[The Fujoshi]

Roark, on 22 August 2012 - 03:05 PM, said:

Edit: Also, I feel that ~$200/night is about the right price to pay for the Hyatt Regency during ACen, given capacity and hotel tier. It's on par with similar hotels in similar situations (GenCon, DragonCon, Otakon, ComiCon, etc.).

Only problem is that those cons are not in Illinois. You also have to put in account of the fact that this is in Illinois and the tax will make it go over 200 dollars a night, especially if you include the extra stuff and fees. Those conventions also are not as big as ACen.

Let's just say that its 200 a night for just a quad in the hyatt, no fridge, nothing extra, not including tax. That is about 600-800 dollars for all three-four days. Now you factor in a cooler as well as food. That's around 900-1000 dollars for one convention not including if you want to buy anything or badge. I don't know any anime con that it cost that much for. Even Youma isn't that much and it's housed in the Marriott, a big name hotel, and it's fairly popular abit not as big as ACen. Not even Hyatt in Mccomick is this bad and there is around 100/200k people (doctor conventions, etc.)

You may be ok or think it's reasonable but what about a college student? Or someone who just wants to go to ACen to hang out with friends and can't put down that much money?

Now if they did this it would make the supply and demand change by going into two extremes: Only people over the age of 18 with well off jobs and or a car will put down for a hotel, (since if you split it up by 4 it would be 200+ dollars a person and that's only if you go by the 800 dollar mark.) or people will just lie and cram 15 people in a room. It wouldn't just be 1:5 people, several people would just say "Well I don't want to go to ACen or I'll just fit 15 people in a room so screw the Hyatt/etc. because it cost too much anyway." People are already saying that now, saying how ACen is too expensive and they rather go to Youmacon or a cheaper con to have fun. It's starting to get to the point that only the newbies and the hardcore people are staying at ACen.

I used Mcdonalds because even though it's a franchise, similar to hotels ,they can charge whatever they want without regards to people because they think that "someone," would eventually buy it due to their status in the media world. Even if nobody is buying it as long as they don't hit the red it's fine.

Let's just say we disagree to agree ok? I'm not happy with the price point if it goes to 200 but I can find ways to get free nights.

[Cherry_Wolf]

It's sad that the Hyatt(and surrounding hotels) will raise the price so much when most convention goers are roughly college age, which means most of them don't usually have the money to pay for a $200 a night room. It may explain why its usually around $165. I'm really hoping that its roughly what it will be again... but perhaps I'm being optimistic haha.

I just wanted to come on here and half-way agree with Fujoshi on this-

Quote

Let's just say that its 200 a night for just a quad in the hyatt, no fridge, nothing extra, not including tax.

I was at Otakon this year and we got mini fridge and a microwave in the room, ones that weren't set up with alarms and were completely usable.

While, I personally think paying a higher price for the Hyatt is pretty much expected (it's the main convention hotel, the bar/restaurant access, etc), I find it kind of sad that it doesn't offer more amenities for the price IN THE ROOMS - for example, free wifi, microwave/fridge. We had that at Otakon, which REALLY surprised me that we had free wifi, i definitely wasn't use to that at conventions.

But yeah - regardless of the price/etc.... I'm excited for ACen and hope the prices don't kill me too bad this year

This post has been edited by Cherry_Wolf: 22 August 2012 - 11:33 PM

[Bloo09]

The Hyatt does have Free Wifi as of before this past ACen. It worked pretty well even during the peek hours of the convention If you're looking for a microwave and fridge the Embassy Suites offer those in a mini kitchenette sort of area.

[JujuFox]

The Fujoshi, on 22 August 2012 - 08:46 PM, said:

Only problem is that those cons are not in Illinois. You also have to put in account of the fact that this is in Illinois and the tax will make it go over 200 dollars a night, especially if you include the extra stuff and fees. Those conventions also are not as big as ACen.

I think you missed my post. Gen Con 2011 brought in 36,733 attendees, so it is bigger than ACen by quite a bit. Also, despite being in Indiana, the best/closest hotels raise their prices well over what the Hyatt charges and that's before tax and parking fees. I can afford to go to ACen, but when we looked into Gen Con prices last year we realized there was no way we could afford it.

On the affordability issue, the only way we could afford to go to ACen last year was because I was in the Artist's Alley and using my profits to pay for our stay. We even were lucky enough to make more than we needed this year and were able to enjoy the Red Bar one night. Other than that we ate canned foods, granola bars, apples, trail mix, and had refillable water bottles to keep us hydrated. If you can plan it out properly you can stay there on a shoe string budget with your only major expense being the hotel.

