Botcon Travel Help, Flights, buses to the convention center, etc. Options

[Sprocket]

Hey all,

Botcon 2007 was my first and only con away from home because I could drive to it. But I really, really want to go to this year's Botcon. Thing is, even a month or two ago I never found a flight cheaper than 300 from JFK Airport to LAX. On top of that, it's half-an-hour to the convention center from the LAX.

For those that have been to Botcon before, how did you fly there, and how did you get to the convention center? The cheaper the answer the better, obviously.

[G.B.Blackrock]

Hey all,

Botcon 2007 was my first and only con away from home because I could drive to it. But I really, really want to go to this year's Botcon. Thing is, even a month or two ago I never found a flight cheaper than 300 from JFK Airport to LAX. On top of that, it's half-an-hour to the convention center from the LAX.

For those that have been to Botcon before, how did you fly there, and how did you get to the convention center? The cheaper the answer the better, obviously.

Since I live here, my flight information is a bit... inverted, but generally, LAX is the cheapest airport by far, although it can be a bit of a zoo compared to others (Burbank is the other one close to Pasadena, although Ontario isn't prohibitive). Most people use "SuperShuttle" to get here from the airport.

If you haven't already, I invite you to check out the "Survival Guide" I put up on my blog some time ago. I try to cover most of the basic travel information, as well as some local places of interest. You'll also see some links there that you might find helpful if you're looking to save money.

Best wishes!

[Galenraff]

300 is about the right price - I don't think holding out for much cheaper than that is going to work out well. I'd be happy to be wrong here, but everything I was looking at was around the same price.

[TrnsfrmGod]

Has there been any word yet about a discount rate for shuttle service from the airport to the hotels? Last time it was from Prime Shuttle service. Are they doing it again, or is there another service?

[G.B.Blackrock]

Has there been any word yet about a discount rate for shuttle service from the airport to the hotels? Last time it was from Prime Shuttle service. Are they doing it again, or is there another service?

Check page 3 of the BotCon brochure (just one of many questions answered on the Survival Guide).

To be a little less snarky and more helpful than even that is, it's under "Hotel Accommodations"

[G1 Ratchet]

Hey,
check out page 3 of my webpage:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3897880/

I am offering shuttle service and tours.

Thanks

Has there been any word yet about a discount rate for shuttle service from the airport to the hotels? Last time it was from Prime Shuttle service. Are they doing it again, or is there another service?

Check page 3 of the BotCon brochure (just one of many questions answered on the Survival Guide).

To be a little less snarky and more helpful than even that is, it's under "Hotel Accommodations"

[TrnsfrmGod]

Has there been any word yet about a discount rate for shuttle service from the airport to the hotels? Last time it was from Prime Shuttle service. Are they doing it again, or is there another service?

Check page 3 of the BotCon brochure (just one of many questions answered on the Survival Guide).

To be a little less snarky and more helpful than even that is, it's under "Hotel Accommodations"

Hey,
check out page 3 of my webpage:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3897880/

I am offering shuttle service and tours.

Thanks

Has there been any word yet about a discount rate for shuttle service from the airport to the hotels? Last time it was from Prime Shuttle service. Are they doing it again, or is there another service?

Check page 3 of the BotCon brochure (just one of many questions answered on the Survival Guide).

To be a little less snarky and more helpful than even that is, it's under "Hotel Accommodations"

Somehow, I recall the deal FP had with with Prime Time being more publicized last time around. I thought it was its own big announcement, or at least something beyond just a quick blurb in the brochure

Thank you, to both of you.

[Mugen no Ken]

Getting between $300 and $400 was the CHEAPER of prices during my searching months ago for ATL to LAX.

I do need to remember to book my shuttle to the airport, though...

That'd be a lonnnnnnnnnng walk.

[Chaotic Descent]

I don't know what pricetag you put on your time and energy, but if you REALLY want the cheapest,
the bus and rail is $1.50, and will take you 1.5 to 2 hours to get there.
It will save you ~$20 each way, from the looks of the shuttle bus service. (I guess if you had 5 people in a shuttle bus it would only be ~$13.50 more than public transit...) the shuttle bus website is here: www.supershuttle.com with 15% off when you reserve in advance. http://www.metro.net/ for the public transit website.
Looks like the buses are 439('b' or not 'b') and 42 to UNION STATION. Then Metro Gold Line to DEL MAR STATION. (Huh, looks like they cut the line off. It used to go past there.)

Also, add a potential 30 minutes to your bus time at the airport if your terminal is on the far end (north end leaving the airport for the hotel, south end arriving at airport from hotel). It takes that long to get through with all the traffic and stopping at all the terminals to let other people off. (I missed my flight.)
http://www.lawa.org/welcome_lax.aspx?id=1240
I guess you want the "C" bus. Green bus sign.

It's not far hoofing it from the public rail terminal to the main hotel. It's like 3 blocks. (0.3 miles, 8 minutes)
As long as you're only carrying one large box on wheels it should be manageable. I always bring a fold-up dolly.
I guess it'll be farther if you're at one of the other hotels though.

[Sprocket]

Yeah, as much as I want to save money, I think I'm going to go with a Shuttle service. I just hope the Club has linked up with one for the convention so people going can get a group discount.

Now if only I could find a roommate or two or three to share the hotel cost with. How do people who don't have a circle of convention friends do it?

[Buster Darkwings]

It looks like Prime Time Shuttle is a bit cheaper than Super Shuttle, even after the discount. It's especially cheaper for a private car (what I'll be using since I'll be tired from a flight from Japan and will want to get to the hotel ASAP), and the price includes gratuity even.

[G.B.Blackrock]

It looks like Prime Time Shuttle is a bit cheaper than Super Shuttle, even after the discount. It's especially cheaper for a private car (what I'll be using since I'll be tired from a flight from Japan and will want to get to the hotel ASAP), and the price includes gratuity even.

I see it hasn't been mentioned here (I've posted it on the Survival Guide more recently), but there's also a service called Shuttle2LAX that offers a flat $20 from LAX to anywhere (plus $11 for each additional person). Also cheaper than SuperShuttle, even after the discount.

This post has been edited by G.B.Blackrock: May 20 2011, 08:45 AM

[Defensis Prime]

I didn't see PTS as being cheaper than SS--I got $37.20 one-way from PTS, $34 from SS with the group rate.

(<shrug>)

[G.B.Blackrock]

I didn't see PTS as being cheaper than SS--I got $37.20 one-way from PTS, $34 from SS with the group rate.

(<shrug>)

Prime Time Shuttle can be cheaper than Super Shuttle, but I don't pretend to know the ins-and-outs of that (is it based on time of reservation, destination, what?), nor if any such situations exist relevant to BotCon. I am pretty sure Shuttle2LAX beats both prices, though.

This post has been edited by G.B.Blackrock: May 30 2011, 04:44 PM

[SwiftEagle]

Trying out Shuttle2LAX - assuming it works out, thanks for the tip! They put us on Prime Time Shuttle for $31 each way for my wife and me together ($20 for one person, $11 for the second). They did, however, estimate almost two hours' travel time from the airport to the Pasadena Sheraton. I'm really hoping that's a giant exaggeration to prevent lateness, as opposed to the actual ETA.

[Buster Darkwings]

I didn't see PTS as being cheaper than SS--I got $37.20 one-way from PTS, $34 from SS with the group rate.

(<shrug>)

Prime Time say they give you a 7% discount for booking shared ride vans online, but the prices they show you might already reflect that.