Expo is still about twice the price for 2 people and has about 1/4 of the games to play, for comparison.

Yes, this is a thread derail, but still pinball related at least!!

If you need a pinball expo fix before March, come out to the Houston Arcade Expo.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/2017-houston-arcade-expo#post-3693829

www.arcadecenter.com

Come out and play the P3 some more!!

And yet the result is exactly the same. I don't care how you want to rationalize it for yourself, man. If I'm bringing exactly 2 games, I'm better off not bringing anything at all. Any other amount of games 1, 3, 4, 5, 6....there's probably a good reason for me to bring them. More than that, I end up with wasted tickets for sure.

When the f--k did making a rational decision instead of willingly being decieved by things like "free!" become the *negative* thing to do?

Probably because the hotel didn't realize the others were a no show until Thursday or Friday. Thanks to an insesative few, the rest of us are inconvenienced.

Geez, online they basically make it sound like the whole bill ($339) is non-refundable no matter what. That's a little brutal. What gives?

Time to book your room for #TPF2018! Show dates are March 16-18, 2018!

We know, we know... we haven't even fully recovered from the awesomeness that was #TPF2017. We are still working on our show recap, thank you's, and congratulations, but we have been overwhelmed with requests to open the hotel blocks for 2018!

Here is the info for the Embassy Suites and Hyatt House. The Embassy will be undergoing a complete renovation this fall and will be shiny and new for TPF2018! The Hyatt House is the new hotel directly across the street which has received outstanding reviews. The walk from the Hyatt House to the convention center is as short or shorter than the Embassy lobby.

Ready? Set? GO!

Embassy Suites:
https://secure3.hilton.com/en_US/es/reservation/book.htm?inputModule=HOTEL&ctyhocn=DALFSES&spec_plan=CESPBF&arrival=20180309&departure=20180324&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT
or call 972-712-7200and use code "PBF".

Hyatt House:
https://hyatt.com/mt/dallasfrisco.house.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?corp_id=G-TBF2
Enter the dates and the our block code will automatically populate. Or call 972 668 4500, give dates and ask for the Texas Pinball Festival Block.

IMG_7989 (resized).JPG

The Hyatt link isn't working, Ed. And what's the block code?

Are both hotels requiring 1 night no refund deposit. And can someone explain the free drinks thing to me?

I'm guessing this is the Managers happy hour they have for guests. They have free drinks and typically some appetizers. I think it's from 5pm - 9pm.

No worries. I'm not attacking or criticizing you, I just disagree. It's totally okay for us to disagree. I think your games were great and certainly appreciate you bringing them. Farfalla is really a special game and it was totally cool for you to share it. I enjoy sharing my games too.

I usually tell Labnip to go fetch it for me.

Just made my reservation with Hyatt.

Let them know you're there for the Texas Pinball Festival after you give them the dates (they'll ask if you're coming for a specific event).

$129 for a King with a fricking full kitchen and dishwasher ....a DISHWASHER in a hotel room? Geez.

$135 for a 2 bed room with kitchen.

Everything is REFUNDABLE up to 3pm the day before.

Hell with Embassy. That's some serious crap. I'll walk my happy ass right across the street and save $50 a night.

Won't be bringing any games, but I will be coming to my first TPF ever !!!!!

This is Tues -Thurs??

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/monthly.html?year=2018&month=3&country=1

Friday, Saturday, Sunday - 2018

LTG : )

I dont know what happened but the Hyatt app had the dates in the middle of the week?? I didnt think that was right... Ok better just use the posted links

This is what I recommend:
- tell them what you want
- they pour it
- you drink it, tip them and ask for another.

I booked online at the Embassy Suites and included my Hilton Honors number too. It went smooth as can be.

Being this will be my first show....it appears that --THIS IS PLACE to be....

I guarantee it won't be your last either. TPF is addicting!

Hyatt code is TBF2. Put it in the group field.

My first experience at TPF, it was meh... Frisco center was a dive, carpet/floor was taped-up in spots nasty, little to no parking, local parking lot was packed had to park far away at the mall, esp since the baseball games and Dr Pepper star center had games going on.

This needs to go back to the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine,10x nicer hotel and amenities. Grapevine is more centered between both Dallas and Fort Worth.

Well, like Ed said earlier, the Embassy is getting a complete makeover this fall.

won't matter, Gaylord Texan is more of an experience, & family friendly. I am guessing you never been?

Lots of folks companied of issues with the hotel rooms I was just standing in line like most folks waiting to play and could over hear people getting upset about it, thankfully I am local so didn't need to rent but for out-of-towers Gaylord Texan is bar none and next to glass cactus if your into that stuff. The Grapevine mall is further away so less traffic near the convention center, down the road is great wolf lodge which has the indoor water park for the kids, The idea is to play pinball and let the kids swim and play so they pass out at night. Its basically on lake Grapevine. There's also a Hard 8 not too far away as well plus Bass Pro Shop.

TPF out grew Grapevine.
I personally am fine where it's at for now; as I'm highly doubtful the Gaylord will be cheaper or better for the exhibitor.

I don't disagree about it costing more I mean lets face it, its a much nicer hotel and area, but I thought (maybe wrong here) convention center rooms can be opened up to more SQFT.

