They already raised badge prices by $10 this year (at least for four-day badges). They oughta use the extra money to guarantee some sort of service that ensures outlying hotel users get reliable transportation.
Everybody talking about shuttles knows that there is a shuttle service already in place, right? It's been there for a few years now. While it isn't the best with their new (as of last year) setup of having to reserve your travel times in advance, there is exactly what you are requesting in place for a nominal fee.
Those shuttle services are crap.
Currently, there are no available rooms, anywhere, through the GenCon Housing Portal after Aug. 9th. It's pointless to assign random times that aren't even close to when you can actually make a reservation.
Nearest after 2.35mins 7 Miles away...
Glad I waited to see the mythic housing portal open for me...
Now to see if I can find someone to throw me a bone...
There were problems with the shuttle the last two years. In 2014, a lot of people were at their hotels waiting for the next shuttle, only to be told, "Sorry, but the earlier stops on the route filled the bus; you'll have to get the next one (an hour from now)," and it's possible the same thing happened with the shuttles leaving the convention center, which was not good if you were left off of the last shuttle of the night. They tried to fix this in 2015 by making it a reservation-only service, but (a) the buses that left the convention left only at two-hour intervals (5 PM, 7 PM, 9 PM, 11 PM, and I think there was a 1 AM shuttle on Saturday night), and (b) you had to know in advance when your last event of the night ended.
Besides, the new calls are for a service that runs every 30 minutes, and runs all day (and possibly all night as well) (last year's shuttles stopped running from the hotels at noon, except on Saturday, and they didn't start running from the convention until 5 PM).
At my 2 hour and 40 time, closest hotel is 9 miles away. Ugh. 2 bad years in a row.
My buddy and I logged in at noon. He had 3:47 and I had 0:03. Totally random but I bought my badge at noon on Friday and he bought his at about 3pm on Friday.
I had no trouble getting us a double double at the Downtown Marriott.
Last year we couldn't attend GenCon and went to Origins instead. I have to say that while Origins was fun it wasn't GenCon. What we missed was the fact that when you walk around Indy you feel like you are part of GenCon no matter where you go downtown. At Origins if you walk a block in any direction away from the convention center you suddenly feel like you are just in the middle of a city wearing a geeky tshirt, a badge, and carrying a bag full of games.
There is no comparrison to GenCon. Especially if you go early and enjoy some of the Wednesday pre-activities.
I'm not really sure how many times I need to post it, but it looks like at least once more. This is from the the January 6th newletter:
Transportation Update In 2016, Gen Con will not contract with prior shuttle providers. Instead, Gen Con is investigating other non-shuttle transportation options for attendees. Attendees are encouraged to find the transportation and parking needs that best suit their convention and housing plans. If additional transportation options become available, Gen Con will announce them via email newsletter and messaging on gencon.com.
And I have a feeling you're going to need to post it again...except, perhaps, if you post it in its own pinned thread (with a subject line like "NO SHUTTLE SERVICE IN 2016")?
with the lower rates of the hotel rooms I would think you could afford to use Uber/Lyft and it would only take a few minutes.
Honestly, I've posted it 4 times, it's in the newsletter, it's on the actual website, I don't think making yet another pinned thread is going to help visibility.
In 9 minutes I'll have access to the housing portal! haha
Just finished. Closest hotel was 13 miles from Convention center :(
Well, at first I thought I'd get a placeholder non-downtown room, but then I saw the $50 cancellation fee and decided forget it. Just gonna wait until something opens up.
Well, since I posted that I read that report about credit card fraud in the housing block, so I think I'll wait until that gets looked into anyway.
What's this about credit card fraud in the housing block?
Nope, I've heard not one thing about that. If you'd like to back up your allegations, please do so, otherwise, please don't post false rumors.