After going to Baltimore this year (and having a great time), I think I'm ready to take the plunge and try to attend San Diego in 2009. My con experience is fairly limited -- WWTX for the last 3 years and Baltimore this year.
After some of the stuff I've read in the last couple of years and with it being 40th anniversary this year, I'm actually starting to plan now. Some questions for the veterans here from a noob on SDCC:
* How early is too early to start planning? I can book flights now, but not hotel.
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
* What are the better hotels to be at?
* What are the hotels to avoid?
* 4 days + preview night seems like a lot. Is there really 4 days worth of activities?
* What about family? Are there family friendly things to do near the convention center? My wife might like to come, but surely won't want to spend 4 days at the con -- she would need other stuff to do while I'm there.
* Do you need a car while there? What are alternatives?
This is likely to be my one major con in 2009. I'm thinking this one and Windy City in October. And this is likely to be the only time I'll be at SDCC for at least 5 or 10 more years, so I want to do it right.
Any advice you can give is helpful. First hand experience would be great!
thanks!
SDCC 2009 -- Questions and Planning
Moderator: JohnMayo
* How early is too early to start planning? I can book flights now, but not hotel.
Last year was too early. Now is NOT too early. I plan on getting my hotel room before the end of the year and I know Bob and I have already pre-registered for 2009.
The key is, if you want to go for the convention discount on rooms, you have to wait until that one day in February when it opens up. From what I heard, it is a headache with a lot of waiting and website crashing.
You can get your room now but you just don't get the con discount. I actually recommend this just to guarantee getting the room.
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
Depends on what is important to you and how much it is worth to you? This and other hotels near the convention center are in HIGH demand so the question to you is how important is it to you versus how much do you want to spend? Do you want the convenience of staying near by but pay a high price or would you be willing to pay less for staying away from the center?
* What are the better hotels to be at?
For me, I'm less concerned about a better hotel than a cheaper hotel and location. I'm spending most of my time at the convention center and not the hotel. But, if this is still a concern for you or you want to see what hotels offer what for your family, research online what they offer.
* What are the hotels to avoid?
Depends what is important to you. Do you want to avoid high prices? Stay out of downtown? Are you looking for cheaper alternatives? Or a motel next to a trolley line? Or parking?
* 4 days + preview night seems like a lot. Is there really 4 days worth of activities?
ABSOLUTELY!!! In fact, you will wish you were 5 different people just to see it all.
* What about family? Are there family friendly things to do near the convention center? My wife might like to come, but surely won't want to spend 4 days at the con -- she would need other stuff to do while I'm there.
Near the Con....
Horton Plaza for shopping and the Marina area.
Petco Ballpark for Baseball if the Padres are in town.
Outside of downtown.....
Balboa park with its museums and the zoo
Lego Land
Sea World
the beaches
Point Loma
Mission San Diego
* Do you need a car while there? What are alternatives?
Depends what you want to do.
If you stay downtown and plan to travel downtown, your badge will get you free shuttle rides.
The Trolley can take you to other places like the border or if you stay outside of downtown in Mission Valley.
If you want to be more mobile, renting a car isn't a bad idea but parking downtown is bad and why rent a car just to have it sit while you are at the con? Unless family needs it, I suppose.
Listen to Bob and John's San Diego episode to see if that helps as well.
Last year was too early. Now is NOT too early. I plan on getting my hotel room before the end of the year and I know Bob and I have already pre-registered for 2009.
The key is, if you want to go for the convention discount on rooms, you have to wait until that one day in February when it opens up. From what I heard, it is a headache with a lot of waiting and website crashing.
You can get your room now but you just don't get the con discount. I actually recommend this just to guarantee getting the room.
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
Depends on what is important to you and how much it is worth to you? This and other hotels near the convention center are in HIGH demand so the question to you is how important is it to you versus how much do you want to spend? Do you want the convenience of staying near by but pay a high price or would you be willing to pay less for staying away from the center?
* What are the better hotels to be at?
For me, I'm less concerned about a better hotel than a cheaper hotel and location. I'm spending most of my time at the convention center and not the hotel. But, if this is still a concern for you or you want to see what hotels offer what for your family, research online what they offer.
