Is there a chance for housing to open up?
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Posted by squirecam aabacus
#26

aabacus wrote:
hendelbolaf wrote:
There is no need to stay downtown. Save the extra $1,000 to $1,500 that you are talking about and rent a car (if you are flying into town) and park in any one of the many parking garages around the convention center. Parking will run between $22 and $30 a day plus whatever deal you can get on the rental car and then a cheaper (much cheaper) hotel 6 to 15 miles away.
I know this is said over and over again, but lack of a downtown hotel should not ruin a trip to GenCon. I have stayed downtown a total of once in the past and now this year due to a lucky lottery slot and I have enjoyed every visit. It takes a little more planning.
Tired? Go to your car or rest in a chair in a hotel or convention center, there are tons of places to rest in both.
Purchase something? Go drop it off in your car.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything or say anything that has not been said a million times, but GenCon is what you make of it and not just what happens to fall into your lap via housing lottery.
Good luck!
I have tried the: get a room way out and drive in shuffle. You're right! It works and can be a little bit of an adventure! Rental car is $100/day depending on discounts. So that works out to $150/day with taxes and parking. I'll add it to the list of maybes. May even be able to drive the 8 hours instead of fly. Dunno. Need to put that into the bucket and see what the wife is up for.  
I would drive the 8 hours, save on plane fares, and get a gate 10 parking pass if I were in your shoes. Unfortunately, some of us are too far and are forced to fly.

Posted by hendelbolaf
#27

I am not sure what “too far” is, but I drive 14 hours from Dallas. I guess if I was in California or the Pacific Northwest, I would consider flying.

Posted by squirecam hendelbolaf
#28

hendelbolaf wrote:
I am not sure what “too far” is, but I drive 14 hours from Dallas. I guess if I was in California or the Pacific Northwest, I would consider flying.
Nevada. Way too far to drive.

Posted by fethbone hendelbolaf
#29

hendelbolaf wrote:
There is no need to stay downtown. Save the extra $1,000 to $1,500 that you are talking about and rent a car (if you are flying into town) and park in any one of the many parking garages around the convention center. Parking will run between $22 and $30 a day plus whatever deal you can get on the rental car and then a cheaper (much cheaper) hotel 6 to 15 miles away.
I know this is said over and over again, but lack of a downtown hotel should not ruin a trip to GenCon. I have stayed downtown a total of once in the past and now this year due to a lucky lottery slot and I have enjoyed every visit. It takes a little more planning.
Tired? Go to your car or rest in a chair in a hotel or convention center, there are tons of places to rest in both.
Purchase something? Go drop it off in your car.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything or say anything that has not been said a million times, but GenCon is what you make of it and not just what happens to fall into your lap via housing lottery.
Good luck!
^^^^

This. The last three years I have attended GenCon, I have stayed by the airport and Uber/Cab/Lyft-ed in daily. My choice. I still had a great time. The only reason I am staying downtown this year is because I was able to pay for my hotel with points with a reservation outside the block- otherwise, there is no way that I think the added cost of paying all that money (even with the in-block rates, taxes, fees, and parking add up real quick) will add to my enjoyment of the convention that much. I could be spending that money on lots of other things!

Posted by urielblue aabacus
#30

aabacus wrote:
hendelbolaf wrote:
There is no need to stay downtown. Save the extra $1,000 to $1,500 that you are talking about and rent a car (if you are flying into town) and park in any one of the many parking garages around the convention center. Parking will run between $22 and $30 a day plus whatever deal you can get on the rental car and then a cheaper (much cheaper) hotel 6 to 15 miles away.
I know this is said over and over again, but lack of a downtown hotel should not ruin a trip to GenCon. I have stayed downtown a total of once in the past and now this year due to a lucky lottery slot and I have enjoyed every visit. It takes a little more planning.
Tired? Go to your car or rest in a chair in a hotel or convention center, there are tons of places to rest in both.
Purchase something? Go drop it off in your car.
I am not trying to convince anyone of anything or say anything that has not been said a million times, but GenCon is what you make of it and not just what happens to fall into your lap via housing lottery.
Good luck!
I have tried the: get a room way out and drive in shuffle. You're right! It works and can be a little bit of an adventure! Rental car is $100/day depending on discounts. So that works out to $150/day with taxes and parking. I'll add it to the list of maybes. May even be able to drive the 8 hours instead of fly. Dunno. Need to put that into the bucket and see what the wife is up for.  
I screwed up and thought that Hotel reg was this coming Sunday...so, for the first time in forever, I'm staying outside of downtown. Honestly, paying 170/night or so, and just driving/Lyfting in is't a huge deal, once one of my crew rents a car. Honestly, I'm looking forward to actually checking out some good food in the further-out areas, as some locals have mentioned. 

Posted by urielblue
#31

Posted by nuyawkdawg
#32

I was considering Motel 6, it's dirt cheap and I was not going to be doing anything there but sleeping and sorting swag. That would free up a pile of cash for rental and parking spot. I also looked into getting a hotel that was near a Blue-Indy station. Grab one of those to get to the convention center, park and forget. Grab another for the drive home. There is always the bus system, it is slow and ends way before you want to leave but the last time we went it was bus in the morning and uber to get back to the hotel.

