Dragon*Con 2010 - Atlanta, GA USA - Sept. 3-6, 2010

[chrisleedottv]

I cannot confirm the validity of this information but wanted to pass it on just in case.
I am still going to call the Marriott at midnight EST tonight.

More Marriott room info from cuppaco on LJ.
http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2230532.html

Marriott Marquis - Reservation Information
I just got off the phone with a *really* nice and helpful woman with reservations at the Marriott. We talked for about 15 minutes.

1) The D*C block of rooms are not going to be released until 8:00 a.m. EST Thursday, October 1st. Therefore, you cannot make reservations until 8:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning. The ONLINE CODE, ROOM RATE, and DEPOSIT INFORMATION is not currently available, and will not be available until the room block is released. The agent I spoke flatly said the idea of 100% of the total due as a "deposit" was wrong, as she has NEVER heard of the Marriott doing that.

2) The Marriott's internal e-mail regarding D*C rooms (which she read to me) informs the staff that these rooms are expected to sell out within 24 hours and there will be high call volume regarding these rooms. The block of rooms for D*C sizable (exact amount not known - implied more than last year).

3) The airline convention is BACK for next year (American Airlines, Delta, Northwest) have a convention block booked at the Marriott over Labor Day weekend. That is the only other convention block showing at the hotel besides D*C.

[Pennie Nevan]

What stupid person at Marriott and stupid person at the airplane people convention thought it was a good idea to have, once again, a portion of the rooms and convention space during DCon. 

[Dr. Oliver Cross]

Thank you for reminding me of this.  I just reserved my room, although I got one not in the Marriott but in the Sheraton.

[Erland Calwallader]

Guests are starting to show up on the web site. It is only 327 days away. I still will be packing the night before.

[Erland Calwallader]

Just missed the price break.    Next price break is 02/15/2010. It is $70 till then. I think Dragon*Con has a table in the dealers room at Chattacon.

[Matilda]

All the craziness about rooms in recent years makes me really glad I'm a local.

[Drac]

All the craziness about rooms in recent years makes me really glad I'm a local.

I'm a local too, but I still get a room coz of convenience and being a vendor each year. so far 4 years in a row! w00t!

[Erland Calwallader]

I been going to Dragoncon since 1989. When I started there where plenty of rooms available at the convention. It was the old Omni Hotel. The convention has changed over the years and now it sales out all the most of the surrounding area hotels. Oh there was a few hours only gaming was being done. Now stuff starts a day before the convention opens and doesn't stop till way after the convention.

[H. MacHinery]

I been going to Dragoncon since 1989. When I started there where plenty of rooms available at the convention. It was the old Omni Hotel. The convention has changed over the years and now it sales out all the most of the surrounding area hotels. Oh there was a few hours only gaming was being done. Now stuff starts a day before the convention opens and doesn't stop till way after the convention.

[engage Old Fart Mode]
Hell, I was at DragonCon 1, when it was in that hotel by I-75/85.  One hotel, not even all of it for con-goers.

I saw Eric Bloom and Michael Moorcock sing "Black Blade" together, backed by some local metalhead band

I watched ST:TNG premiere in someone's hotel room

I tended bar for Gary Gygax's party

Kids these days, with their multi-hotel conventions and their rebooted series'
[Disengage Old Fart Mode]

 

[Erland Calwallader]

I missed the first two. There are very few of the been to all Dragon*Con convention goers around. I take off my Pith helmet to you sir.

[Matilda]

All the craziness about rooms in recent years makes me really glad I'm a local.

I'm a local too, but I still get a room coz of convenience and being a vendor each year. so far 4 years in a row! w00t!

Last year was the first year I didn't get a hotel room, actually.  Being a costumer, I like having the convenience of just going upstairs to change, but I found that I didn't really miss having a room.  I have enough friends who attend that I can borrow their rooms to get dressed, and I live less than five minutes from downtown, so it was really easy and saved a boatload of money.  I can definitely understand why you'd need a room being a vendor, though.  If I were vending, I'd do the same.

I'm just glad I'm in a position where I don't have to do the early morning phone sprint that reserving a room has become!

[Erland Calwallader]

Having a room in one of the host hotels is wonderful. When I wear out I get to go to the room and watch Dragon*Con TV.  It is good to see the major events even if the event space is filled. The Dragon*Con TV group have thebest commercials you can see in a con.

http://web.dragoncontv.com/videos/330/

[Erland Calwallader]

Just noticed next price increase is coming up Feb. 15Th.

[Utini420]

Its the goddamned football people's fault that the rooms are as fucked as they are now, and the hotels are not doing shit to help.  For clarity, there is a big stupid foot ball game in town on the same weekend as the con.  The team playing is not from Georgia (Alabama) hence my extra (above and beyond my normal hatred of football) animosity.  Anyway, the football dipshits (if you are one and reading this, I sincerely do hope you are offended) figured out they could just tell the hotels they are with DragonCon and get access to those rooms as well, and there you go.  A shit load of extra jack asses competing for the same batch of rooms.  How hard would it be to have some kind, any kind, or check for a hotel room?

"I'd like a room during DragonCon."
"That's fine, sir.  Who is captain of the Enterprise?"
"Uhm, what?"
"Thank you sir, have a nice day."  *Click*


I'm gonna shut my yap now, before I start really going off about football.  Jesus jumping Christ, I hate me some football.

