48 replies to this topic

[Bonaparte]

KimT, on 22 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

Sorry, but the only date we could get everything to add up for our daughter's baptism is on the 4th of June.

I'm out  

This is the first Event I've ever missed

Nooooooooo  

That sucks Kim... damn... just now that we seem to have found a hotel.

IMPORTANT:

I just called with Superkalle and we are gonna go for the hotel number 1 (Sunningdale Park). It's really in a nice environment, still close to the park and not too expensive.

Details will soon follow (how to do payment, etc.) so stay tuned!

As KimT can't come   and Holodoc's son won't come along (confirmed to me by the Doc) it means:

6 twin rooms, 2 single rooms and something for the Superkalle family (1 room with double bed and 1 twin room?)

[Trent]

Superkalle, on 22 March 2011 - 01:36 PM, said:

OK, update:
Called Royal Holloway University of London - 24 rooms available, 25 pounds to 50 pounds per nite - however, no social space available for evening activites. Placed in mostly a resedential area in Surrey. Pretty far from Legoland. Doesn't sound so promisigin.

Just in case you were wondering, it's less than 5 miles from RHUL to Legoland and it's on a public bus route to Windsor as well.  I know this because I studied there for 3 years.  :)

I would be very surprised if you weren't allowed in the student bars or if you couldn't negotiate with someone there on the day for a room to use, but if that happened, there are heaps of bars around the campus and in the local town which are quiet and friendly.  As it's summer, there's acres of land to be outside too - it's a very green, forest filled campus and gorgeous to be outside in during the summer.  The bedrooms are pretty huge as well, so it's easy to cram into one or two to do Lego-style activities.  

Anyway, it seems that you're all sorted - but it might be helpful for future reference.  :)

Edited by Trent, 22 March 2011 - 09:34 PM.

[Sir Norman Ray]

I have to say guys, I like this hotel :) In fact, I just got a reconmendation of it!
My sister had a work conference there when it handled civil service venues. She loved it, and is amazed this is the one we should be going for!
Also, I;d like to say I'm sorry for not being much help. I was looking around at hotels, I will admit, but sadly, I live too far away from London to know enough about it. I was looking into the main chains you see on TV here in the UK.

-Sir Norman Ray.

[Ras 74]

Thanks for helping me out guys  
The first option of Hotel never came up during my attempts (maybe because I looked on the list I made of rooms).

KimT, on 22 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

Sorry, but the only date we could get everything to add up for our daughter's baptism is on the 4th of June.

I'm out  

This is the first Event I've ever missed

I am really sorry to hear that Kim, but at the same time glad. It is an important day for your family.

[Quarryman]

Bonaparte, on 22 March 2011 - 08:46 PM, said:

IMPORTANT:

I just called with Superkalle and we are gonna go for the hotel number 1 (Sunningdale Park). It's really in a nice environment, still close to the park and not too expensive.

That's great to hear, it does look like a good choice. (I'm especially happy about this one:

Quote

Techie: Free internet access throughout

KimT, on 22 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

Sorry, but the only date we could get everything to add up for our daughter's baptism is on the 4th of June.

I'm out  

This is the first Event I've ever missed

Sorry to hear that, but family must come first. I'm sure you'll make a strong return next year.

[Superkalle]

What about the Legoland tickets? The booking agency I talked to can arrange corporate priced tickets at £25 a day. Is this a good price?

[Bonaparte]

Superkalle, on 23 March 2011 - 03:05 PM, said:

What about the Legoland tickets? The booking agency I talked to can arrange corporate priced tickets at £25 a day. Is this a good price?

I'm not yet sure how many days we'll be in LEGOland. Maybe safer to book them when we are there? Unless Ras has a clear view?

[Ras 74]

I do not since Jan haven´t got back to me about some details.
But I guess this will be on the Friday, but not for the full day.
So we still have to await that for a bit. I will get back to that, and some other things.
But for that I will start a new thread as soon as some other things is out of the (my) way.

[Superkalle]

Ras 74, on 23 March 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

But for that I will start a new thread as soon as some other things is out of the (my) way.

Oki-doki. In order for us to get the £25 entrance fee, we probably need to pre-book, but I don't know how many days in advance. I'll check it out.

