Mishalak's Worldcon
Mar. 24th, 2007 09:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mishalakIt has been a while since I posted in my own journal asking who would be coming to Denver for Worldcon in 2008. I thought I'd ask again to see how things are coming together (or not) for everyone else and to inform everyone of the shapes my own plans are taking.
Last time![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
selenite, celticdragonfly, actiasluna, kevin_standlee, vincent_d, lsanderson, bovil, and kproche said they'd be coming with some degree of certitude. While whumpdotcom, cynthia1960, and julesjones either could not plan that far ahead or posted something non-committal. It will be interesting to see how many might be added to the list. I suspect the number of people intending to come will go up right until next to the last minute when there will be plans falling through and memberships being sold.
Sidebar if you are thinking about coming: Right now memberships for Worldcon still stands $130, but only through the end of May. Then it is going to go up to $175, buy now even if you only do it on the installment plan to hedge against changing circumstances! (There are about six quarters left until the convention, that makes (130-40)/6= $15 every three months after paying the $40 up front, more or less. If you want to be totally paid off by the convention. You can just pay $10 every three months and pay the rest at the door.) Also I plan to have an apartment very soon and I know people who are willing to put up fans for a few nights before or after, so if you want to make a whole week of it we should start doing planning.
Room rates are higher than I had hoped. That seems to be the main effect of the Democratic National Convention being in the same down two weeks later. Other events and trips are either getting delayed or moved up, so there are less rooms, and naturally hotels want to charge more for them. Most of the rooms in blocks for Worldcon 66 are going to be $159/night. (Ouch!) There will be some rooms at the Downtown Courtyard Denver Downtown for $129/night. The reservations for rooms will be open in January. They will need to be booked through the Convention to get the convention rate and because there are going to be so many different hotels with rooms. This is not actually that back a price for a downtown hotel in Denver. I checked the Adam's Mark Hotel (the party hotel) to see what they would charge for a comparable week this august for 1 person (they won't quote a rate more than 11 months in advance). Result: Best price $259 a night, $110/night savings. Zowie!
Incidentally the search begins go to help me make some cost estimates for my party. I plan on hosting a party for at least four (4) nights at Worldcon and I'm undecided if I should have a party on the Dead Dog (last) Night of the convention, Sunday. For four nights a Junior Suite without any convention discount will cost $1,236.00, or $309 a night without tax. Quite the expensive proposition and that's not as big a room as I would like. Ideally I want either a full suite with a sitting room or two adjoining rooms if a suite isn't available. I'm going to guess there will be some discount for a suite booked through the hotel, but it will probably still run about $400/night. At a guess.
So right off the bat I'm looking at a budget of about $700 a night on average. My personal invitation only party on the first or second night of the convention will probably run less. I plan on running at least two MileHiCon/DASFA parties or possibly a night of each highlighted by itself and a big blow out/combined night on Saturday. I tend to have a bit more than half the price of the room in food and drink. This usually results in a surplus of food and drink. If I have the money I will run two test of concept parties at MileHiCon this year. One invitation only party and one DASFA promotional.
DASFA has no money to promote itself in this fashion. I'll be footing the bill for it along with whatever other Dasfans wish to kick in. MileHiCon may contribute part of the money for a party, though I wonder if they'd balk at the high cost of what I'm planning even for one night. I would love to raise some money, perhaps by selling my body or having a bake sale. I will be cutting costs by doing a certain amount of baking/cooking ahead of time rather than buying all store prepared foods. I'm a deft hand at cakes and they come out VERY good. Cost is minimal since none of the ingredients in any cake are terribly expensive. Soup would also be a good item for preparing ahead of time, but it can get very messy. Then again so can brightly colored cocktails and wine. I will consider the idea of having some of the soups that I have gotten the most complements for prepared, frozen, and then thawed out in a giant 8 quart crockpot for the party. I have some really innovative ideas for easy and impressive Canapés. No crackers and plastic tub dip for parties I'm putting on!
The way I tend to deal with the problem of spills is to get some economical floor coverings. In the past I've taped down plastic sheeting of various sorts. I am considering trying a combination of second hand rugs and/or massive numbers of cheap towels from Bed Bath a/ over plastic to keep the floor pristine. It will look better and probably not be dislodged by people walking on it as easily, though rugs over carpet do have tendency to migrate.
Potential Themes: (Themes liable to change without notice, suggestions welcome, especially accompanied by a modest donation.)
•Private Party- Decadence Colorado Style, Fresh Colorado Peaches, Colorado Wine, Fruit Wine, Grand Junction Toffee, seasonal fruit, Chocolate Velvet Cake, carrot soup
•DASFA Party- Old Fashioned Debauchery, Mai Tai, Old Fashioned (mixed drink with whiskey), carrot cake, etc.
•MileHiCon Party- Pirates of the High Plains? The MileHiCon People's Soviet? Mega MileHiCon or Little Tokyo MileHiCon?
•DASFA & MileHiCon- The Snow Monkey Party(?), Ice Drinks, Colorado Beer, Rum Balls renamed Snow Balls, cheese platter, seasonal fruit, and possibly local ice cream. Some sort of chocolate cake glazed and/or dusted with powdered sugar. (If possible get a friend to do art of Snow Monkeys in a Hot Tub for the flier.) White M&Ms? Potato Soup?
