SDCC 2016

[depluto]

No Walking Dead Experience?

[magnusr]

What are the best places to stay that are on the trolley line (or have other easy transport in and out of the con)?

I'm boning up on Hotelmageddon and will try that for sure but I want to have a good backup.

If by best you mean economical - I remember people stying at Motel 6 in Chula Vista said it was close to the trolley.

/Magnus

[THEWGZK]

I've staid in Chula Vista, wasn't awful, wasn't great either but it was "economical" faux sho. The San Diego light rail reaches a lot of places just outside down town. Here's the transit system website.
http://www.sdmts.com/schedules-real-tim ... and-routes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Elveen]

No Walking Dead Experience?

I'm gld I did it the few times we did. But I won't do it again.

The first time I did it, it was beyond all my expectations. One of the crazies things I've ever done.

[depluto]

No Walking Dead Experience?

I'm gld I did it the few times we did. But I won't do it again.

The first time I did it, it was beyond all my expectations. One of the crazies things I've ever done.

I hope they do it ... my daughter would love that.

[ilzuccone]

What are the best places to stay that are on the trolley line (or have other easy transport in and out of the con)?

I'm boning up on Hotelmageddon and will try that for sure but I want to have a good backup.

I stayed in a hotel in hotel circle last year. it had a sdcc bus stop right outside. worked fine. took a while to get to the con center is all. I'll try to figure out which hotel it was later.

I noticed the bus was full by the time we got further down the route. those hotels tended to have long lines of unhappy people. I guess being far away has it's advantages.

[depluto]

OK, any of you guys who have had luck with the downtown hotels: Is the only real trick that you just have to be fast filling out the form? Are some hotels easier to get than others? What goes faster ... the really expensive hotels or the others?

And if I crap out in Hotelmageddon is it still possible to land one of the decent Mission Valley hotels after the fact?

[lorddunlow]

I picked an early bird hotel. Slightly cheaper, but much further out in Mission Valley. Nice hotel (Hilton). It was about a 30 minute shuttle ride, but other than that I was pleased.

I picked early bird because there is no cluster**** trying to get a room like there is with the passes (as apparently that's what the main hotel registration is like).

I'd do early bird again when I go. Much less stress.

[depluto]

What did you think about the shuttle service? I like to head back to my hotel for lunch and a swim before returning to the con in the afternoon; is it too much travel time out in Mission Valley?

[depluto]

OK, here's my preliminary plan for Hotelmageddon ... six picks with distance to con and last year's nightly rate. The first four I would be happy with; the last two are hedging my bets a little.

Hilton San Diego Bayfront: 1 block, $299
Manchester Grand Hyatt: 3 blocks, $282
San Diego Marriott Gaslamp: 2 blocks, $271
San Diego Marriott Marquis: Adjacent, $296
Westin Gaslamp: 5 blocks, $267
Town and Country Resort: 5.6 miles, $188

[THEWGZK]

Those are some solid picks and good luck. You will have better chances with hotels a little further out on the bus route, or at least that has been my experience. In terms of traveling back and forth from the convention center during mid day madness can take a bit, you can probably expect an hour plus in travel time depending on where your at on the route. Speed is definitely the key for the former and having your 6 picked a head of time will help. In terms of traveling out to mission valley it will be a judgment call based on how much time you want to reasonably give up.

[lorddunlow]

What did you think about the shuttle service? I like to head back to my hotel for lunch and a swim before returning to the con in the afternoon; is it too much travel time out in Mission Valley?

45 minutes was the longest it ever took (and that was one evening when I was heading back for TWD Experience and there was some accident on the freeway or something). Other than that it was 25 - 35 minutes consistently no matter what time.

One thing I noticed is that the bus lines that were downtown (but not walking distance) seemed to always have long lines of people waiting. The bus line for the 4 hotels served by my bus was only long once. By that, I mean only one time did I have to wait for a second bus because the people waiting could not all fit on the first bus that arrived. The time I had to wait was the one evening I stayed until the convention floor closed so there was a huge exodus.

[depluto]

Now I'm starting to lean toward early bird. That way at least I can know I am getting a good hotel. Personally, I can sleep on the ground under a tree if I have to, but my wife would really like to stay someplace nice.

I'm also tacking on a few days in Vegas at the beginning of the trip.

[ilzuccone]

yeah early bird is the way to go. keep it easy.

[lorddunlow]

Now I'm starting to lean toward early bird. That way at least I can know I am getting a good hotel. Personally, I can sleep on the ground under a tree if I have to, but my wife would really like to stay someplace nice.

I'm also tacking on a few days in Vegas at the beginning of the trip.

The Hilton Mission Valley was really nice. Buying snacks/drinks at the hotel was outrageous, but if you have a car there is a Target (and entire shopping center complex) across the street (under freeway bridge actually) - I suppose you could walk if brave.

[Jace]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

[Elveen]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

Party at Jace's house!!!!

[depluto]

That sounds like a hell of a good deal, Jace.

Having my wife and daughter with me means I will have to behave a little bit this year but I am definitely going to take at least one night where I get drunk and throw up/pee off a roof. My wife will tolerate it occasionally.

[Jace]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

Party at Jace's house!!!!

Haha nice! Unfortunately the listing specifically prohibits large gathering and states that all noise must be kept to a minimum after 10pm

[lorddunlow]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

Party at Jace's house!!!!

Haha nice! Unfortunately the listing specifically prohibits large gathering and states that all noise must be kept to a minimum after 10pm

Let's just hope they're Canadian and just don't mind:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 98781.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Elveen]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

Party at Jace's house!!!!

Haha nice! Unfortunately the listing specifically prohibits large gathering and states that all noise must be kept to a minimum after 10pm

Mime themed hide and seek party at Jace's house.

[Jace]

I rented a house on AirBnb. 4 bedroom, 2 story about 25 minutes from convention center by car. My wife and daughter are coming this year as are my mom, her husband and my sister, bro-in-law and their daughter. So we decided to go the AirBnb route. WAAAAAY cheaper than getting rooms for all of us. We are staying Tuesday through Sunday for $1000.

Party at Jace's house!!!!

Haha nice! Unfortunately the listing specifically prohibits large gathering and states that all noise must be kept to a minimum after 10pm

Mime themed hide and seek party at Jace's house.

[depluto]

Been watching plane tickets on Kayak for about a week ... seems like they are cheapest toward the middle of the week. We are flying in an out of Vegas again, so they are actually not too bad.

Still waiting for more hotel info from SDCC, nothing yet on early birds or the main sale. I'm leaning heavily towards early bird now. I also think I am just going to rent a car for the whole two weeks. Any tips on how to get a great rate there?

[Elveen]

Been watching plane tickets on Kayak for about a week ... seems like they are cheapest toward the middle of the week. We are flying in an out of Vegas again, so they are actually not too bad.

Still waiting for more hotel info from SDCC, nothing yet on early birds or the main sale. I'm leaning heavily towards early bird now. I also think I am just going to rent a car for the whole two weeks. Any tips on how to get a great rate there?

Drug mule?

[depluto]

Got my hotel ... Doubletree in Mission Valley. Might go ahead and buy plane tickets today, too. Round-trip from Jax to Vegas runs about $390 right now.

Way too excited for this to only be March.