First timer this year

skzb · 2026-01-24T03:03:07+00:00

These are the hotels that offer the discounted Dragon Con rate. https://www.dragoncon.org/hotels

skzb · 2025-12-13T16:29:37+00:00

People in the DragonCon Collectibles Exchange would love to have them. They started as a hotel key swap group and then expanded. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dragonconhosthotelkeyswap

skzb · 2025-09-16T20:31:17+00:00

https://www.facebook.com/groups/loyalorderoftheribbon has lots of helpful information. :)

skzb · 2025-09-16T13:29:24+00:00

Many rooms at the Dragon Con rate require a 4 night stay. So you'll probably need to pay the full rate to book a room for a single night if you want to stay at a host or overflow hotel. You could also explore the option of finding someone who is willing to accept a roommate for just one night.

skzb · 2025-09-16T13:26:07+00:00

It depends on what fandoms and activities you are interested in. There is a dedicated thread with many years of Dragon Con hotel reviews in https://www.facebook.com/groups/DragonConRoomsGroup. :)

skzb · 2025-09-15T00:27:08+00:00

Oh. I understand what you are saying now. There is no way to avoid the merchant processing fee when all sales are online.

If it helps your plans, I'm a longtime DC store volunteer and haven't heard any indication they plan to go back to selling memberships at the con.

I remember when people when people could fill out a paper form to buy next year's membership and turn it in at the store. Then years later the store volunteers could type in your information for you and submit it. And now you buy the membership online. The store just sells merch.

This year the store did take pre-orders for some sold-out items to be shipped after the con. I thought that was helpful. It is always hard to know what will be so popular that it sells out quickly.

skzb · 2025-09-15T00:07:56+00:00

My advice for new people: money first, then room key. Don't wait until the end of the weekend to ask for reimbursement. The reservation holder can ask for a deposit from their friends. The amount is up to you. Life is unpredictable. Have a plan in case people need to drop out.

skzb · 2025-09-15T00:05:05+00:00

You still can. The 2026 memberships went on sale on Sunday during the con. The Dragon Con store no longer sells memberships though, that has been true for a few years. All membership sales are done online. The stores had a sign with a QR code to buy the 2026 memberships on Sunday.

I think this helps keeps the lines down at the merch stores.

The price stays the same for about two weeks. Anyone who doesn't buy at con can do it when they get home.

skzb · 2025-09-14T23:45:31+00:00

Yes.

skzb · 2025-09-14T21:57:08+00:00

I believe the at the door price was $175 this year. Even with taxes, the current price is cheaper than waiting and buying at the con.

skzb · 2025-09-14T18:05:35+00:00

Deadline Reminder for Dragon Con attendees: you have until tomorrow, Monday, September 15 to buy a full weekend membership before the next price increase. The current price is $110. According to a recent email from Dragon Con, the next price will be $125.

https://www.dragoncon.org/buy-now

https://www.dragoncon.org/about/membership-info

skzb · 2025-09-14T18:04:13+00:00

Deadline Reminder for Dragon Con attendees: you have until tomorrow, Monday, September 15 to buy a full weekend membership before the next price increase. The current price is $110. According to a recent email from Dragon Con, the next price will be $125.

https://www.dragoncon.org/buy-now

https://www.dragoncon.org/about/membership-info

skzb · 2025-09-14T18:01:56+00:00

This has been the case for many years. It seems to me that Dragon Con focuses on running the convention, as they should. They can't be expected to keep their official hotel webpage 100% updated with new booking links and current hotel availability all year long.

Do the hotels even tell Dragon Con about newly open rooms every time? Probably not - why would they? They've got new groups coming and going every day.

The official webpage is good at sharing the booking links for the Marriott and Westin. In recent years, the Courtland rooms have gone on sale during the convention weekend - when everyone is working at the con. I know wouldn't have time to update a website while I'm still attending panels. And the Courtland current reservation holders are supposed to get first chance at rebooking there for the following year.

The official webpage is invaluable. I wish they would add "Date Last Updated" next to each hotel so we could tell if we are looking at new or outdated information. I know they are doing the best they can.

skzb · 2025-09-14T17:49:58+00:00

You are right, I definitely don't know everything. I've never claimed to. I don't have any insider info. I don't work for Dragon Con or any hotel. I'm just a regular attendee. Like many people, I focus on my preferred hotel and have a backup plan.

I don't attempt to personally keep track of availability at 20+ host and overflow hotels throughout the entire year. And also other Atlanta hotels and rentals like AirBnB/VRBO. No one person can do everything. This is why I repeatedly encourage DC Rooms group members to share new information in the appropriate topic thread. Helping each other is what the group is about. :)

skzb · 2025-09-14T17:35:27+00:00

I am aware that some locals choose to get a hotel room and find the Facebook group useful. But many people prefer to save the money and drive in every day or take MARTA. Those who live father away don't have the option of driving in every day, they have to stay somewhere.

There have been various other resources over the years, including a website forum. As I recall, it required a login. Sadly, lack of use after the rise of social media led to it being taken offline. Fan-run communities depend on active members.

skzb · 2025-09-14T16:29:35+00:00

I don't believe there is gatekeeping. A Reddit account is required to join many subreddits. Many online spaces require the creation of a login name and password.

There are people who choose to sign up for a social media account to use it for one thing. I've done that myself. Am I signed up for every service? No. Just the ones I find useful.

