According to this article (keep in mind it's from an Anaheim/LA paper) the San Diego Comic Con, where our 'GatchaCon' takes place every year, might move to Anaheim! I'd certainly be up for a joint Comic Con/Disneyland trip every year! http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/20/business/la-fi-comic-con20-2010mar20

Interesting .... in three years hmmmm? We will see what happens. I had to wonder about this line though, The organizers are contemplating a future home with more meeting space and cheaper hotel rooms. How long do you think hotel rooms would stay "cheap" when the owners realize they will have an increase of 125,000 people in their area?

One can only hope 'cheaper' relative to similar rooms in LA. On the other hand, motel operators depend on travelers. Tourist season makes all the difference. An extra $100 tacked onto room prices during the season can determine whether or not the place remains in business at all. (Which does not help the working poor who cannot save the deposit on an apartment, and have to live in motels and extended-stay places tourism-dependent towns.) I live in a smallish town (20,000 people) in Central Georgia. I have one-bedroom apartment for $460 a month (utilities separate). By comparison, a bed-sitter in the Atlanta area starts at about $600 a month (depending on the neighborhood). I don't want to think what one in LA or San Francisco costs.

UW, I'm about an hour north of San Francisco, and I'm paying $1250 for a two bedroom apt. and that is cheap in the area without being subsidized housing. We recently moved out of a 3+ bedroom house that was about to fall down (electrical not up to code, would fail any inspection and owned by a contractor), a bargain in the area at $1800, but we couldn't afford to keep paying that. Though I do wonder at the Anaheim area being cheaper than San Diego. I would have thought it to be the other way around.

FWIW, UW, an extra $100 tacked onto the hotel room price for the San Diego Comic Con would be a steal. Most places are charging 2-4 times their normal 'top rate'. Even high season rates at Disneyland hotels would be cheaper than what they charge for a Comic Con hotel room. So yeah, they'll be pricey, relative to Anaheim rates, but I'm better it would still be cheaper than San Diego rates, because there are so many hotels right next to both Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center.

I was guessing at $100 dollars extra. (If I had a struggling motel, that's probably at least what I'd add in various seasons. I'm also a bit of a softie, and would want to make sure my 'permanent' residents didn't have to scrimp.) $1250 for a two-bedroom apartment!?!? Better be in a very nice neighborhood. (Can find a 1-bedroom in Atlanta for $700 or so, but I can't recall prices on larger. It's all about location.)

$1250 for a two-bedroom apartment!?!? Better be in a very nice neighborhood. (Can find a 1-bedroom in Atlanta for $700 or so, but I can't recall prices on larger. It's all about location.)

The whole street is a cul de sac full of apartments, the nicest ones are on the corner and face onto another street and are currently being remodeled and empty. The street is packed with cars as most buildings only have parking for one car and many are filled with upper-low-income/low-middle-income farm laborers or retail workers. The only thing really nice is everyone works hard yet has no money so there's not much crime as there's nothing to steal. The same can't be said for the nicer area's of town, where people leave their cars unlocked with the keys in them because the whole town has like a 5% crime rate or less mostly drug or dui convictions with the occasional wanna-be-gang-banger or poor-little-rich-kid who decide to jack stereos or joy ride. I can count on my hands the number of rapes and murders we've had in the last five years and I believe the last murder was about three years ago and my husband coached the guy and his brothers in Little League (he killed his step-father who was physically abusive to his mother; we hope he is living well and free in Mexico).

Originally posted by amethyst Though I do wonder at the Anaheim area being cheaper than San Diego. I would have thought it to be the other way around.

Supply and demand. There aren't nearly enough hotels in San Diego that are right next to the Convention Center. They gouge like crazy during Comic Con, simply because they can.

And then cities wonder why the kept loosing conventions to places like Las Vegas or other large tourist draws. I can understand the gouging, I just didn't expect Anaheim to be that much cheaper, but then they probably don't have much seasonal variance, either.

Wow - and you people are talking American dollars too... Suppose you would hate to hear that I pay $700 a month (Australian) for a three bedroom house with a huge yard in a very nice area in the foothills... And that's my mortgage and I'm paying about $200 more than I need to so I can pay the place off faster... I love my little city!

