some newbie questions

[hydeco.livejournal.com]

Hi, this will be my first year attending Dragon*Con and I have a few questions for people who have been there before.

Registration -- I haven't bought my membership yet. I've heard some horror stories about lines and I know I'll arrive too late on Thursday to pick it up then. Do you think it will be faster to pre-register or to buy my membership at the door on Friday morning? Also, does Dragon*Con sell out?

Parade -- I know I have to sign up in advance if I want to walk in the parade, but do I have to sign up in a group? I'm not sure yet which costume I'll be wearing for Saturday. Should I just register individually, then look for people wearing costumes from the same fandom?

Also -- does the consuite have a microwave and/or hot water available? I'll be at a hotel too far away to go back and forth for meals, but I want to avoid paying too much for food, so I'm planning on bringing stuff in and am trying to decide what sort of groceries to pack.

I've read several of the first-timer guides, but any other info you think would be helpful would still be appreciated. Thanks!

Comments

[pyanfar.livejournal.com]

Something a lot of folks either don't know about, or just forget: There is ANOTHER food court besides the one in the Peachtree Center "Mall". It's smaller, but it's there. The access tube to the SunTrust Building Food Court is on the opposite side of the Marriott from the Peachtree Center "habitrail" tube, on the same floor. It will make more sense once you get here (I work upstairs at Peachtree Center), but if you are in the Marriott lobby, on the same level as the "sailboat" bar (called Pulse), head toward the stairs that lead to the "loft" area (which is also a bar), and go past the stairs. To get to the Peachtree Center Food court, make a left. To get to the Suntrust Food Court, make a right.

[ladytalker13.livejournal.com]

I never knew that was there... LOL Any more details you can give us?

[pyanfar.livejournal.com]

Actually, there are!
After some Googling, here's what I found:

SunTrust Food Court/Retail Offerings (no idea what the operating hours/days are for Sat, Sun, Labor Day, though): http://www.suntrustplaza.com/Frames/TEXT/GardenOffices/Garden_AMb.html

Low resolution map, but the Food Court is immediately North of the Marriott: http://www.suntrustplaza.com/Images/Text_Graphics/Area_lg.gif or http://www.suntrustplaza.com/Images/Text_Graphics/Area_lg.html

SunTrust Tenant Handbook, includes much better maps, phone numbers, etc: http://www.suntrustplaza.com/Frames/Ext_windows/Handbook.pdf

SunTrust Plaza Homepage (the Garden Offices is where the Food Court is, on the main page the picture on the right shows that buildng, with the Hilton and Marriott behind it): http://www.suntrustplaza.com/

The Mall @ Peachtree Center's website: http://www.peachtreecenter.com/Mall%20-%20Home.htm