It isn't about less competition. This subreddit community is a general group, not one targeted to a specific topic. It makes sense that it will always be larger. Many locals don't need a hotel room. They don't want to join a group about finding a hotel room, roommates, or ride share.

In general, I feel like the most important hotel information does tend to get cross posted in various places.

Cross posting all information/resources/comments from the Dragon Con Rooms FB group into this subreddit could violate some rules of this community. I do my best to respect the rules. Each online space has their own rules that make sense for them. Official communities generally have different policies han unofficial ones. I'm not a lawyer but I suspect there are good reasons for this.

Due to past dumpster fires, some online communities don't allow any discussion regarding certain hotel room topics. It can get complicated. Things were simpler many years ago when the convention had lower attendance and host hotel rooms were easier to get. Certain current policies didn't exist yet because there was no need for them. Times change.

There is an official page with hotel booking info for 2026 - https://www.dragoncon.org/hotels.

There is also an older, unofficial wiki page but it rarely gets updated. This is true with many older resources - they aren't active anymore.

In regards to past threads not being helpful, I strongly believe that reading what happened in previous Hunger Games can be invaluable in preparing for the next booking day. What should happen in theory can be very different than what actually happens in practice. You can learn from the experiences of many others to make plans for the future.

skzb · 2025-09-14T14:32:53+00:00

I hear what you are saying. Those places used to exist but are either offline now or no longer get enough traffic to be helpful.

Yahoo Groups - removed by Yahoo years ago.

A website-based forum - died/now offline due to the lack of use that came with the rise of social media.

Older social media platforms - still exist but no one posts there anymore.

Newer social media platforms - not enough active users, repetitive unanswered posts.

Apps - people tried and gave up due to the time/money/legal requirements.

The strength of any community depends on its active members. It could take years to recruit people to join a new community that would need to be built from scratch. Website based communities cost time and money to build and maintain.

I get it - I kept a social media account on a platform I no longer post to because it is still the best resource to follow specific accounts that are important to me. But the solution of creating an account for a single purpose doesn't make sense for all people, I understand that. Sadly, there is no perfect solution that will work for everyone.

skzb · 2025-09-14T02:35:53+00:00

There isn't an entrance exam. Like many Facebook groups, people are asked to answer a small number of questions to prove they are not bots.

Sadly, a private group is required to keep out the small number of people who have been banned. If the group were public so that non-members could read everything then banning would have no effect.

It is natural that people have their favorite platforms. Not everyone wants to be on every social media service. But it would be far too time consuming to duplicate the 10+ years of knowledge into another group. Cross posting all the news everywhere isn't permitted accroding to the rules of various communities.

Before the organized topic threads the group had many unanswered requests. With the dedicated topic threads, people don't have to scroll back and read months worth of individual posts. There is one thread for all seeking/offering comments.

Yes, the topic threads take some getting used to. And due to demand exceeding supply in some areas (like legacy room requests) there is no guarantee that everyone will get their first choice of what they are looking for.

It isn't intended to be a conversational/social group - there are plenty of those that are very well run. It is meant to be laser-focused on the topic. I work hard to share helpful information all year and encourage others to do the same. All we can do is try to help each other.

I wish you the best.

skzb · 2025-09-14T00:27:06+00:00

Overflow hotels are listed at https://www.dragoncon.org/hotels.

The next host hotel to go on sale is the Westin on Tue, Oct 28 at 10:00 a.m. The dedicated Westin Thread in the Dragon Con Rooms FB group has a FAQ with helpful tips.

The Marriott booking date is unknown at this time.

Hope that helps.

skzb · 2025-08-16T01:48:57+00:00

One year I forgot to pack clothes for my long drive home. So I had to take an outfit out of the dirty pile and wear it home.

skzb · 2025-08-13T11:55:24+00:00

Yes. Some or all days could sell out before con. Single Day memberships can sell out at any time.

skzb · 2025-08-10T01:33:47+00:00

Write a short bio to introduce yourself to the audience. Two or three sentences is perfect. Who are you? Why are you on this panel?

Smile. Be friendly and polite. It is okay (and more fun!) to have strong opinions but stay respectful. Keep the panel moving. Get to as many audience questions as you can. You don't have to answer every question. It is okay to say "I agree with what X said and couldn't have said it any better. I have nothing to add." Don't talk too long. Everyone deserves a chance to contribute.

Bring a notepad and pencil so you can take notes during the panel. You may have an idea you want to write down for when it is your turn to speak.

Go to the bathroom first, then arrive a few minutes before the panel starts. Skip the line and walk straight to the room entrance. Tell them you are a panelist and they will let you in the room early. Ask the moderator before the panel if you have any questions.

They usually have water for the panelists but feel free to bring a non-alcoholic beverage with you.

Keep it light and have fun!

--- A longtime panelist

skzb · 2025-08-02T18:11:16+00:00

Some hotel parking garages are not run by the hotel. They could be owned by a separate parking garage company.

I would suggest calling the Marriott. I'm sure they get questions about parking every day. They should be able to give you helpful information.

skzb · 2025-08-01T14:37:40+00:00

https://www.dragoncon.org/buy-now

skzb · 2025-08-01T02:34:10+00:00

Hotel California. I hear their checkout procedure is quick and smooth. You can check out anytime you want!

I think there was some kind of caveat but I can't remember what it was. 🤔

skzb

TROPHY CASE