I think when the kids are gone, hubby and I need to retire to Australia. It might work, that's the one country that he would really like to visit.

California isn't cheap for real estate... at least, not in the urban areas. We're one of the most expensive states in the country for that.

Hi all! The thought that Comic Con might leave San Diego and what it would mean to the city hasn't been lost on San Diego either, as these articles attest: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/21/cause-for-con-cern/ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/13/hotels-urged-to-help-keep-comic-con-in-town/ This is something that has been coming for years. The con itself made this obvious they were figuring on leaving at some point when they officially changed their name from San Diego Comic Con to Comic Con International, thereby eliminating the tie to a specific city. There was great expectation that the con would leave town a few years ago, before they signed the contract to keep the con in San Diego through 2012. I would guess that there's only a 50/50 chance that they'll agree stay in San Diego a few more years, and that would only be because the con has been there for 41 years and because the city is bending over backward to get them to stay. However, unless something drastic happens over the next few years to expand the available convention space, that would likely be the last extension the convention would give to the city. Of course, anyone who truly believes that the hotels and motels in Anaheim (Or Los Angeles, or Las Vegas, or any other city that puts in a bid for the convention) won't raise their rates during the convention is fooling themselves. Yes, some hotels will set aside some rooms as part of a "convention block," but you can be sure that all their other rooms will be available for the kind of prices that one would expect to find only on major holiday weekends -- if not higher. It may take a year or two for all of them to catch on, but once the hoteliers figure it out, greed will kick in. I can't help but think that, once Comic Con does inevitably leave San Diego, someone would be smart to start a replacement comic convention in the city during the summer. They might not have the cachet of the name, but the demand for such a convention in San Diego would certainly still be there. James

Hi all! The battle continues. [EMAIL=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/30/battle-for-comic-con-playing-out-on-facebook/]http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/30/battle-for-comic-con-playing-out-on-facebook/[/EMAIL] James

Interesting... They definitely need more space in the convention center, and more available hotel rooms. If Anaheim can provide that, I'm all for the move.

I see that Anaheim has an airport, but do a lot of flights go there? Or would most people have to fly into LAX and then figure out a way to get to Anaheim?

Hi all! Anaheim has no public airport, just the privately owned Orange County Steel Salvage Heliport. Most people would fly into either LAX or John Wayne and take shuttles, buses, or taxis to their destination. James

My mother flew into John Wayne, I think (Orange County, right?) and it is quite small for big planes. Very steep accents and descents. She said she'd never fly into there again.

Oh, I just looked at a list of airport codes, and there was one for Anaheim -it must be very small. According to google maps, LAX is 34 miles (an hour and ten minutes in traffic) from Anaheim whereas the San Diego airport is 2.7 miles (8 minutes) from the San Diego Convention Center. For me, that's a difference that would be significant!

The good thing though is that there are lots of smaller airports around LA area, and Southwest serves them all. I've flown into Orange County/John Wayne many times on Southwest and it's always been easy to do.

Sounds like if the move goes ahead I can persuade hubby about the merits of two holidays in one. Comic Con and disneyworld for little one.

Originally posted by Firebird Sounds like if the move goes ahead I can persuade hubby about the merits of two holidays in one. Comic Con and disneyworld for little one.

Regardless, you could do that, FB. Disneyland is about a 90 minute drive (maybe less, if traffic is good) from San Diego. Legoland is close by too, although I guess you already are close to a Legoland in the UK.

Hi all! One aspect of moving the convention to Anaheim that could be a major bother to con-goers that hasn't been mentioned is cosplay. Disney has a long-standing dislike of anyone other than their own personnel wearing costumes of any sort on Disney property (Okay, little girls who are wearing Disney princess costumes their parents bought there are also allowed). Several conventions I've attended at the Anaheim Convention Center have all had to prominently remind con attendees that, while their costumes are quite welcome at the convention, they can't wear them at the Disney hotels, Downtown Disney, and (Of course) the two Disney parks. Now, I realize that this might inconvenience a relatively small portion of all the people attending the convention, but it is something that I hope they're considering. James

