Games Day 2009 Bus!

Hey Guys,

Our gaming group is getting a Bus to Games Day together, and I wanted to make sure I popped in and let you all know. You can [url=http://www.the131.com/forum]see the original post here.[/url] I also cut and pasted it below. We meet every Wednesday evening, make sure you follow the link to the forum to get more info and [url=http://www.the131.com/forum]here for Questions. [/url]

Alright everyone, we've talked about it, and now we're doing it. The 131 will be getting a bus down to Games Day Baltimore, which will be on May 9th. This thread is for signups ONLY, so please reserve all questions/comments for this thread here. We've discussed and debated about the various means of getting down to Maryland, but here are a few reasons why a bus is perhaps the best way:

- Plenty of Room -- Not only will we have enough space for all of the people going, but we'll also have plenty of space for your model cases (which is a big one if you plan on going by plane, train or automobile). As an added bonus, if you want to bring down a bag of snacks, books or whathaveyou, you can leave it on the bus and not have to lug it around all day.
- Community -- You won't be stuck surrounded by strangers, you'll be surrounded by the people you game with on a regular basis! Also, heading down in such a group will help to provide the sense of community that we're going for, and give us great "remember that time when we went to Games Day..." stories to tell.
- Cost -- Probably the biggest one for most people. While you could probably make it down and back for less in a car, you would have to do all of the driving yourself (which is rough), and if you stay for a night, the cost of a hotel easily balances things out. All of your travel expenses are included in the cost of the bus. The only additional cost will be your Games Day ticket and whatever food you eat.

That being said, here's how we're doing this. To reserve your spot on the Games Day bus now, you have to pay your share of the bus, going on an estimate of thirty people, which makes it $90. A bit steep, but cheaper than flying or a train, and easier than driving. We'll be taking reservations until April 9th, which is one month before Games Day. At that point, if we have thirty or more people, we'll make the call to get the bus. If we have less than thirty people, we'll cancel the bus and refund the money. Personally, I hope we fill the bus up. If we do, obviously the cost per person will be lower. What we will do is refund the difference to anyone who paid more in advance the day of the bus (which will be great, because you'll have inadvertantly put away money for the trip!). If we fill the bus, the cost will drop down to around $55 per person. The actual Games Day tickets we will buy as a group, but not until after we've confirmed the bus, because the tickets are non-refundable. If you wish to get on the bus after the reservation deadline, you may be responsible for getting ahold of your own ticket. There will be a $5 late registration fee for people who sign up after April 9th. Check the list of registered travelers below!

EDIT -- Also, as this will involve a good number of people being crammed onto the bus, there will be several ground rules laid down. We'll announce these as soon as we have them hammered out and polished. Also, if you're under the age of eighteen, as this is a trip that will cross state lines, we will have a liability release/permission slip that you'll have to get signed by your parents. Unless, of course, one of your parents is going along as well, which is perfectly fine! If you're under 18, and you'll be travelling by yourself, be sure to talk to me before you send in your payment.

Additional Note -- The cost for a Games Day ticket is $25, but does NOT include the GD model. That will be an extra cost, which I imagine will be $15 (though I'm not sure).

To register for the trip, either talk to myself or Jeff at a meeting, or you can send payments via PayPal to westernmassgaming@yahoo.com . Please attach a note like "this is for Games Day" or somesuch, and be sure to post "I'm going to Games Day!" here, so no payments are missed. Also, include your name so we know who you are. A note to younger gamers -- since this is a trip out of state, we will have some sort of liability release form/permission slip for your parents to sign. Of course, if your parents are also going, this isn't an issue. If you're under eighteen, be sure to talk to me before sending in your money.

Thanks guys!