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I hope this helps.

I know this has been mentioned somewhere else, but you do know that you don't pay the whole price at the time of booking the hotel, right? You would just pay a cancellation fee if you don't end up going and forget to cancel your room early. I paid at checkout last year (if I remember correctly). The hotel did want my credit card up front for incidentals (damage the room, room service, mini bar, etc.)

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  • 1 month later...

Looks like I'm holing up with a friend at the Brookshire. It's a little further away than other hotels, but it's reasonable.

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I don't have a hotel room yet x_x but I'll keep an eye on hotwire and priceline T_T.

Do anyone know when do the hotels release the otakon block? I mean, when do the rooms that are canceled are available to public?

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To anyone who has stayed at the Days Inn: how many people could you comfortably fit into a 2 double bed room? For reference we stayed at the Intercontinental Harbor Court last year and fit 10 in with probably a person to spare.

I've stayed both places on business. They are almost opposite ends of the spectrum.

It primarily depends on what in heck you mean by "comfortably". If you were to apply military camping standards, or put four in a bed (hope you're REALLY friendly!), someone on the floor beside each bed, someone in the bathroom, two on the floor in front of the beds...... but now that leaves you no room for the luggage, loot, cosplay supplies, laptop, etc., and no way to go to the bathroom at night without stepping on someone. Frankly, in our department (Radio Ops) with our stuff (footlocker and a small van-load full of radio gear), I wouldn't want to try and stuff more than 5 people in a Day's Inn room, and I'm one of THE most flexible, accommodating, sleep-in-the-car-if-necessary blokes you will ever see.

Frankly, I'll go with the "official" answer: The fire code specifies maximum occupancy of four per room. Yes, people HAVE been thrown out or made to pay extra when housekeeping discovers six sleeping bags and fifteen bags. You might luck out, you might not. I wouldn't take that chance.

Edited by thenecrobobsledder
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That is a really good point. when you are rooming with people who are cosplaying that takes up a lot more space...... especially if they are complex cosplays. I have a double room in the Days Inn but its not 100% confirmed who's coming and who's not - but I am pretty sure at least 2 will cosplay. ugh... ^_^

does anyone know if the double rooms in the days inn are large enough to hold like 5 people?

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By comfortably I mean that we had 4 people in 2 doubles/queens (I can't remember), one on the side of the room, and 5 littered about in front of the beds with enough space so that we were all able to fully stretch out and not step on anyone while moving in the middle of the night. I figure I'll just have to compare square footage of the two rooms or go to a Days Inn in person and ask to see the size of the room. We only had one person cosplaying and will probably only have that one person this year as well. None of us are big buyers either so that frees up some space. At any rate I'll just talk it over with everyone to see if they want to take the risk or to go ahead with it. Thanks for your reply!
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I got the Biltmore hotel...it's 12 blocks away...but....te were plenty of rooms at the time :unsure:

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I don't have a hotel room yet x_x but I'll keep an eye on hotwire and priceline T_T.

Do anyone know when do the hotels release the otakon block? I mean, when do the rooms that are canceled are available to public?

That is very much not something you want. Rooms open to the public are charged current (almost certainly Rack) rates. Keep an eye on the rooming forum and watch for block drops or folks looking to transfer their room at whatever lower rate they locked at.

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That is a really good point. when you are rooming with people who are cosplaying that takes up a lot more space...... especially if they are complex cosplays. I have a double room in the Days Inn but its not 100% confirmed who's coming and who's not - but I am pretty sure at least 2 will cosplay. ugh... :unsure:

does anyone know if the double rooms in the days inn are large enough to hold like 5 people?

Edited by ZGL
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I got the Biltmore hotel...it's 12 blocks away...but....te were plenty of rooms at the time :unsure:

Have you been there before? I was planning on going there or mount vernon if I didn't get anything closer, but being the foreign that I am, i've no idea how those hotels are or if I won't be getting any unpleasant surprises. If you could tell me your experiences I would be grateful ^_^.

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is correct, I would say yes; you might have to come up with some creative ways to store your baggage though. Scotsman, is this a relatively accurate picture of the bedroom in question?