About hotel reservations, I'm getting the final booking setup tomorrow, but this is most likely how it will work:

Each of us will ourselves book our room using a common booking code (to get the good price). It will then work as an ordinary hotel booking, i.e. erach person responsible for one room each have to contact the hotel, leave a credit card number (for assurance), and then be responsible to pay, or possibly cancel if that is needed. This way we make it simple for all involved. But like I said - i'll be back with the details tomorrow  

Please also note that the social room is free for hotel quests. For all others coming to the event, and wanting you join in the fun in the evenings (building, chatting, competing, having the odd beer etc), there might be a small fee (a few pounds).

OK, that's it for now...

EDIT: Just got reply from the YOuth Hostel central Booking - no Youth Hostels available in the vincinity for all of us. Not that it matters, but good to know I suppose.

[Holodoc]

Okay guys, thank you so much for working this out!

As Boney already pointed out, I'm on myself this year again, so I'm a lot more liberal in the accomodation questions.
I'm glad with everything you got so far. In my opinion it was the right decision to go for a hotel where we all can gather together and not stay in single B&B's.
About the tickets: I want to buy a MERLIN annual pass in Windsor to also visit Legoland Germany this year. Depending on the date of next years event, this would be the best option for the most of us, allowing us to visit Billund next year for free!


That's really sad to read KimT... but, yes, family comes first. Well, mostly...

[Bonaparte]

Holodoc, on 23 March 2011 - 09:58 PM, said:

About the tickets: I want to buy a MERLIN annual pass in Windsor to also visit Legoland Germany this year. Depending on the date of next years event, this would be the best option for the most of us, allowing us to [b]visit Billund next year for free!

Yes, you are right about that. And we'll just make sure that next years event (Billund) will be before end of May 2012 so we can use the same pass!

[Sir Norman Ray]

Bonaparte, on 23 March 2011 - 10:04 PM, said:

Yes, you are right about that. And we'll just make sure that next years event (Billund) will be before end of May 2012 so we can use the same pass!

Actually, have to agree to that! I could either get a cheap flight or do a road trip from the Eurostar! And visit mainland Europe for the first time in a decade.

-Sir Norman "Wait, me in Europe?" Ray.

[Quarryman]

Holodoc, on 23 March 2011 - 09:58 PM, said:

About the tickets: I want to buy a MERLIN annual pass in Windsor to also visit Legoland Germany this year. Depending on the date of next years event, this would be the best option for the most of us, allowing us to visit Billund next year for free!

Hmm, where did you find that information about the Merlin annual pass? I've been reading on both Legoland Windsor's website and at http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/ without finding anything better than

Quote

One FREE entry to each of the other LEGOLAND Parks

[Ras 74]

Quarryman, on 24 March 2011 - 07:41 AM, said:

Hmm, where did you find that information about the Merlin annual pass? I've been reading on both Legoland Windsor's website and at http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/ without finding anything better than.

That is how it used to be at least. We have to look into this matter for sure.
It used to be that it was valid for a full year.

[Holodoc]

Quarryman, on 24 March 2011 - 07:41 AM, said:

Hmm, where did you find that information about the Merlin annual pass? I've been reading on both Legoland Windsor's website and at http://www.merlinannualpass.co.uk/ without finding anything better than

I swear I read that information yesterday when visiting the legoland.de website. I was quite amazed to read that Windsor was to be visited for free for one complete year with the Merlin pass.
Today when I check back the information I cannot find it anymore... Just Billund seems to be part of the Merlin annual pass.

I will tell you more about it, when I'm at home and have checked my recently visited websites.

[Superkalle]

Hello all

1) About Legoland tickets for our group: It's 25 pounds per person per day. The days and persons need to be decided in advance, and all tickets need to be payed at once (not possible to allow individual participants to pay separately). Normal entryfee at Legoland Windsor 41 pounds (from what I was told). If we want to do a group booking, I'm gladly handing that over to someone else to arrange that and handle all the money re-inbursements.

2) About Sunningdale Park. It is a conference center during the week and I was just informed that therefore they allow children only for weekends. This is a big setback for me as I was planning to take my family like Dfenz did last year. I'm looking into alternative solutions for my family. Anyway, for all the rest of you guys, the booking details are now clear:
a) The rooms are reserved until 13th of may, so you have until then to pay. When you pay, you pay a 10%, non-refundable booking fee. After that you have until noon the day before arrival to cancel, and you will then only loose the 10%.
b) The rooms are like mentioned £65 for twin, including breakfast, and £55 for single.
c) Booking the room will be done by each room-responsible calling and stating a booking code to get the good rate. I'll get back with that info.
d) The social room is available for us after 18.00 for free. If we want something before, we might have to pay for it.

