2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Dear Fellow FIRSTers,

I just want to put a question out there, because our team is trying to do some planning ahead when it comes to finances.

Last year, our team went to the Wisconsin Regional, but this year we plan to go to the Minnesota North Star Regional. Right now, we are trying to figure out if we need to get some hotel rooms down near the arena. I was wondering if I could just hear from some other teams in the metro area about what they did when it comes to lodging. We're trying to decide whether we should buy some hotel rooms or if we should carpool from Maple Grove to the arena.

Could I just hear some of your opinions about what works best and some suggestions?

Thanks!

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

I'm not from Minnesota but google maps tells me Maple Grove is a 28 minute drive to the university. I myself would recommend carpooling. Especially with your cheap gas over there in Minnesota. :p

It depends on if you have enough people willing to drive. Keep in mind parking will cost something. I myself would look into the cost of using school vans or if need be, buses.

The students will enjoy staying in a hotel. But its a cost vs. benefit issue.


On a sidenote, this thread could be merged with the existing Minnesota Regionals thread.

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Yeah, just carpool. We did that from Plymouth and it worked out well. You can use the time in the car to discuss things without the distractions of a regional. I found it enjoyable. Hotels can be a pain money wise. Make sure you are organized either way.

-Vivek

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Last year our team got a bus and it worked pretty well. It was way cheaper than getting a hotel so it was a pretty obvious choice for our team. We live less than 30 minutes away.

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Maple grove is closer than plymouth to the arena so I would definitely get a bus or carpool. Carpooling is probably cheaper. Getting a hotel is WAYY over kill.

-Vivek

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Thanks for the help so far! We were going to probably try busing down to the arena, but we were worried it wouldn't work well, so it's good to learn that carpooling works! Thanks everybody!

And since we don't have to pay for rooms, there's a couple hundred dollars more we can spend on team buttons! :D

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

I drove back and forth from Red Wing last year. For several years in Atlanta we drove to the Peachtree regional every day. Staying in a hotel is fun, but if the drive is less than an hour each way you are probably better off carpooling and going home. For one thing, your drive team is probably going to get a better nights sleep at home in their own beds than in a hotel full of other teams. The only thing you miss out on is possibly some socialization with other teams, but hopefully there will be a team social this year. Also, with two regionals, cheap hotel rooms are going to be kind of hard to come by, so I'm sure the teams that are too far away to commute will fill them all up.

Re: 2009 Minnesota North Star Regional
 

Yeah, a hotel is way to much overkill from Maple Grove. I drive down there from Champlin and it is nothing. You'll just have to get up earlier and meet at some central location to get together.