Parking Question

[jantra.livejournal.com]

Next year, to hopefully save money as well as transport several large costumes more then a thousand miles, my friends have decided on renting a minivan to get to the con. We've got a general idea on gas, on how much it'll be to rent the van, but now my question to long time D*Cers: how much will it be to PARK down there?

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Also, if you are from the Baltimore, Philadelphia, or Northeast PA area, we are driving down there and could DEFINITELY use another driver! We currently have three drivers and would love a fourth. It would be splitting rental, gas, and parking and if you want, a room as well since I have a room already booked in the Hyatt. (I plan to try for a Marriott room but you know how easy that is.)

Comments

[omicron1337.livejournal.com]

This year, in the parking garage directly across the street from the Marriot (I'm sorry, I'm drawing a blank on the name at the moment) it cost us $80.00 for Thursday night-Monday afternoon. We've been using said garage for six years now, and have never had any security issues, etc.

[jantra.livejournal.com]

How much was it per day? Just double checking... 16 dollars a day? Or am I missing something?

We need it Wednesday night-Tuesday morning.

[omicron1337.livejournal.com]

I want to say it was around $17.00 a day? I don't remember the exact amount, just that our total was $80.

[creedsgalbirdy.livejournal.com]

Do you mean the Peachtree Athletic Club parking garage? That was $16/day.

[omicron1337.livejournal.com]

It was Central Parking - 303 Peachtree Center Avenue.

[orochiserge.livejournal.com]

I always park in a garage that is next to the Hilton. They charge $16 a day.

It is probably the same garage omicron1337 is referring too

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

Downtown Atlanta Interactive Parking Guide (http://www.atlantadowntown.com/get-around/parking/interactive-parking-guide)

[awillis2.livejournal.com]

If you park at the hotel you're staying at the daily fees vary by hotel but the minimum is $17 (Days Inn/Wynham Gardens) and up. Marriott charges $20 a day for cars, larger vehicles are more.

[awillis2.livejournal.com]

since I can't edit my post I'll add that it was $20 last year at the Marriott, they may have gone up.

[feuervogel]

The Marriott's valet rate for 2009 was $26/day, unless it was $28.

Parking (Hilton)

[alacon.livejournal.com]

Using hotel parking (underground) at the Hilton costs between $21 and $27 per day/night. It's added into your hotel bill. REALLY convenient to the HILTON and safe, though. Clearance is close for vans (I'm in a Ford Freestar Van). A custom van with extended top couldn't use the underground parking...

I'd like to add that depending on how large your costumes are - we BARELY got everything for three people into our van. Our stuff included two larger costumes (Alien, Steampunk) and ONE ice chest with the rest being soft luggage. We've added a fourth person for next year and we may simply have to take TWO vans - smile!

Re: Parking (Hilton)

[jantra.livejournal.com]

Erk. That's not a great idea. We have five people coming (ironically one of the two costumes IS an alien, the other is a gargoyle so wings), but we're going to have a tie-on roof luggage thing as well so it'll help.

But thanks for the info!!

[twitchomatic.livejournal.com]

The garage next to the Hilton was $20 per day, if memory serves.

[ravenmist7.livejournal.com]

We always park in the SunTrust parking garage right up the street from the Marriott. It's $20 a day.

[madkestrel.livejournal.com]

I parked at a MARTA station and rode the train. My car was just fine when I got back, and parking and train tickets cost me less than $20 for the entire weekend.

[jantra.livejournal.com]

This is what I would love to do, but with two massive costumes, ice chests, etc, we can't ride a train in that mess.

Stop me if I'm stating the obvious . . .

[auroraceleste.livejournal.com]

Stop at the hotel, drop your luggage off with the bellhop, leave 2 people to check into the hotel and unload the bell carts while 2 people go take the car to a train dropoff and ride the train back. Repeat for loading.

Re: Stop me if I'm stating the obvious . . .

[sonata-ix.livejournal.com]

Seconded. We've done this the past few years and it's worked great.

[braidedmane.livejournal.com]

Drop your stuff off at the hotel first. This is what we do every year.

[tertiumquid.livejournal.com]

Hyatt parking went up to $27/day this year. For the first time in many years we parked off-site.

My wife dropped of me and the luggage then drove down to the Lenox Marta station and parked for $4 per day plus $1.75 each way for train fare. The train runs right to the station under the mall, attached to the hotel.

[softershade.livejournal.com]

This year I parked at the garage inbetween the Hilton and Sheraton called the Peachtree Athletic...something...and it was $15 a day. Got there Thursday afternoon and left Monday afternoon and it was a total of $75. Didn't have any problems and it was an easy trip to get any items left in the car at any point during the con.

