Getting to the 2008 Honolulu Regionals doesn't require breaking the bank

Competition Regional Competitions
#95

One of the members of the Executive Advisory Board for the Hawaii event is a representative for Marriott so hopefully something may come about through that. I don’t know if/when that may materialize, but it might be something worth waiting for. Sorry, I know that doesn’t help at all.

Our team lives in the area, so we’re not getting any hotel reservations. I don’t know where 359 will be staying. If we had to stay someplace, it might’ve been at the Pagoda Hotel, but it’s a little generic, next door to and not within Waikiki, but close to food and shopping and a couple blocks from Ala Moana Beach Park.

#96

We haven’t booked anything yet. We were going to stay wherever a $2,000 budget will take us for 6 rooms for 3 nights. That’s roughly 100/night plus HTAT and excise taxes.
Pagoda is one of our options, since the price is right for what you get. Yes, it is indeed close to shopping, eateries, etc. However, it is not close to Waikiki at all. I wanted to add that parking in Waikiki is a horror if your not getting some kind of discount staying at a hotel there.
Also, Aloha Airlines do indeed have small planes. My sister works for them so I get to fly on it all the time to Vegas.:smiley: :smiley: I am not sure if they would be able to handle a large team(s). I dont recall prices being that cheap also whenever our team has researched it.
Let’s all plan to stay at the Pagoda then! We are game!!
Finally, the idea of getting assistance, if any, from the Marriot might be something worth waiting for. However, as team 368 has mentioned, its not a guarantee and may be a while before it materializes.

#97

Now, I admit I haven’t read the entire contents of this thread, nor am I going to Hawaii, but…

Have the teams going considered chartering a jet together? When my school’s concert band went down to Disney this April, we chartered a jet with another school (the director’s wife is director at that school). We could arrange what time we wanted to leave and it was probably cheaper & easier to get tickets than trying to fly commercially. If anyone is interested in this, PM me and I’ll ask about who we chartered (no guarantees they fly to Hawaii).

#98

just curious. any teams on the waiting list waiting to get on? The new FIRST regional listing doesnt show whos on the pending/waiting list.
:smiley: :smiley: I noticed there are 7 pending teams. Team pink seems to have been just added along with ourselves.

#99

we are pending. but our adult mentor is away, so we are not too sure when we’ll be able to pay ( we have the money in our account though… YAY GRANTS!!!)

#100

We are IN too. Our check is in process but we are squared with the NH office.

It’s gonna be a fun trip!!

WC :cool:

#101

If the other 4 veteran Hawaii teams are the other pending spots, I wonder who the final one is? West Coast, East Coast? What happened to team 103? This will really be a week 5 regional to watch! Just look at the list!

#102

i just checked the plane tickets again. for the week of the competition, it is super expensive.
about $580 after all the security fees etc. are added on.

If we call them, I wonder how much the price can go down by.
and
Have anyone heard back from Jim Beck about the Hotels?

edit:// i searched fromt mroe travel companies and the cheapest i found was 529 from oakland to honolulu

#103

When I tried calling the prices were actually higher.

#104

oh wow… what happened to group rates…
well I did more research from various travel agencies. the cheapest I found was $528.

#105

Just a quick update!

The prices from coming back on Sunday the 30th was getting ridiculously high (and very booked) so we called everyone that signed up for Hawaii Regional from my team to see if we can stay an extra day. Most didn’t have problem with it.
After called various airlines, we got a price of just below $400 (tax and everything included and getting there and back in San Jose!! first time in many years! we always had to go up to SFO) for 26 people!! yay!! Happy Ending for the Airfare!

We also called a couple hotels . So far only got number back from Hilton.
They are willing to give us rooms for about $200 /room/day (we need 12 rooms)

It’s a bit to expensive for us and not exactly necessary .I mean the point of planning is to bet the best value. Right now we are budgeting about ~$250 (average per person for 5 nights in max of 4 people per room, not everyone’s room will be filled up just cuz we always have an odd random numbers of girls going :slight_smile: last time i had to sleep on the floor for 3 out of the 4 nights)

and average out the car rental price probably getting 2 vans to shuttle
possibly add in 2 team dinners. ( all the other meals the students get for themselves… we often get lazy and end up at fast food places hehe)

We are hoping to keep everything under $800 per student

With the extra day (the Sunday) we are thinking about planning a team trip.
So far on our possibility list, we have:
-Pearl Harbor
-Diamond Head

I never been to Hawaii before so what other close by places can we go to?

