GenCon 2012 NerdNYC Room Block... Interested?

[Seth]

Investigating the idea of arranging group rates for GenCon Indy next year, where we put together a Nerd NYC adventuring party to own a wing of one of the skywalk connected hotels.

Idea I had was; find out the cost per person, then set up a Kickstarter project. Pony up the per-person, you're in. If we make the quota, it happens, if not, no problem. I peeked into charter bus options a little and think indy road trip is out. It's just too far IMO. Better to get a cheap plane ticket ahead of time. But now fiddling about to see if maybe we could cut our own deal on a block of rooms better than the GenCon housing block rates. I want to get a feel for how big our group might be, to see exactly what we'd be talking about. Thus, the poll

So! Speaking in the abstract, and assuming it'd be same or less than GenCon housing sky-walkable to the con...

You in?

(I'll leave this up and allow re-voting, then get serious about it in a couple months, if there's enough interest to get serious about it)

[Questionor]

how would you work number of people per room?
being in a nerdnyc wing of rooms where everyone is there sounds like fun.
sharing a room not so much fun.

[at5115]

I know faust and I want to go to Gencon next year (I've never been and want to do it once). So I would be amenable to getting involved in this.

Melissa

[jenskot]

Evilyn and I plan on going.

[Saif]

Donna and I are very likely going to be going next year.

[TheBauhausCure]

I'm hoping to go next year depending on if I'm working or not!

[Seth]

how would you work number of people per room? being in a nerdnyc wing of rooms where everyone is there sounds like fun. sharing a room not so much fun.

Thinking about ways to sort that out. Most cost effective would be couples in doubles - when I went this year it was as a Paizo tier 1 GM, where they set 4 of us up in a double with 2 queen beds. The hotel doesn't have extra cots, one guy brought an inflateabed. I shared a bed with a guy who snored. NOT optimal, but on the other hand everyone was out of the room so much I hardly noticed them otherwise, and it's the most cost effective approach. On the other hand, I'm guessing that many will want to go as couples, eg saif & donna, jesknot & evilyn, so what might work is to set the Per person at king room, and if you want it for yourself, pay it, if you're sharing, work it out between you & roomie who pledged and who pays back the other. However, I'm thinking it would be also good to have some double queen options in there for people who want to save the $$ and don't mind more to a room.

I'll work with the hotel(s) to check out all the permutations when we get to the "get serious" phase of the project in a couple months. Right now my eye is on the Courtyard Downtown (where Paizo put us up this year), as that seems the best combo of price and proximity, but if a majority would also like a different level of place that'd be good to know.

So yea, posts thought about all that here!

[jenskot]

Did they finish the Courtyard Downtown's walkway? We stayed there last year (stayed at the Westin this year). It was a little out of the way but was definitely cheaper than the Westin (which is super nice). That said, I would be flexible.

[Seth]

Yea, the walkway was up, which is what makes it now such an interesting option. It's a bit of a maze winding it's way, but I was able to walk back to the room, shower, get dinner at the hotel cafe and still be back in time for the next slot each day, all in air conditioned comfort, and the rooms are a fraction of the price Sharon and I paid the year before. But those prices may have come down generally, will have to shop around. My concept it definitly to look at hotels that are skywalk connected only.

[jenskot]

Cool!