Any Atlanta First Time Traveler Tips you want to Share?

[Bcahn836]

Get a map of the subway system, also a big help in Atlanta. Team 836 flew down to Atlanta a few years ago we assigned 6 students to one mentor for the whole trip which helped out a lot especially in the airport. And if any student went anywhere the buddy system was in place which also helped a lot.

[technoL]

For us, flying to ATL is almost the same price as getting a bus for 5 days with 22 people. Being that ATL and Fort Lauderdale are both international airports, this was quite reasonable and do-able. You should start getting quotes now to see what offers are available to you at this point, we booked all of our reservations in mid-February. Our whole team of students/teachers always comes in at the same time, Wednesday, and leaves on Sunday afternoon.

We use the Atlanta Link to get from the airport to the hotel on Wednesday and Sunday. We stayed at the Westin last year, and this year too, so we can walk to the Dome, and there are tons of restaurants within walking distance (Hooters, Hard Rock, and McDonalds directly across the street.)

At competition, most of our team was really spread out, SOAP on the floor, the Drivers with the bot walking back and forth, people in the stand cheering, and people around the pit, so make sure that you have a good method of communication (runners, cell phones, designated meeting spots/times) and a way to get everyone back together when its time to leave.

-No L

[Wayne C.]

a few items-

1. food at the stadium is VERY expensive and not very high quality. The food court at the CNN Center in the Omni Complex next door has more variety at more affordable prices. But the lines will be very long and expect them to close down early in the evening.

2. bring a jacket. It seems that every year the wrap party is cool and rainy

3. there will be practice fields available in the pit area on a sign up baisi. Get on the list early but please be courteous and leave room for others.

4. everybody will be trying to scout your machine. If you post a team member at the entrance to your pit it will make your work area safer and make them psss through quicker

5. be prepared to walk and ride escalaters. Everything is on separate levels

6. the stadium people are fanatics about bringing food into the event and that you use their turnstyles. So if you are planning on supplying your own food you will have issues if you arent discreet

7. there will be vendors selling FIRSTwear of various types. Bring some spending money.

8. Have fun. Anything can happen at the Championships

WC

[wendymom]

To expand upon the food issue. We found it much easier and cheaper to make a Sams run the first night. We got lots of lunch meat, bread, condiments, chips, fruit, water etc. We packed in a van that stayed in the parking lot. At lunch time we had a picnic in the courtyard. We didn't take any food into the venue but we didnt pay the high food court prices either. And we had healtier stuff. You just need to assign a few people to drag it to the courtyard...I suggest coolers with wheels.

[Chris_Elston]

Originally Posted by Wayne C.

a few items-

1. food at the stadium is VERY expensive and not very high quality. The food court at the CNN Center in the Omni Complex next door has more variety at more affordable prices. But the lines will be very long and expect them to close down early in the evening.

2. bring a jacket. It seems that every year the wrap party is cool and rainy

3. there will be practice fields available in the pit area on a sign up baisi. Get on the list early but please be courteous and leave room for others.

4. everybody will be trying to scout your machine. If you post a team member at the entrance to your pit it will make your work area safer and make them psss through quicker

5. be prepared to walk and ride escalaters. Everything is on separate levels

6. the stadium people are fanatics about bringing food into the event and that you use their turnstyles. So if you are planning on supplying your own food you will have issues if you arent discreet

7. there will be vendors selling FIRSTwear of various types. Bring some spending money.

8. Have fun. Anything can happen at the Championships

WC

oh excellent...keep them coming!

[dangerousdave]

Here are some links to Championship activities open from April 12-14, 2007.

Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
Google Atlanta map
Atlanta Braves games Thursday night, Hank Aaron Statue night vs Wash & Fri night, Fireworks vs Florida
Atlanta Hawks basketball on Friday night vs Washington & located right there with all First events.
Worlds Largest Aquarium Located next to Centennial Olympic Park. You sometimes have to order tickets ahead of time.
MARTA subway All First events at stop W1.
Atlanta Airport
Georgia World Congress Center Map (Pit Location Usually building C)
Georgia Dome Home of the Championship events.
Centennial Olympic Park Home to the Championship wrap party on Saturday night.
RMS Titanic Artifacts Exhibition in downtown ATL.
The World Of Coca Cola will be closed during Championship's but in May it is moving next to the aquarium for next years Championship's.
MLK Center - A short ride away from the GA Dome.
CNN Center & Tour - Home to CNN and many different fast food and sit down restaurants and very close to the competition.
Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park - Open Saturday & Sunday but you have to have transportation to get there.

Some CD links from last years Championship event worth a look (the good and the bad as suggested by some people) :
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=47202
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46961
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46960
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46293
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46497
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=46765
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=45960

Dave

[Zyik]

We've gone once, by plane, this is what I remember as good to know.

- Bring a deck of cards, maybe even two, for layovers.
- Bring comfy shoes, theres a lot of walking, especially between Stands and Pits. Also, I don't know if it's allowed but have a cellphone in each place so you can communicate, I sent runners, they hated me.
- Bring alot of scouting sheets, theres alot of teams
- Make flyers to hand out, make them memorable, also it is nice if they're hole punched as 973 keeps a binder
- If you go to the Peachtree and have a room overlooking the park, leave the celebration before the fireworks, that way you can watch them by looking down or across, not craning your neck up. (We did this, most beautiful thing I've ever seen)
- Get the stadium to do the wave, its worth it


Also, avoid the underground, I got sick while in Atlanta last year I think and I think it was there.

