The 2015 Fastlane Meetup Pre-Plan Discussion (formerly B&P)

[Vigilante]

The pre-party usually starts on Wednesday night.

The party doesn't start 'till I walk in.

 

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[Red]

The party doesn't start 'till I walk in.

Settle down there, Kesha.

 

[Vigilante]

Settle down there, Kesha.

That's Ke$ha to you, Red.

 

[jon.a]

This is disappointing.

 

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[theag]

This is disappointing.

Is there really only ONE hotel with conference rooms in Phoenix and the surrounding area?

I need to book flights from half around the world soon, ideally still in 2014. Please just book some room. A gym, garage, whatever. Doesnt need to be fancy. We dont need a golf range at the same location. I'll sponsor folding chairs if I have to. Just make it happen :embarrased:.

 

[Esquire]

I'll say it again ... Vegas, Baby!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

This is disappointing.

What's disappointing is that you seem to think that people have been sitting on their asses and doing nothing with this. Danielle has already put in countless unpaid hours into figuring out this only to get the rug pulled out from under her. I've been privy to the behind the scenes drama. To hear "this is disappointing" after she has spent numerous hours, days, phone calls, and a shit ton of miles on her car to organize something is indeed disappointing.

Just so you know, we had a nice centralized venue chosen last Friday and were sorting the details. On Monday, they booked the room to someone else over the weekend. It has literally been a clusterfuck of unprofessionalism on the part of people that run these places.

And sorry, you all aren't going to want to meet in a seedy hotel in the middle of the desert. We've been looking at centralized places that have things in walking distance. A Saguaro cactus and vast expenses of desert isn't consider central. A parking garage and a medical facility isn't central. I'm not interesting in hearing 50 people complain that "Gee,there's nothing around here!" ... no restaurants, no food, no night life, nothing. But gee look! A car wash and a taco bell. Well, have fun guys.

We are actually now considering moving the dates either forward or backwards... it seems all the central places are booked because it's the high season.

 

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[Esquire]

We are actually now considering moving the dates either forward or backwards... it seems all the central places are booked because it's the high season.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Esquire]

 

[jon.a]

What's disappointing is that you seem to think that people have been sitting on their asses and doing nothing with this. Danielle has already put in countless unpaid hours into figuring out this only to get the rug pulled out from under her. I've been privy to the behind the scenes drama. To hear "this is disappointing" after she has spent numerous hours, days, phone calls, and a shit ton of miles on her car to organize something is indeed disappointing.

Just so you know, we had a nice centralized venue chosen last Friday and were sorting the details. On Monday, they booked the room to someone else over the weekend. It has literally been a clusterfuck of unprofessionalism on the part of people that run these places.

And sorry, you all aren't going to want to meet in a seedy hotel in the middle of the desert. We've been looking at centralized places that have things in walking distance. A Saguaro cactus and vast expenses of desert isn't consider central. A parking garage and a medical facility isn't central. I'm not interesting in hearing 50 people complain that "Gee,there's nothing around here!" ... no restaurants, no food, no night life, nothing. But gee look! A car wash and a taco bell. Well, have fun guys.

We are actually now considering moving the dates either forward or backwards... it seems all the central places are booked because it's the high season.

Thanks for the update. I'll ignore the rant. I've been in frustrating situations before myself.

 

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[RHL]

We are actually now considering moving the dates either forward or backwards... it seems all the central places are booked because it's the high season.

Forward might be good at this point, time table is getting crunched.

 

[eliquid]

I just want to ask this, and I don't ask it to be rude or anything of the sort. I am actually asking this just out of natural curiosty.

I was just curious why it needed to be in Arizona?

To be honest, I thought Vegas was a good second option, but all the responses to it seemed to be boiled down to "no, we are sticking to Arizona".

I could care less where it is myself, I like Arizona as much as Nevada. I was just curious why the focus on Arizona just so maybe I could learn something I didn't know before that might be helpful to me later. I am assuming it was just convenience to be able to deal with the hotels face to face.. right?

I think high season last until mid-May.. so it might be best to push it until after mid-May or before mid-Jan.

 

[theag]

Forward might be good at this point, time table is getting crunched.

Dont think I will attend if the dates are moved too far.. I'm in San Diego 16-20th Feb and 1 week stay between the 2 events is ok, but unfortunately I cant leave my business completely alone for 3+ weeks at this stage . Or fly around the world 2 times in a month. Well lets hope we have a date soon...

 

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[Vigilante]

I just want to ask this, and I don't ask it to be rude or anything of the sort. I am actually asking this just out of natural curiosty.

I was just curious why it needed to be in Arizona?

To be honest, I thought Vegas was a good second option, but all the responses to it seemed to be boiled down to "no, we are sticking to Arizona".

I could care less where it is myself, I like Arizona as much as Nevada. I was just curious why the focus on Arizona just so maybe I could learn something I didn't know before that might be helpful to me later. I am assuming it was just convenience to be able to deal with the hotels face to face.. right?

I think high season last until mid-May.. so it might be best to push it until after mid-May or before mid-Jan.

If I were to organize an event, I would host in Minneapolis or Maui.

Why? Because that's what I'd want to do.

If people didn't like it… They didn't have to come. I wouldn't care either way. Especially if I knew that the event would sell out either way. That's part of the beauty of being an organizer.

If you're fortunate enough to get an invitation/ticket to this private event… That's a privilege. If somebody invited me to their private party, I'm not going to call and graciously accept the invitation but then suggest they don't host it at their house. I'm just going to go, have a good time, and bring the hostess gift.

They haven't sought peoples opinions on the venue or the location, but plenty have been offered. There's a huge concentration of people in the Scottsdale area and the Scottsdale area has a lot to offer a visitor.

