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FanimeCon Events and Discussionmentarianism => Hotel and Facilities => Topic started by: NetBelleAnie on February 10, 2014, 08:34:27 PM

Title: Complaints for housing
Post by: NetBelleAnie on February 10, 2014, 08:34:27 PM
Well, I'm starting this thread because even if I am joining staff this year, as someone who loves going to Fanime but needs to visit their hotel room frequently due to health issues, I will complain.
The hotel registration system is absolutely ridiculous.  I was online from 9:30 to 11:30 and in that time frame, at 10:00 I went to register and was repeatedly given errors and "Service Unavailable".  I would get to the page and enter my payment information, and then receive another "Service Unavailable".  I tried the phone number about 50 times with a busy signal every call.  This repeated the entire time I was on the website until I finally got the message of there being no more rooms available for the time I was planning on being at the con.  At this point I had to leave for various appointments throughout the day.  I finally returned home and found that, while the website is now working just fine, there are no more rooms left.
This is a huge problem for me as a both staff and a guest as I need to be in one of the hotels closest to the convention center due to needing to take medications and using my mobility scooter.  Because I would almost never be able to use the elevators in the Hilton or Marriott, I usually would choose the Sainte Claire due to it only having 5 or so floors, and thus less traffic to compete for the elevators.
I know I am not the only one here attending (or staffing at) Fanime who has certain health issues that makes it so one cannot stay at a hotel further away, either for staff housing or regular attendees.  I need my significant other in the room with me to help me with my health issues, so going for staff housing isn't an option (as he is not joining staff).  Now checking and calling the hotels individually isn't working, as they are all booked as well. 
So as I sit on a waiting list, I figured I should post this complaint.  I'm not asking for special treatment, but it just makes me sad that the housing website isn't capable of having the vast quantity of people use it at once. The fact that I tried my best to get a room and could not is frustrating.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: mikasa-san on February 10, 2014, 08:47:12 PM
Their servers seem not stable enough to handle the traffic overloading it all at once. Perhaps having a pre-pre registration for staff members working for the con? Because trying to get a hotel room when thousands of other people are trying to get a hotel room is... very chaotic. There should at least be a day difference between staff registration and regular con-goer registration.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: SkaiRa1n on February 10, 2014, 09:01:56 PM
Personally, I think they should've stuck to their original plan and have people pay for their badge in order to get a room.  This might have helped the situation a little bit.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Sivartius on February 10, 2014, 09:11:42 PM
Housing registration was very difficult, and I ended up not being able to get a room.  Your situation with your special requirements makes it really hard.  Still, we do know that this is definitely better than no Fanime.  I'm very grateful to be able to go, even though I had to look for someone who already had a room to take me in as a roommate. In life, I can laugh, or I can cry, and crying isn't any fun.  So I try hard to see the rediculous aspect of any situation.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 10, 2014, 10:21:05 PM
Really the problem is that there are more and more Fanime attendees, and the same number of rooms, so as more people demand rooms, people are motivated to get them earlier and earlier...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Sivartius on February 10, 2014, 10:55:09 PM
Yeah.  It's just like registration.  More and more people are attending, and so the lines get longer and longer, and the staff can't grow fast enough to keep up.  Also the more people they have, the more space it takes, and the more we have to wait.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Lucifargundam on February 10, 2014, 11:01:55 PM
Quote from: Sivartius on February 10, 2014, 10:55:09 PM
More and more people are attending, and so the lines get longer and longer, and the staff can't grow fast enough to keep up.
This. Thank you.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: heeroyuy135 on February 10, 2014, 11:06:40 PM
Fanime mentioned that they're working on entirely new system for 2015 that will reward those who do buy their badges as well as those who are in the non-attendee status like press, industry, AA, panelists, and so fourth. My question is will that system be ready next year and what's not to say that this'll happen again?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Kahluah on February 10, 2014, 11:31:19 PM
One idea that will never happen is renovating the hotels that connect to the convention center to have more rooms.

But yeah housing is ridiculous every year. I am waking up early tomorrow to call to be put on a waitlist, with any luck I will get a room.

They should also put some kind of prevention up against room hoarders.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: phr34kish on February 11, 2014, 08:55:34 AM
Quote from: HeeroYuy135 on February 10, 2014, 11:06:40 PM
Fanime mentioned that they're working on entirely new system for 2015 that will reward those who do buy their badges as well as those who are in the non-attendee status like press, industry, AA, panelists, and so fourth. My question is will that system be ready next year and what's not to say that this'll happen again?

If they give us more than a week's notice, it probably could be a great option. But this years roll out was just bad planning.

