Expo 2014 Travel Plans & Guidelines

mertesn

Lincoln is threadjacking for official arrival / departure info!

ARRIVAL.

We officially begin at 3pm on June 18 so please try to be here by then. If you're flying into DTW, that means you should be here by noon/1pm. We welcome arrivals as early as the weekend prior if you don't mind helping during setup, but please no earlier without clearance. Usually we have some informal activities on Tuesday (17th).

DEPARTURE.

We officially end after midnight on Saturday the 21st. We do informal group brunches on Sunday. Anyone is welcome to stay as late as Monday (23rd). Please no later without clearance.

AIRPORT RIDES.

We hope you can coordinate your own airport rides from other Icrontians via this discussion. DTW is approximately 20 minutes from the house, 30 in heavy traffic. If you have a car and are able, please consider making at least 1 airport run. Icrontic will contribute gas money for drivers; see Lincoln. If you are unable to find a ride, please ask Lincoln or Brian AT LEAST A DAY PRIOR so we have time to coordinate. Taxis are stupid expensive.

POST YOURS.

Post your own travel dates. If by air, please include the flight number. We only need flight info for the flight arriving in / leaving DTW not every leg.

And now back to mertesn.
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The Arrival
- Leaving OKC June 13 or 14
- Likely stopping in Columbus to visit family
- Arriving in Detroit June 15 or 16

Staying at the Courtyard Detroit Dearborn (5200 Mercury Dr, Dearborn): $109/night + taxes
- Check in 16 June
- Check out 23 June

The Departure
- Leaving Detroit June 23
- Arriving in OKC June 23 or 24

Not fully sure how many people I can transport at the moment. I'll have room for at least one, @DeathJester gets priority since he's local. Additional passengers depends on beer capacity and other people's cargo. The car will be at capacity.

Linc

IT WAS A THOROUGH THREADJACKING M'LORD.

CB

I'll be arriving Wednesday afternoon, and leaving Sunday after lunch as usual. Not sure if (or who with) I'll be carpooling up. There a few other Cincinnati contingent going, but with Giant Catan in the back, there is only room for one passenger in my car.

I'll be staying in Mert's hotel room at the Courtyard.

Snarkasm

Arriving the 15th, happy to help as much as possible in the leadup. Will have a car, so can also do airport runs as needed. Also staying at the Courtyard (hooray Marriott points) until the 29th (will also be helping with cleanup :P). It looks like my room has 2 queens, so if anybody's feeling adventurous and wants a bed, feel free to message me.

CB

Snarkasm said:

Arriving the 15th, happy to help as much as possible in the leadup. Will have a car, so can also do airport runs as needed. Also staying at the Courtyard (hooray Marriott points) until the 29th (will also be helping with cleanup :P). It looks like my room has 2 queens, so if anybody's feeling adventurous and wants a bed, feel free to message me.

We found last year that the 2-queen rooms in the Courtyard comfortably fit three people if you ask the front desk to send up a cot, there is plenty of room in there for it, and they don't charge more for another person in the room.

Zanthian

@mertsen Where did you see the $109 a night for the Courtyard Detroit Dearborn (5200 Mercury Dr, Dearborn)?
I am checking their site and for the 18th-22nd it is showing $149 per night.

Where is the Icrontic team trying to negotiate a group rate at?

primesuspect

No plans yet, but since last year there are a couple of new hotels much closer than Dearborn. I'm sure rates will be higher than staying out in the suburbs, though if convenience trumps cost, here are some:

Doubletree
Marriott Downtown Detroit
Holiday Inn downtown.

DogDragon

here's an Idea we can look for a house for rent near ICHQ and rent it what I'm seeing is like almost a grand
for the hotel for a week so if we can find a house for rent we can fill it and spit the rental and save a lot on
the hotel this just me thinking out loud

mertesn

Zanthian said:

@mertsen Where did you see the $109 a night for the Courtyard Detroit Dearborn (5200 Mercury Dr, Dearborn)?
I am checking their site and for the 18th-22nd it is showing $149 per night.

Where is the Icrontic team trying to negotiate a group rate at?

My rate is lower due to the number of days I've reserved. It's an extended stay rate.

mertesn

Snarkasm said:

Arriving the 15th, happy to help as much as possible in the leadup. Will have a car, so can also do airport runs as needed. Also staying at the Courtyard (hooray Marriott points) until the 29th (will also be helping with cleanup :P). It looks like my room has 2 queens, so if anybody's feeling adventurous and wants a bed, feel free to message me.

