Is there a group rate discount somewhere for the mariott connected to the convention center?
Co-Founder of Team Awesome - I heard Randy Buehler say a while back that good players give themselves the most number of turns to find the answer.
The Source on MTGO - Predator8785 and RockOut
Originally Posted by Secretly.A.Bee
Kayak search
It looks like the Homestead is the cheapest by far, $60 or less a night but 2.4 mi from the convention center (Kayak says 0.8 mi but that seems to be wrong).
I would call/email Pastimes and ask if they're setting up a group rate at the Mariott.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
For those planning on taking the train to chicago, i've had an email conversation with the amtrack people and the parts that might interest some of you are:
In response to "what if 100s of magic players try to take the same train"
and in response to "what if i scrub out day one and decide not to stick around for day 2"If there are no seats left to reserve then the passenger will not be able to travel on that train because it is sold out. Unfortunately, we would not add another car.
A reservation must be made for a specific day and a specific time. Unfortunately, we do not have open tickets. Changes can be made by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
I just got off the phone with the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and they did not have any magic related event for March 6-8th. Maybe Pastimes has not booked it yet?
"Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun." --Ash
I looked on the pastimes website and it says the hotel is 99.99 a night at the hotel connected to the Schaumberg Convention Center.
Co-Founder of Team Awesome - I heard Randy Buehler say a while back that good players give themselves the most number of turns to find the answer.
The Source on MTGO - Predator8785 and RockOut
I called the hotel; the desk/reservation staff had no knowledge of the GP or the GP room rate. I called Pastimes, they said they submitted their contract a few days ago so the hotel should have the info, but promised to get it resolved today.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
Let's assume that this place is where the GP is being held.
For those of us who planned to take the train, here's the Google Map we'd be dealing with after arriving at Union Station: Map.
It's about a 35 minute trip, not accounting for traffic, or 27 miles. I'm sure that's a hell of a cab ride, not to mention what a hassle it would be to learn the subway when you get there.
If you decided to fly in, I'd assume you would be traveling to O'Hare, which is more reasonable: Map.
This one is about half the distance, just over 15 miles, but that's still a long way in city traffic. I can only assume we're talking big money on cab fare still.
Another consideration is the difference in cost for transportation to Chicago. Using Syracuse as an example, a round trip train ticket is about $125. Compare that to flights, and it's about double the cost at best.
Just things to think about while planning.
Google can do subway: link.
But the subway only gets you within ~4 miles of the venue, you'd have to have someone pick you up or get a cab from there. You're not walking an hour plus through Chicago.
Splitting a shuttle fare from Amtrak or the airport probably wouldn't be that bad, as you get ~8 people per trip and a lower fare. I haven't checked Chicago, but often it's $20 round trip or so per person.
Chances are someone will have a car there too and we could maybe get them to play taxi for a small fee.
Cab fare from Amtrak would probably be about $80 one way, divided by four = $20/person one way.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
A four mile cab ride split three or four ways (depending on how many magic-player-sized persons you can fit in a car with a driver and bags of trade chaff and the like) will be relatively cheap, if experience in other cities is worth anything.
The E.P.I.C. Syndicate: I mean, if they play a lullaby for babies they should at least play the Monster Mash when somebody dies.
I may have completely missed this, but what convention center is this at?
-Chris-
Last edited by cwt1220; 01-25-2009 at 03:59 PM.
The Homestead at $60 seems like the best way to go. I'll have some sort of vehicle with my team and I'm sure as long as the driving/parking arrangements aren't a huge pain in the ass we can cart extra people over, maybe even make a couple trips to save people from saving on calling cabs. I'd like to stay in the hotel with the greatest concentration of Magic players so we can do testing and trading and such in the lobby or whatever. I'll have at least 3 people with me, hopefully 6 or 7. We're also coming from the northern Detroit area. Message me or shoot me an e-mail at PBeetheFox@yahoo.com if you want to collaborate.
"Michael opens with Lotus Petal, Academy Ruins, Phyrexian Dreadnaught, and Stifle. I Force of Will the Stifle, but he has Force of Will backup. I Ponder on turn one and again on turn two, but fail to find a Swords to Plowshares before he has smashed me twice. " That's losing to Mike Sanchirico.
