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[sdcc vet]

Tickets are transferable i asked CCI myself when it looked like my friend couldn't go. You just have to contact CCI and have them reissue them in the right name. I'm NOT the eBay seller, it worked out for my friend so it was a non-issue for me.Just sharing what i know.

[Jeff Pidgeon]

Hey folks,
Like many out there, I've been struggling to get housing for Comic-Con.
My wife Anita had knee surgery in March, and is still having knee and back problems. As a result, getting a room as close to the convention center is helpful.
If anyone decides to cancel their reservations within a mile radius of the center, please let me know. You can contact me through my website, jeffpidgeon.com.
Thanks, JefF
PS - We currently do have rooms for the week - I'm trying to make Anita's back and forths as comfortable as I can. -- J.

[Shirley]

I just went to eBay and at least one of the sellers is stating that (s)he checked with CCI and was told that the tickets can be transferred to someone else's name... yet another topic of discussion to raise at this year's Con Talks Back...

[Shirley]

Exactly! I recall reading somewhere that The Con's actually checking photo IDs now (it's been close to a decade since I last went). BTW, I just checked the TP site and there's a ROH Marriot Courtyard reservation open along with room(s) at three of the non-shuttle route hotels...

[Alfred Day]

Aren't Con tickets sold with a specific name attached? I don't understand how people are able to auction them off on ebay.

With prices like this, I may be a couple at this years con for next year, hold on to them until next summer, and pay for the trip with the proceeds.

[Sara]

Anybody still in need of 4 day tickets? or maybe just a Saturday ticket? I just heard on G4 (tv ch) that people are selling them on ebay. However, after I just went for a peek, I see that some are going for $255 (so far).

[Sulia]

Thanks Jim! BTW, I made the Doubletree reservation yesterday directly through the website (I too am on the useless waitlist and have not heard anything other than, "you're on the waitlist but we still have nothing for you").

I've also seen Holiday Inn on the Bay and Hampton Inn twins available at different times today so if you're still looking for a room, now's definitely the time to randomly assault the Travel Planners website from 9-5 Eastern!

[Jim]

If your flying to San Diego the Raddison does have a shuttle service if you call them... I just checked... Sorry Sulia my mistake...

[Sulia]

Thanks Jim. But I'm a little bit confused, are you saying that we'd need a taxi from the airport because the hotel's shuttle comes every 20 minutes or is the 20 minutes re the Con shuttle?

[James]

Liz, from what I remember I usually was on that bus by 7:30 AM everyday, maybe 8:00 AM a couple of times.

Well, I really hope you're wrong about the bus situation at the Holiday Inn on the Bay because there's no way I'm paying for a cab. If push came to shove I'd probably just walk to the con instead. :-P

[Jim]

I've stayed at the Raddison, and its a great hotel... clean rooms, the breakfast buffet is delicious, but a bit pricey... It jumped from $8 to $14... The shuttle ran every 20 minutes. If your coming in by Air, you'll need to hail a taxi.

[Sulia]

Has anyone ever stayed at the Doubletree Hotel/formerly Radisson? Any tips, warnings, suggestions?

[Liz]

James, you're lucky! I'd be interested to know at which times in the morning you went -- friends of ours have reported that going SUPER early a.m. (like 8:00) or about an hour after doors-open worked out better. But if trying to get a good a.m. positioning for Hall H, that was a problem. Hopefully the new Hilton will be able to rebound after its construction problems and open timely for next year...

[Kathy Antonacci]

I just came accross availability at the Courtyard Marriott downtown. The price is pretty high, but they had a spa room and a king suite available today when I looked. The Marriott Marina is really expensive, but I've seen rooms become available directly through them over the last couple of weeks. Hope this is some help to someone who's desperate for a room.

[James]

I stayed at the Holiday Inn on the Bay for the Comic-Con in 2006, used the shuttle every single day, and NEVER had a problem finding an open seat. Maybe you just had a bad experience. But I never had a problem.

[Liz]

Also, if you're staying at the Holiday Inn on the Bay (*not* Bayside, again, yes that's a completely different property!), you'd better bring yourself some extra money for a taxi every morning of the con. Many people stay there due to the lower room rate. We did once, and will never make that mistake again. The pub/restaurant is excellent and there is nothing wrong with the hotel, but as we found in an ugly surprise one year, you will wait up to AN HOUR to get seats on the free shuttle in the morning. The HIBTB is the *last* stop on that particular route, after other hotels and parking lots. If there are even ten seats left on each bus during the morning rush, that's a miracle. Buddy up with 2-3 people and share a cab. Much faster. Don't forget to tip well, it's a short fare for the driver.