:blink:

Hey, where'd you get such a nice room? :angry:

Yep, that's exactly right, down to the mini-fridge and TV, albeit freshly redecorated and nicely made up. You aren't going to get more than two in each of those beds comfortably, let me tell you that, unless you're all midgets.

If I were, say, under hurricane evacuation conditions, I could put one at the foot of each bed, one between the beds, and maybe one beside the other bed, with all the stuff piled beside the other bed and beside the door behind the photographer where there's a coat rack. Bathroom is behind the photographer to the left, and someone drawing the short straw could sleep on the floor there, and maybe someone in the tub if you're desperate.

But the hotel will provide enough towels, etc. for FOUR. Bring extra shampoo, soap, towels, etc.

And I reiterate: The fire code says four per room, and we're NOT evacuating Florida or the Eastern Shore because of a hurricane.

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My b about the picture. We stayed at the Intercontinental Harbor Court last year. At least I think that is what it is called. There is something directly above the floor we stayed on but I am not sure what it is. I think it is the presidential suites that run like $1000 a night or something. There is a spa and massage parlor and a place to just chill out on the roof which is pretty cool but I think it is too far away for staff =(.
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Thanks for the hotel pic..... I'm relived 'cause it looks like I could fit 5-6 people in the room, like I did last year at the Lord Baltimore. I wasn't aware that there were fire codes but I really don't think that the hotel staff will care since they are making SO much $$ this con weekend. Maybe some of the more high-end hotels might say something but I don't think the Days Inn will. Last year me and 5 friends stayed at the Lord Baltimore and we were very obvious about all of us staying in the same room [not intentionally though] and the clerk just handed us 6 room keys..... just like that. BTW, this was a single room too :angry: needless to say, it was a very interesting sleeping arrangement. It was worth it 'cause the price was right..... we all ended up paying less than $50 each.

The double room pic also shows a mini microwave and frig..... which is awsome. that means I can bring snacks adn food :blink:

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Thanks for the hotel pic..... I'm relived 'cause it looks like I could fit 5-6 people in the room, like I did last year at the Lord Baltimore. I wasn't aware that there were fire codes but I really don't think that the hotel staff will care since they are making SO much $$ this con weekend. Maybe some of the more high-end hotels might say something but I don't think the Days Inn will. Last year me and 5 friends stayed at the Lord Baltimore and we were very obvious about all of us staying in the same room [not intentionally though] and the clerk just handed us 6 room keys..... just like that. BTW, this was a single room too :angry: needless to say, it was a very interesting sleeping arrangement. It was worth it 'cause the price was right..... we all ended up paying less than $50 each.

The double room pic also shows a mini microwave and frig..... which is awsome. that means I can bring snacks adn food :blink:

Whether or not they care initially at check-in that you're stuffing too many people into the room, the hotel can and does reserve the right to cancel your reservations and kick you out if you're disruptive or obnoxious. Flaunting the fact that you have so many people in your room (whether by asking for extra towels, pillows, blankets, or other resources, or by making scenes in the hallways and elevators) is a good way to get yourself kicked out and to ruin Otakon's reputation with the Baltimore hospitality industry. Yes, they take in a lot of money Otakon weekend - but if you were keeping to stated occupancy limits, they'd be taking in even more. Don't think that because they turn a blind eye to you that they've forgotten that.

As a note, this isn't directed necessarily only at you - it's a trend I've been noticing in the con culture. I watch warily from the sidelines waiting for the day when something irreparable happens at a hotel because of someone being dumb, and causes hotels to think twice before accepting reservations and groups for folks attending conventions.

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Thanks for the hotel pic..... I'm relived 'cause it looks like I could fit 5-6 people in the room, like I did last year at the Lord Baltimore. I wasn't aware that there were fire codes but I really don't think that the hotel staff will care since they are making SO much $$ this con weekend. Maybe some of the more high-end hotels might say something but I don't think the Days Inn will. Last year me and 5 friends stayed at the Lord Baltimore and we were very obvious about all of us staying in the same room [not intentionally though] and the clerk just handed us 6 room keys..... just like that. BTW, this was a single room too :angry: needless to say, it was a very interesting sleeping arrangement. It was worth it 'cause the price was right..... we all ended up paying less than $50 each.

