(no subject)

[alpacasforlunch.livejournal.com]

i need help!

i've never been to Arisia before. i'm not very familiar with Boston. my friend and i are coming in from NYC friday (the 13th) night, first dropping off stuff at a friend's dorm at MIT... so my first question is, how do you get from MIT (Random House) to the con hotel? what train, and then what direction from there? how long does it take? is there anything important i should know (about the trains, the hotel, whatever)?

second question: do the trains stop running at any point? in other words, if we want to go back to the dorm at 3 AM, will we be able to get there (and safely)?

food! where do con-goers usually eat?

i'm also a bit worried because i've never been in control of the logistics of going to a con... how exactly does registration and everything work? is it better to register online or should i just do it there? will we be totally confused (i get confused easily)?
basically what i need is a "Going to Arisia for Dummies" book.

if you answer any of these questions i will be deeply in your debt. thank you, and seeya folks at Arisia (if i don't get lost on the way).

Comments

[bobquasit.livejournal.com]

Don't panic. You can ask the front desk to call a cab for you, although they might expect a tip. And you've got a decent chance of finding a cab in front of the hotel, I think.

If worse comes to worst, you could catnap in the film or anime rooms, probably. I have friends who've made it through the whole con that way.

Although I suspect that they didn't smell too good by Sunday.

[alpacasforlunch.livejournal.com]

if i ask at the front desk, how much should i tip them?
(sorry for all the questions, i don't get out much...)

i'm fine with sleeping in odd places but i like being clean, so i'd rather go back to the dorm if i can help it.

History

[bobquasit.livejournal.com]

Over the years I've either stayed at the hotel or taken the T in from home, so I'm not all that sure. Maybe someone else can give you a better answer.

At a guess, two or three bucks for the doorman or bell captain would probably be fine. $5 if you're feeling generous. But I hardly ever take cabs, so I'm not a good guide on this.

You could get away with nothing, of course. And I'm pretty sure that you shouldn't tip the people at the front desk.

To be honest, if I were in your position I'd find a couple of other people who were going to the same place, and then hang out in the lobby for a little while and keep a watch out the big glass doors in the front for a cab. Or you could call for a taxi yourself; the numbers are probably available at the info desk, and if not you could look them up online. The phone booths on the Mezz usually have phone books, too.

Although I have to admit, every year I see them I wonder how much longer they'll keep the phone booths. They're quite the antiques; they have wooden doors and everything.

Sigh.

The Park Plaza is not a top-of-the-line hotel, for all that Presidents and big shots go there; the rooms are small, and the amenities are a bit iffy. But it has history, damn it. My grandfather used to take naps there in the lobby during his lunch hour, many decades ago.

[bobquasit.livejournal.com]

This gave me a sudden idea. I wouldn't do it myself, but I can imagine some enterprising young entrepreneur doing it:

Rent a room at the hotel. Then "rent" out the bathroom for showers at $5 or $10 each. You might need to bring in some extra shampoo, soap, and towels, but they're available cheap. You could easily make back the cost of the room, and then some.

Of course, that might be against some sort of hotel rules. And it's a little disgusting. So please understand, I'm just letting my imagination run wild. This is my brain coming up with wacky and irrelevent ideas. By all means, go back to MIT.

Hmm. There IS one thing to be aware of, though: traditionally, Arisia weekend features hellish weather - last year we had a blizzard so bad that the police closed the roads on Sunday, and wouldn't let people out of the hotel. The con was extended another day as a result (which is the first time that THAT has ever happened, I can tell you). So keep up with the weather reports before you leave NYC, and bring extra-warm outerwear if it seems at all justified.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Before you tip anyone to get you a cab, check outside the revolving door. There's usually a line of cabs waiting to take folks home. The hotel has two bars, so there definitely will be cabs there until closing time, if not later.