[Liz]

Parking for 25-30 a day is peanuts compared to San Francisco and Manhattan hotels (35-60/day). I just figure the parking in to the cost of staying there.

As for group reservations, I stopped going into the craziness entirely, three years ago. The key for a good hotel rate and booking is LOYALTY. I have been the member of one particular hotel chain's points/VIP plan since 2002. I stay at the same hotel EVERY TIME at Comic-con, and the manager has been the same for the past three years. He has gotten to know me and my party, and when we arrive in our room, we have not only our exact preferred room (upgraded to a bay view), but the exact setup we have requested in the past, ready and waiting. When I checked out last year, he handed me not only my folio receipt, but the hard-copy reservation for this year's dates, which he had arranged personally at a rate that turned out only $10/night more than the con rate. LOYALTY is key. I always ask people at CC who are b****ing about their woes at the hotels, "Did you make any effort to meet and thank the general or sales manager? Did you learn the staff's names? Were you polite or acting like a jerk?" It really does make a difference.

[Alfred Day]

I just found out that someone I know has a room at the Westin, so I'll be staying with them. I'm going to give up my room at the Little Italy Inn B & B in the next day or so, so for anyone who's still looking, a room will likely open up there in the next 24 hours. Good luck!

[Allon]

I am happy to see this blog and thought I might share my experiences regarding lodging for the 2008 convention. For some background, I have been every year since 1996 with the exception of 1999. Prior to 2005, this was one of the easiest conventions to book. Unfortunately, there has been a very steep escalation in the prices of hotel rooms the past three years as well as a huge increase in the demand.

This year, I feel lucky to have been able to find a room for Wednesday and Thursday nights. It was only through some fairly Herculean efforts that I was able to get those rooms, including using Travel Planners and the Quickbook site. I also get to switch hotels, as I could not get consecutive nights at one hotel.

Given these difficulties, I am not sure I will be attending the convention in the future. If I do, I think I may limit myself to a one day trip on Thursday, as this avoids the lodging crunch as well as the ever increasing crowds on the weekend convention days.

[sdcc vet]

I wasn't trying to be nasty or anything, and I'm sorry if it came off that way.All i was saying is that you might just have to live with the exorbitant parking. I've tried a few of the downtown parking garages and they all pretty much want a minimum of 20 dollars a day. If you don't mind the distance, it can be cheaper to park your car at one of the airport parking places.Some of them even offer shuttles to local trolley stations. I did it once and i think it was about 12 dollars a day. I've also heard reports of people parking overnight at Park It On Market, but its technically not an overnight parking area, so its taking a chance in my opinion.

[Delirium]

I'm an SDCC vet myself. Normally it wouldn't bother me too much, but my fiance has been out of work for several months and I'd like to spend the $120 on other things if at all possible.

[sdcc vet]

I'd suck it up if i were you.... every hotel i know of in SD charges from 20 - 30 for parking, and as far as i know, there isn't anything cheaper. It's their bread and butter that they make off of all convention attendees, not just SDCC.

[Delirium]

Does anyone know of safe/reasonably (by Comic Con standards) priced overnight parking near the Convention Center/Petco? Our hotel is charging $30/day.

[Joe]

**For anyone who's still looking for a hotel room**
I just cancelled a room (couple of friends bailed at the last minute) at La Quinta Inn Mission Valley, which is about 6.0 miles from the convention center with no shuttle service.

However I originally booked it for the whole length of the convention (checking in 23rd and checking out the 27th), if anyone is having trouble finding a hotel that has all the dates they need. Hope it helps someone out there that's still looking!

[paeryn]

I've got to agree...the slide-bars towards badge sell-out is a great idea...and one they should've instituted significantly before 4-days sold out. I was lucky and booked early, but my partner didn't so now he gets stuck at the hotel wednesday night while i battle the rampaging hordes of the fortunate.

Just sort of feel like he got shafted a tad, especially since they did give us warning last year. I remember, because we decided to go as somewhat of a last-minute (well, as last minute as you can get with comic-con) thing.