The double room pic also shows a mini microwave and frig..... which is awsome. that means I can bring snacks adn food <_<

Whether or not they care initially at check-in that you're stuffing too many people into the room, the hotel can and does reserve the right to cancel your reservations and kick you out if you're disruptive or obnoxious. Flaunting the fact that you have so many people in your room (whether by asking for extra towels, pillows, blankets, or other resources, or by making scenes in the hallways and elevators) is a good way to get yourself kicked out and to ruin Otakon's reputation with the Baltimore hospitality industry. Yes, they take in a lot of money Otakon weekend - but if you were keeping to stated occupancy limits, they'd be taking in even more. Don't think that because they turn a blind eye to you that they've forgotten that.

As a note, this isn't directed necessarily only at you - it's a trend I've been noticing in the con culture. I watch warily from the sidelines waiting for the day when something irreparable happens at a hotel because of someone being dumb, and causes hotels to think twice before accepting reservations and groups for folks attending conventions.

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While I'm 22 and decently mature and responsible, I can be very silly, loud, and immature when I'm having fun. However, I know when it's ok and when it's not. I know how far to take it, when to keep it in check and when to let loose and be wild. No matter how crazy I get I could never be irresponsible and break or destroy anything.

That being said, while I didn't see anything crazy out of control last year, I did see a group of what one might call "teeny-boppers" staying at my hotel that were OBNOXIOUSLY loud and irritating in the lobby. Now last year being my first con ever. I was as excited as I could possibly be, but I didn't show it by squealing and being generally loud and annoying. As far as noise pollution goes, people need to be respectful of others. Walking down the street or being at the con itself is one thing, but running through the halls yelling and laughing is quite another. There's plenty of time for "crazy-go-nuts" style excitement at Otakon, but people should at least use discretion when surrounded by other people who might not be as hyper and high-spirited as otaku.

And that's coming from a hyper and high-spirited otaku.

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone know anything about the new Hilton Homewood Suites that's near the 14 Location on the hotel map on South President St.?

It looks really nice, and since I plan on staying for 5 nights, they have a special for 199 a night: up to 5 people for a one-bedroom suite with a separate living area, comp. breakfast in the morning everyday, comp. high speed, and a little kitchenette (stove, almost full-size refrigerator, sink).

I like the idea, because I don't want to rely on restaurants and fast-food, and I would probably get bored of coffeepot ramen, and similar otaku-fare, and it doesn't look like it's all that far of a drive/walk.

Edited by Chaoslight
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That being said, while I didn't see anything crazy out of control last year, I did see a group of what one might call "teeny-boppers" staying at my hotel that were OBNOXIOUSLY loud and irritating in the lobby.
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Does anyone know anything about the new Hilton Homewood Suites that's near the 14 Location on the hotel map on South President St.?

It looks really nice, and since I plan on staying for 5 nights, they have a special for 199 a night: up to 5 people for a one-bedroom suite with a separate living area, comp. breakfast in the morning everyday, comp. high speed, and a little kitchenette (stove, almost full-size refrigerator, sink).

I like the idea, because I don't want to rely on restaurants and fast-food, and I would probably get bored of coffeepot ramen, and similar otaku-fare, and it doesn't look like it's all that far of a drive/walk.

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Does anyone know anything about the new Hilton Homewood Suites that's near the 14 Location on the hotel map on South President St.?

It looks really nice, and since I plan on staying for 5 nights, they have a special for 199 a night: up to 5 people for a one-bedroom suite with a separate living area, comp. breakfast in the morning everyday, comp. high speed, and a little kitchenette (stove, almost full-size refrigerator, sink).

I like the idea, because I don't want to rely on restaurants and fast-food, and I would probably get bored of coffeepot ramen, and similar otaku-fare, and it doesn't look like it's all that far of a drive/walk.

