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NYCC 2013 - It's Never to Early, Oct 10-13

Started by HOTFLIPS,

531 posts in this topic

Ajl007

Ajl007

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I have never been but just got invited to Artist alley, so I need help finding a nice decent hotel and pretty much everything else, dont want too far from convention but whatever some of you can tell me will help alot thanks!!!

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JasonDaTwit

JasonDaTwit

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Hi:

 

Over the weekend, I confirmed two people who are going to the NYCC 2013 convention.

 

1) J. Scott Campbell confirmed on his twitter account that he will be attending.

 

2) Joe Maduriera (Uncanny X-Men, Battle Chasers, Savage Wolverine)confirmed with me via his Facebook account that he will be attending as well. I simply asked him and he responded promptly on his account that he'll be there.

 

This is certain turning out to be a good show. Here's hoping everything will be on the same level and not separated like last year which made it a huge hassle to get any CGCing done. The distance between Artist Alley and the Con Floor was ridiculous last year.

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JasonDaTwit

JasonDaTwit

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It depends on how long you're staying & how much you want to spend. I'm fortunate in that I live in NYC but rooms prices can be ridiculous. I would hunt rooms down through the usual travel sites: orbitz, travelocity, etc. I recommend Bed & Breakfast places only if they have really good ratings (you can always check Yelp).

 

If you plan on staying at a hotel that's not in Manhattan (either in NJ or ne of the outer boroughs), I highly enourage you to Google Map the location so you can see where it is and what it looks like. Some hotels are by the airport but the areas tend to be dead & questionable.

 

As for mass transit, there's no train that takes you directly to the Javitz Center. The convention is located on 34th St and 11Ave. The closest train is the A, C, E trains that stop on 34st Street / 8th Ave. There is an M34 Bus that takes you directly there too but the service is irregular. Feeling lazy & want to save your energy for the con? Just take a yellow cab. They have meters and charge you reasonable rates. The livery black lincoln town cars don't have meters and will take adavantage of you so be cautious.

 

Hope this helps.

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Ajl007

Ajl007

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It depends on how long you're staying & how much you want to spend. I'm fortunate in that I live in NYC but rooms prices can be ridiculous. I would hunt rooms down through the usual travel sites: orbitz, travelocity, etc. I recommend Bed & Breakfast places only if they have really good ratings (you can always check Yelp).

 

If you plan on staying at a hotel that's not in Manhattan (either in NJ or ne of the outer boroughs), I highly enourage you to Google Map the location so you can see where it is and what it looks like. Some hotels are by the airport but the areas tend to be dead & questionable.

 

As for mass transit, there's no train that takes you directly to the Javitz Center. The convention is located on 34th St and 11Ave. The closest train is the A, C, E trains that stop on 34st Street / 8th Ave. There is an M34 Bus that takes you directly there too but the service is irregular. Feeling lazy & want to save your energy for the con? Just take a yellow cab. They have meters and charge you reasonable rates. The livery black lincoln town cars don't have meters and will take adavantage of you so be cautious.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

 

Yes it does! I am hoping there is a board meet up!

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JasonDaTwit

JasonDaTwit

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Hi All:

 

Thought I'd share some info that may help you on your trip to NYC for NYCC 2013 --

 

If you do stay at a hotel in NJ, you can take the PATH train which is a small system that navigates between NJ and NY. The cool thing about that is the fact that the last stop is 34th Street / 6th Ave. That’s 5 Aves away from the convention. Path train admission each way may be $2.50 but I’m not sure so you can just look that info up online. Cool thing is that you'd save money on hotel, car rental, tolls (to enter NY from NJ) and food is probably cheaper in NJ too.

PATH commute is much easier than driving. Parking alone is a nightmare as they'll rip you off with parking fees. PATH commute also is quick commute too. You can also try NJ Transit trains (the equivalent to the LIRR in my area). The ticket price is a little more up there but you can try to see if there are any decent hotels along this line too.

 

From there you can either walk to the con or take a yellow taxi cab. Cabs charge a base rate of $3.50 and it goes up some cents for 1/3 or 1/8 of every mile. You can look that up online through the NYC’s Taxi Limosine Commission website (TLC).

