Let's pick the Chicago DIS meet date---looks like April 12th is the date!!

[helenabear]

The bad thing Chris is that I was checking hotels outside of Gurnee for me. I haven't done a huge search yet but hotels I can usually easily get for about $50-60/night are now about $75/night. Call me cheap but that much is a little too much for me. I'll keep looking but unless something comes up, I doubt I'll be making the trip there.

 

[December99]

Well, unfortunately because of the area around there and the location - the cheapest you will EVER find, unless you want to drive 1/2 hour, will be around the $64 range. You are talking a "richer" area of Illinois - that's partially why the hotels are so much more expensive. Plus the Great Lakes Naval Base is in that area and when people come to visit - if the hotel on base is booked, they have to go in that area.

I am just looking at hotels.com and the town just over the border is Pleasant Prairie. At Baymont Inn and Suites in Kenosha (about 15 minutes N) is $55.95. Baymont Inn and Suites Six Flags in Gurnee is showing $59.95. These are both on hotels.com.

So am I assuming that the date has been picked as the 12th of April?

 

[December99]

On Expedia they list the Hampton Inn at $52 for a standard room. The Baymont on Expedia is showing also $52. Just trying to offer help for those looking for rooms in that area. I'm still gonna do some searching for you.

 

[fantasymagic]

I appreciate the info you're posting on hotels. DH and I plan on attending from @Madison, WI.

I plan on checking out the hotels you've posted, so please post away!!!

This will be my first DIS meet, anything else we need to do? Does someone set up/suggest some ideas for dinner or activities?

Could I contribute some nametags for the event, just some blank ones with a Disney character?

 

[helenabear]

Thanks Chris!! I will look into those. The hotels I was looking at were just north of Chicago (but not as far as Gurnee). Since I am coming from the south I don't mind staying between Chicago and Gurnee. I really hadn't looked that much yet. I usually book a little closer to the date because then I will actually know how likely I am to really going or not.

 

[NancyIL]

Thanks for the great info, Chris! The Courtyard Lincolnshire has a AAA rate of $51 for April 12th for 1 kind bed and $61 for 2 double beds. That's without breakfast. That Courtyard is also a 2.5* hotel that shows up on Priceline - so I might give that a try - once the date has been finalized.

http://www.marriott.com/dpp/PropertyPage.asp?MarshaCode=CHILS

 

[Bunchkin]

I voted for 4/12 even though both dates are family bowling league days. Luckily Tony & Lauren can bowl in advance.

And I'm hoping that we will have warmer weather by April!!!!

 

[December99]

I do like that area Nancy. We have stayed there a few times - one of them being our honeymoon at the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort (which is pretty pricey for something like this).

If anyone is interested - The Little Mermaid in the Theater for Young Audiences will still be playing that weekend - here is the website with info....they do very good work. Britt and I are going to see it on March 29th. Last year we saw Charlotte's Web.

http://www.marriotttheatre.com/tya.htm

Tickets are like $7.50 for these performances (I think that's what they are).

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think the 12th is the date, Chris.

fantasymagic, name tags would be great!!!! Always good to have a tag to reference.

Between now and then we will pick a place to go, either a seperate restaurant or the mall food court. Last time we were in this area, we wall went to Cracker Barrel for lunch and talk, then over to the mall food court for the mid afternoon and a little birthday party for KimRaye, then to another restaurant for dinner. Wow, that was a full day!!!!!

I asked Brisully (Brian) to post this meet info on the Collecors Board also, so hopefully we can pick up some folks from there also.

 

[NancyIL]

I don't know if this interests anyone - but there's a Rainforest Cafe at Gurnee Mills. I have fond memories of my very first DIS meet at RFC in Schaumburg in July 2000.

 

[WDWLVR]

They've added a Krispy Kreme location in Gurnee as well as a Culver's (love those Butterburgers).

 

[December99]

I did let Doctor P know about the meet. Don't know if that means he will make it or not with dd (if dd doesn't go to my meeting with me which I'm encouraging). If I get out of this meeting early enough, it might be that we can get up there before everyone dissipates but I'm not guaranteeing anything.

 

[NancyIL]

Because I just got the Courtyard Lincolnshire with a $31 bid on Priceline!

I also went ahead a few weeks back and got a Priceline hotel in Oakbrook for the much-anticipated July 12th PatrickConII...so hope that's on!

 

[December99]

Nice job Nancy!!! I've tried my first Priceline bid the other day for September at Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles and they rejected both of my bids....now I gotta decide if I want to try for another hotel....I'm a skeptic I guess!!!

 

[NancyIL]

Chris - you can keep re-bidding every 72 hours for the same dates/zones on Priceline. Just because your bid was rejected now, doesn't mean you couldn't eventually get a hotel at that price.

 

[December99]

I wondered about that - thanks for that info Nancy!!! I really want to stay there but I really don't want to pay the $150 per night!!!! Especially since I only live 30 minutes from there!!!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Great rate, Nancy, you are a champ!!!!!!

 

[Fire14]

can anybody verify if there is a travelodge in area? I think my family stayed at one in area once. it was about 10-15 min drive from great america i think.

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://www.the.travelodge.com/libertyville10278

 

[Fire14]

thanks dan that's most likely the one with new owners.