[Thursday Pre-reg line]

I'm not a line person, not really. I'll be in Baltimore around noon; go to the Aquarium, eat, shop, check out the sites, hang in my hotel room and then around 9, walk down, get my badge and go back to my room to play video games/watch anime/hang with my friends till we crash.

C

[Otakon 2009 Budget]

I find ways to make it... tho I know my main worry is what gas will be in July, since I am driving from Michigan again.

But I already have the hotel booked, and about 1/2 filled.. I was looking for a section on rides/rooms, but didn't see one. Likely will need to open up the room for a few more before the actual con to lower everyone's price for the weekend.

C

[The new Hilton will suck when the O's are in town]

I have also just reserved a room there. I got one of the rooms with the HD RM... apparently an awesome set up for HD movies, internet and hooking up your lap top.

As long as my same group comes back next year, it will be damned cheap per person to stay in the room.

If they dont...........I may be looking for somewhere else to bunk

C

[Thursday Night activities]

Last year was my first time in Maryland, Baltimore and Otakon. I almost didn't go back this year cause it was so perfect in terms of everything last year.

But what I did for my weekend:

Drove from Lansing down to Ann Arbor on Tues, stayed with a friend.

Drove from AA to Warren, Ohio on Wed to stay with my Aunt and Uncle.

Drove from Warren to Baltimore on Thursday. Arrived at the hotel, dropped all my stuff off, and then took the van to the lightrail parking lot about 12 miles away.

Rode the Light Rail in, went to dinner with friends and then walked in and got my badge with no wait around 7pm.

Walked around a little more to get an idea of where everything was, and then went back to the hotel room. Met and got to know my room mates (I was a last minute addition to a room after my earlier plans had to be canceled. Glad it turned out that way too).

And the weather last year??? You honestly could not have asked for a better weekend. Little humidity, almost perfect temps and NO rain.

I expect worse this year cause it's just the way it is.

Still, I will be there at 4pm on Thurs, get into the room, unpack, head out with the same friends I made last year in the same room and grab dinner, may even spend a couple hours at the Aquarium. Enjoy some of the harbor activities, grab my badge around 7pm, and enjoy the nightlife.

As for the con weekend, I found that my main interests were the larger events, so I'm going to spend a little more time around Baltimore seeing the sites.

C

[Parking Garages]

EDIT - DIdn't see the one post above, but here's a re-telling:

Park at the LightRail. You'd have to call in advance for the name of the one i parked at last year, cause I can't right off remember, AND you'd have to plan your schedule to be out of the CON and to the LR before it's last trip, but there's a parking lot about 12 miles away that as long as you call and request permission, they let you park FOR FREE for the whole weekend and the lot is patrolled by the police.

Then you pay for a RT pass of something like $3 to $4 bucks and ride right into the convention center.

Granted, if you have a large group of 4 or more, it's likely just as cheap to park in one of the garages and split the cost, but if you're a small group or single person who plans to attend the con for short hours (I.E. before 11-12midnight) then the LR is an excellent alternative to save on both cost of parking and some gas, perhaps. And you avoid ALL the traffic.

Anyway, do a web search for the LightRail and call the transit office. It took me about 30 minutes to find the right person, but I saved $70 last year by doing it this way. I also had a hotel room in the Harbor Court so I only needed 2 1 way passes, and ended up spending $7 for the weekend to park.

C