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Hotel
Aug 2, 2011 21:22:58 GMT -5
Post by Sparrow of WPA on Aug 2, 2011 21:22:58 GMT -5
My thoughts on the hotel...
1) Good space, they have enough room to house almost anything you could possibly want.
2) A little on the expensive side seeing as they do not offer a pool or a continental breakfast even. Weird for a hotel. They were nice rooms, but not mind blowing.
3) Parking and unloading were just a complete bear, I was about fed up with it when it took us like an hour and a half to unload stuff that we could have done by hand in maybe 45 minutes. I spent at least 30 minutes waiting on the sidewalk because they would not allow me to push the cart with my stuff on it, while some guy was eyeing my stuff (the lady directing me told me to move closer to the building and watch my things closely, no joke).
I understand having a union, I understand safety concerns, but I could have just carried my things through the door much quicker. I also had no cash on hand to tip the poor guy and I feel awful about that.
4) Parking was also confusing. $10 parking overnight for people who are guests even? A little ridiculous. Maybe it's because I'm from central IL, but none of the hotels around here charge like that for people who are paid guests.
5) Might want to be on the upstairs floors instead of the basement this time around if possible. I think if it was upstairs people there on unrelated reasons might stop by, purchase a gamer badge (which is a great idea, seeing as it was so cheap!) and peruse the parts of the con they can.
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kearstin
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www.kearstin.com
Posts: 212
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Hotel
Aug 3, 2011 8:58:13 GMT -5
Post by kearstin on Aug 3, 2011 8:58:13 GMT -5
I honestly thought this was the cheapest con rate for a hotel I've ever experienced. Parking, too. Half the price! I do agree on the unloading. Holy hot mess. And the bellhops/directors of traffic were assholes.
Actually one of the bellhops BROKE the assault rifle replica prop I had on our dolly (and it's not even mine! It's Scott Whipple's!). His excuse? "It was sticking out." - I'm like "Yeah, and it's YOUR job to watch wtf you're doing." He offered to collaborate with the hotel for comp, but I said forget it. I'm a costumer. I'll fix this shit myself.
Thank goodness for E-6000 lol.
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Hotel
Aug 3, 2011 15:31:41 GMT -5
Post by Sparrow of WPA on Aug 3, 2011 15:31:41 GMT -5
I actually had not stayed in a hotel this expensive without the aforementioned pool and breakfast before. Last hotel I had stayed in previously was $75 a night, with breakfast and pool so...Maybe I'm just a cheapskate, haha!
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kearstin
Full Member
www.kearstin.com
Posts: 212
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Hotel
Aug 3, 2011 16:13:42 GMT -5
Post by kearstin on Aug 3, 2011 16:13:42 GMT -5
Conventions like ACen and Wizard rape you for "con rates" lol
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Hotel
Aug 8, 2011 13:25:47 GMT -5
Post by iam8114 on Aug 8, 2011 13:25:47 GMT -5
Yeah, after my gf's weeks spent downtown opening a store on Michigan Ave and living out of hotel rooms, this is pretty typical for a high class "city" hotel.
I really liked the hotel Mike, but I'd question whether they Hyatt is too classy for Cyphan, there's a bunch of hotels around the area within walking distance of the Blue Line.
Although $10 a day for parking is fantastic, that's over half off of their normal rates...
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Hotel
Aug 8, 2011 14:41:29 GMT -5
Post by Sparrow of WPA on Aug 8, 2011 14:41:29 GMT -5
Yes, I have to ponder that myself. It's a small convention, and while the Hyatt allows growth and the potential for unrelated last minute participants it also adds an expense that may make other con goers more reluctant (especially with GenCon Indy the very next weekend).
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Hotel
Aug 9, 2011 9:20:11 GMT -5
Post by Michael Bollow on Aug 9, 2011 9:20:11 GMT -5
We have a contract to be there again in 2012. I am looking at possibly moving the date to the fall but that depends on their availability.
I agree that the Hyatt is classy and I like it that way. I want people to associate Cyphan with being a classy show. No black and white photo copy badges -- ours are professional, as is the program book etc.
We need to have something in the programming that makes people choose us over Wizard. That's it in a nutshell. Wizard actually SUCKS but folks are so programmed into going that it's hard to change their thinking.