The part that worries me is last year we didn't seem to have ANY of these problems. At least not with the hotel registration. The server didn't crash and the process was smooth. Why fix something that's not broken? :/
Title: Complaints for housing
Post by: Hachimitsu on February 11, 2014, 09:16:53 AM
Sadly I don't think either plan works! Remember we have new staff and new rulings! The conventin is getting bigger and bigger that there are two conventions one for clockworks alchemy and one for fanime. With that being said, I don't think any plan would work for fanime's housing because there are some people who pre-registered during the convention and did not receive their confirmation notices.

of course i could be wrong O_o!
just be glad it wasn't like last yea (front door closed, back door open!)
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Tsu on February 11, 2014, 09:23:09 AM
QuoteThe part that worries me is last year we didn't seem to have ANY of these problems. At least not with the hotel registration. The server didn't crash and the process was smooth. Why fix something that's not broken? :/

To be fair, one big difference is that last year they initially only posted a link to fanime.com and people crashed Fanime's server, not the housing server. Someone eventually leaked the housing address on Fanime's FB page, but everyone else was just getting stuck at Fanime.com. Fanime officials did post the link on their facebook page a short while later, but in the meanwhile, many people with the leaked link had completed reg and were out of the way, and I'm sure part of the crowd that had gotten stuck at Fanime.com had to give up for various reasons.

I was lucky and got the address from FB last year. I was unprepared for the mess this year, but I don't think Fanime is entirely to blame. I'm fairly sure that CMR Housing is a service Fanime hires to set the rooms up, so the blame is with them. And since they run cons like AX too, they should be ready for a huge rush of people.

Overall, the badge buying may help next year. We haven't outgrown the con center, but it sure feels like we're outnumbering the hotel rooms these days...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: EJAY420 on February 11, 2014, 09:29:56 AM
Did anyone get a confirmation email??? Im still waiting on mine!
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Tsu on February 11, 2014, 10:27:52 AM
Quote from: EJAY420 on February 11, 2014, 09:29:56 AM
Did anyone get a confirmation email??? Im still waiting on mine!

I got mine pretty much instantly after registering. You might want to call or email housing.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: EJAY420 on February 11, 2014, 11:02:29 AM
Thank u FOESTER
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Dracil on February 11, 2014, 01:34:45 PM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 11, 2014, 09:16:53 AM
Sadly I don't think either plan works! Remember we have new staff and new rulings! The conventin is getting bigger and bigger that there are two conventions one for clockworks alchemy and one for fanime. With that being said, I don't think any plan would work for fanime's housing because there are some people who pre-registered during the convention and did not receive their confirmation notices.

of course i could be wrong O_o!
just be glad it wasn't like last yea (front door closed, back door open!)

Then cut out clockwork.  That really should be its separate thing that shouldn't be using up resources from Fanime on the same weekend.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: DangerHeart on February 11, 2014, 04:09:52 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 11, 2014, 01:34:45 PM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 11, 2014, 09:16:53 AM
Sadly I don't think either plan works! Remember we have new staff and new rulings! The conventin is getting bigger and bigger that there are two conventions one for clockworks alchemy and one for fanime. With that being said, I don't think any plan would work for fanime's housing because there are some people who pre-registered during the convention and did not receive their confirmation notices.

of course i could be wrong O_o!
just be glad it wasn't like last yea (front door closed, back door open!)

Then cut out clockwork.  That really should be its separate thing that shouldn't be using up resources from Fanime on the same weekend.

I wouldn't think it uses that many more resources to run since its technically a completely different con. Plus, I think the same it opened housing also starting using the Raddison and Holiday Inn, so that created more rooms, enough I think to make up for the new con plus more.

Hopefully what they say is true and they do have a solid plan for next year. I agree with some that this years plan could've worked but wasn't executed right so it just flopped. I kinda hope next year they stick with having to buy your badge first before you can book a room AND the two room limit, that alone will help with warding off room hoarders.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: phr34kish on February 11, 2014, 04:57:33 PM
Quote from: DangerHeart on February 11, 2014, 04:09:52 PM
I wouldn't think it uses that many more resources to run since its technically a completely different con. Plus, I think the same it opened housing also starting using the Raddison and Holiday Inn, so that created more rooms, enough I think to make up for the new con plus more.

Hopefully what they say is true and they do have a solid plan for next year. I agree with some that this years plan could've worked but wasn't executed right so it just flopped. I kinda hope next year they stick with having to buy your badge first before you can book a room AND the two room limit, that alone will help with warding off room hoarders.

I honestly don't mind the room limit at all. Admitably, I've never planned for a large group before, but I can see those done on a case by case basis.

But unless Fanime steps up their communication and gets things like AA, Swap Meet, Press, etc. out the door before hotel reg goes up? Requiring a badge is going to just backfire again. Those announcements get later and later every year, never earlier... (APRIL for AA last year anyone?)
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Imperial on February 11, 2014, 05:18:35 PM
Clockwork kinda is a bridge that would make things worse if burned, plus we work together to help both out to be better.