[Koko Ed]

One thing you are not going to be prepared for is the large amount of homeless people who are going to be hovering around. Some of them will be adamant and even rude but don't give them money. Many of them have substance abuse problems and you are only enabling their problems by giving them money. Buy them food if you must but don't just give them money. A stern no is mostly enough tot send them on their way (they're not going to mug a large group of people. I heavily recommend never traveling alone. I can't confirm it but I heard a couple of years ago a mentor was mugged in one of the parking garages. Remember: safety in numbers!) but if you really feel the need to have them got rid of you can either find Georgia DOme security or local police and have them deal with them. What I would ask is a little patience and understanding with them. Many of them are in circumstances beyond their control and are unable to help themselves. What we're doing here in this program is also aimed at helping them as well in the long run to make a better quality of life for all. Gracious Porfessionalism extends well beyond the field to more than just the people in FIRST. That is how you truly change the culture.

[pstrapp]

Originally Posted by Koko Ed

You think that was bad? You should've seen Houston....

I remember teams modifying their carts with the extra drive train parts, just to get up that spiral ramp.

[DUCKIE]

If you live over 6-8 hours away and can afford flying, I'd go for flying. To me it just seems easier despite the price, to catch a flight and be where you need to in a few hours.

We hired a tour bus to take us to Atlanta one year and have not done it since. One of the big “+’s” to taking a bus is that you can drive though the night and get their in the morning. But remember, buses are sometimes hard to sleep on (read as "ALWAYS HARD TO SLEEP ON" for me) especially when crammed full of people. Even with the mandatory quiet hours on the way down, I ended up not being comfortable enough to be able to sleep, so I listened to music and watched my DVD player the whole way down. On the way back my feet were killing me from queuing and I was exhausted. I managed some sleep here and there, but really only succeeded in being cranky and tired.

Originally Posted by Chris_Elston

Wow...I just saw the "walk video" from the PITs to the Field...agh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSjKVDgnWwY

Just one more reason why a it is a good idea to have a robust and sturdy cart.

Things Not To Forget

• Sturdy Shoes
• Daypack/Tote Bag (Even if you don't take anything to the event with you in the morning except a camera, chances are you will come back with something)
• Camera (w/good batteries)
• Something unique to trade (I'm planning to make my own little something to trade this year, seperate from the team.)
• Tokens for MARTA (Or Exact Change to purchase fare)
• Sharpie (For those times you meet someone whom you would like an autograph from. Like Dean or Woody.)
• Safe place to carry your money and keys. (Aside from your shoe or sock please!)

Ask Bob about what happened to his Van key when we were at EPCOT.
And I've seen too many loose the money they put in their shoes; and hey, Change is great! but not so much fun when you are walking on it. Along with the fact that having imprints of dead presidents in your feet and giving someone warm sweaty foot money is kind of nasty.

[Pirate_Nelly354]

1. Try to find a close hotel if you can. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriot [[I think that's how it's said]] and it was about a 30+ minute walk. Also I once walked with the drivers to the playing field. WOW! I think it was an even longer walk! The good thing is, in the pit area they have a screen that shows the matches =]

2. I don't know if there are any events planned. But you guys can always find somehing to do for your team. Our team last year just walked around Atlanta to get to know it a bit. We went to the Underground [[like a little shopping area]]

Taking a bus? That's almost like 10 hours? Bonding time =] And sleeping time =] We took an airplane, which was good cause getting into our hotel rooms took awhile =/

[Jeff Pahl]

Originally Posted by DUCKY

Things Not To Forget

• Tokens for MARTA (Or Exact Change to purchase fare)

MARTA no longer takes tokens. The vending machines now take plastic, and sell cards with RFID tags in them.

Also, the machines now sell multi-day passes. If you are going to ride more that 1 or 2 times a day, that's the way to go. For details on the new Breeze card fare system, check out http://www.breezecard.com/

[Wayne Doenges]

Doesn't MARTA stand for Making A Reasonable Trip Agonizing

I miss Disney. No homeless, no muggings and close to arena

[Brandon Holley]

Originally Posted by DUCKY

If you live over 6-8 hours away and can afford flying, I'd go for flying.

My Junior year of high school ('04 - FIRST Frenzy)..my former team planned on attending 3 regionals and that would be it for the year. We went to our classic NJ regional, and then for our 2nd went down to Chesepeake (4-5 hour drive). To keep costs down and attendance up we decided to drive to our 3rd regional, Palmetto (~15 hour drive). Our team did amazingly in Palmetto and managed to win the inaugural event. Our board of education, impressed by our efforts, sponsored us to attend nationals.......to keep the tradition alive we drove from NJ all the way to Atlanta (~18 hours). Let me tell you...those bus trips will do amazing things to people. There was a lot of bonding done on that 80+ hours on the bus that year, but the moral of the story is....FLY FLY FLY (if you can afford it)

[rw55ryan]

mmm Team 2228 will have plenty of bonding time ahead of them with a 28+ hour train ride to the championship