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Hotel
Aug 9, 2011 12:59:01 GMT -5
Post by Sparrow of WPA on Aug 9, 2011 12:59:01 GMT -5
I wouldn't try to outright compete with a bigger con on the same weekend until Cyphan is larger on its own.
Fall might also cost you participants of the college age variety...It's a toss up on that one. I know I couldn't do one in October or November personally, as I'm already booked those months.
Maybe try mid-August or early September?
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River
Full Member
Posts: 150
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Hotel
Aug 10, 2011 5:48:40 GMT -5
Post by River on Aug 10, 2011 5:48:40 GMT -5
I like the hotel Bollow,
very nice stuff. albeit the food is a tad expensive. And I understand you want this to be a 'classier' con. Parking is unbeatable, and as for my studio, we're definitly going to book a hotel room there the entire weekend (not like this time where we waited last minute but we were ok).
Oct. Nov. is too cold. I would say April or May depending on when C2E2 hits.
Bottom line, people came regardless of the hotel, did they complain about it? not really, at least the only thing I heard was how cold it was in the basement, so I hope next year we'll be up higher, maybe a bit warmer.
As for Wizard, well the show has been around for awhile. so yeah you've got people who are 'programmed' to go.
WW has a slew of guests, from the top stars to the WWE wrestlers, etc, Artists, vendors, attractions like a Guitar Hero contest. etc.
Could you reach out to other places like Marvel, DC, Dragon Magazine, again, seeing if there are other avenues that we can promote at the show that hasn't been tried?
I'll be honest, i'm in sales so I sell on the 'value' of a product. Bollow you're the Marketing guru, so I'm blind in this area. Perhaps you've tried these avenues already and didn't see that helping the con?
I'm babbling now, but i'm just trying to think of other avenues we can go. Heck how about people coming in from Blizzard entertainment or the Halo gang? ok i'll shuddup now.
-River
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Hotel
Aug 12, 2011 9:43:16 GMT -5
Post by RFlatstone on Aug 12, 2011 9:43:16 GMT -5
A lot to cover here, and since this seems to be the thread for it:
I didn’t stay at the hotel. I couldn’t afford it, and frankly, the glitz of the place doesn’t impress me. I went to Cyphan IN SPITE of the venue, not because of it. I have NEVER paid for parking at a hotel for an event before, whether I was staying in the hotel or not. Someone said that’s typical for events “in the city.” That’s why I don’t go into the city anymore. Again, I did so only for Cyphan.
The reason I am so supportive of Cyphan is that I’m a fan of the con. Most of the attendees are local. There were local guests like Svengoolie and Kitty Zombie. The fan tables were mostly local groups. Most of the venders were local (if I couldn’t buy something at the con, I could take their card and walk into their shop in a week or a month!) That proximity, coupled with FB and other interweb connectivity, builds the community – the Cyphamily, if you will – beyond the convention.
The point I’m getting at is, because so many of the attendees and vendors are local, it doesn’t have to be at O’Hare – Cook County … Chicago … What would be wrong with, for example, the The Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park. That’s DuPage, so you don’t have the Crook County and Chitown issues to deal with. It’s not very far from the airport, so you could shuttle VIPs (e.g. guests, Platinum ticket holders, etc.) which could, if done right, lend an air of personal treatment and style. It would certainly make Plantinum guests feel special)
The loading issue was just outrageous. Some vendors were upset and that’s word of mouth Cyphan does not want. If vendors don’t want to return, and spread the word, the results are obvious.
The union issues … electrical, etc… IDK if that’s an Illinois thing or just Crook County, but if the latter … there is DuPage.
Yes, I understand you are already contracted for next year, so change of venue isn’t even an option for 2012, but it’s certainly something to begin thinking about for 2013.
I know I’m all over the place, but back to the fan aspect – there are fan cons and there are commercial cons. Commercial cons SUCK, but the have big $, big stars, and buy-in from industry leaders – the game companies, comic book publishers, even networks and film companies. If they didn’t, nobody would pay the outrageous prices of WW, C2E2, GenCon. Cyphan is a fan con. That’s an awesome thing. Grow it as a fan con. When you have big names on the guest list, THEN the TV ads will actually draw a crowd.