I don't know anything about this particular Homewood Suites, but the one I've stayed in before was very pleasant and clean, and well worth the price.

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Gahhhhhhhhhhhh 8D!!

I'm so happy.

I got a hotel at the "Sheraton Inner harbor center" thing, And their rooms are amazing.

I get to stay for free, two nights, Friday and Saturday because my friend is Jesus. Man, It's going to be amazing. gahh. And I love how I get to not drive BACK UP TO PIKESVILLE AT TWO AM IN THE MORNING, MOM. -cough- sorry. So yay! 8D

Edited by Light_kun
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Does anyone know anything about the new Hilton Homewood Suites that's near the 14 Location on the hotel map on South President St.?

It looks really nice, and since I plan on staying for 5 nights, they have a special for 199 a night: up to 5 people for a one-bedroom suite with a separate living area, comp. breakfast in the morning everyday, comp. high speed, and a little kitchenette (stove, almost full-size refrigerator, sink).

I like the idea, because I don't want to rely on restaurants and fast-food, and I would probably get bored of coffeepot ramen, and similar otaku-fare, and it doesn't look like it's all that far of a drive/walk.

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Anyone staying at the Brookshire Inn and Suites? It's about 3 blocks away from BCC. I got a decent deal on travelocity.

When I found out that all hotels were booked I found the brookshire on Hotels.com. The price I got was right in line with con rates at other hotels. Plus all the reviews I read were glowing, so I'm looking forward to checking this place out.

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I'm staying at the Residence Inn, best hotel in Baltimore.

Several friends and I are staying at the Residence Inn since we waited until the "last minute" to find a hotel. It's quite expensive compared to what I've spent before, but it's a two bedroom suite with quite a lot of amenities, so hopefully it'll be worth the high price tag. While I am familiar with the area, has anyone stayed there before? Input please.

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My problem with the Inner Harbor hotels? All the partying. I find it very disrespectful towards the other guests of the hotel.

And that's why hotels there are going to give Otakon a smaller block of rooms, more expensive rates (to keep the "riff-raffs" out), and are going to be extremly firm with the "Maximum occupancy" rule.

In other words, having 10 people in a room ment for 4 will be a thing of the past. The hotel will tell them "Get an extra room (and pay it's full rate), or just GET OUT!", and there's not a damn thing the guest can do about it.

Danny

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Wtf, mang?

I can understand you've got a chip on your shoulder at the con-children from katsucon, sirrah, as do I, but that's an extremely negative outlook.

Other than Katsu's "random security checks" and raids this year, I haven't seen any indication that any area con, let alone Otakon, is going to face harsher scrutiny. What do you base these suppositions on, because I imagine it to be an entirely negative conjecture borne out of annoyance at some of these kids. I certainly don't think we need to be predicting doom-and-gloom here, and definitely not giving anybody any ideas.

Of course, perennial words from the wise here: If you never give the hotel any reason to be in your room. . .

He's probably referring to (or at least thinking about, as he wrote his post) the Otakon con-goers who move plants into elevators, who party into the wee hours with a stuffed room, who sleep in hallways in hotels, and who get drunk and start harrassing late-night traffic. It's not limited to one or two conventions, and people shouldn't expect that rooms will continue to be available in an appreciable quantity at any sort of discount if they continue to abuse and mis-use their hotel rooms, the staff of the hotels, and the hotels themselves. It's gotten worse as congoers' ages have gotten lower, and people stop being aware of the effects their actions have on things beyond the immediate timeframe.

It bites (hard) for the rest of us, who act responsibly and don't cause trouble - but it's what's likely to happen if people don't start to realize that their actions have consequences, and that hotels will not turn a blind eye forever.

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Wtf, mang?

I can understand you've got a chip on your shoulder at the con-children from katsucon, sirrah, as do I, but that's an extremely negative outlook.

Other than Katsu's "random security checks" and raids this year, I haven't seen any indication that any area con, let alone Otakon, is going to face harsher scrutiny. What do you base these suppositions on, because I imagine it to be an entirely negative conjecture borne out of annoyance at some of these kids. I certainly don't think we need to be predicting doom-and-gloom here, and definitely not giving anybody any ideas.