I do agree that the Hyatt sucks as far as amenities go. They don't want you to have a fridge or microwave in your room. You know why? Because they have restaurants that provide all your meals. The best part for them is that you have to pay for their food on top of your room and parking! So why do we stay there? Convenience. I have to be up early everyday to get down to the AA and set up my products. I pay for that convenience.

[Roark]

The Fujoshi, on 22 August 2012 - 08:46 PM, said:

Only problem is that those cons are not in Illinois. You also have to put in account of the fact that this is in Illinois and the tax will make it go over 200 dollars a night, especially if you include the extra stuff and fees. Those conventions also are not as big as ACen.

It seems you have a problem with facts in general, not just economics.
Otakon: ~29k
GenCon: ~36k
DragonCon: ~46k
Comic Con: ~130k

Otakon is in Baltimore. GenCon, Indianapolis. DragonCon, Atlanta. Comic Con, San Diego. All major cities that command roughly equal pricing to Chicago.

Quote

You may be ok or think it's reasonable but what about a college student? Or someone who just wants to go to ACen to hang out with friends and can't put down that much money?

Now if they did this it would make the supply and demand change by going into two extremes: Only people over the age of 18 with well off jobs and or a car will put down for a hotel, (since if you split it up by 4 it would be 200+ dollars a person and that's only if you go by the 800 dollar mark.) or people will just lie and cram 15 people in a room. It wouldn't just be 1:5 people, several people would just say "Well I don't want to go to ACen or I'll just fit 15 people in a room so screw the Hyatt/etc. because it cost too much anyway." People are already saying that now, saying how ACen is too expensive and they rather go to Youmacon or a cheaper con to have fun. It's starting to get to the point that only the newbies and the hardcore people are staying at ACen.

Get a job.

Seriously, working at IL minimum wage and assuming a 30% tax rate, you'd need to work an average of less than 6 hours/week to afford a total of $1500. Put another way, you'd need to save ~$30 a week to afford the hotel on your own, with no friends chipping in.

It sounds like you lack money management skills, something that "people with... well off jobs" generally possess.

Quote

Let's just say we disagree to agree ok? I'm not happy with the price point if it goes to 200 but I can find ways to get free nights.

The price likely won't go that high. That'd be a huge jump over previous prices. I'm just sick of people talking like the hotel costs are completely unreasonable when they're actually right in line with every other major convention.

[Bloo09]

If 160ish(I don't know why people are going for 200) is too expensive there are cheaper hotels that are not in our hotel block nearby that go for 100ish a night. You don't have to book in our hotel block. There is also a train line 2 blocks away from ACen if you can find a hotel along it's route.

[The Fujoshi]

Roark, on 23 August 2012 - 10:26 AM, said:

Get a job.

Seriously, working at IL minimum wage and assuming a 30% tax rate, you'd need to work an average of less than 6 hours/week to afford a total of $1500. Put another way, you'd need to save ~$30 a week to afford the hotel on your own, with no friends chipping in.

It sounds like you lack money management skills, something that "people with... well off jobs" generally possess.

Stop right there because you are getting personal and after this I refuse to converse with you any more. Anything you say will be moot and I'll ignore you in favor of saving your grace. You already had a single troll post, "I guess everyone in this thread didn't do economics 101," so I should had figured that out that anything you said will be bias and sort of self centred. Then thread was pretty much done until you said that.

I have a job thank you very much; I was voicing the people who do not have a job or a high paying job and are in college and couldn't afford a 200 a night hotel nor had any friends who could drive them to the 100 dollar hotel. Not everyone is as blessed as you, realize that.

Apparently you didn't read my post so while I can't do figures, you apparently don't have the skills to not really read outside of skimming. I said I had NO problem with doing this but if it reaches 200 dollars a night then I won't go after 2013 because I rather spend my money else where. Where does it say in any of my posts that I don't have a job? Or that I can't afford a hotel room for that matter? You are assuming from your skimming.

Also where are you getting your figures for working? You would be lucky to work 6 hours a week at 8.25 or more and even then you have to put in: Rent, bills, etc. Internet here is 60-100 dollars, electricity, unless included varies, Unless you have food stamps you have to buy your own food, and Rent here in Chicago is a good 600-800 dollars a month. I'm not even including anything else, such as making/saving for a cosplay or even other bills like heat/gas.