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all! One aspect of moving the convention to Anaheim that could be a major bother to con-goers that hasn't been mentioned is cosplay. Disney has a long-standing dislike of anyone other than their own personnel wearing costumes of any sort on Disney property (Okay, little girls who are wearing Disney princess costumes their parents bought there are also allowed). Several conventions I've attended at the Anaheim Convention Center have all had to prominently remind con attendees that, while their costumes are quite welcome at the convention, they can't wear them at the Disney hotels, Downtown Disney, and (Of course) the two Disney parks. Now, I realize that this might inconvenience a relatively small portion of all the people attending the convention, but it is something that I hope they're considering. James

I would too, considering I would not want to have to cary my costume to the Convention building only to line up and put it on, and then have to carry around my regular clothing all day. I am aware there are probably lockers available to put clothing items in, but I am cheep, I do not want to pay for a locker if I have a room to keep my stuff safe in.

As a (completely amateur) cosplayer, I find that information interesting! I hadn't realized that. However, the Anaheim convention center, while within walking distance of Disneyland, isn't on Disney property, and in fact is a few blocks away (okay, a couple of reeeeeeally long blocks). If you are staying at a convention center hotel, then this isn't a problem, unless you're specifically planning to walk over to Disney without changing out of your costume. The Disney 'good neighbor' hotels aren't actually Disney hotels either (just outside hotel chains that offer Disney packages) and are not on Disney property. I don't know how much they would enforce these rules. There are only 3 hotels on the Disney property (Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian) and they are not only more expensive than many of the other hotels, but not the most convenient to the convention center. Yes, cosplayers might be limited (slightly) in which hotels they can stay at, but I can't see this being a major problem... unless I'm missing something? I guess if you're staying at a hotel on the other side of the Disneyland Resort and want to walk through it to get to the Convention center, you might be in trouble wearing cosplay... Here's what I mean. This is a map of the area around the convention center, and the closest hotels. (There are other hotels just off this map, but these are the closest ones.) Disney only owns the large green block, and not even all of that (I don't believe they own the Candy Cane inn, for example). They do NOT own the Anaheim Convention center (the smaller green block). So I would think that if you stayed in one of the hotels in the blue or yellow areas and went to the convention center and not onto Disney property, you'd be fine. Am I missing something, James?

Hi all! The restrictions on costumes would only apply to locations on Disney-owned property (Which I said), not to areas outside of Disney. That is why I specifically listed the Disney-owned hotels, the Disney parks, and Downtown Disney, but not any of the non-Disney properties, like the convention center. As I said, costumes are welcome at the convention itself, and as far as I know from the conventions I've been to in the past, neither the Marriott not the Hilton havbe problems with convention guests in costumes. The problems would arise only if people if costumes wished to travel on the Disney property, which could cut off three of the larger nearby hotels from use by cosplayers. It would also cause problems for anyone in a costume who wished to take advantage of the restaurants in Downtown Disney for their meals (Since, without going there, your choices in the area are pretty much limited to fast food, Denny's, Mimi's, and IHOP). Again, as I said, this would likely inconvenience a relatively small portion on con-goers, but it is still an aspect worthy of consideration. James

Okay, I'm glad I had my understanding right! Frankly, I don't think it would inconvenience me, because I'd much rather stay at the hotels closer to the convention center than one of the few properties on the other side of the Disneyland Resort. I wouldn't likely be going to lunch on Disney property, given that I'd rather be at the Con during that time. For dinner, I would definitely consider going to a Disney restaurant, but no matter where I eat, I'd be stopping by my hotel room to change out of my costume, first.

Hi all! But there are others who would prefer to do things differently than you, like those who are bringing family who would want to attend the Disney parks while they go to the convention, and would want to stay at the Disney hotels for their sake, or those who wouldn't want to (Or aren't in a position to) change out of their costumes before dining. For people in those situations, this should be considered, not dismissed out of hand. James

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Hi all! The restrictions on costumes would only apply to locations on Disney-owned property (Which I said), not to areas outside of Disney. That is why I specifically listed the Disney-owned hotels, the Disney parks, and Downtown Disney, James

Sorry I did not see that in my quick scan of your post James. And also my lack of knowledge of Anaheim did not help. Thank you for the map of the area TJ.

