I tried to book a room at the Grand Geneva right at 9:00. Actually, I tried twice. Both times I was told my cart was empty when I hit the final reserve button. I'm guessing the rooms sold out while I was filling in my credit card information. All that was left after my second attempt were higher priced suites. Looks like my in-person attendance streak is over. :-( (I know alternate hotels are available, but my preference is not to commute.) Hopefully, I'll see you all in 2023.
I tried, couldn't get a room at the Grand or Timber Ridge. Seriously considering bagging it and giving up.
I feel your pain. First time that I considered an overnight stay during the convention, but sold out before I got there. Quite a popular convention now.
Yeah, it's a turning of the page for me. I was at Gary Con 1 and then the last 10 (virtually for GC 12 and 13 due to COVID). There was a big shift between GC1 and when I came back for GC5 (was I at GC4? It's been so long that I can't remember). It's metamorphosed a few times since then as it has grown. There was a change when it ran out of room at the previous venue, change when it moved to the Geneva Grand, and then another change when it swelled to fill the entire hotel. It used to be that ticket holders would panic about not being able to get into a VIP game with an Old Guard DM. Now, ticket holders panic about not being able to get a hotel room. It's not the con's fault. It's a byproduct of massive success. Gary Con has been my gaming "home" for a decade. It feels really weird not to be able to attend. (Staying at the hotel is critical for me; I'm aware there are off-site options and kudos to the staff for arranging those accommodations.) It's kind of like coming home to visit your parents and finding they sold the house. Or adopted a kid and gave the new kid your room. I'm reminded of the scene in "Real Genius" when the protagonist is unhappy at college and tells his parents he wants to come home only to be told his parents had rented his room to the mail carrier. The poor protagonist offered to share the room. It was funny in the movie. Now it's just a little sad.
