Nimoy's autograph prices

[nightwing22dg.livejournal.com]

Ok, I check Conventionscene.com regularly for updates on signings and things just in case someone is coming to the Atlanta area.  It has actually happened once or twice.  Anyway, here is a new con I saw in New England that seems to handle autographs differently than DragonCon.  According to this webpage: 
http://www.nefanx.com/experience/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=59

It seems that all celeb autographs are $20 and all photos $30.  Nimoy of course is more, but there is an interesting tier pricing.  It appears his discussion isn't even free at any level.  They are asking for a $60 donation for just that.  But, if you scroll on down, it says if you pay the $60, you can have 1 autograph or 1 photo added to your seat price.  If you want all 3 (seat, autograph, photo) it is an even $100.  If you want to attend John De Lancie's reading, that is extra too ($15).  Interesting.  Though, I've said before on here, I would never pay more than $30-$40 for an autograph and it saddens me to see actors asking these prices, I thought this was interesting and others might think so too. 

Etched Glasses Vendor

[jarissa.livejournal.com]

Yay! My turn!
In the Dealer's Room was a vendor selling very nice, hefty glass mugs, with a design etched into the glass.  These things are dishwasher-safe AND microwave-safe (if it'll fit in your microwave.  Too big for mine!), and no two were exactly alike.

They were kind enough to offer to ship my purchase home for me, at no additional charge, so that I wouldn't have to worry about how I was going to get it across four hours of rattly roads without damage.

Who were they?

Do they do business on the Internet?  'Cause I like these two so much, I want to order at least one more.

Alas, no business information was included on (or inside) the package!  And Smurf-all knows where my annual collection of business cards and notes winds up every year as I unpack at home.

Let the Marriott Rush Begin!

[radegund-lj.livejournal.com]

Reservations are open. If you go to http://www.dragoncon.org/location.php#Host_Hotels you will find a reservation link that goes through a housing bureau service which immediately pulls up the discount rate -- the website doesn't seem to be posting special codes this year.

Hmm

[morganskye.livejournal.com]

Is anyone else having trouble booking with Marriott?

Of course by the time this gets through mod I hope to have it booked. *crosses fingers and sacrifices a goat*

Edit: Got though, but Thursday is completely sold out and there isn't a two bed room to be had. O_O I got through at 8:15 and ALL of the double beds are sold out?!? What's going on?!

Hotel

[kkatowll.livejournal.com]

Whew, I got a Marriott room. If there's anybody on this site who doesn't already know, you can reserve ONLINE (go to the dragoncon link, it's not the same as the regular Marriott site). That's much quicker than waiting for a telephone reservation person...I was on hold the whole time I was doing it online, and I finished online and hung up without ever having heard from a real person.
Do it now! I'd bet the hotel will be sold out, at least for some nights, within hours.

Marriott

[destinyfroste.livejournal.com]

Alright, I just spoke with a very helpful gentleman at PassKey who told me:

#1 - The block sold out in 35 minutes
#2 - Only a few more rooms were opened up and those sold out immediately
#3 - The entire hotel is sold out.

Lovely. Alright all you room horders...start canceling and give the rest of us a chance! ;)

Seriously though, I am sure there will be a lot of room juggling as people find roommates and people cancel multiple rooms. There is also a chance of cancellations depending on when Star Wars Celebration V is held...it might be in August, which means a lot of the Star Wars fans will have to choose one or the other and as DCon is every year but Celebration is only once every...so many years...Celebration is looking like the choice for most of them.

Room parties 2010?

[dlorean.livejournal.com]

Okay, those of you that are in the know, which hotel will be the best for hosting a room party for 2010?

I'm just looking for suggestions.....  (Also, how does one go about getting one of the huge suites, and how much do those cost?) 

how to Fail At getting a Room

[sudrin.livejournal.com]

( Long winded rant follows )

Marriott Rooms

[wicked0witch.livejournal.com]

I'm actually shocked that people were having that many issues with the Marriott... I had no problem getting on and getting my room. I went online at 8 am, had my room booked by 8:05 and my confirmation in my e-mail by 8:10. I had no idea anyone was having issues till my friends started calling me because they couldn't get through.

Since that last topic makes it look like no one got a room at all, where are the people that got the rooms? I want to see how many did, so we can kinda guestimate how many rooms were on the block.

also, how did you get your room? It seems that most people got it through the website that were successful.

When do they typically start announcing guests?

[krisblis.livejournal.com]

 I know everyone's preoccupied with the whole Marriott room reservation fiasco (good luck guys!) but I was just wondering when they start to announce guests.  I know it won't be for a long time, just curious.  I had a blast this year and decided to come next year too, and was miraculously able to get a Marriott reservation with no problems.  Thanks in advance!

Okay, so this got frakked up for us...