They also will provide a rollaway for free which fits nicely.

mertesn

@zanthian, I just looked and if you extend the reservation by one day (18-23) the rate drops to $109/night. Interestingly that one extra day causes the whole thing to cost around $100 less. You could clear out of the room when you planned to leave anyway and checkout is automatic on the day you're supposed to leave.

Or you could have an extra day at ICHQ.

SweetDragon

Guys I am a DMC I have a contact with Marriott and can set up a free shuttle from hotel to head quarters, events and airport for the entire expo....plus I can get rooms super cheap...but I need to know how many people need to stay at the hotel....I can rent the whole floor cheaper then if you guys each make private reservations...people who already made reservations can have them changed to the group rate but I need to start the ball rolling with Marriott this week. Please call or pm so we can set up a floor rental....I just need more info from someone at headquarters.

SweetDragon

For instance if I rent a floor we can get rooms for $30-$60 night....a room can hold up to 4 people. It will include breakfast and a private shuttle 24 hours a day...seriously please let me help. I can make this happen!

Snarkasm

I mean... I'm already registered, but if you can switch an existing reservation to the group rate, count me in. I am staying longer than others, though.

Linc

Judging by last year, 20-25 people is the most you can expect which is not enough for the group rate most places.

primesuspect

We will definitely not have enough people to rent a floor

SweetDragon

I can get my rates if we book at least 10 rooms should drop to about $80 - $60 per room per night.

mertesn

Which location are you talking about?

Zanthian

I definitely would like the lower rate. Hopefully we can organize something.

Signal

I am in @SweetDragon.

SweetDragon

We can do any Marriott so someone there tell me which is the closest one. Also what is HQ's Physical address?

Ok so for a room count
Dogdragon&Reddragon, CB, Zanthian, Signal, Snarkasm that is 5 rooms so we only need 5 more....even if you are booked at the other Marriott I can get a call in number to change your reservation to the closest one....so can we get 5 more rooms? I'm on my phone so if I didn't already count you but you already have reservations please let me know.

SweetDragon

I think I missed Martesn so that means we only need 4 more rooms and Marriott usually provides a free shuttle to the closest airport....so no need for a cab...they also include a free light breakfast.

GHoosdum

CB and Mertesn and I are sharing the same room. Nick booked it at the Courtyard Marriott in Dearborn. The Marriott closest to ICHQ looks to be charging $25/day per car for parking and $21 per person for buffet breakfast, whereas the Courtyard exchanges distance for amenities, with free parking and continental breakfast.

mertesn

GHoosdum said:

CB and Mertesn and I are sharing the same room. Nick booked it at the Courtyard Marriott in Dearborn. The Marriott closest to ICHQ looks to be charging $25/day per car for parking and $21 per person for buffet breakfast, whereas the Courtyard exchanges distance for amenities, with free parking and continental breakfast.

Exactly.

Also I won't commit to any kind of changes in accommodations until I have concrete numbers to work with.

Here's the baseline for me: I have a reservation at the Dearborn Courtyard checking in on 16 June and checking out on 23 June. The whole thing will cost $843.42 after taxes. Your ballparked numbers (I'm going to use the higher $80 you mentioned), plus $25/day for parking per car (there will be two cars between CB, GHoosdum, and me), and the only benefit is a shorter drive. Assuming two cars, that's $130 per day plus taxes.

Sounds dickish, but the last time I let another party handle my travel I got screwed...and not in the good way.

Zanthian

I am fine with the further out location.

SweetDragon

Cool no worries...I think I will make the boys a private reservation and put reddragon and dogdragon out at the Marriott that is in Dearborn too since they have the free breakfast....can I make ride arrangements in advance to get to HQ for activities...I want to make sure everything is covered before they get there...pm me if anyone wants to do the driving in advance, we all know gas will cost a fortune in the summer.

Signal

So is the group block going to be at the cheaper Marriot with the free parking then?
Also, what is the average gas price in Detroit?

primesuspect

Gas price in Detroit is a little bit on the lower-than-average side.

SweetDragon

Signal said:

So is the group block going to be at the cheaper Marriot with the free parking then?
Also, what is the average gas price in Detroit?

Unless I can get at least 10 rooms to book I can't get a deal so I think everyone is on their own...but deerborn gives free breakfast....so I put the boys there.

Zanthian

We still have a little time before the event Perhaps some more people will be looking for rooms soon.

SweetDragon

That's true...if more people book at deerborn....in May I will see about getting a discount code to add to everyones individual room so it will be adjusted before check in.