Run for your lives! (D*C)

[Lady Arwyn]

Run for your lives! :eek:

The entire clan will be attending the 2006 Dragon*Con. I will be dragging along an almost 16 year old boy, a 13 year old boy, a 9 year old girl and an old (44 year old) curmudgeon of a husband along for the ride.

After seeing the pictures and hearing me talk about it for the last however many years the kids have been clamoring to go for a few years now. They all agree, this will be Solstice gifts for this and next year, Equinox gifts, birthday presents and birthday parties for 2006.

They already know what their costumes will be. My sewing machine will be busy for the next 9.5 months!

The airline tickets will be in their stockings this year, Equinox baskets will contain a bit of candy and their memberships, birthday presents will be the costumes and their birthday parties the hotel reservations.

Anyone know where we can getan affordable hotel room(s) for a family of 5 with easy walking access to the party? Two connecting rooms or a small suite or semi-suite would be ideal.

And does anyone know where to find gold dress-armor, specifically shoulder plates?

[Kaoru]

Well, for the past few years, we've been using the Hyatt. They may not be the cheapest, but they, the Mariott, and the Hilton have the best access, seeing as they're the host hotels. :D

[Lady Arwyn]

Affordable is key. If we stay at the Hyatt or Marriott and have to pay for two rooms we'll have to go without food to afford it.

[Kaoru]

:blink: Go without food? We don't buy food. There's a room on the second floor of the Hyatt that gives free food and drink to D*C goers. They're open just about all day/night. Hrm.. Well, I believe that there's a Best Western about a block away from the Con. Never really checked into it. Just about any of the overflow hotels should work, but they're a bit away. They're all listed on the D*C site, and all had fairly cheap price ranges, last time I looked.

[Dawn]

Days Inn is a block from the Con and isn't bad. (About $100 per night.) Don't know if they have connecting rooms or suites though.

[Priscilla]

We're going - daughter, her boyfriend, husband, me. We stay at the Marriott for convenience (and the hot tub is wonderful after a long day of walking, and you do a LOT of walking). I think we'll be going a couple days early because my daughter will by then be a Marine Biology graduate and the Atlanta Aquarium is supposed to be enormous and have one of a very few Whale Sharks in captivity. She wants to spend at least a day there. As far as food is concerned. Last year I was there with several others and our first project was to grab a taxi and go to a local supermarket where we bought a foam cooler and a bunch of stuff. Saved quite a bit of money, I think! We did go up to the "free food" for con attendees but I didn't see that they had very much. :(

[pern_queen_rider]

Gods, now I know who to contacdt if I ever go to D*C...(Wil lbe 16 for this next, same as your oldest* *sighs* Lucky boys and little girl you've got Arwyen!

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

I'm actually going this year! Me, my mom, and a friend of mine, if we can talk her parents into it.

I WANT to go as Sephiroth, but I'm having a hard time finding silver hair dye. :laugh:

[Ian]

There was a really good Sephiroth this year, as you can see here (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/DC05/Aeroth.jpg) , & he looks suitably deranged ;)

[Cavatica]

Arwyn, Taipa and I stayed at the Holiday Inn a couple of Cons ago (with a third roommate, as well), and it wasn't bad at all. We were there for three nights, and so we each only had to pay a night's worth-- I think it came to about $105 apiece. The one disadvantage is that, while it's only about two or three blocks from the Con, it's an uphill hike from the hotel-- which is good exercise and all, but not so fun if you're trying to do it first thing in the morning or in uncomfortable costume boots like the ones she was wearing.

If you want to check out that or other local hotels, there's a section on D*C's hotel page specifically for overflows (http://www.dragoncon.org/dc_location.htm#overflow). It lists prices (though I'm not sure how accurate they'll be for you, as I'm guessing many hotels have group or family rates), phone numbers, and addresses; but pretty much everything's within a few blocks of the Con, and most of them have shuttles to and from the Hyatt and Marriott if you reeeeally can't be arsed to walk.

[sglandon]

I live within four hours of Atlanta, and have people to stay with in the Atlanta area, so I, thankfully, do not have to worry about lodging. I will probably be going this year because former husband has decided to take our son. He has made this decision on the advice of one of his best friends, who is a part of the Klingon contingent in the Atlanta area. Former husband is not remotely interested in Fantasy or Sci-Fi, even though almost all of his friends and former spouse are. He just does not get it. I would pay just about anything to see the look on his face when he walks in. It is going to be great! (EVIL LAUGH!)

Aside from that enjoyment, I am so looking forward to meeting all of the people I have "known" online for so long, now.

[Teh Crazy Dragoness]

There was a really good Sephiroth this year, as you can see here (http://www.imsmultimedia.co.uk/Images/DC05/Aeroth.jpg) , & he looks suitably deranged ;)


Nice! *renews search for hair dye*

[Lady Arwyn]

OK, we've decided. We're staying at one of the two main hotels. We're going to stay in one room and put kiddos on the floor, on air mattresses.