I know Ed has to secure the TPF spot 1 year in advance but my vote is somewhere else.

If you start brewin' the coffee now, it might be strong enough by opening night

I'm not sure how there was little to no parking, anytime I glanced outside the hotel room window on Saturday the top of the parking deck was empty (like, literally, there was maybe six cars out there). There was overflow parking for trucks at the ballfield, and plenty of parking right across the street in addition to the parking deck at the hotel.

Also... The show is basically at capacity right now, size wise. The room we used at the Grapevine Hilton is 14.4k square feet. The last year the show was held there (2012) it was overflowing, and the lines at peak time were eight folks deep per machine. There was little to no room to actually walk around, and heaven help you if you happened to be chasing around a three year old at the time...

The Anatole is the winner in terms of size, with 45k being their largest single hall. Problem there was they nickle and dimed EVERYBODY... I still want to choke a bitch remembering loadout, watching the hotel workers pull the water containers along the walls the minute the show closed, filling up water bottles in the bathroom, and them screaming that we had to vacate the premises as fast as we could as they were already setting up for another show. Huge mehhhhh. (And there were no perks like parking, or alcohol, or proximity to shopping/eateries. No, Medieval Times didn't count...) One of the organizers would have to chime in for a definitive answer, but it sure sounded like here the name of the game was pay early, often, and more than you wanted to pay. Parking the truck on a side street and fighting some homeless guys for the space was just bonus points?

The current hall we're using in Frisco is 41760 square feet. The hotel from what I've heard talking to Ed and Kim is a lot easier to work with in terms of packages and what they're able to negotiate, and has the advantages of proximity to retail shopping/restaurants (and that's ignoring the food trucks that they've been able to pull in). My fear at this point is that within the next few years we're going to outgrow it to the point that we're going to have to move somewhere else. :[

edit - In case anyone wants to fact check: http://texaspinball.com/tpf/previous-shows/

2014- 2018 - Embassy Suites Frisco
2013 - Hilton Anatole
2007-2012 - Grapevine Hilton
2003-2006 - Holiday Inn Irving
2005 - Arlington

I think the HAL-9000 came out before the WOPR. Is that correct labnip?

I'm not a pinball wizard, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

Marcus

Quiddity knocks it out of the park with the response to Grapevine. While I 100% agree I liked that location (not the hotel but actual location) better it was just WAY to small for TPF.

I'm seeing $150 a night for the Embassy. Thought it was supposed to be $140. Anyone confirm what the rate should be?

Actually on Saturday after lunch the garage was completely full and we drove around it a couple times waiting for someone to back out so we could get a spot. Being a hotel guest and having the garage space sold out for $5 a visitor was actually pretty annoying. On the flip side I heard people complaining they spent the $5 for parking but never could find a space. Next year I will not be driving anywhere on Saturday so my truck can just stay parked without worrying about getting back in.

It'd probably be best if the parking garage was reserved for hotel guests and exhibitors/vendors as another perk. General parking could be across the street and would limit a lot of the traffic that was 'lost' trying to find parking and avoid the reserved food truck areas.

If the paid deposit is keeping you from booking a room, you can always book a non-TPF rate and not pay a deposit.

I believe my room was $189/night and it did not require a deposit.

Just another option for those that might be interested.

Marcus

Room booked, I think the non-refundable deposit is stupid. Another example where a few screw it up for everyone.

I love that my wife blew this up 4 hours before I even saw it.

Damn.

Also, TPF has never been @ the Gaylord...that's a whole other place.

If there are two beds in the room, rate is increased to $150. I changed from 2 Queen beds to 1 King and my rate dropped to $140.

As much as my Fort Worth living self would love for this to be at the Gaylord, I'm not sure it is big enough yet. Frisco has 90,000 sqft of space, Gaylord's exhibit hall is 179,000 sqft with up to 400,000 sqft available. I personally love the Gaylord, but we would not get close to filling it at this point. I will probably stay a few miles away and pay the $70 a night for a room with a kitchen again next year. I'm cheap like that.

As far as parking, I don't believe the garage was opened to non-guests. I parked along the street behind the hotel all weekend. Short walk and still free.

Pfft. Yeah..I can just imagine the room rates at the actual Gaylord. And yes, the road is called Gaylord, because it's nearby, but that wasn't where TPF was...

If you were to book @ Gaylord Texan next year for TPF weekend, check in on Thursday, 3 night stay, their online rate right now is 861 bucks... I'd expect MAYBE MAAAAAYBE 750 discounted rate? There's just no way in hell I'd be staying there, and I bet many would agree that over 200 bucks a night is completely ludicrous. Let's all hope it never comes to that....

*Edit* When your hotel room costs as much or more as renting an apartment for a month...

That sh1t has got to stop. Booking a room 1year in advance and the mfer sells out?

I appreciate what the organizers have done with the show... but this "premier show" thing may start to be come a serious problem.

Madman Across The Water deep track reference?

I'm booked at the Hyatt!

I don't know know about the "only two rooms left" comment. I was told a couple days ago when I made my reservation that there was only one room left and a number of people have obviously booked since then.