A question for HTF members who have been to Chiller Theatre in New Jersey... (1 Viewer)

I'm currently in the process of saving up money for the Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey in October. I have a fund of money left to me and my brother after my Mom died that can help for certain activities. My brother will be utilizing funds from there to finance a trip to New Zealand. I myself will be utilizing some of the funds to cover the cost of staying at the hotel where Chiller Theatre is held for all 3 days of the event. The thing is, this will be my first time making hotel reservations, and I have some questions. For one, do you pay for the room before you go or when your stay ends? For another, how much should be withdrawn to cover the costs associated with a visit? I'm thinking of withdrawing 1500 dollars from the fund to cover the hotel room as well as expenses that may come up.

It's rather important that I find out as soon as possible. This is going to be my first time doing something on my own like this. All previous vacations I've been on have been with family, and as exciting as this will be for me to do something solo, it's also a little nerve-wracking.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

I actually went once in 2005, but it was just for one day, and it was rather spur of the moment. This visit, on the other hand, will be for the whole thing and I'm doing the planning now.

I have no knowledge of the process for the Chiller expo, but have dealt with hotels.

You will need to provide a credit card to secure the reservation and to check into most hotels. You generally "settle up" the bill when you check out at the end of your stay (the room rate plus any "extras" you may have charged to the room like movies, room service, phone calls, mini-bar, etc.) unless you've purchased some special rate package that requires pre-payment. They'll want your credit card on file in case they have to charge you for any missing items (towels, etc.) or damage to the room.

If you're hoping to stay at the same hotel where the expo is being held, be sure and tell them this when you reserve your room as they may have special rates for attendees, or may have rooms available ONLY for attendees. You should contact the hotel and reserve your room ASAP.

I'd think $1500 would be plenty for a 3-day stay in NJ. I'd expect the room to be in the $120-150 range per night. Not sure what your other expenses may be other than meals. Assuming you will have a credit card (as you'll need one to check into the hotel), you can use that if you're short of cash.

Thanks for the tips, Malcolm. I'll be sure to keep them in mind. As stated, this is my first time doing something like this solo. This is very exciting for me.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

As someone who has been interviewing celebrities since 2006, this is something I am REALLY looking forward to.

Rooms at the hotel hosting the event will likely go fast, especially if they offer a good rate, so call them right away. They'll want your card number, but (usually) won't actually charge you anything up front. They may put a hold on one night's charge when you check in. Again, make sure you ask -- these things sometimes vary, especially with special rates. If they aren't offering a special rate, or are booked up, I would start hitting the travel deal sites now and book something as a standby. *Most* of the time, you can cancel up to 24 hours or so before the stay, but that varies, so check to be sure. If they're full at the special rate, call them back frequently to check cancellations. Also, if there's a discussion board for the event, you might find someone looking for a roommate. Splitting the cost is nice, although agreeing to room with a stranger can be. . .interesting. (Right, Craig? )

Also, try to budget as you go. It's very easy on trips like this to drop a few bucks here and a few bucks there, then when you see your credit card statement, think "how the heck did I spend all that in three days?!?!?!" Trust me on that one. . .

John, you are going to post your experiences at this event aren't you? I know I'm interested in reading about it. What actors/monsters are you most interested in meeting?

Well, Johnny, they haven't even started announcing guests for the October event. They're still concentrating on the April event. I do have some suggestions that I'll be making for guests on the Chiller Theatre Facebook page when the April one wraps up. As for writing about my experiences, I might do a piece for Bilateral Warp about it.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

As for who I'd like to meet, as a fan of 80s pop culture, any talent from that decade would be a tremendous honor to meet.