Dragon*con '09: it will be EPIC

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Link to previous thread on the subject

NOW WITH NEW AND UPDATED FIRST POST!

Posters who are definitely attending (22 ):
CLICK for awesome map of where we're staying (thanks Mu!)

• Red Roof Inn: Dasquian, Morgan, Miranda, Wyl
• Hilton Downtown: Callista, Emelie, Chrysothemis, D'Kor
• Hilton Garden Inn: Charley, s'Il, Hob, Yog, Mandi, Karl Valten
• Wyndham: Mu, Lilaena and Ty
• Somewhere else (?): Verse Dawnstrider +1, JediBeldarine +1, Jedah Lynch

Information on Dragon*Con:

• Dragon*Con is a 22 year old convention held in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2009 it will be held on: Sept 4th - 7th.

• Memberships for the weekend can be bought as of now, with the price increasing as such:
  $60 to 11/14/2008
  $70 to 2/13/2009
  $80 to 5/15/2009
  $90 to 7/15/2009
  $100 thereafter
  Group Memberships are discounted $5 per Membership when 10 or more are purchased in advance at one time, in one envelope.
  
  When buying your membership through PayPal, be sure to include the information requested on the membership form - found here: http://dragoncon.org/pdfs/dc09_membership%20form.pdf - in the "additional information" section of your PayPal checkout.

• Hotels/Locations - Dragon*Con has deals with five hotels in the area this year (which I assume will be pretty similar next year). Prices listed on the linked page are for 3-4 night blocks and up to an occupancy of 4 per room. You have to mention the convention to recieve the deals. A little research has lead me to discover that the host hotels are pretty much fully-booked as of now, but so unless you want to take a gamble and hope that reservations are cancelled... it looks like we will be looking elsewhere for accomodation.
  
  
• Georgia Aquarium Dragon*Con Deal! - if you'd like to come see the fishies at the worlds largest aquarium, get your ticets for the 8.00pm entrance (already attending: Dasquian, Miranda, Yog, Emelie, Mu, Wyl)

I think that's about it for now. I know some people live in the area, and there are probably seedy little motels around there that you could get for cheaper.

Oh, one more thing: Guests of the convention! The guest-list in 2008 included people... artists, novelists, actors, etc etc... from all your favorite current and not-so-current shows (Firefly and Farscape ).

Also there are many events going on through the weekend, a dealers/exibition hall (you can even BE a dealer [PDF file] if you have something to peddle to the masses), and gaming events (looks like they need to update for 2008 on this section).

[Dasquian Belargic]

Ahh, Gigi Edgley is there

EDIT: Ohh, so is Brad Dourif - aka Grima Wormtongue.

So, were people thinking of staying in hotels? Seems like the 'Quad' rooms would be a good deal. Ideally I'd like to spend some time in the US before the con starts, so if anyone wants to bunk together in the hotel and wouldn't mind putting me up for a couple of days before we hit Atlanta, that would be suuuuper

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I live three hours out of ATL, and the invitations are so open

[Flux]

I live an hour and a half from Atlanta, but I live with my parents, SO...invitations are a little less open. Can you believe I'm more excited about meeting fellow members than Adam Baldwin?

[Lorn Kadross]

Kevin Sorbo!

I'll be up for this for sure.

[Razielle Alastor]

I think I'm like 2-3 hours from Atlanta.. probably not the way I drive, but we'll stay on the safe side, as I've never made the trip.

and yeah Jen if you're coming over here we have to make a big huge deal of it, of course. So lemme know what's up!

[Khendon Sevon]

Atlanta? What' in At--

OH MY GOD! ADAM BALDWIN!

Haha. Okay, yeah.

I wanna' meet all ya' punks That way I know never to go to a SWF get together again. I can envision the cake, kicks, and frying pannings already...

[Flux]

The cake is a lie.[/conditioned response]

[Sam]

Are we planning on anything outside the convention? I semi-fear that it'll be hard for people to really get together and meet each other if we rely too much on the convention setting.

That being said, I have every intention of heading down there for this. I'll probably be road tripping it from Wisconsin because, well, road trips are awesome.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Outside of the convention setting yes - depending on how many people we get together it will probably be difficult to do things like dinner/lunch in a huge group. However! If most of us staying in hotel rooms stay in the same hotel that will make things a lot easier.

