Long Distance Traveling questions

[googlefest1]

I am considering going to this event but im wondering about a few things

I am from CT - so travelers from around this part of the country please reply

my questions are:

For driving - how long does it usualy take you if you drove a long distance like this?

For train - if anyone has taken a train is it realy expensive and is it easy to bring allong cart loads of gaming stuff with you?

For air - if anyone has taken the plane - is it easy to bring cart loads of gaming stuff with you - will security be a F'n damn problem?

lastly - for people with experiece - is it easy to find a room in the last minute - if i go - i will be decideing like 2 weeks before the event

Thank you all

[neuropolitique]

I'm traveling from Georgia, so it's about as far as for you. I'm flying, so here's my plan for bringing carts for trade. It's only a two day event, but I'll be there for four days total. I can pack enough for that in my carry-on. That leaves the big case that gets checked in to be filled with carts. I plan on bringing myentire genny collection, among others, so hopefully this plan works.

[Arcade Antics]

I am considering going to this event but im wondering about a few things

I am from CT - so travelers from around this part of the country please reply

my questions are:

For driving - how long does it usualy take you if you drove a long distance like this?
Driving - not recommended. You're looking at roughly 30 hours if you go straight through and have no problems at all (you don't get lost, no construction, traffic, etc.). With all the money you'll be wasting on gas (and food and whatever other incidentals - motels, etc.) there and back, you could easily afford the plane fare and get there in 6 hours.

Of course, if time isn't a concern and you're gonna make a big roadtrip out of it and take your time driving while making many stops to sightsee, that's something else. :)


For air - if anyone has taken the plane - is it easy to bring cart loads of gaming stuff with you - will security be a F'n damn problem?
Easy to bring carts, systems, etc. Best bet is to check that stuff anyway. Security will notice that there are lots of metal bits in your case, but you'll be fine.


lastly - for people with experiece - is it easy to find a room in the last minute - if i go - i will be decideing like 2 weeks before the event
It won't be easy to find a room at the last minute. It's not impossible, but it will definitely not be easy. If you wind up doing the roadtrip thing, you could always sleep in the car. ;)

[googlefest1]

i dont travel alot - so i dont have much experience going through the air ports

i know i boss has had trouble traveling with prototypes - they made him disaseble and reaseble the prototype - turn it on prove how the various parts work - alot of trouble and they still didnt alow him to cary on. so now when he travels he sends the items through the mail in advance and dosent cary anything with him.

after 911 ive been on a plane once - one way i had 0 trouble and the other way was a hassle - i whent to florida - and purchased a bunch of video games for the hotel room and i thoght that mabey thats why i had the hastle - becasue on my way to florida i had no electronics and on the way back i did. so that was why i was asking about bringing a ton of gameing stuff on the plane

has any one tried the train?

[Mayhem]

I've flown to the last three CGEs. Well I have to, I live in England LOL

Generally stuff has been okay going through Customs and security. Only once have I had to open my bag for people to look specifically at stuff seen in the X-ray. They were probably wondering what the C64GS console was :P

Apart from that, no problems at all. Though going back, my suitcase has been searched as per usual post 9/11 policy.

[googlefest1]

ok, thanks all, it makes me feel more comfortable

eventhough i have visions of carying back two - three giant suitcases filled with electonics.

how do you guys pack your stuff?

do you wrap it up to protect from the shock of being thrown around?

ive seen the way baggage is handeled and it's very rough

personaly i rather travel by train but so far no one has replied with train experience

the CGE is about buying and trading games right - like the philly classic? - its not like a retro E3 or something

[digitalpress]

eventhough i have visions of carying back two - three giant suitcases filled with electonics.

how do you guys pack your stuff?

I travel with entire suitcases full of crazy electronics when going to these shows. No worries, but I would recommend packing with bubble wrap, just like you would pack a large box of goods.


the CGE is about buying and trading games right - like the philly classic? - its not like a retro E3 or something

It's a little of both, really. There are approximately 30 vendors each year but some of them are game companies showcasing new products that cater to the retrogaming sect. For example, Midway has exhibited (and will be there again this year), as has Ubi Soft and High Voltage Software... we've got a great relationship with SNK and are working out some details with them for this year as well.

You certainly will have lots of opportunities to buy stuff though! Bring cash and don't forget that bubble wrap.

Here are pics from last year to get a feel for it.
http://www.digitpress.com/images/cge2k4

[Flack]

I am considering going to this event but im wondering about a few things

I am from CT - so travelers from around this part of the country please reply

my questions are:

For driving - how long does it usualy take you if you drove a long distance like this?
Driving - not recommended. You're looking at roughly 30 hours if you go straight through and have no problems at all (you don't get lost, no construction, traffic, etc.). With all the money you'll be wasting on gas (and food and whatever other incidentals - motels, etc.) there and back, you could easily afford the plane fare and get there in 6 hours.

Am I figuring something wrong here? Just taking a guess and putting in Hartford, CT to San Jose, CA, I come up with 3039.09 miles. If you're making good time and don't stop for much more than gas and the occasional pee pee break, you can average about 60mph across country. At that rate, you're closer to 50 hours. If you drive 10 hours a day, that's 5 days each way. I'm sure you could cut that time down a bit if you drove 24 hours a day (split the driving with 2 or 3 people perhaps) but no matter how you slice it that's a long, long way and a long, long time to be in a car.

I don't know anything about train travel except that it's slow. I know I can drive from here to Dallas in less than 4 hours, and via train it's 8 hours. That'll extend your CGE trip into a couple of weeks.