Of course, perennial words from the wise here: If you never give the hotel any reason to be in your room. . .

He's probably referring to (or at least thinking about, as he wrote his post) the Otakon con-goers who move plants into elevators, who party into the wee hours with a stuffed room, who sleep in hallways in hotels, and who get drunk and start harrassing late-night traffic. It's not limited to one or two conventions, and people shouldn't expect that rooms will continue to be available in an appreciable quantity at any sort of discount if they continue to abuse and mis-use their hotel rooms, the staff of the hotels, and the hotels themselves. It's gotten worse as congoers' ages have gotten lower, and people stop being aware of the effects their actions have on things beyond the immediate timeframe.

It bites (hard) for the rest of us, who act responsibly and don't cause trouble - but it's what's likely to happen if people don't start to realize that their actions have consequences, and that hotels will not turn a blind eye forever.

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Wtf, mang?

I can understand you've got a chip on your shoulder at the con-children from katsucon, sirrah, as do I, but that's an extremely negative outlook.

Other than Katsu's "random security checks" and raids this year, I haven't seen any indication that any area con, let alone Otakon, is going to face harsher scrutiny. What do you base these suppositions on, because I imagine it to be an entirely negative conjecture borne out of annoyance at some of these kids. I certainly don't think we need to be predicting doom-and-gloom here, and definitely not giving anybody any ideas.

Of course, perennial words from the wise here: If you never give the hotel any reason to be in your room. . .

He's probably referring to (or at least thinking about, as he wrote his post) the Otakon con-goers who move plants into elevators, who party into the wee hours with a stuffed room, who sleep in hallways in hotels, and who get drunk and start harrassing late-night traffic.

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no kidding dan, i was in the sheraton last year. almost had an anureysim yelling at some jerk putting a plant in the elevator doors to jam it, after i had to walk up the stairs carrying 2 bags full of cosplay, con schawg and merchandise, because the elevator wasen't showing up.

what floor and room you where on out of curiosity.

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Yep. You sort of nailed it there. But let me give you some of my personal experience from the past 2 Otakons (06 and 07):

I was staying at the Day's Inn Inner Harbor at Otakon'06. On that Saturday night, I was heading to my room, I encountered these two smelly guys (probably in their mid-20s), basically sitting right in front of my room door. I asked, "Is there a problem?". One said no, but the other replied that they were waiting for their roomate to come back, since they didn't have the key to the room. So I replied, "You're sitting in front of the wrong door." One of them started to get all snarky and then asked me if I would let them crash in my room, instead. I politely said no, and then they've moved on.

An hour later, I get a call from the front-desk. It seems that those two guys were asking them to give them keys to my room since they lost theirs. :ph34r:

At Otakon'07, I was staying at the Sheraton Baltimore City (formally, the Wyndham). It was on both Friday and Saturday that there were people who were next door or across the hall that was making a whole lot of noise on late evening. But Saturday was the worst.

I turned in at about 11PM. But, there were some people on my floor that was running and shouting, and slamming doors (my own room door was constantly hit). This continued well past 1AM. It got so bad that I called the front desk and complained, but they told me that they were already checking on the disturbance, since other guests also called.

Later that morning, I saw one of the elevators with scratches that weren't there, before. It also had a stentch of old beer and vomit. And on the lower lobby, I saw funiture that were ripped, stained, and overturned (including plants), while the floor was littered with cigarette butts, broken beer bottles, empty plastic and styrofoam cups and spilled Snapple drinks.

