Hotel cost in Houston

[Lewis Sussman]

I just checked out the hotel "deals" posted on the FIRST website, characterized this way by FIRST: "The packages are VERY cost effective and we feel they will provide an exceptional value to FIRST teams." Perhaps I'm just naive about big city hotels, but the rates look quite steep to me. We usually pay about a hundred bucks or less a night for a quad, so for three nights that would be $75 per person not including tax,etc. The cheapest rate I saw was $178 a person for three nights, more than twice what we're used to. Yes, I know they are "packages," with meal tickets. I'm wary of meal ticket meals myself, and would rather have the choice to forage on my own, apparently not an option. Comments?

[Andrew]

Why don't you go to travelocity.com or yahoo.com and check out regular Houston hotel costs? Also, you could check out the packages for the Houston regional on themeetingcompany.com.

I agree that $178 per person for three nights sounds steep, even with meals, unless this is for a single/double room. In that case, you've got a pretty good price there.

Andrew
Team 356

[Lewis Sussman]

Originally posted by Andrew

I agree that $178 per person for three nights sounds steep, even with meals, unless this is for a single/double room. In that case, you've got a pretty good price there.

Andrew
Team 356

No, that's for a quad, I assume with two beds, so two are sleeping on the floor for that price. Of course the issue with off site lodging is that you have to have transportation to and from everything.

[Ricky Q.]

Here's my research:

Same 3 nights/Quad at the same hotel = $86.00 a nite * 4 = $258/4 = 68.50/person + 2 days admission to Astroworld @ 39.99 ea. = 79.98 = 148.48 + 6 meals at approx. $5 ea = 178.48

Thats without a FIRST package.

FIRST Package for same thing = $178

Plus we get transportation, so you'd either have to rent a car/bus, taxi, or walk.

So its comparable, to doing without the package, or at least I found so.

Originally posted by Lewis Sussman
No, that's for a quad, I assume with two beds, so two are sleeping on the floor for that price. Of course the issue with off site lodging is that you have to have transportation to and from everything.

Why would 2 be sleeping on the floor? Share beds!!!

[Madison]

Originally posted by Lewis Sussman
I just checked out the hotel "deals" posted on the FIRST website, characterized this way by FIRST: "The packages are VERY cost effective and we feel they will provide an exceptional value to FIRST teams." Perhaps I'm just naive about big city hotels, but the rates look quite steep to me. We usually pay about a hundred bucks or less a night for a quad, so for three nights that would be $75 per person not including tax,etc. The cheapest rate I saw was $178 a person for three nights, more than twice what we're used to. Yes, I know they are "packages," with meal tickets. I'm wary of meal ticket meals myself, and would rather have the choice to forage on my own, apparently not an option. Comments?

Let's examine the Crowne Plaza Houston Medical Center location - one of the closer hotels to the event site.

The package, assuming four people per room, is $257 each.

The rate, as listed on their website, is $140.16 per night for four people.

A four day stay is $560.64, or, of course, $140.16 per person.

Tickets for two days' admission to Six Flags Astroworld are $44.99. Please, keep in mind that Six Flags parks do not offer reduced admission for half-day operation, traditionally.

7 meals are included in the package as well. Let's assume $10 per meal for a value of $70.

So, thus far, we have a total value of services of $265.17.

This does not take into account the cost of bus transportation to and from the Reliant Park complex from each of the hotels, nor does it include any costs passed along to teams to cover the facilities costs associated with holding the event in this venue. If Disney didn't do it for free, my guess is that Reliant Park isn't doing it for free either.

These packages are cheaper or on par with those we received at Walt Disney World, given that they do not include park hopper passes. (The park hopper passes were, if I recall, about $140 each and there was the additional $75 event fee built in to the package fees last season.)

To me, this seems like it's exactly what you all were asking for. It's considerably cheaper, but without the amenities of the Walt Disney World Resort that many people argued don't get used anyway.

[Ricky Q.]

Originally posted by M. Krass
To me, this seems like it's exactly what you all were asking for. It's considerably cheaper, but without the amenities of the Walt Disney World Resort that many people argued don't get used anyway.

Word.

[Lewis Sussman]

Originally posted by Ricky Q.
Here's my research:

Same 3 nights/Quad at the same hotel = $86.00 a nite * 4 = $258/4 = 68.50/person + 2 days admission to Astroworld @ 39.99 ea. = 79.98 = 148.48 + 6 meals at approx. $5 ea = 178.48

Thats without a FIRST package.

FIRST Package for same thing = $178

Plus we get transportation, so you'd either have to rent a car/bus, taxi, or walk.

So its comparable, to doing without the package, or at least I found so.



Why would 2 be sleeping on the floor? Share beds!!!

Ah, yes, Astroworld. I forgot. Excuse me, but some of us would rather be on fire than go to astroworld, and are really only going to Houston for the robotics competition. OK, maybe the Space center. (some of us thought that the Kennedy Space Center was infinitely more interesting than Disney or any theme park). So basically we're back in the position of having to support a theme park if we buy the "package." I don't like it.

As far as two to a bed, as a coach/chaperone, nah. Besides, it's bad enough listening to me snore from across the room, but in the same bed? I would pity you.