[http://users.livejournal.com/spooksquad_/]

Where is everyone sending their customer feedback/letters of complaint. It would be good for it to all go to the same places, I would think, the more of us, the better.

And just to head off the "it's to be expected, the con is getting bigger" replies we always seem to get when we complain about rooms— I want to be straight up and clear that  I don't wanna hear that bull.
The con growing in size does affect the number of rooms that get taken. But the con growing in size doesn't have anything to do with the totally f***ed up and jacked way these reservations were handled.   This is what we call FUBAR:

Some people tried to book yesterday and were told booking didn't start until the 1st., go away.

Some people called back the next morning and were told "uh-oh, sold out".

Some people said the booking DID start yesterday and people got rooms.

Some people were on hold for so long that during the same session were told 'hey, we've rooms'...'oops, I was wrong, nope sold out'.

Some people HAD a room that they found while booking online, only to find as they were finishing their finalization of the whole thing, basically signing their name, 'SOLD OUT' greeted them at the end.

We were up WELL before 8 am (try 5:30) this morning and were promptly told it was sold out. Yet others book the exact same room that we wanted AT 8:00 a.m. or well after. 

So...is Thursday sold out, or isn't it?  They need to pick one, because it can't be both.  Because some people got Thursday and some didn't and we were requesting the same exact reservation.

And then there's the passkey thing, which some said took place yesterday, and others said wasn't working for them until 8 this morning.  And some of us don't even know what the frak that is.



There is a lot of information here that doesn't even remotely come close good customer service...no way, not for a well-seasoned convention and hotel such as Dragon*Con and the Marriott, especially when they KNEW this would be coming.

Also, to head off the "rooms will become available closer to con, they always do, no worries" replies— sorry but I already know that, and  I don't want to hear that either because like the other type of reply, it has nothing to do with a solution to this issue.  What happens later, and closer to con time, does not address this massive reservation f*** up, or tell anybody how something like this can be improved or fixed.

I would just like to know if there is a group complaint being done and where everyone is sending theirs.


EDIT:  Where to send complaints

Some people have posted some GREAT places to start sending your official complaint, if you have not already, and some good tips. 

http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2234439.html?thread=23780423#t23780423

 

 

http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2234439.html?thread=23755591#t23755591

 

 

http://community.livejournal.com/dragoncon/2234439.html?thread=23763527#t23763527

I also agree about sending a real letter, as opposed to just an email, but I realize that many people are lazy or just claim they don't want to waste the paper, so I'm glad links are provided for some of them. :)   I speak for myself on that, I'm not just trying to be funny. But I will actually make the effort and write one, and try to remember how to buy stamps.

I realize that some people believe the efforts are futile, but hey, very few things have ever been improved or changed anywhere, ever, by people just ignoring it or giving up.   D*C, Marriott, Passkey...any or all— they should all know this was a total screw up and should not have been. And maybe a few people yelling at their hotel manager for a few days won't get their attention, but hundreds of real, well-worded letters, emails and phone calls to their top people or headquarters for a few weeks will at least get some attention, and maybe the issues fixed for next time. Who knows, maybe it'll have some positive effect for our current con goers issues.

Just sayin'.

Please remember!

[pixiekingtom.livejournal.com]

X-Posted
If you do overbook on the number of rooms that you need, please check the forums to transfer the room rather than cancelling.
When you cancel a room at the Con rate, it is removed from the block and moved to the current rack rate

Some rooms available at host hotels

[lilithschilde.livejournal.com]

I've found that through booking online both the Hilton and Sheraton have rooms available for Friday through Tuesday. The Hilton was only for a king bed, the Sheraton was for two doubles. Both require a one night deposit at time of booking.

At this point I'm going to hope for a room later. This is the first year I wasn't able to get a room. I don't know if the con rate blocks are too small or what, but it's pretty ridiculous when there are 4 hotels and it's already sold out. But, if you're willing to book a non-con rate room I found some of the hotels do have rooms available. People have been saying maybe D*Con is getting too big, and I always argued it was fine, until now.

Huh, did you miss booking the Marriott this morning?

[greycoupon.livejournal.com]

I think you may still be able to get a Thursday - Tuesday reservation for $250 a night. You have to be a Marriott rewards member and 4 nights is 80,000 points, (book 4 nights and get 1 free with the Pointsaver thingy automatically). I have 60,000 but was still able to book. I just have to buy/earn 20k points before the con.

So I imagine even someone with 0 points could do the same as long as they provided a credit card to secure the reservation. I wasn't charged nor have my points been deducted.

Just an idea. Obviously this only works as long as rooms are available. Oddly none show up Friday-Monday but Thursday - Tuesday brings up that lovely $380 rate. Select use rewards points. The Marquis is a category 4 hotel which is 20k a night.

It's not the con rate and it's more hoops to jump through but it's cheaper than the rack rate.