BotCon 2012 location & dates revealed (updated 14th Dec)

[griffin]

Registration will still be some time away, but in the next few days, the location and dates will be announced, allowing those interested to start planning the trip and book relevant hotel accommodation.

(if you are thinking about it, but aren't sure yet, book a room anyway - as it usually can be cancelled later without penalty, and saves you a good spot in case you do go)

[griffin]

If anyone here is going next year, or thinking about going, or will be trying to go, post here so that I can see what our numbers might end up being.

Also, if anyone has any insider info as to the location, but can't say anything publicly, please let me know by PM, so that I can be sure I don't miss out on the convention hotel (to book early in case it books out fast when made public).

[UltraMarginal]

After the enjoyment I had there last this year I'd love to go again, but I can't see the funds collecting in time, especially if it's towards the start of the year.

[reillyd]

I'm awfully tempted, as it would be my first time, but I'm reluctant to start booking hotels and airfaires without knowing what the 'theme' of the convention is. While I'm sure there's lots of cool things going on at Botcon, and the dealer room would have lots of treasures, I don't want to commit to that sort of cost and then find out I have absolutely no interest in the convention toys that year. For example, G2 and Animated Stuncticon sets I had zero interest in (yes I know I'm the minority there) and would have been disappointed if that was my first Botcon experience. The G1 Seekers year, by comparison, would have been absolutely mindblowing.

I have absolutely no idea what the teaser image at botcon.com is of.

How quick do hotels normally sell out at Botcon?

[Demonac]

You don't want to go to Botcon because of the toys.
They can be got from eBay far easier & cheaper than flying to the States.
Go because you want to go to Botcon.
If you have no interest in the toys, then you could sell them to recoup some of our costs.

[gamblor916]

Dallas in April? That's inconvenient (for me anyway).

[UltraMarginal]

starting the Friday the 27th, at the Hyatt Regency
300 reunion Blvd, Dallas, TX.

It's a bit Ironic that I probably won't have the budget to attend this year.

[griffin]

Saw the email about an hour ago (it had only been sent 2 hours before that, so I though, I might have a good chance to book a room this year).
Went to the botcon site to get the link to the online registration link for the hotel.
Entered in the dates for the full discounted block - nothing came up.
Then tried different combinations - still nothing.
I looked on TFW2005 to see if there was any indication that the discounted block had been sold out within the first 2-3 hours. Some people were reporting that they were getting rooms after others said they weren't... so I decided to find a reservations phone number, which took a while to find on their main website, thanks to this increasingly online world we live in (13 1234 - that's the number for Australians to use).

So I was on the phone to the helpful operator for almost half an hour, as she tried to make the convention rate work for me. It ended up being a case of completely sold out, and she sent a message through to the hotel to put me on the waiting list (heaps of people cancel in the weeks leading up to the event, as most people are pre-booking on the offchance that they end up going), so hopefully that will get me onto the cheaper rate by the time the convention occurs. But in case it doesn't, I still have a reservation made at the next cheapest rate.
Oddly enough though, the cheapest regular room rate on the friday and saturday is the same as the BotCon rate, so if you get a reservation in quickly, it will only be any extra days around those two that you'd end up paying more for. Just don't expect to get a good rate if you want to stay there past sunday night...
At the time of posting this, the best room rates for a 2-person, 2-bed room, are:
Mon 23 - 199
Tue 24 - 199
Wed 25 - 199
Thu 26 - 199
Fri 27 - 129
Sat 28 - 129
Sun 29 - 239
Mon 30 - 499 !!!!
Tue 31 - 499 !!!!

Tax rate is 13%
Check-in is after 3pm, and check-out is before noon.
Cancel anytime up until 24 hours before arrival date, with no penalty.

For those wanting to make a booking through the Hyatt website, go to this link and type in Dallas TX. Then when it lists the hotel options, make sure you select the Reunion Blvd one.

I've made two bookings - one by phone and one online at that link above, and they both came to the same amount for 7 nights (in 23rd, out 30th) - US$1293, which is US$1461.09 with tax.

The reason I made a second online booking - the one I made on the phone ended up being a single bed, but didn't want to risk messing up my waiting list status by calling back to alter it. I will just cancel one reservation the week before BotCon (if no one here ends up wanting it).

If anyone is keen on going, or is definitely going, make a booking for yourself as soon as you can. And let me know (post here or message me), as we might be able to pair up some people who are willing to share to cut costs, or swap reservations and cancel the more expensive ones (closer to the convention date).


Still, I think it's a shame that FunPub don't reward their long-time, dedicated attendees with advance warning of the hotel, so that too many bookings aren't wasted on people who don't end up going (but make a reservation just in case). But I guess if they did that, any one of those "dedicated attendees" would leak it to the fandom, and negate the point of it.

[griffin]

Oh, and keep checking back at the BotCon website for any addition hotel deals, as they often line up other hotels nearby, or they may even get the main hotel to release more rooms at the discounted rate later.

[Doubledealer]

Thanks for all the info Griffin. Was hoping to go to this one but it's a bit too early for my girlfriend to be able to take time off work (was hoping it would be around June or July). Ah well, hopefully 2013 is the one.