Wow, I didn't realize that the Convention Center is directly across the street from Disneyland! That's really cool!

Hi all! An interesting article on reasons why Comic Con should stay in San Diego: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/geeking-it-up/five-reasons-why-comic-con-sho/ And that article was published in an Orange COunty paper, where Anaheim is located... Also interesting, and taking more of a "There's good and bad about both choices" view at the subject, is this: http://www.comicsbeat.com/2010/03/25/battle-for-the-immortal-soil-of-comic-con-international-expands/ Like I said, interesting... James

Thanks for posting those, James! They both provide an interesting perspective.

Thank you for keeping us updated James. Those are interesting reads. It will be interesting to see what the officials decide.

Hi all! And yet another article, this one from the San Diego Union-Tribune: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/11/comic-con-anaheim-just-doesnt-seem-right/ James

Thank you James. Makes me think if Anaheim is going to be chosen then the city is going to have to do some changes to "entertain" and feed more than just families with children. But maybe they are already thinking of all this and are ready to change.

LOL, great article, but I think the author is clearly biased. Still, he makes some interesting points.

Hi all!

LOL, great article, but I think the author is clearly biased. Still, he makes some interesting points.

Admittedly, yes, the writer was biased. That's why I pointed out that the article was from a San Diego newspaper. Here's another one from the L.A. Times: http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/20/business/la-fi-comic-con20-2010mar20 I find the information regarding the number of available hotel rooms to be quite interesting, since a lack of hotel space in San Diego is one of the issues people often complain about. James

I've heard conflicting information on the hotel rooms. The 7,000 rooms in San Diego are apparently within 1 mile of the convention center. But the 4,500 rooms in Anaheim are ACTUALLY walking distance, far less than a mile away.. Apparently, if you increase the radius to within a mile of the Anaheim, Convention center, the rooms go up to 10,000. Not that I've personally counted the rooms. I have just read this on different sites.

Hi all! I'd be interested in seeing that information too. Can you post the links to where you saw it? James

I can't recall exactly where it was, but I did a quick search and I found this: http://www.anaheimoc.org/Articles/Archive/Webpage101039.asp Here's an excerpt from that site: Orange County currently offers approximately 55,000 guest rooms, including more than 150 hotel properties and nearly 20,000 rooms in Anaheim alone. There are more than 12,000 hotel rooms within 1 mile of the Anaheim Convention Center and more than 7,000 in walking distance. Here is a list of our top hotels in Anaheim and the neighboring areas. When I add up the rooms at those 'top hotels' 1 mile or less from the convention center, I come up with over 7,600 rooms. And this is apparently an incomplete list.

Hi all! If you do find it, I would still like to know the source for the information regarding the way the number of rooms in San Diego were judged. Without knowing that, or knowing their bias, it's hard to judge the veracity of the statement. If it came from a random poster on a message board, it's harder to treat it with the same credence I would if it came from a reputable news source (Who, theoretically, are held to a higher standard). The information could very well be 100% accurate (Since, like yourself, it's not as though I've gone around and counted the rooms in either city) but I'd still like to know where it came from. James

The link I posted is the Anaheim/Orange County Visitors and Convention Bureau, which I'd say is a pretty reliable source. I agree that random posts on blogs or message boards are not as reliable.

Hi all! I agree, the info from the Orange County Visitors Bureau is a reliable and accurate source for rooms within a mile of the Anaheim Convention Center, but that has nothing to do with how many rooms there are and how they are dispersed throughout San Diego. If the claims are that San Diego only gets 7,000 rooms if you count all of those within 1 mile of the convention center, not within a short walking distance, I'd like to know where that information is coming from. I'm not saying the claim is wrong, only that I'd like to know where it comes from before I accept it. I'd trust the room numbers given in the L.A. Times article because it's from a reliable newspaper, while the claims to the contrary are from a currently unknown source. James

The San Diego Convention Center site claims that there are 10,000 hotel rooms within one mile of the Convention Center. http://www.visitsandiego.com/attendees/hotelinformation.cfm

Hi all! And even more news: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/apr/28/comic-con-lure-gets-500000-sweetener/ James

So.... they're going to raise hotel costs to increase shuttle service from hotels that are further away. That doesn't sound like a great deal to me. Plus the half million is spread out over 5 years.