[duane-kc.livejournal.com]

I drive a small bus/RV, and it was too big to fit in any of the parking garages. The desk clerk at the Westin referred me to the Days Inn parking lot, which charged me $20/say for parking. No in-and-out privileges, but I wasn't going to try to manuver that big beast around downtown anyway!

[tyrus.livejournal.com]

Something else to consider. We rented a minivan to drive down from jersey one year, but we did two one way rentals instead. We ended up having to drop off and pick up at the airport, but we saved on parking and on not having the rental as long, so it was well worth it.

When we arrived we went to the hotel, dropped of people and stuff, then I drove out to hartsfield and took the marta back (in hindsight I might have been able to do this closer, but since we had to pick up there we just planned to drop off there)

On Monday I took the Marta out, picked up the car, drove to the hotel and picked up people/stuff, drove home and dropped the van off in jersey

[eclecticmuse.livejournal.com]

We stayed at a hotel by the airport and so drove in every morning, and parked at the Peachtree Center parking deck (I believe) right across the street from the Sheraton. Friday it was $16, Saturday-Monday it was $10 to park our minivan there all day. I dunno if that distance is feasible for you and I can't speak for security (though we didn't have any problems), but it worked out marvelous for us. Ended up somehow parking in the exact same spot next to the second level stairwell every day!

[wookieegunner.livejournal.com]

We took a slightly different approach to this delima. We were staying at the Hilton which has a Fed Ex office in it, so we shipped our stuff there. Forget how expensive it was, but that might be something to look into. Just remember that the Hotel Fed Ex offices might have a handling fee (I think we paid $25.00 per box handling because they were over 30lbs a piece).

Rented a van before to take to DCon

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

We've done this before. Please take into account that most companies that rent vehicles require a copy of the Drivers License for each additional driver (plus there is normally an additional charge for each driver). That normally has to done at the place of rental, so if you're thinking of picking up an additional driver, they will have to make a trip up to said location to personally appear before the agent to provide their license. If you have someone drive the vehicle that isn't on the original contract can void any type of insurance that you buy from them. Or your (the original person that rented the van) insurance should something happen.

I also recommend that when you accept the rental vehicle that you video tape the acceptance. Don't just rely on the paper walk around. Any damage to the vehicle can be charged to the person whose name is on the original contract. We do a video walk around of our car at home, then again when we turn it into Valet Parking, and then again when we go to pick up our car. If the vehicle is somehow damaged in the parking garage, this will come in handy with your insurance company. We had such a problem one year with our car. It was damaged in the garage. The hotel tried to say that the damage was already there, but with the video tape, our insurance company was able to say and prove that said damage had to have occured while our vehicle was in their possession.

If you let someone who isn't listed on the rental contract drive said vehicle and god forbid, there is an accident, the original renter could face some serious dollars, as the additional driver most likely wouldn't be covered on any insurance claim.

Just some food for thought.

Re: Rented a van before to take to DCon

[jantra.livejournal.com]

THE VIDEO IS A GREAT IDEA. I have a video camera I'll be bringing anyway.

I found out that if you have AAA you can get a discount and any AAA covered driver is no extra charge with Hertz. Currently all drivers will be meeting up together at the same rental place to drive and all three are covered by AAA so that'll be okay.

do we have to buy insurance with them? Can it go through my insurance instead which covers rental cars? Would you recommend getting their insurance?

We're lucky. 4/5 people are drivers and the last, who wouldn't be driving, literally can't drive (partly blind) so we're all set.

Re: Rented a van before to take to DCon

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

I am a card carrying AAA member. Gotta love them.

No you shouldn't have to buy insurance with them, but talk to whomever you have your regular car insured with, just what is covered with a rental car, and other drivers. I am not an insurance person, so I can only tell you my thoughts. Talk to your car insurance agent.... be totally honest with them..... They will tell you what is best.

Just know that if your name is on the contract and something happens with another driver, you're the first one that anyone will come after.

I assume you're staying at a host hotel correct? or one that has valet parking?

Re: Rented a van before to take to DCon

[jantra.livejournal.com]

I fucking love my AAA.

I plan to talk to my insurance agent about the whole thing. Honestly, I just don't want to put 3000 miles on my car in a week and have it be in downtown atlanta, plus we needed something BIG for getting 5 of us plus big costumes down there.

We're currently booked for the Hyatt but waiting to get a room in the Marriott (decided to book the Hyatt room as a 'just in case').

Re: Rented a van before to take to DCon

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

Definitely talk to your car insurance agent.

The Hyatt is totally kewl, that is where we always stay.

We rented a minivan cause I took 16 costumes before, I've cut down now.

Forgot to mention

[muerandah.livejournal.com]

Make sure whatever company you rent from knows you are taking the vehicle out of state. A lot of companies won't let you take it past a bordering state without addition charges.

Re: Forgot to mention

[jantra.livejournal.com]

Hertz has no problem with us taking it to Atlanta. They have unlimited miles they said.