This is a very big convention. There are 15-20,000 attendees for the American Education Research Association meeting and the Marriott is one of four host hotels. So there is a huge amount of traffic at the times when sessions start and end. I'm here at the Marriott also and have not found it as bad (generally 1-4 minute waits) probably better luck in the times I have been going up and down.

Because the meeting rooms are stacked up on floors 1-9 it is putting a lot of strain on the elevators. Other hotels with an escalator system are better for this sort of meeting.

Charles