Thinking about making this my first Con!

I don't know if I posted this previously, but here's a tip I might follow this year.

Unload your stuff at the hotel, and if there isn't any parking left (or if you don't want to pay like 20 bucks a day!), after unloading head up to the MARTA station on Lindbergh.  You can park there safely for the whole weekend much more cheaply ($7 a day!), and then pop back down via MARTA.  Honestly, you won't need your car the rest of the weekend.  Even when I lived in Atlanta, the Jeep was parked and never moved until I was going back to Alpharetta.

http://www.itsmarta.com/getthere/stations/lindbergh.htm

Then come Monday morn, get your stuff downstairs (which is a total pain, btw), have someone babysit it while you go fetch the car at MARTA.  You'll be taking the train from Peachtree Center, which is like a block or two away from the host hotels, back to Lindbergh to the get the car.  Obviously, after parking at Lindbergh, you head TO Peachtree Center to get to the con.

Obviously, just like you'd do at the hotel parking, keep valuables out of sight.  Car is perfectly safe, though, and if you stay all four nights, you save like $70 on parking and tipping alone.

I don't know if I posted this previously, but here's a tip I might follow this year.

Unload your stuff at the hotel, and if there isn't any parking left (or if you don't want to pay like 20 bucks a day!), after unloading head up to the MARTA station on Lindbergh.  You can park there safely for the whole weekend much more cheaply ($7 a day!), and then pop back down via MARTA.  Honestly, you won't need your car the rest of the weekend.  Even when I lived in Atlanta, the Jeep was parked and never moved until I was going back to Alpharetta.

http://www.itsmarta.com/getthere/stations/lindbergh.htm

Then come Monday morn, get your stuff downstairs (which is a total pain, btw), have someone babysit it while you go fetch the car at MARTA.  You'll be taking the train from Peachtree Center, which is like a block or two away from the host hotels, back to Lindbergh to the get the car.  Obviously, after parking at Lindbergh, you head TO Peachtree Center to get to the con.

Obviously, just like you'd do at the hotel parking, keep valuables out of sight.  Car is perfectly safe, though, and if you stay all four nights, you save like $70 on parking and tipping alone.

Yeah, these are REALLY good points.  I know I will still end up parking in the parking garage, just so I could get to the car if I wanted to... and may even load up some stuff Sunday night - but the smarter thing to do would be what you have said here. 

Yeah, these are REALLY good points.  I know I will still end up parking in the parking garage, just so I could get to the car if I wanted to... and may even load up some stuff Sunday night - but the smarter thing to do would be what you have said here. 

They are good saving money points, but it's an inconvenience. You just have to decide on what is best.

We typically start loading the car ( in the garage ) Sunday afternoon. We do more on Monday but not until 1800 at least. It is way crazy on Monday. We finish loading all the costumes on Tuesday. We don't leave until Wednesday so we have very little to take to the car by then.

Quote from: Trathor on June 09, 2009, 07:24:11 PM

Yeah, these are REALLY good points.  I know I will still end up parking in the parking garage, just so I could get to the car if I wanted to... and may even load up some stuff Sunday night - but the smarter thing to do would be what you have said here. 

They are good saving money points, but it's an inconvenience. You just have to decide on what is best.

We typically start loading the car ( in the garage ) Sunday afternoon. We do more on Monday but not until 1800 at least. It is way crazy on Monday. We finish loading all the costumes on Tuesday. We don't leave until Wednesday so we have very little to take to the car by then.

If I could get that much time off, that is how I would want to do it too! 

Oh, it's totally inconvenient, Martele, but a good option for those on a budget.  I can afford to park in the hotel garage, but with many other people sleeping on floors to save money for con, I wanted to give that option.  Seventy dollars is a lot!  I don't go to con unless I can afford the whole weekend being able to pay for the room myself, which I am blessed to be able to afford, but then I'm middle-aged and married to a lawyer.

And just to see who is reading this thread, I'm taking orders for "pie" for con.  More details on that later, but if you want some, I'm making it again this year and willing to make extra, for only the cost of the ingredients, for those that want some.

And just to see who is reading this thread, I'm taking orders for "pie" for con.  More details on that later, but if you want some, I'm making it again this year and willing to make extra, for only the cost of the ingredients, for those that want some.

me me me me me! 

I heard about it last year, and never got to try it!  I've gotta try some of your pie this year! 

Let me know how much to pitch in, I'm glad to! 

Oh, it's totally inconvenient, Martele, but a good option for those on a budget.  I can afford to park in the hotel garage, but with many other people sleeping on floors to save money for con, I wanted to give that option.  Seventy dollars is a lot!

I meant no disrespect. I completely agree if your budget is tight parking at the MARTA station is a good way to save money. If you are staying at the Hyatt it's more than $70 too. I think maybe $108 for 4 days, plus tips. I give the guys $2 every time they have to put a key in the ignition.

I don't go to con unless I can afford the whole weekend being able to pay for the room myself, which I am blessed to be able to afford, but then I'm middle-aged and married to a lawyer.

I agree completely. You can find my post somewhere on this board about how we do con. My wife retired from the military when she was 37. She has worked several jobs since then but isn't working now and doesn't need to. I'm a middle aged computer guy.

And just to see who is reading this thread, I'm taking orders for "pie" for con.  More details on that later, but if you want some, I'm making it again this year and willing to make extra, for only the cost of the ingredients, for those that want some.

I certainly want to try some. If you pass along the encoded ingredients and a special decoder ring I will make sure they are all available Saturday night.
 

This is my first Dragoncon and I have reservations at the Hilton and the Sheraton.  Which one should I stay at?

This is my first Dragoncon and I have reservations at the Hilton and the Sheraton.  Which one should I stay at?

I would say the Hilton. But recent history would say:

Hilton Pros: 
 - Closer to 'heart' of the Con
 - Same hotel as gaming for the last several years
 - Good layout on the inside of the hotel, bars/ etc, but also much more quiet at night than Mariott or Hyatt (Hyatt is always nuts)

Sheraton Pros:
 - Last year they put all of the BSG and Trekkies in the Sheraton, it feels like you are separate from everything else, but that can be nice if you want to have more focus on that kind of thing... that is if they do the same thing again this year, and who knows... no one does really. 

This is my first Dragoncon and I have reservations at the Hilton and the Sheraton.  Which one should I stay at?

I haven't stayed at either hotel but I spend a decent amount of time in the Hilton since the podcasting track is there.  Elevator access is pretty good and the rooms there seem nice.  No real experience with the Sheraton myself.

Kevin

Hilton!

Quote from: Darkly Noon on June 18, 2009, 04:28:16 PM

This is my first Dragoncon and I have reservations at the Hilton and the Sheraton.  Which one should I stay at?

I haven't stayed at either hotel but I spend a decent amount of time in the Hilton since the podcasting track is there.  Elevator access is pretty good and the rooms there seem nice.  No real experience with the Sheraton myself.

Kevin

+1 on Hilton

I agree completely. You can find my post somewhere on this board about how we do con. My wife retired from the military when she was 37. She has worked several jobs since then but isn't working now and doesn't need to. I'm a middle aged computer guy.


My sister is a middle-aged computer guy, too. (Insurance company, IT dept.)

2 out of the 3 Hoosiers would like to try PIE.  We'll contribute whatever you need.
Thanks!
Tony & Michelle