 

The real question is which hotel / motel / Bed & Breakfast / Hostel will you stay at that's close to the PATH train? Again, many of the big hotels are in the city and will charge through the nose because they know they can. If you do hotels by the airport, your commute into the city will be longer. See if the hotels offer shuttle services to certain destinations or to the MTA Subway Train System. I wouldn't be surprised if some hotels in the city offering shuttle bus service during the weekend of the con. Try travel sites. You may even want to contact the hotels directly to see if they have better deals than advertised online.

 

I live in Queens but I'm lucky enough to be by 2 train systems: a regular train (45min ride / $2.50 each way or buy a weekly pass for $30 – 7 days of unlimited use!) and a more comfy train (22min ride – CitiTicket for the weekend is $4) called Long Island Rail Road. Although a few dollars more I usually use the LIRR because it takes me straight to 34th Street / 8th Ave and all I have to do is walk. The blocks to walk are longer going from Ave to Ave than they are from Street to Street, you'll see!

 

The line to enter the con is long. So the earlier you get there, the better. They also hand out tickets to special signings and panels rea early so if you want to attend them yu need

 

The event is at the Javitz Center on 34th St & 1 Ave. That’s the West Side just below the midtown area. It's a huge space with lots of panels, signings, giveaways and exclusives so be sure to wear sneakers & wear layers you can take off and pack in a bag as it will get hot in that venue (between the heating system, you running around and the amount of people in an enclosed space).

 

There is coat check service but everyone and their mother will be using it. It’s bad enough you have to wait on a line for your favorite artist or writer signature, now you have to wait on another line to check the coat AND wait again to get it back? Screw that! Layers make life easier for you, trust me.

 

If you're not on twitter, I suggest you join as a lot of writers and artists will post their schedule of when they plan on being there, signing, etc. Some artists at the cons will do commissions, on a first come, first serve basis. Others perform a lottery system. Sometimes they offer pre-con commissions either on their Facebook or twitter accounts or through an art rep (who sells their original pages also). You can pay in advance and pick up the piece in person. Some people who haven't been advertised yet but are scheduled to be there are:

 

Peter David

Neal Adams ($20 per signature - CGC or not)

J Scott Campbell ($10 or $11 - CGC sig)

Joe Maduriera

Brian Wood (he lives in Brooklyn)

Jim Lee

Tim Sale

 

Not sure about Stan Lee -- He may or may not come. If he does, Desert Wind will be repping him. If you plan on getting a sig from him, I would recommend mailing your book to them before the con as they'll give you a discount on that. Prices are high but again, it's Stan Lee. Make sure it's a book he worked on and is in great condition. That's the way it will really be worth something. If you just want him to sign something and not CGC, it's usually $55 per sig. Lord knows I've done this many times!

 

I bought a VIP ticket this year, as I did last year, and I thought it was the best $190 I spent. Short line, no headaches and a rest area to charge up your batteries and drop off purchased goodies as you hunt for more merch.

 

Food at the con is pricey as hell as is the water. Closest venue restaurant wise is McDonalds on 34th St and 10th Ave but it may be just as packed there too. You best bet is to have a real hearty breakfast and pack some things to tide you over such as a big bottle of water (which you can refill at the fountain by the bathrooms), granola bars, beef jerky, maybe order a sandwich from a deli and take it with you so that you can have that for lunch in the con. Be sure to triple bag the stuff so nothing leaks on any of the comics, dvds, posters or any other items you plan on either getting signed or CGCed.

 

Not all food is expensive. If you like burgers, there's a cool place on 34th St off 8th Ave called FIVE GUYS (right by the AMC movie theater). They consider a regular burger two patties, you've been warned. Toppings are free! I usually get the reg. bacon cheeseburger with a side of their regular cajun fries (frehsly made & spicy). The regular is a good size and is so much that I have to usually split it w/ someone. There's a CHIPOTLE in that area too. There's also a diner where you can sit, relax & eat. Never tried the food but my friend who used to work in the area liked it. That's on 34th St, off 9th Ave. There's also the TICK TOCK DINER right on the corner 34th St and 8th Ave that's decent. I usually do a breakfast or lunch there.