Christin - the only thing about people staying at your house is that you guys will have to shuttle back and forth every day for an hour there and back - which will probably suck since gas prices will probably be something like $6 a gallon by next year. Just something to keep in mind!

My hubby and I and the baby will be getting a hotel room. Don't know what hotel yet, of course, and our plans are not set in stone yet. January 09 is the deadline for setting plans in stone!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Christin - the only thing about people staying at your house is that you guys will have to shuttle back and forth every day for an hour there and back - which will probably suck since gas prices will probably be something like $6 a gallon by next year. Just something to keep in mind!

I just meant that I was hoping someone would give me a floor to crash on before or after the con. I'll fork out cash for the hotel for during the convention... travelling there and back every day would be annoying

[Lilaena De'Ville]

My bad, for some reason I thought Christin meant for during the convention.

Haha and I misread her as one hour away, when she's really three hours away which makes it impossible, really.

[Miranda Tarkin]

So start thinking next February on getting tickets ok ... I cannot commit until I secure a job and hopefully can come.

[Yog]

I am in for this. I have one condition though..

I need volunteers with a death wish to join me in the following torture devices :evil

Superman: Ultimate Flight


Soar to new heights on the South's only flying coaster. Superman: Ultimate Flight uses state-of-the-art technology to create a thrill-ride experience that's as close as an earthling can get to true unassisted flight.

- Rocket face-first through 2759-feet of tortuous track
- Zoom through a one-of-kind, 78-foot "pretzel" loop at 60 mph
- Hurtle into dives, high-banked curves and spirals

Review of the ride (I believe it is similar to the one in New Jersey) LINK


Batman The Ride

Something's rotten in Gotham. It's quiet—too quiet. Suddenly, the city erupts. Chaos reigns as all of Batman's most diabolical enemies attack simultaneously. There's only one way out—the Dark Knight's super-coaster.

- Travel through the ravaged streets of Gotham City
- Rocket underground and through the city's network of tunnels
- Escape via the Batcave on one of the most spell-binding coasters ever


Goliath

You've got a date with an 8.5-acre, 200-foot-tall steel juggernaut. Because of its sprawling expanse and towering peaks, Goliath wouldn't fit inside the park grounds, so we had to run it outside and back. The "Big G" has a colossal chip on his shoulder and can't wait to "show you around the park."


And many more.. 11 coasters in all. Article about the park LINK


The location of these torture machines is in Six Flags Over Georgia, which is on Interstate 20, just west of Atlanta. Current price for one day pass is $39 (there might be rebates though, and 09 price is TBT). There are express shuttles going from and to downtown Atlanta every 40 minutes (the shuttle ticket is free at certain stops). Although, looking at the 08 calendar for august / september, it will be the end of the season in 09, so it will likely only be open during the weekend (when the convention is open), so you MIGHT have to decide if you want to spend all days at convention (bah... geeks!), or if you want to spend one day at the park (yay!) depending how the schedule looks like.


PS. Bonus points if you are a girl and scream..

[Dasquian Belargic]

PS. Bonus points if you are a girl and scream..

I can guarantee both.

As an aside, all us Europeans should hook up and fly over / invade together.

[Miranda Tarkin]

o_o I am all over rollercoasters!! dammit! I have to come now!!

[Dasquian Belargic]

I am terrified of rollercoasters but I feel like I owe it to other people to ride them, just so they can see my reaction.

[Razielle Alastor]

OMG.. I love coasters and I haven't been there yet! I hadn't even thought about that possibility..

Yesssssssssssss!

[Ilias Nytrau]

I have NEVER been on a rollercoaster, but am a huge fan of the "STOP ASKING IF I'M OK AND JUST GO FASTER ALREADY, DAMMIT!"

Not all girls are sissies. I'm not going to snap in two if you push the pedal a bit.

A rollercoaster park may kill me with the excitement. If I make it out, I may indulge in this.

[Yog]

As an aside, all us Europeans should hook up and fly over / invade together.

That would be cool. Can make no promises on that one though, since it would depend on the itinerary, costs etc. I assume it would be in London, because that is the most central point for most?