The Hyatt is closer to the food court, less running back and forth between the two hotels (and having to go outside in the oppressive heat to go from one to the other. And closer to the main events.

However, the Marriott is much cooler looking, is quieter, and is close to the art show, the showrooms, etc, for relaxed browsing.

What do ya think?

[pern_queen_rider]

OK, we've decided. We're staying at one of the two main hotels. We're going to stay in one room and put kiddos on the floor, on air mattresses.

The Hyatt is closer to the food court, less running back and forth between the two hotels (and having to go outside in the oppressive heat to go from one to the other. And closer to the main events.

However, the Marriott is much cooler looking, is quieter, and is close to the art show, the showrooms, etc, for relaxed browsing.

What do ya think?
Marriott.

Whaaat?
I wanna be close to th eother kids/teens/youth there!

[Koolness]

one word. ELEVATOR. Marriott the average wait is a couple of minutes. I spent an hour at the Hyatt one time. The room at the Marriott was much nicer also.

[Kat]

We've always stayed at the Marriot.

[Ian]

So have we :)

The problem with the elevators at the Hyatt is basically that there aren't enough of them.

I just hope they keep the fire marshals on a short leash next year, they were realy messing things up this year.

[Lady Arwyn]

one word. ELEVATOR. Marriott the average wait is a couple of minutes. I spent an hour at the Hyatt one time. The room at the Marriott was much nicer also.
I've stayed at both and didn't notice much of a difference in waiting time. Once when we were at the Marriott my roomie finally figured out that you had to get on the elevator when it had space, no matter which way it was going, because what goes up must come down,and vice versa.

One day she was trying to get up to our room at about the same time EVERYONE else was heading up. So she caught a down elevator, with about a dozen others waiting for the up. She rode it down, then as filled on the lower floors and opened to the floor she had been on there was a large groan of dismay as those she had been waiting with realized there was no room on the elevator. So before the door closed she advised them "In order to get up you gotta go down."

As the door closed the folks in the elevator started cracking up and she realized exactly what she just said...

[Koolness]

we got off the elevator at the Hyatt one time and about 30 of us in unison starting mooing :D

It was hilarious. :santagrin

[-H-]

When it was quiet, just after the con, i took a non stop ride on the express lift in the marriott up to the top floor :evil: ... then back down again (also non stop) ... i stood up against the glass with my arms in the air like i was on a roller coaster .... it was Fun :santagrin

[Staerwyen]

maybe I will manage to go sooner or later cause it doesnt look like Ill be makeing it for 2006 either.

[Aranel]

When it was quiet, just after the con, i took a non stop ride on the express lift in the marriott up to the top floor :evil: ... then back down again (also non stop) ... i stood up against the glass with my arms in the air like i was on a roller coaster .... it was Fun :santagrin
Ya know... That doesn't really surprise me!

[Priscilla]

Got our flights arranged today. We fly out of Hartford at just before noon on the Wed. (Aug. 30) and arrive in Atlanta around 2, 2:30 ish. The next day we have tickets for and reservation/entrance time of between 9 and 10 am to the Atlanta Aquarium. We fly home again on Monday, taking the 2 something flight. Can't wait to see everyone! :ok:

[Ian]

You get in a couple of hours before us Cilla, we're due to touch down in Atlanta around 4.30pm, & we take off for the flight home (well, to Newark anyway) at 3.45pm the following Wednesday.

Want it to be September!! :bouncy:

[Lady Arwyn]

We're not going this year, and it may be a challenge to go next year, thanks to our kids sports. They have their first games of the season that weekend. I don't know how we're going to do this. :(

[Auburn]

However, the Marriott is much cooler looking, is quieter, and is close to the art show, the showrooms, etc, for relaxed browsing.

What do ya think?

Sorry you won't be making it this year Lady Arwyn.

BTW for those of you who don't know. The Art Show has been moved to the Hyatt. It will be where the Gamers usually are. The Gamers have been moved to the Hilton where Registration was last year. And Registration has been moved back to where it was before.

Are there anymore updates I've forgotten?

[Aranel]

Are there anymore updates I've forgotten?

You've forgotten that they've all gone mad and the place is now run by bunnies. That would at least explain why they've been so late on things.

[Ian]

Also, the Walk of Fame will be where the Art Show used to be, freeing up more space in the Dealer Hall for lots more stuff to buy ;)

[Lady Cin]

Correct me if I'm wrong.....

Last year the art show was accross the hall from the dealers room... downstairs in the Marriot.

????

I'm looking forward to this years Walk of Fame.

[celticdragonsong]

Correct me if I'm wrong.....

Last year the art show was accross the hall from the dealers room... downstairs in the Marriot.

????

I'm looking forward to this years Walk of Fame.


I think the art show was on the main floor of the Marriott last year. On the bottom floor with the dealers room and the Walk of Fame was a Cartoonist room.

[Ian]

The stuff opposite the Art Show in previous years (& presumably again this year) is officially the Exhibitor Hall (or something along those lines), they just happen to sell stuff as well!