Eastercon 2015

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Bearly Believable
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Eastercon 2015 (aka Dysprosium) is in London (well, Heathrow), so it's well within range for me.

After issues with the booking form (the form would not appear in my browser), which were very quickly fixed once I emailed the person responsible for membership, I shall be there, and hoping to meet some of my fellow Chronners.
 
I'm tempted - I should more seriously engage other agents, in case I need to. I've only really spoken seriously with John Jarrold.

But flights, 3 nights accommodation, and membership fee, already stack to £350. I'm just not sure I can justify the cost when my finances are limited - especially if it turns out that I'm not ready to submit, and it may make better sense to book in for a later convention.

Then again, it may be an investment, not a cost...
 
I had the same issue with Eastercon 2014 in Glasgow: either fly there or have two quite long drives. And in Bradford 2013, the hotel was of limited size, and they wanted to keep enough space for those who were less able to travel; I thought staying in a hotel some distance from the venue wasn't a good idea as, in 2012, though I was in the next hotel along the road (next to Heathrow Airport), I felt a little disengaged from the proceedings.

Which reminds me: I ought to book my room today....
 
I'm still trying to book a room, but I'll be there, and I know Nesacat and Morpheus will be.
 
I've just (well, Monday) had an email that is encouraging attendees to book their rooms before the first of February:
This day we are contacting you as a member of the convention to ask you, if you haven't already booked your hotel room at the Park Inn, to please do so ASAP at our special convention rate.

We currently have an allocation of 450 rooms at our deeply discounted rate. However, if we haven't filled them by 1st February, we may lose all the remaining rooms at that rate. (If we fill the allocation before then, we will negotiate for more rooms at the convention rate, but we can't be certain of success.) So, as someone who's already joined Dysprosium, if you're planning to stay at the convention hotel, make sure that you've booked your room before 1st February.

You don't have to pay anything now! Booking now just reserves you a room at the convention rate, well below the best deal they usually give.

To make a booking:
  1. Go to http://www.parkinn.com/reservation/clearReservation.do
  2. Under PLAN YOUR STAY, enter your Destination as “Heathrow” and in the Advanced Search Options, enter EAST into Promotional Code, then click the large purple GO button on the right.
  3. Under Modify Search (on the left side), choose your dates and click Show Rooms.
  4. Enter the number of adults (and children) and click Search Again.
  5. To view the room possibilities, click View All Rates & Packages
  6. View the details of the room under Rate Details. (You can see more information about the different types of room at http://www.parkinn.co.uk/airporthotel-heathrow/hotel-rooms ).
  7. When you’re happy with your selection, click Book Now.
  8. NOTE: The Cancellation Policy currently states that you may cancel by 4:00PM on the day of your first night. This policy will be changing as the hotel has realised they have made a mistake, so book now while that policy stands! Once they’ve changed it, the cancellation policy will be 14 days prior to the start of the convention, but they will honour all bookings made under their current policy.
  9. Review your booking and check the total value of the booking and then click on Continue.
  10. In Section 1, enter your personal details. In Section 2, enter your name and any special requirements you might have (wheelchair accessible room, feather/non-feather pillows, twin etc – then email hotel@dysprosium.org.uk to let us know these needs so that we can make sure the hotel fulfills them). In Section 3, choose either Credit Card or Non-guaranteed if you don’t have or don’t want to use a credit card. If you choose Credit Card (Visa Debit cards are also accepted), your room will be held against your card, *but you will not be charged*. If you choose Non-guaranteed, your room booking will be held but you may be asked to confirm it prior to 14 days prior to the convention.
As it happens, I booked by phoning the hotel in December, but made it clear that I was doing so as part of the Dysprosium arrangements (and I quoted the promotional code).
 
Do any of you know of American conventions? It seems that most of the members on here are from Europe.
 
I got my room. How can they make it so complicated?

Do any of you know of American conventions? It seems that most of the members on here are from Europe.

You are, of course, right this is a United Kingdom (still) based website, though oodles of our members come from the States, or down under. or even from a mass of non-English speaking territories just because we're the best around ;).

I've never attended a US convention (SF, that is. I've been to a number of audio conventions) and imagine that geography would pay a major rôle in choice, along with invited guests and speciality subject - if it's comix and you're an epic fantasy type person you're not going to tend to find too many kindred spirits. And getting to Chillicothe could turn out more complicated, expensive and time-consuming than, say, London. (Though the prices when you get to London…) So I can't recommend particular venues, specific organisers, though Boskone has a long tradition (and yes, I like that region. And you might not.) Here:- http://www.upcomingcons.com/science-fiction-conventions - just grabbed off the web, as even wrinklies like myself have learnt to do.
 
i'll be there - i think i'll have a book to launch! :D - as will several other Grimbold/KristellInk authors. we've booked an entire house for the duration - i actually prefer being away from the Con hotel just because it gives me the opportunity to disengage and take a breather.

no, wait, wrong Con. i meant FantasyCon, of course. bah. shouldn't post when i've been dealing with alarm calls all night.....
 
I was thinking about that, too, but it is not around the corner. I will see if a friend of me joins the event.
 
I'm definitely going... My latest novel is launching there, so I'd be pretty daft not to. :)

I'll also have a room off the dealers corridor (yes, that's a new one on me too, but we'll see how it works out), so please feel free to pop in and say 'hello'.
 
I'll also be at Eastercon with the TTA Press (Interzone/Black Static) table and similar for Edge-Lit in Derby in July + F'con (Nottingham, Oct. all being well).
The Ansible site also lists all conventions see http://news.ansible.uk/.
The lack of trains over Easter is not exactly helpful for those travelling from the North.
 
So, who is going? Will be there from the Friday afternoon until the Monday morning. I am looking forward to it, but not the train journey. I have three changes due to the work on the west coast line!
 
I'm definitely going to be there. Even though transport is dire, the hotel booking turned out to be for the wrong side of the country, the T-shirts won't be ready in time; I'll get there. After all, what more can go wrong? (Please organise your lists in alphabetical order).

But I'll be there!
 
Do any of you know of American conventions? It seems that most of the members on here are from Europe.

Sorry, hadn't seen this thread previously, and apologies for the minor aside. You've probably already had the question answered, but DragonCon in Atlanta the first week of September immediately comes to mind...okay, returning the thread to EasterCon (once again, it's a long swim....:D)
 

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