Posted on 06/17/2009 5:35:30 AM PDT by seekthetruth
Edited on 06/17/2009 10:13:41 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
It’s a banquet dinner with speakers. Mature children might enjoy it, but smaller children would probably be bored out of their minds. There’s also a breakfast and the hotel will offer a discounted price for children for that, but not at the banquet. The rooms at this hotel were discounted for us by approximately $75 to $80 per night. That discount over two or three nights (or more for some who are staying longer) plus the breakfast and banquet dinner included makes it about a break even deal for a couple. Sorry, but banquets at DC hotels are fairly expensive to put on and we’re already committed. We cannot cut back on the level of service or our costs at this time.
By the way, anyone can come to the march and tea party events and there is no price of admission for those, but we are limiting the official FReeper Convention to registered FReepers, families and guests.
Thanks
Please see my post number 61.
Not exactly a crappy convention as you’re claiming IMO.
The cost of the convention includes events with food/beverage Friday evening, breakfast buffet Saturday morning and dinner/speakers/entertainment Saturday night. On Sunday there will also be workshops for all Freepers to attend with drinks/food available. All at a 4-star hotel.
Quite a deal for the price considering what is included, Obviously you are entitled to your opinion but before you call this overpriced/crappy etc, I think you and everyone else who is reading your posts, should be aware of exactly what is included.
Geeeshhh re-reading this posts makes me sound very Hillary!!! Don’t take it that way at all, I’m beyond tired, trying to do to much at once and my blunt gene kicked in.....
I really do hope my answer though explains all that is included with the ticket price and I hope you and everyone else who is concerned will reconsider after seeing all that is included with it.
Thanks
Damn! $1987.44 in fuel round trip for my vehicle (and I’m being optimistic on MPG)
Thanks for the clarification Jim. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. I was just a little surprised that this wasn’t more family friendly. I agree on the banquet and I’m wasn’t even concerned about that or even the breakfast. The hotel rate isn’t real great. 4 star hotels in Arlington are going for $79-$100 for that time period. Also there are hotels that have complimentary parking and internet and most will give you that if you just tell them you are going somewhere else if they don’t provide them. I don’t mean to be cheap but I stay in a lot of hotels and know how they negotiate. Also it would’ve been much more affordable if hotels outside of the inner beltway were considered. There are a lot of metro stations all over. I know this was put together quickly but I hope next time there are more options such as a basic registration for those who won’t be attending things like the banquet. Also it would be good to have discounted military and student tickets. Just some ideas. I think I may be able to make it. I’ll just purchase two tickets one each for my wife and I and my oldest can watch the boys during the banquet.
Sorry bad choice of words. I was in a bad mood and then I saw this I just reacted badly. Also when I checked the hotel and saw that four stars in Arlington are available for $79 and that this specific hotel charges considerable fees for parking and appears not to offer complimentary internet it was a disappointment then I saw $175 per person with no student discounts or military discounts which I thought was strange. I stay well over 150 nights a year in hotels so I know what a deal is. I’ve recovered from my initial disappointment though. I sincerely apologize to you for going off but it did appear as if no one considered that many a freeper might want to make this a family affair. We are not all retired and single and many of us will want to drive. Even so I want to say thanks for your hard work Brytani. Your restrained response was admirable. :-)
Hmmm. I’m driving from Tulsa, OK and my cost calculated to be $233 which sounds realistic. Where the heck are you coming from?
He’s driving in from Hawaii.
Glad to have you aboard. Look forward to seeing you in September.
Oregon with a 40 ft motorhome (if I go). Business may not allow me to come.
Love your tagline!!
Just to answer a few point you brought up, we didn’t look outside of the beltway simply because of travel time and having many seniors and others who tire easily. We wanted to be as close as possible to DC without being in it so those who have carry permits and are driving in do not have to worry about DC’s unconstitutional gun policies (I’d call them laws but after Heller you know what I mean).
Yea, I saw rooms for less on some of the websites BUT when you put in an offer for as many rooms as our convention would need (can’t do it online except to get quotes i.e. Priceline) the Sheraton came in the absolutely lowest per room and per person for the event. In fact, the only hotel that was even close to the room rate came in at $159/night.
We just had our S. Florida Freeper convention this past April in Kissimmee Fl at the Gaylord Palms Resort - 4 star.
Parking was $24/day and room rates were $149. When I took into consideration what was included for that convention and compared it to what I was being quoted at the Sheraton, we received a great deal.
I checked on http://www.tripcalculator.org/usa-travel-distance-calculator.html from Portland to Washington, DC. Estimated your fuel consumption at 15mpg (motorhome) and $3.25/gallon for gas.
One way is 3784.44 miles and will take 58 hours, 13 minutes - they figured the cost would be 898.80 each way. That’s quite a long drive for you but I hope you can make it.
Have you checked the Oregon State Board to see if there are other Freepers out there who want to come and would be willing to help with costs etc?
My husband had to move around his vacation in order to make the convention and it was touch and go for a while to see if he would even be able to attend.
It would be so much easier if we didn’t work, had ACORN to pick us up, take us to protests and pay us for the day wouldn’t it? :-)
TruthWW ... I’ve checked air fare from Fresno (not busy airport); roundtrip fare is $320. If I wanted to drive to SF, I could get a lower fare but I would have to pay for parking and possibly a room for the night before departure.
Depending on the size of your party, this might be a good option.
Hi, hopefully my husand and I will be driving down on Friday. Cannot attend the convention, but would like to catch up with all of you for the march, etc.
It has been 5 years since we have been down to DC and we have missed everyone. So looking forward to this.
Is there a good way to get the word out to local DC’ers about the convention?
I expect they will all attend the Saturday March; it would sure be wonderful to meet them at the convention also.
I sent information and links to all the Freepers on my DC Freeper list. Also to all the FReepers in surrounding states who are members of FR. :)
Just waiting to hear who the next four Freepers are who have booked a room AND purchased a ticket. The next four on the ticket list who are booked at the Sheraton will bring us to the 10 Freepers needed for the drawing!
FREEPERS WHO HAVE BOOKED A ROOM AT THE SHERATON! Get your Convention ticket as soon as you can to possibly be among the next four needed for the drawing!
REMEMBER! A beautiful personalized Free Republic T-shirt will be given away to the winner!
I’ll ping the DC Chapter. Thought I had already done this so thanks for the reminder. Must have been on and earlier Convention thread.
DC Chapter Master Ping List
More info on the September Convention.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.