Do you need recommendations?

Yes, please. erinaceous has suggested I Priceline for deals, which will obviously be a factor. But any suggestions would be lovely.

Hec, it looks like a bunch of hotels are sold out. Some sort of convention or something. Here's some that I did find:

Best Western, Lakeview: $89/night. On the north side. A pain to get to from Midway (orange line to red line) but other than that, a good location. A short cab ride or bus to Quimby's. And, it used to be a transient hotel! All fixed up now of course.

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Days Inn Lincoln Park: $90-130/night. Another on the north side, so a pain from Midway. Good location otherwise and easy to get to Quimby's.

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Days Inn Gold Coast: $100-125. Another good location on the north side.

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House of Two Urns: $120/night. Don't know anything about this one, but it looks cute and is within walking distance to Quimby's.

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These are the cheapest ones I've found. Let me know if you need any more suggestions. I'd be glad to look some more.

Ooooh. Aaaaah. t waves at pretty beasties in San Diego...and the animals too!

When I lived in SD, I had a pass to the Wild Animal Park that gave me great joy. Walking the Kilimarjaro trail in the rain and coming up on a female Bengal Tiger snoozing against the fence (chain link, so I could have touched her fur) was pretty breathtaking.

The best part? The people in cages (the tram) rather than the critters.

::cough:: one hundred.

Well, you fucking suck.

Ne'er a truer sentiment was expressed.

I'm trying to plan my budget for next year and I would like to fit the F2F into my plans if at all possible. What was an approximate cost per person last year to attend (airline flight, hotel, food, etc)? Do people share rooms? What usually happens at a F2F?

beathen, people definitely share rooms, and the emphasis is more on hanging out and having fun together than on any kind of programmed and/or costy activities. We rotate between the coasts and the middle to give people in different places a fair shot at getting there; 2005 is in New Orleans and 2006 will be somewhere westward. I don't know where you're located, but factor that knowledge into your estimated costs.

The best way to get a sense of what goes on is a good threadsuck.

What was an approximate cost per person last year to attend (airline flight, hotel, food, etc)?

It's hard to say, because airfares vary so much. Also, there are usually multiple groups for eating and activities, so the costs for those can be as much or as little as you want. The hotel will be (I believe) $109/night.

Do people share rooms?

Yes. Once we have the hotel locked in place, there will most likely be a call for roommates.

What usually happens at a F2F?

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you...

The main event is the Saturday night party nicknamed "The Prom." Everything else is up in the air. There's usually at least one cultural outing, and at least one shopping outing. Because 50+ people is a LOT to organize, pretty much everything except Prom is done in impromptu smaller groups that form around "We're going to the [place]. Who wants to come?" Other traditions include gathering in the hospitality suite to watch and sing along with OMWF, and Sunday morning there will probably be coffee, pastries, and cartoons.

The hotel will be (I believe) $109/night

That's per room, correct? So the actual per person cost could be different depending on how many people stay in that room, yes?

So the actual per person cost could be different depending on how many people stay in that room, yes?

I vote for stuffing twenty of us in the room.

And there sometimes is too much candy.

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you...

Oh wait...I've said too much!

In all seriousness, the F2Fs are a ton of fun. Threadsuck back to this past May to read about the last one in DC. Some people who are much less lazy than I am wrote great descriptions of everything from the Prom to the impromptu trips Jessica mentioned.

That F2F was my first. I didn't know a soul when I showed up, but I felt at home immediately.