which will include meal pavilions and after hour activities but not the common areas such as where the paddle boards and bikes are located by the lake. Families are still more than welcome at Instructurecon.  We just need for everyone to pay a share of the associated costs for meals and events.  We know that a lot of people will continue to bring their families and will do other things with them in the area in the evening rather than attend the conference activities and that is totally OK.  There are a lot of attractions in the area and we hope you get out and enjoy them.  Like John said, you can buy a lot of pizza for $150.  That being said I personally hope a lot of people do choose to buy a pass for their kids so they can participate without reservations in what has always been in my experience the best, most fun series of conferences I have been able to participate in.

[ken_cooper]

Thanks so much for the reply  @scottdennis , it is nice to get an official response from Instructure.

I hope that people will still bring their children, and I am glad that the activities such as paddle boats, bikes, etc., won't require the kids pass.

I can see that providing food would cost more, and I could see paying more for that, but last year taking my daughter to casino night, Jewel, and CCR really didn't generate any "extra" cost for Instructure.  Since I had my wife and three kids there I didn't really eat any meals at Instructure events (aside from one of the lunches I went to and grabbed the bag), but I do see the extra cost associated with that if you guys were having to provide 3 or 4 meals for each attendee at every Instructure meal.

It's just sad that for the activities that would not have a direct cost to Instructure, that they are still making the choice to not be as family friendly.  Since I'm bringing my older kids and not my wife this year, I can't really justify the cost since I'd be paying for multiple kids who likely wouldn't be that interested in the events.  It's sad that I won't be able to put one of these up on my office wall from this year's InstCon.

[scottdennis]

Thanks, Ken.  Three or four times the food costs for feeding a family vs a single attendee might be the average but I have heard accounts that exceed 3 or 4 by a long shot.  Those costs really do add up quickly. This has been an issue we have struggled with for years.  Part of it is that food and the after hours activities are usually not mutually exclusive.  It doesn't work to say, 'Please come into the carnival but don't eat the food!'  We struggle to try to keep the cost of the event low so that as many people as possible can come and not providing free food for people who are not purchasing passes is one way we can do that.

[ken_cooper]

Yeah I completely agree on providing food who aren't paying isn't a good solution.  I don't think that letting them into Decatur field at mealtime is needed for sure.  And something like wristbands to get food likely wouldn't work if people are taking advantage of the system anyways.  It's sad a small proportion of the attendees ruined the benefit for the rest of us.

It's just the events like Jewel and casino night that my kids would be been interested in anyhow. 

If Instructure provided individual event passes that would be preferable over the $150 kids pass when they aren't going to want to go to breakfast or lunch, and would rather eat in the room or at River Run (in room for breakfast, river run for lunch--pizza).  I had my ten year old, five year old and 1 year old (and wife last year), and though I ended up taking just my 10 year old to the events she literally didn't eat anything last year, so I'd end up paying for pizza at river run for dinner plus "food for her she wouldn't eat.

I would definitely buy the individual events if they were reasonably priced for kids (I mean, $10 or $15 per event), as some of them are fun for kids, but since we're not eating the other meals, paying $100 or $150 per night (depending on if I am bringing 2 or 3 children--since my teenager is coming this time too) just does seem like the value is there.  I mean, my 5 year old definitely isn't going to like it enough to justify that.  If we went to all the meals and all the events it may be a better value, since it would  reduce the average cost.

But over $21 per meal seems a bit much for 5 and 10 year olds.  I'm sure that some will do it, but it's going to be a pass for me.  Thanks again for the reply Scott!

[scottdennis]

Hey Ken,

I appreciate that you are trying to do the right thing for your own family and for the families of the other tech conference attendees but the main problem there is still logistics.  Not only are the meals and after hours events typically not segregated (Jewel was moved inside at the last minute due to weather), but the costs of creating and tracking individual event tickets would not come close to the incidental revenue their sales would bring in.  Instructurecon is not a revenue generating event for Instructure.  Even though we take a loss on it we do everything we can to keep overall attendee costs as low as we can and this is one area where we need to draw the line between the needs of attendees and of dependents.

Thank you,

SD

[ken_cooper]

Really appreciate the response Scott.  Completely understand where Instructure is coming from, as anything that raises the price for all attendees would not be positive, and I would certainly not advocate for that.

Thanks Again,

Ken

[tbunag]

The costs of the guest pass and kid pass just seem pretty high for what you get.  $150 for a kid for 7 meals (assuming they eat them all) is $21 a meal.  For guests, it works out to $56 per meal!  I completely understand charging something, but it's too high for me to bother trying to attend.  Unfortunate for a family-friendly themed conference, but fairly typical of conferences in general.