I'm already finding people auctioning rooms off for fanime, and rediculously high, 700 bucks is what i am finding outside of fanime booking. the convention is now big enough that the city of san Jose needs more hotels to meet the demand. and not for just our convention, they are constantly booked thanks to business people flying in for meetings and such. Heck, FC filled both hotels at the convention center, and its growing slower than Fanime...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 11, 2014, 06:05:29 PM
Quote from: tjimmy2 on February 11, 2014, 05:18:35 PM
I'm already finding people auctioning rooms off for fanime, and rediculously high, 700 bucks is what i am finding outside of fanime booking.

Where are you finding that?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: bsan89 on February 11, 2014, 06:10:00 PM
LOL @ selling room.

Ya I was on straight on 10am, but webbie and phone was down/busy.
Waitlist for hilton and marriot. I been hearing people selling room for $500-$700. Happens every year.

I hope they stick with the orginal plan next time.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Glitch on February 11, 2014, 07:57:31 PM
If someone is selling rooms, report them since that is scalping. No should be profiting from this situation in that manner.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 11, 2014, 08:31:11 PM
Quote from: Glitch on February 11, 2014, 07:57:31 PM
If someone is selling rooms, report them since that is scalping. No should be profiting from this situation in that manner.

Seriously.

I don't know if there's a perfect solution, but they should limit single registration to a single room and group registrations on a group size basis. Like, one room for every three people.

Hopefully next year they stick to pre-reg members, or even implement some kind of lottery.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Kahluah on February 11, 2014, 08:37:10 PM
Quote from: Admiral Donuts on February 11, 2014, 08:31:11 PM
Quote from: Glitch on February 11, 2014, 07:57:31 PM
If someone is selling rooms, report them since that is scalping. No should be profiting from this situation in that manner.

Seriously.

I don't know if there's a perfect solution, but they should limit single registration to a single room and group registrations on a group size basis. Like, one room for every three people.

Hopefully next year they stick to pre-reg members, or even implement some kind of lottery.

Exactly right about the room limit. I am on the waitlist for Hilton and Marriott and I was stress ranting to my dad today and I brought up that idea. Room hoarders are just horrible people that mess the system up much more than it already is.

Also the anyone can book a room this year probably cause many more server crashes and room hoarding than there would have been if they did it the usual way.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: InsaneChan on February 12, 2014, 02:26:00 AM
The site was crazy this year. I was fortunate to be able to book through the site, but it took furious refreshing and typing. However, I am constantly sickened by the people who boast about having booked 3-10 rooms for their own agenda's. Hoarders not only scalp rooms later on, but use them as a "business" and rent them out at various prices to minors and others. I saw some guy advertising this exact service on cosplay.com in past years. He said he got all of the rooms because he had a "source" working in one of the joining hotels who would book all the rooms for him every year. I think he said he had 15?

TLDR; room limits should be implemented and strictly enforced. Maximum of one-two rooms under a name at a time. If you have a large group, assign various people to book the rooms. I feel as though this should especially be used since the convention is growing larger every year.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Purelovely on February 12, 2014, 07:43:01 AM
This Fanime housing situation gets worse every year. I have a room but it's a waitlist situation. I come all the way from Indiana and it's kind of scary for me because if I don't get a room then I'm sorta homeless. I wish some people who live close to the hotel would save their money and stay home during the time they aren't at con.

I understand that people want to stay at the con and have a room so they can enjoy the con more but please think about the people who travel from out of state.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 12:11:40 PM
The problem is it's a 24 hour con.  People who live "close" still can't get home at 3AM at night since all public transportation is closed by then even if they were willing to take that.

Also, LOL at requiring badges to get housing + lottery idea.  Buy a badge, lose at lottery, have no housing.  LOL.

Anyway, like most things in life, it helps to have friends.  A bunch of friends all hitting the server at the same time allows you a better chance to get a couple good rooms which you can then all share with each other after the whole server chaos.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 12:16:16 PM
Quote from: DangerHeart on February 11, 2014, 04:09:52 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 11, 2014, 01:34:45 PM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 11, 2014, 09:16:53 AM
Sadly I don't think either plan works! Remember we have new staff and new rulings! The conventin is getting bigger and bigger that there are two conventions one for clockworks alchemy and one for fanime. With that being said, I don't think any plan would work for fanime's housing because there are some people who pre-registered during the convention and did not receive their confirmation notices.

of course i could be wrong O_o!
just be glad it wasn't like last yea (front door closed, back door open!)

Then cut out clockwork.  That really should be its separate thing that shouldn't be using up resources from Fanime on the same weekend.

I wouldn't think it uses that many more resources to run since its technically a completely different con. Plus, I think the same it opened housing also starting using the Raddison and Holiday Inn, so that created more rooms, enough I think to make up for the new con plus more.