Danny

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I truly hope the admiral Fell inn and the Hilton Garden Inn do not suffer from convention destruction spree. I would like to have a nice first Otakon experience =_=

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see -- and I hope people listen carefully to this:

there is -not- a "convention destruction spree", nor is there some huge wave of disastrously poorly behaved con attendees. Most of these are the same kind of kids as there always were. There's some mainstream mix in the crowd, yes, and some drinking, but most of the drinking folk at the convention were not a part of the sheraton incident nor wouldn't have thought for a moment to have been. The instance was a pretty terrible one, even I'll admit -- I saw the video -- but this aura of terror we're ascribing to confolk has to stop. Otakon people, these kids, even those new kids over there -- they're not a bunch of insurgents invading Baltimore hotels. Some of them need a little extra guidance, but for the most part, they're really not capable of much harm. Spinning tales of some bizarre convention destruction wave is only going to boost the propensity to do so in the minds of those capable and put the fearful on edge. That sort of fear is what led the Omni at Katsu to start "checking" rooms and that's why a lot of congoers turned so angrily on them.

Seriously, though, Daniel -- and I don't mean just you, but in general -- you shouldn't neccessarily give credence to these sorts of fears and myths in public forum. Presuming some portion of these hotels check up on these boards, which i'm sure they do, you don't want to give them any ideas, and especially not the wrong ones.

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I'm afraid it's not a myth, and not an exaggeration, to say that con behavior -- especially drunkenness, obnoxious behavior, and random destruction -- has become a widespread problem. All of the con organizers we've talked with have discussed it at length.

Overloading hotel rooms is one thing; the destruction and stupidity is quite another.

I've been part of fandom in various aspects for over 20 years; the sorts of behavior we're starting to see with anime fandom in the last 5 years or so have been nothing short of astounding -- and big cons like Otakon simply see more of it, because if you have one bad apple in a thousand, that means a few dozen bad apples at a big con like Otakon.

It only takes one incident to get a con banned from a hotel. But we went from hearing consistently great feedback from hotels to hearing complaints in the space of 5 years.

And within the con, we're seeing an increase in those there only because they see the con as a big party. It is, but not THAT sort of party. The kids -- and by and large, this *IS* about out of control teens, not folks in their late 20s or 30s.

Until members start ratting out the troublemakers in time for us - or the hotels, or if need be the authorities -- to do something about it, it will continue to get worse, and worse.

It's your con too.

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Holy wow! I'll admit to stuffing rooms before (though not to the infamous "10 people in a Day's room" kind of stuffed; maybe six or seven in a 4 person? That's 4 on the bed and three in the floor, which is totally doable, if not perhaps totally legal), but I've never ever been part of a group that was obnoxiously rude/drunk (while I was around, at least; can't say what my roommates got up to after I left). We stayed up rather late last year and had giggly girltalk until almost 3am, but that's a different world altogether from blasting music and trying to break into other people's rooms!

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Until members start ratting out the troublemakers in time for us - or the hotels, or if need be the authorities -- to do something about it, it will continue to get worse, and worse.

It's your con too.

Edited by evaunit01berserk
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I'm afraid it's not a myth, and not an exaggeration, to say that con behavior -- especially drunkenness, obnoxious behavior, and random destruction -- has become a widespread problem. All of the con organizers we've talked with have discussed it at length.

Overloading hotel rooms is one thing; the destruction and stupidity is quite another.

I've been part of fandom in various aspects for over 20 years; the sorts of behavior we're starting to see with anime fandom in the last 5 years or so have been nothing short of astounding -- and big cons like Otakon simply see more of it, because if you have one bad apple in a thousand, that means a few dozen bad apples at a big con like Otakon.

It only takes one incident to get a con banned from a hotel. But we went from hearing consistently great feedback from hotels to hearing complaints in the space of 5 years.

And within the con, we're seeing an increase in those there only because they see the con as a big party. It is, but not THAT sort of party. The kids -- and by and large, this *IS* about out of control teens, not folks in their late 20s or 30s.

Until members start ratting out the troublemakers in time for us - or the hotels, or if need be the authorities -- to do something about it, it will continue to get worse, and worse.

It's your con too.

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Seriously, though, Daniel -- and I don't mean just you, but in general -- you shouldn't neccessarily give credence to these sorts of fears and myths in public forum. Presuming some portion of these hotels check up on these boards, which i'm sure they do, you don't want to give them any ideas, and especially not the wrong ones.
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