Team Bad Guys.
Schaumburg Convention Center I believe.
After being stranded in WOTC call waiting hell for 45 minutes yesterday, I finally got to speak to a (clueless) live Wizards employee who had no idea when GPTs are going be announced ('check back in early February!'), no idea why the delay in posting, or basically any idea about anything useful.... The GP is less than 6 weeks away and WOTC hasn't posted any relevant information about it, how quaint. Looks like people better have their byes organically or be prepared to run grinders.
TL,DR: if you think Saito is ok, check your moral compass. It may be broken. - Spikey Mikey, amen brother
WE know what the price of progress is (often 8-10 life). - Cait Sith
A casual stasis deck? You must not really like your friends. Do you play it before or after you pull the wings off of flys and microwave the neighbor's cat? - EwokSlayer
No need for the drama, this is pretty typical for GPs. Rotterdam is in 2.5 weeks and they don't have a trial list up.
Of course Customer Service was clueless, they're not there to answer that kind of question.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
Hogwash, it certainly hasn't been typical in the past, when the information was organized & presented in a timely fashion. The fact that it reflects Wizards current sad state of affairs does not excuse it. I have to wonder whether WOTC is going under given their state of affairs recently. Several local stores have experienced real difficulty in getting new product in a timely manner, these stores have also had difficulty getting through to tournament sanctioning personnel and anyone with a web browser has seen the ongoing web debacle. Even if these aren't signs of their apocalypse, they certainly don't bode well for long term stability. And Chuck, if you were looking for byes for the event, you might be a bit more concerned. Also, as a tournament organizer & judge, you know that you would be embarassed to present an event in the half-assed way in which WOTC has been doing this year.
TL,DR: if you think Saito is ok, check your moral compass. It may be broken. - Spikey Mikey, amen brother
WE know what the price of progress is (often 8-10 life). - Cait Sith
A casual stasis deck? You must not really like your friends. Do you play it before or after you pull the wings off of flys and microwave the neighbor's cat? - EwokSlayer
This is patently false.Hogwash, it certainly hasn't been typical in the past, when the information was organized & presented in a timely fashion.
How much do you want to bet?WOTC going under
When in doubt, mumble.
When in trouble, delegate.
GP page is up: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/TCG/Eve...prix/chicago09
No trial list yet, and considering how late the lists for LA and Rotterdam went up, I wouldn't count on getting it in a timely fashion. Best keep an eye on the calendars of your local stores.
Jason Ness is the Head Judge, which is an awesome thing.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
I get byes based on total rating but why would you get byes to a constructed GP based on your limited rating?Third-Round Byes
Players with a Players Club level of 4 or higher
Players with a DCI Total rating of 2050 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Total ratings published on March 4, 2009.
Players with a DCI Limited rating of 2000 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Constructed ratings published on March 4, 2009.
Winners of Grand Prix–Chicago Trial tournaments.
Second-Round Byes
Players with a Players Club level of 2 or 3
Players with a DCI Total rating of 1950 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Total ratings published on March 4, 2009.
Players with a DCI Limited rating of 1900 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Constructed ratings published on March 4, 2009.
First-Round Byes
Players with a Players Club level of 1
Players with a DCI Total rating of 1850 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Total ratings published on March 4, 2009.
Players with a DCI Limited rating of 1800 or higher. Byes are based on DCI Constructed ratings published on March 4, 2009.
Copy/paste error, Wizards does it all the time.
The bye categories are Constructed and Total.
“It's possible. But it involves... {checks archives} Nature's Revolt, Opalescence, two Unstable Shapeshifters (one of which started as a Doppelganger), a Tide, an animated land, a creature with Fading, a Silver Wyvern, some way to get a creature into play in response to stuff, some way to get a land into play in response to stuff (a different land from the animated land), and one heck of a Rube Goldberg timing diagram.”
-David DeLaney
Honestly, most of the people at WotC probably don't know most of the stuff going on with the Grand Prix events. Those events are usually handled by individual TOs.
Also, WotC hasn't had very many events this year. And the ones they've held have been well attended and the locals that went have reported good things. So, it's obviously not that bad.
And for the record, WotC is far from going under.
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