Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Blessings all.

This thread shall be the melting pot of ideas, tips, concerns, etc. to help those searching for the most economical means to attend Nats 09.  I will update this post with news of best fares (air/ground) etc., and will be updated as regularly as possible.  YOUR IDEAS ARE WANTED!!!

This is the address for the Nats09 venue:
999 Rancho Conejo, Newbury Park, California 91320, United States


***MAPQUEST Nats09!***

A.  BEST AIRFARES:
     1.  LGA/LAX - $285++ roundtrip (research pls.)
     2.  CHI/LAX - $220++ roundtrip (UA)
     3.  White Plains NY/LAX - $246 (UA/Airtran)

B.  LOWEST HOTEL FARES:
     1.  Official Nats09 Hotels: http://www.redemptionsocal.com/Nats2009Lodging.aspx 
     2.  $38-$47+/night - Premier Inns

C.  BEST CAR RENTAL PACKAGES:


D.  BEST PLANE TRIP PACKAGES (airfare/hotel/car):


E.  HOMES WILLING TO FOSTER PLAYERS FROM OUT-OF-STATE:


F.  CONCERNS & SOLUTIONS:
     1.  Any updates on the possibility of sleeping ever at the venue?

G.  GROUP PLANS:
     1.  WA/OR/NV/NorCal Nationals Planning Thread

H.  HOTEL ROOM SHARE WANTED:
     1.  Marti W.

I.  HOTEL ROOM SHARE OFFERED:




***************************
Note:  This is not a debate, nor a flaming, nor a nonsense posting thread.  Useless posts shall be booted.

Godbless all!

But now I need adopted! lol. I'm the only Shipwrecker going solo

I know it was discussed, and Mike thought it was likely, but I never heard anything definite.

For those flying in, you can also consider Long Beach airport (LGB).  It'd only add about 20-30 minutes to the drive (LAX should be about 45-60 minutes from the tourney location), and might have better rates.  Can also try Oxnard airport (only 10-15 minutes from tourney location), though you'd likely have to connect thru LAX anyways, so I doubt it'd be decent prices.

San Diego is also a decent option for you guys in case you can find really cheap flights there. It's about an hour and a half to the tournament location from downtown SD.

If anyone from Ohio is interested there are 1 stop flights to Long Beach Airport from Cincinnati for $240 round trip. You would leave at 4:30P.M. and arrive in Cali by 7:30P.M. Not a bad deal for that trip!!! So is anyone interested from Ohio?

The Best Value Inn and Motel 6 are not the best lodging choices. We'll have a better low-cost choice and a better nice place choice listed on the Nats 2009 web site when it comes up. That'll be "soon..."

I've also noticed there are a number of under $300 airfares from areas in the midwest to LA area airports.

Mike

They're not anymore?  They were the best ones in your proposal.  Please let me know as soon as possible if there are better rates than these.  That'll truly be a blessing.  Also, if you can have best airfare websites, that'd also be great.

Thanks.

Cincinnati? cheap?  that can't be right!!!

My plans to go to Nats totally hinge on the sale of my house.  Which doesn't look very good for me...though I am sending up major prayers daily!

That would be awesome. I'm hoping to play a lot of the people I play the most on the boards in real life. I'll look forward to meeting you(hopefully). 

Unless God does some incredible intervention to make this happen, Gretel and I will not be attending either. Honeymoon + 6-8 weeks without work while we transition from Ohio/PA to Maryland + 2 months of expenses = not being able to justify spending 750-1000 for a weekend of friends and fellowship...we'll see what happens next year 

I just noticed that United Airlines has $220 fares from the Chicago area to Los Angeles for Nats dates. White Plains, NY to Los Angeles for $246 from United and AirTran. These are some of the best fares I've seen recently. It's worth checking out. However, as we get closer to Nats, there may be even better last minute deals on airfare.

Mike

The Premier Inns is easily within walking distance (less than 1/2 mile according to the website).

Are you a creepy stalker? Do you do drugs? Are you gonna rob me? I need to know these things. 

It might be 1/2 a mile walking distance but with both hands loaded with cards and running late 1/2 mile walk seems like people will be getting there late. Every nationals has had shuttles from the church to the hotels, or is this one not going to have them?

I think that Drew was being overly optimisitic saying an hour and a half (or meant to LA not Thousand Oaks). I've made it in just a little over two hours when there was no traffic. Google maps is a bit conservative in their estimates. However, if traffic is bad, it can be really bad between San Diego and LA.

Mike

Google (and fellow mapping sites') time estimates are generally inaccurate because we Californians don't drive at the national 55 (or so) mph average for freeways, rather the 65-70mph that is over the speed limit is common in light traffic.  (No, that wasn't sarcasm.)  Since Drew makes the trip to come to Bryon's tournaments, I would think his 90 minutes to be a possible estimate, but definitely not during the work week.  In my experience, it usually takes my family just shy of 2 hours to get from the LAX area to San Diego, traveling on the slower 405 freeway.  LAX is about 30-45 minutes south of the tournament location.

It might be 1/2 a mile walking distance but with both hands loaded with cards and running late 1/2 mile walk seems like people will be getting there late. Every nationals has had shuttles from the church to the hotels, or is this one not going to have them?

Running late + 10 minute walk = Gets there late
Running late + 5 minute drive = Gets there late

What am I missing?

Up until what date can I cancel a reservation without penalty?

Kirk

It will not be a 10 min walk, more like 15 at least plus being in the heat and sleep deprived is not gonna make people happy. A 5 min drive though with A/C will make people happy. All I was asking if there were shuttles, I do not need to see any equations. Have you ever woke up late for a nationals grabbed your stuff hoping you didn't forget anything then making 200 people wait. How are you supposed to play good after that?

Even as a leisurely walk it will not take 15 minutes unless you are trying to take as long as possible. It's not hot here at 8:30 AM as it cools down nicely at night and wouldn't have heated up yet that early. If you are first trying to leave your hotel five minutes before event start, you are going to be late even with a five minute car ride. The solution to this problem is to plan to be at the church ready to play 30 minutes before event start. That way you can oversleep by 15 minutes, walk quickly for nine minutes and still be sitting at your table along with every one else.

Currently, there isn't a volunteer to staff a three block shuttle.

Mike

UPDATE:  We walked the route after church today. We started at the farthest room at the Premier Inns and walked through the motel, down to the church parking lot, and all the way around to the front door by the lobby. It was 1 minute through the motel, 7 minutes to the church parking lot and 10 minutes door to door.

UPDATE:  We walked the route after church today. We started at the farthest room at the Premier Inns and walked through the motel, down to the church parking lot, and all the way around to the front door by the lobby. It was 1 minute through the motel, 7 minutes to the church parking lot and 10 minutes door to door.

Or you could probably drive it during rush hour in a snappy 1 hour and 15 minutes--1 hour 45 minutes tops.  

I sorta need to share a room w/someone.  I was specifically wondering if the schaef was going; at last nats, he was kind enough to let me stay w/ him until the MN play group arrived.  EmJayBee, will you be going?

I still need a roomate for my room at the Premier Inn. If anybody is interested please pm or e-mail me. Thanks.redpl72@hotmail.com

Beat you in Redemption or beat you up?   

Also, how late you are planning to stay?  Are you leaving after the event, or later at night?

Out of curiosity, are you planning to leave like after the category for dinner, and then come back or something different?