I've been saying it for years and I'll say it again: there simply aren't enough hotel rooms for all the attendees, though a lot of the issues also come from the perception of a lack of hotel rooms, which causes a rush on them at first and then people cancel later due to rooming with others/not going to the con/etc. I think that this year's new system made the hotel panic slightly worse in some ways, since it's a huge unknown. This system would be much more fair than the old system...if it worked. And if we had advance notice of it. And if the artists got priority instead of getting a terrible hotel reg time. (Which is still what makes me most angry about this whole thing.)
Let's hope there will be room cancellations this ear, like every year, and that some of the waitlisters go through. I know I'm hoping for my waitlist hotels. Any of them. Anything in walking distance would be fine. I'm usually the roomholder for my group (I mean, someone has to be the roomholder!), so it's not like rooming with friends who are closer to the con is much of an option in my case.
I think no matter what changes, or what is done, somebody is going to be outta luck. There's only so many reserved rooms after all, especially at connected/close to the convention hotels. I also think it can only be improved upon so much, before there's nothing more than can be done about it.
See, I'd agree with you, if this system worked. There was still a rush on hotels. There were still server crashes that screwed a lot of people over. The AA folks got terrible timeslots instead of being put into a priority booking window as they should have. No one knew about the system until far too late for it to really be effective. And there's lots of speculation about long lines for at-con reg for next year, as well as a giant rush for badges as soon as they open online for next year, and still getting terrible hotel timeslots because everyone else is rushing the system (and, of course, I'm sure there will be plenty of server crashes).
I'd agree that there's only so much that can be done (see above point about how there's only so many hotels), but this year;s system is still terribly broken, and there's a lot more that can be done to fix it.
I hear ya. It could be better, but there will still be a big rush, and I'd bet server crashes to go along with it. I do agree completely with the AA folks getting shafted though. That's not cool at all. Myself, I was going to get on a wait list, but decided against it, as I can always walk. I'd rather it go to the AA folks, or to someone else who really needs to be close by.
Mango Bunny : No no, I was not trying to imply that this couldn't be improved upon, but rather it will eventually get to that point(although probably not any time soon). And I hear you on the point of those who have a hard time planning that far ahead due to life's interference's. Heck, this is the first chance I've had to plan this far ahead, since 2007! Even then, I registered on the late side, and got in by the skin of my teeth. I got lucky this time around! Hopefully, next time round will be better. Send those running the show your feedback, I'll do the same, and let see what happens.
