Blizzcon information? Help me out!

[Odesseiron]

Hey all. I'm looking to buy a ticket for Blizzcon 2011. Most prices on ebay are about $225. That's a bit high, but whatever. I'd like to experience it at least once.

I have a few general questions before I actually plop the money down for the ticket though.

- Registration supposedly closed for ticket registration on Blizzards website June 10th. What does this mean? I'd have to meet up with whomever bought the ticket at the gates and get it from them? I also want the goodie bag, so the price is a bit higher.

- Lodging/Airfare: Where have you guys (who don't live in Cali) stayed in the past? I'm looking for somewhere relatively cheap and close to the Anaheim Convention Center. Airfare is pretty set in stone. I mean there are websites to use, so that's pretty much self explanatory.

- Other stuff to do: What else is pretty accessible from where I would be staying? I want to explore a little bit, but I would like a "tour guide" as it were to show me around. Besides, having someone to go with is a lot more fun than going by yourself.

Anything else I should expect or know about this whole thing? I know Blizzcon is a Friday/Sat. I'd probably come on Wednesday and leave Sunday morning. (ideally) However if there's not a whole ton to do or anything, I'd probably fly in Thursday and leave Sunday.

If anyone else from BG is going, lets collaborate and split rooms or something. It's certain to be a lot cheaper.

Lastly, if anyone is willing to simply house me for a couple days while I crash on their sofa, that's always welcome too. Definitely a ton cheaper than hotels. That's asking a lot I know, but always a possibility.

Any help you guys can provide is appreciated!

[Vales]

Look on www.couchsurfing.com if you don't mind sleeping on someone's couch.

[synistar]

For the tix, he has to acquire the tix onsite I believe. The ticket can only be received by the buyer with an ID that matches the name reserved under.

Lodging you can probably find a hostel around or a cheaper hotel within train ride away. There are 4 hotels adjacent to the ACC: Marriot, Hilton, Clarion, and Sheraton. Those are the expensive ones. It's safe to walk in anaheim, especially when there's a convention in town.

Seeing stuff locally:
Disneyland (requires full day. expensive. so probably not)
Downtown disney (free and accessible, there is an ESPN zone and a house of blues there)
Knotts berry farm, medieval times/pirate shows about 15 min via car and metro train: http://www.metrolinktrains.com/stati...tail.php?id=81
Technically Universal Citywalk and hollywood is accessible via train (metrolink to union station > Metro red line to hollywood/universal)

[geno]

Registration being closed means exactly what you think it means, the names are set and would be difficult (if possible) to change. This means you'll have to meet up with the person you buy tickets from at the venue, either beforehand (picking them up with them) or afterwards (usually b/w ticket pickup and the event itself, so Thursday night). Goodie bags are picked up at the same time the badge is.

As for Blizzcon itself, I've got some tips:

• Depending on how you are able to get tickets, try to pick them up the day before the convention starts. Saves you some time the day of and gives you an opportunity to scout out the area beforehand.
• If you are planning on getting any souvenirs, try to check with the person you're buying tickets from if they'll set up a way for you to buy from the online pre-sale. Last time I stood in line to buy shit AT blizzcon was my first time back in '08 and I'll NEVER do that again. It will eat up way too much of your valuable game playing / tournament watching time.
• For food, avoid eating within the venue at all costs. Expensive as hell and generally a pretty shitty quality food. There are a TON of places within walking distance around Blizzcon that will be much better and will not cost you as much time. This is where scouting out beforehand and planning can make a big difference.
• Water is obviously important, but they do have water fountains at certain spots in the halls. So make up your own mind there, my usual route is to bring a decent, but not too large bottle and just refill it several times.
• Don't expect good cell service within the venue. Don't expect 3G, honestly be happy if you get anything at all within the building, lol.
• While you are there, I'd advise you to prioritize 2 things above all: playing games & watching tournaments. The panels are often really interesting, but can usually be found in their entirety online within days and anything important will obviously be out there instantly. You don't lose much by missing out on them, except the occasional feeling of being in a real life rage/joy mob on particularly interesting points. Unless you really want to try to get a question in, or have gotten bored of your other options, I wouldn't bother with most of them.
  The game stations offer something considerably more unique, and not just because its something that's usually not out in the public at that point. The general experience and getting to play with people you meet there can be rather rewarding.
  Tournaments I think may be the even bigger attraction though, particularly this year. The GSL finals will be held there, and if you've never been to a live SC2 tourney, it will be an amazing experience. This has probably been my favorite part of previous Blizzcons.
• The one exception to the above is the opening & closing ceremonies which are spectacles in and of themselves. You get all the biggest announcements at the beginning and pretty much an entire concert at the end, and both have the largest crowds at the event. Good seats are pretty damn hard to come by if you aren't willing to sacrifice elsewhere though.

I'm probably forgetting stuff, but that should cover a lot of basics for the event. The blizzcon site has a lot of info as well if you're looking for more: http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/en/event-info/

[Odesseiron]

Thanks Geno, all that info was basically what I was looking for. Now I just have to find out how to do this with it costing $1000 total or so. Probably gonna be more :/

If anyone from here is going and wants to split hotel rooms, just shoot me a PM.

[MrSamuels]

Three of us are going from the UK, already sold my extra ticket but becareful with any you buy now, as is noted above you can't edit any of the attendee information anymore on the battle net account and if the ticket has someone elses name on it, they have to practically be there in person with you to get in.

We are staying at the Best Western near there just outside of the convention we are in from Wednesday to Tuesday, I can contact them and ask them if i can add an extra. Assuming it doesn't cost too much i can PM you.

Since you are from the US there are probably a lot more options for you to fly too other then LAX which is all we could get, try seeing what you can get from John Wayne: SNA, Long Beach: LGB. John Wayne is the closest.

There are a few "Blizzcon Survival Guides" floating around the web and a lot of them are pretty usefull aswell

[Odesseiron]

Three of us are going from the UK, already sold my extra ticket but becareful with any you buy now, as is noted above you can't edit any of the attendee information anymore on the battle net account and if the ticket has someone elses name on it, they have to practically be there in person with you to get in.

We are staying at the Best Western near there just outside of the convention we are in from Wednesday to Tuesday, I can contact them and ask them if i can add an extra. Assuming it doesn't cost too much i can PM you.

Since you are from the US there are probably a lot more options for you to fly too other then LAX which is all we could get, try seeing what you can get from John Wayne: SNA, Long Beach: LGB. John Wayne is the closest.

There are a few "Blizzcon Survival Guides" floating around the web and a lot of them are pretty usefull aswell

Sounds good. I will pm you later when I get out of work, thanks!