Last question: There IS going to be a team social on the last day right?

#106

:smiley:

Hanauma bay
North Shore Beaches
Basically, go around the island and check it out.

#107

Those are all great places to check out. We went to Hanauma Bay on July 4th and it was simply epic. We also went to Todai to fill ourselves up, not a bad way to spend your day:p. We were playing pasoi at the north shore. Pearl Harbor was our last stop, and it was a bit depressing. You can also go kayaking. We rented some and went out to Mokulua and had lunch there. It was a part of this bird sanctuary, so it was pretty cool.

For hotel we got the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Cost wise it’s going to be quite for a bit for everyone, with $1000-$1200 per person for the week, not including any meals which might get expensive. Hopefully we can go to Todai more for the one meal a day fill yourself up in 2 hours :D.

So all in all, you can check out Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head, North Shore, Pearl Harbor, Mokulua, and Todai.

#108

sweet!!! there is a Todai around?
Nice!!! maybe that’s where we should make one of our team dinners.

#109

There’s one across the street from the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

#110

While the Hilton is quite nice, I’d say it’s definitely not the place for most teams to be looking at. Airfare is already so much that there’s no reason to add more costs by staying at an expensive hotel.

My theory is we aren’t going to be spending any time in our hotel, except for crashing at night, so as long as it’s safe and clean, it doesn’t matter how cheap it is.

#111

I’m not a student anymore. LOL! So if I only had 1 extra day to spend, it wouldnt be at Pearl Harbor…hehe. Adult stuff.
Its Mokuleia by the way. Its way out in the boonies where our school is. :smiley:
Hanauma bay is neat. When you go swimming, the fishes will come right up to you to feed off your hand! This isn’t some pond or something. Its a bay right off the ocean. I dont know of anyplace where fishes are unafraid to come right up to you.:smiley:
Todai is a great place to eat. Eat there every night if you can!!
Walk around Waikiki too, its great!

#112

The Regional Planning Chair has been trying to secure hotel rooms for the incoming teams and was able to get 100+ rooms at $180 a night or so. This is a bit much for many teams, but with it being the peak season, this is all that could be secured. Details are still being worked out as to who to contact, etc., but when they are finalized, your team will be officially notified.

As for a team social, yes a luau is being planned for Friday evening. The University of Hawaii College of Engineering is also planning on a student/parent meet and greet with food on Thursday evening - not quite certain of the size of this ‘event’ however (for planning team dinner purposes on Thursday that is). They will be sure to announce more later.

As for other things to do, Diamond Head is nice and cheap (just make sure everyone can handle the trek up and down in the heat). Pearl Harbor is rather somber, but the Swap Meet (Flea Market) at Aloha Stadium is within walking distance on Wednesday or Sunday to buy things you won’t find elsewhere for quite cheap.

Right in Waikiki are the Honolulu Zoo and Honolulu Aquarium (the Aquarium is quite small and the Zoo is, well, not something people come to Hawaii for).

As mentioned before, Hanauma Bay is quite impressive, but closed on Tuesdays and parking often fills fast.

If you want to go to some of the less touristy beaches, consider going to Kailua town. If you make your way through the mountains, you can stop at the Pali Lookout for a great view. If you go around the island instead, there is also Sea Life Park to consider which is like a mini Sea World.

If you head to the North Shore, you can consider the Polynesian Cultural Center, but it’s a little pricey and not open on Sundays.

You might also consider the very easy hike to Manoa Falls for the nature lovers which is at the back of the valley where the competition is being held.

Other than that, hope everyone making their way here is able to have a great time during their stay!

#113

these are all good suggestions for those planning to come to Hawaii.

Side note for diamond head- i hope you like climbing stairs.

If you have the chance, visit some of the neighbor islands, the flights are relatively inexpensive (even more so if you can get in on a special air fare war offer), you could visit the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park or the Imiloa Astronomy Center on the Big Island <<Hint Hint. i believe it may have been posted earlier but these are both closer to Hilo, flying in from Kona to visit the national park gives you the scenic route.

#114

its been awhile since ive lived on oahu, but if any teams do make it out to kailua, make sure to go to island snow. best snow cones ever.