Mjb24
This will be my third year. Orange County Convention Center is new this year, but in past at WDW there was a huge bar hang out area, and tons of food and drink carts everywhere.
Sunday is outdoors, not much shade at Orange county so dress for the sun. Make sure you can get there as close to 12:30 as possible you'll need the 5 hours plus just for this part. Dewalt/proto usually have a huge tent, Lenox usually cuts up a car, can't remember who but they burn a dummy and show how different types of gloves and fabric burns and burns you.
You're saying these few booths are your top booths that you want to talk to, you're going to find some tool companies that you never heard of, but will walk away with I have to get that " xy or z tool" right now. Milwaukee has a great booth every year with tool give always every hour. Make sure to stop by C.H. Hanson booth early their shirts go fast. Also while there get a demo of their auto adjust grip pliers they usually have a few case of pliers to give away. Locktite usually have their locktite tape again that goes fast, by mid morning on Monday they're usually out.
You're going to go nuts with the amount of information that you're going to see and get. I've been to alot of large trade shows and have set up some large ones up. But by far this is the one of the most impressive show I have ever been to. I'd rank this a close second/third to the International builders show or the National hardware show.
I usually go through about 100 business cards. Its nice because unlike other shows you won't get hammed with a ton of venders calling for the next couple of weeks after the show. You can ship 1 box free Monday and Tuesday. So make sure to get lots of stuff.
Last item make sure you have good shoes.
