How much money totaled?

[ThornDJL7]

Ok, want you guys to check my math so I can budget accordingly, and to see if I can pull this off.

$35 3-day pass
$200 4 nights at the bellevue if I get a roommate.
$120 Food for 4 days, 3 meals a day. $10 a meal
$200 Money to blow on gaming paraphenalia (is realistically enough?)
$50 Miscellaneous expenditures
$518 Flight from Michigan (Round Trip)
$1118 total

Question: How does one get from the airport to the hotel? Not expecting to really NEED to get anywhere once I'm there beyond the call of food. Taxi service, I'm assuming?

Anything I'm missing?

[Tim4488]

I got 1123, not that that makes a huge difference.

[ThornDJL7]

Tim4488 wrote:

I got 1123, not that that makes a huge difference.

Dur dur dur.... I blame my calculator. Nevermind the fact that it is only as smart as it's user.

[kikai13]

If you are coming with a friend or can meet up with somebody at the airport, you can split a towncar to get to the hotel. I found this is not a bad idea, as the towncar costs about $50 and a cab costs about $40. (Cabs typically smell awful, but the towncars are quite luxurious.)

[Eric Tillemans]

There is a shuttle service that runs from the airport to the hotel. When you get off the plane just follow the signs to the shuttle service. The cost is $38 round trip.

[Timitius]

ThornDJL7 wrote:

Question: How does one get from the airport to the hotel? Not expecting to really NEED to get anywhere once I'm there beyond the call of food. Taxi service, I'm assuming?

Shuttle Express

[Marusaia]

ThornDJL7 wrote:

Ok, want you guys to check my math so I can budget accordingly, and to see if I can pull this off.

$35 3-day pass
$200 4 nights at the bellevue if I get a roommate.
$120 Food for 4 days, 3 meals a day. $10 a meal
$200 Money to blow on gaming paraphenalia (is realistically enough?)
$50 Miscellaneous expenditures
$518 Flight from Michigan (Round Trip)
$1118 total

Question: How does one get from the airport to the hotel? Not expecting to really NEED to get anywhere once I'm there beyond the call of food. Taxi service, I'm assuming?

Anything I'm missing?

If you're feeling cheap, adventurous, or both, there is a bus that goes directly from the airport to downtown Bellevue, the ST 560. It gets you there in about 45 minutes, and I'm pretty sure that isn't any faster than a cab could get you there, or if it is, it's not by much, unless you're paying the cabbie extra. That bus would get you from the airport to Bellevue for perhaps $3 or $4 at the most. On the other hand, a cab trip from the airport to Bellevue is probably $30 at least, probably closer to $40 or $50. Then again, if money is no object and you'd rather have the convenience of doorstep service or are bringing a lot of large luggage with you (I'm pretty sure you'd have to walk a little ways, maybe half a mile or so to get to the hotel), then taking a cab may be worth it.

Then again, it also depends what time you are arriving at Seatac airport, but I'm pretty sure the 560 runs for most of the day on weekdays. It would be weird if it didn't.

Also, I'd recommend budgeting a little extra for your meals. Good eating tends to be expensive in Bellevue. Then again, if you can stomach cheap hotel Continental breakfasts in lieu of buying breakfast elsewhere, it's probably more than enough (note, the Continental breakfast at the Coast Bellevue isn't really bad, but it's not what I'd call good either; then again I'm biased, as I am somewhat picky when it comes to breakfast).

[SunshineGrrrl]

Also, if you plan to eat at the meet and greet, you'll want a chunk of cash. The best things to eat at the crab pot are the various crab boils and they don't come cheap. The rest of the food is good but not really special. There is a Burger King within walking distance of the hotel I think that can take up some of the slack for over spending on a meal or two.

[Majuba]

Eric Tillemans wrote:

There is a shuttle service that runs from the airport to the hotel. When you get off the plane just follow the signs to the shuttle service. The cost is $38 round trip.

The shuttle is quite convenient, but if enough people arrive at about the same time, it can be worth splitting a cab: signup here with your arrival/departure times!

[srd5090]

This is why I was extremely happy that last year I was temporarily staying in the Seattle area (normally on East coast) and it was an easy drive down I-5 to the convention. And this year, I will now be living permanently 15 minutes away from the convention. Sometimes I think it was meant to be. =)

[bugleyman]

I would add $20 or so to your hotel estimate...states and cities love to pile on the taxes on travelers -- they don't vote in the district. :P