BronyCon admission fee paid: hotel reservation made (and keep the advice coming) · 7:02pm Jul 5th, 2019
So if nothing else, I got that far.
Cue the attendance-cancelling disaster.
...yes, I paid the FanShield fee. I have, to misuse a phrase, met me. So when the disaster hits, something else has to go wrong in order to disable the admission refund. I'm certain the hotel will have their own reason for tripling the room rate on a never-seen bed while refusing to ever pay me back, but I look forward to their creavity.
(Again: I've met me. I am the world's greatest authority on my own luck. I just watched my one-and-only debit card get rejected. Over and over.)
The next stage for something to go wrong quickly is in making sure my mother is being taken care of for the duration. She'll be staying with family, some distance to the south. They had already agreed to host her over those days and asked me to let them know when I'd confirmed -- but my attempt to do so just hit their voice mail: waiting on the callback.
(At the absolute minimum, I have to make them familiar with her medication schedule, including the emergency pills. There's no special dietary requirements. Her back issues may require bringing a shower chair. In a crisis, I can drive to her in relatively short order.)
My admission cost was the base four-day: everything else is sold out and I can't keep a poster intact for five minutes, let alone four days. So $74.86, plus $4.90 for the FanShield coverage. I booked the hotel for three nights: the current plan is to either go home late on the 4th or crash on any family couch available before heading back early on the 5th. (Remember, I have to detour south and pick her up.) Current hotel costs worked out to $481.64 -- but I should only have to cover $280.82 of that, as the person who introduced me to the show (and thus the only one I know RL) doesn't want to miss the last BronyCon either. We'll meet up in Baltimore and flip each night for the cot.
So fiscally, I'm currently ahead of the game, as my original hotel budget was closer to $200 a night and I hadn't initially figured on splitting. However, I can now get caught from a new direction, because my original plan for transport was to take the train. That doesn't work now. I would have to pay two fees, go further down the line to my mother's stop, pay another fare to reach Baltimore, and then repeat the process when the convention closes. It's impractical, and that means I'm driving.
...well, the car is running. For now. But it's gas, tolls, plus any parking fee which the hotel institutes when they see me pull up and whatever the costs are for the drop-off/pick-up distance. Still within that part of the budget, I think: I just won't have the luxury of sitting back and riding. On the other hand, no luggage search and security scan, so -- whee?
(The original plan, with the Medicaid respite days in play, was to book a facility here, then pay trainfare and parking fees for leaving my car at the station. This may become the backup if my mother's family has formed other plans without telling me. At least there is a backup.)
As far as needing convention advice goes: this is where it kicks into overdrive. Panels to view. Merchants to visit. (I have a shopping budget.) Merchants to avoid, and please save the Displaced jokes. Things To Do In Balmer When You're Dead.
Financially, while my Ko-Fi jar remains open with 'BronyCon' as the stated goal, my base costs are covered. I have a plastic jar with a lot of metal in it. (All tips given when 'BronyCon' was the goal were converted to coins and dropped in accordingly.) It is a heavy jar. It is a jar which may take some effort to get down the stairwell. It might need to be reborn as multiple fabric shopping bags. I have successfully assembled what I believed at the time to be the core financial requirements. Tips are always welcome, but they aren't strictly needed. Does extra money hurt? No. But there are probably some people out there who need their Get X To BronyCon efforts covered because they haven't managed admission, hotel, transportation, and not starving for four days.
Also, I found $2.81 in change today in the course of my normal activities, so the jar will soon be very slightly heavier. This does not include the Bermuda nickel or the Barcelona 50 ptas coin, but I'm presuming those won't really help. (Well, the latter might help Aragon. Maybe I can slip it into his pocket while he's not looking.)
Again: I've gotten this far. Admission paid for, hotel booked.
The universe will be treating it as a dare.
The universe generally wins.
...it just occurred to me that I could open a betting pool on this. Predict My Disaster!
Okay. First, I need the actuarial tables on meteor strikes...
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...it's a very nice blue wash and I didn't know the site could render that effect in the Comments section. However, as an actual comment goes, I think I'm missing something.
You are like Joe Bfstplk from the old Lil Abner comic strip.
"If it weren't for Bad Luck, you'd have no Luck at all"
Currently hoping against hope. We'll see what happens.
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Sorry, I missclicked on the post comment button, but when I reloaded the page nothing appeared so I thought nothing was registered.
Good luck on the con though, I hope the world trolls you this time just making you worry about what might happen instead of something actually happening.
It’s your opportunity to become the Pablo Escobar of Bronies, eh?
On account of flying, this will one of the few cons I don’t sell stuff at.
Ah, very good news! Glad you got that far.
And good luck on avoiding said disaster.
You've had luggage search and security scan on Amtrak?
...Ah, yes, your luck. Sigh. Sorry, Estee.
As for advice, I don't have much on merchants or panels yet (and I see to often find out about some things only after the convention, unfortunately), but I would recommend giving the burlesque a try; I'd guess it'll be on Friday evening again, but the schedule isn't out yet.
edit:
Oh! Though regarding vendors, there's also this. Charity, and for a donation you can get a discount button for other vendors in the hall.
Well, one hopes that my ill-luck this past month has syphoned some off some from you; keep my fingers crossed! (I have to kind of unlive vicariously through you fine folks at Cons and stuff - plus, I really think you deserve the break!)
(Psst, everpony actually going, make sure Estee runs across Aragon if he's there, we totally need that to happen, it'll be great!)
Hooves crosses, Estee! Hope everything goes to plan and you can join us at the con.
I would very much enjoy meeting you as I've enjoyed several of your stories.
Great! I was a little worried about hotel space because of the fun I had trying to find a room, but you got it! Just remember: Quills and Sofas.
I hope it goes well. Fingers and appendages otherwise crossed.
If your friend is driving too, make sure to check if your hotel allows two cars for one room.
My hotel charges $34/night for a car so I'm trying to find a way to reduce that cost...
50 ptas? Holy guacamole, Resident Evil 4 flashbacks.
I hope you don't run into any zombies/not-zombies and/or lake monsters When In Rome.
That would suck, considering that there's not a lake nearby. Imagine a giant fish just flopping onto the convention center.
If you slip the coin in my pants succesfully I'm legally obligated to give you a lapdance, so if you try to put it in my pocket, make sure not to miss.
Here's hoping you make it, man.
Don't forget to budget for food.
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Parking garages nearby charge 15-20 per night
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Well obviously Estee its a comment that can only be viewed by the brilliant brontosaurus like endowed writing ubermensh it was meant for.
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What do you offer for a childs laughter?
Depends on where your hotel is but from the times I've gone to cons in Baltimore hotel parking can range from 25-35 dollars a day. It's cheaper to park over at the airport and take the train to the inner harbor if you don't need access to the car except on arrival and departure.