Posted by squirecam nuyawkdawg
#33

nuyawkdawg wrote:
I was considering Motel 6, it's dirt cheap and I was not going to be doing anything there but sleeping and sorting swag. That would free up a pile of cash for rental and parking spot. I also looked into getting a hotel that was near a Blue-Indy station. Grab one of those to get to the convention center, park and forget. Grab another for the drive home. There is always the bus system, it is slow and ends way before you want to leave but the last time we went it was bus in the morning and uber to get back to the hotel.
If you don’t mind driving, the blue Indy idea looks like a good option.

Posted by nuyawkdawg squirecam
#34

squirecam wrote:
nuyawkdawg wrote:
I was considering Motel 6, it's dirt cheap and I was not going to be doing anything there but sleeping and sorting swag. That would free up a pile of cash for rental and parking spot. I also looked into getting a hotel that was near a Blue-Indy station. Grab one of those to get to the convention center, park and forget. Grab another for the drive home. There is always the bus system, it is slow and ends way before you want to leave but the last time we went it was bus in the morning and uber to get back to the hotel.
If you don’t mind driving, the blue Indy idea looks like a good option.
Coming out of Massachusetts, where you have to drive, and now California, where you have to drive. Motel 6 does not have a station nearby so that would be rental and parking. Only about 6 miles each way. The other hotel needs a bus ride to the closest Blue-Indy smart car and then about a 10 mile drive. 

Posted by xmidnightxeyesx
#35

I would just keep checking the housing portal whenever you can. I decided to go to the con around June last year and was able to snag a room at Crowne Plaza around the deadline for people to cancel and still only get charged $50.  I've been checking every couple hours since the block opened and managed to snag a hotel 2 miles away that someone must have just dropped. It happens but you just have to be patient. You're also not locked to the hotel you pick in the block until the res gets sent to the hotel. That means you can keep checking for a closer hotel even after you've booked. 

Posted by rhone1
#36

I was able to get a room in the hotel block every year that I tried.  Check the housing portal a few times a day and you'll get a room downtown before too long.

Posted by alans xmidnightxeyesx
#37

xmidnightxeyesx wrote:
I would just keep checking the housing portal whenever you can. I decided to go to the con around June last year and was able to snag a room at Crowne Plaza around the deadline for people to cancel and still only get charged $50.  I've been checking every couple hours since the block opened and managed to snag a hotel 2 miles away that someone must have just dropped. It happens but you just have to be patient. You're also not locked to the hotel you pick in the block until the res gets sent to the hotel. That means you can keep checking for a closer hotel even after you've booked. 
This!

Posted by komoridarkclaw
#38

I second the "Just keep checking" strategy.

This will be my third year that I did not get anything in the lottery closer than the airport. Previous two years I managed to snag a downtown room anyway by just randomly checking 1-2 times a day. 

I haven't been that lucky so far this year (It's still early in the process. There tends to be more movement May/June), but I did just move up my reservation from one 13 miles away to 8 miles away for only $4 more a night. It happens if you're persistent about checking and willing to wait.

(To be fair I did also book a backup out of block downtown, but its a difference of $145 a night vs $400 and I would much rather get downtown in block for the ~$250 they are listed on the housing faqs page for).

~Komori

Posted by gswest
#39

Sleep Inn 2.3 miles from Con is available on housing portal, others at 7 miles as well.

Posted by nuyawkdawg
#40

Once again got Keystone Crossing. Going to put it back in the mix since I got an out of block room half the distance. Does turning in a room allow you to check for other rooms again or was that it? 
 

Posted by buffythecatslayer
#41

You can check for other in-block rooms even while you have one selected. Just go in and Modify your selection, and you can find other rooms that are available. Nothing is changed until you save the new selection, and there is no charge for switching within the housing portal.

Posted by nuyawkdawg buffythecatslayer
#42

buffythecatslayer wrote:
You can check for other in-block rooms even while you have one selected. Just go in and Modify your selection, and you can find other rooms that are available. Nothing is changed until you save the new selection, and there is no charge for switching within the housing portal.
Thanks, that is very helpful. Don't think I will find a downtown room, or want to pay those prices, but it is good to know. Now if only someone wanted the room I have.

Posted by buffythecatslayer
#43

The in-block prices for downtown rooms are not insane ($200+/night), but out-of-block are going for well above $400/night.  Don't get too discouraged, rooms open up all the time, and there is a large blip in May-June, after events come out, and right before the refund date, when some people have to change their plans & not go to the Con.  The problem is you have to be checking the portal fairly often.  By the time people post here, someone has usually snapped up the room.

Posted by nuyawkdawg buffythecatslayer
#44

buffythecatslayer wrote:
The in-block prices for downtown rooms are not insane ($200+/night), but out-of-block are going for well above $400/night.  Don't get too discouraged, rooms open up all the time, and there is a large blip in May-June, after events come out, and right before the refund date, when some people have to change their plans & not go to the Con.  The problem is you have to be checking the portal fairly often.  By the time people post here, someone has usually snapped up the room.
They may not be insane, but the hotel I have out of block is under $300 for Wed through Sun. Car rental for around $250 and parking for $100 or so for duration. If this works out I may not go through that hotel lottery process again. It is all about convenience and sometimes being downtown is not convenient or affordable.  

Posted by buffythecatslayer
#45

Not sure what your point is. If you are paying $300 for an out-of-block room that is downtown, then you have a great deal. But, since you are renting a car, seems like you're not downtown, and you are way overpaying.  Nice rooms 12 miles away are about $150-$175 in-block; why pay almost double that?

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