Saddened
Posted by chad c. warwick

I've attended GENCON every year since Milwaukee except for one.  Missed it two years ago because of an operation.  Now, at 72 with a disability, I find that I can't get anything close enough to make attendance feasible.  I haven't heard of any busing or other means of getting downtown from the outlying hotels. There wasn't any from my place last year.  I'll try to deal with it this year because I'm still devoted to gaming, but it looks like GENCON has moved on from people like me.  Good luck GENCON.  I still want you to succeed.  

Posted by aaronmlopez

There hasn't been a shuttle service from outlying hotels during Gen Con for a number of years though Lyft had a special rate for Gen Con attendees during the Con. I am not sure about Uber, but I know they are running during Gen Con as well. 

Posted by deadsaidfred

I’d suggest not giving up all hope just yet - there is a good bit of time between now and then and rooms do appear back in the pool...

Posted by chaos62417

what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000. that is basically the same price as the downtown hotels. And if history has taught me anything I would assume if the airport hotels are that close in price to the downtown hotels you can expect the Downtown prices to increase as they know their added value. 

Hope gencon understands just how much less money this means people can spend on games and other Gen con things because the housing budget is getting higher and higher.

Posted by grognard262 chad c. warwick

chad c. warwick wrote:I haven't heard of any busing or other means of getting downtown from the outlying hotels. 

My wife and I stayed near the airport last year, and getting to and from the convention with Uber was incredibly easy and fast (~15 min).  Way easier than taking a bus.

Posted by dwe113

yeah uber...or lyft....or drive and get a gate 10 pass which includes a shuttle from their lots

last year we stayed like 15 minutes away to the East instead of by the airport and it was like $70 a night

Posted by att_turan chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000.

My group got rooms at two different airport hotels today that were both $140 and change...

Posted by mhayward1978 chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000. that is basically the same price as the downtown hotels. And if history has taught me anything I would assume if the airport hotels are that close in price to the downtown hotels you can expect the Downtown prices to increase as they know their added value. 
Hope gencon understands just how much less money this means people can spend on games and other Gen con things because the housing budget is getting higher and higher.
try booking outlying hotels on services like hotels.com, direct with the hotel brand, etc.

ive often seen outlying hotels available me for cheaper and with better cancellation terms than through the housing block.

Posted by buffythecatslayer chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000. that is basically the same price as the downtown hotels. And if history has taught me anything I would assume if the airport hotels are that close in price to the downtown hotels you can expect the Downtown prices to increase as they know their added value. 
Hope gencon understands just how much less money this means people can spend on games and other Gen con things because the housing budget is getting higher and higher.

Something was messed up with some of the airport hotels.  When some of my group went to book a room at our normal hotel around 1:45, the rate came up at $300/night.  We chose another hotel which was $140.  Then, a few minutes later, our original choice came up at the correct rate of $145.

Posted by maijstral2 chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000. that is basically the same price as the downtown hotels. And if history has taught me anything I would assume if the airport hotels are that close in price to the downtown hotels you can expect the Downtown prices to increase as they know their added value. 
Hope gencon understands just how much less money this means people can spend on games and other Gen con things because the housing budget is getting higher and higher.
I got an airport hotel, Hilton Gardens for 145. I didn't see any in excess of 200 and most were 150ish area. I was 4:22 in the lottery so maybe I missed some stuff.

Posted by brewski chaos62417

chaos62417 wrote:
what saddened me was the huge rate hike on the airport hotels. every year at has been a conversation with me and my group as the airport hotels were around 160 a night with a four night stay coming in right around 700. This year the rate is 215 and the price was near 1000. that is basically the same price as the downtown hotels. And if history has taught me anything I would assume if the airport hotels are that close in price to the downtown hotels you can expect the Downtown prices to increase as they know their added value. 
Hope gencon understands just how much less money this means people can spend on games and other Gen con things because the housing budget is getting higher and higher.
Gen Con cares less truthfully. The less funds you have is towards the exhibitor and events. They already got their share with badge fees and exhibitors renting booth space.

Posted by wdavidlewis

I have really bad back issues and can't stand or walk for more than about 10-20 minutes without sitting for a few minutes, so I understand accessibility issues.  I can't make it across the ICC without sitting for a minute or two.

Even with that said, airport hotels are just as good if not better for me as I can take an Uber/Lyft in and have them drop me at the closest entrance to where I need to start my day.  Tell them you'll tip them well to navigate around the ICC traffic (and then do it).  The Uber/Lyft cost is easily covered by the hotel savings (assuming there are savings - there seems to be some doubt).  Another option is an AirBnB.  I did that last year and was about a 15 minute ride away.

The only downside is if you need easy access to your hotel during the day.  That can be mitigated in other ways like not buying stuff on the floor but ordering it later or having it shipped to you.

Even with accessibility issues and an unconnected hotel, Gencon can still work for you.

Posted by fethbone chad c. warwick

chad c. warwick wrote:
I've attended GENCON every year since Milwaukee except for one.  Missed it two years ago because of an operation.  Now, at 72 with a disability, I find that I can't get anything close enough to make attendance feasible.  I haven't heard of any busing or other means of getting downtown from the outlying hotels. There wasn't any from my place last year.  I'll try to deal with it this year because I'm still devoted to gaming, but it looks like GENCON has moved on from people like me.  Good luck GENCON.  I still want you to succeed.  