* What are the hotels to avoid?
Depends what is important to you. Do you want to avoid high prices? Stay out of downtown? Are you looking for cheaper alternatives? Or a motel next to a trolley line? Or parking?
* 4 days + preview night seems like a lot. Is there really 4 days worth of activities?
ABSOLUTELY!!! In fact, you will wish you were 5 different people just to see it all.
* What about family? Are there family friendly things to do near the convention center? My wife might like to come, but surely won't want to spend 4 days at the con -- she would need other stuff to do while I'm there.
Near the Con....
Horton Plaza for shopping and the Marina area.
Petco Ballpark for Baseball if the Padres are in town.
Outside of downtown.....
Balboa park with its museums and the zoo
Lego Land
Sea World
the beaches
Point Loma
Mission San Diego
* Do you need a car while there? What are alternatives?
Depends what you want to do.
If you stay downtown and plan to travel downtown, your badge will get you free shuttle rides.
The Trolley can take you to other places like the border or if you stay outside of downtown in Mission Valley.
If you want to be more mobile, renting a car isn't a bad idea but parking downtown is bad and why rent a car just to have it sit while you are at the con? Unless family needs it, I suppose.
Listen to Bob and John's San Diego episode to see if that helps as well.
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BobBretall
- Master Reviewer
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:44 pm
Ralph did a good job of answering questions, I'll add a bit, but also suggest you grab the "Surviving Comic-Con" episode & listen:
http://www.comicbookpage.com/Podcast/?p=195
* How early is too early to start planning? I can book flights now, but not hotel.
The only hotels you cannot book are the "con" hotels. I already have my hotel booked (but I stay up in Hotel Circle about 5 miles North of the con center)
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
Hotels close in are $$$$ pricey. I stay farther out, and pay less, however, I have a car (I drive down from LA) so I am not paying for a rental, which adds to your cost if you are flying in. If you stay in a con hotel, you can get by with the con shuttles, however, if you bring the wife/kids, you prob want a car so they can get around.
* 4 days + preview night seems like a lot. Is there really 4 days worth of activities?
OH YEAH!!!!!
* What about family? Are there family friendly things to do near the convention center? My wife might like to come, but surely won't want to spend 4 days at the con -- she would need other stuff to do while I'm there.
Not that much really close to the convention center (other than Horton Plaza for shopping, and that won;t take too long to exhaust). However, San Diego Zoo is world class, Old Town San Diego is worth seeing, as well as Sea World.
* Do you need a car while there? What are alternatives?
If you want to do stuff other than the con, a car is probably a good idea. The advantage of renting a car is you can get a room 5 miles away that will be enough $ less than the close in hotels, that the total price of hotel + car will be about the same as just the hotel right close to the con center. PLUS, you don't need to worry about getting your room in the 1 hour that they are available (before selling out) on the day the "con hotel reservations" open up.
http://www.comicbookpage.com/Podcast/?p=195
* How early is too early to start planning? I can book flights now, but not hotel.
The only hotels you cannot book are the "con" hotels. I already have my hotel booked (but I stay up in Hotel Circle about 5 miles North of the con center)
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
Hotels close in are $$$$ pricey. I stay farther out, and pay less, however, I have a car (I drive down from LA) so I am not paying for a rental, which adds to your cost if you are flying in. If you stay in a con hotel, you can get by with the con shuttles, however, if you bring the wife/kids, you prob want a car so they can get around.
* 4 days + preview night seems like a lot. Is there really 4 days worth of activities?
OH YEAH!!!!!
* What about family? Are there family friendly things to do near the convention center? My wife might like to come, but surely won't want to spend 4 days at the con -- she would need other stuff to do while I'm there.
Not that much really close to the convention center (other than Horton Plaza for shopping, and that won;t take too long to exhaust). However, San Diego Zoo is world class, Old Town San Diego is worth seeing, as well as Sea World.
* Do you need a car while there? What are alternatives?
If you want to do stuff other than the con, a car is probably a good idea. The advantage of renting a car is you can get a room 5 miles away that will be enough $ less than the close in hotels, that the total price of hotel + car will be about the same as just the hotel right close to the con center. PLUS, you don't need to worry about getting your room in the 1 hour that they are available (before selling out) on the day the "con hotel reservations" open up.
