Botcon 2015 - Chicago June 18-21

[Megatran]

I've always wondered how much these 'study' trips actually costed, flight tickets & all.

[griffin]

Out of curiosity, do you want a roommate? I'm Calling up about flight costs tomorrow & trying to swap my holidays so i can work a budget and try to go

Sounds like it could be fun.
But I'll have to get back to you a fair bit later, as two other interested people are yet to decide, and I've already promised to share with them if either go.

Just make sure you get your own accommodation reserved though, just in case one of them go and I share with them, or if I don't go at all.

I won't be deciding for sure until the Brochure comes out (probably in January), to know how long I will want to be in Chicago, and if I'm going somewhere else on the way (probably Vegas again, but for 3 or 4 nights this time).

[fatbot]

Sounds like it could be fun.
But I'll have to get back to you a fair bit later, as two other interested people are yet to decide, and I've already promised to share with them if either go.

Just make sure you get your own accommodation reserved though, just in case one of them go and I share with them, or if I don't go at all.

I won't be deciding for sure until the Brochure comes out (probably in January), to know how long I will want to be in Chicago, and if I'm going somewhere else on the way (probably Vegas again, but for 3 or 4 nights this time).

It's all good. I still don't know if I'll have the time off, I've put a swap in, but who knows if it'll be approved. Besides that, I'll have to hit smoking on the head if I'm to have the money to pay for it.

All up, I won't really know until late January if I can get there or not.

[griffin]

Tonight's episode of Man Finds Food featured Chicago... and notes were taken.

One was a secret burger that the place only makes 5 per day, a place that does a multi-meat platter that the chef makes up based on the look of the person, and another place that makes a sub with shrimp/prawns, cheese and shoestring fries. (the cheese is regular cheddar cheese that they keep in a steamer to keep it spreadable)


They also referred to Chicago as "Chi-town". I've never heard it called that before, until this week when I saw people using it on two fansites in the BotCon 2015 topics. I thought it was just some lazy slang by a couple people... but it must be more mainstream than I thought. Or maybe it's like "Bris-Vegas", in that it is a trendy word that others use, but makes many of us in the city cringe.

[Paulbot]

From the club's Facebook page:

If you are having trouble getting the type of room you want at the BotCon hotel (double), please call hotel reservations as they have access to more room inventory than is showing in their online registration system. Please call 630-584-6300 and ask for reservations. Be sure to tell them you want the rate for BotCon.
Thank you.

[griffin]

It took me 26 minutes on the phone to a Chicago phone number, but I finally got two linked reservations for the Resort. First two days at the BotCon rate US$114, and the last five days at the regular rate US$129. (all plus $70 resort fee and Tax)

One thing that doesn't make sense on their reservations site is the "buy 2 get 1 free" deal. If that means the standard rate of US$129 is free for every third day, that would equate to US$86 per night... but each time I tried adding days on the website, it would keep charging the full rate, and there was no option before filling out the payment details to add the free rooms on.

EDIT - I did a new reservation, at the full rate for the seven days, and selected the "3rd day free" deal, and all it says in the email is "discount applied after second night".
So, it looks like you check-in, they put a hold on the full amount on your card when they swipe it, and then after the second paid night, your bill gets credited with a free night.
Why can't they just give you the discounted total in the email confirmation... so I have no idea how much it will all cost after tax, and after resort fees (which they'd still charge for the free days). In other words, I have no idea which reservation will work out cheaper, in order to make sure I cancel the right one.

I emailed them to ask about it, and three days later I got a reply and two adjusted reservations.

The FIRST one they combined my first pair of reservations that had the BotCon rate for just two days and the full rate for five days - into a single reservation of seven days at the BotCon rate.
That might sound great, and now totals US$882.17 (with tax & fee), saving me about $100 from the previous reservations.

However, the SECOND reservation that I made was adjusted to include the two free days (under the deal of every third day free). That brought it down from US$1,079.68 to $771.15.
A saving of $300, plus ends up cheaper than the BotCon rate, at a daily rate of US$92 before tax and fee... or US$86 if I check out on the Sunday (which is 6 nights).

Later I'll call them up and see if the third day free deal can apply to the BotCon reservation, which would see two of those days free... and could get the room as low as US$76 per night before tax and fee.
And if I end up going and share with someone, it's a "huge" US$38 each per night before tax and fee.
And even if I can't get the BotCon reservation adjusted, I'll just go with the non-BotCon reservation... and pass off the BotCon one later to someone else if it is needed.

[griffin]

Looks like they fixed up the BotCon reservations page, as I can now select Monday to Monday and it lets me continue to the next page.

HOWEVER - you can't select the "3rd day free" option, so 6 or 7 days at the $114 BotCon rate is still more expensive than the regular $129 rate that gives you every third day free (equating to $86 per night for each 3-night block).

If you are thinking of going, it will depend on the number of days you go, but look at making two reservations (one through the BotCon link at the top of this post, and one through the main resort webpage) and see which one will be cheaper for you.
And maybe hold onto both in case they start applying the 3rd day free deal to the BotCon rate, just to make it cheaper than their regular rate.

[fatbot]

I've got the month off, I've just booked a room at the place, now I have to get the money together to pay for it all!

[UltraMarginal]

very nice!

time to kick the ciggies

[fatbot]

very nice!

time to kick the ciggies

easier said then done my friend