Hopefully what they say is true and they do have a solid plan for next year. I agree with some that this years plan could've worked but wasn't executed right so it just flopped. I kinda hope next year they stick with having to buy your badge first before you can book a room AND the two room limit, that alone will help with warding off room hoarders.

Fanime has obviously grown big enough that it can fill all that extra opened up housing without Clockwork there, in fact the housing is not really keeping up with the demand.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Kahluah on February 12, 2014, 12:52:35 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 12:11:40 PM
The problem is it's a 24 hour con.  People who live "close" still can't get home at 3AM at night since all public transportation is closed by then even if they were willing to take that.

Yeah, I live sort of close to the convention, and  the first year when I didn't have a hotel room was a mess. Public transportation is also not very reliable at times. I think services stops running after around 8 or 9 as well.Everything just flows so much more smoothly when you have a hotel room.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: renalcul on February 12, 2014, 01:00:15 PM
And if you decide to drive, good luck finding parking.

It's a no-win situation, it's too large to be functionally convenient for everyone.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: heeroyuy135 on February 12, 2014, 01:23:43 PM
Did anyone notice that the $88 Hilton wasn't available when Housing opened up Monday?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: phr34kish on February 12, 2014, 01:42:37 PM
Quote from: HeeroYuy135 on February 12, 2014, 01:23:43 PM
Did anyone notice that the $88 Hilton wasn't available when Housing opened up Monday?

They admitted on their Facebook that the $88.00 room was a typo in their initial announcement - there weren't actually any rooms at the Hilton for that price.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 12, 2014, 02:09:34 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 12:11:40 PM
Also, LOL at requiring badges to get housing + lottery idea.  Buy a badge, lose at lottery, have no housing.  LOL.

Buy a badge, lose wi-fi connection, have no housing
Buy a badge, have to work, have no housing
Buy a badge, server crash, have no housing
Buy a badge, be unlucky, have no housing
Buy a badge, have even the slightest of inconveniences that delays you from getting on the housing website at 10:00:00.1, have no housing
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Sivartius on February 12, 2014, 02:23:13 PM
Really, the only solution seems to be if the hotels expanded.  Of course that would make it even worse for the year while their are remodeling.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Emma Iveli on February 12, 2014, 02:29:39 PM
Quote from: Sivartius on February 12, 2014, 02:23:13 PM
Really, the only solution seems to be if the hotels expanded.  Of course that would make it even worse for the year while their are remodeling.

I think if they were able to add Hotel De Anza it would also help big time...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 04:13:18 PM
Quote from: Admiral Donuts on February 12, 2014, 02:09:34 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 12:11:40 PM
Also, LOL at requiring badges to get housing + lottery idea.  Buy a badge, lose at lottery, have no housing.  LOL.

Buy a badge, lose wi-fi connection, have no housing
Buy a badge, have to work, have no housing
Buy a badge, server crash, have no housing
Buy a badge, be unlucky, have no housing
Buy a badge, have even the slightest of inconveniences that delays you from getting on the housing website at 10:00:00.1, have no housing

Unlucky is the same as losing at lottery.  And we actually dealt with all the other ones except for losing wi-fi connection (this is what backup lines like phone data plans are for) this year and still succeeded in getting housing.

But the point I was trying to make is that if they're tying housing to badges AND they are literally the ones in control of deciding LOL YOU LOSE at housing (as opposed to your own personal circumstances), then they need to be willing to start offering refunds if people can't get housing after buying their badges.  This is why the lottery idea is just completely stupid.

If you really want a lottery system, then the process needs to be reversed.  Open up housing *first* and individual badge sales later, and make it a requirement that if you reserve a room you also put down a non-refundable badge deposit.  But this also means no more at-con next-year badge registrations unless they put those people through a different system and let them bypass the lottery.

But I don't think fanime staff is organized/efficient enough to even start doing that kind of thing without massive problems occurring just based on how registration has been handled in the past few years and other things I've heard.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 12, 2014, 05:45:09 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 04:13:18 PM
But the point I was trying to make is that if they're tying housing to badges AND they are literally the ones in control of deciding LOL YOU LOSE at housing (as opposed to your own personal circumstances), then they need to be willing to start offering refunds if people can't get housing after buying their badges.  This is why the lottery idea is just completely stupid.

Yes it is completely stupid to try and give everyone who wants to attend Fanime a fair chance to get a room.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Barnes on February 12, 2014, 08:47:40 PM
Quote from: Emma Iveli on February 12, 2014, 02:29:39 PM
Quote from: Sivartius on February 12, 2014, 02:23:13 PM
Really, the only solution seems to be if the hotels expanded.  Of course that would make it even worse for the year while their are remodeling.

I think if they were able to add Hotel De Anza it would also help big time...

I asked about the De Anza and Hotel Montgomery one year, and the con chair told me:

"We only talk to hotels that want to negotiate with us."