Thanks Guys! I've been listening to that 2008 episode again. It fills me with both wonder and dread.
John mentioned 2 hotels on the show -- the Gaslamp Hilton and a Mariott. Would be great to get your impressions of those 2 if you've stayed there.
Bob, I might consider a car if the wife comes along -- thanks for the tip. Might be cool to check out a couple of the shops in the area you guys mentioned as well. Especially if I get in early on preview night.
John mentioned 2 hotels on the show -- the Gaslamp Hilton and a Mariott. Would be great to get your impressions of those 2 if you've stayed there.
Bob, I might consider a car if the wife comes along -- thanks for the tip. Might be cool to check out a couple of the shops in the area you guys mentioned as well. Especially if I get in early on preview night.
What I meant here, is something along the lines of 'oh, everybody stays HERE, nobody stays THERE. Best post-con scene is HERE. This place is near best eating, has a good bar, etc. THAT place seems close, but is actually far from the action and mostly abandoned' etc.BobBretall wrote:
* How important is it to be at the Hyatt as opposed to other hotels?
Hotels close in are $$$$ pricey. I stay farther out, and pay less, however, I have a car (I drive down from LA) so I am not paying for a rental, which adds to your cost if you are flying in. If you stay in a con hotel, you can get by with the con shuttles, however, if you bring the wife/kids, you prob want a car so they can get around.
I'm trying to assume, at least for time being, that I'll be able to stay basically where I want with enough planning and a little luck. Since this is my first SDCC and since it doesn't look like I'll get a chance to return very soon after, I want to get the best experience I can.
I used to do a lot of traveling for work and as a result, I've turned into a bit of a hotel snob. I very much enjoy a nice, comfortable room at the end of the day rather than just a place to crash and I'll pay a little more to get it. On the other hand, I'm not at the $400 a night stage either
I'm thinking $150-$225 a night or so. You guys tell me if I'm way off base with that number.-
BobBretall
- Master Reviewer
- Posts: 5522
- Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:44 pm
The hotels right near the convention center can be $250+ per night (Maybe a bit less if you get a room during that "magic hour" when rooms open up on con hotel day). I think the Hyatt & Marriott can be $350-$400.
Most of the pros hang out @ the Hyatt, but I have always gone with kids, so I am not hanging around in bars at night. That being said, you don't need to stay at the Hyatt to hang around in the bar at the Hyatt. If you stay someplace away, you can go to the Hyatt and then go back to your hotel afterwards (unless you get falling down drunk, if that is your scene, then you should stay at that hotel, but it is $$$$).
I'll have to let someone else chime in on the nightlife, I have never been into that aspect of con (since I don't drink, and I also have only gone to con since I have had kids that I bring down with me.) The most I do is hit dinner with friends and then head back to the hotel by 11:00 or 11:30.
Also, I don't stay in dumps either. Last few years I have stayed at the Doubletree Club hotel up in hotel circle and it is very nice.
I generally use my hotel points to pay for the hotel (I travel a LOT too). That being said, I can use 160,000 points to stay near the convention center or use 80,000 points to stay farther away and use the extra 80,000 points for a family getaway some other time during the year.
Most of the pros hang out @ the Hyatt, but I have always gone with kids, so I am not hanging around in bars at night. That being said, you don't need to stay at the Hyatt to hang around in the bar at the Hyatt. If you stay someplace away, you can go to the Hyatt and then go back to your hotel afterwards (unless you get falling down drunk, if that is your scene, then you should stay at that hotel, but it is $$$$).
I'll have to let someone else chime in on the nightlife, I have never been into that aspect of con (since I don't drink, and I also have only gone to con since I have had kids that I bring down with me.) The most I do is hit dinner with friends and then head back to the hotel by 11:00 or 11:30.
Also, I don't stay in dumps either. Last few years I have stayed at the Doubletree Club hotel up in hotel circle and it is very nice.
I generally use my hotel points to pay for the hotel (I travel a LOT too). That being said, I can use 160,000 points to stay near the convention center or use 80,000 points to stay farther away and use the extra 80,000 points for a family getaway some other time during the year.