And I don't know about you, but in Chicago it's really hard to find a job unless you know someone. Tell that to the many people in the shelters here or my cousin who has been trying to find a job for 4+ years and has a masters, compared to my weed smoking cousin who got a job because his gf's mom is the general manager. Just because you found a job in your state doesn't mean everyone has your luck. I work part time at a convention center near the Hyatt, which is why I am shocked about the hotel fees. They get about a good 100k in people from conventions when I do work there and it's not as much as Rosemount Hyatt. And these doctors pay a good 500-1000 dollar membership fee.

Fox pointed out that Gencon gets more people than ACen yet we are still getting more expensive, even though it's not nearly as big as Gencon. Also how in the world can I do all the attendance figures? I googled all the areas and conventions; I didn't scan all of the conventions you mentioned and I don't keep up with attendance figures like some people. And since they were in different states I assumed, like you just assumed that I don't work, that they would be cheaper since Illinois has one of the highest taxes in the country, still.

@JujuFox: Sorry I missed your post over said formention person ^ I haven't been to Gencon so I was comparing other states and their tax rate to ACen as well as the fact that there are other Hyatts in Chicago that are not as expensive as the Hyatt in Rosemount, not other conventions attendances, due to the area, tax rates, etc. Indiana isn't cheap either but from what I gathered Baltimore is actual a cheap state compared to Chicago but I am simply going by what my friends tell me from their cost of living. So I apologize fox! I was kind of irate and needed to cool off, especially from the "get a job," comment.

Most of my figures went towards Hyatt in Mccomick vs. Hyatt in Rosemount as well as the tax rate here. The Hyatt where I work at is about 100-150 dollars a night. So if it seems bias it's because I was used to one thing and surprised to see another thing, outside of the difference that one is near the hotel and the other is near downtown/chinatown.

I myself use hotel points and other means to pay for hotels, such as save money. But I don't hotel at the Hyatt; I do the Double tree or the Embassy. I don't need convenience but I don't have any friends who can drive me back and forth a mile to a hotel and I do wear something outside of one cosplay, (and want to relax,) so in a way I am paying for convenience as well as the fact that I have no other options.

@Bloo09: Some people are guessing that since the Hyatt is around 150-180 that it might go up to 200 without it being announced from the previous posts. That's what a lot of people's concerns were about, since the badge prices are around 50-60+ dollars already :/ I'm sorry from making this thread go this far but from what Roark said kind of annoyed the heck out of me. I should had been the bigger person and just ignored his first post. So anything said from Roark I'm going to ignore.

[myrla]

For me to go to ACen next year, stay in the ALoft (assuming similar prices, etc), spend ~$50 in the big room, food, etc... that money will, in fact, pay for a plane ticket for me to go to Portugal.

Just some perspective.

[JujuFox]

@Fujoshi: It wasn't a bad assumption to make that the tax rate here and prices in general are more expensive. In some cases they are. I agree with you on a few points, especially about the job market. I was laid off last summer and still haven't been able to land a full time job. You really have to know someone to get in anywhere it seems.

The point is, across the board hotels will charge con goers more than their regular rates. It's like this at every con, but some are worse than others. We will know very soon what the rates are, so we just have to wait and stop speculating.

The only sad thing is that the rates will likely never drop with the way the economy is heading. We are still in a recession, and it could get worse... but I'm not going into politics in this thread so nevermind. Que sera sera!

[XenoBlade]

JujuFox, on 24 August 2012 - 09:04 PM, said:

@Fujoshi: It wasn't a bad assumption to make that the tax rate here and prices in general are more expensive. In some cases they are. I agree with you on a few points, especially about the job market. I was laid off last summer and still haven't been able to land a full time job. You really have to know someone to get in anywhere it seems.

The point is, across the board hotels will charge con goers more than their regular rates. It's like this at every con, but some are worse than others. We will know very soon what the rates are, so we just have to wait and stop speculating.

The only sad thing is that the rates will likely never drop with the way the economy is heading. We are still in a recession, and it could get worse... but I'm not going into politics in this thread so nevermind. Que sera sera!

Aint that the truth.

[The Fujoshi]

You're right Fox. Maybe they might surprise us and it might be cheaper than last year. We won't know anything till friday or this weekend.

The job I have now I didn't get through knowing some people, but I did get the skills through knowing some people and determination.

[KungPowKirby]

I just realized that the room block opens on a Saturday.... which means in house reservations won't be open. I typically don't deal with coorprate as last time they asked for a 1 night deposit, when we actually didn't need one. Hmmm.... does anyone know how fast the doubles usually fill up? I don't pay attention after I get my room, so I don't really know..