[Cory]

Originally posted by Lewis Sussman
As far as two to a bed, as a coach/chaperone, nah. Besides, it's bad enough listening to me snore from across the room, but in the same bed? I would pity you.

Wow I wish I was as fortunate as you to be able to put two people per room. we are glad just to be there.


Anyways, it is no big deal to share a bed. you don't have to be on top of anyone, and for anyone who has a problem with this, well... I think you may be a little immature.


Cory

[Madison]

Originally posted by Lewis Sussman
Ah, yes, Astroworld. I forgot. Excuse me, but some of us would rather be on fire than go to astroworld, and are really only going to Houston for the robotics competition. OK, maybe the Space center. (some of us thought that the Kennedy Space Center was infinitely more interesting than Disney or any theme park). So basically we're back in the position of having to support a theme park if we buy the "package." I don't like it.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, whether or not you like Astroworld, or Walt Disney World, is entirely irrelevant to the discussion.

FIRST gives us what we ask for. Sometimes, it takes them awhile, and sometimes they don't get it quite right, but they are listening.

If you don't want the event to include outside activities, or you don't like where the activities are taking place, let FIRST know! Tell them through a nice e-mail, or a friendly phone call, or - better yet - at the team forums. If enough people agree with you, things will change!

But, as things stand, Astroworld is a part of the costs associated with putting on this event. As such, its admission needs to be included in any fair comparison of the package costs to 'street' prices.

Perhaps you'd prefer that FIRST not arrange for any packages whatsoever and the teams arranged everything a la carte? Then, when FIRST bills each team their fair share of the facilities costs, see what happens.

You asked for cheaper package rates and you got them. You asked for a change of a venue and you got that, too. If you want to dump the after-event festivities, try it and see what happens. That's the best you can hope for. How this affects a discussion regarding package cost vs. regular costs, or vs. Disney pricing is still unclear.

(For what it's worth, I'm really tired of the passive-aggressive nonsense that goes on regarding intent and participation in this program. I'll decide why I'm involved, whether it be for robotics, travel, or inspiration, and I give everyone that same courtesy and ability. Enough is enough.)

[Ashley Weed]

I know that Astroworld is opening special when we are there, however, it is only going to be open in the evenings. Therefore, pits close around 8.... park closes around 10... maybe 11. That only leaves appx. 2 hours a night for four total hours for around $80... that doesn't seem like a 'deal' to me. As a driver, I know that there would be no time to go to the park, because you have to add in many hours of Intelligence work after the pits close.

[Ricky Q.]

Originally posted by weedie
I know that Astroworld is opening special when we are there, however, it is only going to be open in the evenings. Therefore, pits close around 8.... park closes around 10... maybe 11. That only leaves appx. 2 hours a night for four total hours for around $80... that doesn't seem like a 'deal' to me. As a driver, I know that there would be no time to go to the park, because you have to add in many hours of Intelligence work after the pits close.

True, but if they had the park open all day, then you'd have people complaining that they wouldn't get to go then, they have it open for when they think the most people can/will take advantage of it, I'm a driver too, and hey we miss out on a lot I suppose, but we are also the ones down on the field, feeling the energy and having alot of fun down there, you can't get that in the stands. FIRST did their best, and I applaud them for it.

[Madison]

Originally posted by weedie
I know that Astroworld is opening special when we are there, however, it is only going to be open in the evenings. Therefore, pits close around 8.... park closes around 10... maybe 11. That only leaves appx. 2 hours a night for four total hours for around $80... that doesn't seem like a 'deal' to me. As a driver, I know that there would be no time to go to the park, because you have to add in many hours of Intelligence work after the pits close.

Again, not to squash anyone's sense of individuality, but you really don't matter. If you want to see things change, the reality seems to be that you need to bring this to the attention of FIRST and that you need to find a lot of people to agree with you. If you want to save the $44.99 admission price because you can't go to Astroworld, let FIRST know. If you want to take away everyone else's opportunity to visit Astroworld because you can't make it, let FIRST know. If you want an itemized bill sent to your team that doesn't charge you for services you didn't utilize, let FIRST know. That's the best you can.

I don't care if you like Astroworld. I don't like Astroworld. I don't care if you only eat one meal a day, or if you're going to walk to the competition. FIRST's packages are arranged to give us certain amenities, and they do so at a cost that is a savings to the teams. The inclusion of such amenities is not necessary, obviously, but that is not relevant to the discussion of their cost.

Additionally, as I mentioned before, Six Flags' theme parks do not charge a reduced admission price for reduced hours of operation. They do often give admissions discounts to large groups, as do hotels. But, even with that, and even if such discounts would drive the actual cost of the listed amenities below what FIRST is charging team members, none of these prices or comparisons even try to fathom a guess as to what FIRST is paying for the event facilities, rentals, and transportation.

I arrange travel for my team, so it's not as if this stuff is an academic exercise for me. Whether or not I like or agree with what I'm being provided is of very little consequence, really - assuming we want to go to the event. What matters is only that we are being given packages that are reasonable. These packages are, for all that I can see, far beyond reasonable.

Some people are never happy.