NYE Ballroom Blitz

Not enough seating, long wait for overpriced drinks, unorganized, uninformed staff- couldn't answer questions

The actual process of getting writbands is a nightmare and has been for the past few years. The hotels have different policies on when you can pick-up/purchase your wristbands, and it's different depending on which employee you talk to. I also had to print off my receipt to pick up the wristbands (which the instructions say nothing about) instead of just showing it to them on my phone. The more popular music in the smallest ballroom this year (it was in the large room last year) which made no sense and there was a line to get in to the ballroom, and an even longer one to get drinks. Overall, this is a cool party and a nice way to spend New Years Eve, but is not well organized at all. Not what you expect from the JW and Amway...

I stayed mostly in the 80's room which had excellent music and a great dj! The lines for drinks weren't too bad, however the drink prices were expensive for a drink that was extremely weak. barely any alcohol in the mixed drinks. We had to order them as doubles. the wrist bands were easy to find to allow you to jump from room and/or hotel to the next. I would go again next year. However I might have added an snack table along with the drink table for munchies. I got hungry by the end of the night.

The parties, settings, and variety were excellent, and it all was well organized. The band in the 70's event, Soul'd Out, at the JW Marriiott were excellent in talent, variety of music and entertainment value, playing top 40's from the 70's, 80's, and 90's, sounding always like the original artists in every song. The crowd was at first unresponsive and didn't dance, but that was not due to the band...crowds often are shy to dance until the booze flows a little longer. The other live band in the elegant big band/jazz style of the Count Basey Orchestra, River City Jazz, was also fantastic. The DJ's in other venues did a fine job pulling up music, although the two live bands were definitely the highlight of the evening and should be invited back, and their salaries doubled. All venues should have more snack opportunities available. I would say that was all that was below par and definitely needs fixing for next year, was the snacking...it was poor. Some venues seemed to have nothing in that way, which would be nice with all that alcohol available. It was great to be able to attend all 5 venues by connecting indoor walkways, and not having to go outside to get them. Also, the wristbands made it very convenient and kept out non-payers. Security people were efficient, friendly and helpful.

Basically paying for a wristband to gain entrance into a crowded, expensive bar with crappy music that's not even live. Save yourself the hassle and money, not worth it and will not be going back.

I had a lot of fun at this event! There are several ballrooms and so if one is super busy or you don't like the music there are other choices. I would say it is overpriced for what is included. It is $50 and that only includes admission to the different ballrooms, not drinks or anything else. I would go to this again because of the limited choices that are available to gr for nye.

The evening was very poorly organized. We primarily wanted to go to the 20's themed party at the JW. We parked there and went to where the party was. The woman just outside the entrance to the hotel in the skywalk asked for our tickets, we showed them, and she had us go in. When we got to the door of the actual party, the person working that door told us we needed wristbands, but he didn't know where to get them. He said he though you got them at Amway. At the Amway, we had to ask 2 different security people and the front desk to finally find out there was one little card table where you were supposed to get them. Virtually no way finding anywhere in either hotel. Then, once we got our wristbands, we had to go to the gift shop in order to cut the very long extra strap off. Really? The person putting on the bands isn't allowed to have scissors? And we didn't get there until around 9:15-9:30 when the parties started at 8:00, so it wasn't like we were early. After the half hour of being told the wrong places to go, we did finally get back to the JW for the party. The band was pretty good and on theme, but when they were on break current pop songs were playing, so it didn't stay consistent with a theme party. The bartenders did pretty well and prices were fair. However, since there were no restrooms in the party room, you had to leave, again no signage of how to leave, so some people were leaving where we came in. That got stopped as the line to get in picked up, though you didn't know this until you fought your way all the way to the front (and at the time, the ONLY) door and someone made you turn around and find another way out. Upon our return, there were people from the hotel standing at the doors where we came out not letting us back in and yelling to everyone that we had to go stand in line again to get in the front door. Literally yelling...only shouting "Line, line, LINE!" No instruction or anything, just LINE! What is the point of paying for a ticket and getting stamped if you have to wait in line every time you have to go to the bathroom? We had to sneak in through a side door with about 25 other people to avoid the 30+ minute wait to get back in. Only after one of our friends waited in line to get back in (because now all the doors were being guarded), the front door "bouncer" told them that since they had a stamp they could've just walked up to the front and gotten in. No one else told us this, again no signage to state this, plus in doing so it wasn't like there was a second entrance for re-entry (which would have only added one person of additional staff, rather than the 2-5 people they had guarding doors, but hey, I'm not as smart as all those people planning parties at the Amway and JW), so you literally and to push your way past all the people in line and have them get all pissy with you while doing so. Overall, for the second or third year of this even, it was extremely poorly organized, no information was available to guests, let alone people working it, and I'd never waste my money going back to any event here if this is indicative of how they put one on.

Waste of time and Money. A whole bunch of plastic people in plastic suits trying to act all grown up. We spent more time walking to each party than actually in the party.

I had a great time at the 2013 Ballroom Blitz! Amway Grand Plaza has the infrastructure and facilities to host a classy party! They had 3 beautiful ballrooms to choose from with a different theme at each. I went to all 3! At midnight I watched to ball drop from inside a warm and cozy ballroom filled with a bunch of festive party goers! I can't see myself ever spending New Years Eve at a bar again. I'll definitely be celebrating New Years Eve at Amway Grand Plaza again this year!