Sorry, got a little off topic there. Back to the Hotel – IDK if there were a lot of complaints, but I bit my tongue through the whole convention because there was nothing to be done at the time and it wouldn’t have been constructive. Now, however, is a much better time. I did NOT like the venue and will attend next year in spite of, rather than because of, the venue.
Troy Pacelli
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Hotel
Aug 12, 2011 19:39:40 GMT -5
Post by billd3 on Aug 12, 2011 19:39:40 GMT -5
I've never liked staying at this hotel- for ComiCon/Wizard or for A-Cen, due to the costs and lack of service compared to other Hyatts in northern IL. My out-of-town program people were seriously underwhelmed at what has basically become a pro-show and airline hotel. This Hyatt seems to be used to guests who are in-and-out overnight without wanting much, on company expense money. A fan con is more like a huge family reunion or wedding that a corporate event, and other area hotels get that difference better.
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Hotel
Aug 12, 2011 19:46:33 GMT -5
Post by eiudragon on Aug 12, 2011 19:46:33 GMT -5
iam8114 Trust me this hotel isn't too classy for anything. One of the biggest furry cons in the world is hosted there. I have conned at this venue for a number of other events. That Loading dock is a GOD send! Also having staffers to point dealers to the LARGE elevator would be enormously helpful. I have dealt with Unions in a variety of other states... they are prone to damaging things. Cyphan really needs to meet with these union members and prep them for handling props and costuming items. Please looking into the union rules. In Pennsylvania the rule was if it can't be rolled in or hand carried in 1 trip, it needed to be handled by a union. If possible post the Union rules on the website so dealers can prepare ahead of time and package their things to expedite and safely get their things in and out of the con. Parking isn't a fun thing at this hotel for any event. Tip for you guys, pull up next to the loading dock, unload your stuff, wheel it into the side doors, have a partner babysit it and find parking. It's the easiest way I have done anything at this hotel when the loading dock isn't available
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Hotel
Aug 12, 2011 19:53:36 GMT -5
Post by RFlatstone on Aug 12, 2011 19:53:36 GMT -5
Yes, good points. I didn't actually stay at the hotel, so I can't really complain too much, but from what I heard, even TV wasn't included as one of the amenities. Separate charge for parking, no complimentary breakfast, and internet cost extra. Look, for the price you are paying for the hotel, that's ridiculous. Even Motel 6 offers basic cable, internet and breakfast without extra charges.
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Hotel
Aug 13, 2011 1:56:49 GMT -5
Post by Sparrow of WPA on Aug 13, 2011 1:56:49 GMT -5
It was $10 a night for parking overnight, no complimentary breakfast (I suspect it has to do with their $18 buffet at their restaurant), no pool (seriously, a hotel without a pool?), internet was like a $10 charge which we didn't get.
There was also a $50 a night refundable security deposit that was NOT mentioned on their website at all, which forced me to use a credit card to pay for it to prevent a hold being placed on my account while I might have needed it. That I found most upsetting, going up to the front desk and having the nice attendant say "Okay, that'll be $370 and if you use your debit card a hold will be placed on your account until you check out."
You did, however, get TV unless you wanted something on-demand. It was also a larger room than I had stayed at for ACen years ago, even if they did have that same thing where they say they have a mini-fridge and it is actually a fridge full of $5 cans of soda. Thank God for crock pots and coolers, if they were not allowed in the hotel I probably would not have made it to the con.
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Hotel
Aug 13, 2011 15:57:51 GMT -5
Post by RFlatstone on Aug 13, 2011 15:57:51 GMT -5
You know, when we go down to Metropolis for the Superman Celebration, we have stayed in three different Motels (not Hotels). All three had free basic cable with one premium channel (HBO, I believe), free wireless cable, free continental breakfast, microwave and refrigerator (nothing in it, so we could stow real food), the rooms were clean and comfortable. Now, keep in mind, these are motels; inexpensive. How is it that the cheapest lodging provides more amenities, without additional fees, than these so-called "up scale, classy" hotels? Really, what are you getting for all the extra $?
On a different note, 'Netter and I didn't make it to Flashback Weekend. We got there, but because of WW, River Road was a parking lot (figuratively), and there was no parking (literally). If I have to pay for parking, I expect there to BE parking. I have never had this kind of a problem at any event. I am even less happy with the Rosemont venue today.
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