Hi all!

So.... they're going to raise hotel costs to increase shuttle service from hotels that are further away. That doesn't sound like a great deal to me.

No, it's not a new fee that they'd be adding on by increasing hotel rates further, it's from an existing fee that people are already paying year round, not just during the con. The money from the fund is used to promote tourism in San Diego, and this is simply a guarantee to allocate that portion of the funds to additional con shuttle use.

Plus the half million is spread out over 5 years.

Yes, and what's wrong with giving a guarantee for $100,000 a year for 5 years? James

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Yes, and what's wrong with giving a guarantee for $100,000 a year for 5 years?

Nothing. It just seems a heck of a lot less impressive that way, than saying 'they're going to give a half million dollars'.

Hi all!

It just seems a heck of a lot less impressive that way, than saying 'they're going to give a half million dollars'.

Perhaps not, but at least the offer they're making would benefit the convention for two years of the current contract, not just the three years of the hoped-for extension. James

Hi all! Some more news: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/04/comiccon-leaders-check-out-la-la-land.html James

Thanks for keeping us updated, James! I guess the organizers are still trying to keep their options open. And why shouldn't they? If there's a bidding war, then they'll come out with the best deal.

Hi all! The latest story from San Diego. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/may/25/comic-con-seeks-bids-from-hotels/ James

That's an interesting article, but there seems to be an underlying tone to it... an implication that perhaps not all of the hotels are willing to sign? I don't know. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. Frankly, though, given the mess of the 'official' Comic Con rooms and the difficulty obtaining one, I'd rather there were fewer as part of this 'agreement', because it would give me a better chance to obtain a reasonably-priced room outside of the Comic Con organization.

Hi all!

That's an interesting article, but there seems to be an underlying tone to it... an implication that perhaps not all of the hotels are willing to sign? I don't know. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it.

I think it's more of a matter of getting in writing the agreements made in the proposals from the city than trying to find out if anyone will back out on their committments.

Frankly, though, given the mess of the 'official' Comic Con rooms and the difficulty obtaining one, I'd rather there were fewer as part of this 'agreement', because it would give me a better chance to obtain a reasonably-priced room outside of the Comic Con organization.

Sadly, no matter what city the convention is being held in, as long as they continue to use Travel Planners for their hotel booking, this will be a problem. Unfortunately, no matter how many complaints they have received regarding Travel Planners, there seems to be a reluctance to taking their business elsewhere. No, I don't know why that is the case. James

Hi all! If anyone wonders what the fuss is all about regarding whether Comic Con stays in San Diego or moves elsewhere, this article might here shed some light on it: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/24/how-much-money-does-comic-con-bring-san-diego/ Also, in case anyone was still wishing to attend, returned memberships have now gone up for sale on the convention website. They can be purchased here: https://www.tradeshowregistrar.com/regsystem15/?event=cc2010 They also are offering membership & hotel combo packages, which can be found here: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci10_more_hotels_memberships.php So, if you want to join us, it's not too late! James

Thank you once again James. I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks to chat with you, and thank you for all the information you provide, face to face.

Hi all!

I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks to chat with you, and thank you for all the information you provide, face to face.

I'm looking forward to it too! It's hard to believe that it's just a couple of weeks away! James

That is what surprises me as well. I have to start preparing for my trip. First Vegas and then the Con to meet everyone. Now that I am done teaching for the summer I am able to start getting excited.

It really is getting close, isn't it? I'm looking forward to meeting people at the Con too!

I am looking forward to meeting you there as well LB. This time we will actually get to see each other instead of just being in the same city at the same time.

not at all jealous, honest. Hope you all have a good time and I hope to make it over....one day.

And I'm leaving tomorrow! I'm trying to catch up on all of the activity here before I'm off again... but I'm looking forward to meeting up with everyone at Con!