Book your San Diego Con Hotel NOW!

[Stan Sakai]

I announced this in the News section, but it deserves repeating.

Comic-Con housing opened today (1/12). If you're even contemplating going to the con, book your room now. Tomorrow may be too late.

Go to

www.comic-con.org

and follow the hotel links, or call Comic-Con housing at:

877-552-6642

or

212-532-1660

and reserve the room with a credit card. Last year, Tom Luth did not. He did have a reservation but did not reserve it with a card. The Motel 6 was going to charge him $600/night. Of course, he did not stay there, but the closest room he could find was at the US/Mexico border.

[Wily Pueo]

I ended up making reservations through the con site at the Horton Grand Hotel (my second choice--I hoped to stay at the Omni) for 07/13/2005-07/18/2005. I wanted to arrive earlier and depart later but no dice. Hopefully, more days will be come available with cancellations. Really not a lot available at the site already, but you can keep trying and hope to get lucky with a cancellation occuring where/when you want to stay.

[Todd Shogun]

The prices are pretty high, but no where near as bad as searching online yourself. And if you think those are high, try getting a room the day of. Not even possible in most instances and if so, you're looking at rates like $600 per night at the Motel 6 in Mission Valley.

[Stan Sakai]

I ended up making reservations through the con site at the Horton Grand Hotel (my second choice--I hoped to stay at the Omni) for 07/13/2005-07/18/2005. I wanted to arrive and depart earlier but no dice. Hopefully, more days will be come available with cancellations. Really not a lot available at the site already, but you can keep trying and hope to get lucky with a cancellation occuring where/when you want to stay.

I had an interview for UGO.com at 10am (when the hotel reservations opened), so didn't actually get to make reservations until about 10:30. I had to settle for my 7th choice--3 miles from the convention center. I'm on the waiting list for my first choice.

[Stan Sakai]

I got some figures from a very reliable source:

The hotel reservation system was opened at 10 am pst. By 10:02, all the hotels within close proximity were booked, including the Manchester Grand Hyatt supposedly the "largest waterfront property" on the west coast with 1,625 rooms. By 10:30, almost all the rooms in the Gas Lamp Quarter were gone. This is not to say that there are no rooms available. You can still book rooms in a non-con hotel, or even rooms in con hotels that are not blocked for con-goers. It's just that you may have to pay a little more, that is, the standard rate. Also, rooms will open up as we get closer to the convention date as the hotels block more rooms for the con, people cancel, etc.

Interestingly, the Marriott right next to the convention center is not a con hotel. It was reserved by another group several years ago.

There also may be a few people planning to e-bay their rooms. Last year a room in Mission Valley went for $500.

Another fly in the ointment is that the Padres baseball team will be playing home games July 14-17. Last year con-goers may remember that the Padres were away during Comic-con. Petco Park is right next door to the convention center. Can you imagine all those people flocking around the convention/ball park?

[Todd Shogun]

Hmm how does one go about eBaying their room off? Isn't it reserved under a certain name and all? Maybe the reservation can be transferred...

[Mayhem]

From my time with dealing with US hotels, I'd almost say add the winner's name to the guest list for the room, then have them phone the hotel to say the original booker can't make it and that they would be in the room by themselves and submit their credit card to confirm it...

[Blambot]

NOTE to all UY dojo folks: Despite what the con website says, The US Grant hotel will be closed for renovations during the con. I called 2 days ago to try and book a room there and I was told by the receptionist that they won't even be open. Not sure hat that's all about or why the con lists them still.

Luckilly I got a hotel. It's a hike, but I don't mind the walk every day.

My convention hotel tip: CALL the hotel. Don't just rely on the online convention service. Sometimes you can get a better rate if you ask the receptionist questions. This year I got my room $10/nite cheaper than if I had gotten the same room thorugh the con.

~N

[tOkKa]

-->> ..

..is there a doctor in the house.. huh ..is there ??

..knowin' my luck we're gonna be stayin' miles away from con .. like we have the past few years.. m'oh wells.. 3 cheers for San Diego Traffic @@!! It's not to bad tho' .. they have really wonderful shuttles all over town so even if you are miles away ..you can still get around decently to con so.. g00d luck,you guys !!

..i know i'm gonna need it..

[RobbieOhio]

Lurking mode: OFF

My wife was just talking to her son and family in San Diego tonight. He's in the Navy out there, and we were able to go out two years ago, and I went to the big convention and all that. This is his last year in the Navy, and they were originally coming home in June. Now, plans have changed, and he has to stay in for his full enlistment until October. Sucks for them, but nice for us 'cause my wife has wanted to go back out there one more time before they come home.

And, I talked them all into the weekend of the Comic Con!! My wife made airline reservations tonight.

So... is it too early to think about Dojo stuff???

(Although I'm already shedding tears that this is the first Eisner Awards ceremony without Will's presence... )


Robbie
Canton, Ohio

[Todd Shogun]

No it's not too early to think about Dojo stuff!!!