This was mentioned in a different thread, but 2/9/20 is not the only time the portal is open. Keep checking back 1-2 times a day. Last year I didn't bother buying my badge till April and I still got a connected hotel room in May just by religiously checking what came up. Now, if you have requirements like you must have a double or must have a really close connected hotel like the Westin (I have heard some people complain that the JW is not ideal despite being connected due to it being relatively further away), your chances may be less, but nothing is outside the realm of possibility.

Posted by qwaserity

I'm shaking my head hoping I've misread this forum but apparently I haven't. Does anyone shop for hotel rooms or just grab the nearest and dearest they can find? If you're not next to the convention center and you have to pay for parking then any hotel within 5 - 20 miles is something to look at. After taxes, I'm paying $338.28 for four nights at a hotel five miles south of Indy.

Posted by fethbone qwaserity

qwaserity wrote:
I'm shaking my head hoping I've misread this forum but apparently I haven't. Does anyone shop for hotel rooms or just grab the nearest and dearest they can find? If you're not next to the convention center and you have to pay for parking then any hotel within 5 - 20 miles is something to look at. After taxes, I'm paying $338.28 for four nights at a hotel five miles south of Indy.
The short answer, based on the experiences of myself and my friends, is yes. 

Posted by ahtnamas

If you are worried about transportation, and you have a vehicle there with you, you should consider Gate 10 Parking.  They have parking within blocks of the ICC and they have shuttles running to and from the ICC all the time.  And if they are not on a regular schedule, they give you the number to call to have the shuttle pick you up.  I have used them the last two years for parking with no issues.  And it has been $80 for 5 days this year and last year.  So it is a lot less expensive than most of what you get at the hotels and parking garages.  Best of luck.  May the dice be ever in your favor!

Posted by funny-shaped dice fethbone

fethbone wrote:
qwaserity wrote:
I'm shaking my head hoping I've misread this forum but apparently I haven't. Does anyone shop for hotel rooms or just grab the nearest and dearest they can find? If you're not next to the convention center and you have to pay for parking then any hotel within 5 - 20 miles is something to look at. After taxes, I'm paying $338.28 for four nights at a hotel five miles south of Indy.
The short answer, based on the experiences of myself and my friends, is yes. 

I hate to say it but it comes down to privilege and/or planning i.e. if you are able to remove the cost from the factors you need to consider - either because you earn enough or because you save and budget throughout the year - then you can grab the nearest hotel and be done with it.

Years ago, I never grabbed the nearest - I looked for the cheapest options because I was either on a much tighter budget or traveling with companions who were.  Now, my wife and I grab the nearest we can - we plan throughout the year and our income is better able to support it.

Regardless, while there are some advantages to the downtown experience (mostly that my wife and I can leave the con area at different times without inconveniencing the other) - we’ve never not had a good Gen Con regardless of where we’ve stayed.

Posted by tinabear81 funny-shaped dice

funny-shaped dice wrote:
fethbone wrote:
qwaserity wrote:
I'm shaking my head hoping I've misread this forum but apparently I haven't. Does anyone shop for hotel rooms or just grab the nearest and dearest they can find? If you're not next to the convention center and you have to pay for parking then any hotel within 5 - 20 miles is something to look at. After taxes, I'm paying $338.28 for four nights at a hotel five miles south of Indy.
The short answer, based on the experiences of myself and my friends, is yes. 

I hate to say it but it comes down to privilege and/or planning i.e. if you are able to remove the cost from the factors you need to consider - either because you earn enough or because you save and budget throughout the year - then you can grab the nearest hotel and be done with it.Years ago, I never grabbed the nearest - I looked for the cheapest options because I was either on a much tighter budget or traveling with companions who were.  Now, my wife and I grab the nearest we can - we plan throughout the year and our income is better able to support it.
Regardless, while there are some advantages to the downtown experience (mostly that my wife and I can leave the con area at different times without inconveniencing the other) - we’ve never not had a good Gen Con regardless of where we’ve stayed.
My partner and I are having this discussion now. We both plan and save to make sure we have enough money to support this trip as it is our main fun trip for us during the year. I’d rather get a room at one of the Embassy Suites or Hampton Inns outside of downtown and get a nicer room and a yummy breakfast. He wants to be closer in because he wants to sleep later and have a much shorter commute. So we tend to get as close as possible. Saving some money on a farther out hotel is nice, but saved money there is usually at least partially consumed in commuter costs. Everyone has their priorities when grabbing a room. It isn’t always about the cheapest option.

Posted by lehane qwaserity

qwaserity wrote:
I'm shaking my head hoping I've misread this forum but apparently I haven't. Does anyone shop for hotel rooms or just grab the nearest and dearest they can find? If you're not next to the convention center and you have to pay for parking then any hotel within 5 - 20 miles is something to look at. After taxes, I'm paying $338.28 for four nights at a hotel five miles south of Indy.
I am willing to pay extra for a connected hotel but I make enough money for that plus I have the fiscal discipline to budget for it throughout the year. I prefer a connected Hotel cause I like to start a game at 7am-8am and finish for the evening at midnight or so each day. A walk back to the hotel is better than trying to figure out a commute and doesn't cut the sleep down even further. 

Posted by rayken

GenCon is a totally different experience when you're in a downtown connected hotel.

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