 

[Lathan]

I would host in Minneapolis or Maui.

I wouldn't go.

 

[Vigilante]

I wouldn't go.

Don't let the hypothetical door hit you in the hypothetical a$$ on the way out.

 

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[AlterJoule]

I wouldn't go.

You'd be missed dearly...

 

[Vigilante]

In all seriousness I pick my events based on the content and company… Venue is just a plus. For years the consumer electronic show was in Chicago. Vegas was a huge upgrade. However, the Phoenix area is awesome.

 

[Lathan]

Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on the way out.

You'd be missed dearly...

Lmao

 

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[csalvato]

Personally, I would prefer if it were pushed out to a later date rather than pushed up to an earlier date. I would hate to have to miss out on this because it was too short notice.

If I were to organize an event, I would host in Minneapolis or Maui.

Why? Because that's what I'd want to do.

If people didn't like it… They didn't have to come. I wouldn't care either way. Especially if I knew that the event would sell out either way. That's part of the beauty of being an organizer.

If you're fortunate enough to get an invitation/ticket to this private event… That's a privilege. If somebody invited me to their private party, I'm not going to call and graciously accept the invitation but then suggest they don't host it at their house. I'm just going to go, have a good time, and bring the hostess gift.

They haven't sought peoples opinions on the venue or the location, but plenty have been offered. There's a huge concentration of people in the Scottsdale area and the Scottsdale area has a lot to offer a visitor.

I understand that sentiment, and I agree.

And I have also planned events before. It can be a real ballache with things like this.

I also know that Vegas is a LOT easier to plan an event. So if it's such a headache, it might be worth the $100 ticket and 1 hour on a plane from AZ to NV.

That's not easier on me, it's easier on the planner...Danielle seems to be having a real tough time with it and it sounds like that's no fault of her own.

It seems weird that LV is completely off the table, but I also know it's planner's prerogative.

I really don't care either way, I'm going to do my level best to be there. The likelihood of that reduces if it is pushed to an earlier date.

Either way, I am just excited to meet many of the people from here face-to-face.

 

[FastLanePursuer]

Just let the organizers to their job. If you think you can do better, then you can always organize next years event.

 

[SaraK]

I hope it is the weekend of 2/27-3/1 because then I would be able to attend! Keep me posted when a date is decided.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

I think we should have some information to post next week, paperwork in progress...
(And yes, the dates had to be moved.)

 

[biophase]

I need to book flights from half around the world soon, ideally still in 2014. Please just book some room.

Don't book the tickets too early. I'm leaving for Africa in early Feb 2015. I booked my tix on Nov. 30th. Today they are $600 cheaper than what I paid 2 weeks ago!

I didn't follow my own rule of booking 45 days in advance. I have daily email alerts on plane tickets for all places I plan on going. I booked 60 days in advance because I wasn't seeing the price drop. So you guys looking to book B&P plane tickets, check the prices again in January 10-15 (unless the dates move).

 

[eliquid]

daily email alerts on plane tickets for all places I plan on going

Maybe I am missing something that everyone else knows, but how did you do this?

I fly Southwest a lot just because they *seem* to be the cheapest to the cities I travel a lot to and have direct flights with. However, they are not on most "deal sites" either.

How are you setting this up and getting the emails? I'd like to plan out some trips for 2015 and give this a test.

Thanks for any info you can share.

 

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[theag]

Maybe I am missing something that everyone else knows, but how did you do this?

I fly Southwest a lot just because they *seem* to be the cheapest to the cities I travel a lot to and have direct flights with. However, they are not on most "deal sites" either.

How are you setting this up and getting the emails? I'd like to plan out some trips for 2015 and give this a test.

Thanks for any info you can share.

kayak has price alerts, thats what I use.

@biophase thanks for the tip. Would prefer to book in 2014 because I need some more business expenses to avoid taxes . But will take your tip in mind when the dates for the event are set..

 

[biophase]

Maybe I am missing something that everyone else knows, but how did you do this?

I fly Southwest a lot just because they *seem* to be the cheapest to the cities I travel a lot to and have direct flights with. However, they are not on most "deal sites" either.

How are you setting this up and getting the emails? I'd like to plan out some trips for 2015 and give this a test.

Thanks for any info you can share.

I am using Kayak.com for alerts. You can set them up to the exact dates you are flying. You never want to see this a few days after you buy your ticket, LOL.

I don't fly southwest anywhere, but whenever I've checked, their plane tickets were never the cheapest.

Email Subject: Your KAYAK Alert: Phoenix (PHX) to Kilimanjaro (JRO) from $1294+ (down $494 from yesterday)

 

[theag]

You never want to see this a few days after you buy your ticket, LOL.

Do you have experience with their price forecast and booking time suggestion?

 

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[biophase]

Do you have experience with their price forecast and booking time suggestion?

Unfortunately, no because in their email it only lists the price in the email and in order to see the graph you need to click on the link and go to Kayak's site. I just didn't have time to do that every day. I am pretty sure that when I bought, the advice said buy because prices were going up.

I don't think they can predict what airlines are going to do in the future. But, consistently I've seen lower prices between 45-60 days before the flight. That's why I bought on Nov 30th as I was 60 days away and prices seemed to have dipped a little. In the future I'm going to hold out for 45 days and see what happens.

 

[Red]

I personally haven't had great results with kayak.com, I've found them to be higher priced on many occasions. I usually end up using Orbitz.com -I don't remember if they still have their "lowest fare" guarantee or not, but they did some time in the past...

When planning domestic trips, I search Orbitz & then Southwest. Then, depending on the location (big city vs small town) I'll also price Allegiant or Spirit, as none of the airlines I mentioned by name are indexed by any of the flight search aggregators.