So I don't know if Fanime will ever get the De Anza anytime soon :(
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 12, 2014, 09:02:10 PM
Well, people can still book it on their own...

I just checked and the De Anza and they have a couple of rooms left. Not much, and pretty expensive. I'm guessing it's Fanime attendees taking up most of the space. There's not a lot of motivation for a hotel to negotiate with con housing if they're going to sell out anyways.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: TC X0 Lt 0X on February 12, 2014, 09:26:48 PM
It is unreasonable to expect the website will be stable with the amount of traffic it has in the first hours. They do not have the resources to obtain anything which could take a larger load without cutting elsewhere.

It should also be noted that there are only so many rooms avaliable, so really the unstablitlty does not effect much considering that the rooms would have sold out within minutes otherwise.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: TC X0 Lt 0X on February 12, 2014, 09:31:23 PM
Quote from: phr34kish on February 12, 2014, 01:42:37 PM
Quote from: HeeroYuy135 on February 12, 2014, 01:23:43 PM
Did anyone notice that the $88 Hilton wasn't available when Housing opened up Monday?

They admitted on their Facebook that the $88.00 room was a typo in their initial announcement - there weren't actually any rooms at the Hilton for that price.

lol didnt that happen last year too?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Glitch on February 12, 2014, 10:57:16 PM
A way to make the badge idea work is to push hotel registration to maybe early April, and have every type of badge registration available way,way before. By that time, people are a little more sure if they are going. I bet there is a crap load of people currently getting a room "just in case" they might go.

Of course I could be wrong, but just an idea.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Dracil on February 13, 2014, 01:30:51 PM
Quote from: Admiral Donuts on February 12, 2014, 05:45:09 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 12, 2014, 04:13:18 PM
But the point I was trying to make is that if they're tying housing to badges AND they are literally the ones in control of deciding LOL YOU LOSE at housing (as opposed to your own personal circumstances), then they need to be willing to start offering refunds if people can't get housing after buying their badges.  This is why the lottery idea is just completely stupid.

Yes it is completely stupid to try and give everyone who wants to attend Fanime a fair chance to get a room.

A housing lottery that costs an unrefundable $55 (for the badge) that students, underage people, or other people with tight budgets have to pay first and possibly get nothing in return (because now they got no housing and can't attend) is fair?  You have a weird definition of fair and yes, that is completely stupid.

But maybe you should try reading and responding to the whole post, including the part where I give a better way of implementing a housing lottery system that doesn't require an unrefundable $55 to gamble so you aren't punishing people with tight budgets under your "fair" system.  But there's still the general problem that lottery systems can be pretty easily gamed if you're willing to do the work/pay.

Fanime is not the only con with a huge resource shortage.  PAX has a huge badge shortage+scalper/counterfeiting problem and there was a big thread right after PAX Prime last year with people arguing back and forth.  The reality is there's no truly "fair" system that will make things better.  All people are really doing is picking which subset of people to exclude (usually people will suggest a system that increase their own perceived chances), and the only true solution is to increase the availability somehow.  Which is why I've said (I think in another thread) it's time for Clockwork Alchemy to be its own thing held at a different time and free up those hotel spots for Fanime.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Hachimitsu on February 13, 2014, 02:13:03 PM
actualy i think the one thing fanime needs is to support disabilities or those who need assistance.

I already felt sad for a few users who couldn't register for the hotel and have to gamble their own time to obtain a hotel slot!

I think artist alley has done this and that is good so now housing needs to have this as well!
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Emma Iveli on February 13, 2014, 02:23:20 PM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 13, 2014, 02:13:03 PM
actualy i think the one thing fanime needs is to support disabilities or those who need assistance.

I already felt sad for a few users who couldn't register for the hotel and have to gamble their own time to obtain a hotel slot!

I think artist alley has done this and that is good so now housing needs to have this as well!

I don't know if that's a good idea.

I'm physically disabled (a combination of MD, bad knee and a bad ankle) and I got stuck with the Doubletree (but I'm the waiting list for the connecting hotels and the Fairmont).

How can they prove that the person is disabled over the internet? People can always lie...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 13, 2014, 03:21:52 PM
Quote from: Dracil on February 13, 2014, 01:30:51 PM
But maybe you should try reading and responding to the whole post, including the part where I give a better way of implementing a housing lottery system that doesn't require an unrefundable $55 to gamble so you aren't punishing people with tight budgets under your "fair" system.  But there's still the general problem that lottery systems can be pretty easily gamed if you're willing to do the work/pay.

The non-refundable gamble is coming regardless.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Imperial on February 13, 2014, 06:27:03 PM
Quote from: Emma Iveli on February 13, 2014, 02:23:20 PM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 13, 2014, 02:13:03 PM
actualy i think the one thing fanime needs is to support disabilities or those who need assistance.

