Author Topic: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion  (Read 210985 times)

Offline accelerate

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #345 on: March 08, 2019, 12:55:27 PM »
Yes, being able to drop off bags and merchandise is a big reason why I love having a hotel next to the convention center. But if we're being completely open and honest, another reason is to have a nice clean and quiet bathroom to use. :D

Offline sessionka

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #346 on: March 08, 2019, 01:25:16 PM »
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Yeah, its definitely not a requirement for everyone. I see the benefit of staying outside of downtown completely too, just depends on how you frame your trip in your mind.

But once you've got a taste of downtown, its much harder to stay anywhere else  ;D

There's downtown...  And then there's DOWNTOWN (Convention Center Adjacent)!!!

Last year I got SpringHill Suites (1 mile from the Convention Center).

I'd stay there again.  It's right off the trolley line and of course on the shuttle route.  I don't do heavy duty cosplay, and I don't do heavy shopping every day, so I don't usually feel the need to go back to my room in the middle of the day.  I'm also pretty good at finding clean bathrooms.   :) :)

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #347 on: Today at 04:54:54 AM »

Offline JKingoftheNerds

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #347 on: March 08, 2019, 04:01:35 PM »
Staying downtown last year was so helpful for my group. One of us has an anxiety disorder that causes really bad panic attacks. During SDCC last year she felt like she were close to having one a few times (and did end up having one, once). She told us that being so close to the hotel (we stayed at the Omni) was a blessing, in that it allowed her to step away from the crowd and regroup in a quiet, safe feeling place. If anyone else struggles with crowd-induced anxiety, a downtown hotel might be a HUGE help.

Offline Angel_

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #348 on: March 08, 2019, 04:17:27 PM »
I have social anxiety (and GAD) and can confirm it has been hugely helpful.  I've escaped to the room multiple times for that reason.
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Offline Iris

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #349 on: March 08, 2019, 07:18:58 PM »
I have severe anxiety too, to the point of frequent panic attacks for periods of time sometimes. I've definitely escaped to my hotel room to get a breather from the chaos, and hopefully calm down before it goes full-blow. Being adjacent is super helpful for that.

If you have any physical health issues that pop up during the day it can feel like a must to be adjacent or at least close. I know when I was recovering post-brain surgeries and went to the con (I basically told my doctors that I would do SDCC even if it killed me), escaping to the Bayfront periodically through the day, and being able to not be completely out of the con environment was such a boon. Those trips were frequent those times I went to the con. Plus, I finally got to experience more time in my, expensive, hotel room those years. Many necessary, quick naps were had and enjoyed.

Hell, I had an asthma attack (one of the very few actual ones I've had throughout the entirety of my life) at SDCC. I was so wiped out after calming down I doubt I'd have made it much further from Hall H than our Bayfront room at the time (though when you're exhausted and sore those buses can be super comfy.)

Honestly, my group is incredibly spoiled now by adjacent hotels especially because we camp out for Hall H at least one night every year and the convenience of the Bayfront for that is amazing. But, I've also stayed in Mission Valley multiple years and driven from home multiple times. I wouldn't drive from home again (unless I wasn't doing anything that was time sensitive), but I would be fine in Mission Valley if it came down to it and somehow I didn't have my back-ups.
« Last Edit: March 08, 2019, 10:35:22 PM by Iris »
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Offline foxbatkllr

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #350 on: March 08, 2019, 08:43:08 PM »
For me the importance of an adjacent hotel is cosplay. I have costumes that have a lot of prosthetics, armor and/or uncomfortable shoes.  Being adjacent makes it so much easier.  I’ve stayed a mile or two away from the convention center when I had little/no costuming and it was a perfectly fine experience.  I also spent 2003-2011 just driving and parking/no hotel but that’s not an option since I now live in OC.

