Mittens 2009: Pre-Planning *Updated 1/25/09* Location Question

[Gilbert]

We celebrate it each year by burning American flags on the 4th July ...

Or, to have the same effect, you may just play Soviet Unterzoegersdorf - Sector I together, I think those who cannot attend MITTENS this year (like me, who won't attend every year anyway) would support this act remotely also.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

What you call Independance Day, we call Good Riddance Day. We celebrate it each year by burning American flags on the 4th July ... I'm sure that'll go down well if we're in Florida at the time

Tut tut.  Still bitter about getting your limey butts kicked by a bunch of colonials and the French, I see. 

[monkey0506]

Put me down as a definite maybe.

It's pending my ability to get the time off work as well as funding. I would need to know what the price is going to be. There shouldn't be any problems with the money (WARNING: famous last words!) but it's bad practice to count your chickens before the leprechauns hatch.

The way I'm calculating this, I would need to request a total of 6 days off work (the other 2 being my normal days off), 4 of which I should be able to get paid for.

If you can provide an exact price, I'll ask on Saturday when I go back to work about getting the time off. Actually either way I'll ask, but I'll put in the official request once I know the prices.

I know I've discussed the last two years about wanting to go, but for the record this is the first time it's even a real feasible possibility. For now though, count me in!

[Radiant]

What you call Independance Day, we call Good Riddance Day. We celebrate it each year by burning American flags on the 4th July ... I'm sure that'll go down well if we're in Florida at the time

Really? I thought you guys had revoked the independence some eight years ago?

[Pumaman]

June and July? I'm out then, I'm afraid. I kind of assumed the meet would be in August, so my plan was to work in June and July to earn money for it.

I'm almost certain I won't be able to make it on those dates. I'm away that week.

Awww, no Petteri and no Chrille makes C a sad J.
:'(

[Grundislav]

bump!

Check first post

[Esseb]

I vote for the historic mansion. It's cheaper, sleeps more, and has a billiard room!

[MrColossal]

Mansion also.

We should remake The Haunting in that place.

[Becky]

Totally awesome, mansion!

[Miez]

(Maniac) Mansion FTW


KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITSCH!

[m0ds]

Either is fine, both look great - though I have to say the Fort Laudervale (sp) one with its Atlantic view is my preffered choice, I'd certainly pay the extra for a view like that The pool looks lush too! Mansions? History? Ick, that was so 2008 Mind you, "hollywood beach" is hella-cool!!!

[AGA]

They both look pretty cool, albeit fairly expensive. I'd choose the mansion overall though.

[monkey0506]

I really like the look of that mansion.

I also had one other question aside from the pricing issue. What about transportation? Should I plan on renting a vehicle? Should I plan on renting a vehicle to taxi everyone around in? Should I plan on forcing someone else to play chauffeur? Is it still too early for these type of questions? 8)

[Grundislav]

It depends on how many people show up in the end, but yes, we will probably need to rent a van.  My car holds 4 people.  Mills and Darth live in the state so I assume they will have their own cars too?  So that's space for 12 right there, but we may need an 8-9 person van to fit the rest.

Right now the list of interested parties is at 30, but we'll see how that changes as time passes.

[Nacho]

I guess we can rent a van... I offer myself as a driver, if needed, but I should need a bit more info... How picky are the american rent a car companies about the driving license? I have it one, but for less than 2 years, which has been a problem sometimes... Oh! And both houses look terrific, I don' t mind picking one or the other.

[Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens]

A mansion with a blue felt pool table?  Do you have any idea how long I've wanted both of those things?  That looks awesome and I would be totally for it...and for a remake of House on Haunted Hill (the Price version, not the shitty remake with Geoffrey Rush).

[m0ds]

Maybe it's just me, but the only time I'll actually be in accomodation is when I sleep...I was 20 last time I went to America, so now I can fully abuse it - and fully intend too. I have a silly America-fetish...And I also want to J-walk and get arrested



Ok, well, the mansion one does work out at about 200 quid each so thats ok...that'd be about the most I could afford for accomodation.

[Darth Mandarb]

I'm torn between choosing one over the other ... they both look amazing!

The Hollywood mansion reminds me of the chateau a bit more and that courtyard looks amazing!  Not to mention it has a billiards table!

But that amazing view of the Atlantic from the Fort Lauderdale mansion sums up what visiting South Florida is all about!!

I don't mind spending more money to stay at the Fort Lauderdale mansion however, if people wish to save the money I would have no objection to the Hollywood mansion either.  I don't have to pay for airfare for this Mittens so I totally understand the need for the least expensive accommodations!

And yes, I will have a car that can fit 4 very comfortably and 5 if Nacho and Lore are in the car with us   Both of these mansions are within a half hour from my house (and about 10 minutes from my office) so it works out quite nicely!

I also volunteer to pick up travelers from the airport(s) if needs be!

Remember you don't need to fly into Miami!

Fort Lauderdale is an international airport as well and sometimes flying into Fort Lauderdale can be cheaper than flying into Miami (depending on where you're coming from!)

[Grundislav]

Yeah, the location of these places (the Hollywood mansion in particular) is ideal because they're right between MIA and FLL, so people can fly into both airports easily, and Darth and I can share chauffeur duties.

I get the impression that the mansion is within walking distance to the ocean, but I can confirm that once I actually go see the place.

[DutchMarco]

Both the Fort Lauderdale and the Hollywood-place-thingy would be heavenly. All we'll need then are no hurricanes, and the location would be even better than the chateau.If I may be so free I'd say that we'd let the choice depend on the turnout. I'm definitely on (barring a planetary catastropy of the Hollywood-kind or of the HHGTG-kind (which would be a major bummer, earth demolished, no planet to stand on anymore and all that)) So if we'll exceed 20 then we'd have to go for the Hollywood, sinece that slseeps 23.Sure the Hollywood place is slightly (!)cheaper which is a plus, and since I can't chooe beteen either place on any other gruond, I'd choose for the cheapest place, ehich is Hollywood.
Another thing to take into account is how close amenities such as bars etc, also grocery shops are. I've learned frm Mittens Français that that is quite the thing to take into account.
Oh and I expect both would be a suitable movie location (we'd have to be careful with the pyrotechnics!)
I'm not really bothered by the Kitschy interior. It's for a week-short holiday after all. It adds some panache. Oh and beach front is not high on my list of prerequisites, it would be a nice bonus at most.

So the tally after a quick browse of the posts: Hollywodo 2 votes over Lauderdale (but that's where all the college girls go wild during their summer break, right? Hmmmmm...)
can't choose: 2 votes as well. (so I counted my vote twice, heck, I'm allowed to;  I'm counting - it's my post, isn't it??