DrupalCon Rotterdam 2026 DriesNote presentation.

*** Captivating Introduction ***You already know how to build an SDC. Now what if your agent knew how to build one too — then dropped it into a page, verifie...

Liebe Drupal-Freunde Berlins! / Dear Drupal friends of Berlin! [Englisch version below] Wie jeden 1. Donnerstag des Monats, am 05.11.2026 um 19:30 – treffen wir Euch in der c-base, Rungestraße 20 (S/U...

Liebe Drupal-Freunde Berlins! / Dear Drupal friends of Berlin! [Englisch version below] Wie jeden 1. Donnerstag des Monats, am 05.11.2026 um 19:30 – treffen wir Euch in der c-base, Rungestraße 20 (S/U...

Summit contributors weigh in on which would be better: Quitting Microsoft 365 cold turkey or a gradual withdrawal. The post DrupalCon Rotterdam Focuses on Digital Sovereignty and Microsoft 365…

Summit contributors weigh in on which would be better: Quitting Microsoft 365 cold turkey or a gradual withdrawal.

Summit contributors weigh in on which would be better: Quitting Microsoft 365 cold turkey or a gradual withdrawal.

Some years ago, after a DrupalCon in the US, I received a direct message. It was kind of shocking and has been on my mind on and off ever since...

I finally made the decision that I could not attend DrupalCon Orlando 2027. Yes, I know it is six months away, but due potential event organizing responsibilities I need to make these general go/no-go decisions sooner. Here’s what _clinched_ the decision (among other concerns) as I had been weighing on it for the past several months: **It is not worth the additional required cost in travel and accommodation.** I think we have been very privileged among communities because of the _relative_ affordability compared to other events (most of that is not paying speakers). But I find the main reason, for me, is that the venue has more affordable options to stay. I confirmed this by going back through my travel plans in the last several years, but essentially the main reason is that this is expected when you choose a venue at a _resort area_. This _is_ the main attraction for this upcoming event, but it is not my attraction to the event. I do not like feeling trapped, and so resorts, cruises, and other similar types of experiences cause my anxiety to spike at times. These types of experiences are really nice—pools, spas, are culinary experiences to name a few are all really nice. But it is not worth the additional expense to me. I will still support how I can remotely as I have done for other events. I thought about it some more and decided to review past and upcoming events. I would not compare event ticket prices, only travel and accommodation. I also wouldn’t try to take into account inflation since for me costs have had inflation for the past several years, not just a few. Staying at the official hotel is almost never an option for me. ### A comparison with upcoming conferences I started by comparing the upcoming Florida DrupalCamp from 2027.01.29−0.30, which I have always desired to attend. For a 2-day event, in January, this would be _one third the cost_. The area around UCF has many accommodation options, which increase the affordability. But I wondered, what if I planned a trip to the same area at the time of DrupalCon? My flight costs would increase by about 50%, but accommodation costs would stay roughly the same (per night). If the DrupalCon venue were around UCF, it would still be **58% of the cost**. Next, I wanted to compare with DrupalCon Edinburgh 2027 in late October of next year. Although I could not find exact airline prices, historical data would help. For an international trip, I would usually need to budget additional accommodation days due to travel, and even with these days, it is only be **10% more** expensive for me, but hey, it's an international trip! What about **Drupal** Asia **Con** nect India 2027, an upcoming event in Mumbai? Flying halfway around the world is a significant expense (and time commitment), but even with that, it would be **90% of the cost** of Orlando! I feel that the similar cost of going to and staying at this Orlando resort hotel and the 2 international events is significant. The additional cost and extra anxiety does not balance out the benefits. ### A comparison with recent conferences I asked myself if this was significant based on recent conferences that I attended in the US. The most recent North America conference was held in Chicago, a city that is fairly expensive compared to where I am, so that they can pay for city services for a larger population. Even still, it was **47% of the cost** for me to have attended that one. Now, I know a certain piece of shit has basically caused even more inflation in the last year, so I factored traveling to Chicago next year at the same time as this year, and it came out to be **57% of the cost** instead. Ironically, it can be less expensive for me to fly to Orlando than it is Chicago, a shorter distance away. Likewise if I budget next year’s trip for MidCamp, one of the best 3-day Drupal events, from 2027.04.28-04.30, it would currently be **55% of the cost** of Orlando. And there are less accommodations near DuPaul University to choose from! Last year, I knew that I wanted to support the Drupal Asia (and Oceania) community and help organize DrupalCon Nara 2025, and so I budgeted and made a triangle trip of it to swing back to visit family in LA for US Thanksgiving. The conference part of Nara, including airfare, was **94% of the cost** of Orlando. It would actually have been the same this year as well. I crunched the numbers that I could find for the past several years as well, which aren't as comparable once you get pre-pandemic, but I will list them out: * Atlanta 2025 was **45% of the cost**. * Portland 2024 was 55% of the cost. * Portland 2022 was 66% of the cost (it was particularly expensive that year and I wore a mask any time I wasn’t eating or drinking, which might have saved my life). * Amsterdam 2019 was 94% of the cost, including 2 additional post-con contribution days. * Nashville 2018 was 72% the cost, and 2 additional days. * Baltimore 2017 was 53% the cost. The single biggest reason why this is not affordable is that there are no alternative accommodations. A resort area does not have walkability, and it is equally not as affordable to hire a car or pay private transit fees to commute in. Choosing a venue with these options is important for those of us that need these options in order to attend. ### My recommendations of some upcoming events So if you’re like me, and you’re trying to figure out what are some events that provide affordable accommodations, I recommend the following: * For an amazing, lost-in-translation experience on a budget, go to Mumbai this coming January, * To spend a little more than Orlando, go on a linguistic adventure with a Scotsman in Edinburgh next October, * To support the amazing Drupal folk in Florida, attend Florida DrupalCamp, * To support the amazing Drupal folk in the great lakes mega region, attend MidCamp. And there are so many more events that are probably just as affordable because they are in locations with alternative accommodations. ### Some personal thoughts My reason for attending these events is _altruistic_ —I volunteer my time to support others. But I also use it as an opportunity to relax with people with a shared interest, which is sort of like my own version of a holiday. I do use it as a networking and learning opportunity, but that is a small amount of the time that I spend at the event. Some would find this ridiculous. But I find happiness in giving back, even if I do sometimes pay for that privilege. _Not being there hurts_. But I don’t have to be there. It’s not the end of me. Or the world. It is merely a choice I make.