Offline vegasndn

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #351 on: March 09, 2019, 04:27:22 AM »
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FWIW, I know a lot of people who drive to the con and park below the convention center. It is just as convenient (perhaps more so) to drop off things in the car parked underneath the convention center than it is to walk back to a hotel (even an adjacent hotel). Just saying... ;)
I’ve done both and parking under convention center is nice, you can take all your stuff back to your car and relax for a bit. You save money by having a hotel that’s not downtown and cheap con parking. If you have a hotel downtown it’s nice you can relax just walk back and forth. Sometimes you may get a little too comfortable at your room and take a nap that leads to missing out on some things. Raise your hand if you’ve done that


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Offline sessionka

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #352 on: March 09, 2019, 05:21:59 AM »
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I’ve done both and parking under convention center is nice, you can take all your stuff back to your car and relax for a bit. You save money by having a hotel that’s not downtown and cheap con parking. If you have a hotel downtown it’s nice you can relax just walk back and forth. Sometimes you may get a little too comfortable at your room and take a nap that leads to missing out on some things. Raise your hand if you’ve done that


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Took a nap and when I woke up I turned the tv on. There was a Dr. Who marathon on. I watched an episode. :)
« Last Edit: March 09, 2019, 05:27:02 AM by sessionka »
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Offline DaveG

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #353 on: March 09, 2019, 05:22:49 AM »
My first SDCC I stayed out on Mission Circle.  That was quite a while ago.  I'm not even sure if they had shuttles, but I drove down to the convention center every morning.  Parking was very, very easy.  Then I decided to stay downtown, but ended up on the edge of downtown.  It was ok.  I know there was a shuttle, but it was only about a fifteen minute walk to the convention center and almost as fast as the shuttle.  Since then, I've stayed at a number of hotels that are very close to the convention center.  I can't imagine doing it any other way.  But as someone who doesn't mind sleeping outside overnight for Hall H, I still very much appreciate when I can go back to the hotel to shower and change clothes before getting back in line.  I'm not sure how doable that is when you stay further away.

Offline chirigami

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #354 on: March 09, 2019, 10:55:48 AM »
Priorities are always interesting, especially as they change.  For the first few years, when we actually got more than one day, we stayed with a friend's sister since she lived in Chula Vista (yay for being poor college students) and then we just kind of stayed wherever the lottery allowed us.  Been trying to stay within a mile, walking a mile in cosplay isn't the worst thing and there is also the trolley.  One year we managed to get MMM and yeah, it spoiled us so much.  Springhill/Residence Inn Bayfront has been our go to for the past few years.  Now, aside from price.. it's like we need to make sure the hotel has a pool to appease the (now) 6 year old because that's what she mostly wants to do when we go to San Diego (and dress up, she pleases me).

Offline IfIWereMagneto

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #355 on: March 10, 2019, 04:14:49 PM »
I can't be anything but con adjacent for 1) anxiety reasons like mentioned earlier in the thread and 2) when I work the con and my legs can barely support me by the end of the day. It's a blessing to be close by in that it gives me that extra bit of peace.
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Offline pegleg1204

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #356 on: March 11, 2019, 10:28:33 AM »
I have to be by the con.   Unfortunately my knees are not what they used to be so I need a scooter to get around which means no shuttle.  Last year it took forever to get a hotel near the convention center and I really dread going through this again.  I see there are others in the same boat with different issues.  Good luck to us all.

Offline Dubb

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #357 on: March 11, 2019, 11:01:58 AM »
My wife has both fibromyalgia and arthritis. Being close the the center is a life saver.

Offline Roo_bear

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #358 on: March 11, 2019, 01:48:04 PM »
I’m hoping for April 17. I’m off that day. That being said, I have my usual backup in place, USA hostel on fifth. It’s ok for me, I only need a place to lay my head, and I usually only sleep 2-3 hours a night during con anyway. I don’t think my wife would like the accommodations.
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Offline ALF

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Re: SDCC 2019 Hotel Discussion
« Reply #359 on: March 11, 2019, 02:15:12 PM »
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When I was 26 and doing the hotel thing at SDCC for the first time, budget was my top priority.  I was a retail worker and could barely afford the airfare to the con, let alone a $400/night room.  All of our choices were a mile or more from the con center.  We ended up stuck in Mission Valley anyway, but it was cheap (like $180/night split 5 ways because we were young and room stuffing which I don't recommend because fire codes etc etc etc).  Now I'm a little older and have a better job and hey I can do that $400/night room right next to the con center.  Just 6 years apart, drastically different priorities.

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