 

I recommend checking out MIDTOWN COMICS on 40th Street & 7th Ave as it’s just an amazing shop w/ 2 floors of merchandise. They'll have a booth at the con and will be handing out flyers w/ discounts to their stores for that same weekend. Stock up on some Midtown Exclusive Comic Covers and get them signed at the con or sell them for a nice mark up. The Disney Store in the heart of Times Square has exclusive Marvel figures no other shops carry. Bought my Flash Thompson Venom there a while back and love that figure.

 

Good Luck All!

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BitterOldMan

BitterOldMan

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Last year, I used airbnb to get a room in somebody's apartment and had a great experience. I got a room this year using airbnb again. Prices are less than one-third of the typical Manhattan hotel room with a short walk to the convention center. Just get a place with plenty of good references and nice pictures. You can even use the kitchen. I did help clean the apartment every day, so hostess said that the apartment was cleaner after I left.

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greggy

greggy

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Just booked my hotel room.
where?
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

 

811 7th Ave ,

New York, NY 10019

1.00 miles to Event Location

 

This won't work for you because Sunday night isn't available.

 

Maybe you can hang with Sharon again?

 

A lot of the con hotels have certain days unavailable so it didn't work for me.

 

This had the four nights that I needed - Wednesday to Saturday nights.

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jjonahjameson1

jjonahjameson1

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Just booked my hotel room.
where?
Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

 

811 7th Ave ,

New York, NY 10019

1.00 miles to Event Location

 

This won't work for you because Sunday night isn't available.

 

Maybe you can hang with Sharon again?

 

A lot of the con hotels have certain days unavailable so it didn't work for me.

 

This had the four nights that I needed - Wednesday to Saturday nights.

 

Hey, Greggy:

 

I took a quick peek at Tripadvisor and they are not good.The place is under construction, check Trip Advisor as they have ten reviews on the first page and 7 out of 10 are bad.

 

-Yoram

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greggy

greggy

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It is what it is.

 

I don't really need it to be great.

 

It fits my days required and is one mile away.

 

In my travels for work, I've stayed at way worse dumps so I'll survive.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

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I still say:

 

Hotel Accommodations:

Long Island Railroad offers many hotels within a short walking distance from their stations along the Babylon (Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, Massapequa Park, Copiague) and Northern Port Washington Branches...

http://www.golflink.com/list_29627_close-long-island-rail-road.html

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g48158-d93305-r50884688-Gateway_Inn-Merrick_New_York.html

 

Eating around the Javitz..

McDonalds bleh...

There is a Subway sandwich shop that is closer to the Javitz and if you are coming in by Penn Station and want something quick, there are countless little nooks that offer far healthier and tastier selections than McDonalds. Mo's, Cabooz, Subway, Tracks Bar and Grill, Chickpea, Zaro's Bread Basket, Le Bon Café and Pizza everywhere. There is one place that is amazing to me as I am through Penn Station at least twice a week. As you approach the escalators on the eastern exit of Penn (7th Ave side) across from Duane Reed to the right (south?) at the foot of the escalator is a deli/bar. I am a big fan of their BLT on a everything bagel with a bit of russian dressing instead of simple mayo. We are talking real bacon not the drizzle fatty type, romaine lettuce not iceberg and real tomatoes not the McDonalds water specials.

 

Bars/Pubs

Lots of them - easiest place that I recommend is a place called Stout on 33rd between 6th and 7th Ave. Opposite of Stout is the Statler Grill. The food at both places are very good. However, the prices at Statler are greater than Stout. Whenever I go to a show at MSG I usually wind up at one of those places.

 

Transportation from Penn...

You COULD, I guess wait like everyone else for a cab on the West Side of Penn on 34th. You COULD walk down to 33rd and beat that line when the cab drivers notice the line of cabs waiting to pick up the lines of people. Cab drivers want to be in and out. Whenever I need a cab I walk down 100 feet to beat the line.

 

Questions? Fire away

 

 

 

 

 

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