I already felt sad for a few users who couldn't register for the hotel and have to gamble their own time to obtain a hotel slot!

I think artist alley has done this and that is good so now housing needs to have this as well!

I don't know if that's a good idea.

I'm physically disabled (a combination of MD, bad knee and a bad ankle) and I got stuck with the Doubletree (but I'm the waiting list for the connecting hotels and the Fairmont).

How can they prove that the person is disabled over the internet? People can always lie...
Well, you could, if you had say a disabled parking placard IN YOUR NAME, they could look it up back to you via the number on your permit, and thus proving it, but then again it could be fudged.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on February 13, 2014, 06:49:38 PM
Quote from: tjimmy2 on February 13, 2014, 06:27:03 PM
Well, you could, if you had say a disabled parking placard IN YOUR NAME, they could look it up back to you via the number on your permit, and thus proving it, but then again it could be fudged.

Can it? If you had to register for a badge, pick up that badge with your ID, and have that name on the placard?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Tsu on February 13, 2014, 07:09:50 PM
Quote from: Admiral Donuts on February 13, 2014, 06:49:38 PM
Quote from: tjimmy2 on February 13, 2014, 06:27:03 PM
Well, you could, if you had say a disabled parking placard IN YOUR NAME, they could look it up back to you via the number on your permit, and thus proving it, but then again it could be fudged.

Can it? If you had to register for a badge, pick up that badge with your ID, and have that name on the placard?

The problem with this is that at least CA placards don't generally have names on them, just ID numbers. So Fanime would need the ability to look up disabled placard IDs to make sure the person using it was actually who it was registered to, or you can guarantee people will "borrow" placards from friends/family to get badges without waiting or prime hotels. And if folks can counterfit badges, they can counterfit placards, especially with months advance notice, so again checking the ID# would be necessary and yet not really plausible. It would also pose a problem for those who have disabled plates, not placards.

I suppose the hotels could refrain from leasing out their disabled-capable rooms except to those who need them, but there wouldn't be enough and I doubt they'd do it.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Kahluah on February 14, 2014, 02:02:51 AM
Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on February 13, 2014, 02:13:03 PM
actualy i think the one thing fanime needs is to support disabilities or those who need assistance.

It would be totally cool if they could do that, but the idea just seems very difficult. I have back problems that are enough for the government and stuff to consider me legally disabled and I would love it if I could get closer parking, but I don't see that happening.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Anix on February 14, 2014, 11:24:07 PM
What most people don't know about the placards is that there is a certificate from the DMV that comes with it that says the disability and who it belongs to. With that said outside of a law enforcement officer under the scope of their job it's not really ok for people to request it.

Unfortunately the disabled band wagon has been jumped on by so many people that feel entitled even places like Disneyland have had to do re-evaluations of their policies. Due to this it's hard for those that legitmately need it to be able to use it.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: NetBelleAnie on February 15, 2014, 02:37:59 PM
Quote from: tjimmy2 on February 13, 2014, 06:27:03 PM
Well, you could, if you had say a disabled parking placard IN YOUR NAME, they could look it up back to you via the number on your permit, and thus proving it, but then again it could be fudged.
The problem there is not all people with disabilities are given handicapped placards, while having a disabled placard is not always proof one is disabled.  Some doctors hand out placards like candy, while others will not give them out at all.  My mother has had severe back and leg issues her entire life and only was able to get a placard after explaining she could walk less than 30 feet without pain, while her coworker was able to get one by filling out paperwork and having her doctor sign it, when she was previously known for hiking 4 miles around mountain lakes, and still enjoys 1 mile hikes after she had hip replacement surgery.  The original point of the disabled placard was to assume that the disabled could not travel very far across parking lots and that there was assured room beside the vehicle for the disabled person to get into and out of the vehicle.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: mikasa-san on February 15, 2014, 05:50:47 PM
I just wanted to post that for those coming from far away who are tangled up in this whole housing mess. I have a room booked at the DoubleTree for Saturday and Sunday night (with check-out Monday morning) and while I have already filled my roommate quota I do not mind taking in people without a place to sleep in emergency situations.

I mean it! I even have a reliable car for transportation to get you to and from the con if needed. I'll link my FB and my email address for emergency purposes and like I said, if you are completely without a place to sleep and you have no other options I am willing to let you crash with us. There's no bed space but there is the floor and it's locked and secure and being shared by 3 professional women. It's better to have a safe place to sleep than nowhere and I hate seeing people without rooms. My friends couldn't get a room last year and spent the night in the hentai room. That just seems so awful... anyways here's my FB link and my email!

https://www.facebook.com/morgan.parabola
email: [email protected]
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Barnes on February 16, 2014, 06:03:21 PM
After doing a Google search of hotels on first street, I gotta ask: is anyone getting so desperate for a (guaranteed) room that they'd be willing to go to a place like Motel 6 or E-Z 8 or Hotel Elan? >_>

I had to ask...
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: phr34kish on February 17, 2014, 08:57:39 AM
Quote from: Barnes on February 16, 2014, 06:03:21 PM
After doing a Google search of hotels on first street, I gotta ask: is anyone getting so desperate for a (guaranteed) room that they'd be willing to go to a place like Motel 6 or E-Z 8 or Hotel Elan? >_>

I had to ask...