[Holodoc]

Thanks Superkalle for the info!

I'm glad with the hotel you figured out (thanks God my son is not attending), but I propose one person collects all the money and does the booking for all eventees.
That might be easier if a british member would be so kind to do that...

And we need a new room-division. As I said somewhere else, I'm happy with any member to share a room.

[Superkalle]

Holodoc, on 24 March 2011 - 06:35 PM, said:

Thanks Superkalle for the info!

I'm glad with the hotel you figured out (thanks God my son is not attending), but I propose one person collects all the money and does the booking for all eventees.
That might be easier if a british member would be so kind to do that...

And we need a new room-division. As I said somewhere else, I'm happy with any member to share a room.

Are you talking about collecting all the money for the LEGOland tickets, because then yes, it is needed that someone helps with that (in case we go for those group tickets).

However for the hotel, the idea is that everyone reserves and pays for it themselves. Then we avoid that whole process of one person has to collect the money etc.

Regarding room for you Holodoc, you are now teamed up with the very nice Mr. Etzel  

[Sir Norman Ray]

Superkalle, on 24 March 2011 - 06:39 PM, said:

Are you talking about collecting all the money for the LEGOland tickets, because then yes, it is needed that someone helps with that (in case we go for those group tickets).

However for the hotel, the idea is that everyone reserves and pays for it themselves. Then we avoid that whole process of one person has to collect the money etc.

Regarding room for you Holodoc, you are now teamed up with the very nice Mr. Etzel

If no other British members who are going says so, I'll do the dirty deed if needed. Least I could do.

-Sir Norman "With a small, 5% transaction fee of course..." Ray.

[Bonaparte]

Holodoc, on 24 March 2011 - 06:35 PM, said:

I'm glad with the hotel you figured out (thanks God my son is not attending), but I propose one person collects all the money and does the booking for all eventees.
That might be easier if a british member would be so kind to do that...

Why would you prefer that? The drawback to that approach is that a lot of money needs to go to one member (international transfer?) and he needs to pay everything with his visa/mastercard for all of us at checkout (and seems most of the UK members will not stay at the hotel). Instead of sending our money to a member, why not directly do it with the hotel? Less dependencies, less complex, ...

Superkalle, on 24 March 2011 - 04:02 PM, said:

2) About Sunningdale Park. It is a conference center during the week and I was just informed that therefore they allow children only for weekends. This is a big setback for me as I was planning to take my family like Dfenz did last year. I'm looking into alternative solutions for my family.

This means you only need to stay one night (2nd of June) in a B&B (or something else), right? From Friday onwards (3rd) you can just move to the hotel so we are all at the same place.

[Superkalle]

OK, update

Since children cannot stay during the weekdays, I'm looking into other accomodation for those days.

Right now I'm waiting for confirmation that the group discount is still valid even though we cancel two twin rooms for a number of days.
I will get info tomorrow.

Hang on  

[Dazmundo]

Holodoc, on 23 March 2011 - 09:58 PM, said:

About the tickets: I want to buy a MERLIN annual pass in Windsor to also visit Legoland Germany this year. Depending on the date of next years event, this would be the best option for the most of us, allowing us to visit Billund next year for free!

From the Merlin Annual Pass Website

Merlin FAQ said:

Is my Annual Pass valid in the International Attractions?

Both Standard and Premium Merlin Annual Passes are valid at our UK attractions only.

I assume the same applies to German Annual passes.

D

Ah just looked up the Legoland pass, that allows you

Legoland Website said:

One FREE entry to each of the other LEGOLAND Parks
    *      LEGOLAND Billund - Denmark
    *      LEGOLAND Deutschland - Germany
    *      LEGOLAND California - USA

D

[Holodoc]

Thank you for the heads-up Dazmundo.

I checked my notebook again - and wasn't able to find the information I was 100% sure to have read...
So there is no big bargain in buying the MERLIN annual pass this time as it only allows us to enter the park in Billund next year once.

And about the money transfer thing - I have to admit my thoughts took the wrong exit somewhere...
You're absolutely right, it makes more sense if everybody is paying individually and directly to the hotel.

So how much and to whom?

[Bonaparte]

Holodoc, on 29 March 2011 - 12:08 PM, said:

So how much and to whom?

Very soon there will appear a new pinned topic containing all that info for booking the hotelroom (that's why I unpinned all the 'old' event threads).

Actually, the topic is already there but you can't see it yet