[bdye]

I'm in a similar situation. I've brought family in the past and plan on doing so again this year. I was looking at getting them passes, as in the previous years I simply did not attend most after hours activities and spent time with them.

For 3 people 150+150+395=$695 . In actuality, they would only attend one or two nights while spending the majority of the time in Breckenridge. Yikes, I work in public education not the corporate world.

Unfortunately, that means I'm going to be missing out on many of the evening activities. It is very sad relatively few people took some kind of advantage of this. Each morning I saw few people for breakfast and very long lines for lunch. Right after getting a backpack, we had to go through security (approx 30 mins) to get searched just for a cold sandwich. I miss the food trucks of Park City. After that I gave up eating lunches. I wonder if the cost of security exceeds the cost of who took advantage of bringing their kids? I didn't see that many people trying to get in without badges.

I would be willing to pay for the events to bring them. If security is already checking why can't they check for a special badge or armband?

[ken_cooper]

Hi bdye!  Nice to see other people that are bringing families having the same concern.  I was hopeful that with enough feedback Instructure would reconsider this, but it seems like they are pretty set in what their vision of the conference is moving forward.

It seems that Instructure is going more corporate and less family-friendly.  Most conferences that I hear people going to during the year (or go to myself) are the type where you leave the kids at home and go to sessions all day then most folks go out and get hammered in the evenings.  It was nice that this was a conference with a completely different atmosphere and so many spouses and children were at the events.  You just didn't get that many other places, and likely won't be at Instructurecon moving forward.

With Instructurecon being in the middle of the summer I don't really want to give up that much of my kids summer time when I could be doing things with them, and instead leave them at home.  Driving out and stopping and seeing things was great last summer, and I wouldn't trade that time with my kids for sure, so I am definitely bringing them.  As I said further up in the thread I am in the same boat as you, and only really brought my daughter to the evening activities last year (lunch takes way too long and wasn't really food my kids wanted to eat, and my kids tend to sleep in and I would leave for the sessions before they woke up), and even at the evening events we went to we got food that was not provided before each one (River Run pizza FTW!).  I just can't justify buying them when I look at it from a cost/return perspective.

It's kind of freeing once you have accepted it though, since now things like going Breckenridge and hitting the Alpine slides or the gondolas (NOTE: The gondolas are FREE at Breckenridge if you are looking to ride them--if you skip the last session of the day and get there before they close at 5:30--as opposed to Keystone where they charge $78 for an adult and 2 kids over age 4...you tell me which resort is family friendly, lol), go hiking or mountain biking at Keystone, horseback riding, etc.

It's a bit more work, but it is pretty fun getting to look at all the activities around the area with your kids and picking out what you want to do each night.  Just my advice and what I have been doing.  Changes the dynamic of the conference knowing you won't be networking at the evening events, but the sessions are certainly valuable enough to go knowing that you'll only be attending them.

[bdye]

Thank You. 

We should start a FREE/Cheap list of activities around Keystone. I spent a lot of the off session time hiking. It is absolutely beautiful. We spent time in Breckenridge at several of the tourist type of places. I will have to check into horseback riding for my kids. We stayed after everyone left and the first morning afterwards woke up to a moose and her calf outside our window.

I was shocked to find out the cost for the gondola as they were free in Utah. I understand stuff costs money but really $78. We weren't riding up for mountain biking.

We hung out in River Run but didn't try the pizza. 

[kona]

Last year my kids took advantage of the free actives around the lake - they rode bikes, took a paddle boat ride, played in the sand by the lake, had fun on the wake boards, and also used the pool that we could use as part of our Condo rental. We did horseback riding in Breckenridge the day before the conference and it was a great time. I also remember seeing that they have a children's museum.

This year I've only got one over the age of 4 and I'll buy her the kids pass. That being said, I guarantee she won't eat 90% of the food, so I'm going into this knowing I'm basically buying a pass so my kids can be with me and hubby (who are both attending as paying conference attendees) during the evening activities. Luckily I've got 3 more years before I'll have to pay for the youngest (thank you August birthday!) and hopefully by then there will be a happier compromise for people who want to bring their kids to evening activities, but not pay for food. 

[tellison]

Here is a link to Kidtopia offered by the Keystone Resort.  They offer weekly activities for kids and take advantage of many of the areas around Keystone.  This schedule is still set at the winter schedule but will soon change to list summer events.