I'm pretty sure that people do. I've made the trip down that way to Target quite a few times for supply runs and I constantly see people in cosplay walking the street. I dunno if they're hoofing it to Denny's or what, but I'm sure those hotels/motels get booked too.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Nina Star 9 on February 17, 2014, 09:55:11 AM
Not really complaints as much as suggestions, as I'm assuming staff members are reading this thread (I hope?):

After this year's housing shortage, and considering that there simply aren't enough rooms downtown to accommodate everyone, is it possible that Fanime could negotiate with more airport hotels (out near the Doubletree/Holiday Inn/Airport Hotel) to get even more rooms? It seems like with more and more Fanime attendees, those hotels are becoming important and very viable (with the shuttle system) housing options for Fanime attendees, not just Clockwork Alchemy attendees, as they seem to have been mostly intended for in past years.

Also, I put this on the shuttle thread, but I'll post it here, too. I don't know how quickly the shuttles have filled up in previous years, but it seems as if more and more Fanime attendees are having to stay in the further hotels, and with the plethora of housing options out in that direction, Fanime may need to run more shuttles more often out in that direction so that everyone will be able to get to the con when they need to. (I'm just imagining a huge shuttle disaster this year where everyone having to stay out further has to wait for two or three shuttles  to come by during peak times in order to get a spot on one...let's hope this isn't the case)
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: SpiritOfKairi on February 17, 2014, 11:28:21 AM
Quote from: phr34kish on February 17, 2014, 08:57:39 AM
Quote from: Barnes on February 16, 2014, 06:03:21 PM
After doing a Google search of hotels on first street, I gotta ask: is anyone getting so desperate for a (guaranteed) room that they'd be willing to go to a place like Motel 6 or E-Z 8 or Hotel Elan? >_>

I had to ask...

I'm pretty sure that people do. I've made the trip down that way to Target quite a few times for supply runs and I constantly see people in cosplay walking the street. I dunno if they're hoofing it to Denny's or what, but I'm sure those hotels/motels get booked too.

I'm not sure how many people do, but it does happen.  I've known people who have booked at the America's Best Value Inn a mile away from the center.  The room was cheap, but parking at the CC could get really difficult if they didn't get there early enough, and it wasn't exactly the safest-feeling part of town.  But with how little they were there, it didn't pose a huge problem.  So there are people who will book outside of housing, either because they couldn't get anything there, or because they don't mind being a little further away if it means a cheaper room.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Glitch on February 17, 2014, 07:35:54 PM
Quote from: Barnes on February 16, 2014, 06:03:21 PM
After doing a Google search of hotels on first street, I gotta ask: is anyone getting so desperate for a (guaranteed) room that they'd be willing to go to a place like Motel 6 or E-Z 8 or Hotel Elan? >_>

I had to ask...
Considering some of them are actually a shorter distance than the doubletree, they do have an advantage to it(although you have to use your own car since no shuttle).
Plus if you literally have no other option, you're kind of stuck with these hotels.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: firstcultural on February 18, 2014, 12:51:14 AM
Artist Alley has had this problem of selling out within minutes and crashing the server for a few years now.  During that time the price of Artist Alley has about doubled.   I would not be surprised if the same happens with the hotel rooms, which seem to have not changed in price for a while and are cheap compared to other conventions.  #bayareahousing
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: DangerHeart on February 18, 2014, 02:35:55 PM
Quote from: firstcultural on February 18, 2014, 12:51:14 AM
Artist Alley has had this problem of selling out within minutes and crashing the server for a few years now.  During that time the price of Artist Alley has about doubled.   I would not be surprised if the same happens with the hotel rooms, which seem to have not changed in price for a while and are cheap compared to other conventions.  #bayareahousing

Every year I book my groups rooms I'm prepared for a price jump, its gotta happen eventually.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Kahluah on February 28, 2014, 12:05:22 AM
Quote from: DangerHeart on February 18, 2014, 02:35:55 PM
Quote from: firstcultural on February 18, 2014, 12:51:14 AM
Artist Alley has had this problem of selling out within minutes and crashing the server for a few years now.  During that time the price of Artist Alley has about doubled.   I would not be surprised if the same happens with the hotel rooms, which seem to have not changed in price for a while and are cheap compared to other conventions.  #bayareahousing

Every year I book my groups rooms I'm prepared for a price jump, its gotta happen eventually.

