The convenience is more important to me than the money. I am fortunate enough to be in a situation where I can easily afford it. But for some I agree with you. Especially the people who are on a tight budget, they could save quite a bit of money by staying out and using that to buy more gaming stuff/do more events at the convention. 

The whole experience with the downtown rooms reservation needs to better implemented.  I was not able to get a room for 3 people downtown.  And no there were not any rooms available when I checked in at 2:39 pm CST.  I would love to know how the system is set up.  It seems when the system goes live the downtown rooms are available immediately.  I thought I had a good chance since it was in the early afternoon.  My mistake.  How many, lack of a better word, “shifts” were there to sign in for housing?  It would make sense to have some downtown rooms allocated to each time slot.  First come first served.  That would make sense.  It seems that it was not done that way.  Too bad.  Unfortunately this event is getting to big for its location.  I also have noticed there is no advantage to going multiple years in a row.  A long term attendee should get some type of benefit.  Just throwing things out there.  I hope the system can get tweeked and better over time.  Just very frustrating with how it seems the system is ran currently.  I know you can’t please everybody, that will never happen.  I have a spouse that has been involved in very large convention planning and gave me theses points to throw out there.  I also like the convenience which is more important than the money.  Does anyone know any stats about how many downtown room reservations are cancelled?  Any suggestions on when to follow up to see if anything opens up?  

3:39 EST would have been cutting it close - I knew something was up in this story. But I still saw downtown rooms up to about 3:45.

There is simply not enough hotel inventory so that everyone who wants a downtown hotel room can get one.  Ther are 60,000+ people attending Gen Con, there is not a single city in the U.S except maybe Las Vegas with that kind of hotel inventory within walking distance of the convention center.

I bet even without a downtown hotel room, if you went you will have a great time!

Hi! Everyone, please try and remember that attending a Con with a child, or children, is a different experience than going on your own or with friends. We need someplace our kids can rest when they get tired, someplace easy to get to and from as they will want to come and go frequently, and rooming with others is rarely an option as these are children. Rooming with others doesn't work for either party. These are current and future gamers, consumers, so it would really behoove GenCon to have a special housing block for those attending with kids. It just makes fiscal sense.

I have a kid myself. That said, it doesn't make fiscal sense. Hotel room space downtown is at a premium, and will sell out regardless. So the fiscal argument is gone.

Not only that, but no way you could supply enough rooms for families with kids downtown without impacting the rest of the supply. 

Heck, the arguments about ada rooms alone should give you an idea how crazy it can it.

Would I want a dt room with a kid? Yes. With my kid? Yes. But would I ask for special privileges, no. If I get a dt room great! If not, I just have to budget that in.

Sorry.

I am grateful I get to take my son to Gen Con again this year, and hopefully every year for the foreseeable future. With or without a DT room, you have to make the best of your situation. Look at the positive experiences you will have with your children, not the negative ones.

There should not be preferential treatment for us because we had kids. You know how many attendees would be hooking up in Mar-Apr every year to have a kid in time for Gen Con housing? 

I agree - children shouldn't trigger any beneficial treatment.

However, I would like to get equal hotel lottery entries. Those of us buying adult badges for children should get another entry into the hotel lottery per badge purchased. As it stands now, we get one hotel time even though we've purchased multiple adult badges. Buying adult badges but not getting the hotel benefit kinda sucks.