May 9-12 works for me and UncleBeer.
I’m interested in hearing from people on this issue as well. I’ve never been to a ChiDope and I don’t know where most of the action normally centers around. I plan on doing some sight seeing while I’m there as well. How did this work out for people in the past? How late does the train run? How much of a difference was there between rates at this hotel and hotels downtown?
Thanks,
Demo
Demo, last year UncleBeer and I stayed downtown (even though I’m a local) to be close to the action (which, for that particular fest, was right downtown). I believe the hotel was between $150 and $175, plus exhorbitant parking fees. Jane’s hotel near O’Hare was about $70 a night, IIRC - perhaps a bit less. The El runs 24 hours a day, with stops anywhere from every few minutes during rush hour, to every half hour or so in the middle of the night. Here’s a link to an El map along with schedules if you click a station. The Blue Line runs from O’Hare to downtown and then west to Forest Park.
I’m having surgery then. 
I really wanted to go…
I’d like to point out that May 11 is Mother’s Day (I just found this out today) so if there’s any festivities taking place that Sunday, I may be ducking out on at least part of them, depending on what we plan for my Mom this year.
Mother’s Day? Ugh. Well, shouldn’t affect festivities for Friday and Saturday, anyway. I hope it doesn’t affect attendance too much.
Sorry, hadn’t poked my head in here for a while. Answers to Jane D’oh!'s :smack: questions:
a) yes
b) Please, oh please!
c) definitely not; it was just dandy last time and thank you ever so much again!
c[sub]2[/sub]) At least one. Plus praising your name to all who will listen. I do hope you’ll attend more events this time, though!
I didn’t mention in the above that I plan to be very flexible on the date. If it’s Mother’s day, that’s cool, since current plan is to bring the whole clan along.
I also stayed in a Jane D’oh hotel room last year (“Are you a doctor?” “No, but I did stay in a Jane D’oh hotel room last night.”) ahd the rooms are fab. The train(s) run(s) fairly often (there is that whole “colder than ice fucking” deal, but that just comes with it being Chicago).
Can I be hungover for Mother’s Day?
The answer is a resounding YES! The child brings me breakfast in bed anyway.
Here’s some stuff going on that weekend, if people are interested:
(Most of it comes from here, which gives you a good idea of all the theaters, flower shows, etc. going on. )
Art Chicago 2003 at Navy Pier. More than 200 modern and contemporary galleries representing more than 2,500 artists worldwide participate in this celebrated international art exposition. It’s $12 a person, but they do have group rates for the arty dopers.
Ravinia is an outdoor venue for classical music. It is a great time if you want to hang out, drink wine, and listen to some great music in a calm, wonderful surrounding. It is a bit north of Chicago, but only a quick Metra train ride away. I highly recommend it.
Architecture River Tours. Although I’ve never done it, I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.
And some other stuff for interested people:
The Field Museum
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Museum of Science and Industry
The Adler Plane_arium
The Shedd Aquarium
The Museum of Contemporary Art
Just some early ideas for y’all.
Screwed up one link:
I will be there, assuming that I have a contract (i.e., income) by then.
No, thank you; I’ll be booking my own.
Definitely “no, thank you”. I will not be booking at O’Hare.
Despite my answers to b) and c), I will certainly buy you a drink – you deserve it (and more) for the effort you’re putting forth.
I’ll be there, barring unforseen circumstances. I’ll probably need a hotel room, but I’m not 100% sure yet. If I need one, I’d gladly take the cheap one at the airport (though, how much to ride the train?), being a poor college student and all.
If they’d let me in the bars, I’d buy you a drink. 
El rides are (I think) $1.50 per ride. You have to buy a fare card.
Just confirming: the El is $1.50 for a one-way fare, and a transfer (valid for two rides within two hours) costs .30 extra. You get the fare cards at any El station; you’ll probably end up buying one at O’Hare, putting $5-$10 on it, and using it for the whole weekend.
Just confirming my attendance. Oh, and Jane, I’ll need a room.
Mother’s Day?
Well, OK, but if Mom kicks my ass, I’m holding the entire city of Chicago responsible!
Canby, prolly not so much. But we’ll know more as the date approaches.
Not sure what I’m doing about hotels yet – I generally prefer to stay downtown, but if a bunch of people are staying at the airport, I might join the all-night party there. They have suites at that hotel? – I’m claustrophobic.
[sub]fixed coding[/sub]
a) Yes
b) I dunno. How late does everyone plan on hanging out? I haven’t decided yet if I’ll stay at the hotel or go home for the night. Would anyone be willing to let me crash on their floor if I don’t want to (or can’t) drive home?
c) Don’t mind
2nd c) I will
Another note about the el cards–if you put on $10 at one time, you get an extra $1.00. So if you think you’ll use it enough, put in at least $10.00 (and if you don’t think you will, maybe pool money with another person to buy one jointly).
Or, if you expect to be riding around sightseeing, you can buy a Visitor’s Pass.