Personally I am not so concerned with a price jump as the lack of rooms. Like hopefully next year I can be online when rooms open or call housing, but the lack of housing arrangements is both concerning and disappointing.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: kyunaHARU on March 02, 2014, 12:06:47 PM
i think fanime should increase the prices for their near con hotels like fairmont, marriott, hilton, and st claire.

there are other hotel options, motel 6, double tree, and elan which could have the same prices to encourage people not to overflood the near con hotels???

just a suggestion i dunno
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: brohamjeff on March 02, 2014, 09:34:26 PM
Ultimately there are just too many attendees than housing available. 

I think for next year they should encourage other nearby hotels to participate with fanime housing (although I am sure nearby hotels have no problem booking that weekend, anyway)

Pre-reg attendees should get priority registration for hotels

Hotel sign up should be limited to one room per person (or account holders credit card, etc).  I know this would be a huge complaint for those who group book, but it would make it fair across the board and prevent room hoarding.  Also, people have a year to save money and figure this out, and months from the time you book a hotel before any funds are touched on your card.  Just be responsible. 

Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: sjamison1427 on March 02, 2014, 09:37:06 PM
I always get nervous when it comes down to arranging for Fanime housing. I live in Massachusets and I attend Fanime to visit my little sister and to take a vacation. I had a really hard time booking a hotel this year for the con and I'm on a wait list. I had a lot of trouble with the site and I am wondering if it is because of my location on the east coast?
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Admiral Donuts on March 02, 2014, 10:22:49 PM
Quote from: sjamison1427 on March 02, 2014, 09:37:06 PM
I always get nervous when it comes down to arranging for Fanime housing. I live in Massachusets and I attend Fanime to visit my little sister and to take a vacation. I had a really hard time booking a hotel this year for the con and I'm on a wait list. I had a lot of trouble with the site and I am wondering if it is because of my location on the east coast?

Nah, everybody had problems with it.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: echoshadow on March 02, 2014, 10:29:34 PM
Quote from: kyunaHARU on March 02, 2014, 12:06:47 PM
i think fanime should increase the prices for their near con hotels like fairmont, marriott, hilton, and st claire.

there are other hotel options, motel 6, double tree, and elan which could have the same prices to encourage people not to overflood the near con hotels???

just a suggestion i dunno
That will not make any change at all. People would spend more just to be near the con. The only one that would hurt is people that with not enough money.

Quote from: sjamison1427 on March 02, 2014, 09:37:06 PM
I always get nervous when it comes down to arranging for Fanime housing. I live in Massachusets and I attend Fanime to visit my little sister and to take a vacation. I had a really hard time booking a hotel this year for the con and I'm on a wait list. I had a lot of trouble with the site and I am wondering if it is because of my location on the east coast?
No it does not matter if your on the east coast. Their are a few problems about Fanime's housing. The biggest problems is the simple truth, Fanime has grown twice its size in attendance over the last 3 years.

The other major problem is the attendees themselves causing the problem.
Common example is a group of 6 friends. They all book a room or two when the hotels go up. So that's 5 rooms that they won't need and 5 rooms that are unavailable for everyone else.
So that leave the rest of us on a wait list. Now this won't not be as bad if they where more considerate and cancel the rest of the rooms once they know someone got a room, but they don't they wait to the last day to cancel with out being charged. And That's when a lot of people happen to get rooms.
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: sjamison1427 on March 02, 2014, 10:32:37 PM
Quote from: Admiral Donuts on March 02, 2014, 10:22:49 PM
Nah, everybody had problems with it.
Ahhh, good to know! I kept worrying it was my terrible internet connection hahaha.  :)
Title: Re: Complaints for housing
Post by: Firefury Amahira on April 06, 2014, 11:22:19 PM
My group has yet to manage staying on-site for Fanime, though not for lack of trying this year! Given the ongoing issues with it though, as annoying as it is to have to drive over and deal with parking, I suspect we'll probably stick to staying off-site for the forseeable future. On the plus side, that way there's less of the crush trying to use elevators that you get on-site, and less of the party crowd noise in the evenings; and our group of 5 snagged a two-bedroom+sofabed suite with full kitchen at one of the Marriot collection of hotels a few miles away for a pretty decent price. (About $250 total per person for 5 nights since we drive up on Day Zero and leave the day after the con.) Probably saves a small fortune in food too, since we'll be able to cook our own meals instead of eating out all the time, and that savings should more than offset the cost of parking at the con center each day.

On the downside... yeah, parking situation basically means you get over to the con center fairly early and you stay until everything you wanna do for that day is done, without the refuge of being able to duck into a mostly quiet hotel room for a break. Though I gotta admit, Fanime does at least have a whole lot of reasonably less-noisy places to duck into for escaping the crowd for a little while. So for our group at least, staying off-site actually still works out better overall than on-site.