Questions? Comments?
Last time
selenite, celticdragonfly, actiasluna, kevin_standlee, vincent_d, lsanderson, bovil, and kproche said they'd be coming with some degree of certitude. While whumpdotcom, cynthia1960, and julesjones either could not plan that far ahead or posted something non-committal. It will be interesting to see how many might be added to the list. I suspect the number of people intending to come will go up right until next to the last minute when there will be plans falling through and memberships being sold.Sidebar if you are thinking about coming: Right now memberships for Worldcon still stands $130, but only through the end of May. Then it is going to go up to $175, buy now even if you only do it on the installment plan to hedge against changing circumstances! (There are about six quarters left until the convention, that makes (130-40)/6= $15 every three months after paying the $40 up front, more or less. If you want to be totally paid off by the convention. You can just pay $10 every three months and pay the rest at the door.) Also I plan to have an apartment very soon and I know people who are willing to put up fans for a few nights before or after, so if you want to make a whole week of it we should start doing planning.
Room rates are higher than I had hoped. That seems to be the main effect of the Democratic National Convention being in the same down two weeks later. Other events and trips are either getting delayed or moved up, so there are less rooms, and naturally hotels want to charge more for them. Most of the rooms in blocks for Worldcon 66 are going to be $159/night. (Ouch!) There will be some rooms at the Downtown Courtyard Denver Downtown for $129/night. The reservations for rooms will be open in January. They will need to be booked through the Convention to get the convention rate and because there are going to be so many different hotels with rooms. This is not actually that back a price for a downtown hotel in Denver. I checked the Adam's Mark Hotel (the party hotel) to see what they would charge for a comparable week this august for 1 person (they won't quote a rate more than 11 months in advance). Result: Best price $259 a night, $110/night savings. Zowie!
Incidentally the search begins go to help me make some cost estimates for my party. I plan on hosting a party for at least four (4) nights at Worldcon and I'm undecided if I should have a party on the Dead Dog (last) Night of the convention, Sunday. For four nights a Junior Suite without any convention discount will cost $1,236.00, or $309 a night without tax. Quite the expensive proposition and that's not as big a room as I would like. Ideally I want either a full suite with a sitting room or two adjoining rooms if a suite isn't available. I'm going to guess there will be some discount for a suite booked through the hotel, but it will probably still run about $400/night. At a guess.
So right off the bat I'm looking at a budget of about $700 a night on average. My personal invitation only party on the first or second night of the convention will probably run less. I plan on running at least two MileHiCon/DASFA parties or possibly a night of each highlighted by itself and a big blow out/combined night on Saturday. I tend to have a bit more than half the price of the room in food and drink. This usually results in a surplus of food and drink. If I have the money I will run two test of concept parties at MileHiCon this year. One invitation only party and one DASFA promotional.
DASFA has no money to promote itself in this fashion. I'll be footing the bill for it along with whatever other Dasfans wish to kick in. MileHiCon may contribute part of the money for a party, though I wonder if they'd balk at the high cost of what I'm planning even for one night. I would love to raise some money, perhaps by selling my body or having a bake sale. I will be cutting costs by doing a certain amount of baking/cooking ahead of time rather than buying all store prepared foods. I'm a deft hand at cakes and they come out VERY good. Cost is minimal since none of the ingredients in any cake are terribly expensive. Soup would also be a good item for preparing ahead of time, but it can get very messy. Then again so can brightly colored cocktails and wine. I will consider the idea of having some of the soups that I have gotten the most complements for prepared, frozen, and then thawed out in a giant 8 quart crockpot for the party. I have some really innovative ideas for easy and impressive Canapés. No crackers and plastic tub dip for parties I'm putting on!
The way I tend to deal with the problem of spills is to get some economical floor coverings. In the past I've taped down plastic sheeting of various sorts. I am considering trying a combination of second hand rugs and/or massive numbers of cheap towels from Bed Bath a/ over plastic to keep the floor pristine. It will look better and probably not be dislodged by people walking on it as easily, though rugs over carpet do have tendency to migrate.
Potential Themes: (Themes liable to change without notice, suggestions welcome, especially accompanied by a modest donation.)
•Private Party- Decadence Colorado Style, Fresh Colorado Peaches, Colorado Wine, Fruit Wine, Grand Junction Toffee, seasonal fruit, Chocolate Velvet Cake, carrot soup
•DASFA Party- Old Fashioned Debauchery, Mai Tai, Old Fashioned (mixed drink with whiskey), carrot cake, etc.
•MileHiCon Party- Pirates of the High Plains? The MileHiCon People's Soviet? Mega MileHiCon or Little Tokyo MileHiCon?
•DASFA & MileHiCon- The Snow Monkey Party(?), Ice Drinks, Colorado Beer, Rum Balls renamed Snow Balls, cheese platter, seasonal fruit, and possibly local ice cream. Some sort of chocolate cake glazed and/or dusted with powdered sugar. (If possible get a friend to do art of Snow Monkeys in a Hot Tub for the flier.) White M&Ms? Potato Soup?
Questions? Comments?
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Date: 2007-03-25 06:29 pm (UTC)