[rondo]

Well, this is the week. Waiting on those hotel prices. It is about time they were divulged considering reservations are just 6 days away.

[XenoBlade]

KungPowKirby, on 27 August 2012 - 05:38 AM, said:

I just realized that the room block opens on a Saturday.... which means in house reservations won't be open. I typically don't deal with coorprate as last time they asked for a 1 night deposit, when we actually didn't need one. Hmmm.... does anyone know how fast the doubles usually fill up? I don't pay attention after I get my room, so I don't really know..

You should be good by Monday. Fastest I ever saw was a lil under a week.

[Purplegodess]

Im working on getting our hotel person to post them and which hotels are opening, they will be in the newsletter this week too. Thanks for your patience.

[JujuFox]

BOOOOO!

Prices are posted, and it seems IIRC that it is $10 more per night. Parking looks the same though.

[The Fujoshi]

JujuFox, on 29 August 2012 - 08:38 AM, said:

BOOOOO!

Prices are posted, and it seems IIRC that it is $10 more per night. Parking looks the same though.

Huh where? -checks email- I didn't get anything or see anything so far yet.

[JujuFox]

Prices have just been listed in this sticky thread: http://www.ACen.org/...locks-for-2013/

[The Fujoshi]

Hyatt Regency O'Hare room rates and parking for ACen's Sweet 16th

Single Occupancy: $ 175.00
Double Occupancy: $ 175.00
Triple Occupancy: $ 175.00
Quadruple Occupancy: $ 175.00

Parking: $ 17.00 per day

Parking at the Hyatt is reserved guests staying at the Hyatt.

Hilton Rosemont/Chicago O'Hare room rates and parking for ACen's Sweet 16th

King Single/Double Occupancy $ 155.00
King Triple/Quad Occupancy $165.00
Standard Single/Double Occupancy $ 155.00
Standard Triple/Quad Occupancy $165.00
One Bedroom Suite Single/Double Occupancy $ 195.00
One Bedroom Suite Triple/Quad Occupancy $ 225.00

Parking: $ 18.00 per day

Parking at the Hilton is reserved guests staying at the Hilton.

Hilton is kind of different: Single double and Quad were all 145 I think and now it's 155-165 for king.

This post has been edited by The Fujoshi: 29 August 2012 - 11:54 AM

[Prayer Police]

How much are suites at the Hyatt?

[The Fujoshi]

Prayer Police, on 29 August 2012 - 12:19 PM, said:

How much are suites at the Hyatt?

Not sure; I say try friday. Either the mods were early to be nice, it was leaked, or something else.

[wolfedragon]

The Fujoshi, on 29 August 2012 - 04:13 PM, said:

Not sure; I say try friday. Either the mods were early to be nice, it was leaked, or something else.

Psst...It has been officially put on the website as well http://www.ACen.org/...tel-information

[Kent]

About $10 is what I expected for an increase, still cheaper than some other conventions, not going to complain. Next year I'm going to be staying at the Hyatt for the first time after staying at the Aloft (Just ok), Double Tree (Liked it) and the Marriott (Cheapest but with a walk). I guess I'll be staying up late on Friday night!!

[The Fujoshi]

wolfedragon, on 29 August 2012 - 06:40 PM, said:

Psst...It has been officially put on the website as well http://www.ACen.org/...tel-information

Still doesn't have any information about suites on the website outside of the Hilton, which is weird.

Which is why I was thinking that they were early to be nice but not all of the information was posted yet.

Like: How it's earlier than what they say
Dislike: How it cost more; 10 bucks makes a difference.

[Purplegodess]

Suites are at half off the current rack rate during the convention, those go the fastest. Hope that helps.

[BlackRose32]

I'm waiting on the Embassy since I like it more then the Hyatt.

[MsLovelyCookie]

I wonder how long will the Hyatt and maybe Hilton take to be filled before Embassy is up for grabs. I loved the extra space the room had.

[The Fujoshi]

Guess but the Embassy might be this:

Single /Double (King) $165.00 per night
Triple (King) $175.00 per night
Quad (King) $185.00 per night

Single / Double (2 Beds)$185.00 per night
Triple (2 Beds) $195.00 per night
Quad (2 Beds) $205.00 per night

EDIT: This isn't official it's just a guess.

This post has been edited by The Fujoshi: 29 August 2012 - 11:00 PM

[rileyxrivalry]

so i know its after midnight now and the hilton's link works but the hyatt link says "display error: site does not exist etc." help?

[icebratrpg]

I show a few minutes till still, here in the Central timezone