[Drac]

Its the goddamned football people's fault that the rooms are as fucked as they are now, and the hotels are not doing shit to help.  For clarity, there is a big stupid foot ball game in town on the same weekend as the con.  The team playing is not from Georgia (Alabama) hence my extra (above and beyond my normal hatred of football) animosity.  Anyway, the football dipshits (if you are one and reading this, I sincerely do hope you are offended) figured out they could just tell the hotels they are with DragonCon and get access to those rooms as well, and there you go.  A shit load of extra jack asses competing for the same batch of rooms.  How hard would it be to have some kind, any kind, or check for a hotel room?

"I'd like a room during DragonCon."
"That's fine, sir.  Who is captain of the Enterprise?"
"Uhm, what?"
"Thank you sir, have a nice day."  *Click*


I'm gonna shut my yap now, before I start really going off about football.  Jesus jumping Christ, I hate me some football.

it's also the race that causes the lack of rooms and the hotels have been getting an earful about it. from what I understand for this year (2009), everyone had to show their Dragoncon badge when they checked out to get the con rate. I could be wrong, but that was what I heard was to happen. hmmm, perhaps I'll check me sources to see if I can confirm that happened for '09 or if it's the plan for next year.*

*confirmed by head of Dragoncon security that the badge thing was supposed to go into effect for 2009, but dunno if it did.

[SashaGears]

...what if I pop all the footballs in the state of georgia >___> and now I'm reluctant to get a hotel, drunk football junkies are too much like my family :\


maybe......yeah...idk, I really wanna go though, my friend is doing an astrophysics panel or something

[Wilhelmina Frame]

not having a badge may stop you from getting the rate but it's not going to stop people from booking the rooms.

[Erland Calwallader]

The Hotels prefer to get the 4 day con-goers rather than the over night footballers. I think that's why they opened up some of the rooms on the last day of the convention. The hotels have to hold rooms for corporate customers and many of the customers use the corporate rooms for out of town games.

I think the Bama people found out the code word for Dragon*Con the first time they had the Chick-fil-a kickoff bowl. They passed it and round and got a lot of rooms. Its a shame they will not have Bama back next year. We had them broke in and many off them attended the convention. Now we have to break in the NC Tarheels and LSU. Be forwarned, DO NOT try to out drink a cajun. You will lose. I gar - ran - tee.

[H. MacHinery]

I missed the first two. There are very few of the been to all Dragon*Con convention goers around. I take off my Pith helmet to you sir.

Actually, I'm not a "attended every one" guy - I was at #1 and then did not make another until this century.

but I saw the beast at its birth.....

[lapsing into Roy Batty's 'Tannhauser Gate' speech....]

[Utini420]

I just hate them.  I hate 'em, I hate their whole god damned culture.  And DragonCon is supposed to be the ONE DAMNED WEEKEND A YEAR I don't have to endure their idiocy, their stupid game, and... I'm gonna rein that in.  The football fans are a jagged shard of NORMAL jammed into my convention of wierdness.  I do not like them, and I make for them none of the concessions and courtesies I make for others in that crowd.  I hate to admit it, but I'm kinda spoiling for a fight with them. 

[Erland Calwallader]

Utini,

Sorry to hear that. After the first year of shock and awe, I found the Bama fans started having a blast at the convention. I noticed on TV a few of the fans at the home games dressed in costume. The camera crew made certain to get them on TV. I got a hoot out of that.

[Drac]

not having a badge may stop you from getting the rate but it's not going to stop people from booking the rooms.

but once it gets passed on that they won't get the Dragoncon rate without a badge (nor the rate given for the game and race since they booked a Dragoncon room) they'll stop stealing Dragoncon rooms trying to get a cheaper rate.

[Utini420]

No, the lower rate is irrelevant.  If you're going to Atlanta that weekend for something you really wanna be at, you're not going to balk at a discount or not.  I know when I'm struggling to find a room I don't give a damn about the discount, I just want the room.  I could really not care less what anyone is playing for a room.  If they are not there for the con, they should not be staying in the con hotels. 

Erland, I saw some of the bama fans have a  good time, too.   My position here comes from the purest, most rarefied elitism: I don't care if they are having a good time, I'd rather they not show up.  I went to the University of Alabama for four years, and I still live in Alabama.  There is, without any exaggeration, no activity engaged in by humans that I am as sick to death of having thrown in my face than SEC football. 

And I will eat my goggle strap if the folks in the stadium got into costuming by bumbling into DragonCon while in Atlanta for a foot ball game.  I'm pretty sure I know who you saw on TV, those were probably Malleteers and they are already geeks in high standing.  Its just that some of them, ya know, like foot ball too.

[Drac]

If they are not there for the con, they should not be staying in the con hotels. 

the hotels have rooms set aside for Dragoncon, the race and the game though, each with a different discount, so even if the mundys aren't snatching the con rooms they'll still be at the hotel. while I too would love to see the hotels strictly freaks 'n' geeks during con, I kow it ain't gonna happen coz it's just business for the hotels.

[Utini420]

Given the extra money the convention goes put in the others don't (they pay for a room, we pay for a room, a badge (some back to hotel) the dealers, all the other money changing hands (with people who paid for space), the beer at night, food all weekend, etc. etc. etc.) I'd think we'd get a little extra consideration.  The SEC could (they won't, but I can dream) change their schedule.  Other big events happen all year, and sometimes they are bigger than Dragon, it happens.

But DragonCon is the single biggest thing that is definitely going to happen in those hotels every year.  The hotels plan their own renovations around DragonCon -- I shit you not, the official bid requirements for the new sky walks named DragonCon specifically in terms, "if it can't handle Dragon, it ain't big enough."

It didn't used to be like this.  It was better before they showed up.  Fuck the race.  Fuck foot ball.